Pacifier

Abstract

A pacifier (1) is provided which comprises a nipple (2) and a shield (3) made of an elastic material. The shield (3) comprises two stable mechanical states: one in which the shield (3) acts as a shield and another in which the shield (3) acts as a nipple cover. The shield (3) is transformable from one stable mechanical state to another upon an impact to the shield (3).

Claims

1. A pacifier comprising: a nipple; and a shield that comprises a single element made of an elastic material, wherein the nipple is coupled to a first side of the single element, wherein the shield is elastically transferable between two distinct stable mechanical states that comprise a first stable mechanical state and a second stable mechanical state, wherein the shield is operative (i) in the first stable mechanical state that is unfolded in a direction away from the nipple as a protective shield to prevent the pacifier from being swallowed, and (ii) in the second stable mechanical state that is folded in a direction of the nipple as a nipple cover, wherein responsive to an impact to the shield that comprises an instantaneous force, which is greater than a threshold force to be exceeded and different from a continuous force, a tension built up in the elastic material of the shield transfers the shield from the first stable mechanical state to the second stable mechanical state.

2. The pacifier according to claim 1, wherein the shield has a curved geometry.

3. The pacifier according to claim 1, wherein the shield is spherically shaped in both the first stable mechanical state and the second stable mechanical state.

4. The pacifier according to claim 1, wherein the shield further comprises a geometry that determines the tension built up in the elastic material of the shield and a corresponding threshold force executed on the shield that is to be exceeded, for triggering the shield to transfer from the first stable mechanical state to the second stable mechanical state in response to the impact to the shield.

5. The pacifier according to claim 1, wherein the shield further comprises one or more cutouts in the elastic material.

6. The pacifier according to claim 5, further wherein the cutouts have a primary orientation away from a lower side of the nipple.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other aspects of the pacifier of the invention will be further elucidated and described with reference to the drawings in which

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a pacifier in a first state;

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a pacifier in a second state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(4) FIG. 1 presents a pacifier 1 in a first stable mechanical state, while FIG. 2 presents a pacifier 1 in a second stable mechanical state. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, this example provides a pacifier 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The pacifier 1 includes a nipple 2 and a shield 3. The shield 3 is on the upper side connected to the nipple 2. The pacifier 1 may further include a handle 4 connected to the lower side of the shield 3. The handle 4 may be connected to the shield 3 directly or via a knob 5.

(5) The pacifier 1, including the nipple 2, shield 3, handle 4 and knob 5, may be constructed of any material suitable for the purpose, such as suitable plastics or elastomers or the like with similar pliability.

(6) The nipple 2 is conventionally made of an elastomeric material. The nipple 2 could be made of silicone, or preferably liquid silicone rubber, or latex or another elastic material. The nipple 2 can be hollow or solid and can be of any preferred shape. The size of the nipple 2 is variable and is generally dependent on the child's mouth. The nipple 2 size grows progressively made in the larger sizes as the child's mouth grows.

(7) The shield 3 is a substantially flexible shield 3 including an upper side 3a and a lower side 3b. The upper side faces the nipple 2 and the lower side faces the handle 4. The upper side 3a of the shield 3 is closer to and connected to the nipple 2, while the lower side 3b is closer to the handle 4. The handle 4 can be directly connected to the shield 3 or via the knob 5. The nipple 2 is generally attached at the center of the upper side 3a of the shield 3. The symmetric position of the nipple 2 provides a comfortable placement in the child's mouth: the pacifier 1 does not have a tendency to shift or turn due to gravity moment.

(8) The shield 3 of the pacifier 1 is shaped such that it can obtain two stable mechanical states with only one element. FIG. 1 illustrates a shield in the first stable mechanical state folded away from the nipple 2. The nipple 2 is then easily accessible for a child's mouth to suckle on the pacifier 1. The shield 3 is then in an open position: the nipple 2 is accessible for a child to suckle on. This first state is a stable mechanical state: when no force is applied to the shield 3, the shield 3 remains in the first state. In the first state the shape of the shield 3 is convex. In the first state the radius of the curvature of the surface of the upper side 3a of the shield 3 is larger than the radius of curvature of the surface of the lower side 3b. FIG. 2 shows the shield 3 in the second stable mechanical state folded in the direction of the nipple 2. The shield 3 surrounds the nipple 2 partly or substantially and thus protects the nipple 2 against contact with other objects, such as dirt. The shield 3 is then in a closed position: the nipple 2 is not accessible for a child to suckle on. In the second state the shape of the shield 3 is concave. The second state is a stable mechanical state as well: when no force is applied to the shield 3, the shield remains in the second state. In the second state the curvature of the surface of the lower side 3b of the shield 3 is larger than the radius of curvature of the surface of the upper side 3a. The shield 3 thus serves two purposes: one of acting as a shield to prevent the pacifier from being swallowed by the suckling infant and one of being a nipple cover to safely and hygienically protect the nipple 2 against among others dirt, bacteria, other children.

(9) The shield 3 of the pacifier 1 is elastically transformable between the first stable mechanical state and the second stable mechanical state. In the first stable state the shield 3 is dome shaped and the surface of the upper side 3a of the shield 3 is on the outer surface of the dome. Since the shield 3 has a finite stiffness, the transition from the first state to the second state or vice versa entails a forceful deformation of the shield 3, so as to press a relatively large shield area through a confined underlying plane, disposed in a plane transverse to the axis of the nipple 2. The deformation of the shield 3 entails temporary displacement of material of shield material towards the central axis of the nipple 2, which results in a compressive stress in the shield 3 wall in the circumferential or tangential direction. Upon passing the confined underlying plane, the stress in the shield will be released and the material in the shield will transit to the second stable state. In the second stable state the shield surrounds the nipple at least partially. The stable states in which the shield 3 is substantially relaxed, represent an elastic-energy minimum that is lower than that of the unstable state, in which the shield 3 is partly deformed.

