A load-bearing cord or strap

Abstract

A load-bearing cord or strap having a first bend portion with a larger width than thickness or a lower area moment of inertia than a comparable round cord or strap configured to bend about a first bend axis, a second bend portion with a larger width than thickness or a lower area moment of inertia than a comparable round cord or strap configured to bend about a second bend axis and a connection portion connecting the first and second bend portions, wherein the first bend axis and second bend axis extend in different directions when the load-bearing cord or strap is in a relaxed state. The load-bearing cord or strap provides increased flexibility in multiple directions and is suitable as a pacifier strap or tether.

Description

A Load-Bearing Cord or StrapTechnical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a new or improved load-bearing cord or strap. The present invention has been developed principally for use as a pacifier strap. It will be convenient to describe the invention in relation to this type of load-bearing cord or strap; however, it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this application.Background of the Invention

[0002] The discussion of the background to the invention that follows is intended to facilitate an understanding of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any aspect of the discussion was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application.

[0003] Load-bearing cords or straps are known including tethers for restraining an object. Many load-bearing cords or straps only need to bend in one direction. For example, a tie-down or ratchet strap generally only needs to bend in one direction which is why when formed from a resilient flexible material they traditionally are in the form of a flat strap having a much greater width than thickness. However, some loadbearing cords or straps need to bend in multiple directions, such as a pacifier strap.

[0004] For example, the use of a pacifier strap for connecting a pacifier to the clothes of a child prevents the loss of the pacifier when the child does not want to keep the pacifier in its mouth or if the pacifier inadvertently falls out of the child's mouth. In this way, the pacifier is clean, safe, and accessible to the child. The inventors have found that a pacifier strap that is designed to primarily bend in one direction, such as a flat strap that has a greater width than thickness, will allow the pacifier to move up or down but it is resistant to bending sideways such that if the child turns or tilts its head, the pacifier will rotate in the child’s mouth which may result in discomfort to the child. This discomfort can be due to the pacifier shield pressingagainst the nose or chin as well as the pacifier teat no longer being positioned correctly as intended in the mouth and applying pressure on the child’s gums and teeth.

[0005] Pacifier straps made from conventional fabric are known. One such example is described in KR2661811B1, and another is the braided fabric strap described in EM015014699-0001. With these type of straps, one end is connected to a pacifier via a rope, or a loop and the opposite end of the fabric strap is connected to a pacifier clip in the form of a metal or plastic clasp that attaches to the child’s clothing. It has been found that because the pacifier clips are affixed to the fabric strap via stitching, an adhesive or by permanently looping the strap around the clip, these types of pacifier straps are often difficult to keep clean. As these straps cannot be machine washed spot-cleaning with warm water and mild soap is the only option. Furthermore, because the pacifier clip cannot be easily removed from the strap they cannot be recycled and usually end up in landfill. Finally, some people prefer the look and feel of pacifier straps made from semi-rigid or rigid materials such as silicone, rubber or plastic over fabric straps. When contemplating the design of an improved pacifier strap, the inventors decided against a fabric pacifier strap because of the problems outlined above.

[0006] Pacifier straps featuring threaded beads or ball-like structures in the form of a chain are also known. While these types of pacifier straps offer an alternative to the fabric pacifier straps described above, if a pacifier strap using threaded beads or ball-like structures breaks, which is not uncommon, the beads / balls and / or clasp may become dislodged from the string presenting a serious choking hazard to the child. It is for this reason that pacifier straps in the form of a chain comprising threaded beads or ball-like structures are not designed for use when the child is asleep, and in other circumstances it is recommended that they be only used under close supervision. Further, as with the fabric pacifier straps the beaded pacifier straps cannot be machine washed and because the clasp is affixed to the string or similar material via an adhesive it is difficult to clean in between and / or within each bead. In addition, these types of pacifier straps are usually not recyclable. When contemplating the design for an improved pacifier strap, the inventors decided against a threaded pacifier strap because of the problems outlined above.

[0007] Given the problems identified above, the inventors thought that a pacifier strap made from a known flexible elastomeric material such as silicone or rubber could be a workable solution. However surprisingly the inventors found this was not the case.

[0008] A flat strap that has a greater width than thickness and that is made from a flexible elastomeric material such as silicone or rubber is known. The inventors considered using the flat strap as a pacifier strap as this could ameliorate at least some of the disadvantages of other known pacifier straps however user testing identified a further unexpected problem. While the flat strap was able to bend about an axis extending in the width direction, unfortunately the strap was resistant to bending in the thickness or sideways direction because the strap having more material prevented bending in that direction. Further, it was found that while the flat elastomeric strap was relatively flexible to the extent that it allowed the pacifier to be appropriately positioned within the child’s mouth when its head is in an upright position, this was not the case if there was any lateral and sideways movement of the child’s head. It is for this reason the inventors concluded that flat straps were not a suitable option as a pacifier strap. In addition, as with other known pacifier straps because the flat strap is resistant to bending sideways, the pacifier will rotate in the child’s mouth if the child turned or tilted its head.

[0009] While the inventors considered that one possible solution to the above-mentioned problem with the flat strap could be to consider a softer material hardness (known as “SHORE HARDNESS”), unfortunately it was found that due to safety standards for pacifier straps this would not be a workable solution. Safety limitations on how much the strap can stretch whilst also being capable of resisting breaking or separating under a relatively large load means that flat strap made of softer material hardness could not be used as it would not comply with safety standards.

[0010] The inventors then considered alternative known structures such as pacifier straps having a strap of beads or ball-like structures in the form of a chain that are integrally formed from a flexible elastomeric material. One such example is described in USD931477S1. However, it was found that as with the flat strap formed from resilient elastic material, integrally formed beaded pacifier chains were also resistant to bending sideways.

