Apparatus and Methods for Securement of a Pacifier
The present disclosure relates to apparatus to secure a baby pacifier and related methods. In various implementations, the apparatus may include a strap securable to a pacifier. The strap may include one or more magnets secured thereabout to provide a closure mechanism and an attachment mechanism.
1. Field
The present disclosure relates to apparatus to secure a baby pacifier and related methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
A number of pacifier retention devices are available that may allow the pacifier to be attached by pin or clamp, for example, to an article of clothing to secure the pacifier to the article of clothing. The pin or clamp may have various undesirable characteristics. For example, the pin or clamp may cause damage to the item to which the pin or clamp is attached. It may be difficult to engage/disengage the pin or clamp from the item to which the pin or clamp is attached. Furthermore, the pin or clam may only be attachable to certain types of items or surfaces.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThese and other needs and disadvantages are overcome by the methods disclosed herein. Additional improvements and advantages may be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of the present disclosure.
A pacifier retention apparatus is disclosed herein. In various aspects, the pacifier retention apparatus includes a strap having a strap end and an opposing strap end, and a magnet disposed about the strap end and an opposing magnet disposed about the opposing strap end to secure magnetically the strap end to the opposing strap end. In various aspects, the pacifier retention apparatus may include a ring received upon the strap intermediate of the strap end and the opposing strap end. The ring may be adapted to engage a pacifier to secure the pacifier to the strap.
The Figures are exemplary only and the implementations illustrated therein are selected to facilitate explanation. The number, position, relationship and dimensions of the elements shown in the Figures to form the various implementations described herein, as well as dimensions and dimensional proportions to conform to specific force, weight, strength, flow and similar requirements are explained herein or are understandable to a person of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure. Where used in the various Figures, the same numerals designate the same or similar elements. Furthermore, when the terms “top,” “bottom,” “right,” “left,” “forward,” “rear,” “first,” “second,” “inside,” “outside,” and similar terms are used, the terms should be understood in reference to the orientation of the implementations shown in the drawings and are utilized to facilitate description thereof.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONApparatus and methods for the retention of a pacifier are disclosed herein. In various aspects, the pacifier retention apparatus includes a strap that has a strap end and an opposing strap end. A magnet may be attached to the strap proximate the strap end, and an opposing magnet may be attached to the strap proximate the opposing strap end to allow the strap end to be magnetically secured to the opposing strap end. In various aspects, a pacifier may be engaged with the strap generally between the strap end and the opposing strap end. Some aspects include a ring that is received upon the strap. The ring may then be attached to the pacifier such that the pacifier is engaged with the strap via the ring.
The magnet and the opposing magnet may allow the pacifier retention apparatus to be secured to various items such as, for example, clothing and appliances. For example, a material layer may be placed between the magnet and the opposing magnet, and the magnet and opposing magnet magnetically secured to one another with the material layer interposed therebetween, so that, in this manner, the strap is generally removeably secured to the material layer. The material layer may be, for example, a portion of an article of clothing such as a shirt, and, accordingly, the strap may be generally removeably secured to the article of clothing. In various aspects, the material layer may be formed of a generally non-magnetically attractive material.
The strap may be removeably secured to a magnetically attractive material by attaching the strap end, the opposing strap end, or both magnetically to the magnetically attractive material by placing the magnet and/or the opposing magnet proximate the magnetically attractive material. The magnetically attractive material may be, for example, a portion of an appliance such as a refrigerator so that, in this way, the strap could be removably secured to the appliance.
The methods, in various aspects, may include securing magnetically a strap end of a strap to an opposing strap end of the strap with a pacifier secured to the strap and the pacifier disposed between the strap end and the opposing strap end. The methods, in various aspects, may include interposing a material layer between the strap end and the opposing strap end and securing the strap end to the opposing strap end thereby securing the strap to the material layer. The methods, in various aspects, may include securing magnetically at least one of the strap end and the opposing strap end to a magnetically attractive material thereby securing the strap to the magnetically attractive material.
The Figures referenced herein generally illustrate various exemplary implementations of the pacifier retention apparatus and associated methods. These illustrated implementations are not meant to limit the scope of coverage, but, instead, to assist in understanding the context of the language used in this specification and in the claims. Accordingly, variations of the pacifier retention apparatus and methods that differ from these illustrated implementations may be encompassed by the appended claims.
With continuing reference to the embodiment of pacifier retention apparatus 10 illustrated in
Strap end 22 is magnetically secured to strap end 23 in
Luminescent material 60 is disposed about the strap surface 25 of strap 20 to facilitate visual location of the pacifier retention apparatus 10 by a user under low light conditions. In this implementation of pacifier retention apparatus 10, the luminescent material 60 is generally in the form of stitching of luminescent thread that is generally disposed about the strap 20. In other implementations, the luminescent material 60 may be in the form of various luminescent paints, luminescent dyes, and suchlike that may be incorporated in the material of the strap 20 and/or ring 40 in various ways. In still other implementations, the luminescent material 60 may be included in various attachments to the strap 20 and/or ring 40 such as beads, rivets, ornamentations, and so forth or otherwise disposed about the pacifier retention apparatus 10. A display strip 510 that defines display surface 511 is located about band 20 (see
The implementation illustrated in
In some implementations such as that generally illustrated in
In other implementations, ring 40 may be secured to strap 20, so that the location of the ring 40 with respect to strap 20 is generally fixed. Ring 40, in various implementations, may be secured to strap 20 by rivet, by stitching, by adhesively securing a portion of ring surface 45 of ring 40 to strap surface 25 of strap 20, combinations thereof, or attached in other ways. In such an implementation, the pacifier 400 is secured at a generally fixed location along the strap 20.
As illustrated in the implementation of pacifier retention apparatus 100 of
In some implementation, such as the implementation of pacifier retention apparatus 200 illustrated in
When link end 142 and opposing link end 143 are biased against one another in position 153 such that hook fastener 147 is engaged with loop fastener 149, link end 142 is removeably secured to link end 143 to form ring 140, as illustrated in
Magnet 32 and magnet 33 may be formed of any suitable magnetic material such as various metals, metal alloys, ceramics, and so forth that forms a permanent magnet. In other implementations (not shown), magnet 32 and/or magnet 33 may be secured to the strap surface 25 of strap 20 or otherwise incorporated into strap 20 in various ways that allow magnet 32 and magnet 33 to be coupled magnetically with one another when strap end 22 is brought into the proximity of strap end 23.
As illustrated in
In this implementation illustrated in
Display strip 510 is positionable between a position 530 and a position 535 in the implementation of
When the display strip 510 in this implementation is slidaeably received within pocket 516, the display strip is in position 535, as illustrated in
A cross-sectional view of an implementation of strap 580 of a pacifier retention apparatus is illustrated in
A ring 640 in another implementation of a pacifier retention apparatus is illustrated in
In still other implementations, such as that illustrated in
In operation, the pacifier retention apparatus, such as pacifier retention apparatus 10, 100, 200 may be secured to a pacifier such as pacifier 400. In various implementations, the pacifier retention apparatus includes a ring such as ring 40, 140, 640, 740 and the pacifier may be secured to the pacifier retention apparatus by engagement of the ring with a pacifier ring such as pacifier ring 402. The ring may also be engaged with a strap such as strap 20, 120, 580, 590 so that the ring secures the pacifier to the strap of the pacifier retention apparatus.
For example, ring 640 may be engaged with the pacifier ring by passing the pacifier ring into aperture 644 though gap 642. The pacifier ring may be removed from engagement with ring 640 by passing the pacifier ring from aperture 644 through gap 642, for example, to allow the pacifier and/or pacifier retention apparatus to be cleaned.
As a further example, with link end 142 and opposing link end 143 of link 141 separated from on another, the pacifier ring may be passed into aperture 144 of ring 140. Then, link end 142 may be biased against link end 143 such that hook fastener 147 is engaged with loop fastener 149 so that link end 142 is removeably secured to link end 143 thereby forming ring 140 with ring 140 engaged securely with the pacifier ring. When engaged with ring 140, the pacifier passes through aperture 144 of ring 140.
The pacifier retention apparatus may be secured to a magnetically attractive material such as magnetically attractive material 95. The magnetically attractive material may be a portion of an appliance such as a refrigerator, washing machine, or bathroom cabinet to which it may be desirable to fasten the pacifier retention apparatus 10, and the pacifier may or may not be secured to the pacifier retention apparatus when so fastened.
For example, strap end 22 of strap 20 and the opposing strap end 23 of strap 20 may be magnetically secured to one another by placing magnet 32 and magnet 33, which are located about strap end 22 and strap end 23, respectively, into magnetic contact with one another. At least one of magnet 32 and magnet 33 may then be brought into contact with the magnetically attractive material to secure magnetically the pacifier retention apparatus to the magnetically attractive material. By overcoming the magnetic forces that secure the pacifier retention apparatus 10 to the magnetically attractive material 95, the pacifier retention apparatus 10 may be removed from the magnetically attractive material 95. By overcoming the magnetic forces between magnet 32 and magnet 33, the user may separate strap end 22 from opposing strap end 23.
As a further example, strap end 22 of strap 20 may be brought into contact with the magnetically attractive material to secure magnetically the pacifier retention apparatus to the magnetically attractive material.
The pacifier retention apparatus may be secured to, for example, an article of clothing such as a shirt or dress of the child. For example, a material layer such as material layer 90, which has surface 91 and opposing surface 93 and which may be a portion of an article of clothing, may be placed between the strap end 22 of strap 20 and the opposing strap end 23 of strap 20. Magnet 32 and magnet 33 are magnetically coupled to one another so that the strap end 22 and the opposing strap end 23 are secured to one another by the magnetic forces between magnet 32 and magnet 33 with the material layer clamped between the strap end 22 and strap end 23 by the magnetic forces between magnet 32 and magnet 33. This secures strap 20 and thus pacifier retention apparatus 10 to the material layer. By overcoming the magnetic forces between magnet 32 and magnet 33, the user may separate strap end 22 from opposing strap end 23 and thereby release the pacifier retention apparatus 10 from the material layer.
The pacifier retention apparatus may be secured about a bar such as bar 425. Using pacifier retention apparatus 10 as an example, with strap end 22 and strap end 23 set apart from one another, the strap 20 is placed about the bar 425, and then strap end 22 and strap end 23 are magnetically secured to each another such that the bar 425 passes through enclosed region 24 defined by the strap 20. In this manner the pacifier retention apparatus 10 may be generally secured about the bar 425.
A display strip having a display surface, for example display strip 510 with display surface 511, is located about the pacifier retention apparatus in various implementations. Alphanumeric characters, such as alphanumeric characters 520, may be attached to the display surface, or characters may be written upon the display surface or otherwise formed upon the display surface, for example, to identify the child to whom the pacifier retention apparatus belongs.
Luminescent material, such as luminescent material 60, is disposed about the pacifier retention apparatus to facilitate visual location of the pacifier retention apparatus by a user under low light conditions in various implementations. Accordingly, the pacifier retention apparatus glows in the dark to facilitate locating of the pacifier retention apparatus. The glow of the luminescent material may facilitate locating the pacifier retention apparatus, for example, in a darkened bedroom, unlighted vehicle at night, and other such low light conditions.
The foregoing along with the accompanying Figures discloses and describes various exemplary implementations. Upon study thereof, one of ordinary skill in the art may readily recognize that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as defined in the following claims.
Claims
1. A pacifier retention apparatus, comprising:
- a strap defining a strap end and an opposing strap end;
- a magnet disposed about the strap end and an opposing magnet disposed about the opposing strap end to secure magnetically the strap end to the opposing strap end; and
- a ring received upon the strap intermediate of the strap end and the opposing strap end, the ring adapted to engage a pacifier to secure the pacifier to the strap.
