EP2822528B1 - Suction device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a nipple, especially for use by babies or toddlers. The sucker can be designed as a teat or as a soother.

Conventional suckers have a base and a hollow and elastic mouthpiece protruding therefrom. In a teat, the mouthpiece has at least one drinking opening and is provided with a circumferential flange or mounting ring for releasable attachment to a drinking bottle the base. In most cases, teat cups also have an integrated venting valve, which enables pressure equalization with the environment. It is also known to form the vent valve in the contact area between the flange and the opening edge of the bottle. In a soother, the base is a mouth shield over which the nipple is supported on the lips and mouth of the child.

The WO 2008/154 968 A1 describes a nipple with a nipple carrier and one of the nipple carrier projecting, hollow nipple, which has at least on two opposite longitudinal sides areas with lower wall thickness. These dilutions make the nipple flexible and put less pressure on the jaw when applied. In addition, the nipple nipple is provided with further strip-shaped areas with a smaller wall thickness, which extend at a distance from the center plane of the nipple shank approximately parallel to the areas of lesser wall thickness and continue into the area of the nipple head. The deformation of the nipple head is facilitated by a controlled buckling in the strip-shaped areas with a smaller wall thickness.

The DE 20 2004 005 564 U1 describes a teat with a mouthpiece and a cupola called dome-shaped support of the mouthpiece, wherein the carrier has a flexible portion, which is a bending of the mouthpiece towards the wearer and away from the wearer. The flexible region is formed by a plurality of circumferential around the axis of the mouthpiece channels on the inside of the carrier.

The US 2004/0220618 A1 describes a teat with structured surface areas, which have at least a rough surface zone with a surface roughness of not more than 100 microns, in particular of a maximum of 50 microns. In one embodiment, dilution areas are arranged on both sides of the lip contact area, which should enable the so-called "stripping" during suction.

On this basis, the invention has for its object to provide a sucker available, the use of which is perceived by the child as pleasant.

The teat according to the invention has a base and a hollow and soft-elastic mouthpiece projecting therefrom with a palate abutment region, wherein the mouthpiece has a full or partial engaging area dilution area in which the mouthpiece has a smaller wall thickness than in its adjacent areas, wherein the mouthpiece has a greater wall thickness outside the dilution range than in the dilution range. According to the invention, the nipple has a preferred rotational position in the mouth and the dilution area is present only at the palate abutment area of the mouthpiece which is in contact with the palate on the preferred rotational position.

The teat according to the invention is in contact with the areal dilution area on the palate. The area dilution area is particularly soft and cuddly. This is based on the areal design of the dilution area, which, in contrast to the aforementioned, stripe-shaped further weakening of the material does not surround the palate abutment area on the outside, but covers it flatly. Due to the softness and conformability of the dilution range, the use of the nipple by the child is perceived as particularly pleasant. This is also due to the fact that the palate includes particularly pressure-sensitive areas. This is especially the case in the anterior region of the hard palate, especially in the area of the incisive papilla, which is a small elevation at the anterior end of the palate. According to a preferred embodiment, therefore, the areal dilution area is located in a palate abutment area which, in use, comes into contact with the anterior region of the hard palate. Preferably, the area dilution area is located in a palate abutment area of the nipple, which at Use in contact with the incisive papilla comes. Preferably, the dilution range is a contiguous dilution range. The dilution region preferably has in its entire surface a wall thickness which is reduced in relation to the wall thickness of the adjacent region of the mouthpiece. However, the dilution region can also consist of small juxtaposed surface elements in which the mouthpiece has a reduced wall thickness and together cover an area which forms the dilution area. In this embodiment, a quasi-continuous area dilution area is formed.

The mouthpiece has a greater wall thickness everywhere outside the dilution range than in the dilution range. Furthermore, the mouthpiece preferably has the same wall thickness everywhere outside the dilution range. Furthermore, the mouthpiece preferably has the same wall thickness everywhere in the dilution region.

According to a further embodiment, the wall thickness of the dilution zone is at most 75% of the wall thickness of the adjacent area of the mouthpiece. Further preferably, the wall thickness of the dilution region is at most 50% of the wall thickness of the adjacent region of the mouthpiece. Further preferably, the wall thickness of the dilution region is at least 20% of the wall thickness of the adjacent region of the mouthpiece. Furthermore, the wall thickness of the dilution area is preferably at least 40% of the wall thickness of the adjacent area of the mouthpiece.

According to a further embodiment, the wall thickness of the dilution region is selected from one of the following ranges: 0.5 to 0.75 mm, 0.75 to 1.25 mm, 1.25 to 1.49 mm. The wall thickness of the dilution area is preferably 1 mm.

