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US 201202593 62Al (19) (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2012/0259362 A1 Weinland et al. (43) Pub. Date: Oct. 11, 2012

(54) TEETHING AND THUMB SUCKING DEVICE (52) US. Cl...... 606/235 (76) Inventors: Ann L. Weinland, Parker, CO (US); Kenneth W. Weinland, II, (57) ABSTRACT Parker, CO (U S) A teething and thumb sucking device that is Worn on a hand of (21) Appl. No.: 13/084,431 an adult is provided. The device includes an elongate tubular body portion and a ?are portion. The body portion includes a (22) Filed: Apr. 11, 2011 proximal open end con?gured to receive a thumb of the adult hand and a distal closed end. The body portion decreases in Publication Classi?cation diameter from the proximal open end to the distal closed end. (51) Int. Cl. The ?are portion is disposed at the proximal open end of the A61] 1 7/00 (2006.01) body portion and extends axially therefrom. Patent Application Publication Oct. 11, 2012 Sheet 1 0f 3 US 2012/0259362 A1 Patent Application Publication Oct. 11, 2012 Sheet 2 0f 3 US 2012/0259362 A1 Patent Application Publication Oct. 11, 2012 Sheet 3 0f 3 US 2012/0259362 A1 US 2012/0259362 A1 Oct. 11, 2012

TEETHING AND THUMB SUCKING DEVICE material Which Would provide soothing contact With the infant’s gums, prevent saliva from soiling the adult’s hands FIELD OF THE INVENTION and Which Would be Washable for sanitation purposes. [0009] In order to achieve the above mentioned objects and [0001] The present invention relates to infant care devices. other objects of the present invention, a teething and thumb More speci?cally, the present invention relates to infant teeth sucking device that is Worn on a hand of an adult is provided ing devices, and, in particular, to a teething device Which may that basically comprises an elongate tubular body portion and be Worn on the thumb or digit of an adult hand. a ?are portion. The body portion includes a proximal open end con?gured to receive a thumb of the adult hand and a BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION distal closed end. The body portion decreases in diameter [0002] Human infants at birth typically have no teeth. Dur from the proximal open end to the distal closed end. The ?are ing the ?rst year of life, an infant’s teeth begin to develop, and, portion is disposed at the proximal open end of the body as they groW, they break through the gums causing soreness, portion and extends axially therefrom. irritation, itching and in?ammation. As anyone Who has [0010] These and other objects, features, aspects and raised a child knoWs, an infant going through the teething advantages of the present invention Will become apparent to process experiences considerable oral discomfort, Which the those skilled in the art from the folloWing detailed descrip infant instinctively attempts to mitigate by sucking or cheW tion, Which, taken in conjunction With the annexed draWings, ing on just about any object it can grasp and insert into its discloses a preferred embodiments of the present invention. mouth, including toys, teething devices, its oWn hands and ?ngers and the ?ngers and/ or thumb of the hand of an adult BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Which may be holding the child. The constant moisture, biting and cheWing on the hands, ?ngers or thumbs of either the [0011] FIG. 1a is a plan vieW ofa human hand depicting the infant or and adult can cause considerable irritation and chaff device of the present invention positioned on the thumb; [0012] FIG. 1b is a plan vieW of a side opposite the side mg. [0003] A number of infant teething devices are commer shoWn in FIG. 1a; cially available Which are designed to be grasped by an infant [0013] FIG. 2a is a perspective vieW of a human hand and bitten or cheWed, thereby massaging the infant’s irritated depicting the device of the present invention positioned on the gums. By Way of example, such devices include teething thumb; rings and nipples Which are familiar to most parents raising [0014] FIG. 2b is a plan vieW of the device of the present young children. HoWever, one di?iculty associated With such invention according to an embodiment; articles is that an infant’s ?ne motor skills are not suf?ciently [0015] FIGS. 3a and 3b are side and top plan vieWs of the developed to permit it to place a teether into its mouth and device of the present invention including a mouth attachment