Abstract:
A baby teether includes a graspable housing having a cavity therein and a positionable member rotatably connected to the housing and partially disposed within the housing cavity. The positionable member includes a teething portion defining a teething surface that spans a limited extent of a periphery of the positionable member. The positionable member is rotatable with respect to the housing to selectively expose the teething surface for use and to cover the teething surface for storage.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     This invention relates to teethers for stimulating gums of small children, and to toys for such children.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     A small child frequently plays with numerous items, for example, pacifiers, toys, etc. throughout the course of a day. To have the items available for the small child, an adult (e.g., a parent) must transport various items along with the child. One item frequently transported along with the child is a teether, which can be used to stimulate the gums of the child. Because the teether is placed within the mouth of the child, there is a concern about the general level of cleanliness of the teether, including germs that may collect on the teether, particularly when the teether is not in use.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0003]     This invention provides means for protecting a teething surface when not in use without the need for a separate storage device.  
         [0004]     In an aspect, the invention features a baby teether that includes a graspable housing having a cavity therein. A positionable member is rotatably connected to the housing and partially disposed within the housing cavity. The positionable member includes a teething portion defining a teething surface spanning a limited extent of a periphery of the positionable member. The positionable member is rotatable with respect to the housing to selectively expose the teething surface for use and to cover the teething surface for storage.  
         [0005]     In another aspect, the invention features a method of using the baby teether that includes providing the baby teether described above and rotating the positionable member to position the teething surface outside the housing for use.  
         [0006]     This aspect may include rotating the positionable member to position the teething surface within the housing.  
         [0007]     Any of the above aspects may contain one or more of the following features. For example, the positionable member of the baby teether can have a rattle portion spanning an opposite extent of the periphery of the positionable member. The rattle portion may include a rattle cavity therein. Noise elements may be loosely contained within the rattle cavity for making noise audible from outside the teether. A wall of the rattle portion may be transparent where, in some cases, noise elements are visible from outside the teether. In some cases, the teething surface and a surface of the rattle portion are of different materials. The teething surface may be softer than the surface of the rattle portion. The teething surface can be made of a teething material having a durometer of at most about 80 Shore A, where the surface of the rattle portion has a durometer greater than the durometer of the teething material.  
         [0008]     In some embodiments, the teething portion has a sealed cavity therein. Liquid may be contained within the sealed cavity. The liquid can be water, such as drinking water  
         [0009]     In some cases, the positionable member can be a wheel connected to the housing, the wheel adapted to rotate relative to the housing about a central axis of the wheel. In some embodiments, the positionable member is freely rotatable with respect to the housing. In some cases, the baby teether includes a handle extending outwardly from the housing. The handle may include a textured teething surface. In some embodiments, the teething surface of the baby teether is textured for gum stimulation. In some cases, the teething surface of the baby teether includes discrete ribs extending therefrom.  
         [0010]     The above-described teether provides advantages. For example, the teething surface can be positioned within the housing to reduce exposure of the teething surface to, for example, dust, dirt, etc. The teether may be stored without use of a separate storage device. In some cases, by transforming the teether from one mode to another mode, the teether provides a variety of modes for the baby&#39;s enjoyment.  
         [0011]     The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1A  is a front view of a teether with an exposed teething surface.  
         [0013]      FIG. 1B  is a front view of the teether of  FIG. 1A  with an exposed rattle and a covered teething surface.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a rear view of the teether of  FIG. 1A .  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a positionable member.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the teether of  FIG. 1A . 
     
    
       [0017]     Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A-2  and  4 , a teether  10  includes a graspable housing  12  with a handle  14 . Referring particularly to  FIG. 1A , handle  14  is w-shaped forming a pair of openings  16  and  17 . A positionable member  18  is rotatably connected within housing  12 . Positionable member  18  includes a teething portion  20  that has a teething surface  22  suitable for teething by a baby. Teething portion  20  includes ribs  21  extending outwardly from teething surface  22  that provide texture to teething surface  22 . Other gum-stimulating textures, such as bumps or depressions, are also envisioned. Teething surface  22  spans a limited extent about positionable member  18 , e.g., about half of a periphery or less of the positionable member  18 . As can be seen, positionable member  18  is positioned partially within housing  12  such that a portion, in this case teething surface  22 , is exposed and a portion of positionable member  18  is covered to form a teething mode. The portion that is covered can be a member different than teething portion  20 , which can be utilized or played with by the baby when exposed, the details of which will be described in greater detail below.  
