Collapsible pacifier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9814654-B2
Application number	US-201414201691-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2014
Priority date	Mar 8, 2013
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A compressible pacifier having a nipple, a conical protective sleeve and a handle. The protective sleeve has a first end connected to the nipple and a second end which covers the nursing end of the nipple when in an extended position. The handle is connected to the first end of the protective sleeve. While the protective sleeve is in a retracted position, a second end of the sleeve is concentrically disposed over the first end of the sleeve thereby exposing the nursing end of the nipple for use by an infant.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A compressible pacifier, comprising:
a nipple having a nursing end;
a conical protective sleeve having a first end connected to the nipple and a second end, in an extended position covering the nursing end of the nipple; and
a handle connected to the first end of the conical protective sleeve,
where, in a retracted position, the second end of the protective sleeve is concentrically disposed over and circumferentially connected to the first end of the conical protective sleeve via a friction fit between parallel walls at the circumferential connection to allow the protective sleeve to remain in the retracted position, thereby exposing the nursing end of the nipple for use by an infant.

2. The compressible pacifier as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second end of the conical protective sleeve is biased away from the first end of the protective sleeve.

3. The compressible pacifier as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a first ring adjacent to the first end and a second ring adjacent to the second end of the conical protective sleeve.

4. The compressible pacifier as recited in claim 3 , where in the retracted position, the second ring is secured over the first ring by the friction fit.

5. The compressible pacifier as recited in claim 3 , wherein the first ring and the nipple are composed of a single continuous material.

6. The compressible pacifier as recited in claim 3 , wherein the first ring and second ring are over-molded by a material composing the conical protective sleeve.

7. The compressible pacifier as recited in claim 1 , wherein the conical protective sleeve has a first diameter at the first end and a second diameter at the second end, and wherein the first diameter is less than the second diameter.

8. The compressible pacifier as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a disc portion at the first end of the conical protective sleeve.

9. The compressible pacifier as recited in claim 8 , wherein the disc portion comprises at least one aperture.

10. The compressible pacifier as recited in claim 1 , wherein the nipple and the conical protective sleeve are composed of a single continuous material.

11. The compressible pacifier as recited in claim 1 , where in the extended position, the second end of the conical protective sleeve extends past the nipple along a central axis running from a lower end of the nipple to the nursing end.

12. A compressible pacifier, comprising:
a nipple having a nursing end;
a flexible sleeve having a first support at a first end connected to the nipple and a second support at a second end; and
a handle connected to the first support,
where, in an extended position, the flexible sleeve covers the nursing end of the nipple, and in a retracted position, the second support is concentrically disposed over and circumferentially connected to the first support via a friction fit between parallel walls at the circumferential connection, thereby exposing the nursing end of the nipple.

13. The compressible pacifier as recited in claim 12 , wherein the second support is biased away from the first support.

14. The compressible pacifier as recited in claim 12 , where in the retracted position, the second support is secured over the first support by the friction fit.

15. The compressible pacifier as recited in claim 12 , where in the extended position, the second support extends past the nipple along a central axis running from a lower end of the nipple to the nursing end.

16. The compressible pacifier as recited in claim 12 , wherein the flexible sleeve is frusto-conical shaped.

17. A method for enclosing a nursing end of a nipple of a pacifier having a protective sleeve, the protective sleeve having a first end connected to the nipple and a second end, comprising the steps:
compressing the protective sleeve;
circumferentially securing the second end over the first end via a friction fit between parallel walls at a circumferential connection, thereby exposing the nursing end of the nipple without the protective sleeve springing back to an extended position; and
extending the protective sleeve over the nipple and thereby covering the nursing end of the nipple.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein the second end includes a second support ring that concentrically slip fits over a first support ring at the first end via the friction fit.

19. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein extending the protective sleeve includes disengaging the second support ring from the first support ring.

20. The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein when the protective sleeve is extended over the nipple, the second end extends past the nipple along a central axis running from a lower end of the nipple to the nursing end.

Assignees

• Munchkin Inc

Inventors

• Saxton Matthew Joseph

Classifications

• A61J17/113

  Protective covers therefor, e.g. for protecting during disuse · CPC title

• A61J17/001 Primary

  Baby-comforters · CPC title

• A61J17/008 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic