Baby pacifier

An improved baby pacifier including a fillable reuseable nipple, a handle, and a cover that locks into place with a tilt, snap and twist motion. The pacifier includes a sealing plug to removably secure the nipple to the main body and seal the nipple filling inside the nipple. The main body of the pacifier includes a mating flange which extends outwardly from the outer surface of the main body about the entire circumference except for a discontinuous portion which forms a gap. The cover includes bosses on its interior surface to matingly engage the mating flange on the main body so as to secure engagement of the cover to the main body and prevent a child from removing it. The pacifier further includes a shield extending from the outer surface of the pacifier and including safety holes to prevent asphyxiation in the event the pacifier is swallowed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an improved baby pacifier. More particularly, the 
present invention relates to an improved baby pacifier which includes a 
fillable reuseable nipple, a ring handle, and a cover, which locks into 
place with a tilt, snap and twist motion. 
It is known to provide a pacifier which includes a main body portion whose 
inner surface forms a cavity and whose outer surface includes conventional 
screw threads. It is also known for this pacifier to include a 
non-refillable jelly filled nipple with an open flanged end which extends 
through the cavity and whose open-end flange is secured by a plug within 
an opening in an end wall formed on one end by the inner surface of the 
main body. The plug includes a shaft with a truncated spherical nub at one 
end and a flange at the other end. The nub extends through the flange of 
the nipple and secures it against the end wall of the main body. The 
flange of the plug rests on a ledge formed by the inner surface of the 
main body near the opposite end of the cavity. The pacifier further 
includes a cover which is open on one end and has conventional screw 
threads on the interior surface of the open end and which is adapted to be 
screwed onto the exterior of one end of the main body to serve as a cover 
and to be screwed onto the other end of the main body to serve as a handle 
for the pacifier. The main body further includes an annular skirt which 
extends outwardly from a central region of the exterior surface. It is 
known to provide anti-choking holes through the skirt to provide for 
passage of air in the event that the skirt becomes lodged in a child's air 
passage. The skirt extends out an equal distance about the circumference 
of the main body and is curved in a direction away from the end of the 
main body through which the nipple protrudes. 
The above-described pacifier is not reuseable after the fluid has been 
extracted from the nipple. Further, the conventional screw type attachment 
of the handle to the main body allows the handle to be easily removed by 
the child and thereby increases the possibility of the child swallowing 
the pacifier or the handle. In addition, the chance of the pacifier being 
swallowed by the child is increased by the shield extending equidistantly 
about the circumference of the main body and curving away from the child's 
mouth when the pacifier is in use. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved baby 
pacifier. 
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a clean and safe 
baby pacifier. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a compact 
pacifier with a cover for the nipple. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pacifier with 
an easily removable reuseable nipple. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pacifier with a 
reuseable nipple that can be refilled any number of times with a liquid or 
jelly substance to be ingested by a baby. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pacifier whose 
cover is not easily removable by children. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a baby pacifier 
with an improved locking mechanism to secure the cover to the main body of 
the pacifier. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pacifier shaped 
so as to be difficult to swallow by a child. 
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in 
part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the 
description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects 
and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of 
the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the 
appended claims. 
To achieve the objects, and in accordance with the purpose of the 
invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the improved baby 
pacifier of this invention comprises a main body having an integral side 
wall. The side wall has an interior surface defining a cavity. The cavity 
has a first opening at one end thereof and a second opening at a second 
end disposed opposite the one end. The main body defines an end wall at 
the one end, the end wall defining an opening therethrough. The interior 
surface of the side wall defines a sealing ledge at the second end of the 
cavity. 
The pacifier further includes a hollow elongated cover open at only one end 
thereof. The outer surface of the cover preferably includes gripping ribs 
to facilitate secure grasping of the cover. The cover has means for 
securing the cover to the main body. The securing means preferably 
includes at least three connecting bosses disposed inside the cover at the 
open end, with one of the bosses being solitary and disposed generally 
opposite the others. 
The pacifier further includes means for the baby to suck. The sucking means 
preferably includes a hollow flexible nipple open at only one end into a 
receiving cavity and forming a flared flange at the open end and having a 
liquid permeable portion disposed opposite the open end. Preferably, the 
permeable portion defines a slit or hole which opens upon application of 
sucking forces thereupon. The nipple has a narrow neck portion disposed 
near the flared flange and between the flared flange and the permeable 
portion. The permeable portion and the neck portion pass through the 
opening defined in the end wall and extend outwardly from the cavity. 
The main body further defines means for mating with the securing means. The 
mating means preferably includes a mating flange disposed on one end of 
the main body at an exterior surface of the side wall. The mating flange 
extends around the entire circumference except for one discontinuous 
portion which forms a gap therethrough. The mating flange gap is 
configured to allow passage thereby of only the one solitary boss disposed 
on one side of the inside of the elongated cover. The cover is attachable 
to the main body only by a tilt, snap and a twist motion requiring prior 
alignment of the one solitary boss with the gap in the mating flange of 
the main body during the snap portion of the motion. 
