US2717603A - Pacifier - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 13, 1955 J. J. COLM PACIFIER Filed Aug. 24, 1954 Jack J 0072?? INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent i PACIFIER Jack J. Colm, New York, N. Y.

Application August 24, 1954, Serial No. 451,740

9 Claims. (Cl. 128-360) This invention relates to improvements in pacifiers for infants, and more particularly concerns devices which provide teething and gum massaging means for the infant.

In one conventional form of pacifier, a split ring has its split ends swingably .mounted in recesses on a nib which also carries a nipple and guard. The ring is of uniform circular cross section and. is quite flexible. While this permits easy assembly, very little force is necessary to spread or twist the split ring ends away from the nib. Too frequently, an infant will separate the ring ends from the nib and in so doing, may exert sufficient force which snaps the ring leaving jagged portions at the break. The separated ring provides a hazard in that it is capable of pinching, scratching or otherwise injuring the infant. If the ring is broken, the fragments with sharp edges are extremely dangerous in the hands of the infant, particularly since they may be swallowed by the infant or otherwise serve to injure the infant.

Accordingly, an object of this, invention is to provide an improved pacifier construction including a swingable ring, the ring being of such configuration as to resist separation from the nib through any efforts of an infant, thereby preventing the ring from becoming a hazard through separation from the nib.

Another form of conventional pacifier provides the ring integrally molded with the nib which prevents the desirable relative movement between the ring and the other elements of the pacifier as the infant uses the device. Accordingly, a further object of this invention is to provide an improved pacifier construction in which a ring is swingably mounted on a nib carrying a nipple and guard, the ring having split ends and a flattened intermediate portion adapted to prevent displacement of the split ends and consequent disengagement from the nib except when substantial forces are applied to the split ends in a particular direction.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved pacifier comprising plastic elements including a molded nib, guard and ring, the ring being split and having a major portion thereof of flattened cross section which decreases in width progressively toward the split ends thereof, thereby limiting the manner in which the split ends may be displaced from each other, and further, presenting a symmetrical pleasing appearance which enhances the amusement value thereof for the infant, and

finally presents improved teething and gum massaging surfaces.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved pacifier made up of molded elements which are readily assembled, and may be disassembled for washing and sterilization, yet substantially preventing disassembly by the infant.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing,

2,717,603 Patented Sept. 13, 1955 "ice Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pacifier embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial view of the ring, nib, guard and nipple portions, with parts in section;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the ring at a split end thereof;

Fig. 4 is a top view showing the ring in engaged relation to the nib;

Fig. 5 is a partial view of a pacifier construction showing a modified. form of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 10 designates a pacifier embodying the invention, the same comprising a nib 11 with a guard 12 and nipple 13 mounted at one end thereof and a ring 14 swingably mounted on the other end thereof. The nipple 13 is formed of rubber, elastomeric plastic or the like, while the other elements are made of molded plastic or hard rubber.

The nib 11 is formed with an annular recess 15 to receive skirt portion 16 of the nipple 13 which passes through opening 17 in guard 12; and with an annular groove 18 to receive bead 19 on nipple skirt 16. A pair of aligned recesses 20, 21 are formed in nib 11 to receive the split ends 22, 23 of ring 14.

The ring 14 is molded to provide a flattened portion 24 which extends throughout a major portion of the circumferential extent thereof, said portion 24 progressively decreasing in width toward the split ends 22, 23 which are of circular cross section as shown invFig. 3.

The flattened portion 24 of ring 14 is formed on one or both surfaces thereof with irregularities 25 which may take the form of ribs, depressions and. the like of any desired shape and disposition. The flattened portion 24 and ribs 25 provide teething and gum massaging means for the infant.

With the width of the flattened portion 24 much greater than the diameter of the split ends 22, 23, it will be apparent that the ends 22, 23 can not be displaced from each other in the plane of said flattened portion, as indicated by the horizontal arrows in Fig. 4. Thus, the infant can not disengage the split ends of ring 14 by pulling on the side portions of said ring.

