Abstract:
This disclosure relates to a container or holder for infant items, such as a pacifier, which conveniently also holds keys allowing the pacifier to be readily and easily available while traveling, driving and shopping.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     This application relates to a convenient holder for a pacifier or other baby items as a portion of an article that also hold keys to ensure that the pacifier is easily accessible while traveling or shopping with an infant or toddler.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Infants and toddlers are commonly accompanied by an array of baby paraphernalia, which often includes pacifiers, teethers, rattles, toys, and security blankets in addition to the bottles or snacks, diaper bag, and changes of clothes. While caring for and/or traveling with an infant, baby or small child, a parent or the child&#39;s caregiver, must keep track of many items. Pacifiers, and other soothing baby items, are often a necessity for traveling or shopping with an infant. The pacifier must be conveniently and quickly accessible and retrievable to calm and quiet the infant. The pacifier or teether should also be clean so as to avoid dirt and germs. There is therefore a need for a holder that can secure infant pacifiers, teethers, and toys, allowing access to them, and preventing them from being dropped, lost, soiled or otherwise exposed to an unhygienic environment when not in use, while remaining readily accessible.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0003]     This disclosure relates to a pacifier holder having an upper portion and a lower portion having a chamber, wherein the upper portion can act as a seal for the lower portion having a chamber when in a closed position. The upper portion contacts the upper edge of the lower portion in at least one location when in a closed position. A key holder portion is also fixedly attached to the lower portion and retains keys, identification badges, and/or security passes. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]      FIG. 1 . is a perspective view of the holder in an open position.  
         [0005]      FIG. 2A  is a view from above of the lower portion of the holder in a decorative shape and showing the shelf member.  
         [0006]      FIG. 2B  is a view from above of upper portion of the holder in a decorative form. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0007]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of the present disclosure is shown.  
         [0008]     Although the present disclosure is described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, it will be understood that the present disclosure may also be embodied in alternative forms. In accordance with  FIG. 1 , the holder  1  has an upper portion  2  that is hingeably attached  9  to a lower portion  3 , which allows the upper portion  2  and the lower portion  3  to move with respect to each other. The lower portion  3  is fixedly attached to a portion for holding keys  8 , which may include a key chain (not shown). The upper portion and the lower portion can be approximately proportional in shape, although the size or depth of each portion may vary. The upper portion  2  and lower portion  3  may also be attached by alternative means such as jointed, flexible, moveable and/or hinge-like structures, which allow the upper portion  2  to move with respect to the lower portion  3 , or allow the upper portion  2  and the lower portion  3  to move with respect to each other. The lower portion  3  forms a chamber  4  in which a pacifier or other infant item (collectively referred to herein as a “pacifier”) may be stored. The upper portion  2  acts as a lid for the lower portion  3  and the chamber  4 . In yet another embodiment, the upper portion  2  may be detachable from the lower portion  3 . The lower portion  3  may alternatively include a shelf member  10  fixedly attached to the upper edge  7  of the lower portion  3 , and covering some fraction of the opening to the chamber  4 .  
         [0009]     The upper portion  2  meets the lower portion  3  to seal the chamber  4  and retain a pacifier or other infant item in the chamber  4 . The upper portion  2  may act as a snap lid, and have a lip that snaps into place and is held in contact with the lower portion  3  in one or more locations, or alternatively the upper portion  2  may have a circumferential ridge  5  which can be mated with a circumferential groove  6  located on the upper edge  7  of the lower portion  3 . Alternatively, the upper portion  2  and the lower portion  3  may be sealed, or held in a closed position, using a latch or locking mechanism.  
         [0010]     The lower portion  3  includes a fixedly attached portion which retains or holds keys  8 , for example, household, vehicle, office keys, identification badges, and/or electronic entry/security passes and the like, allowing the caregiver of the infant (or baby, toddler, or child—collectively referred to herein as “infant”) to easily and quickly access a pacifier as well as providing a clean storage location for the pacifier to ensure that it is useable. When the keys are used while driving, traveling, or shopping, the pacifier will not be forgotten since the portion for holding keys  8  is fixedly attached to the holder  1 .  
         [0011]     The disclosed holder  1  having a fixedly attached portion for holding keys  8  may take any shape to hold pacifiers. Alternative embodiments include shape or silhouettes of animals or plants, such as dogs or flowers, making location and identification of the holder  1  easier for the caregiver. The holder  1  may also include decorative designs, such as animal or plant motifs.  FIG. 2A  provides an example of the disclosed holder in an animal form, where the lower portion  3  is shown from above. A shelf member  10  is shown fixedly attached to the upper edge  7  of the lower portion  3 . The shelf member  10  can help prevent the pacifier  11  from falling from the holder  1  when the holder  1  is opened. A ridge  12  over which the upper portion  2 , which acts as a lid, may snap on is shown on the lower portion  3 .  FIG. 2B  shows a view from above the upper portion  2  decoratively formed in an animal shape to enhance ease of retrieval of the holder from a purse, diaper bag or the like. As shown in  FIG. 2B , the upper portion  2  includes a concave ridge  13  that can snap over the ridge  12  on the lower portion  3  when the upper portion  2  and lower portion  3  are closed together, to encase a pacifier in the chamber  4  of the holder  1 . The key holder portion  8  is fixedly attached to the lower portion  3 .  
         [0012]     It will be understood that the disclosed holder  1  is advantageously convenient for an infant&#39;s caregiver to have a pacifier readily accessible along with vehicle and/or house keys when traveling and shopping, especially while driving. The pacifier is within reach and available to the caregiver as she/he drives and can be given to the infant as needed to soothe her/him, rather than driving with an upset infant until a suitable location is found to stop a vehicle and searching for a pacifier for the infant. The pacifier is also readily available to the caregiver for an infant who becomes tired, upset, or irritable while shopping or performing errands, while remaining clean and useable within the holder  1 .