CN103655204A - Pacifier - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a pacifier with a shield having a fastening section, an arc-shaped frame and an opening between the fastening section and the frame, wherein the frame extends at a distance around the outer edge of the fastening section, the frame at The upper part is connected at both ends to the outer edge of the fastening section, and the opening occupies a spaced area between the frame and the fastening section; the soother also has a flexible suction part protruding from the fastening section.

Description

pacifier

technical field

The present invention relates to a pacifier.

Background technique

In general, soothers (also referred to as "pacifiers") are used to satisfy the non-nutritive sucking needs of infants and to soothe infants and young children. Pacifiers have a flexible sucking part designed to be contained in the mouth. The sucking part is mounted with its rear end on a shield which needs to be placed on the lips and adjacent face of the infant so that the pacifier is not completely sucked in by the infant. The shield has a plurality of holes that are breathable so that when the pacifier reaches the mouth, the infant can breathe. The holes also reduce the risk of the pacifier being sucked into the throat.

While sucking, the mouth guard presses against the lips and adjacent face. Especially with prolonged, intensive use, mouth guards can lead to marks and skin infections. This can be exacerbated by the saliva that comes out of the infant's mouth while sucking. The outflow of saliva is blocked by the shield of the pacifier.

US Pat. No. 5,48,847 describes a pacifier with a shield having a central fastening section and a frame surrounding the fastening section, which is connected at the top and bottom to the outer edges of the fastening section. There are two large openings between the frame and the fixed section. With this pacifier, the contact surface between the shield and the mouth of the infant is smaller than in conventional pacifiers with a plate-like mouthguard having only small holes. However, skin infections and markings can also occur with such pacifiers.

Contents of the invention

Based on this, the object of the present invention is to provide a pacifier which better avoids skin infections and marks on the skin.

This task is achieved by a pacifier having the features of claim 1 . Advantageous developments of the pacifier are given in the dependent claims.

The pacifier according to the invention has a shield with a fastening section, an arc-shaped frame and an opening between the fastening section and the frame, wherein the frame extends at a distance around the outer edge of the fastening section, the frame at the top at The two ends are connected to the outer edge of the fastening section, and the opening occupies a spaced area between the frame and the fastening section; the soother also has a flexible suction part protruding from the fastening section.

The pacifier according to the invention has a shield, a fastening section and a frame with a large opening between the fastening section and the frame. The invention is particularly distinguished in that the frame extends in an arc-shaped spaced apart manner around the fastening section and is only connected at its two ends to the outer edges of the fastening section at the top. Since the spacer region between the frame and the fastening section is occupied by the opening, the opening extends around the entire fastening section up to both ends of the frame. Since the frame is not connected to the fixing section below its two ends, the contact area of the frame is reduced and the opening is enlarged. The reduced contact surface causes less skin infection and marking. The skin under the guard is better ventilated thanks to the large openings. It is particularly advantageous if the opening extends below the fastening section, since saliva emerging from the mouth can escape through the opening below the fastening section. The enlarged opening is therefore also primarily intended to reduce skin infection and imprinting. In addition to this, the large opening also facilitates mouth control for infants and toddlers while sucking. Fixing of the frame at the upper part on the outer edge of the fixing section is not problematic since this area is located above the upper lip where less saliva reaches. The connection of the frame to the fixing section can be realized sufficiently stably without damaging the skin, so that the frame cannot break.

According to a solution of the present invention, the two ends of the frame are connected to the outer edge of the fixing section above the suction part. This allows the frame to extend far around the outer edge of the fastening section. According to a preferred solution, the two ends of the frame are connected to the top area of the outer edge of the fixing section. The top region is the region of the fastening section which is arranged highest when using the pacifier.

According to another solution, the frame surrounds the fixing section at the bottom and on both sides with a large arc, the frame runs at the top, on both sides of the fixing section through a small arc, and the frame then meets at both ends of the frame Fixed segment connections. In the area of the large arc the frame has one or more large radii of curvature and in the area of the small arc the frame has one or more smaller radii of curvature. This solution achieves that the frame is supported evenly around the mouth and leaves sufficient free space above the mouth for the nose region.

According to another variant, the two ends of the frame are connected to the fastening section at a distance from one another. This solution likewise favors free space for the nasal region.

According to another variant, the frame has a region of reduced wall thickness extending around the fastening section along its main direction of extent. This region is preferably rigid or flexible (such as a film). Preferably, the region of reduced wall thickness is formed by an outer groove in the outer side of the frame and/or by an inner groove in the inner side of the frame. In the region of reduced wall thickness, the shield does not touch the skin or only with reduced pressure. In addition, this area also allows for the outflow of saliva. As a result, skin infections and imprinting are further reduced. However, the frame has sufficient stability needed to prevent breakage since it is held together by regions of reduced wall thickness.

