US2824561A - Combination infant pacifier and feeding device - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 25, 1958 v I E. R. MUELLER 2,824,561

- COMBINATION INFANT PACIFIER AND FEEDING DEVICE Filed May 2, 1957 United States Patent COMBINATION INFANT PACIFIER AND FEEDING DEVICE Erwin Richard Mueller, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Application May 2, 1957, Serial No. 656,596

2 Claims. (Cl. 128-252) This invention pertains to articles of manufacture called pacifiers.

Pacifiers are made according to various types and are usually nipple-shaped. They are used to appease crying children or to discourage their limb-sucking and other idiosyncrasies. Very often, the pacifier is dipped in honey or syrup to further tranquilize the infant. Unfortunately, the eliect is only short-lived for the dipped coating is only too rapidly diluted by saliva and the pacifier has to be dipped repeatedly.

A problem somewhat related to the above-outlined one concerns the difiiculty with which babies and infants are induced to take medicines or vitamins which have unpleasant tastes or aromas.

Upon considering the above problems, it has occurred to me to design a novel, container type, porous pacifier capable of holding a substantial amount of matter intended for consumption by babies.

The main object of my invention, therefor, is the provision of the above-identified device. An equally important object of my invention is the provision of means for simultaneously feeding and pacifying infants.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a pacifier having removable feeding means to permit the reloading of contents while the container part of it remains in the mouth of the infant.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds.

The single figure illustrating the invention is a sectional view of a pacifier embodying my invention.

As illustrated, the device of my invention is of elongated, tubular, nipple-shape generally designated by reference character 1. The device terminates in a flanged, open end 2. Surrounding this end and abutting the flange is a disc 3 of considerable diameter of the type conventionally found on pacifiers to prevent swallowing of the same by the infant. The disc may be formed integrally with the pacifier body 1 or cemented to flange or shoulder 2.

Pacifier body 1 is provided with a plurality of perforations at. The diameter of these openings should be such as to permit the slow oozing out of the contents. Where such are of syrupy viscosity, the openings suitably are about 2 to 3 millimeters. Less viscous contents will require smaller perforations of about 1 mm.

Body 1, which is the container section of my device, is closed at its open end by stopper c. This stopper has a central longitudinal bore d, to equalize air pressure in the pacifier body. That extremity of the stopper extending into the body is enlarged to provide means for se- 2,824,561 Patented Feb. 25, 1958 curing thereto a small rubber or plastic tube b. The external part of the stopper is provided with a transverse bore to permit passage therethrough of string means 4 by means of which the stopper assembly including tube b may be removed from body 1.

In operating the device of my invention, the pacifier body 1 is filled with the desired contents, syrup, honey or medicines and closed with stopper 0. The device is given to the child who sucks in the contents which run slowly through the perforations in body 1.

The device may be given empty to the child, and the stopper assembly pulled out of it while the device is in the mouth of the child. The tube attached to the stopper then may be used medicine-dropper wise to replenish or fill body 1. By simply inserting the end of tube b in the desired contents, the same will function as a medicine dropper by capillary action if the tip of one finger is placed over the end of opening d.

An important advantage of my device is that the pacifier body may be refilled While in the mouth of the child by simply removing the stopper assembly or by supplying the contents to opening 0. by means of a medicine dropper or of a pipette, whereby measured and accurate doses of medicine or vitamins and food may be administered to the child while simultaneously pacifying it. Furthermore, the pacifier will create new possibilities for the pharmaceutical industry in providing various sorts of baby-pills for various purposes and needs, such as: pacifying, where the pills may be enriched with minerals, vitamins, or remedies against cough, colds, fever, diarrhoea, constipation and other typical troubles.

Obviously the device of my invention may be operated while empty as a conventional pacifier.

The device of my invention may be fabricated from various plastic materials such as methyl methacrylate, polyethylene, phenol-formaldehyde resins such as the Bakelite products, polyvinyl chloride or hard rubber.

While only one form of my invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combination infant pacifier and feeding device comprising a hollow, perforated, elongated, nipple-shaped body serving as a container for contents to be consumed by an infant by sucking the same through the perforations therein, a stop disc mounted on said body surrounding the open end thereof, a stopper closing said open end, said stopper having a longitudinal bore therein and a tube depending therefrom extending into said body, means for removing said stopper from said body while the same is in the mouth of an infant, the combination of said stopper and said tube serving as means for refilling said body.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the perforations in said body are from A2 to 3 millimeters in diameter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,612,165 Szuderski Sept. 30, 1952

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