Shield for oral devices for infants

Abstract

A shield for a pacifier, teether, feeding device, sippy cup or the like. The shield carries a structure that is adapted to be inserted into the mouth of a young child. There is a body defining an opening at which the structure is carried and an inner surface surrounding this opening and encompassing the perioral areas surrounding the lips. The body defines a superior portion superior to the opening and an inferior portion inferior to the opening, and defines a lateral axis passing laterally through the opening. The superior portion is generally concave laterally on both sides of the vertical midline, to define an inner surface that closely conforms to the upper lip and perioral areas. At least the part of the inferior portion close to and on either side of the vertical midline is offset outward away from the face compared to the inner surface of the superior portion that is close to and on either side of the vertical midline, to allow the mandible to move anteriorly without being inhibited by the shield.

Claims

1. A shield for a pacifier, teether, feeding device, sippy cup or the like, any one of these structures being adapted to be inserted into a mouth of a young child, the shield comprising: a body having a vertical midline at its center, two lateral edges, and a horizontal axis; the body defining a structure opening for a structure that is adapted to be inserted into the mouth of the young child, and an inner surface surrounding the opening; the body further comprising: a superior portion superior to the horizontal axis, the horizontal axis passing laterally through the opening; and an inferior portion inferior to the horizontal axis; wherein the inner surface of the superior portion is generally concave laterally on both sides of the vertical midline at the center of the body; wherein the two lateral edges of the superior portion lie in a main plane; wherein the inner surface of the inferior portion is generally concave laterally on both sides of the vertical midline at the center of the body; wherein the inner surface of the inferior portion has a first bend extruding away from main plane, beginning proximate the horizontal axis of the body; and wherein the inner surface of the inferior portion has a second bend that curves back toward the main plane, where the second bend begins beyond the first bend, farther from the horizontal axis; wherein the entire inner surface of the inferior portion is offset from the main plane; wherein the shield encompasses the perioral area surrounding the lips such that the shield is stabilized against the upper maxillary perioral area and the inferior portion is located away from the face.

2. The shield of claim 1 wherein the lateral edges of the inferior portion curve back towards the vertical midline at the center of the body.

3. The shield of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the superior portion defines a curved planar area.

4. The shield of claim 1 in which the inferior portion is offset and angled sufficiently from the main plane to allow a feeding tube to be placed under the inferior portion while the shield is being used.

5. The shield of claim 1 that is generally symmetric about the vertical midline at the center of the body.

6. The shield of claim 1 defining offset pockets that span the vertical midline at the center of the body, at the peripheries of both the superior and inferior portions.

7. The shield of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of support pads arranged about both the vertical midline at the center of the body and the horizontal axis.

8. The shield of claim 7 comprising at least four support pads symmetrically arranged about both the vertical midline at the center of the body and the horizontal axis.

9. A shield for a pacifier, teether, feeding device, sippy cup or the like, any one of these structures being adapted to be inserted into a mouth of a young child, the shield comprising: a body having a vertical midline at its center, two lateral edges, and a horizontal axis; the body defining a structure opening for a structure that is adapted to be inserted into the mouth of the young child, and an inner surface surrounding the opening; the body further comprising: a superior portion superior to the horizontal axis, the horizontal axis passing laterally through the opening; and an inferior portion inferior to the horizontal axis; wherein the inner surface of the superior portion is generally concave laterally on both sides of the vertical midline at the center of the body; wherein the two lateral edges of the superior portion lie in a main plane; wherein the inner surface of the inferior portion is generally concave laterally on both sides of the vertical midline at the center of the body; wherein the inner surface of the inferior portion has a first bend extruding away from main plane, beginning proximate the horizontal axis of the body; wherein the inner surface of the inferior portion has a second bend that curves back toward the main plane, where the second bend begins beyond the first bend, farther from the horizontal axis; wherein the lateral edges of the inferior portion curve back towards the vertical midline at the center of the body; wherein the inner surface of the superior portion defines a curved planar area; and wherein the shield is generally symmetric about the vertical midline at the center of the body; wherein the entire inner surface of the inferior portion is offset from the main plane; wherein the shield encompasses the perioral area surrounding the lips such that the shield is stabilized against the upper maxillary perioral area and the inferior portion is located away from the face.

10. The shield of claim 9 wherein both lateral edges of the inferior portion curve toward the face therein defining lateral inferior portions of the inner surface that are closer to the face than a central inferior portion of the inner surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Illustrative, non-limiting embodiments are shown in the drawings, in which:

(2) FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate a first embodiment of the shield;

(3) FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate a second embodiment of the shield;

(4) FIGS. 3A-3B illustrate a third embodiment of the shield;

(5) FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate a forth embodiment of the shield;

(6) FIG. 4D illustrates a fifth embodiment of the shield; and

(7) FIGS. 5A-5B illustrate a sixth embodiment of the shield.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(8) The present invention encourages the perioral forces, created by the shield against the face, to be stabilized against the upper perioral area (maxillary arch, lip, cheek and intermaxillary arch space), with lighter forces (or no force) against the lower perioral area (mandibular arch). The shield can be used in any application, for example as part of pacifiers, teethers, feeding devices/utensils and sippy cups, which include a structure (such as a nipple or baglet) that goes into the infant's mouth.