According to a further embodiment, the wall thickness of the region adjoining the dilution region is selected from one of the following ranges: 1.26 to 1.5 mm, 1.5 to 1.75 mm, 1.75 to 2.0 mm. Preferably, the wall thickness of the adjacent area is 1.5 mm.

According to one embodiment, the dilution area is completely enclosed by the palatal area or congruent with the palate area or includes the palate area. The dilution region can therefore extend over only a part of the palate abutment region or be formed congruently therewith or even extend over a larger surface than the palate abutment region of the mouthpiece. A dilution area completely enclosed by the palate area can be concentrated on the areas of the palate area which are particularly sensitive. This has the advantage that the mouthpiece is weakened less by the dilution range and thus is stronger than in the other two variants. If the dilution range is congruent with the palate abutment area, the nipple lies particularly soft on the palate. This is reinforced in the embodiment of the case in which the dilution area encloses the palatal abutment area, because when planting the palatal area on the palate, the areas surrounding the palatal area of the dilution area also yield. The dilution region preferably has a contour which runs parallel to or coincides with the contour of the palatal abutment region.

According to a further embodiment, the mouthpiece, at least in the palate abutment region and in the tooth region, has larger dimensions in each cross section in the direction of the horizontal axis than in the direction of the vertical axis. The horizontal axis is the axis of the cross-section which is horizontally aligned when used in an upright posture of the child and the vertical axis about the axis of the cross-section which is vertically aligned during use. Because of this cross-sectional shape, the nipple is preferably used in the described orientation. According to a further embodiment, the cross section is above.

According to a further embodiment, the mouthpiece above a dome for resting on the palate and / or below a chamfer for engaging the tongue and / or adjacent to the base of a waist for receiving the tooth area. Such a mouthpiece is in the DE 94 15 655 U1 described. The words "above" and "below" also refer to an orientation in the mouth of the Child in upright posture of the child, in which the above-arranged components of the nipple are arranged above the components arranged below. The respective embodiments also cause a preferred rotational position of the teat in the mouth of the child.

According to another embodiment, the dilution region extends in a vertical longitudinal section through the mouthpiece from the dome of the dome to the waist. According to a further embodiment, the dilution range is applied to the particularly sensitive areas of the palate, in particular to the papilla incisiva.

According to a further embodiment, the dilution region, viewed from a position vertically above the mouthpiece, has an elliptical contour. This embodiment takes into account the fact that the particularly sensitive areas of the palate are on and on both sides of the median plane, d. h., the plane that divides the body into the right and left halves.

According to a further embodiment, the main axis of the dilution area is arranged in a vertically directed center plane of the teat and the minor axis of the elliptical contour is arranged perpendicular to the center plane. When used in the preferred rotational position of the teat, the midplane falls into the median plane of the body. In this embodiment, the dilution area in the particularly sensitive areas of the palate comes to rest. The major axis is the longer and the minor axis is the shorter axis of the elliptical contour.

According to a further embodiment, the mouthpiece has at least one strip-shaped reinforcing element surrounding the dilution area. The Reinforcement element protects the dilution area from damage or prevents damage to the dilution area from spreading to the rest of the sucker. Preferably, the reinforcing element has a course that corresponds to the course of the contour of the dilution region.

According to a further embodiment, the dilution region or a reinforcing element extends from a position perpendicular from above onto the sucker to the insides of the longitudinal walls of the mouthpiece.

According to a further embodiment, the mouthpiece on the two spaced apart in the horizontal direction longitudinal sides further reinforcing elements. The other reinforcing elements protect the mouthpiece against the particularly high loads on the long sides. Furthermore, they can act as hinges, which favor a flat compression of the mouthpiece, so that it puts less stress on the jaws. According to a further embodiment, the reinforcing elements of the inside of the walls of the mouthpiece protruding beads. The beads are preferably formed integrally with the walls of the mouthpiece. Alternatively, the reinforcing elements and / or the further reinforcing elements are reinforcing threads or reinforcing strips embedded in the mouthpiece. The reinforcing threads or reinforcing strips are made of a flexible material that is stronger than the remaining material of the mouthpiece.

According to a further embodiment, the teat is a teat, which has at least one drinking opening (eg drinking hole or drinking slot) in or next to the palate abutment area and has a hollow, elastic base or a circumferential flange or fastening ring on the base.