hold it there. They are constantly being dropped and become according to an embodiment; lost, soiled and generally unsanitary. [0016] FIG. 30 is a top plan vieW of the mouth attachment of [0004] One solution to this problem is to provide a teether the embodiment shoWn in FIGS. 3a and 3b; and Which may be a?ixed to a ?nger or thumb of a teething [0017] FIGS. 4a-4e are side plan vieWs of alternate con infant’s hand, thereby ensuring that it Will not be dropped and ?gurations of the device of the present invention according to soiled. Such a device is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,688,961 embodiments. issued Jun. 1, 1953, to Thomas for a “Multipurpose Finger Attached Accessory”. Other devices include teething mittens DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION for an infant disclosed in US. Patent Application Publication [0018] Before proceeding With the detailed description, it No. US2005/0222621 published by DuWelius et al. on Oct. 6, should be noted that the present teaching is by Way of 2005, and in US. Patent Publication No. US2006/0004412 example, not by limitation. The concepts herein contained are published by Gilbert on J an. 5, 2006. HoWever, these teething not limited to use or application of one speci?c type of teeth devices are intended to protect the hands and ?ngers of an ing and thumb sucking device. Thus, although the instrumen infant, and are not intended to protect the thumb and/ or ?n talities described herein are for the convenience of explana gers of an adult holding a teething infant. tion, shoWn and described With respect to exemplary [0005] Other prior art devices, such as the device disclosed embodiments, the principles herein may be applied equally in in US. Pat. No. 5,010,901 issued Apr. 30, 1991 to Pales, other types of teething and thumb sucking devices. disclose devices Which are speci?cally designed to prevent a [0019] Referring noW to FIG. 1, a teething and thumb suck Wearer or user thereof from sucking his or her thumb. The apparatus of the Pales disclosure does not address the prob ing device (hereinafter, “device”) of the present invention is shoWn generally at 10. The device includes a generally elon lems associated With an infant’s teething on a thumb or ?nger gate tubular body portion 12 extending along a longitudinal of an adult Which may be holding it. axis 14. The body portion 12 includes a proximal open end 16 [0006] Accordingly, a need exists for an infant teething con?gured to receive a thumb or ?nger of an adult human device Which may be Worn on a thumb and/or the ?ngers of hand and a distal closed end 18. The body portion 12 is the hands of an adult. generally tapered axially and in a diametrically smaller direc tion from the open end 16 to the closed end 18. In the embodi SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ment shoWn, the device 10 is ?tted over a thumb 20 of a [0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a human hand 22; hoWever, it is to be understood that the device teething and thumb sucking device adapted to ?t over either a could be Worn on any of the other ?ngers Without departing thumb or ?nger of an adult hand. from the scope of the present invention. [0008] It is a further object of the present invention to [0020] The device 10 further includes a ?are portion 24 provide a teething and thumb sucking device constructed of a connected to the body portion 12 at the proximal open end 16. US 2012/0259362 A1 Oct. 11, 2012

The ?are portion 24 extends axially away from the body portion 12 With an increased Width. The ?are portion 24 offers TABLE l-continued additional protection for the adult Wearer and more surface area for alternate teething locations. The ?are portion 24 can Material Explanation be shaped to curve around the base of the thumb 20. Speci? tWilled and fabric cally, the ?are portion 24 is con?gured and arranged relative borato thin fabric the body portion 12 to cover a portion of the thumb’s 20 boucle fabric of uneven looped yam light lustrous and Worsted fabric metacarpal bone. The ?are portion 24 includes an end portion dense tWilled or Worsted fabric 26 that is con?gured and arranged such that When the device rich silk fabric With raised patterns 10 is Worn, the end portion 26 is in proximity to a carpometa buckrarn stiff-?nished cotton or used for corpal joint of the thumb 20. The end portion 26 includes a linings of garments bump coarse cotton fabric band