(10) The transition from the first state to the second state or vice versa entails a similar forceful deformation of the shield 3, so as to press a relatively large shield area through a confined underlying plane, disposed in a plane transverse to the axis of the nipple 2. The deformation of the shield 3 entails temporary displacement of material of shield material towards the central axis of the nipple 2, which results in a compressive stress in the shield 3 in the circumferential or tangential direction. Upon passing the confined underlying plane, the stress in the shield 3 will be released and the material in the shield will transit to the other stable state, i.e. the second stable state upon passing the confined underlying plane from the first stable state and the first stable state upon passing the confined underlying plane from the second stable state. The unstable, intermediate state forms a barrier to freely transfer from the first stable state to the second stable state and vice versa. Accordingly the first and the second stable mechanical states can be characterized as stable equilibria which are separated from each other by the intermediate state.

(11) The shield 3 can transform from the first stable state to the second stable state by a force executed by a user, for example a parent who wants to put aside the pacifier 1 when he wants to feed the child. The shield can also transfer from the first stable state to the second stable state upon impact, for example when the shield 3 of the pacifier 1 hits the floor. In both situations the shield 3 transforms from a substantially dome shaped or substantially flat shield to a shape that substantially covers the nipple 2. The second stable state protects the nipple 2 against the environment. The transfer from the unfolded state to the folded state does not occur until the force or impact exceeds a threshold value. When the force or impact is above the threshold value the shield transfers from the first stable state to the second state or vice versa. The value of the threshold force is the result of among others material and geometry of the shield 3. The threshold values for both transfers do not necessarily be equal. A consideration in the design of threshold value of transfer from the first stable state to the second stable state can be that the shield 3 should not transfer from the first stable state to the second stable state when the child suckles on the nipple and the nipple 2 and part of the shield 3 is pulled in the child's mouth or when the child pushes onto the shield parts 3c.

(12) It is advantageous that the shield 3 has a curved geometry. A curved geometry is energetically favourable over shapes that are not curved: the elastic-energy minimum is lower, because the internal stresses are lower. A preferred shape of the second stable state of the shield is spherical. A spherical shape of the shield 3 surrounds the nipple 2 at least partially and direct contact between the nipple 2 and the environment is prevented.

(13) When a force or an impact is executed on the shield 3 in the first stable state, the shield 3 is being deformed locally and internal stresses occur in the deformed part of the shield 3. These internal stresses influence adjacent parts of the shield 3, such that the adjacent parts of the shield 3 deform locally as well. Each local deformation thus triggers adjacent parts to deform and so the shield 3 deforms to the second stable state via the intermediate state.

(14) In the shield 3 one or more cutouts 6 can be made. The cutouts 6 preferably have a primary orientation away from the lower side 2b of the nipple. Consequently in the second stable mechanical state the cutouts 6 are oriented from the lower side 2b of the nipple 2 to the upper side 2a of the nipple 2. The cutouts 6 can be made in any suitable shapes and sizes to provide a safe and comfortable touch upon the child's skin in the first state of the shield 3 and to provide a proper protection for the nipple 2 in the second state of the shield 3. The cutouts 6 reduce the tangential or circumferential stress in the shield 3. Consequently, to transform the shield 3 from the first stable state to the second state or vice versa via the compressive state requires a lower force. In the first stable mechanical state the cutouts 6 can be shaped such that a cutout is present around the nose of the suckling child. A cutout at the location of the nose allows the child to breathe through its nose while sucking on the pacifier. Because the child does not have to open its mouth to breathe, the risk of dropping the pacifier reduces. The presence of cutouts 6 attributes positively to air ventilation between the shield 3 and the child's face. Air ventilation helps prevent skin irritation and/or a suction-cup effect caused when saliva is present between the shield 3 and the child's face when suckling the pacifier 1. In the second stable state the appliance of cutouts 6 helps to establish a spherical nipple cover 3b to protect the nipple 2. The presence of cutouts 6 allows the shield parts 3c to surround the nipple easier. The shield parts 3c thus surround the nipple at least partly, but preferably fully.

(15) It is preferable that the shield 3 is made of an elastomeric material. The preferred elastomeric material may include silicone or latex, one or more thermoplastic elastomers or a combination thereof. The elastic properties of the material allow the shield 3 to transfer from the first state to the second state.

(16) The shield 3 can be made in any suitable size to provide a safe and comfortable touch upon the child's skin in the first state of the shield 3 and to provide a proper protection for the nipple 2 in the second state of the shield 3. The shape of the shield 3 has to be suitable for interaction with the child's face while suckling on a pacifier 1.

(17) The handle 4 may be in any shape, size or design suitable for handling the pacifier 1 when the pacifier 1 is being used, washed or carried. The handle 4 is generally made is a hard plastic material. The handle 4 can be jointly connected to the shield 3, usually at the location of a knob 5, such that it can turn or flip with respect to the shield 3. The handle 4 can be fixed to the shield 3. A fixed handle 4 is usually smaller than a jointly connected handle 4. Usually the jointly connected handle 4 is used for removing the pacifier 1 from the child, while a fixed handle 4 is used for attaching a pacifier 1 attachment band to connect the pacifier 1 to the child's clothes. Although FIGS. 1 and 2 present a pacifier 1 comprising a jointly connected handle 4, it is obvious to the skilled person that the handle 4 is not necessary to achieve the object of the invention.