According to a preferred embodiment, the drinking opening is located in the apex region of the dome of the mouthpiece. According to a further embodiment, the drinking opening is outside the dilution range. As a result, a weakening of the dilution area is avoided by the drinking opening, which could facilitate damage to the dilution area. According to a further embodiment, the drinking opening is located outside of a reinforcement area around the dilution area. As a result, crack propagation starting from the drinking opening into the dilution area is avoided. According to a further embodiment, the drinking hole is located between two reinforcing regions enclosing the dilution region. As a result, an outgoing from the mouth opening crack is stopped by the two gain areas.

According to a further embodiment, the nipple is a soother with a base in the form of a mouth shield. The mouth shield consists of a preferably made of a rigid or elastic plastic. According to a further embodiment, the mouth shield is rigid with a soft elastic coating on at least one side.

For a preferred rotational position of a pacifier, a mouth shield of the pacifier may have a contour (eg, oval or butterfly shape) with clearance for the nasal part. Also, for this purpose, the inside of the mouth shield be curved so that the mouth shield has a preferred orientation to the lips of the child. A suitably designed vacuum cleaner is usually used so that the mouthpiece rests on a specific area on the palate. At this palatal area the dilution area is present.

According to a further embodiment, the mouthpiece is made of silicone, natural rubber or a thermoplastic elastomer and / or the base is made of silicone, natural rubber, a thermoplastic elastomer or a thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic.

According to a further embodiment, the nipple is wholly or partially injection molded or manufactured by dipping. A sucker made of silicone is preferably injection-molded and a sucker made of natural rubber preferably prepared by dipping.

When designed as a teat, the teat is preferably injection molded in one piece or produced by dipping. When executed as a soother, it can also be injection molded in one piece or produced by dipping. By injection molding in the multi-component injection molding process, a soft-elastic mouthpiece and a hard or elastic mouth shield can be realized. Alternatively, the mouthpiece is injection molded separately or prepared by dipping and connected mechanically and / or by gluing with a separately injection-molded mouth shield.

Fig. 1

den Trinksauger in einer Ansicht vertikal von oben;

Fig. 2

den Trinksauger in der Ansicht von der linken Seite;

Fig. 3

den Trinksauger in der Ansicht von der rechten Seite;

Fig. 4

den Trinksauger betrachtet aus einer Richtung senkrecht von unten;

Fig. 5

den Trinksauger von vorn;

Fig. 6

den Trinksauger in einer Ansicht von hinten;

Fig. 7

den Trinksauger in einem vergrößertem Schnitt durch die Medianebene;

Fig. 8

den Trinksauger in einer Perspektivansicht schräg von oben und von der linken Seite;

Fig. 9

ein Mundstück eines Beruhigungssaugers in einer Perspektivansicht schräg von hinten und von oben;

Fig. 10

das Mundstück in einer Perspektivansicht schräg von unten und von unten;

Fig. 11

das Mundstück in einer Draufsicht;

Fig. 12

das Mundstück in einer Unteransicht;

Fig. 13

das Mundstück in einer Seitenansicht;

Fig. 14

das Mundstück in einer Vorderansicht;

Fig. 15

das Mundstück in einer Ansicht von hinten;

Fig. 16

das Mundstück in einem Schnitt entlang der Linie XVI - XVI von Fig. 11;

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of an embodiment of a teat and an embodiment of a pacifier. In the drawing show:

Fig. 1

the teat in a view vertically from above;

Fig. 2

the teat in the view from the left side;

Fig. 3

the teat in the view from the right side;

Fig. 4

the teat viewed from a direction perpendicular from below;

Fig. 5

the teat from the front;

Fig. 6

the teat in a view from behind;

Fig. 7

the teat in an enlarged section through the median plane;

Fig. 8

the teat in a perspective view obliquely from above and from the left side;

Fig. 9

a mouthpiece of a soother in a perspective view obliquely from behind and from above;

Fig. 10

the mouthpiece in a perspective view obliquely from below and from below;

Fig. 11

the mouthpiece in a plan view;

Fig. 12

the mouthpiece in a bottom view;

Fig. 13

the mouthpiece in a side view;

Fig. 14

the mouthpiece in a front view;

Fig. 15

the mouthpiece in a view from behind;

Fig. 16

the mouthpiece in a section along the line XVI - XVI of Fig. 11 ;

Fig. 17 the mouthpiece in a section along the line XVII - XVII of Fig. 13 , The nipple 1 (also called "teat") has a base 2 in the form of a hollow dome or bell, which is connected at its tapered end with a hollow mouthpiece 3 and at its large opening with a circumferential, annular disc-shaped flange 4. The flange 4 is therefore referred to as the "proximal end" of the teat and the mouthpiece 3 is accordingly also referred to as the "distal end".

The base 2 of the teat is also referred to as a "body". It has below its largest diameter on a retracted area 5, which extends to the inner edge of the flange 4. In the region of the largest diameter, the base 2 in a recess 6, a valve 7. The valve 7 is formed in the example as a slit valve with two intersecting slots 8.

The mouthpiece 3 is substantially oval in cross section, wherein the mouthpiece 3 in each cross section in the direction of the horizontal axis 9 has larger dimensions than in the direction of the vertical axis 10 (see. Fig. 5, 6 ).

Further, the mouthpiece 3 above a dome 11 for contact with the palate and below a bevel 12 to rest against the tongue. In addition, the mouthpiece 3 has a waist 13 adjacent to the base 2. The mouthpiece 3 is waisted both in a vertical median plane (see. Fig. 2, 3rd and 7 ), as well as in a vertically oriented, horizontal plane through its distal end (see. Fig. 1 and 4 ).

The bevel 12 is substantially flat, but dented slightly inward.

The teat has in the dome 11 a drinking hole 14. This has a cross-section that tapers from the outside inwards. The drinking hole is arranged slightly offset to the apex of the dome 11.

The mouthpiece 3 has a flat dilution region 15 in which its wall thickness is smaller than in the remaining regions of the mouthpiece 3. The dilution region 15 extends approximately from the apex of the dome 11 via the waist 13 to the connection of the mouthpiece 3 to the base 2 ( Fig. 7 ). The dilution region 15 is congruent with the palate abutment region of the mouthpiece 3.

The dilution region 15 has an elliptical contour. Around the dilution area 15, the mouthpiece 3 has reinforcing elements 16, 17, which are formed as beads, as well as the dilution area 15 have an elliptical contour. The reinforcing elements 16, 17 are a small distance from each other. The drinking hole 14 is located on the vertical median plane between the reinforcing elements 16, 17.

Furthermore, the teat 1 on two further reinforcing elements 18, 19 in the form of beads, which extend from the inside of the wall of the teat 1 approximately in a horizontal median plane through the teat. The further reinforcing elements 18, 19 are slightly curved and thus somewhat deviate from the horizontal center plane (cf. Fig. 2, 3rd and 7 ). They extend from the connection region of the mouthpiece 3 with the base 2 almost to the distal end of the mouthpiece third

The nipple 1 is made in one piece from silicone, in particular by injection molding. In a similar embodiment, the teat is also made of natural rubber.

In use, the flange 4 is screwed by means of a mounting ring on the edge of the opening of a bottle with mounting thread. The soother is aligned in the mouth of the child so that the dome 11 and the waist lie with the dilution area 15 on the palate, especially on the papilla incisiva. The chamfer 12 then abuts the tongue. Due to the soft and supple dilution range 15, the use for the child is very pleasant. The reinforcing elements 16, 17, 18, 19 prevent the formation and propagation of cracks or the like.

In the following description of the soother, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in the previous description of the teat.

The soother 1 (also called "nipple") has a hollow mouthpiece 3. This is orthodontically shaped, d. H. adapted to the shape of the oral cavity. The mouthpiece 3 has at the proximal end an access hole 20 to a cavity 21 in the interior of the mouthpiece 3. Furthermore, at the proximal end of an outwardly projecting edge bead 22 runs around.

The mouthpiece 3 has a narrow, waisted in plan view neck 23 and a widened head 24. The head 24 has at the top an outwardly curved dome 11 for resting on the palate. Below he has a chamfer 12 to rest on the tongue. The bevel 12 is substantially flat, but dented slightly inward.

The mouthpiece 3 has a flat dilution region 15 in which its wall thickness is smaller than in the remaining regions of the mouthpiece 3. The dilution region 15 is formed in the dome 11 of the head 24. The dilution region 15 has an elliptical contour. In the longitudinal direction of the mouthpiece 3, the dilution region 15 extends approximately from the highest point of the dome 11 to the connection of the head 24 with the neck 23 (see. Fig. 13 ). In the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the maximum width of the dilution region 15 is about one third to three quarters, preferably about half the maximum width of the head 24 (see FIG. FIGS. 9 and 11 ).

Around the dilution region 15, the mouthpiece 3 has, on the inner side 3, a reinforcing element 16 in the form of an inwardly projecting bead which runs around the dilution region 15.

The mouthpiece 3 preferably has a wall thickness of approximately 1 mm in the dilution region 15 and a wall thickness of approximately 1.5 in the adjacent region mm. Preferably, the mouthpiece 3 in the areas outside the dilution region 15 has a wall thickness of about 1.5 mm everywhere. In the region of the edge bead 22, the mouthpiece 3 preferably has a greater wall thickness.

