GB2452542A

GB2452542A - A holder for a pacifier

Info

Publication number: GB2452542A
Application number: GB0717425A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Deborah Hope; Jonathan Butters
Original assignee: CHEEKY MONKEY HOLDINGS Ltd
Current assignee: CHEEKY MONKEY HOLDINGS Ltd
Priority date: 2007-09-07
Filing date: 2007-09-07
Publication date: 2009-03-11
Also published as: GB0717425D0

Abstract

A holder 50 for a pacifier 57 comprises a strap or tape 52 having at one end a means 54 for attachment of the holder to a baby feeding bottle and at the other end a pacifier receiving means 56. The receiving means may be in the form of a container with a hinged lid or simply an aperture near the end of the holder that allows the teat of the pacifier to be pushed through (figure 2A). In such an embodiment a cup (42) is provided on the holder to receive and protect the teat. The preferred attachment means is a ring or loop to fit over the neck of the bottle. The loop may be provided with an adjustment means to allow engagement with any size bottle.

Description

This invention concerns holders for pacifiers (soothers).

Pacifiers or soothers (dummies) are used to pacify babies. Pacifiers generally comprise a teat on one side of a guard and a handle on the opposite side. The guard is sized so as to prevent the teat being swallowed. It is important that pacifiers are kept clean but as small items they can be easily dropped or lost. Sometimes pacifiers are fastened to a baby's clothing to prevent their loss but that does not keep the pacifier clean necessarily.

It would be useful to have some other means of storing a pacifier so that it may be easily located and/or may be kept clean.

According to the invention it is proposed that a holder for a pacifier have a pacifier receiving means and means for attaching the holder to a baby feeding bottle.

Preferably the holder of the invention comprises a strap or tape having at one end means for attachment of the holder to a baby feeding bottle and at the other end pacifier receiving means.

The means for attachment of the holder is preferably a ring or loop and the ring or loop is preferably adapted to fit over a baby feeding bottle neck or even the bottle itself. The loop or ring may be of fixed size or may be of adjustable size. The ring or loop may be of stretchable material to fit different sizes of bottle neck or bottle. Alternatively, the ring or loop may be provided with means for adjusting its size to suit different bottle neck or bottle sizes. The means for adjusting the size of the ring or the loop may comprise a slide to draw sides of the loop or ring towards each other. In another preferred embodiment the ring or loop has resiliently deformable part that allows for expansion of the ring or loop.

The pacifier receiving means of the holder of the invention may be a container. The container preferably comprises a base and a lid. The lid may be hingedly attached to the base, such as by a so-called living hinge, or may be separable from the base and be attachable thereto by any suitable means, such as, for example by being a snap fit, a screw cap or a bayonet fitting.

In an alternative preferred embodiment of the invention the pacifier receiving means is provided by an aperture at or near the other end of the holder. The aperture preferably has a shape or is made of a material that allows a pacifier teat to be pushed through it. For example the aperture may be a circular hole or may be of a shape that provides one or more deformable flaps past which a part of a pacifier can be pushed. In a preferred embodiment the aperture is cross-shaped.

When the pacifier receiving means is an aperture, it is preferred to provide a cup or the like on the opposite side of the holder to receive and protect the teat of the pacifier.

It is further preferred that, when the pacifier receiving means is a container, it is provided in attractive format, such as in the shape of an animal head or of some other item, such as for example, a car or fruit.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a pacifier holder with a baby feeding bottle; Figure 2A shows a first pacifier receiving end for the holder of Figure 1 ;

Figure 2B shows a second pacifier receiving means for the holder of Figure 1 ;

Figure 2C shows a third pacifier receiving means for the holder of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a plan view of another pacifier holder according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a view for one side of the holder of Figure3;

Figure 5 is a view from the other side of the holder of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an end view of the holder of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a perspective form above of the holder of Figure 1 ;

Figure 8 is a perspective view from below of the holder of Figure 3;

Figure 9 shows a first alternative attachment means for a pacifier holder of the invention;

Figure 10 shows a second alternative attachment means for a pacifier holder of the invention;

Figure 11 shows a third alternative attachment means for a pacifier holder of the invention;

Figure 12 shows a fourth alternative attachment means for a pacifier holder of the invention;

Figure 13 shows a fifth alternative attachment means for a pacifier holder of the invention;

Figures 14A and 14B show a sixth alternative attachment means for a pacifier holder of the invention;

Figures 1 SA and 15 B show a seventh alternative attachment means for a pacifier holder of the invention; Figure 16 shows another pacifier receiver for a pacifier holder of the invention;

Figure 17 shows yet another pacifier receiver for a pacifier holder of the invention; and

Figure 18 shows a further pacifier holder according to the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, a baby feeding bottle 10 has a container 12 having a neck 14, a teat 1 , a closure 18 for sealingly fixing the teat to the neck of the bottle and a cap 20 for protecting the teat when not in use. A holder 30 for a pacifier comprises a tape or strap 32 having at one end a ring 34 for attaching the holder to the neck 14 of the bottle 10 and at the other end a receiver 36 for a pacifier (not shown). In Figure 1 the ring 34 is shown to be of one size to fit the neck of the bottle. In later embodiments size adjustable attachment means are shown.

The receiver 36 can be as shown in Figures 2A-C. In Figure 2A the receiver is a cross-shaped aperture 38 in a flexible material patch 40 incoφorated at the end of the strap 32. The cross-shaped aperture 38 is arranged so that the teat of a pacifier can be pushed through it. On the other side of the holder is a cup or the like 42 to receive and protect the teat.

In Figure 2B the holder has a hole 44 at one end to receive the teat of a pacifier. In Figure 2C the holder strap is made from a flexible material and contains a crossshaped aperture 46. Again a cup or the like 42 is provided on one side of the holder strap to receive and protect the teat of a pacifier.

Turning to Figures 3 to 8 a pacifier holder 50 has a strap 52, a loop 54 at one end of the strap and a receptacle 56 at the other end for pacifier 57. The loop 54 is used to attach the holder to the neck of the baby feeding bottle. The loop 54 is generally circular but where it joins the strap has its ends 58 extending away from the circular part generally parallel. The two end parts 58 can be pulled apart to increase the size of the loop to facilitate fitting the loop over the neck of the feeding bottle.

The receptacle 56 for the pacifier 57 has a base 60 attached to the strap 52 and a lid 62 hingedly connected to the base 60 opposite its connection to the strap 52. The hinged connection 66 is shown as being integral with the base and lid.

The receptacle 56 is in the shape of monkey head but other alternative receptacle shapes may be used in the invention.

Figures 9 to 15 show pacifier holder straps with different ends for attachment thereof to a baby feeding bottle. In Figure 9 strap 70 has a split ring 72 at one end. The ring 72 is reinforced by a bead 74 extending from the strap to the end of the ring. The split ring can be expanded to facilitate fitting of the ring to the neck of the baby feeding bottle.

The strap 80 of Figure 10 has its free end curving back over the strap to form a loop. The free end has a series of holes 82 and the strap has a pip 84 onto which any of the holes 82 can locate to adjust the size of the loop according to the size of the neck of the baby feeding bottle.

Figure 1 1 shows a strap 90 for a pacifier holder with a ring 92 at one end. The internal circumference of the ring is serrated.

In Figure 12 a strap 100 for a pacifier holder is formed from a flat ribbon. It has a ring 102 at one end formed by turning the ribbon back on itself and fixing the free end to the strap. Figure 13 shows a pacifier holder strap 110 with a ring 112 at one end internally screw-threaded to fit on the neck of a baby feeding bottle and to hold a teat on the bottle.

Figure 14A and B show a strap 120 for a pacifier holder that is formed from a wire that is bent to form a loop 122 and side by side strands. A slider 124 through which the two strands pass can be used to increase or decrease the size of the loop by sliding along the strands away from or towards the loop respectively. The slider has a button 128 that can be pressed to lock the slider in position.

Figures 15A and 15B show a similar pacifier holder strap to the previous embodiment except that the wire is replaced by a tape.

Finally, Figures 16 and 17 show pacifier receptacles 160 and 170 respectively for pacifier holders according to the invention.

In Figure 16 the receptacle comprises a base 162 and a removal cover 164 has a teat shaped protrusion for location of a pacifier. The cover 164 can be, for example, a screw-fit, snap-fit or bayonet- fit onto the base 162.

In Figure 17 the pacifier receptacle 170 has a domed lid 172.

Finally, in Figure 18 a pacifier holder 180 is shown attached to a baby feeding bottle 10 of the type described in Figure 1 of the drawings. The pacifier holder 180 has a strap 182 with a loop 184 at one end and a pacifier receptacle 56 at the other end of the type described in Figures 3 to 8 of the drawings.

The loop 184 and possibly the strap are made of stretchable or elastic material so that the loop can be stretched to fit over the bottle and then fit tightly around the bottle.

Whilst the invention has been described with reference to various specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that a pacifier holder can comprise a combination of any straps and receptacles illustrated.

Claims

Claims: 1. A holder for a pacifier having a pacifier receiving means and means for attaching the holder to a baby feeding bottle.
2. A holder as claimed in claim 1 comprising a strap or tape having at one end the means for attachment of the holder to a biby feeding bottle and at the other end the pacifier receiving means.
3. A holder as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the means for attachment of the holder is a ring or loop.
4. A holder as claimed in claim 3, wherein the ring or loop is of fixed size.
5. A holder as claimed in claim 3, wherein the ring or loop is of adjustable size.
6. A holder as claimed in claim 5, wherein the ring or loop is of stretchable material to fit different sizes of bottle or bottle neck.
7. A holder as claimed in claim 5, wherein the ring or loop has means for adjusting its size to suit different bottle or bottle neck sizes.
8. A holder as claimed in claim 7, wherein the means for adjusting the size of the ring or the loop comprises a slide to draw sides of the loop or ring towards each other.
9. A holder as claimed in claim 7, wherein the ring or loop has resiliently deformable part that allows for expansion of the ring or loop.
10. A holder as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the pacifier receiving means is a container.
11. A holder as claimed in claim 10, wherein the container comprises a base and a lid.
12. A holder as claimed in claim 1 1 , wherein the lid is hingedly attached to the base.
13. A holder as claimed in claim 12, wherein the hinge is living hinge.
14. A holder as claimed in claim 11, wherein the lid is separable from the base.
15. A holder as claimed in claim 14, wherein the lid is attachable to the base by being a snap fit, a screw cap or a bayonet fitting.
16. A holder as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the pacifier receiving means is provided by an aperture at or near the other end of the holder.
17. A holder as claimed in claim 16, wherein the aperture has a shape or is made of a material that allows a pacifier teat to be pushed through it.
18. A holder as claimed in claim 17, wherein the aperture is a circular hole.
19. A holder as claimed in claim 17, wherein the aperture is of a shape that provides one or more deformable flaps past which a part of a pacifier can be pushed.
20. A holder as claimed in claim 19, wherein the aperture is cross-shaped.
21. A holder as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 20 having a cup or the like on the opposite side of the holder to receive and protect the teat of the pacifier.
22. A holder as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 15, wherein the pacifier receiving means is a container having an attractive format.
23. A pacifier holder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any one of the accompanying drawings.