[0011] Tethers comprising a round strap having a portion having a sinusoidal, serpentine or zig-zag configuration such as those described in US11197584 and US4994075A were also considered by the inventors. These tethers are typically made of plastic rubbers and are sanitizable. The zig-zag configuration, which resembles a non-coiled tension spring, provides for increased flexibility enabling the tether to extend in the longitudinal direction to be lengthened or shortened and increased flexibility to bend in one direction. While the inventors found that this configuration allowed for bending in multiple directions, it was not specifically designed for such a use. Instead, the configuration bends uniformly in various directions, like a cylindrical cord of equivalent diameter but will bend about one or more axes that is perpendicular to the plane formed by the zig zag configuration.

[0012] Tethers comprising a flat strap having a portion with a sinusoidal, serpentine or zig-zag configuration such as those described in W02015030936A1 are also known. These tethers are typically made of plastic and are also sanitizable. The zig-zag configuration, which resembles a non-coiled tension spring, provides for increased flexibility enabling the tether to extend in the longitudinal direction to be lengthened or shortened. However, it has been found that these tethers are resistant to bending about an axis extending in the thickness direction because of the large amount of material resisting the bending. Accordingly, this gives rise to the same problems that have been described above in respect of the flat pacifier straps namely the issue of the pacifier rotating in the child’s mouth causing discomfort to the child if there is any sideway or lateral movement of its mouth.

[0013] While various cords and straps for use as pacifier straps, whether load bearing or otherwise already exist, the inventors have identified a need in the marketplace for an improved or at least alternative load-bearing cord or strap that has an aesthetic appearance and that is flexible in multiple directions; more particularly bending in different sideways or lateral directions and within relatively small spaces.Summary of the Invention

[0014] Accordingly in a first aspect the present invention provides a pacifier strap for use with a pacifier clip comprising: a load-bearing cord or strap, a clip connector proximal to one end of a load-bearing cord or strap and a pacifier connector proximalto the opposite end of the load-bearing cord or strap configured to connect the pacifier strap to a pacifier, the load-bearing cord or strap having a first bend portion having a larger width than thickness and being configured to bend about a first bend axis, a second bend portion having a larger width than thickness and being configured to bend about a second bend axis, and a connection portion connecting said first bend portion and said second bend portion, wherein said first bend axis and said second bend axis extend in different directions when the load-bearing cord or strap is in a relaxed state.

[0015] In the specification and claims, the term “relaxed state” means supported on a suitable surface, such as a flat surface, and not subjected to an external force. The load-bearing cord or strap would not be regarded as being in the relaxed state if only a portion of the load-bearing cord or strap is supported on a suitable surface or if a portion of the load-bearing cord or strap is subjected to the force of gravity. The phrase “relaxed state” does not include the action of even a very small external force. One of the preferred applications for the load-bearing cord or strap is as a pacifier strap and supporting a pacifier that weighs as little as around ten grams would be considered as the load-bearing cord or strap being subjected to an external force and not in a “relaxed state”.

[0016] Preferably the load-bearing cord or strap is configured to bend about a plurality of bend axes extending in different directions which allows for increased flexibility in multiple directions. Surprisingly such an arrangement offers advantages over the traditional elastomeric load-bearing cord or strap such as the round cord or flat strap described above. For example, it has been found that the load-bearing cord or strap according to the invention having substantially the same constant crosssection as a traditional load-beading cord or strap but also having alternating bend portions having a larger width than thickness that are generally perpendicular to one another (i.e. bend about the x and y axis) will be more flexible bending in multiple directions, namely about both the x and y axes, compared to the traditional cord or strap.

[0017] It will be appreciated that while each of the bend portions of the loadbearing cord or strap of the invention have a larger width than thickness, the configurations of the bend portions and the connection portions may vary. Forexample, as shown in Figures. 1A-9D, the load-bearing cord or strap of the invention can be made from connected plates of various shapes including circular, annular square, rectangular, rhomboid or oval plates that bend in different directions.Additionally, the plates may have irregular shapes provided they have a generally flat shape which allows the bend portion to fold to some extent rather than only bending about a specific bend axis. Similarly, the bend portions can have a cross-section in various shapes including elliptical, rectangular or other shapes having a larger width than thickness such as the second bending portion illustrated in Figure 1D. In a preferred aspect the load-bearing cord or strap is symmetrical in shape, and each bend portion is able to bend about its bend axis in both the clockwise and counterclockwise directions. In an alternative preferred aspect of the present invention may include non-symmetrical designs that have one or more bend portions that bend about its bend axis in only one of the clockwise or counterclockwise directions.

[0018] In an alternative first aspect the present invention provides a load-bearing cord or strap comprising a first bend portion configured to bend about a first bend axis, a second bend portion being configured to bend about a second bend axis and a connection portion connecting the first and second bend portions, said first bend axis and said second bend axis extending in different directions when the load-bearing cord or strap is in a relaxed state, wherein the first bend portion has a cross-sectional shape having a substantially lower area moment of inertia (second moment of area) about said first bend axis than a comparable round cord or strap and said second bend portion has a cross-sectional shape having a substantially lower area moment of inertia (second moment of area) about the second bend axis than a comparable round cord or strap.

[0019] In the specification and claims, including in the alternative first aspect of the invention, the term “comparable round cord or strap” refers to a load-bearing cord or strap having a constant circular cross-section that has the same cross-sectional area as the bend portion of the present invention under discussion and is made of the same material(s) and is of similar construction.

[0020] Surprisingly the inventors have found that by reason of the unique configuration of the load-bearing cord or strap of the alternative first aspect, whichallows for alternating bend axis directions, the load-bearing cord or strap represents an improvement in bending about multiple bend axes such as the x and y axis over traditional cord shapes with consistent traditional cross-sectional shapes (for example: circle, square, rectangular or elliptical). The extent of the improvement has been quantified and demonstrated in the results of calculations provided below and which follow the Detailed Description of the Drawings). The results show how different cross-sectional shapes with the same cross-sectional area have different area moments of inertia (second moment of area).