member 28 for reinforcing the ?are portion 24 Where it light loosely used for meets the thumb 20 near the carpometacorpal joint. ?ags [0021] The body portion 12 and the ?are portion 24 are burdet cotton fabric formed as an integral, unitary, one-piece member to form the burlap coarse plain-Woven or fabric burnet dark broWn; dark cloth device 10. The body portion 12 and the ?are portion 24 are burrel coarse russet cloth preferably made of material that provides a tight ?t on the calarnanco tWilled Woolen fabric thumb 20. The device 10 does not have the interWoven or plain White cotton braided strips of material disclosed in Us. Pat. No. 2,688, carnaca ?ne silk fabric carnbresine ?ne linen fabric 961 . carnbric ?ne thin White cotton or linen fabric [0022] As depicted in the Pigs, the device 10 of the present carnlet strong Waterproof silk or Wool fabric invention is preferably free from a protrusion that Would caneva fancy Woolen fabric made to resemble hinder insertion into the infant’s mouth. The device 10 may canque Chinese cotton fabric include various aesthetically-appealing designs, several of cashmere soft tWilled fabric made of ?ne Which are shoWn by Way of example only and Without limi goat’s Wool tation on the scope of the present invention, Which Would cashmerette soft imitation of cashmere cassimere closely Woven tWilled cloth of?ne Wool make the device appealing to an infant for teething and may cendal silk fabric resembling be manufactured from a number of available materials Which soft lightWeight silk, Wool or cotton are suitable for the intended application. Table 1 below sets fabric forth materials With their explanations that may be used to charnbray lightWeight fabric With coloured Warp manufacture the device 10 of the present invention. It is to be and White ?lling charnois cotton fabric made in imitation of understood, hoWever, that the materials listed are by Way of charnois example only and not by limitation, and other materials not charmante silk fabric With a crepe back listed Which are suitable for use in the device 10 may also be soft and satiny silk fabric chenille velvety silk, Wool or cotton fabric With employed. protruding cheviot coarse heavy plain or tWilled Wool or TABLE 1 Worsted sheer silk fabric Material Explanation chino strong tWilled cotton cloth glazed printed cotton fabric aba garment of camel or goat hair; camel or cire fabric With a glazed ?nish goat-hair fabric cloque fabric With an embossed design aerophane thin crinkled semi-transparent fabric coburg thin single-tWilled Worsted fabric With alepine mixed Wool and silk or and cotton cotton or silk fabric cordovan soft goatskin leather ?ne Wool made from alpaca hair durable cotton piled fabric With vertical angora silk-like fabric made from Wool of angora ribs goats coarse and toWelling fabric ardass ?ne silk crepe light crinkled fabric armure tWilled Woolen or silk fabric crepon heavy crepe fabric With lengthWise arrasene embroidery fabric of Wool and silk crinkles atlas rich satin fabric heavy cotton or linen cloth bait cheap coarse cotton fabric crin horsehair fabric bagging coarse fabric for making bags or sacks crinoline stiff ?ax or cotton fabric coarse napped cotton or Wool fabric cubica ?ne unglazed fabric resembling shalloon balbriggan knitted cotton fabric cypress silk or cotton fabric, usually baldachin rich embroidered silk and gold fabric black light cotton material ?ne lustrous fabric With ?at patterns pebbly silk or Worsted fabric With broken and a satin Weave rib Weave delaine light fabric ofWool or mixed Wool and gauzy fabric of silk, cotton, WOOl, or cotton Worsted ?rm and durable tWilled cotton barracan ?ne silk cloth sheer and stout White cotton barras coarse linen fabric domett plain cotton-Wool blend barrateen some kind of fabric dornick stout linen ?ne soft of coarse linen fabric With horizontal stripes in drabbet coarse linen strongly contrasting colours drap-de-Berry old Woolen cloth beaupers linen fabric used for ?ags dreadnought heavy Woolen cloth crossWise ribbed fabric durable tWilled cotton US 2012/0259362 A1 Oct. 11, 2012

TABLE l-continued TABLE l-continued

