GB2482356A

GB2482356A - Illuminated pacifier

Info

Publication number: GB2482356A
Application number: GB1015195.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Adele Marie Tinsley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-07-29
Filing date: 2010-09-13
Publication date: 2012-02-01
Also published as: GB2482397B; GB201012700D0; GB2482397A; GB201112603D0; GB201015195D0

Abstract

A childs pacifier 10 comprises a nipple 12 for the childs mouth and a body portion 14. The body includes an audio sensor and a visual indicator 16 and a rechargeable power supply for both. The rechargeable power supply may be recharged by conductive or inductive charging at a power station 18. The indicator is arranged to become activated when the sensor detects the crying of the child. The visual indicator may be one or more light emitting diodes, which may be arranged to deactivate after a set time with no crying detected by the sensor. Electronic memory may be used to record a representation of the babys cry, with which to compare detected audio signal during operation of the device.

Description

Illuminating Pacifier The present invention relates to a child's pacifier, and is concerned particularly with a pacifier that illuminates when the child cries.

Pacifiers, often referred to as "dummies", are used to comfort babies and very young children. They typically comprise a nipple or teat, a body portion wider than the baby's mouth so that the baby cannot accidentally choke on the pacifier, and some form of handle which can be used to pick up the pacifier. The sensation of the teat in the mouth comforts the infant and often aids in putting him or her to sleep.

However, whilst asleep the baby may relax sufficiently to let go of the pacifier, whereupon it may fall from the mouth. Should the child awake or become unsettled, the absence of the pacifier can cause the child to cry out.

When this happens the carer needs quickly to locate the missing pacifier, and preferably without causing further disturbance, for example such as would be caused by turning on a light.

previously considered pacifiers include a luminescent portion that may be seen in a darkened room. However the light emitted from the luminescent portion may be insufficient to be detected from beneath a blanket, for example. Other examples of prior pacifiers have audible or visual indicators requiring a battery for operation.

However the pacifier must be capable of being thoroughly sterilised, for example by immersion in sterilising fluid or steam, and this generally degrades the operation of such battery powered devices, due to the ingress of water into the battery compartment. In any event batteries eventually require replacement, which is inconvenient.

Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention aim to provide a pacifier which addresses some or all of the disadvantages of the aforementioned prior art examples.

The present invention is defined in the attached independent claims to which reference should now be made.

Further, preferred features may be found in the sub-claims appended thereto.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a child's pacifier comprising a nipple for the child's mouth and a body portion, the body portion including an audio sensor, sensitive to the sound of the child's cry, a visual indicator arranged to illuminate when activated and a rechargeable power supply arranged in use to provide power to the sensor and the indicator, wherein the indicator is arranged to become activated when the sensor detects the child's cry.

Preferably the pacifier is mountable on an electrical recharging station to recharge the rechargeable power supply. In a preferred arrangement the body portion is configured for physical and/or electrical engagement with the electrical recharging station. The recharging station may be arranged in use to recharge the rechargeable power supply by conductive or inductive charging.

The visual indicator may comprise one or more light emitting diodes.

The audio sensor and/or the visual indicator may be arranged to switch off after a predetermined time interval.

In a preferred arrangement the indicator is arranged to deactivate after a predetermined time has elapsed with no crying having been detected by the sensor.

The pacifier may comprise electrical processing means arranged to control the operation of the sensor and/or indicator. The pacifier may include electronic memory means arranged in use to record and store a representation of the baby's cry, with which to compare detected audio signals during operation of the device.

In a preferred arrangement the body portion comprises polypropylene.

Preferably the sensor is housed within the body portion at a location having a thin wall so as to allow sound to penetrate the body portion and activate the sensor.

The invention may include any combination of the features or limitations referred to herein, except a combination of such features as are mutually exclusive.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 shows schematically an illuminating pacifier according to an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 2 shows the pacifier of Figure 1 in an alternative configuration.

Turning to Figure 1 this shows generally at 10 a pacifier having a silicone nipple portion 12 and a polypropylene body portion 14. The body portion 14 has two illuminating panels 16 comprising 1ural LEDs which in use illuminate to identify the location of the pacifier, as will be described later.

The body portion 14 is shown docked in a recharging station 18 which is connectable to an electrical power source, such as a mains power source (not shown) by a cable 20. The docking of the body portion 14 on the recharging station 18 is by means of lugs (not shown) of the body portion locating in correspondingly shaped sockets (also not shown) inside the recharging station 18. Mutually engaging electrical contacts are made when the body portion is so docked, allowing a charging current from the power source to charge a rechargeable power supply in the body portion (not shown) via a transformer (not shown) in the recharging station 20.

Also located within the body portion, but not shown in the drawings, are an audio sensing unit arranged to be responsive to a child's cry and a control circuit, such as a processor, arranged to activate the illuminating panels 16 when the audio sensing unit senses the child's cry. The audio sensing unit is positioned within a cavity in the body portion where the wall of the body portion is particularly thin, so that it can remain sensitive to the baby's cry.

Figure 2 shows the pacifier 10 removed from the recharging station 18 and ready to be take into the child's mouth. The The rechargeable power supply within the body 14 is fully charged and the pacifier is ready to use. Should the infant awake and cry out, the audio sensing unit will sense the cry, and the control circuit will activate the LEDs so that the panels 16 become illuminated. The light from the LEDs is sufficiently bright so that a carer can detect it from under a blanket, for example, but not so bright as to further disturb the child. The control circuit performs periodic checks to assess whether the audio sensing unit continues to detect the child's cry, and after a predetermined time interval during which no crying is detected the control circuit turns off the LEDs to conserve power.

The location of the rechargeable power supply, audio sensing unit, controller and LEDs within a sealed, watertight cavity in the body portion allows the pacifier -separated from the recharging station -to be sterilised in a conventional manner.

The control unit may also include or be connected to a memory unit in which a sample of the sound of the baby's cry may be stored for comparison with the sound detected by the audio sensing unit. If a suitable match is made the control unit triggers the illumination of the LEDs. The pacifier may include means to record a baby's cry in a "learn mode" prior to use.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A child's pacifier comprising a nipple for the child's mouth and a body portion, the body portion including an audio sensor, sensitive to the sound of the child's cry, a visual indicator arranged to illuminate when activated and a rechargeable power supply arranged in use to provide power to the sensor and the indicator, wherein the indicator is arranged to become activated when the sensor detects the child's cry.
2. A pacifier according to Claim 1. wherein the pacifier is mountable on an electrical recharging station to provide a recharging current to the rechargeable power supply.
3. A pacifier according to Claim 2 wherein the body portion is configured for physical and electrical engagement with the electrical recharging station.
4. A pacifier according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the recharging station is arranged in use to recharge the rechargeable power supply by conductive or inductive charging.
5. A pacifier according to any of the preceding claims wherein the visual indicator comprises one or more light emitting diodes.
6. A pacifier according to any of the preceding claims wherein the indicator is arranged to deactivate after a predetermined time has elapsed with no crying having been detected by the sensor.
7. A pacifier according to any of the preceding claims comprising electrical processing means arranged to control the operation of the sensor and/or indicator.
8. A pacifier according to any of the preceding claims comprising an electronic memory arranged in use to record a representation of a baby's cry, with which to compare detected audio signals during operation of the device.
9. A pacifier according to any of the preceding claims wherein the sensor is housed within the body portion at a location having a thin wall so as to allow sound to penetrate the body portion and activate the sensor.
10. A pacifier substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.