[0021] The area moment of inertia (second moment of area) of a bend portion about an axis can be calculated from the cross-sectional shape of the bend portion and is one of the factors in determining the flexibility of the load-bearing cord or strap about that bend axis along with materials used and the structure of the load-bearing cord or strap (for example, whether the load-bearing cord or strap is reinforced with a harder material).

[0022] The calculations show that thinner and wider shapes such as rectangles or ellipses have substantially lower area moments of inertia than circles or square (when bending about the axis that has less material). The larger the ratio between the width and thickness of a rectangle or ellipse, the less resistance to bending the shape has. Interpreting the results of the calculations, the lower the value of the area moment of inertia equals less resistance to bending.

[0023] However, for more complex shapes, whilst the ratio between the width and thickness of the cross-sectional area generally reflects the resistance to bending, there may be some shapes where this not the case and where the area moment of inertia is a more accurate indicator of the resistance to bending rather than the ratio between the width and thickness. For example, if the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figures 1A-1E was modified by applying thin bristles to the outer surfaces, including the bend portions, the bend portions may not have a larger width than thickness but would likely still have a lower area moment of inertia than a comparable round cord, depending on the dimensions of the bristles.

[0024] Given that the diameter / width of a round cord is the same when measured anywhere about the circle, it is equally resistant to bending in any direction whereasthe load-bearing strap or cord of the present invention is configured to bend more easily in multiple directions (e.g. about the x and y axis). When considering just the x and y axis, squares behave in the same way as circles because the area moment of inertia is the same. This makes the square less effective if a lower area moment of inertia in desired axes is required. By selecting a shape for the bend portions having a lower area moment of inertia than a traditional cord and applying that shape at different angles allows for the load-bearing cord or strap of the present invention to have increased flexibility about multiple predefined and chosen axes e.g. the x and y axis compared to a traditional cord with a similar load-bearing capacity.

[0025] This is particularly effective when the bend portions extend over a portion of the longitudinal axis of the load bearing cord allowing bend portion to have a generally flat or generally plate shape. The bend portion being generally flat or generally plate shaped enables the load bearing cord to bend in the desired axis anywhere along the generally flat or generally plate shaped bend portion. If one considers a load bearing cord only needing to bend in two axes, then designing the cord to have alternating flat bend portions with bend axis in the chosen two directions would enable more of the overall length of the load bearing cord to bend specifically in these chosen directions. It is to be noted that every change in direction introduces a connection portion which blends the two shapes meaning that the connection portion will have a less efficient area moment of inertia and therefore, more connection portions would reduce the overall effectiveness of this application. On this basis a balance is often needed between introducing a reasonable number of flat bend portions in alternating axis and not to introduce too many connection portions but simultaneously ensuring that there are enough alternating bend portions to allow a gradual and desired bend reaction of the cord. This can also be applied to cords that need to bend in 3 or more alternating axes.

[0026] Figure 13 presents a perspective view of two adjacent square plates designed to maximise bending in two directions showing the cross-sectional area where the two adjacent plates intersect, illustrating why every change in direction introduces a connection portion which blends the two shapes. The two adjacent plates illustrated in Figure 13 are designed to maximise bending in two directions and do not have a connection portion which blends the two shapes which means that the region where the two adjacent plates intersect has a relatively small cross-sectional area which wouldgreatly limit the load-carrying capacity of a cord or strap constructed in such a fashion. Accordingly, such an arrangement is generally unsuitable for use in a load=bearing cord or strap and explains why in a load-bearing cord or strap every change in direction requires a connection portion which blends the two shapes.

[0027] In another example, a flat rectangular strap of constant width and thickness is very flexible in one direction in that it will bend relatively easily about a bend axis extending in the width direction but is more resistant to bending about an axis in the thickness direction. In contrast, the load-bearing strap or cord of the present invention is configured to bend easily in multiple directions but less well in just one direction. This allows for a load-bearing cord or strap that is still flexible in one direction (e.g. about the x axis) like the flat rectangular strap, but that is also flexible in another direction (e.g. about the y axis) unlike a flat rectangular strap. For instance, when used as a pacifier strap, this means that the pacifier strap which has the unique configuration of the load-bearing strap of the present invention can flex upwards and downwards like a flat rectangular strap. However, in contrast to the conventional flat rectangular strap, if the child turns its head with the pacifier in its mouth, the strap of the present invention will flex sideways such that the pacifier will twist less in the child’s mouth.

[0028] Figures 14A-14E show cross sectional views of different traditional cord shapes having the same load capacity as they all have the same cross-sectional area. The cross-sectional area of each of the load bearing cords or straps illustrated in Figures 14A-14E has been set to 22mm2as this is the area required for a silicone of a shore hardness of 50 to support a 90Nm load without breaking. The ability to support a load of 90Nm is a requirement of the tensile test of European standard EN 12586 (Child use and care articles - Soother holder - Safety requirements and test methods). Compliance with the requirements of EN12586 ensures that the pacifier strap of the present invention meets the safety requirements for use by children.

[0029] The inventors have found that the load-bearing cord or strap of first or alternative first aspects of the invention is particularly suited to uses requiring a loadbearing cord or strap that can bend in multiple directions and perhaps within in a relatively small space such as a pacifier strap. It will therefore be convenient to describe the invention in relation to this application, however it is to be appreciatedthat the invention could have wider application where there is a need for a loadbearing cord or strap to bend in a multitude of directions. Possible applications include use as a tether or leash for other objects such as a bottle or cup, utensil, teether or toy..