Material Explanation Material Explanation droguet ribbed Woolen dress fabric mackintosh lightweight rubberized Waterproof cotton coarse durable Wool fabric ?ne cotton cloth ducape plain-Woven stout silk fabric ?ne plain-Woven cotton or silk duck durable closely Woven cotton fabric marabout thin doWny silk duffel fabric of thick, loW—quality Woolen marcella cotton or linen in Weave cloth marocain ribbed crepe fabric dungaree heavy coarse durable tWilled cotton, sheer meshed cloth usually coloured matelasse having a quilted ornamentation; fabric dupion coarse silk With raised pattern as if quilted duroy coarse Woolen strong and smooth heavy Woolen cloth duvetyn smooth lustrous velvety fabric merino soft Wool of the merino sheep; any soft ecarlate ?ne Woolen cloth, usually dyed merino-like Wool or Wool and cotton cloth ?ne silk and Wool messaline soft lightWeight silk With a satin Weave etamine light open- cotton or Worsted mockado inferior quality Woolen fabric eyelet small hole in fabric to alloW passage of mogadore ribbed silk used in making a cord; cotton fabric With small holes mohair fabric made from silky hair of angora faille shiny closely Woven silk, cotton or goats fabric Watered silk farandine silk and Wool cloth heavy durable cotton ?loselle coarse floss silk moreen stout corded Wool or cotton light Woolen fabric mousseline ?ne sheer fabric soft lightWeight plain-Woven or tWilled mull soft ?ne sheer cotton or silk fabric silk fabric plain-Woven ?ne cotton foule light Woolen ?lll?d cloth musterdevillers archaic mixed grey Woolen cloth rough heavy Woolen cloth ?ne cotton fabric fuji plain spun silk fabric buff-coloured; durable buff-coloured coarse tWilled cotton cotton closely Woven cotton or Wool tWill needlecord thinly ribbed cotton galatea striped cotton silk or other thin fabric gambroon tWilled Worsted and cloth organdie ?ne translucent cotton silk fabric organza transparent thin silk or genappe smooth Worsted orleans interWoven cotton and Worsted thin silk coarse linen or cotton striped cotton cloth heavy fabric With crossWise ribs thin silk soft durable plain-Woven cotton grogram coarse loosely Woven silk fabric corded silk heavy close-Woven corded silk soft Wool fabric With ornamental pattern guliX kind of ?ne linen panne heavy lustrous silk or rayon With Waxy ham coarse linen feel tWilled fabric Woven in roWs of parallel paramatta Worsted and cotton blend sloping lines ?ne goat’s Wool fabric used for coarse undyed Woolen cloth making holland coarse plain-Woven cotton or linen pekin ?ne soft silk hopsack rough-surfaced loose fabric pellicule thin diaphanous fabric fabric With an irregular checked pattern closely Woven lightWeight cloth huckaback absorbent cotton or linen used for toWels percaline glossy lightWeight cotton jaconet stout cotton cloth perse dark blue or bluish-grey; cloth of such jacquard intricately-Woven variegated fabric; a colour for making jacquard pique stiff durable corded fabric of cotton, jaspe cotton or rayon cloth With shaded effect rayon or silk jean durable tWilled cotton material platilla ?ne White linen plain Weft- of Wool, plisse fabric With puckered ?nish cotton, nylon or silk thin soft fabric Woven from raW silk fabric coloured by repeated poodle coarsely looped or nubby fabric kelt coarse fabric made of black and White corded Woven silk and Worsted Wool prunella strong and heavy silk or Wool kente hand-Woven African silk fabric rabanna raf?a fabric of Madagascar coarse Woolen cloth strong lustrous fabric resembling linen tWilled ?ne Wool or silk khaddar homespun cotton cloth raploch coarse undyed Woolen cloth kincob embroidered silk With gold and silver raschel light loosely kitted cloth threads ratine rough bulky plain-Woven fabric lame fabric in Which metallic threads are plain-Woven fabric With crossWise ribs interWoven reticella old Venetian -like fabric lasting sturdy cotton or Worsted cloth romal handkerchief or headcloth; silk or laWn ?ne sheer plain-Woven cotton or linen cotton fabric leno open-Woven fabric rumchunder ?ne silk linsey coarse linen and Wool blend russel ribbed cotton and Wool linsey—Woolsey thin coarse fabric of Wool and linen russet coarse homespun cloth lockram coarse linen sagathy light blend of silk and cotton or Wool loden heavy Waterproof Woolen fabric rich and heavy silk, sometimes interWoven lustring glossy silk With gold or silver lutestring plain glossy silk sarsenet ?ne and soft silk; soft or gentle mackinaW heavy napped and felted Wool cloth satara ribbed lustred Wool US 2012/0259362 A1 Oct. 11, 2012

TABLE l-continued TABLE l-continued

