BABY TEETHING DEVICES HAVING TEETHING RIDGES

1 . A baby teething device comprising:

a shield;

a handle depending from said shield;

a nipple-like portion depending from said shield opposite said handle; and

a plurality of teething ridges on said nipple-like portion.

2 . The teething device of claim 1 , wherein said shield comprises:

a rigid inner substrate; and

a flexible outer layer molded over said rigid inner substrate, wherein said handle, said nipple-like portion and said plurality of teething ridges are integrally molded with said flexible outer layer.

3 . The teething device of claim 2 , wherein said handle extends from an outer periphery of said shield so that said handle defines a handle opening substantially equal to a width of said shield.

4 . The teething device of claim 3 , wherein said handle comprises a pair of top edges and a pair of bottom edges, which provide sharp teething edges having a radius of between about 0.010 inches to about 0.0 inches.

5 . The teething device of claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of teething protuberances on said handle.

6 . The teething device of claim 5 , wherein each protuberances of said plurality of teething protuberances has a generally semi-spherical shape.

7 . The teething device of claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of concentric teething protuberances on said handle.

8 . The teething device of claim 2 , wherein said plurality of teething ridges comprises a series of generally linear ridges.

9 . The teething device of claim 8 , wherein each ridge of said series of generally linear ridges comprises a radius of curvature that is not less than about 1 inch.

10 . The teething device of claim 2 , wherein said plurality of teething ridges comprises a plurality of concentric teething ridges.

11 . The teething device of claim 2 , wherein said inner substrate has a modulus of rigidity of between about 700 to about 1,600 kilo-pounds per square inch.

12 . The teething device of claim 2 , wherein said inner substrate has a modulus of elasticity of between about 20 to about 1,600 kilo-pounds per square inch.

13 . The teething device of claim 2 , wherein said inner substrate has a Rockwell R hardness of between about 20 to about 150.

14 . The teething device of claim 2 , wherein said inner substrate comprises a thermoplastic polymer selected from the group consisting of polypropelyne, polyamide, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polycarbonate, and any combinations thereof.

15 . The teething device of claim 2 , wherein said outer layer comprises a Shore A hardness of between about 30 to about 70.

16 . The teething device of claim 2 , wherein said outer layer comprises a Shore A hardness of between about 40 to about 60.

17 . The teething device of claim 2 , wherein said outer layer comprises a thermoplastic elastomer or a silicone material.

18 . The teething device of claim 2 , wherein said inner substrate comprises a central opening and a plurality of vent openings, said outer layer covering and filling in said central opening.

19 . The teething device of claim 18 , wherein each vent opening of said plurality of vent openings comprises a first upstanding rim depending upwardly from a rear surface of said inner substrate and a second upstanding rim depending upwardly from a front surface of said inner substrate, said first upstanding rim depending upwardly from said rear surface by a first height and said second upstanding rim depending upwardly from said front surface by a second height

20 . The teething device of claim 19 , wherein said outer layer has a thickness substantially equal to said first height in a region of said first upstanding rim and a thickness substantially equal to said second height in a region of said second upstanding rim so that an upper surface of said outer layer is substantially planar with an upper surface of said first and second upstanding rims.

21 . The teething device of claim 19 , wherein said first and second heights are the same as or different from one another.

22 . The teething device of claim 1 , wherein said handle extends from an outer periphery of said shield so that said handle defines a handle opening substantially equal to a width of said shield.

23 . The teething device of claim 22 , further comprising a plurality of teething protuberances on said handle.

24 . The teething device of claim 22 , further comprising a plurality of concentric teething ridges on said handle.

25 . The teething device of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of teething ridges comprises a series of generally linear ridges.

26 . The teething device of claim 25 , wherein each ridge of said series of generally linear ridges comprises a radius of curvature that is not less than about 1 inch.

27 . The teething device of claim 25 , further comprising a plurality of teething protuberances on said nipple-like portion.

28 . The teething device of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of teething ridges comprises a plurality of concentric teething ridges.

29 . The teething device of claim 1 , wherein each ridge of said plurality of teething ridges comprises a first face and a second face depending from a surface of said nipple-like portion.

30 . The teething device of claim 29 , wherein said first and second faces meet at an apex having a radius of between about 0.010 inches to about 0.0 inches.

31 . The teething device of claim 30 , wherein said radius comprises about 0.005 inches.

32 . The teething device of claim 29 , wherein said first and second faces define a rake angle therebetween, said rake angle being between about 110 degrees to about 130 degrees.

33 . The teething device of claim 32 , wherein said rake angle is about 120 degrees.

34 . The teething device of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of teething ridges are formed on an upper surface of nipple-like portion and a lower surface of said nipple-like portion.