[0030] In a preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the first bend portion and the second bend portion are formed from a resilient flexible material, for example silicone. In a further preferred aspect, the load-bearing cord or strap is formed from any suitable material that is resilient and flexible material.Suitable materials include thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), rubbers, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), silicone or other rubber like materials. While some forms of the invention can include portions formed of different materials, in preferred forms of the invention, each of the first bend and second bend portions and the connection portion are formed from the same material. This advantageously provides that the portions of the load-bearing cord or strap have the same physical characteristics, so that differing characteristics (such as thermal expansion and friction coefficient for example) do not affect the performance of the tether.

[0031] In a preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the load-bearing cord or strap is of unitary construction.

[0032] In yet another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the first bend portion, the second bend position and / or the connection position are co-molded or overmolded. For example, the load-bearing cord or strap may have connection portions formed from a hard plastic like polypropylene. The connection portions can be overmolded with a resilient flexible material such as thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), rubbers, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), or other rubber like materials to form the bend portions. While this construction may add to the manufacturing complexity and cost, the load-bearing cord or strap may be more aesthetically pleasing.

[0033] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the load-bearing cord or strap is integrally formed from an elastic and flexible material, for example silicone. Where the connection portions and the first and second bend portions are formed of the same material, they can bemanufactured as a single, integral component, such as by molding, which minimises manufacturing complexity and cost. It also means that the aesthetically the loadbearing cord or strap can be formed of the same material and in the same colour.

[0034] Silicone is preferred for example over thermoplastic elastomers, as silicone is considered to perform more consistently over time and be more durable. TPU or TPE will lose elasticity and break down more quickly, particularly in applications where the material is repeatedly folded, bent and / or flexed because each fold, bend or flex will cause the material that folds, bends or flexes to plastically deform and start to break down. Silicone also retains its shape better after being compressed or stretched over TPU or TPE meaning it is more likely to maintain its original thickness after being compressed in normal use or if it suffers an impact.

[0035] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the load-bearing cord or strap of the first or alternative first aspects is a tether.

[0036] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the load-bearing cord or strap of the first or alternative first aspects is reinforced with a more rigid material. Reinforcing the load-bearing cord or strap with a more rigid material is generally not desirable because it reduces the flexibility of the load-bearing cord or strap, but reinforcement may be required in some applications such as where the load-bearing cord or strap is being used to transmit large forces.

[0037] In yet another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the first and second bend portions are generally plate shaped and have a larger width than thickness. The first and second bend portions may have any shape provided that it has a generally flat shape which allows the bend portion to fold to some extent rather than only bending about a specific bend axis. The first and second bend portions being generally plate shaped is particularly advantageous because generally plate shaped first, and second bend portions will not only bend about a specific bend axis but will fold about multiple bend axes extending in generally parallel directions thus providing increased flexibility in a specific bend direction over a portion than only bends about a specific bend axis.

[0038] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the first and second bend portions of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention comprise a strip having a larger width than thickness.

[0039] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the first and second bend portions are formed by grooves, such as V-shaped, square, or arc shaped grooves, formed on opposite surfaces of the loadbearing cord or strap.

[0040] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the first bend axis and the second bend axis aspect of the first or alternative first aspects are generally perpendicular to one another.

[0041] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the first bend axis and the second bend axis of the first or alternative first aspects are generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap. It is to be appreciated that in the illustrated embodiments of the invention each bend portion is illustrated as being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap. However, the illustrated bend axis is considered the preferred bend axis but depending on the configuration of the bend portion and the adjacent connection portions, that the bend portion may bend about a number of possible bend axes.

[0042] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the cross-sectional area of the connection portion of the first or alternative first aspects is within the range of 80-120 percent of the cross-sectional area of each of the first bend portion and the second bend portion. One of the advantages of this embodiment of the present invention is that the cross-sectional area of the loadbearing cord or strap is relatively consistent throughout its length.

[0043] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the load-bearing cord or strap of the first or alternative first aspects comprises a repeating pattern in which the first bend portion is connected to the second bend portion and the second bend portion is connected to the next first bend portion, each of the bend portions being connected by connection portionstherebetween.

[0044] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the first and second bend portions of the load-bearing cord or strap of the first or alternative first aspects have a generally elliptical and / or a generally rectangular cross-section.

[0045] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the connection portion of the load-bearing cord or strap of the first or alternative first aspects is generally tetrahedral in shape.

[0046] One embodiment of the present invention that has a relatively consistent cross-sectional area throughout its length and provides an ideal configuration for providing bend in at least two (2) directions whilst maintain load bearing properties without excess material is a load-bearing cord or strap having alternating first and second bend portions that are generally perpendicular having a generally elliptical and / or rectangular cross section that are connected by connection portions that are generally tetrahedral in shape and provide a smooth curved transition between the first and second bend portions. In one preferred aspect, the first and second connection portions have the largest cross-sectional area with a cross largest cross-sectional area of around 26mm2whereas the first bend portion has a cross-sectional area of approximately 22mm2and the second bend as a cross-sectional area of approximately 22.35 mm2. This means that the connection portions have a cross-sectional area that is less than 20 percent larger than the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap having the smallest cross-sectional area (i.e. the first bend portion). The repeating pattern provided by this aspect of the invention, ensures that the loadbearing cord or strap according to the invention is subjectively aesthetically pleasing.

[0047] Accordingly, when the load-bearing cord or strap is integrally formed, the present invention allows for a load-bearing cord or strap that is more flexible in multiple directions than a comparable round cord and which minimises material wastage due to the efficient design. This is unlike an integrally formed pacifier chain having ball-like structures which has areas with generally reduced cross-sectional area between the ball-like structures which uses more material than a pacifier strap according to the present invention because the load capacity of the integrally formed pacifier chain having ball-like structures is limited to the areas of generally reduced cross-sectional area.

[0048] Ideally the cross-section area of the connection portion is the same or more than the cross-sectional area of the bend portions, this ensures that the bend portions are optimally designed to be as flexible as possible. Both the cross-sectional area of the connection portion and the bend portions need to meet the minimum requirements to meet the load bearing requirements of the applicable standards.