Material Explanation Material Explanation glossy cotton or WOOl Merino Wool satin closely Woven silk With lustrous face thin silk satin or imitation thereof Terry Cloth saxony ?ne soft Woolen fabric Stretch Knit Terry say delicate Woolen fabric Wool scarlet ?ne cloth durable plain-Woven cotton fabric Suedecloth light puckered cotton or linen fabric Micro?eece seinpiteinurn durable Wool thin silk or linen Burley Knit Terry strong tWilled Worsted Windpro shalloon light tWilled Wool or Worsted Old Weavers Organic Fabrics 100% organic and FDA certi?ed shantung plain rough silk or cotton smooth durable Wool or Worsted fabric Sh?tland hg-htwelg-ht loosely twlst?d Wool fab“ [0023] From a sanitary perspective, it is desirable that the shoddy Woolen fabric made from rags . . . . sicmmw ribbed Silk device 10 include a moisture-proof barrier betWeen the thin tWilled cotton or linen infant’s mouth and the skin of the ?nger or thumb 20 on Which Silkalin? So? light cotton fabric rambling Silk the device 10 is Worn to prevent harmful bacteria and/or sindon ?ne linen h. h b t th h d f t . th starnmel coarse Woolen fabric, usually dyed red; germs W 1C may 6 presen on e _an rem en enng e bright red colour infant’s mouth, and to prevent bacteria and germs from the Stockin??? Soft ?lastic Cotton fabric infant’s mouth from coming into contact With the hand. The surah soft tWilled silk or rayon outer surface layer 30 and the inner- surface layer 32 may be sWansdoWn heavy napped cotton ?annel _ _ _ Swanskin So? napped fabric rambling Hanna layered together With the moisture-proof barrier. Altema tabaret striped Watered silk and satin fabric tively, the outer surface layer 30 and the inner surface layer 32 tabby plam'wov?n $11k taffeta fabrlc can form an integral, unitary, one-piece layer that integrates ta?mtabinet thinsilk andglossy Wool Silk Watered fabric the moisture-proof- barrier.- The moisture- or Water proof bar tamin thin glazed worst?d rier may alternatively be seWn into the outer surface layer 30 tarnis thin Wool by ordinary stitching/sewing techniques. By Way of illustra tarlatan thindslllegrlstl? colmlm f 1 tion and not limitation, examples of materials Which may be Perry p16 a. n0 Consisting O llmut Oops used for this barrier are set forth in Table 2 beloW; hoWever, strong linen or cotton fabric used for _ _ _ _ _ mattress and cases other suitable materials may also be employed in this appli tiffany transparent silk-like gauZy fabric cation Without departing from the scope of the present inven tiretaine Wool cloth mixed With cotton or linen tion~ plain or simple tWilled fabric tricolette silk or rayon knitted fabric tricot plain knitted silk or Woolen fabric TABLE 2 tricotine double-tWilled Worsted fabric I I sheer and delicate thin silk Polyurethane Lamlnate (cloth baby dlapers) tussah broWnish silk fabric Nylon : Breathabl? rough tWilled Wool Nylon Ripstop: Coated tWill any diagonally Woven fabric Nylon Taff?ta: Breathabl? vglour pilgd vglvgty cotton Polyester Micro?ber: Breathable velouting vglvgty cordgd Wool Epic encapsulated Water-resistant soft piled fabric of silk, cotton or Gomtex synthgtic mammal Entrant 100% Nylon velvetine cotton With silk pile Ultrexf 100% Nylon Fib?r vicuna fabric made from Wool of the vicuna, G?n?nc wat?r'mslstant ?b?r a small rurninant voile soft ?ne sheer fabric ' ' WadInal thick coarse Wool [0024] Referring noW to FIG. 3, an embodiment of the WhlPcOrd gabm W1th bold tWlU used for makmg device 10' is shoWn Which includes a mouth attachment 36. . fesses . The mouth attachment 36 may be formed of the same material stiff plain-Woven cotton _ _ _ ' Wincey plain or twin?d cotton as the teething and thumb sucking device 10 and may be ?lled Woolsey cotton and Wool blend With a foam material, a soft cotton, a soft rubber or other Worc?st?r ?lm W001 suitable elastomeric material adapted to provide comfort to Worsted ?ne closely-Woven Wool - , ~ ~ ~ . . . an infant s irritated gums and neWly emerging teeth When Zanella mixed tWilled umbrella fabric _ lightWeight Wool or Worsted fabric; chewed Or blnen down upon' I I th?westwmd 0025 FIGS .a-4 4 ei 11 usraet t y e t o th eremb o dimenso t fth e . . soft piled Wool. device- of the present invention- - depicting- - alternative- choices- Birdseye Fabric GauZy Material _ _ _ _ H?mp Fib?r mad? from h?mp plant of decorative patterns (FIG. 4a); four mouthpieces positioned Hemp French Terry Made With absorbent hemp longitudinally along the body of the device at approximately Barnboo Made from Barnboo trees ninety degree) (90° intervals (FIG. 4b); tWo mouthpieces Cotton Fleece Super soft fabric that is comparable to polyester positioned longitudinally along the body of the device at Flannel Soft, loosely Woven tWill W6HV64COTIOH approximately one hundred eighty degree (180°) intervals or Wool (FIG. 40); in the embodiment ofFIG. 4d, the device ofFIG. 4c is shoWn constructed of leather material. US 2012/0259362 A1 Oct. 11, 2012

