Casing

Abstract

A casing for pacifiers is disclosed. The casing comprises a body portion having an inner space large enough to receive and contain at least one pacifier, wherein the body portion is provided with a slot large enough to let a pacifier enter the inner space through the slot. The body portion is configured to be arranged in a resting configuration, in which the opening in the slot is so small that the pacifier cannot pass through the slot, and an open configuration, in which the opening in the slot is large enough to let the pacifier pass through the slot. The body portion is configured to reshape to its resting configuration when no external contact forces are applied to the body portion.

Claims

1. A casing for pacifiers, wherein the casing comprises: a body portion having an inner space large enough to receive and contain at least one pacifier, wherein the body portion is provided with a slot large enough to let a pacifier enter the inner space through the slot, wherein the body portion is configured to be arranged in a resting configuration, in which the opening in the slot is so small that the pacifier cannot pass through the slot, and an open configuration, in which the opening in the slot is large enough to let the pacifier pass through the slot, wherein the body portion is configured to reshape to its resting configuration when no external contact forces are applied to the body portion.

2. A casing according to claim 1, wherein the casing is provided with an attachment member fixed to the body portion, wherein the attachment member comprises an elongated open part large enough to let the body portion pass through the open part.

3. A casing according to claim 1, wherein the body portion is spherical in the resting configuration.

4. A casing according to claim 1, wherein the body portion is made of a resilient and compressible material such as rubber or silicone.

5. A casing according to claim 1, wherein the slot extends along at least 60 degrees of the surface of the body portion.

6. A casing according to claim 1, wherein a round-off portion is provided at each end of the slot.

7. A casing according to claim 6, wherein the round-off portions are each shaped as a sector of a circle.

8. A casing according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the slot is less than 10% of the thickness of the body portion.

9. A casing according to claim 2, wherein the length of the open part is more than half the length of the attachment member.

10. A casing according to claim 2, wherein the attachment member comprises a distal portion having a larger width than the width of the central portion of the attachment member.

11. A casing according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the body portion is larger than the length of the slot.

12. A casing according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the wall of the body portion is in the range 0.5-5 mm.

13. A casing according to claim 2, wherein the inner space of the body portion is configured to contain at least three pacifiers of small size adapted to fit children of 0-6 months.

14. A casing according to claim 1, wherein the inner space of the body portion has a volume in the range 50-300 cm.sup.3.

15. A casing according to claim 1, wherein a locking member is detachably or moveably attached to the attachment member.

16. A casing according to claim 15, wherein the locking member is a slidably mounted ring-shaped locking member that surrounds the attachment member.

17. A casing according to claim 15, wherein the locking member is a slidably mounted locking member that surrounds only part of the attachment member.

18. A casing according to claim 15, wherein the locking member is a slidably mounted locking member that comprises a C-shaped portion.

19. A casing according to claim 15, wherein the locking member is a slidably mounted locking member that comprises a first C-shaped end and a second C-shaped end.

20. A casing according to claim 15, wherein the locking member is a slidably mounted locking member that comprises a first C-shaped end and a second O-shaped end.

21. A casing according to claim 15, wherein the locking member is elastic and configured to press against the attachment member in such a manner that the locking member is fixed to the attachment member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0083] The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below. The accompanying drawings are given by way of illustration only, and thus, they are not limitative of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings:

[0084] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a casing according to the invention;

[0085] FIG. 2 shows a casing according to the invention arranged in a purse;

[0086] FIG. 3 shows a casing according to the invention in a configuration, in which a pacifier has been inserted into the inner space of the body portion of the casing;

[0087] FIG. 4 shows a casing according to the invention and a plurality of measurements of the casing;

[0088] FIG. 5 shows a casing according to the invention suspended on a rod structure;

[0089] FIG. 6A shows a casing according to the invention and a pacifier arranged next to it;

[0090] FIG. 6B shows the casing shown in FIG. 6A in a configuration in which the pacifier is being inserted into the casing;

[0091] FIG. 6C shows the casing shown in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B in a configuration in which the pacifier is arranged in the inner space of the body portion of the casing;

[0092] FIG. 7A shows an attachment member of a casing according to the invention, wherein a locking member shaped as an elastic ring surrounds and thereby is attached to the attachment member;

[0093] FIG. 7B shows the attachment member shown in FIG. 7A in a configuration in which the attachment member is fixed to a pacifier;

[0094] FIG. 7C shows a cross-sectional view of a locking member attached to an attachment member;