The mating flange is disposed on the end of the main body through which the 
nipple protrudes. A ring flange is disposed similar to the mating flange 
on the opposite end of the main body for purposes of securing a ring 
handle to the main body. The ring handle is formed as two rings that are 
normal to one another. One of the rings serves as a handle for the 
pacifier, and the other ring serves as the means of attaching the handle 
to the main body of the pacifier. The attaching ring is expandable to slip 
over the ring flange and contract around the main body of the pacifier. 
The main body further defines a shield extending outwardly from a central 
region of the exterior surface of the side wall. The shield preferably 
extends a greater distance in one direction than in a direction transverse 
to this one direction and curves toward the end wall in the main body. 
Preferably the shield further defines at least two safety holes located in 
the portion of the shield that extends a greater distance in one direction 
than in a direction transverse to the one direction. 
The improved pacifier further includes a sealing plug defining a shaft with 
a bulb at one end and a sealing cap at the other end. The sealing cap 
extends radially from the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The bulb has a 
base integral with and wider than the shaft, the base forming a ridge at 
the wider portion of the base. The shaft is configured and dimensioned 
approximately equal to the opening in the end wall. The bulb at one end of 
the sealing plug is preferably frustoconical, and the shaft of the sealing 
plug is preferably hollow. The bulb passes through the opening and into 
the nipple past the flared flange portion of the nipple and wedges the 
neck portion of the nipple between the ridge and the opening in the end 
wall. The flared flange of the nipple is on the opposite side of the end 
wall as the neck portion of the nipple. The sealing cap of the sealing 
plug is configured and dimensioned to engage the sealing ledge at the 
second end of the main body cavity. 
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part 
of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and 
together with the description serve to explain the principles of the 
invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Reference now will be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments 
of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying 
drawings. A preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated 
in FIG. 1 and designated generally by the numeral 9. An improved baby 
pacifier with a reuseable, refillable nipple and a cover is illustrated in 
FIG. 1. 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 for example, the pacifier of the present 
invention includes a main body 10. The main body preferably has an 
integral side wall whose interior surface defines a cavity. The cavity has 
a first opening at one end and a second opening at a second end disposed 
opposite the first end. As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the main body 
defines an end wall 12 at the one end. End wall 12 defines the first 
opening 13. As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the interior surface of the 
side wall defines a sealing ledge 14 at the second opening, which is 
formed in the second end of the cavity. 
As best illustrated in FIG. 1, the improved pacifier includes a hollow 
elongated cover 16, which preferably is open at only on end. Cover 16 
further includes gripping ribs 48 located on the exterior surface of the 
cover and adapted to allow a more secure grasp of the cover. 
In accordance with the present invention, means are provided for securing 
the cover to the main body. As embodied herein and shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 
for example, the securing means can include at least three connecting 
bosses 18 disposed inside the cover at the open end. One of bosses 18 is 
disposed generally opposite all other bosses 18, which are generally 
grouped together. This arrangement of a solitary boss 18 and an oppositely 
disposed group of bosses 18 ensures a unique way of attachment which is 
explained more fully below. As embodied herein and shown for example in 
FIGS. 1 and 4, bosses 18 preferably project from the inside surface of 
cover 16. 
In an alternative embodiment of the securing means, the group of bosses can 
be replaced by a single boss that is larger than the solitary boss. This 
larger boss is configured so as not to be able to pass through a gap 30, 
which is described more fully below. 
In further accordance with the present invention, means are provided for 
mating with the securing means of the cover. As embodied herein and shown 
in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 for example, the mating means preferably includes a 
mating flange 28 defined in main body 10. Mating flange 28 is disposed on 
one end of main body 10 at an exterior surface of the side wall, 
preferably near the first opening. Flange 28 extends around the entire 
circumference of the side wall except for one discontinuous portion which 
forms a gap 30, which is configured to allow passage thereby of only one 
boss 18 disposed on one side of the inside of elongated cover 16. 
Cover 16 is attachable to the main body 10 only by a tilt, snap and twist 
motion. This motion requires prior alignment of the solitary one of bosses 
18 with gap 30 in mating flange 28 of the main body during the snap 
portion of the motion. After this alignment, the cover is tilted to engage 
the remaining group of nonaligned bosses 18 with the underside portion 19 
(FIGS. 1 and 2) of mating flange 28. Then cover 16 is tilted to push the 
aligned solitary boss 18 through aligned gap 30 in mating flange 28. 
Whereupon cover 16 is twisted to misalign solitary boss 18 with gap 30 in 
mating flange 28. Only alignment of the solitary boss 18 with gap 30 will 
permit cover 16 to be tilted away from main body 20 and detached 
therefrom. This improved means for securing the cover to the main body 
makes it more difficult for the cover to inadvertently come off and also 
makes it difficult for a child to remove the cover. The improved means for 
securing the cover operates such that a child must first align the 
solitary boss with the gap, and then tilt the cover in the correct 
direction to get the cover off. This would be more difficult for a child 
to accomplish than merely to unscrew the cover as in the conventional 
pacifier. 
