Technical field
[0001] The present invention relates to a soother comprising a shield having a first and
a second side, a nipple/teat projecting from the first side of the shield, and a handle
arranged at the second side of the shield, said handle being pivotable about at least
one axis.
Technical background
[0002] A problem with soothers, also known as pacifiers or babies dummies, is the potential
risk of the child intentionally or by accident inserting the soother into the mouth
wrongfully, i.e. lengthwise with the shield sideways. When this happens, the shield
looses its important function of hindering the soother from entering the mouth completely,
and in the worst scenario, the soother my become stuck in the mouth of the child.
[0003] Although not a great problem historically speaking, the risk has become more accentuated
as the soothers now are more streamlined and the shield is often convex, thereby conforming
to the mouth of the child. Especially soothers with an oval shape, intended to be
oriented across the mouth of the child and formed according to the cheek, are more
easily inserted into the mouth lengthwise.
[0004] Measures have been taken in order to prevent any harm to come from this type of incident.
For example, soothers must today be provided with through holes of a specified size
in the shield, to ensure that a child can breathe even if a soother is stuck in the
mouth.
[0005] An important feature of the soother in this context is the handle attached to the
shield. One reason for providing a soother with such a handle is to enable an adult
to get hold of a soother stuck in the mouth of a child. The handle is normally in
the form of a ring, and its size is carefully adapted to provide as good gripability
as possible, without being excessively large, as this can cause other problems.
[0006] Conventional ring handles are arranged on the shield, and can be folded around an
axis crossing the shield. In its folded position, the ring normally lies essentially
in the plane of the shield, and protrudes outside the rim of the shield, in order
to provide a good grip. However, if a soother is stuck in the mouth of a child, it
is not certain that the ring is folded outwards, but can just as likely be folded
inwards, facing towards the throat. In this case, the ring provides no advantage,
and the soother must be gripped by the shield.
Summary of the invention
[0007] An object of the invention is therefore to overcome the above problems, and to provide
a soother which reduces the risk of becoming stuck in the mouth.
[0008] According to the invention, this and other objects are achieved with a soother of
the type mentioned by way of introduction, wherein said handle comprises at least
two extending portions, each at least partially extend radially away from the axis,
so that the handle is pivotable between a first position, in which a first of said
extending portions is lowered towards the shield, and a second of said extending portions
is raised away from the shield, and a second position, in which the second extending
portion is lowered towards the shield, and the first extending portion is raised away
from the shield.
[0009] The handle according to the invention is thus arranged so that at least a part of
it always is separated a distance from the shield. This is contrary to a conventional
ring handle, which is pivotable between two end positions, both in which the ring
is completely folded against the shield.
[0010] The handle according to the invention, on the other hand, functions much like a seesaw,
pivoting around an axis connected to a central portion of the handle. The handle thus
extends on both sides of the axis, transversely away from it, so that if one of the
ends is pressed towards the shield, the other is forced away from it.
[0011] This handle makes it more difficult for a child to insert the soother wrongfully
into the mouth, as the handle always extends out of the plane of the shield. A child
trying to wrongfully insert the soother into the mouth will experience great difficulties,
as at least one of the extending portions will abut against the mouth. If the extending
portion directed towards the mouth is separated from the shield, the cross area of
the soother in this end will be too great to insert the soother into the mouth. If,
on the other hand, the extending portion directed towards the mouth is in contact
with the shield, the soother can only be inserted a short distance, before the other
extending portion abuts against the mouth. In this position, the pivoting motion of
the handle is restricted, as the first extending portion is inserted into the mouth
and abuts against the roof of the mouth.
[0012] On the other hand, the extending portion of the handle will, thanks to the pivoting
arrangement, fold away if a child rests his/her head against i.e. a pillow while sucking
on the soother.
[0013] The extending portions are preferably curved away from the shield, giving the handle
a convex shape. This further increases the distance between the shield and the protruding
extending portion of the handle. Even if the soother is inserted into the mouth, to
a position where the extending portions abut against the roof of the mouth, the shield
is thus separated from the roof of the mouth, thereby ensuring a free way of passage
for air.