[0049] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the first bend axis and second bend axis extend generally in the width direction of the first and second bend portions respectively.

[0050] It is to be appreciated that the shape and size of the first and second bend portions will determine the orientation of the first and second bend-axes and the flexibility of the load-bearing cord or strap in different directions in that plane. For example, if the bend portion is a generally circular plate, the bend axis should generally pass through the centroid of the generally circular plate. The bend axis can be perpendicular or diagonal to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap because a circular plate is equally resistant to bending in any direction. In contrast, if the bend portion is a straight long narrow portion and where the connection portions are close together the strap will generally bend about the narrow portion, and the bend axis will extend in generally the lengthwise direction of the straight long narrow portion.

[0051] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the connection portion is more resistant to bending about the first bend axis and the second bend axis than the first bend portion and the second bend portion because it has a greater cross-sectional area and / or has a cross sectional shape which has a larger area moment of inertia about the first and second bend axis. Whilst in this aspect the connection portion has a greater cross-sectional area and / or has a cross-sectional shape which has a larger area moment of inertia about the first and second bend axis, the connection portions may still allow some flex and bend.

[0052] The inventors have found that the increased flexibility of the load-bearing cord or strap in multiple directions is primarily due to the load-bearing cord or strap of the invention being configured to bend about the bend axes. Even a load bearing cord or strap having rigid connection portions and so configured would be flexible inmultiple directions, but possibly not as flexible as a round cord having the same loadbearing capacity made from a resilient and flexible material.

[0053] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the load-bearing cord or strap of the first or alternative first aspects has a longitudinal axis and the first and second bend portions each have a long dimension and a generally perpendicular short dimension, wherein the long dimension is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strap or tether when in a relaxed state.

[0054] In yet another preferred aspect the load-bearing cord or strap of the first or alternative first aspects has three or more bend portions configured to bend about the first and second bend axis as well as a third or more bend axes wherein each bend axis extends in a different direction. The illustrated embodiments show that the bend portions can bend in two or three directions. However, the load-bearing cord or strap could have more bend portions bending in more directions. For example, the loadbearing cord or strap could have four bend portions bending about four bend axes that at an angle of 45 degrees from one another. Similarly, there could be more bend portions bending about more bend axes. Preferably the bend portions would be at an angle to one another of 180 degrees divided by the number of bend portions so that the load-bearing cord or strap bends more symmetrically. It is be appreciated that for most applications it is preferred that the bend portions are perpendicular and bend about the x and y axis to increase bending in these directions so that the load-bearing cord or strap is very flexible in these two specific directions. For some applications, it may be desirable to have multiple bend axes extending in three or four directions to increase flexibility in a greater number of directions, but this is generally less desirable because the advantages of being very flexible in specific directions are diminished.

[0055] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the load-bearing cord or strap of the first or alternative first aspects comprises a repeating pattern of a first bend portion that is connected to one end of a first connection portion, the opposite end of the first connection portion is connected to one end of a second bend portion, the opposite end of the second bend portion is connected to one end of a second connection portion and the opposite end of the second connection portion is connected to another first bend portion.

[0056] It is to be appreciated that the load-bearing cord or strap of the first or alternative first aspects may have a different repeating pattern or may not have a repeating pattern at all. For example, the repeating pattern may be first bend portion, connection portion, second bend portion connection portion, second bend portion, connection portion, first bend portion, connection portion, first bend portion, connection portion, second bend portion, connection portion. It is also to be appreciated that in the above sequence the repeating pattern relates to the bend portions and not the connection portions, meaning the connection portions may not be in a repeating pattern. The illustrated embodiments of the invention show connection portions that are identical or reflected images of one another in a repeating pattern, but the connections portions need not be in a repeating pattern and may be different shapes. In fact, each connection portion could be different in shape. It is also to be appreciated that one or more of the connection portions could include other features such as teething portions or a plaque bearing a name or trade mark.

[0057] It is also to be appreciated that the bend portions need not be identical in shape or in cross-section. By using different bend portions having different shapes and / or cross-sections the load-bearing cord or strap can be configured in the way it bends and the location of the bend. For example, if the load-bearing cord or strap having alternating perpendicular bend portions comprised a first half having bend portions in the form of thick rectangular plates and a second half having bend portions in the form of thin round plates then the load-bearing cord or strap would have one half more resistant to bending than the other half meaning that in use the half of the load-bearing cord or strap having the thin round plates would be more flexible in the x and y directions and bend more than the half having the rectangular plates.

[0058] Obviously, the shape and cross-section of each bending portion could be individually configured, and every bend portion could have a different shape and / or cross section. Similarly, the shape and cross-section of each connection portion could also be modified to influence the way that the load-bearing cord or strap bends. By modifying the shape and cross-section of the bending portions and the connection portions the load-bearing cord or strap can be configured to bend in a specific way.

[0059] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the first bend portion and / or the second bend portion comprises a first plateor strip having a larger width than thickness and a second plate or strip having a larger width than thickness that is spaced apart from the first plate or strip. The illustrated embodiments generally show that each bend portion is a single strip or plate which is generally more efficient than having multiple strips or plates. However, it is to be appreciated that the bend portions may comprise two or more separate portions that are spaced apart. For example, in the embodiment according to the present invention as illustrated in Figs 4A-4D, both the first and second bend portions comprise two spaced apart portions that are generally plate shaped.

[0060] In another preferred aspect of the first or alternative first aspects of the invention, the first bend portion and / or the second bend portion are formed by grooves formed on opposing surfaces of the load-bearing cord or strap.

[0061] Another aspect of the invention provides a pacifier strap comprising a loadbearing cord or strap of the above-described kind.