The mouthpiece 3 is preferably produced in one piece from silicone, in particular by injection molding. In a similar embodiment, the mouthpiece 3 can also be produced from natural rubber.

To completely form the soother 1, the mouthpiece 3 is connected to a substantially rigid shield (also called "mouth shield"). The shield serves to support the outer mouth so that the child does not swallow the mouthpiece.

The shield is preferably convex on the inside and concave on the outside so that it fits comfortably against the user's mouth.

The shield has a central receiving hole through which the mouthpiece 3 is inserted, so that it bears against the outside of the mouth shield with the edge bead 22 at the edge of the receiving hole. From the outside, a pin is inserted into the access hole 20, so that the mouthpiece 3 is not pulled out of the receiving hole. The spigot is integrally connected to a button or cover that is fixedly connected (eg, welded or glued) to the outside of the mouth shield. On the button, the soother can be touched from the outside to insert it into the mouth or pull out. A lid serves to support a ring which can be used for inserting or removing the soother in or out of the mouth.

A soother 1 with mouthpiece 3 (also referred to as "suction part"), shield, pin and button or lid and ring is described in the European standard EN 1400-2: 2002. If the soother 1 rests with the sign on the mouth and the mouthpiece 3 is placed in the mouth of the child, the dome 11 is located with the dilution area 15 on the palate, in particular on the papilla incisiva. The chamfer 12 then abuts the tongue. Due to the soft and supple dilution range 15, the use for the child is very pleasant. The reinforcing element 16 prevents the formation and propagation of cracks or the like.

Claims (16)

1. A teat with a base (2) and a hollow and soft elastic mouthpiece protruding from it with a palate contact area, wherein the mouthpiece (3) has a two-dimensional thinning area (15) fully or partially extending over the palate contact area, in which the mouthpiece has a smaller wall thickness than in its adjacent areas, the mouthpiece beyond the thinning area (15) has all over a larger wall thickness, characterized in that owing to its design the teat has a preferred rotational position in the mouth, the thinning area (15) is only present on the palate contact area of the mouthpiece adjacent to the palate in the preferred rotational position.
2. The teat according to claim 1, characterized in that the thinning area (15) is completely surrounded by the palate contact area or is congruent with the palate contact area or encloses the palate contact area.
3. The teat according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the thinning area (15) is surround by at least one strip-like reinforcing element.
4. The teat according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the mouthpiece has at least in the palate contact area and in the teeth area in each cross-section in the direction of the horizontal axis greater dimensions than in the direction of the vertical axis.
5. The teat according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the mouthpiece has a dome (11) on top for placement on the palate and/or a bevel (12) for placement on the tongue and/or a waist (13) adjacent to the base for accommodating the teeth area.
6. The teat according to claim 5, characterized in that the thinning area (15) or a reinforcing element (16,17) extends in a vertical longitudinal section through the mouthpiece (3) from the apex of the dome (11) up to the waist (13).
7. The teat according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the thinning area has an elliptical contour when observed from a position vertically above the mouthpiece (3).
8. The teat according to claim 7, characterized in that the main axis of the elliptical contour of the thinning area is arranged in a vertically aligned middle plane of the teat and the secondary axis of the elliptical contour is arranged perpendicular to the middle plane.
9. The teat according to claim 8, characterized in that the thinning area (15) or a reinforcing element (16, 17) extends to the insides of the walls of the mouthpiece (3) when observed from a position vertical above onto the teat.
10. The teat according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the mouthpiece (3) has additional, strip-like reinforcing elements (18,19) on both longitudinal sides, which are distanced from each other in the horizontal direction.
11. The teat according to claim 10, characterized in that the reinforcing elements (15, 16) and/or the additional reinforcing elements (18, 19) are bulges protruding from the inside of the walls of the mouthpiece (3).
12. The teat according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it is a bottle teat, which has at least one drink opening (14) in or next to the palate contact area, a hollow, soft elastic base (2) and a circumferential flange (4) or fastening ring on the base (2).
13. The teat according to claim 12, characterized in that it has the drink opening (14) in the apex area of the dome (11).
14. The teat according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it is a pacifier with a base (2) with the shape of a mouth shield.
15. The teat according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the mouthpiece (3) is made of silicone, natural rubber or a thermoplastic elastomer and/or the base is made of silicone, natural rubber, a thermoplastic elastomer or a thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic.
16. The teat according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that it is fully or partially injection-molded or produced in an immersion process.

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