[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the shield portion has an elongate shape, and
the pivoting axis extends across the narrow section of this shape. In this case, the
shield shape itself limits the possible ways to insert the soother into the mouth,
and the pivoting handle is arranged to eliminate the remaining possibilities. Also,
the shape of the shield may in itself invite the child to insert the soother wrongfully,
thus making the handle according to the invention even more advantageous in this case.
[0015] The handle can have the shape of an ellipsoidal, not necessarily circular, loop,
wherein said axis connects two opposite points along said loop, and wherein said extending
portions are formed by sections of said ellipsoidal loop on either side of said axis.
The handle hereby forms two half rings, with one of the half ring shapes always extending
out from the shield surface making it easy to grip.
[0016] The handle can be pivotably connected to a projection on the second side of the shield.
This is a simple way to design the soother.
[0017] According to another embodiment of the invention, the handle comprises at least two
parts, each forming one of the extending portions. This gives the handle further flexibility,
and enables a design where the two parts interact to perform the desired motion. For
instance, movement of one part may result in a greater movement of the other.
[0018] According to yet another embodiment, the handle is pivotable about two axis, substantially
perpendicular to each other. The handle can be connected along one axis, which is
turnable between different positions, or the handle can be attached at just one point,
giving it full freedom to pivot in all directions.
Brief description of the drawings
[0019] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the preferred embodiments
more clearly described with reference to the appended drawings.
[0020] Fig 1-2 are perspective views of a soother according to a first embodiment of the
invention.
[0021] Fig 3a-c are side views of the soother in fig 1 in three different positions.
[0022] Fig 4 is a perspective view of a soother according to a second embodiment of the
invention.
[0023] Fig 5 is a perspective view of a soother according to a third embodiment of the invention.
[0024] Fig 6 is a side view of a soother according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.
[0025] Fig 7 is a perspective view of a soother according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.
Detailed description of preferred embodiments
[0026] In fig 1-2, a soother according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention
is showed. The soother 1 in fig 1 has a rubber teat 2 projecting out of one side of
a hard plastic shield 3. The teat 2 has a slightly flattened shape that gives it a
preferred orientation in the mouth of an infant using the soother. The shield 3 has
a shape adapted to the form of the face of the infant, more specifically by having
a slightly elongate, almost ellipsoidal shape, intended to be oriented across the
mouth of an infant using the soother. The shield 3 is also curved, in order to more
closely rest against the lips and mouth of the infant. The combination of teat and
shield shape results in the soother almost always aligning itself in the desired way
in the mouth of the infant. The shield 3 is also provided with a plurality of elongate
holes 4, in a manner known per se. The shield 3 is also provided with elongated depressions
4a to decrease the contact area against the face of the child and thereby help to
prevent skin irritation.
[0027] On the other side of the shield 3, opposite of the teat 2, an essentially cylindrical
protrusion 5 is formed, having two basic functions. First, the protrusion 5 acts as
a fastening means for the teat 2, securing it to the shield 3. Secondly, the protrusion
5 is provided with means 6 for connecting a handle 7 to the shield 3, and allowing
the handle 7 to pivot around an axis A. In the showed example, where the shield 3
is elongate, the axis A is oriented across the narrow part of the shield 3, making
the handle pivotable in the longitudinal direction of the shield.
[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the connecting means 6 comprise recesses in opposite sides
of the protrusion 5, cooperating with protrusions in the handle 7, but this relationship
could easily be the opposite. Also other connecting means are possible, including
of course a bore penetrating the entire protrusion.
[0029] The handle 7 is shaped with two extending portions 7a, 7b, extending radially from
the pivoting axis in different directions. These directions can, as is the case shown
here, be oriented essentially 180 degrees apart, i.e. the part of the handle 7 closest
to the pivoting axis A lies in essentially one plane (referred to as P in figs 3a-c).
This is however not necessary, and good results may be achieved with differently shaped
extending portions 7a, 7b forming other angles with each other.
