Shield for Oral Devices for Infants

摘要

A shield for a pacifier, teether, feeding device, sippy cup or the like. The shield carries a structure that is adapted to be inserted into the mouth of a young child. There is, a body defining an opening at which the structure is carried and an inner surface surrounding this opening and encompassing the perioral areas surrounding the lips. The body demes a superior portion superior to the opening and an inferior portion inferior to the opening, and defines a lateral axis passing laterally through the opening. The superior portion is generally concave laterally on both sides of the vertical midline, to define an inner surface that closely conforms to the upper lip and perioral areas. At least the part of the inferior portion close to and on either side of the vertical midline is offset outward away from the face compared to the inner surface of the superior portion that is close to and on either side of the vertical midline, to allow the mandible to move anteriorly without being inhibited by the shield.

主权项

1. A shield for a pacifier, teether, feeding device, sippy cup or the like, any one of these structures being adapted to be inserted into a mouth of a young child, the shield comprising:
a body having a vertical midline at its center, two lateral edges, and a horizontal axis; the body defining a structure opening and an inner surface surrounding the opening; a superior portion superior to the horizontal axis, the horizontal axis passing laterally through the opening; and an inferior portion inferior to the horizontal axis; wherein the inner surface of the superior portion is generally concave laterally on both sides of the vertical midline at the center of the body; wherein the two lateral edges of the superior portion lie in a main plane; wherein the inner surface of the inferior portion is generally concave laterally on both sides of the vertical midline at the center of the body; wherein the inner surface of the inferior portion has a first bend extruding away from main plane, beginning proximate the horizontal axis of the body; and wherein the inner surface of the inferior portion has a second bend that curves back toward the main plane, where the second bend begins beyond the first bend, farther from the horizontal axis.