[0095] FIG. 7D shows a perspective of the locking member attached to the attachment member shown in FIG. 7C;

[0096] FIG. 8A shows an attachment member corresponding to the one shown in FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B arranged next to a pacifier;

[0097] FIG. 8B shows the attachment member shown in FIG. 8A in a configuration in which the attachment member is fixed to the pacifier;

[0098] FIG. 8C shows a cross-sectional view of a locking member attached to an attachment member;

[0099] FIG. 8D shows a cross-sectional view of a locking member attached to an attachment member; and

[0100] FIG. 8E shows a perspective of the locking member attached to the attachment member shown in FIG. 8C.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0101] Referring now in detail to the drawings for the purpose of illustrating embodiments of the present invention, a casing 2 of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0102] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic side view of a casing 2 according to the invention. A prior art pacifier 20 is arranged next to the casing 2. The pacifier comprises a nipple structure 16, a base 22 and a handle 18.

[0103] The casing 2 comprises a body portion 4 and an attachment member 10 attached thereto. The body portion 4 is hollow and spherical. A slot 6 for inserting a pacifier is provided in the body portion 4. A first round-off portion 8 is provided in the first end of the slot 6 and second round-off portion 8′ is provided in the second end of the slot 6.

[0104] The round-off portions 8, 8′ prevent the slot 6 from cracking during use of the casing 2. The attachment member 10 is formed as an elongated structure provided with an open part 14. The open part 14 is large enough to receive the body portion 4 so that the attachment member 10 can be used to fix the casing to a structure (e.g. the rod structure 26 shown in FIG. 5).

[0105] The distal portion 12 of the attachment member 10 has a larger width than the remaining portion of the attachment member 10. Hereby, it is easier to hang the attachment member 10 on a structure such as a coat hook.

[0106] FIG. 2 illustrates a casing 2 according to the invention arranged in a purse 24. The casing 2 corresponds to the one shown in FIG. 1 and comprises an attachment member 10 that protrudes from the body portion 4 of the casing 2. A pacifier 20 has been inserted into the inner space of the body portion 4 through the slot 6 provided on the body portion 4. It can be seen that the slot 6 has a round-off portion 8.

[0107] FIG. 3 illustrates a casing 2 according to the invention in a configuration in which a pacifier 20 has been inserted into the inner space of the body portion 4 of the casing 2. It can be seen that the inner space of the body portion 4 is large enough to completely contain the pacifier 20. The casing 2 corresponds to the one shown in FIG. 1.

[0108] FIG. 4 illustrates a casing 2 according to the invention and a plurality of measurement markings. The casing 2 corresponds to the one shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3.

[0109] It can be seen that the length L.sub.1 of the slit 6 is smaller than the diameter D.sub.3 of the body portion 4. The diameter D.sub.2 of the round-off portions 8, 8′ is larger than the diameter D.sub.1 of the slot 6.

[0110] The length L.sub.2 of the open part 14 of the attachment member 10 is larger than the diameter D.sub.3 of the body portion 4. Moreover, the length L.sub.3 of attachment member 10 is larger than the length L.sub.2 of the open part 14 of the attachment member 10.

[0111] The length L.sub.4 of the non-open part of the attachment member 10 is larger than width W.sub.2 of the distal portion 12 of the attachment member 10. The width W.sub.2 of the distal portion 12 of the attachment member 10 is larger than the width W.sub.1 of central portion of the attachment member 10.

[0112] It may be an advantage that the casing 2 is made of an elastic material that is suitable for being washed in a washing machine at a temperature high enough to sterilize all of the surfaces of the casing 2.

[0113] FIG. 5 illustrates a casing 2 according to the invention suspended on a rod structure 26. The casing 2 corresponds to the casing shown and explained with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

[0114] The body portion 4 has been inserted through the open part 14 of the attachment member 10 to fix the attachment member 10 to the rod structure 26.

[0115] Accordingly, the casing 2 can be attached to a baby carriage (a pram) or a stroller in an easy manner.

[0116] FIG. 6A illustrates a casing 2 according to the invention and a pacifier 20 arranged next to it. FIG. 6B illustrates the casing shown in FIG. 6A in a configuration in which the pacifier 20 is being inserted into the casing 2. FIG. 6C illustrates the casing 2 shown in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B in a configuration in which the pacifier 20 is arranged in the inner space of the body portion 4 of the casing 2. The casing 2 corresponds to the casing shown and explained with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

[0117] Even though it is not shown, it is possible to let the handle 18 or the base 22 of the pacifier extend at least partly out through the slot 6 for easing the removal of the pacifier 20 from the casing 2.

