GB2417426A - Teething mitten - Google Patents

Abstract

An article for use by a baby, preferably in the form of a mitten or glove 1 for attachment to a limb which includes one or more formations in the form of teethers and/or dummies 3 which may be textured 4, musical, coloured or contain a pressure activated speech element. The mitten 1 is made from a washable, breathable fabric and is secured to the limb by an adjustable strap 2. Preferably the formations 3 may be made of any suitable moulded material or food grade plastic or may be formed from part of a ring or strip of material.

Description

ARTICLE FOR USE BY A BABY

The present invention relates to an article used by a baby.

Babies instinctively place their fingers, hands and other objects into their mouths to suck or bite on these objects. Sucking helps to soothe babies and it is known to provide a rubber teat or dummy tor a baby to suck on. Biting helps teething babies and it is known to provide teethers, such as teething rings, for babies to bite on, A problem with providing objects for a baby to suck or bite on is that young babies are generally unable to hold and grip objects very well. As a consequence babies drop these objects rendering it necessary for an adult to retrieve and possibly clean them before resuming them to the baby. This is rather inconvenient. In fact, in the case of teethers, a baby's ability to grip the teether may be so limited that it is necessary for an adult to hold onto the teether while the baby bites on it.

The present invention has been made in consideration of these problems.

According to the present invention there is provided an article for use by a baby the article comprising a formation intended to be inserted into the baby's mouth, and means enabling the article to be worn on the baby's body.

By making the article wearable on the baby's body this overcomes the need for the baby to adequately hold the article and hence the problems associated with the baby being unable to adequately hold an article.

The article may be a teether, or a dummy. The fomnation can take any suitable form for example a teat, or part of a ring or a strip of material. The fommation may have a textured surl:ace. The formation is preferably formed from a food grade material, for example a food grade plastics material. There may be more than one formation each of which may be the same or of a different type.

The means enabling an article to be worn on the baby's body preferably enables the article to be worn on the baby's hand. It may take the form of a glove or mitt. In this case the glove or mitt may define a single compartment for receiving hand, fingers and thumb. The means enabling the article to be worn on the baby's body may comprise an adjustable strap.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. I a plan view of the lower part of a baby's arm and hand wearing an article according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a side view of the arm and hand of Figure 1.

Referring the drawings the article comprises a glove 1 which defines a single compartment for receiving the whole of a baby's hand including its fingers and thumb. The glove is formed *om a washable and breathable fabric. A cotton fabric is suitable and the fabric may be stretchable. A strap 2 extends around the opening to the glove 1. The strap 2 may be formed from fabric, a plastics material or any other suitable materials. The strap includes means to fasten one end to the other in order that the strap may be fastened around a baby's wrist. Any suitable fastening may be used. In particular, an adjustable hook and loop system such as that sold under the trade mark Velcro (RTM) is suitable.

Two teethers 3 are fixed to the glove 1. The teethers 3 are formed by moulded strips of food grate plastics material the surfaces of which are textured by way of raised points 4 on their otherwise generally flat surface.

The teethers 3 are brightly coloured so as to appeal to a baby.

The article enables teethers 3 to be comfortably and securely attached to a baby's hand. This enables the baby to bite on the teethers without having to grip them. It will also encourage the baby to bite on the teethers by exploiting the baby's inherent instinct to place its hand into its mouth. The brightly coloured teethers 3 are appealing to a baby and by being fixed to the baby's hand can help with the baby's learning of hand-eye and hand to mouth coordination.

In one embodiment the teethers include means arranged so that when the baby bites on the teether a sound is played. A different sound may be played for each teether and the sound may have some association with the teether. For example if one I O teether is red and the other teether is blue biting on one of the teethers may cause the sound of someone speaking the word or letters of the word "red" or "blue" as appropriate. This may help the baby learn the names of the two colours.

The above embodiment and its various variations are described by way of example only. Further variations are possible without departing from the scope of the 1 5 invention.

Claims (3)

1. An article for use by a baby made from a suitable washable, breathable fabric which may take the form of a glove or mitten which may include additional formations such as a teether or teethers and dummy or dummies which can be musical, textured, colourful or have a speech element which may be activated by pressure incorporated into them and which article may be secured to a limb by an adjustable strap.

2. An article as claimed in Claim I where the additional formations taking the form of a teether or teethers can be made of any suitable moulded material or food grade plastic or may be formed from part of a ring or strip of material.

3. An article substantially as herein described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.