Cover 16 is attached to the main body on the same end of the main body as 
end wall 12, and serves as a cover to protect a nipple 20 (described 
below). The improved means for securing the cover to the main body reduces 
the likelihood that a child could remove the cover, and this is an 
advantage in households having small children in addition to an infant. 
A ring flange 28' is disposed on the end of the main body opposite the end 
through which the nipple protrudes. As shown in FIG. 2, ring flange 28' 
can be similar to the mating flange, but preferably is continuous rather 
than with a gap as shown in FIG. 1. Ring flange 28' is disposed on the 
opposite end of the main body for purposes of securing a ring handle 60 to 
the main body. The ring handle is formed as two rings that are normal to 
one another. One of the rings is a ring handle 60, which serves as a 
handle for the pacifier. The other ring is an attaching ring 62, which 
serves as the means of attaching the handle to the main body of the 
pacifier. The attaching ring 62 is expandable to slip over ring flange 28' 
and contract around main body 10 of the pacifier. Attaching ring 62 and 
ring handle 60 preferably are integrally formed of an elastic material 
suitable for use in baby pacifiers. 
In accordance with the improved pacifier of the present invention, means 
are provided for the baby to suck. As embodied herein and shown in FIGS. 1 
and 2 for example, the means for the baby to suck preferably includes a 
hollow flexible nipple 20. Nipple 20 is open at only one end into a 
receiving cavity 21 and forms a flared flange 22 at the open end. As best 
illustrated in FIG. 2, the nipple preferably has a liquid permeable 
portion 24 disposed opposite the open end. Preferably, the permeable 
portion defines a slit or hole which opens upon application of sucking 
forces thereupon. This permeable portion is conventional and as such is 
not specifically illustrated in the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, 
nipple 20 preferably has a narrow neck portion 26 disposed near flared 
flange 22 and between flared flange 22 and permeable portion 24. As best 
illustrated in FIG. 2, permeable portion 24 and neck portion 26 pass 
through opening 13 defined in end wall 12 and extend outwardly from the 
cavity. 
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a sealing plug 36 is adapted to secure 
nipple 20 to main body 10. Sealing plug 36 defines a hollow shaft 38 with 
a frustoconical bulb 40 at one end and a sealing cap 42 at the other end. 
Cap 42 extends radially from the longitudinal axis of the shaft opposite 
the end carrying bulb 40. Bulb 40 has a base 44 integral with and wider 
than shaft 38. The base forms a ridge 46 at the wider portion of the base. 
Shaft 38 is configured and dimensioned approximately equal to opening 13 
in end wall 12. Bulb 40 passes through opening 13 in end wall 12 and into 
nipple 20 past flared flange portion 22 of nipple 20 and wedges neck 
portion 26 of nipple 20 between ridge 46 and opening 13 in end wall 12. 
Flared flange 22 of nipple 20 is on the opposite side of the end wall as 
neck portion 26 of the nipple. Sealing cap 42 of sealing plug 36 is 
configured and dimensioned to engage sealing ledge 14 at the second end of 
the main body cavity. 
Bulb 40 of sealing plug 36 serves to seal any substance with which the 
nipple cavity has been filled, from leaking out of the nipple prior to 
sucking by the baby. A desirable filling substance such as fruit juice, 
soft drink or formula can be used to fill the nipple cavity. The baby can 
withdraw this filling substance by sucking it through permeable portion 
24. It is intended that the nipple can be reused once it is emptied. One 
merely presses one's finger against bulb 40 to disengage it and sealing 
cap 42 from main body 10 to release nipple 20. Whereupon nipple 20 can be 
withdrawn and cleansed prior to refilling with the same or another 
desirable filling substance. For example, doses of liquified medicine or 
treats can be stored in the nipples of a number of pacifiers which have 
been prepared in advance for use when the baby is traveling on a trip. The 
cover helps to keep the nipple clean while the pacifier is being stored 
prior to use. 
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 for example, main body 10 further defines a 
shield 32 extending outwardly from a central region of the exterior 
surface of the side wall. Shield 32 extends a greater distance in one 
direction than in a direction transverse to this one direction and forms a 
wing portion 33 disposed on each opposite side of main body 10. As best 
illustrated in FIG. 2, shield 32 preferably curves towards end wall 12. In 
curving towards the nipple extending from end wall 12, the curvature of 
the shield is adapted to make it more difficult for a child to swallow the 
pacifier. 
The shield 32 preferably defines at least two safety holes 34. Each safety 
hole 34 is preferably located in one of wing portions 33 of the shield. 
Safety holes 34 in shield 32 are adapted to allow air passage to the 
child's lungs in the unlikely event that the pacifier is swallowed and 
becomes lodged in the child's throat. 
In accordance with the present invention, the improved baby pacifier may be 
constructed of any material suitable for use as a baby pacifier. 
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications 
and variations can be made in the improved baby pacifier of the present 
invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. 
Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications 
and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of 
the appended claims and their equivalents.