2. The apparatus, as in claim 1, further comprising:
- a material layer interposed between the strap end and the opposing strap end, the strap end and the opposing strap end magnetically secured to one another.
3. The apparatus, as in claim 1, further comprising:
- a magnetically attractive material, at least one of the strap end and the opposing strap end secured magnetically to the magnetically attractive material.
4. The apparatus, as in claim 1, further comprising:
- a link with a link end and an opposing link end;
- a fastener disposed about the link end;
- and a fastener disposed about the opposing link end, the fasteners engageable with one another to secure removeably the link end to the opposing link end to form the ring thereby.
5. The apparatus, as in claim 4, wherein the fastener disposed about the link end is a hook fastener and the fastener disposed about the opposing link end is a loop fastener.
6. The apparatus, as in claim 1, further comprising:
- a display strip disposed about the strap, the display strip defines a display surface.
7. The apparatus, as in claim 6, wherein the display strip is removeably slideably received within a pocket disposed about the strap.
8. The apparatus, as in claim 6, further comprising:
- an alphanumeric character secureable to the display surface.
9. The apparatus, as in claim 1, further comprising:
- a luminescent material disposed about the strap.
10. The apparatus, as in claim 1, wherein the strap is formed substantially of fabric.
11. The apparatus, as in claim 1, wherein the strap is generally elastic.
12. A pacifier retention apparatus, comprising:
- a strap defining a strap end and an opposing strap end;
- a magnet disposed about the strap end and an opposing magnet disposed about the opposing strap end to secure magnetically the strap end to the opposing strap end; and
- a pacifier secured to the strap intermediate of the strap end and the opposing strap end.
13. The apparatus, as in claim 12, further comprising:
- a material layer interposed between the strap end and the opposing strap end, the strap end and the opposing strap end magnetically secured to one another.
14. The apparatus, as in claim 12, further comprising:
- a magnetically attractive material, at least one of the strap end and the opposing strap end secured magnetically to the magnetically attractive material.
15. The apparatus, as in claim 12, further comprising:
- a ring engaged with the pacifier, the ring received upon the strap intermediate of the strap end and the opposing strap end to secure the pacifier to the strap.
16. The apparatus, as in claim 15, further comprising:
- a link with a link end and an opposing link end;
- a fastener disposed about the link end;
- and a fastener disposed about the opposing link end, the fasteners engageable with one another to secure removeably the opposing link end to the link end to form the ring thereby.
17. The apparatus, as in claim 12, further comprising:
- a display strip locatable about the strap, the display strip defines a display surface.
18. The apparatus, as in claim 17, wherein the display strip is removeably slideably received within a pocket disposed about the strap.
19. The apparatus, as in claim 17, further comprising:
- an alphanumeric character secureable to the display surface.
20. The apparatus, as in claim 12, further comprising:
- a luminescent material disposed about the strap.
21. The apparatus, as in claim 12, wherein the strap is substantially formed of fabric.
22. The apparatus, as in claim 12, wherein the strap is generally elastic.
23. A method for retaining a pacifier, comprising:
- securing magnetically a strap end of a strap to an opposing strap end of the strap with a pacifier disposed between the strap end and the opposing strap end.
24. The method, as in claim 23, further comprising:
- interposing a material layer between the strap end and the opposing strap end thereby securing the strap to the material layer.
25. The method, as in claim 23, further comprising:
- securing magnetically at least one of the strap end and the opposing strap end to a magnetically attractive material thereby securing the strap to the magnetically attractive material.
26. The method, as in claim 23, wherein the pacifier is engaged with a ring, the ring is disposed between the strap end and the opposing strap end.
27. The method, as in claim 23, further comprising:
- locating visually the pacifier using luminescent material disposed about the strap.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 4, 2009
Publication Date: Mar 10, 2011
Applicant: MOXIE TOT LLC (Plymouth, MN)
Inventor: Barbara Mitchell (Plymouth, MN)
Application Number: 12/554,862
International Classification: A45F 5/00 (20060101);