Patent Publication Number: US-2021177706-A1

Title: Chew toys for children

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/947,106, filed Dec. 12, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to children&#39;s toys. The invention particularly relates to toys configured to promote the personal development of children with specific developmental needs, such as children including newborns with Down syndrome. 
     Many toys designed for young children are intended to promote a child&#39;s development in areas such as speech, fine motor skills, physical movement, thinking skills, etc. However, there is a lack of toys intended for children with specific developmental needs, such as children with Down syndrome. 
     Down syndrome is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome (chromosome 21). This extra chromosome changes how a baby&#39;s body and brain develop, which can cause lifelong mental and physical challenges for the individual. Babies with Down syndrome may face additional developmental challenges and typically take longer to achieve certain developmental milestones such as turning over, sitting, standing, and walking. These children may attend therapeutic services to improve their physical and intellectual abilities during development, including speech, occupational, and physical therapy. However, it is believed that such children could further benefit if toys were available that were specifically configured to promote the children&#39;s development. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides toys suitable for promoting development of children, including but not limited to children including newborns with Down syndrome. 
     According to one aspect of the invention, a toy includes a ring-shaped body having multiple sections each forming a portion of the ring-shaped body and each having a tubular base portion. At least a first tab projects radially outward from the tubular base portion of a first section of the multiple sections. Surface features protrude from at least one of the first tab and the tubular base portion of at least one of the multiple sections. At least a first pressure sensor is embedded in the first tab and operates to activate a first electrical device in response to pressure applied to the first tab exceeding a pressure threshold. Activation of the first electrical device produces light, or sound, or vibrates. 
     Technical effects of the toy described above preferably include the ability to promote a child&#39;s development by having the child chew on and play with the toy. 
     Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be appreciated from the following detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1 through 3  show various views of a toy in accordance with certain nonlimiting aspects of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1 through 3  show a nonlimiting embodiment of a toy  10  configured to promote the development of young children, including but not limited to children including newborns with Down syndrome. In a preferred embodiment, a child may chew on the toy  10  and thereby promote strengthening of the child&#39;s jaw and hand (e.g., grip) muscles and improving tongue control. It is believed that improvements in jaw muscle tone and tongue control may benefit a child in speech development, nursing, and teething, especially a child with Down syndrome. 
     The toy  10  includes a ring-shaped body  11  formed by multiple sections (sectors). In the nonlimiting embodiment shown, the body  11  of the toy  10  is generally toroid-shaped and the multiple sections are generally toroid sectors. The nonlimiting embodiment of the body  11  represented in the drawings has generally constant major and minor radii from a central axis  13  and comprises four arcuate sections  12 ,  14 ,  16 , and  18 , each forming a 90-degree quadrant of the toroid shape of the body  11  and each having a generally arcuate-shaped tubular base portion having a circular cross-section, though other shapes and fewer and more sections are foreseeable. Each section  12 ,  14 ,  16 , and  18  is represented as being different from the others. In the embodiment shown, the sections  12 ,  14 ,  16 , and  18  include different features specifically intended to maintain a child&#39;s attention and/or promote its physical and/or mental development. 
     In the nonlimiting embodiment shown in the drawings, two generally flat or planar, semicircular tabs  20  and  24  project from the tubular base portions of an immediately adjacent pair of the sections  12  and  14  (hereinafter, the first and second sections  12  and  14 ) in generally radially outward directions of the body  11  of the toy  10 . In contrast, the remaining sections  16  and  18  (hereinafter, the third and fourth sections  16  and  18 ) lack any radially-projecting tabs. The tabs  20  and  24  are represented as each having a partial disk-shape with a thickness (parallel to the axis  13 ) between two generally planar surfaces that is less than the maximum width of the tab  20  and  24  in the plane of the toy  10  (perpendicular to its axis  13 ). Additionally, each tab  20  and  24  is represented as generally symmetrical about a radial  21  or  25  of the body  11 . These tabs  20  and  24  not only provide a surface for a child to chew on, but also may function to activate certain features of the toy  10 , including but not limited to one or more electrical devices. For example, the tab  20  projecting from the first section  12  may include a pressure sensor  23  ( FIG. 1 ) that activates one or more battery-powered light sources  27  embedded within the first section  12  if the pressure sensed by the sensor  23  exceeds a predetermined pressure threshold, such as when a child chews on or squeezes the tab  20 . In this instance, the first section  12  is at least semi-transparent to allow light emitted from the light sources  27  to be seen by the child. Upon activation, the light sources  27  may each individually emit light of different colors and/or changing colors, may be continuous or flashing, and may remain lighted for a predetermined amount of time or while adequate pressure is maintained on the tab  20 . 