         [0019]     Positionable member  18  is rotatably connected within housing  12 . This rotational connection allows for selective exposure and covering of, for example, teething surface  22  of teething portion  20 . Positionable member  18  is capable of rotating about an axis of rotation, in opposing directions, as indicated by arrow  24 . Positionable member  18  can be rotatable less than 360 degrees (e.g., about 180 degrees) by providing appropriate rotation stops (not shown), about 360 degrees and/or positionable member  18  can be freely rotatable about the axis of rotation.  
         [0020]      FIG. 1B  shows teether  10  in a rattle mode, in which positionable member  18  has been rotated about the axis of rotation in a direction of arrow  24  to expose a rattle portion  26  that spans a limited extent about positionable member  18 , e.g., about half of the periphery or less of the positionable member  18 . Rattle portion  26  has an outer surface  28  and a rattle cavity. Rattle cavity includes a number of noise elements  32  that, during use, can collide against an inner surface of the cavity to produce an audible noise, e.g., a rattling sound. Preferably, walls of rattle portion  26  are transparent, for viewing brightly colored noise elements  32  in a play mode.  
         [0021]     Preferably, rattle portion  26  is formed of a plastic (e.g., polycarbonate, etc.) and teething portion  20  is also preferably formed of a plastic (e.g., ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), etc.). In some cases, the material of teething portion  20  has a lower durometer than the material of rattle portion  26 . The higher durometer material of rattle portion  26  can provide a more suitable rattling sound, while the lower durometer material (e.g., at most about 80 Shore A, such as from about 60 to 80 Shore A) of teething portion  20  can provide a more suitable teething surface  22 . The material of rattle and/or teething portion  26 ,  20  can be transparent, semi-transparent, opaque, dyed, and/or the like.  
         [0022]     In some embodiments, housing  12  is formed of materials of different durometers. By utilizing materials of different durometers, parts of housing  12  can be teethable by the baby while still providing a relatively rigid housing structure. Referring to  FIGS. 1A-2 , sections  30  of handle  14  are formed of a lower durometer material (e.g., at most about 80 Shore A, such as between about 60 to 80 Shore A), such as, e.g., ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), etc., while sections  31  of handle  14  are formed of a higher durometer material (e.g., styrene including acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polypropylene, etc.). Alternatively, all of housing  12  can be formed of either a lower or a higher durometer material.  
         [0023]     In some embodiments, teething portion  20  includes an inner, enclosed cavity (not shown). Desirably, the inner cavity of teething portion  20  is filled, at least partially, with a liquid or gel. As used herein, the term liquid includes gel. The liquid contained within the cavity can be cooled to provide a cooled teething surface  22  for teething by the baby, such as by placing teether  10  in a refrigerator. Suitable liquids include, for example, drinking water and/or other non-toxic liquids. In some cases, the liquid is cooled (e.g., between about 38 to 45 degrees, such as 40 degrees). In some embodiments, the cavity can be empty or teething portion  20  can be solid throughout.  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  shows an exploded view of positionable member  18 . Rattle portion  26  includes a front member  62  and an interlocking rear member  64 . An inner member  66 , positioned between front and rear members  62  and  64  of rattle portion  26 , also includes a front member  68  and an interlocking rear member  70 . Teething portion  20  is of unitary construction and is foamed to be partially positioned within inner member  66 , sandwiched between front and rear members  68  and  70 .  
         [0025]     Each of rattle portion  26 , teething portion  20  and inner member  66  include apertures  40  that are aligned to allow buttons  33  and  34  to extend therethrough. As will be described below, buttons  33  and  34  are depressible, biased in an extended position by spring  72 , and serve, at least in part, to connect the rattle, teething and inner members together. In some embodiments, teething portion  20 , inner member  66  and/or rattle portion  26  are welded, such as by ultrasonic welding. In some cases, an adhesive is used. In some embodiments, mechanical connections (e.g., pins, bosses, screws, beaded connections, detents, snaps, etc.) are used. In some cases, combinations of the above connections are utilized. For example, in some embodiments, front member  68  and rear member  70  are connected by a pin and boss mechanical connection with the pin adhered within the boss. Then, the members  68  and  70  can be ultrasonically welded together.  
