Baby pacifier

• US 4,545,378 A
• Filed: 03/12/1979
• Issued: 10/08/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Reliance Molded Plastic Incorporated, Reliance Products Corporation (Changed Into
• Original Assignee: Gerber Products Company (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Chrones, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Edward A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wallen, T. J.
• Application Number:
  US06/019,460
• Time in Patent Office: 2,402 Days
• Field of Search: 128/359, 128/360, 128/252
• US Class Current: 606/236
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 17/001 Baby-comforters
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 17/10 Details; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 17/105 Nipple attachments

Abstract

A baby pacifier molded in two pieces and assembled into a permanently united unitary construction. The shield is constructed of a stiff plastic material and can have any peripheral contour. It can also be flat or bowed. The shield has a central opening in the form of either a flat elongated slot for the bowed type, or an annular opening for the annular shield. In either case, both sides of the opening are provided with flat, thickened, peripheral portions forming seats or shoulders. The nipple or baglet and the handle are molded in a single unitary integral construction open at the rear to prevent collapse of the baglet. Spaced from the rear end, the baglet shank is provided with integral spaced collars having flat parallel wall portions in spaced opposed relation. The handle is molded to the baglet shank at the rear end. In assembly, the baglet and collars are heated to soften the material, the baglet is then pulled through the opening from rear to front, and the front collar is pulled through the opening until the seats or shoulders around the opening become tightly wedged between the parallel walls of the two collars. This completely locks the two parts together so that the baglet is permanently locked to the shield.

Claims

1. In a baby pacifier, the combination of:

a soft, resilient, one-piece hollow shank having two ends, one of said ends forming a hollow baglet, the other of said ends extending into a handle, and between said ends having a symmetrical pair of spaced collars the mutually facing sides of which are perpendicular to said shank and define an annular locking groove, the non-facing sides of which are tapered down to said shank; and

a rigid planar shield having an opening surrounded on both sides by flat thickened areas to form an annular tongue complementary to said groove

whereby forcing the portion of said shank comprising said baglet and one of said collars through said opening locks said tongue in said groove.