According to another variant, the region of reduced wall thickness ends at a distance from the two ends of the frame connected to the fastening section. According to a preferred solution, the region of reduced wall thickness ends below the small arc traversed by the frame. As a result, the particularly stressed upper end region of the frame, which otherwise does not significantly cause skin infection and embossing, is not weakened by the reduced wall thickness.

According to another variant, the covering plate is transparent in the region of reduced wall thickness. This facilitates inspection of the infant's mouth while sucking.

According to another variant, the fastening section has an elliptical outer edge, wherein in use the major axis of the ellipse is oriented horizontally and the minor axis is vertical. This solution is advantageous when it is taken into account that the guard plate bears against the mouth and that the contour of the fastening section is adapted to the curved frame.

According to another variant, the frame is connected to the outer edge of the fastening section in its region surrounding the fastening section at a distance, on both sides of the vertical line, via inner webs spaced apart from one another, each inner web having a smaller diameter than the frame. the wall thickness. Internal tabs improve pickguard stability. However, the inner tab does not stop the flow of drool because its wall thickness is smaller than that of the frame. Preferably, the inner side of the inner web, which is opposite the inner side of the frame and the fastening section, is offset outwards and is arranged closer to the outer side of the trim. By arranging the inner webs at a distance from one another on both sides of the vertical plane, the flow of saliva through the opening below the fastening section is not prevented by the inner webs. According to a preferred solution, the inner web is arranged below the center of the fixing section. For a fixed segment with an elliptical profile, the intersection of the major and minor axes is the center. According to another variant, the major axis of the inner web encloses an angle of +/−50° to 90°, preferably approximately +/−65°, with a vertical axis passing through the center of the fastening section. The orientation of this inner web is particularly advantageous for the stability of the panel, for the drainage of saliva and for ventilation.

According to another variant, the frame has, in the region of reduced wall thickness, an outer web extending in the direction of the inner web and having a smaller wall thickness than the frame. Preferably, the inner side of the outer web, which is opposite the inner side of the frame, is offset outwards. The frame is further stabilized by external tabs without increasing the pressure of the frame against the skin and blocking the flow of saliva.

According to a further variant, the pacifier has a ring and a bearing device, which supports the ring pivotably about a horizontal pivot axis on the shield. Thanks to the ring, the pacifier can be easily removed from the mouth.

According to another variant, the ring has locking projections at a distance from the bearing device, which can be locked behind the inner edge of the frame. When the ring and frame are locked, it is not easy for babies and toddlers to pull the pacifier out of their mouth. An adult can lock the ring in a targeted manner to use it to remove the pacifier.

According to another variant, the ring has outwardly protruding unlocking projections for releasing the locking connection of the ring and the frame. An adult can lift the unlocking protrusion with a fingertip or nail, thereby easily releasing the ring.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a pacifier with more favorable handling properties.

This task is achieved by a pacifier having the features of claim 18 .

A pacifier according to the invention has a shield, a flexible suction part protruding from the shield, a ring and a bearing device that pivotably supports the ring on the shield about a horizontal pivot axis, wherein the ring is connected to the shield. The support means spaced apart have locking projections which can be locked behind the inner edge of the frame.

The ring is used to remove the pacifier from the infant's mouth. With the pacifier according to the invention, the ring and shield are lockable when not in use. Thereby, it can prevent that an infant unintentionally pulls out a pacifier from a mouth. When the ring is required for extraction, the lock can be released in a targeted manner and the ring used for extraction.

According to one solution, the ring has outwardly protruding unlocking projections for releasing the locking connection of the ring to the guard plate. An adult can lift the unlocking projection with a fingertip or nail, whereby the ring is easily released.

According to a further variant, the locking element of the guard plate engages from behind a locking edge of the locking projection in the locked state. The locking edge is, for example, the edge adjacent to the undercut region of the trim. For example, the locking edge is formed by the outer edge of the panel or by the edge of the openings for ventilation. For a pacifier with the features of claim 1 , the locking edge is preferably formed by the inner edge of the frame.

Description of drawings

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of the drawings of exemplary embodiments. Shown in the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 Front view of a pacifier with a ring;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the pacifier seen from the rear side;

Figure 3 is the left view of the pacifier;

Figure 4 is the right side view of the pacifier;

Figure 5 is a top view of the pacifier;

Figure 6 is the bottom view of the pacifier;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the pacifier viewed obliquely from the front and side;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 of the shield of the pacifier;

Figure 9 is a perspective view obliquely from the front and side of another pacifier according to the invention without a ring.

Detailed ways

In this application, "upper" and "lower" as well as "horizontal" and "vertical" refer to the arrangement of the pacifier in an upright infant's mouth, where the fixing section is connected with the end of the curved frame with its outer edge The region is oriented upwards.

The pacifier 1 according to the invention has a shield 2, from an inner side 3 of which a suction part 4 made of a soft elastic material protrudes. The trim 2 has a cover 6 and a pivotally mounted ring 7 on the outer side 5 .

The shield 2 is generally flat and curved, wherein its inner side 3 is concave to achieve a fit with the mouth.

The fender 2 comprises a central fixing section 8 with an oval outer edge 9 .

The fastening section 8 has a central bore, into which the suction part 4 with the shaft 10 engages. At the end, the shaft 10 has a circumferential projection which bears against the outer side 5 of the fastening section 8 . The cover 6 has a central pin which is pressed into an opening on said end of the suction part 4 . As a result, the suction part 4 is held on the guard plate 2 . The cover 6 is optionally additionally glued or welded to the trim 2 . The described fixing of the suction part 4 and the cover 6 complies with the regulations in DIN EN1400-1.

Furthermore, the panel 2 comprises an arcuate frame 11 which extends at a distance around the outer edge 9 of the fastening section 8 and which is connected at the top to the outer edge 9 of the fastening section 8 at both ends 12 , 13 . The opening 14 connecting the outer side 5 of the panel 2 to the inner side 3 occupies the entire distance between the frame 11 and the fastening section 8 . The opening 14 extends around the fixing section 8 and terminates at the point where the ends 12 , 13 of the frame 11 connect to the fixing section 8 .

The frame 11 extends around the fastening section at the bottom and on both sides with a large arc 15 . In this area, the frame 11 has an approximately constant curvature. The frame 11 then extends with small arcs 16 , 17 on both sides of the fastening section 8 and is then connected to the fastening section 8 at its two ends 12 , 13 . The upper edge of the frame extends between two small arcs 16, 17 with a larger arc 18 of opposite curvature in order to provide free space for the nose area.

The frame 11 has a strip-shaped region of reduced wall thickness 19 which extends between the two small arcs 16 , 17 along the main direction of extent of the frame 11 . The reduced wall thickness region 19 is formed by an inner groove 20 on the inner side 3 of the frame 11 and by an outer groove 21 on the outer side 5 of the frame 11 .

In this region of reduced wall thickness 19 the frame 11 is transparent. In other areas, the frame is less transparent (eg translucent or opaque). Alternatively, the frame 11 is transparent and colorless in this region of reduced wall thickness 19 and colored and possibly transparent in other regions.

On both sides of the vertical axis, the panel 2 has inner webs 22 , 23 bridging the spaced region between the fastening section 8 and the frame 11 . The trim 2 has a smaller wall thickness in the region of the inner webs 22 , 23 than in the region of the frame 11 . In addition, the inner sides of the inner webs 22 , 23 are offset outwards relative to the inner sides 3 of the adjacent frame 11 and fastening section 8 , so that they rest against the skin with no or only low pressure.

In addition, the trim 2 has outer webs 24 , 25 in the region of reduced wall thickness 19 , which continue the inner webs 22 , 23 . The wall thickness of the outer webs 24 , 25 is smaller than the wall thickness of the frame 11 . Furthermore, the insides of the outer webs 24 , 25 are also offset outwards relative to the inner side 3 of the frame 11 , so that the outer webs 24 , 25 bear against the skin with no or only low pressure.

The inner and outer webs 22 to 25 are arranged offset by approximately +/−65° with respect to a vertical axis passing through the center of the fastening section 8 .

A horizontal, approximately cylindrical channel is provided between the fender 2 and the cover 6 , which channel forms a pivot bearing 26 . In the pivot bearing 26 the upper straight section 27 of the ring 7 which is connected to the annular section 28 is pivotably supported.

At its lowest point, the ring 7 has a locking projection 29 protruding towards the fender 2 , which can be locked on the inner edge of the frame 11 . In addition, the ring 7 has an unlocking projection 30 slightly offset laterally to the locking projection 29 , which protrudes downwards approximately parallel to the outside of the trim 2 . Adults can insert their fingertips or fingernails under the unlocking protrusion, so as to release the locking of the ring 7 and the frame 11 .

Guard plate 2, ring 7 and cover 6 are preferably manufactured from rigid plastic. Preferably, it is made of thermoplastic. Also preferably, it is injection moulded.

