Patent Publication Number: US-11641896-B2

Title: Mitten pacifier

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Provisional Application U.S. Ser. No. 62/797,991, filed on Jan. 29, 2019, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to infant and baby pacifiers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Babies have a natural inclination to place their hands next to their mouth, often sucking their thumb. Parents and other caregivers commonly use a pacifier as a substitute for this rooting or sucking instinct. Many babies quickly adapt to the pacifier which can soothe the baby, stop crying, and make going to sleep easier. However, it is not unusual for the baby to lose the pacifier, while asleep or awake. Small babies are unable to find and replace the pacifier in his/her mouth, leading to crying, stress and unhappiness. Parents or other caretakers then must search for the pacifier, often in a dark room, which complicates the search. At other times, the parent/caretaker cannot reach the dropped pacifier, such as when the baby is in a car seat in the back seat of a vehicle and the parent is driving. 
     Various devices have been designed to minimize or eliminate problems with conventional pacifiers, including mitten pacifiers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,560,888 in the name of Kiraly shows a conventional pacifier strapped to the back portion of a mitten. U.S. published application 2009/0163952 in the name of Kash utilizes a conventional pacifier extending through a hole in the fingertips or palm of the mitten. Neither of these mitten pacifiers are ideal, since the location of the pacifier is not adjacent the thumb, which is a more natural position than location on the fingertips or back of the hand. 
     Therefore, there is a need for an improved pacifier which overcomes the problems of the prior art. 
     A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a pacifier comprising of a nipple attached to the outside of a mitten and extending outwardly from the side of the mitten overlying the baby&#39;s thumb. 
     Another objective of the present invention the provision of a pacifier which can be placed on the baby&#39;s hand as a self-contained unit so as to preclude the pacifier from becoming lost or non-usable. 
     A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a pacifier which simulates a baby&#39;s natural tendency to suck their thumb. 
     Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a mitten pacifier which is non-handed for use on either the left or right hand of a baby. 
     Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of a mitten pacifier which is easy to place on the baby&#39;s hand. 
     Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of a pacifier that can be used by a baby when awake and asleep. 
     Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a mitten pacifier which is economical to manufacture and safe to use. 
     These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A pacifier is provided with the mitten for wearing on either hand of a baby and a nipple permanently attached to the mitten. The nipple is oriented so as to extend outwardly from the mitten on a side adjacent the baby&#39;s thumb. The nipple extends substantially perpendicular to the baby&#39;s fingers when the hand is open, and substantially parallel to the plane formed by the palm of the mitten. There are no internal obstructions within the mitten. The mitten includes a strap which can be fastened to secure the mitten on the baby&#39;s left or right hand. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of the mitten pacifier of the present invention, showing the back side of the mitten for use of the pacifier on the right hand of a baby, or alternatively the front side of the mitten for use on the left hand of a baby. 
         FIG.  2    is a back/front elevation view of the mitten pacifier view of the mitten pacifier. 
         FIG.  3    is a side elevation view of the mitten pacifier. 
         FIG.  4    is a bottom view of the mitten pacifier. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The mitten pacifier of the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral  10  in the drawings. The pacifier  10  generally includes a mitten  12  with a nipple  14  on the outside of the mitten. The nipple  14  includes an enlarged diameter base  16  attached to the mitten  12  in any convenient manner, such as stitching extending along the perimeter edge  18 , or otherwise adhered or fastened to the outside of the mitten  12 . For example, the base  16  may include a pocket  17  to fit over the upper corner of the mitten, as seen in the drawings.  A strap  20  is provided adjacent the open lower end  22  and preferably includes Velcro material for securing the strap around the baby&#39;s wrist to maintain the pacifier mitten  10  on the baby&#39;s hand. The strap  20  may include a snap fastener, a buckle, a button, or other fastening means. The strap  20  may extend through a ring (not shown) attached to the mitten  12 , to allow the strap to be tightened and loosened. 