[0118] In one embodiment (as shown in FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B, FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B), the casing 2 is provided with a locking member for locking the distal end of the attachment member 10 to a protruding structure of a pacifier 20.

[0119] FIG. 7A illustrates an attachment member 10 of a casing according to the invention, wherein a locking member 30 shaped as an elastic ring surrounds and hereby is attached to the attachment member 10. FIG. 7B illustrates the attachment member 10 shown in FIG. 7A in a configuration in which the attachment member 10 is fixed to a pacifier 20. To fix the attachment member 10 to the pacifier 20, the open part 14 of the attachment member 10 is arranged around the protruding member 28 of the pacifier 20. Hereafter the locking member 30 is moved as much as possible towards the free end of the attachment member 10. Hereby, the locking member 30 prevents the attachment member 10 from being released from the pacifier 20. When the pacifier 20 must be detached from the attachment member 10, the locking member 30 needs to be moved towards the proximal end of the attachment member 10 in order to allow the attachment member to be removed from the pacifier 20. The attachment member 10 comprises a first leg 34 and a second leg 34′ that are interconnected to form the open part 14.

[0120] FIG. 7C illustrates a cross-sectional view of a locking member 30 attached to an attachment member 10. FIG. 7D illustrates a perspective view of the locking member attached to the attachment member shown in FIG. 7C. The locking member 30 attached to the attachment member 10 is attached to both legs 34, 34′ of the attachment member 10. The locking member 30 is symmetric. The locking member is shaped and configured to be attached to the attachment member 10 without inserting the distal portion of the attachment member through the locking member 30. Accordingly, attachment and detachment of the locking member 30 to the attachment member 10 is easy. The locking member 30 clamps against the legs 34, 34′ of the attachment member 10 and hereby a firm fixation of the locking member 30 to the attachment member 10 can be achieved.

[0121] FIG. 8A illustrates an attachment member 10 corresponding to the one shown in FIG. 8A before the attachment member 10 is attached to a pacifier 20. FIG. 8B illustrates the attachment member 10 shown in FIG. 8A in a configuration in which a protruding attachment member 10 has been fixed to the pacifier 20.

[0122] The attachment member 10 is configured to be arranged in such a manner that the open part 14 of the attachment member can receive a protruding member 28 of a pacifier 20. The pacifier 20 has a recessed portion 32. The attachment member 10 is configured to be arranged in the recessed portion 32 to be firmly fixed to the pacifier 20.

[0123] FIG. 8C illustrates a cross-sectional view of a locking member 30 attached to an attachment member. The locking member 30 comprises a first O-shaped end that is fixed to the first leg 34 of the attachment member. The locking member 30 also comprises a second C-shaped end that partly surrounds the second leg 34′ of the attachment member.

[0124] FIG. 8D illustrates a cross-sectional view of a locking member 30 attached to both legs 34, 34′ of an attachment member. The locking member 30 comprises a first O-shaped end that is fixed to the first leg 34 of the attachment member. The locking member 30 also comprises a second O-shaped end that is fixed to the second leg 34′ of the attachment member.

[0125] FIG. 8E illustrates a perspective view of the locking member attached to an attachment member shown in FIG. 8C. The locking member 30 attached to an attachment member 10 is attached to one of the two legs 34, 34′ of the attachment member 10. The locking member 30 is not symmetric. The locking member 10 is shaped and configured to be attached to the attachment member 10 without inserting the distal portion of the attachment member through the locking member 30. Accordingly, attachment and detachment of the locking member 30 to the attachment member 10 is easy. The locking member 30 clamps against one of the legs 34, 34′ of the attachment member 10 and hereby a firm fixation of the locking member 30 to the attachment member 10 can be achieved.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0126] 2 Casing [0127] 4 Body portion [0128] 6 Slot [0129] 8 Round-off portion [0130] 10 Attachment member [0131] 12 Distal portion [0132] 14 Open part [0133] 16 Nipple structure [0134] 18 Handle [0135] 20 Pacifier [0136] 22 Base [0137] 24 Purse [0138] 26 Rod structure [0139] 28 Protruding member [0140] 30 Locking member [0141] 32 Recessed portion [0142] 34, 34′ Leg [0143] D.sub.1, D.sub.2, D.sub.3 Diameter [0144] W.sub.1, W.sub.2 Width [0145] L.sub.1, L.sub.2, L.sub.3, L.sub.4 Length