GB2057274A - Improvements relating to baby soothers - Google Patents

Abstract

The present specification describes a baby soother of the type having a teat, a handle extending in a direction away from the text and a flange forming a shield disposed between the teat and handle. Soothers of this type are usually constructed from separately formed components as integral forming is expensive. However, there is usually the problem that one or more component parts can be removed allowing all of the other component parts to become loosened or actually separated. This is dangerous as a baby may swallow such separated parts. As shown the soother comprises a closure member (2) ultrasonically welded to a wall (8) on the shield (3) to define a cavity therebetween. A teat (4) extends from within the cavity wherein it is secured by a plug (10), through an aperture in the shield (3) away from the handle (1). The teat (4) and handle (1) are held firmly in position preventing easy disassembly. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to baby soothers The present invention relates to a baby soother of the type comprising a teat, a handle extending in a direction away from the teat and a flange forming a shield disposed between the teat and the handle.

Baby soothers of this type should be so constructed that the component parts thereof cannot be readily separated without breaking one or more parts, since there is the danger th at small compo nents may be swallowed by the baby. Soothers of this type are usually constructed from separately formed components which are fixed together in such a way that they cannot be easily dismantled. However, the problem arises if one component part is removed, when it frequently happens that all the other component parts thereby become loosened or actually separated.

It has been known to mould the various component parts together when they are made of a suitable plastics material, to form an inseparable structure.

However, this in an expensive method of manufacture.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a baby soother of the type referred to hereabove which is relatively cheap to manufacture and which is made of easily assembled parts, it being impossible to partially disassemble the soother to allow the remaining soother parts to become loose or disassembled.

According to the present invention there is provided a baby soother comprising a handle and a shield, a closure member being secured to said shield to define a cavity therebetween, a teat extending from within the cavity wherein it is secured, through an aperture in said shield in a direction away from said handle, said teat closing said aperturn and said closure member securing the handle to said shield.

Preferably the said closure member is ultrasonically welded to said shield to define the cavity, the closure member and shield being made of a plastics material e.g. polypropylene. Alternatively, the closure member and shield may be secured together by any other suitable means or methods.

In one embodiment of the present invention the closure member and handle are integrally formed together and incorporate an integral hinge formed by a reduced dimensions portion of the handle, the integral hinge enabling the handle to be moved relative to the shield. The said closure member is discshaped and is connected to the ring-shaped i.e. oval or circular, handle by said integral hinge. The shield is circular with said aperture being centrally located therein, an upstanding wall surrounding said aperture and being of the same or similar diameter as the disc-shaped closure member. In the assembled soother the perimeter of the disc-shaped closure member is welded to the upper edge of said upstanding wall.

Said disc-shaped closure member may alternatively have a depending wall which is secured to the shield around the aperture, obviating the necessity for said upstanding wall. Further, said closure member handle may be any alternative desired shape it being necessary merely to define a cavity for the retention of the teat.

The teat is preferably a hollow flexible member which is open at one end, a plug engaging in said one end to securely hold the teat in the aperture in the shield, the teat being held firmly but with a minimum of stress, between the edge of the aperture and the plug, a beaded edge of the teat positively preventing its removal. The plug is held in position by the disc-shaped closure member and may be a separate component or formed integrally with the closure member.

In assembly the teat is first passed through the aperture in the shield and the plug is inserted in the open end of the teat. The handle is then preferably ultrasonically welded to the shield. The resulting construction provides a soother which is essentially indestructible and free of crevices which could harbour harmful germs. The teat being merely an interference fit there are no stresses on the teat except during use. This therefore provides for longer life.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention the closure member and handle are formed separately, preferably by injection moulding a plastics material. The handle is basically a closed loop having an elongate linear portion the ends of which are interconnected by a curved portion. The closure member is disc-shaped and the shield is basically the same as in the above described embodiment except that the upstanding wall has diametrically opposed recesses within which laterally projecting lugs on the plug, engage. The plug also has a diametrically extending groove formed therein, which groove extends between and in the said lugs.

In assembly the linear portion of the handle is located in the groove in the plug and the closure member is engaged over the plug and teat which are located as in the above described embodiment, and welded to the upstanding wall on the shield. The linear portion of the handle thus holds the plug in the open end of the teat and the closed loop design of the handle means that the handle cannot be detached without completely breaking the soother.

In either of the above embodiments the shield may be flat, concave, convex or part spherical, and may or may not be provided with breathing holes. The handle closure member and shield are preferably formed by injection moulding as is the plug if separate from the closure member.

The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view through one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the handle of the embodiment of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a further embodiment of the present invention.

The baby soother of Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings basically comprises a handle 1, a closure member 2, a shield 3 and a teat 4. The handle 1 and shield 3 are initially formed as separate components by injection moulding of a plastics material e.g. polypropylene.