     The nipple  14  is oriented on the mitten  12  in a position corresponding to the baby&#39;s thumb. More particularly, the mitten includes an open wrist end  22 , a closed finger end  24  opposite the open wrist end  22 , a back portion  26 , a front or palm portion  28 , and opposite sides  30 ,  32 . The sides  30 ,  32  correspond to the thumb area of the baby&#39;s hand and to the area of the baby&#39;s little finger. The pacifier mitten  10  is non-handed, meaning that it can be worn on either the left or right hand of the baby. The front and back portion of the mitten  12  are reversed, depending upon which hand the pacifier  10  is worn on. The pacifier  10  is simply rotated 180° about its longitudinal axis for use on the left or right hand. The strap  20  will be wrapped around the top or bottom of the baby&#39;s wrist, depending on whether the mitten  12  is placed on the right or left hand. 
     The nipple  14  extends substantially parallel to a plane of the palm of the baby&#39;s hand, when the hand is open, i.e., parallel to the palm side or back side of the mitten  12 , and extends substantially perpendicular to the direction of extended fingers of the baby. Thus, the laterally extending nipple  14  is aligned with, or overlies, the baby&#39;s thumb on inside lateral edge of the hand (when the palm is facing downwardly or forwardly), which permits the baby to easily find the nipple due to their natural rooting instincts 
     In use, a parent or caregiver can quickly and easily place the pacifier mitten  10  over either hand of the baby, with the nipple  14  overlying the baby&#39;s thumb, and then secure the mitten on the hand using the strap  20 . The baby can easily locate and place the nipple in their mouth, or the parent/caregiver can assist the baby to place the nipple in their mouth. The pacifier  10  helps deter a baby from sucking his/her thumb. The pacifier  10  can be worn while the infant or baby is asleep or awake, will remain on the hand, and will not become lost if the pacifier falls out or is spit out of the baby&#39;s mouth. 
     The mitten  12  may be made of material which will not irritate the skin on a baby&#39;s hand or face. The mitten  12  may also be made of a stretch material. As an alternative to the strap  20 , the mitten  12  may include elastic adjacent the open wrist end  22 . 
     The enlarged base  16  of the nipple  14  may minimize and decrease the amount of saliva and spit-up which contacts or is absorbed by the fabric of the mitten  12 . The mitten size and nipple size may vary, depending on the age and size of the baby. 
     The pacifier mitten  10  can soothe the baby, deter thumb sucking, and promote better sleep. The pacifier mitten  10  allows the baby to self-soothe, since the pacifier will not become lost. Thus, the baby will cry less, since he/she is able to locate and use the pacifier and allow the baby to fall asleep or put himself/herself back to sleep more easily. The pacifier mitten  10  also eliminates a search in the dark for a pacifier that may be lost in the crib or on the floor, since the mitten  12  is secured to the baby&#39;s wrist. The secured pacifier  10  also prevents dropping when the baby is in a car seat or other environment where the parent cannot easily or readily reach the baby. 
     The pacifier  10  allows for a natural motion by a baby to place their thumb-side of their hand to their mouth to receive the nipple  14 , rather than a more awkward orientation of the fingertips to the mouth. The pacifier  10  also reduces parent and caregiver intervention to find a pacifier. The location of the nipple  14  also solicits the natural rooting reflex, which leaves the baby to easily locate the nipple for sucking. The interior of the mitten  12  is hollow or open, which allows free movement of the fingers and thumb within the mitten  12  without obstruction by other interior objects. The nipple location on the mitten also encourages self-containment of the baby&#39;s arms, thereby increasing the sense of security and peacefulness for the baby. The location of the nipple also allows the parent or caretaker to choose which hand the mitten is placed on, therefore encouraging hand dominance or ambidexterity. The pacifier mitten  10  also promotes longer periods of rest for the baby, with the natural reflex to root or suck on their thumb, since the nipple is located in a position simulating the thumb. Thus, the baby to can self-soothe before fully awakening and crying. 
     The invention has been shown and described above with the preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.