[0030] Further, the handle 7 is ring-shaped and slightly ellipsoidal, with the pivoting
axis A dividing the ring into two equal portions. Further, as is clear from fig 3,
each half ellipse 7a, 7b is curved away from the shield, giving the ring a convex
shape. As mentioned above, the shield 3 is curved in the opposite way, enhancing the
convex relationship between the two.
[0031] Fig 3 shows the soother in figs 1-2 with the handle in three different positions.
In fig 3a, the portion 7a is in contact with the shield 3, while the portion 7b is
separated from the shield 3. In fig 3b, the handle is pivoted to an intermediate position,
with both portions 7a and 7b at equal distance from the shield 3. The plane P is thus
essentially tangential to the shield 3 below the axis A. In fig 3c, finally, the handle
is further pivoted, so that portion 7b is in contact with the shield 3, and portion
7a is separated from the shield 3.
[0032] Several modifications of the above described embodiment are possible, and other preferred
embodiments are shown in figs 4-7.
[0033] The soother in fig 4 has a twisted "eight-shaped" handle 17, pivotable around the
axis A. Just as the handle 7 in figs 1-2, the handle 17 has two extending portions
17a, 17b which alternately can contact the shield 3 or be separated from the shield
3. In this case, however, the extending portions 17a, 17b are joined by a third portion
17c, passing above the protrusion 5. The portion 17c makes it even more difficult
to insert the soother wrongfully into the mouth.
[0034] The soother in fig 5 has a "spider-shaped" handle 27, where each extending portion
27a, 27b is in the form of four "legs".
[0035] The soother in fig 6 has a two-part handle 37, each extending portion 37a, 37b being
a separate element, pivotable about a separate axis A', A''. The elements cooperate
with means of a link element 38 attached to one of the extending portions 37a, so
that when this extending portion 37a is forced towards the shield 3, the link element
38 pushes the other extending portion 37b away from the shield.
[0036] The soother in fig 7 has a handle 47 with four extending portions 47a-d, and the
handle is arranged to be pivotable about at least two axis A, B. Alternatively, the
handle 47 is turnable, so that it can be pivoted in any direction. The basic principle
is however the same as above: when one portion of the handle is forced against the
shield, another is forced from it, making the soother difficult to insert into the
mouth.
1. A soother comprising a shield (3) having a first and a second side, a teat (2) projecting
from the first side of the shield (3), and a handle (7, 17, 27, 37, 47) arranged at
the second side of the shield (3), said handle being pivotable about at least one
axis (A), characterized in that said handle (7, 17, 27, 37, 47) comprises at least two extending portions (7a, 7b;
17a, 17b; 27a, 27b; 37a, 37b; 47a-d), each extending at least partially radially away
from said axis, so that the handle is pivotable between a first position (fig 3a),
in which a first of said extending portions (7a; 17a; 27a; 37a; 47a) is lowered towards
the shield (3), and a second of said extending portions (7b; 17b; 27b; 37b; 47b) is
raised away from the shield (3), and a second position (fig 3c), in which the second
extending portion (7b; 17b; 27b; 37b; 47b) is lowered towards the shield (3), and
the first extending portion (7a; 17a; 27a; 37a; 47a) is raised away from the shield
(3).
2. A soother according to claim 1, wherein said extending portions (7a, 7b; 17a, 17b;
27a, 27b; 37a, 37b; 47a-d) are curved away from the shield (3), giving the handle
a convex shape.
3. A soother according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shield portion (3) has an elongate
shape, and wherein said axis (A) extends across the narrow section of said shape.
4. A soother according to claim 1 - 3, wherein the handle (7) has the shape of an ellipsoidal
loop, wherein said axis (A) connects two opposite points along said loop, so that
said extending portions (7a, 7b) are formed by sections of said ellipsoidal loop on
either side of said axis.
5. A soother according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a protrusion
(5) on the second side of the shield (3), to which protrusion the handle (7, 17, 27,
37, 47) is pivotably connected.
6. A soother according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the handle (37) comprises
at least two parts (37a, 37b), each forming one of said extending portions.
7. A soother according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said extending portions
(17a, 17b) are joined by a third portion (17c) passing above the axis (A).