Compressible pacifier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10603249-B2
Application number	US-201815904303-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2018
Priority date	Feb 23, 2017
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

A compressible pacifier is described having a flexible neck portion connecting a nipple to a base portion. The flexible neck portion allows for the nipple to be extended for use as needed, and compressed within the planar surface of the base portion when the pacifier is not in use or is being transported.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pacifier, comprising:
a nipple portion;
a base portion having a planar surface; and
a compressible neck portion having flexible folds, and connecting the nipple portion to the base portion; and
an outer ring positioned beyond the outer circumference of the base portion and is substantially rigid as compared to the nipple portion, compressible neck portion, and base portion, the outer ring having an interior rigid insert that substantially prevents flexibility of the outer ring,
wherein the compressible neck portion allows for the nipple portion to be positioned outside the planar surface of the base portion in an extended position, and to cross into the planar surface of the base portion in a compressed position.

2. The pacifier of claim 1 , further comprising an aperture in the base portion.

3. The pacifier of claim 1 , further comprising a handle extending from the base portion.

4. The pacifier of claim 3 , wherein the handle is low profile.

5. The pacifier of claim 4 , wherein the handle stays within a width of the nipple when the nipple is compressed.

6. The pacifier of claim 1 , wherein the compressible neck portion controls the movement of the nipple between the extended position and the compressed position.

7. The pacifier of claim 6 , wherein the compressible neck portion inverts between movement of the extended to compressed positions.

8. The pacifier of claim 6 , wherein the neck portion becomes concaved between movement of the extended to compressed positions.

9. The pacifier of claim 1 , wherein the interior rigid insert is metallic.

10. The pacifier of claim 1 , wherein the interior rigid insert is hardened plastic.

11. A pacifier, comprising:
a nipple portion;
a base portion having a planar surface and an outer circumference;
an outer ring having an interior rigid insert that substantially reduces flexibility of the outer ring and positioned beyond the outer circumference of the base portion; and
a compressible neck portion having flexible folds connecting the nipple portion to the base portion,
wherein the neck portion controls the movement of the nipple portion between an extended nipple position and a compressed nipple position, and maintains the nipple portion outside the planar surface of the base portion in the extended nipple position, and allows for the nipple portion to cross into the planar surface of the base portion in a compressed nipple position.

12. The pacifier of claim 11 , further comprising an aperture in the base portion.

13. The pacifier of claim 11 , further comprising a handle extending from the base portion.

14. The pacifier of claim 13 , wherein the handle is low profile.

15. The pacifier of claim 14 , wherein the handle stays within a width of the nipple when compressed.

16. A pacifier, comprising:
a nipple portion;
a base portion having a planar surface and an outer circumference;
an outer ring positioned beyond the outer circumference of the base portion and having an internal insert that increases the rigidity of the outer ring; and
a compressible neck portion having flexible folds connecting the nipple portion to the base portion.

17. The pacifier of claim 16 , further comprising a low profile handle extending from the base portion which stays within a width of the nipple when compressed.

18. The pacifier recited in claim 16 , wherein the neck portion:
controls the movement of the nipple portion between an extended nipple position and a compressed nipple position;
maintains the nipple portion outside the planar surface of the base portion in the extended nipple position; and
inverts to allow for the nipple portion to cross into the planar surface of the base portion in a compressed nipple position.

19. The pacifier recited in claim 16 , wherein the internal insert is plastic.

20. The pacifier of claim 16 , further comprising a handle extending from the base portion.

Assignees

• Munchkin Inc

Inventors

• Fang Ruth Hsin-Ju
• Birkert Thomas E
• Tebbe Mark Gerard

Classifications

• A61J17/001 Primary

  Baby-comforters · CPC title

• A61J17/105

  Nipple attachments · CPC title