(9) Part, most of, or all of, the inside surface of the lower or inferior portion (typically the lower half) of the shield is offset from the inside surface of the upper or superior portion of the shield. This moves the inferior portion away from the face. The offset part of the shield is typically offset in the range of about 2 mm to about 10 mm, and more preferably from 2-8 mm, from the upper or superior portion of the shield. The lower offset portion of the shield may also be angled away from the vertical, and away from the face, at more than 0 degrees and up to about 20 degrees. The variation of the degree of angulation of the offset, when angulation is present, will be in part determined by the angle of the bulb or oral device (teether, nipple, spout etc.) which extends from the shield. A greater angle may be used with less of an offset to allow the lower part of the shield to be sufficiently spaced from the face. Similarly, a greater offset may be combined with no angle or a lesser angle.

(10) The shield design takes on different levels of significance when used with different bulb designs. For example, so called cherry shaped and reverse orthodontic shaped bulbs have straight necks (shafts) and will push, slide, and seat (thereby angle upward) into the palate during sucking, and cause greater tipping of the lower part of the shield against the chin than a bulb with a so called orthodontic design which itself is angulated from the neck (shaft) of the bulb, and will thus result in less shield tipping. Thus, greater offset may be needed in a shield for a reverse design in order to prevent the shield from contacting the lower perioral area during use.

(11) The shield, by stabilizing forces against the upper lip, maxillary arch, cheeks and intermaxillary freeway space, may also have an added benefit of discouraging protrusion of the maxillary front teeth.

(12) Description of Offset:

(13) The offset could be presented in a number of manners. A number of embodiments that accomplish an offset are described below and shown in the drawings.

Embodiment 1, FIG. 1

(14) FIGS. 1A-1C, show a shield 10 with a conventional pacifier shield butterfly shape that is curved inward laterally at a 20 degree angle from its horizontal centerline 30. The 20 degree inward lateral angle can vary; 20 degrees was chosen as a median value. The angle can range from about 10 degrees to about 30 degrees. FIG. 1A is a view of shield 10 from the outside 40 that does not touch the face, showing nipple opening 18 and seating flange 19. FIG. 1B is a top view, and FIG. 1C a side view. Dimensions are in mm. Note that this design is sized for a 9 month+ infant. Smaller overall dimensions (scaled down) would be used for shields designed for 0 month, 0-3 months, and other ranges as desired, using the dimensional data and ranges set forth above and otherwise available in literature. Shield 10 comprises unitary molded plastic body 12 that defines top edge 14, lower edge 16, outer surface 40, inner surface 39, central opening 18 (for insertion and seating of a nipple) and openings to provide for passage of air, such as opening 20. The butterfly curvature is such that axes 34 and 36 that emanate from medial bisecting plane 38 and bisect the lateral edges 35 and 37 lie at about a 20 degree angle to plane 32 that is orthogonal to plane 38. Additionally, the inferior (below the nipple) portion 42 is extruded outward (away from the face) (i.e., offset) 2 mm-10 mm (in this example 8.5 mm) from main plane 41 of the superior portion 29 that contacts the infant's face, i.e., the inside surface of the inferior portion 42 at the lowermost extent of the inner face (i.e., point 43) is spaced 8.5 mm from plane 41 that contacts the face.

Embodiment 2, FIG. 2

(15) FIGS. 2A-2C are outside, top and inside axonometric views, respectively, of second shield embodiment 50. The footprint of shield 50 is the same at approximately 60 mm wide by 40 mm height, designed for a 12 month+ infant, but the initial contact with the infant only comes from the corner of the lips and extends just above the upper lip, essentially at the protruding plane bounded by edges 52-55. This plane defines the innermost surface of the shield, and the areas above and below the plane are offset from the plane. The construction prevents the shield from entering the infant's mouth, but allows the lower part of the shield (below the plane bounded by edges 52-55) to remain away from the infant's face. This design could also be described as two shields in onea small shield that covers from the corner of the lips up to upper edge 57 and a secondary shield that extends from the plane to lower edge 59 that serves to prevent the shield from being swallowed or inhaled by the infant. This design contains the same curvature inward, 20 degrees, but also shows the same offsets of about 2-10 mm.