The handle 1 is integrally formed with closure member2 and comprises a ring portion 5 which is connected to its disc-shaped closure member2 buy a thin region of plastics material forming an integral hinge 6 therebetween. The ring portion 5 can be oval or circular. The shield 3 is a circular, part spherical section with a centrally located aperture 7. Alternativelythe shield may be planar andlor have any desired polygonal or other shape. An upstanding wall 8 formed integrally with the shield 3 is concentric with aperture 7 and of similar diameter to discshaped closure member 2. The perimeter of discshaped closure member 2 and the upper edge of upstanding wall 8 are ultrasonically welded together to form cavity 9.Within cavity 9 is located plug 10 which is engaged in an open end of teat 4, teat 4 extending through aperture 7 and being held by the firm grip between plug 10 and the edge of aperture 7, this grip being such as to not unduly stress the teat material. The open end of teat 4 is provided with a beaded edge 11 and this positively prevents the teat from being detached from the assembled handle 1 and shield 3.

For assembling the soother, the teat 4 is first passed through aperture 7 in shield 3 and the plug 10 is located in the open end of teat 4. Handle 1 is then arranged in place with integrally formed disc-shaped closure member 2 engaging on the upstanding wall 8, the disc-shaped closure member 2 then also engaging plug 10 and holding it in place to thus secure the teat 4. The junction between closure member 2 and wall 8 is then ultrasonicallywelded,the com pleted structure being virtually indestructible and having no crevices wherein harmful germs can collect.

As an alternative to upstanding wall 8, the perimeter of closure member 2 can have a depending wall which is ultrasonically welded to shield 3. Also plug 10 may be integrally formed with handle 1 rather than be a separate component.

An alternative embodiment is shown in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals being used for components equivalent to the components of the embodiment of Fig. 1.

The soother of Fig. 2 basically comprises a handle 1, a disc-shaped closure member 2, a shield 3 and a teat 4. The handle, closure member and shield are formed as separate components by the injection moulding of a plastics material, e.g. polypropylene.

The handle 1 is a closed loop having a linear portion la and a curved portion lb. The linear portion 1a is engaged in a groove 10a provided in the upper surface of plug 10, the plug 10 having diametrically opposed laterally extending lugs lOb through which groove 1 Oa extends. On assembling the soother, the teat 4 is located in aperture 7 in shield 3 and the plug 10 is engaged within wall 8 in the open end of the teat4tofirmly, but with the minimum of stress, grip the teat between the edge of aperture 7 and plug 10.

In this position the laterally extending lugs 1 Ob engage in complementary recesses 8a in the wall 8.

The disc-shaped closure member 2 is then located over the plug 10 and ultrasonically welded to the upper edge of wall 8. The linear portion la of the handle 1 thus retains the plug in position. Also, the closed loop design of the handle means that the handle, whilst being pivotable, cannot be detached without completely breaking the soother.

Whilst ultrasonic welding is used in the above described embodiments, the shield and closure member can be alternatively bonded, glued or threaded together if desired.

The present invention thus provides a baby soother which can be aesthetically styled around the basic construction, and which is durable and hygienic.

Claims (12)

1. A baby soother comprising a handle and a shield, a closure member being secured to said shield to define a cavity therebetween, a teat extending from within the cavity wherein it is secured, through an aperture in said shield in a direction away from said handle, said teat closing said aperture and said closure member securing the handle to said shield.

2. A baby soother as claimed in claim 1, in which the closure member and handle are integrally formed together and incorporate an integral hinge therebetween, formed by a reduced dimensions portion ofthe handle.

3. A baby soother as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which an upstanding circular wall is provided on the shield around the aperture and the closure member is disc-shaped and of the same or similar diameter as the wall, the perimeter region of the closure member being secured to the upper edge of said wall.

4. A baby soother as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the closure member is cup shaped, the depending wall of the cup shape being secured to the shield around the aperture.

5. A baby soother as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the teat is a hollow flexible member which is open at one end, a plug engaging in said one end to securely hold the teat in the aperture, the plug being located in the cavity between the shield and closure member.

6. A baby soother as claimed in claim 5, in which the teat has a beaded edge around its open end.

7. A baby soother as claimed in claim 5 or 6, in which the plug is integral with the said closure member.

8. A baby soother as claimed in claim 1, in which the handle is a closed loop having an elongate linear portion, the ends of which are interconnected by a curved portion, said elongate linear portion of the handle engaging in a groove provided in a plug which is located within a circular upstanding wall provided on the shield around the said aperture and which engages in an open end of the teat, the handle passing through diametrically opposed recesses in said wall, and a closure member being secured to the upper edge of the wall.

9. A baby soother as claimed in claim 8, in which the plug has laterally projecting lugs which engage in the recess in said upstanding wall on the shield, said groove extending along said lugs.

10. A baby soother as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the closure member and shield are made of a plastics material.

11. A baby soother as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the closure member is ultrasonically welded to the shield.

12. A baby soother constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.