However, the split ends 22, 23 may be displaced from each other in opposite directions extending at right angles to the plane of the flattened portion 24, if a substantial force is applied to said ring ends as indicated by the vertical arrows in Fig. 4. Thus, the ring 14 may be readily assembled with nib 11 or disassembled therefrom to allow washing and sterilizing of the several elements of the pacifier. With the ring portions on either side of ring ends 22, 23 of increasing cross sectional dimension, the forces necessary to effect said displacement is substantial and an infant could not accidentally or otherwise exert the required force to disassemble the device, thereby avoiding possible hazard and Injury.

The ring 14 is readily swingable relative to nib 11, allowing maximum utilization of the device by the infant. The wide, flattened portion 24 not only affords means for massaging the gums and providing teething means, but additionally, provides a configured mass which is readily and comfortably grasped or held by the infant, particularly for manipulating the device.

As shown in Figs. 5, 6, a modified form 10:: of the pacifier construction includes the nib 11a formed with a transverse through opening 26 and vertically split portion 27 communicating therewith. A ring 14a, similar to ring 14 except that it is continuous, has its portion 28 of circular cross section slipped into opening 26 by way of split portions 27, the nib 11a being formed of O a resilient plastic material. The guard 12 clamps split portions 27 of the nib 11a.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided an improved pacifier construction in which the several ob jects of the invention are achieved and which is well adapted to conditions of practical use.

Since various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention shown and described, without departing from the spirit thereof, it is understood that all matter herein set forth is to be deemed illustrative and not by way of limitation except as set forth in the claims foilowing.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent:

1. A pacifier comprising in combination, a nib, a guard and nipple mounted at one end thereof, said nib being formed with a pair of aligned recesses on the other end thereof, and a split ring with the split ends thereof swingably mounted in said recesses, said ring having a cross sectional shape at portions intermediate the ends thereof which substantially increases the resistance to forces necessary to effect relative movement of the split ends thereof in any direction.

2. A pacifier comprising in combination, a nib for mounting a nipple and guard at one end thereof, means on said nib for swingably mounting a split ring with the split ends thereof engaging said means, said ring having a circular cross section at the split ends thereof and a flattened cross section intermediate the ends thereof, the width of said flattened portion being substantially greater than the diameter of said ends.

3. A pacifier comprising a nib for mounting a nipple and guard at one end thereof, a split ring with the split ends thereof swingably engaging the other end of said nib, said ring having a flattened mid portion intermediate the ends thereof, said flattened portion progressively decreasing in Width on either side of a median point thereof.

4. A pacifier as in claim 3 wherein the flattened portion of said ring merges into the split ends thereof having a circular cross section.

5. A pacifier as in claim 4 wherein said flattened portion is formed with an irregular surface on at least one side thereof.

6. A pacifier comprising a molded plastic nib formed at one end to receive a nipple and guard thereon and at the other end with a pair of aligned recesses to swingably receive a split ring, a split ring of flattened cross section extending through the major portion of the circumferential extent thereof and progressively decreasing in Width from a point opposite the split ends thereof toward the split ends thereof, said split ends being received in the recesses of said nib, said split ends resisting displacement from each other within the plane of the flattened portion thereof while allowing displacement from each other in directions at right angles to the plane of said flattened portion in response to substantial forces applied to the split ends thereof respectively in opposite directions extending at right angles to said flattened portion.

7. A pacifier comprising a nib for mounting a nipple and guard at one end thereof, and means for swingably mounting a ring on the other end thereof, said ring having a portion of circular cross section and a portion of flattened cross section, the Width of said flattened portion being substantially greater than the diameter of said circular cross section, said ring engaging said nib at the portion of circular cross section.

8. A pacifier as in claim 7 wherein said nib is formed with a through opening and the portion of said ring having a circular cross section passes through said openmg.

9. A pacifier comprising a nib for mounting a nipple and guard at one end thereof, said nib being formed with a transverse through opening at the other end thereof, a ring having a portion passing through the opening in said nib and swingably related thereto, said ring having a flattened portion extending from said first mentioned portion and progressively increasing in width along the circumferential extent thereof.

No references cited.

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