Embodiment 3, FIG. 3

(16) FIGS. 3A-3B are inside and bottom views, respectively, of shield 80 with a conventional pacifier shield butterfly shape that is curved inward laterally at a nominal 20 degree angle from centerline, similar to the shield shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3A is a view of shield from the inside that touches the face, while FIG. 3B is a bottom view. Opening 82 is for the bulb or other structure that goes into the infant's mouth, and is bisected by horizontal axis 83. Above axis 83 is superior portion 91 and below is inferior portion 95. The offset begins at contour line 93 and extends to lowermost inside location 88. The upper extent of inside surface 89 is location 86. Surface 89 is generally concave toward the face to generally follow the contour of the face, thus lateral edges 90 and 92 are located more posteriorly than is the inner part of bulb-receiving opening 82. Air openings 84, 85 and 87 are identified, for context. Inferior portion 95 is sloped away from the face, i.e., offset, to lower contour 101. What differentiates this design from the FIG. 1 design is that the outer parts of inferior portion 95, which end at edges 90 and 92, curve toward the face similar to the curving of superior portion 91, such that lateral inferior inside surface portions 103 and 105 are closer to the face than is central lower location 88. The offset on this design thus creates more of a pocket offset located in portion 95 and generally between openings 85 and 87, as visible in FIG. 3B. The pocket provides room for the chin/lower mandible to move unobstructed into when the mandible is in the forward or downward position.

Embodiment 4, FIG. 4

(17) FIGS. 4A-4C are front and back views, and a central vertical cross-section, respectively, of a reversible shield 120; i.e., a shield that is symmetric about lateral plane 122 so that either upper or lower edges 142 and 146 can be located just below the nose. Thus, both portion 126 and portion 128 can be the superior or inferior portion. Inside surface 150 is shown in FIG. 4A. This shield is for the reversible or cherry baglet (pacifier nipple) design. This shield allows for the chin/mandible to move forward or downward without requiring a top/bottom orientation. The key elements to this shield design are that the outer wings 130, 132 of the shield (generally located laterally of axes A and B, respectively,) are designed to firmly contact or mount to anatomical structures of the face that are stationary throughout the suck cycle (e.g., the cheeks), and still allow for outward and downward mandibular movement with little or no contact with the shield. Recessed pockets 140 and 144 are hounded by beginning contours 141 and 145 and end contours 142 and 146, respectively. Pockets 140 and 144 are located centrally, above and below nipple-receiving opening 124, and end approximately at vertical axes A and B, outside of which are located wings 130 and 132. Back side recesses 170 and 171 create annular seat 172 against which the nipple (not shown) is seated. A cap (not shown) would also typically cover the back side of the shield to help conceal/anchor the pacifier baglet, as is known in the art.

Embodiment 5, FIG. 4D

(18) FIG. 4D is another embodiment of the reversible shield 120a, which is very similar in design to shield 120, but with the addition of four support pads 181-184. Using Cranio-facial data (Waitzman et al, and Young J W., supra) these pads are placed nominally 40 mm apart (20 mm off of center of pacifier 190 to center of pads 191, 192, designed for a 12 month+ infant) on the superior 126 and inferior 128 inside surface 150 of the shield and function as mini bumpers. The pads could be placed as close as 25 mm apart (center of pad to center of pad) for younger/smaller infants and as much as 42 mm apart for larger children. Vertical spacing from central axis 122 to axes 193 and 194 is about 15 mm, and can range from about 20 mm for older infants to as little as 10 mm for premature infants. The shape of the pads are preferably circular or elliptical, but can take other shapes as well. Shown is a circular embodiment at 7 mm diameter. Minimum diameter may be as low as 5 mm, and spaced approximately 10 mm offset from center in the superior/inferior direction (which is the same as from axis 122 to axes 193/194). These features may extend out of the shield nominally at 2 mm, +2 mm or 1 mm. Transverse dimensions, although they may vary according to age, sex, nationality and other demographics, would cause the bumpers to contact the infra orbital cheek area and underlying maxillary bone. The pads thus help to anchor the superior portion. The inferior pads lateral placement, however, is too wide to contact the curving mandibular symphysis.

(19) Likewise, when reversed (superior to inferiorly rotated), the same contacts or non contacts with the perioral areas will also apply to this inventive shield design. Other designs and dimensions are obvious to one skilled in the field.

Embodiment 6, FIG. 5

(20) FIGS. 5A and 5B are front and side views, respectively, of another embodiment of shield 210. Shield 210 accomplishes the offset of inferior portion 218 from superior portion 216 (located below and above lateral midline 214, respectively), via angling outward alone, without any planar offset. The angle is typically but not necessarily nominally 20 degrees, to create the chin pocket discussed above.

(21) Material Options:

(22) Polycarbonate, polycarbonate frame with silicone overmold, other thermoplastics, urethanes or thermoplastic elastomers that will serve as a rigid barrier (90 A durometer or higher), polypropylene, and polyethylene are all acceptable materials. The shield may be comprised of sections of softer durometer material, but will contain a rigid section as a frame to pass safety testing/guidelines.

(23) Other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the field and are within the scope of the claims.