The suction part 4 preferably consists of latex, silicone rubber or a thermoplastic elastomer.

The pacifier 1 has the advantage that it has a small contact area on the skin due to the special shape of the frame 11 , but is still sufficiently stable. Furthermore, it has very large openings 14 for ventilation and for the outflow of saliva. It is particularly advantageous here if the opening 14 is open below the fastening section 8 so that saliva can escape there unhindered. It is also advantageous that the user's mouth can be well viewed through the opening 14 and through the transparent region 19 of reduced wall thickness.

The soother 1 . 2 in FIG. 9 differs from the soother 1 of FIGS. 1 to 9 in that it does not have a ring 7 . The cover 6 of the pacifier 1.2 serves as a handle.

Claims (20)

1. A pacifier having a shield (2) with a fixing section (8), a curved frame (11) and an opening (14) between the fixing section (8) and the frame (11) , wherein the frame (11) extends at intervals around the outer edge of the fixed section (8), the frame (11) is connected to the outer edge (9) of the fixed section (8) at both ends (12, 13) in the upper part connected, and the opening (14) occupies a spaced area between the frame (11) and the fixing section (8); the pacifier also has a flexible suction part (4) protruding from the fixing section (8). 2. Pacifier according to claim 1, wherein the two ends (12, 13) of the frame (11) are connected to the outer edge (9) of the fastening section (8) above the suction part (4) . 3. A pacifier according to claim 2, wherein the two ends (12, 13) of the frame (11) are connected to the top region of the outer edge (9) of the fastening section (8). 4. The pacifier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the frame (11) surrounds the fixing section (8) at the bottom and on both sides with a large arc (15), the frame is at the top, at the fixing section Both sides of (8) run through small arcs (16, 17), and the frame is then connected with the fixed section (8) at both ends (12, 13) of the frame. 5. The pacifier as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the two ends (12, 13) of the frame (11) are connected to the fastening section (8) at a distance from one another. 6 . The pacifier as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the frame ( 11 ) has a region of reduced wall thickness ( 19 ) extending around the fastening section ( 8 ) in the main direction of extent of the frame. 7 . 7. A pacifier according to claim 6, wherein the region of reduced wall thickness (19) passes through an outer groove (21) in the outer side (5) of the frame (11) and/or through an outer groove (21) in the frame (11) The inner groove (20) in the inner side (3) of the body constitutes. 8. A pacifier according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the region of reduced wall thickness (19) is spaced apart from the two ends (12, 13) of the frame (11 ) connected to the fixing section (8) openly terminated. 9. A soother according to claim 8, wherein the region of reduced wall thickness (19) terminates below the small arc (16, 17). 10. The soother as claimed in one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the shield (2) is transparent in the region of reduced wall thickness (19). 11. The pacifier as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the fastening section (8) has an oval outer edge (9). 12. The pacifier as claimed in one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the frame (11) in its region surrounding the fastening section (8) at a distance has inner webs ( 22, 23) are connected to the outer edge (9) of the fastening section (8), the inner webs have a smaller wall thickness than the frame (11). 13. The pacifier as claimed in claim 12, wherein the frame (11) is connected to the fastening section (8) via two inner webs (22, 23) arranged symmetrically with respect to the vertical. 14. A pacifier according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the frame (11) has outer webs (24, 25) in the region of reduced wall thickness (19), each outer web along the inner web (22 , 23) and has a smaller wall thickness than the frame (11). 15. A pacifier according to one of claims 1 to 14, having a ring (7) and a bearing device (26) which pivots the ring (7) about a horizontal pivot axis Supported on the guard plate (2). 16. The pacifier as claimed in claim 15, wherein the ring (28) has locking projections (29) at a distance from the bearing means (26), which can be locked behind the inner edge of the frame (11). 17. A pacifier according to claim 16, wherein the ring (7) has an unlocking projection (30) protruding outwards for releasing the locking connection of the ring (7) to the frame (11). 18. A pacifier having a shield (2), a ring (7) and support means (26) pivotably supporting said ring (7) on the shield (2) about a horizontal pivot axis ), wherein the ring (28) has a locking projection (29) spaced apart from the bearing means (26), which can be locked behind the locking element (11) of the guard plate (2). 19. A pacifier according to claim 18, wherein the ring (7) has outwardly protruding unlocking projections (30) for releasing the locking connection of the ring (7) to the shield (2). 20. The pacifier according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the locking element (11) of the shield (2) is a locking edge engaging the locking projection (29) from behind in the locked state.

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