     Similarly, the tab  24  may include a pressure sensor  26  ( FIG. 1 ) that activates a battery-powered sound-emitting device  30  (referred to hereinafter as a speaker) embedded within the second section  14  in response to the pressure sensed by the sensor  26  exceeding a pressure threshold, such as when a child chews on or squeezes the tab  24 . The speaker  30  may produce various sounds, music, or audio recordings for a predetermined amount of time or while adequate pressure is maintained on the tab  20 . 
     In addition or as an alternative to the above, the tabs  20  and  24  may be configured to activate features within sections  12 ,  14 ,  16 , and/or  18  of the body  11  other than those from which they directly project. For example, activation of the pressure sensor  23  in the tab  20  may also activate additional light sources  32  in the third section  16  of the body  11 , and activation of the pressure sensor  26  in the tab  24  may also activate a second speaker  35  in the fourth section  18  of the body  11 . Further, activation of the pressure sensor  23  and/or  26  in either tab  20  or  24  could activate some or all of the features associated with one or more other sections  12 ,  14 ,  16 , and  18  of the toy  10 . The toy  10  may also include features other than devices that produce light and sound. For example, a battery-powered vibrating device could be installed in place of any one or more of the light sources  27  and  32  and speakers  30  and  35  so that the toy  10  vibrates, which may assist in the teething process. 
     Each individual section  12 ,  14 ,  16 , and  18  may be formed of the same material or different materials, may have the same or different rigidity or hardness, may be at least semi-transparent or opaque, and may be various colors. In addition, each of the individual sections  12 ,  14 ,  16 , and  18  may have entirely smooth surfaces, uneven surfaces, and/or include surface features such as protrusions or recesses. In the embodiment represented in the drawings, the tubular base portions of the second and fourth sections  14  and  18  are opaque, the tubular base portions of the first and third sections  12  and  16  are semi-transparent, and the surfaces of the tubular base portions of the first, second and fourth sections  12 ,  14 , and  18  are smooth and formed of a relatively rigid material so that each has and is able to maintain a constant cross-sectional circular shape, whereas the tubular base portion of the third section  16  may be formed by a material that is more pliable and elastic than the first, second and fourth sections  12  and  14 , with the result that the tubular base portion of the third section  16  tends to have a variable and likely a wavy or rippled surface  34 . The sections  12 ,  14 ,  16 , and  18  can be separately manufactured and assembled to create the toroidal shape of the body  11 , so that each adjacent pair of sections  12 ,  14 ,  16 , and  18  is separated by a wall  37  and each section  12 ,  14 ,  16 , and  18  may define an enclosed and optionally sealed internal cavity. For example, the internal cavity within the tubular base portion of the third section  16  may be sealed and contain a silicone gel or the like, so that the third section  16  and particularly its tubular base portion is pliable and deformable. If placed in the freezer, the third section  16  can be used to assist with teething pain and/or provide a difference in textures and surfaces for enhanced baby stimulation. 
     The tab  20  of the first section  12  is shown as including an array of circular protrusions or nubs  22  and  36  protruding from at least one of its oppositely-disposed planar surfaces, the tab  24  of the second section  14  is shown as including an array of semicircular ribs  28  protruding from at least one of its oppositely-disposed planar surfaces, and the fourth section  18  is shown as including an array of circular protrusions or nubs  36  protruding from the surface of its tubular base portion. Such surface features may be configured to maintain a child&#39;s attention, promote chewing, alleviate discomfort associated with teething, and/or provide other benefits. 
     Notably, the nonlimiting embodiment represented in the drawings is merely exemplary, and other configurations are foreseeable. As nonlimiting examples, the toy  10  could have shapes and sizes other than those shown (e.g., a noncircular ring in the shape of a rectangle, pentagon, etc. or a solid (i.e., not ring-shaped) body), could include more or fewer sections, and could include more or fewer tabs of various shapes. 
     Therefore, while the invention has been described in terms of a particular embodiment, it should be apparent that alternatives could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, the toy  10  and its components could differ in appearance and construction from the embodiments described herein and shown in the drawings, functions of certain components of the toy  10  could be performed by components of different construction but capable of a similar (though not necessarily equivalent) function, and various materials could be used in the fabrication of the toy  10  and/or its components. Accordingly, it should be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to any embodiment described herein or illustrated in the drawings. It should also be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed above are for the purpose of describing the nonlimiting embodiment shown in the drawings, and do not necessarily serve as limitations to the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.