[0026] In the embodiment of FIG. 4e, substantially aligned, What is claimed is: spaced apart ribbed protrusion members 34 for massaging the 1. A teething and thumb sucking device Worn on a hand of teeth and gums are disposed at the outer surface layer 30 on an adult comprising: the body portion 12 and the ?are portion 24. The protrusion an elongate tubular body portion including a proximal members 34 are positioned longitudinally along the body of open end con?gured to receive a thumb of the adult hand and a distal closed end, the body portion decreasing in the device at approximately ninety degree (90°) intervals. The diameter from the proximal open end to the distal closed device 10 of FIG. 43 is preferably made of an elastomeric end; and material. The outer surface layer 30 is generally rough to a ?are portion disposed at the proximal open end of the engage the infant’s gums and provide some relief from teeth body portion and extending axially therefrom. ing. The inner surface layer 32 is generally smooth for a 2. The teething device of claim 1, further comprising a comfortable ?t on the thumb 20; hoWever, the inner surface moisture proof barrier at the body portion and the ?are por layer 32 could have a feW traction members if further stabi tion. liZing on the thumb 20 is desired. It Will be apparent to one of 3. The teething device of claim 1, Wherein the ?are portion ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure that the protrusion is con?gured and arranged to curve around the base of the members 34 can be different shapes and siZes to form various thumb. aesthetically-appealing designs to make the device 10 appeal 4. The teething device of claim 1, Wherein the body portion ing to an infant for teething and may be manufactured from a and the ?are portion are formed as an integral, unitary, one number of available materials Which are suitable for the piece member. intended application. 5. The teething device of claim 1, Wherein the body portion and the ?are portion are made of Wool or a Wool blend. [0027] Still referring to the embodiment of FIG. 4e, the 6. The teething device of claim 1, Wherein the body portion protrusion members 34 are carved, etched or molded, for and the ?are portion are made of cotton or a cotton blend. example, into the outer surface layer 30 to form an uneven 7. The teething device of claim 1, Wherein the body portion surface. The carving, etching or molding can even form the and the ?are portion are made of silk. protrusion members 34 into an aesthetically-appealing 8. The teething device of claim 1, Wherein the body portion design pattern. While the protrusion members 34 extend out and the ?are portion are made of leather. Wardly from the body portion 12 and the ?are portion 24, the 9. The teething device of claim 1, Wherein the body portion protrusion members 34 are small enough to not impede inser and the ?are portion are made of rayon. tion of the device 10 into the infant’s mouth. The device 10 of 10. The teething device of claim 1, Wherein the body por the present invention is preferably free from a protrusion that tion and the ?are portion are made of hemp ?bers. Would hinder insertion into the infant’s mouth. 11. The teething device of claim 1, Wherein the body por [0028] Changes may be made to the above methods, sys tion and the ?are portion are made of bamboo. tems, devices and materials Without departing from the scope 12. The teething device of claim 1, further comprising a hereof. It should be noted that the matter contained in the plurality of protrusions on the body portion and the ?are above description and/or shoWn in the accompanying draW portion. ings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting 13. The teething device of claim 1, Wherein the protrusions sense. The folloWing claims are intended to cover all generic are con?gured and arranged to engage an infant’s gums but and speci?c features described herein as Well as statements of not to impede insertion into the infant’s mouth. the scope of the present invention, Which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetWeen. * * * * *