Pacifier
First Claim
1. A pacifier for use in user'"'"'s oral cavity and in relation to portions of a user'"'"'s anatomy including an upper ridge, a lower ridge, a maxilla, a mandible, a tongue including a tip, a roof of the mouth, a right cuspid area, a left cuspid area, and a throat, wherein the pacifier comprises:
- a spacing portion configured to receive the upper ridge and the lower ridge;
a posterior flange positioned at a posterior end of the spacing portion and including a tongue groove configured to receive the tip of the tongue while the tongue is in a near-normal position;
a projection portion positioned on an upper side of the posterior flange and arranged to project from the posterior flange, above the tongue, and to the roof of the mouth;
wherein the posterior flange is configured to;
not push the tip of the tongue posteriorly,span only from the right cuspid area to the left cuspid area,maintain the lower ridge in a forward position to draw the mandible away from the throat, andmaintain the upper ridge substantially and directly above the lower ridge; and
wherein, from the perspective of the rear of the pacifier, the posterior flange is concave along a horizontal dimension and concave along a vertical dimension.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
33 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A pacifier for use in user'"'"'s oral cavity and in relation to portions of a user'"'"'s anatomy including an upper ridge, a lower ridge, a maxilla, a mandible, a tongue including a tip, a roof of the mouth, a right cuspid area, a left cuspid area, and a throat, wherein the pacifier comprises:
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a spacing portion configured to receive the upper ridge and the lower ridge; a posterior flange positioned at a posterior end of the spacing portion and including a tongue groove configured to receive the tip of the tongue while the tongue is in a near-normal position; a projection portion positioned on an upper side of the posterior flange and arranged to project from the posterior flange, above the tongue, and to the roof of the mouth; wherein the posterior flange is configured to; not push the tip of the tongue posteriorly, span only from the right cuspid area to the left cuspid area, maintain the lower ridge in a forward position to draw the mandible away from the throat, and maintain the upper ridge substantially and directly above the lower ridge; and wherein, from the perspective of the rear of the pacifier, the posterior flange is concave along a horizontal dimension and concave along a vertical dimension. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification