Pacifier

• US 20100063543A1
• Filed: 11/16/2009
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacific Air LLC
• Original Assignee: Pacific Air LLC
• Inventors: Sheldon, Stephen H., Moses, Allen J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,252,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/236
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 17/001 Baby-comforters
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 17/107 having specific orthodontic properties

Abstract

Improved pacifiers are provided. Certain embodiments better accommodate the anatomy of the human oral cavity and throat, and can provide for improved airway patency, healthy jaw development, correct swallowing, and/or satisfy a user'"'"'s inclination to suck and nibble. Certain embodiments include an upper ridge groove configured to receive a user'"'"'s upper anterior ridge, and a lower ridge groove configured to receive the user'"'"'s lower anterior ridge. The ridge grooves can be substantially vertically aligned, can span a user'"'"'s anterior ridges, and can maintain vertical spacing between the user'"'"'s anterior ridges. Certain embodiments include an anterior flange and a posterior flange, the upper ridge groove configured to receive the upper anterior ridge between the posterior flange and anterior flange, and the lower ridge groove configured to receive the lower anterior ridge between the posterior flange and anterior flange. Certain embodiments include a nipple projecting substantially vertically from the posterior flange.

Claims

1. A pacifier comprising:

an upper ridge groove configured to receive a user'"'"'s upper anterior ridge; and

a lower ridge groove configured to receive the user'"'"'s lower anterior ridge, wherein the upper ridge groove is substantially vertically aligned with the lower ridge groove.

2. The pacifier of claim 1, wherein the upper ridge groove and lower ridge groove are configured to span only across the user'"'"'s anterior ridges, and not to span across the user'"'"'s posterior ridges.

3. The pacifier of claim 1, wherein the upper ridge groove and the lower ridge groove are configured to maintain a vertical spacing between the upper anterior ridge and the lower anterior ridge.

4. The pacifier of claim 3, wherein the vertical spacing is between about 2 millimeters and about 4 millimeters.

5. The pacifier of claim 1, further including an anterior flange and a posterior flange, wherein the upper ridge groove is configured to receive the upper anterior ridge between the posterior flange and the anterior flange, and wherein the lower ridge groove is configured to receive the lower anterior ridge between the posterior flange and the anterior flange.

6. The pacifier of claim 5, further including a nipple projecting substantially vertically from the posterior flange.

7. The pacifier of claim 6, wherein the nipple is configured such that when the user'"'"'s upper anterior ridge is received in the upper ridge groove, the nipple is forced to deflect from the substantially vertical position and the nipple maintains contact with the roof of the user'"'"'s mouth.

8. The pacifier of claim 5, wherein the anterior flange and the posterior flange are configured to extend substantially vertically upward toward the upper anterior ridge.

9. The pacifier of claim 5, wherein the anterior flange and the posterior flange are configured to extend substantially vertically downward toward the lower anterior ridge.

10. The pacifier of claim 5, further including a shield comprising an open configuration that can allow air to pass through the shield, the shield structure configured to inhibit the entire shield from entering the user'"'"'s mouth.

11. The pacifier of claim 10, further including a stem configured to connect the anterior flange and the shield, the stem configured to provide a space that can accommodate the user'"'"'s lips between the anterior flange and the shield.

12. The pacifier of claim 5, wherein the posterior flange includes a tongue groove configured to receive a tip of the user'"'"'s tongue.

13. The pacifier of claim 5, wherein the anterior flange is larger than the posterior flange.

14. The pacifier of claim 5, wherein the anterior flange includes:

a first frenum relief groove positioned at a top and toward a center of the anterior flange; and

a second frenum relief groove positioned at a bottom and toward the center of the anterior flange.

15. The pacifier of claim 5, wherein the posterior flange includes:

a first papilla/lingual frenum relief groove positioned at a top and toward a center of the posterior flange; and

a second papilla/lingual frenum relief groove positioned at a bottom and toward the center of the posterior flange.

16. The pacifier of claim 5, wherein the anterior flange and the posterior flange comprise rounded edges.

17. The pacifier of claim 5, further including an air hole configured to pass through the posterior flange, through an arch space between the posterior flange and the anterior flange and through the anterior flange.

18. The pacifier of claim 17, wherein the air hole is about 1 millimeter high and about 3 millimeters wide.

19. The pacifier of claim 1, further including a handle.

20. The pacifier of claim 19, further including a ring attached to the handle.

21. The pacifier of claim 1, wherein the positioning of the user'"'"'s upper anterior ridge in the upper ridge groove, and the user'"'"'s lower anterior ridge in the lower ridge groove provides for improved airway patency, such that the user'"'"'s airway is larger than when the user'"'"'s jaw is in a normal resting position.

22. The pacifier of claim 1, wherein the positioning of the user'"'"'s upper anterior ridge in the upper ridge groove, and the user'"'"'s lower anterior ridge in the lower ridge groove provides for healthy jaw development.

23. The pacifier of claim 1, wherein the positioning of the user'"'"'s upper anterior ridge in the upper ridge groove, and the user'"'"'s lower anterior ridge in the lower ridge groove provides for correct swallowing.

24. The pacifier of claim 1, wherein the pacifier can satisfy a user'"'"'s inclination to suck and nibble.

25. The pacifier of claim 1, wherein the upper ridge groove and the lower ridge groove are symmetrical such that the upper ridge groove can receive the user'"'"'s lower anterior ridge and the lower ridge groove can receive the user'"'"'s upper anterior ridge.