         [0026]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an exploded view of teether  10  is shown. Positionable member  18 , including assembled teething and rattle portions  20  and  26 , is in the form of a wheel having a first button  34  extending from about the center of a front surface  27  and a second, keyed button  33  extending from a back surface  29  of positionable member  18  (see  FIG. 2 ). Each of buttons  33  and  34  are depressible and biased toward an extended position by spring  72  (see also  FIG. 3 ). In some cases, only one button is depressible. In some embodiments, neither button is depressible. Housing  12  includes a first section  36  and an interconnecting second section  38 . First and second sections  36 ,  38  have apertures  43 ,  42  sized to receive first and second buttons  34  and  33  to form the axis of rotation of positionable member  18  relative to housing  12 .  
         [0027]     As shown, positionable member can lock at a predetermined angular position using keyed second button  33  and aperture  42  (see  FIG. 2 ). By locking into a particular angular position, the possibility that a baby might unintentionally transform teether  10  from one mode, e.g., the teething mode, to another mode is reduced. While keyed button  33  and corresponding aperture  42  are shown, any number of other suitable mechanisms can be employed to lock and/or catch positionable member  18  at a predetermined position (e.g., notches, detents, snaps, etc.).  
         [0028]     In some embodiments, once teether  10  is assembled, buttons  33  and/or  34  are sized so that an end  35  of buttons  33  and/or  34  is about flush with an outer surface  41  of housing  12 . In some cases, a cap (not shown) can be positioned within apertures  43  and/or  42  and sized to receive buttons  33  and/or  34 . By providing the cap, buttons  33  and/or  34  will not be exposed to the baby during use.  
         [0029]     In some embodiments, first and second sections  36 ,  38  are welded, such as by ultrasonic welding. Adhesives can also be used. In some embodiments, mechanical connections (e.g., pins, bosses, screws, beaded connections, detents, snaps, etc.) are employed. In some cases, combinations of the above connections are utilized. For example, in some embodiments, first section  36  and second section  38  are connected by a pin and boss mechanical connection with the pin adhered within the boss. Then, sections  36  and  38  can be ultrasonically welded together. Positionable member  18 , first and second housing sections  36 ,  38  are preferably formed by molding techniques such as injection molding, as an example.  
         [0030]     Teething components  44 , having a durometer less than the housing  12 , are connected to handle  14  forming sections  30  of lower durometer, as described above. Teething components  44  are a pair of U-shaped brackets  52  interconnected by a beam  54 .  
         [0031]     In some embodiments, teething components are over molded at desired locations on handle  14 . Handle  14  includes openings  47  that allow mold material to pass therethrough to further secure teething components  44  to handle  14 . Any number of other suitable methods can be used to connect teething components  44  to handle  14  (e.g., mechanical connections such as detents, snaps, adhesives, welding such as ultrasonic welding, etc.).  
         [0032]     As can most clearly be seen by  FIGS. 1A and 1B , teether  10  includes a design  60  in the form of a facial expression. A portion of the facial expression is positioned on housing  12 . In particular, a mouth and cheeks are provided on housing  12 , a nose of the facial expression is formed by button  34  that is visible through aperture  43  in housing  12 . Eyes of the facial expression are provided on positionable member  18 . Referring now to  FIG. 4 , two pairs of eyes are provided, each positioned on inner member  66 . One pair of eyes is visible in teething mode and one pair is visible in rattle mode providing a complete facial expression when teether  10  is placed in either teething mode or rattle mode. As shown, a pair of eyes is provided on inner member  66 , which is visible through rattle portion  26 . In some embodiments, both pairs or only one pair of eyes is provided on rattle portion  26 . In some cases, one pair of eyes is different than the other pair of eyes. This allows for displaying different facial expressions depending on whether teether  10  is in teething mode or rattle mode.  
         [0033]     In operation, teether  10  can be rotated relative to housing  12  from a locked position by depressing keyed button  33  and rotating positionable member  18 . Positionable member  18  can be rotated to a different position where aperture  42  receives biased keyed button  33 , locking positionable member  18 . In some cases, positionable member  18  is removable by depressing both buttons  33  and  34  and removing positionable member  18  from within housing  12 .  
         [0034]     A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, instead of a rattle portion, the positioning component can include any suitable member for entertaining and/or soothing a child. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.