[0062] In another aspect of the invention, a pacifier strap for use with a pacifier clip comprises a clip connector proximal to one end of the load-bearing cord or strap, and a pacifier connector, which is a band, proximal to the opposite end of the loadbearing cord or strap configured to connect the pacifier strap to a pacifier. For example, the pacifier strap includes a pacifier cord having the same general structure as the cord of the above-described kind that is connected to the band at one end.

[0063] In a further aspect of the invention, the clip connector comprises a male connector comprising a projection that is configured to be received within a female connector on the pacifier clip comprising an opening including a recess to connect the pacifier strap to the pacifier clip.

[0064] In the context of pacifier straps, the present invention allows for the loadbearing cord or strap to be readily disconnected from both the pacifier and the pacifier clip, meaning that if parts of the pacifier strap are formed from recyclable materials, such as the plastic pacifier clip, they can easily be separated and recycled unlike other pacifier straps, such as fabric pacifier straps where the pacifier strap is not detachable from the pacifier clip meaning that the pacifier strap cannot be easily recycled.

[0065] It may be desirable that the pacifier strap is more flexible in the upwards and downwards direction rather than side to side and this can achieved by configuring the first and second bend portions of the pacifier to have different moments of inertia (second moments or area) by selecting different cross-sectional shapes and / or thicknesses for the first and second bend portion so as to provide more flexibility in the upwards and downwards direction than side to side direction. In other applications such as a tether for a ball the tether may require equal flexibility in multiple directions so the cord would contain multiple bend portions having an identical cross section, for example having generally perpendicular first and second bend portions having an identical cross-sectional area and shape to provide the same flexibility in multiple directions.

[0066] In another aspect the invention provides a tether for a bottle or cup, comprising a load-bearing cord or strap of the above-described kind, a loop at one end configured for attachment to the bottle or cup and having a connector at the opposite end for attachment to an object. Preferably the connector is a hole in the tether proximal to the end of the tether configured to receive one of a number of projections extending from the tether. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the connector can be an anchor such a ball to be received in a socket or another form of fastener such as a second loop.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0067] In order that the invention may be more fully understood, some embodiments will now be described with reference to the figures in which:

[0068] Figure 1A is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a portion of the load-bearing cord or strap according to the present invention.

[0069] Figure 1 B is a top view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 1A.

[0070] Figure 1C is a side view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 1A.

[0071] Figure 1D is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 1A through bend axis H2 in end view.

[0072] Figure 1 E is an end view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 1A.

[0073] Figure 2A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a portion of the load-bearing cord or strap according to the present invention.

[0074] Figure 2B is a top view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 2A.

[0075] Figure 2C is a side view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 2A.

[0076] Figure 2D is an end view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 2A.

[0077] Figure 3A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a portion of the load-bearing cord or strap according to the present invention.

[0078] Figure 3B is a top view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 3A.

[0079] Figure 3C is a side view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 3A.

[0080] Figure 3D is an end view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 3A.

[0081] Figure 4A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a portion of the load-bearing cord or strap according to the present invention.

[0082] Figure 4B is a top view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 4A.

[0083] Figure 4C is a side view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 4A.

[0084] Figure 4D is an end view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 4A.

[0085] Figure 5A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a portion of the load-bearing cord or strap according to the present invention.

[0086] Figure 5B is a top view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 5A.

[0087] Figure 5C is a side view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 5A.

[0088] Figure 5D is an end view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 5A.

[0089] Figure 6A is a perspective view of a portion of another exemplary embodiment of the load-bearing cord or strap according to the present invention.

[0090] Figure 6B is a top view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 6A.

[0091] Figure 6C is a side view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 6A.

[0092] Figure 6D is an end view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 6A.

[0093] Figure 7A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a portion of the load-bearing cord or strap according to the present invention.

[0094] Figure 7B is a top view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 7A.

[0095] Figure 7C is a side view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 7A.

[0096] Figure 7D is an end view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 7A.

[0097] Figure 8A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a portion of the load-bearing cord or strap according to the present invention.

[0098] Figure 8B is a top view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 8A.

[0099] Figure 8C is a side view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 8A.

[0100] Figure 8D is an end view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 8A.

[0101] Figure 9A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a portion of the load-bearing cord or strap according to the present invention.

[0102] Figure 9B is a top view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 9A.

[0103] Figure 9C is a side view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 9A.

[0104] Figure 9D is an end view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 9A.

[0105] Figure 10A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a portion of the load-bearing cord or strap according to the present invention.

[0106] Figure 10B is a top view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 10A.

[0107] Figure 10C is a side view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 10A.

[0108] Figure 10D is an end view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 10A.

[0109] Figure 11A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a portion of the load-bearing cord or strap according to the present invention.

[0110] Figure 11B is a top view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 11 A.

[0111] Figure 11C is a side view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 11 A.

[0112] Figure 11 D is an end view of the exemplary embodiment of the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap in Figure 11 A.

[0113] Figure 12A is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a pacifier strap according to the present invention.

[0114] Figure 12B is a top view of the exemplary embodiment of the pacifier strap in Figure 12A.

[0115] Figure 12C is a side view of the exemplary embodiment of the pacifier strap in Figure 12A.

[0116] Figure 12D is an end view of the exemplary embodiment of the pacifier strap in Figure 12A.

[0117] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of two adjacent square plates designed to maximise bending in two directions showing the cross-sectional area where the two adjacent plates intersect.

[0118] Figure 14A is a cross-sectional view of a round load-bearing cord or strap having a cross-sectional area of 22mm2.

[0119] Figure 14B is a cross-sectional view of a square load-bearing cord or strap having a cross-sectional area of 22mm2.

[0120] Figure 14C is a cross-sectional view of a rectangular load-bearing cord or strap having a base that is twice as long as its height and having a cross-sectional area of 22 mm2.

[0121] Figure 14D is a cross-sectional view of a rectangular load-bearing cord or strap having a base that is four times as long as its height and having a cross-sectional area of 22mm2.

[0122] Figure 14E is a cross-sectional view of an elliptical load-bearing cord or strap having a cross-sectional area of 22mm2.Detailed Description of the Drawings

[0123] Figure 1A is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the loadbearing cord or strap 10 according to the present invention. The load-bearing cord or strap 10 is integrally formed from a resilient flexible material and has a plurality of bend portions that are connected by a plurality of connection portions in a repeating pattern. The repeating pattern has a first bend portion 12, a second bend portion 14 and connection portions therebetween, the latter generally referred to as 16, including a first connection portion 16A and a second connection portion 16B. Looking at the first of the repeated patterns of the load-bearing cord or strap Figure 1 A shows one end of the first bend portion 12 being connected to one end of a first connection portion 16A and one end of the second bend portion 14 connected to the other end of the first connection portion 16A. The other end of the second bend portion 14 is connected to one end of the second connection portion 16B and the other end of the connection portion 16B connects to the next first bend portion 12. This pattern is repeated along the length of the load-bearing cord or strap 10. The repeating pattern ensures that the load-bearing cord or strap 10 according to the present invention is subjectively aesthetically pleasing.

[0124] As shown in Figures 1A, 1B and 1 C, the connection portions 16A, 16B are generally tetrahedral in shape with rounded corners which provide smooth curved transitions between the first and second bend portions. Adjacent connection portions 16A, 16B are identical in shape but extend in opposite directions and each connection portion 16A, 16B connects the firstand second bend portions 12,14 respectively which are generally plate shaped and extend in generally perpendicular directions according to this exemplary embodiment. The first bend portion 12 is generally plate shaped having a greater width than thickness that is generally elliptical in cross-sectional shape extending in a generally vertical direction and is configured to flex about a first bend axis Hi extending in a generally vertical direction. The cross-sectional shape of the first bend portion 12 is identical to the end portion 18 visible in Figs 1A and 1E. The second bend portion 14 is also generally plate shaped having a greater width than thickness and is configured to flex about a second bend axis H2.As seen in Fig. 1 D, the second bend portion 14 has a cross-sectional shape extending in a generally horizontal direction having a central portion that is generally rectangular in shape with an area of reduced cross-section proximal to the centroid and rounded edge portions that are shaped like a parabolic curve and is configured to bend about a second bend axis H2 that is generally horizontal. The first and second bend portions are connected in a repeating pattern, giving both the upper surface and bottom surface of the load-bearing cord or strap a wave-like appearance. The first bend axis Hi and the second bend axis H2 being generally perpendicular to one another enables the cord to bend in any direction. The first bend axis Hi and the second bend axis H2 are also both generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap 10.

[0125] It should be noted that while the first bend portion 12 flexes primarily about a first bend axis Hi, this does not mean the strap 10 cannot bend along other axes. Rather, it indicates that the strap 10 tends to flex along the first bend axis Hi when subjected to a force having a lateral component in the thickness direction. Similarly, while the second bend portion 14 flexes primarily about a second bend axis H2, this does not preclude bending along other axes. Instead, it means the strap 10 tends to flex along the second bend axis H2 when subjected to a force having a lateral component in the thickness direction.

[0126] The connection portions 16A, 16B allow some flex and bend but are thicker than the bend portions 12, 14 which allow the load-bearing cord or strap 10 to bend about the bend axes Hi, H2. As stated above the Applicant has found that the increased flexibility of the load-bearing cord or strap in multiple directions is primarily due to the load-bearing cord or strap of the invention being configured to bend about the bend axes. Even a load-bearing cord or strap having rigid connection portions and so configured would be flexible in multiple directions.

[0127] Consequently, the load-bearing cord or strap 10 provided by the exemplary embodiment of the present invention demonstrates a significantly greater flexibility in multiple directions compared to a conventional strap that has a uniform width and thickness because it provided spaced bend portions configured to bend in multiple directions. Moreover, both the first and second bend portions 12,14 are generally plate shaped which allows the bend portions to fold to some extent rather than onlybending about a specific bend axis. Surprisingly the Applicant has found that the flexibility of the strap or cord of the invention and its ability to bend about a plurality of bend axes in multiple directions is achieved by reason of the unique configuration of the strap and importantly without any compromise to its load bearing capacity and using similar manufacturing materials as conventional straps or cords.

[0128] In the load-bearing cord or strap 10 the first and second bend axes Hi, H2 are both generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap 10 but alternatively the first and second bend axes Hi, H2 can be on the diagonal. Having the first and second bend axes Hi, H2 on the diagonal may be desirable in some embodiments so that the connection portions move laterally away from one another when the bend portions fold inwards. This arrangement ensures that the connection portions do not contact one another and as such allows a greater range of motion when the load-bearing cord or strap is bent in certain directions.

[0129] It is to be appreciated that the dimensions of the first and second bend portions 12, 14 can be configured to determine the flexibility of the cord in multiple directions. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1A-1E, the first bend portion 12 is shorter and thicker than the second bend portion 14 which, whilst having a similar cross-sectional area, is longer and thinner than the first bend portion 12 meaning the load-bearing cord or strap will be more flexible bending about the second bending axis H2 than the first bending axis Hi.

[0130] One of the advantages of the integrally formed load-bearing cord or strap 10 is relatively consistent throughout its length. In the commercial embodiment of the load-bearing cord or strap 10, the first and second connection portions 16A, 16B have the largest cross-sectional area with a cross largest cross-sectional area of around 26mm2whereas the first bend portion 12 has a cross-sectional area of approximately 22mm2and the second bend portion 14 has a cross-sectional area of approximately 22.35 mm2. This means that the connection portions 16A, 16B have a cross-sectional area that is less than 20 percent larger than the portion of the load-bearing cord or strap having the smallest cross-sectional area (i.e. the first bend portion 12).

[0131] Accordingly, the present invention provides a load-bearing cord or strap 10 that is more flexible in multiple directions than cords of traditional construction andwhich minimises material wastage due to the efficient design. This is unlike an integrally formed pacifier chain having ball-like structures which has areas with generally reduced cross-sectional area between the ball-like structures because the load capacity of the integrally formed pacifier chain having ball-like structures is limited to the areas of generally reduced cross-sectional area which is a less efficient use of materials that this embodiment of the present invention.

[0132] Whilst the load-bearing cord or strap 10 has first and second bend portions 12, 14 having different cross section areas, in other embodiments the generally perpendicular first and second bend portions could have an identical shape and cross sectional area to ensure that the load-bearing cord or strap is equally flexible in two generally perpendicular directions thus allowing the load-bearing cord or strap to bend easily in any direction.

[0133] Figure 2A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the load-bearing cord or strap 20 according to the present invention. The load-bearing cord or strap 20 of the invention comprises overlapping generally perpendicular discs forming two generally perpendicular planes. As shown from the top view of the exemplary embodiment of the load-bearing cord or strap 20 in Figure 2B and the side view in Figure 2C the first and second bend portions 22 and 24 are shaped as portions of a disc. The first bend portion 22 and the second bend portion 24 are connected by connection portions 26, including the first connection portion 26A and second connection portion 26B. First bend axis H21 and second bend axis H22 are illustrated as both being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the loadbearing cord or strap 20. However, it is to be appreciated that the bend portions 22, 24 can also bend about an axis that is diagonal to the longitudinal axis of the loadbearing cord or strap.

[0134] The load-bearing cord or strap 20 is integrally formed from a resilient flexible material and has a plurality of bend portions that are connected by a plurality of connection portions in a repeating pattern. The repeating pattern has a first bend portion 22, a second bend portion 24 and connection portions therebetween, the latter generally referred to as 26, including the first connection portion 26A and the second connection portion 26B. Looking at the first of the repeated patterns of the loadbearing cord or strap of Figs 2A-2D shows one end of the first bend portion 22 beingconnected to one end of a first connection portion 26A and one end of the second bend portion 24 connected to the other end of the first connection portion 26A. The other end of the second bend portion 24 is connected to one end of the second connection portion 26B and the other end of the connection portion 26B connects to the next first bend portion 22. This pattern is repeated along the length of the loadbearing cord or strap 20. The repeating pattern ensures that the load-bearing cord or strap 20 according to the present invention is subjectively aesthetically pleasing.

[0135] The connection portions 26A, 26B include the portion where the perpendicular discs intersect which provides sufficient cross-sectional area throughout the connection portion to transmit a load.

[0136] Figure 3A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the load-bearing cord or strap 30 according to the present invention. The load-bearing cord or strap 30 of Figure 3A is of unitary construction and comprises alternating square plates connected along the diagonal to form two planes. Adjacent plates are generally perpendicular and the diagonals between opposite corners of each plate extend in the longitudinal direction of the load-bearing cord or strap 30 and in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the load-bearing cord or strap 30. The first bend portion 32 and the second bend portion 34 are connected by connection portions 36, including the first connection portion 36A and the second connection portion. As shown from the top view of the exemplary embodiment of the load-bearing cord or strap 30 in Figure 3B and the side view in Figure 3C the first and second bend portions 32 and 34 are shaped as portions of a square plate. First bend axis H31 and second bend axis H32 are illustrated as both being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap 30. However, it is to be appreciated that the bend portions can also bend about an axis that is diagonal to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap.

[0137] The load-bearing cord or strap 30 is integrally formed from a resilient flexible material and has a plurality of bend portions that are connected by a plurality of connection portions in a repeating pattern. The repeating pattern has a first bend portion 32, a second bend portion 34 and connection portions therebetween, the latter generally referred to as 36, including the first connection portion 36A and the second connection portion 36B. Looking at the first of the repeated patterns of the load-bearing cord or strap of Figs 3A-3D shows one end of the first bend portion 32 being connected to one end of a first connection portion 36A and one end of the second bend portion 34 connected to the other end of the first connection portion 36A. The other end of the second bend portion 34 is connected to one end of the second connection portion 36B and the other end of the connection portion 36B connects to the next first bend portion 32. This pattern is repeated along the length of the loadbearing cord or strap 30.

[0138] The connection portions 36A, 36B include the portion where the square plates intersect which provides sufficient cross-sectional area throughout the connection portion to transmit a load.

[0139] Figure 4A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the load-bearing cord or strap 40 according to the present invention. The load-bearing cord or strap 40 of Figure 4A is of unitary construction and comprises alternating overlapping annular plates forming two generally perpendicular planes. The ring portions of the annular plates overlap but are generally perpendicular to one another such that one annular plate extends from the inner perimeters of one adjacent perpendicular plate to the inner perimeter of the adjacent perpendicular plate and has an aperture extending between the outer perimeters of the same two adjacent perpendicular plates. As shown from the top view of the exemplary embodiment of the load-bearing cord or strap 40 in Figure 4B and the side view in Figure 4C the first and second bend portions 42 and 44 are shaped as portions of an annular plate. The first bend portion 42 and the second bend portion 44 are connected by connection portions 46, including the first connection portion 46A and the second connection portion 46B. The first bend portion 42 comprises two spaced apart generally plate shaped portions being the two portions of the annular plate separated by the aperture in the centre of the annular plate. Similarly, the second bend portion 44 comprises two spaced apart generally plate shaped portions being the two portions of the annular plate separated by the aperture in the centre of the annular plate. First bend axis H41 and second bend axis H42 are illustrated as both being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap 40. However, it is to be appreciated that the bend portions can also bend about an axis that is diagonal to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap.

[0140] The load-bearing cord or strap 40 is integrally formed from a resilient flexible material and has a plurality of bend portions that are connected by a plurality of connection portions in a repeating pattern. The repeating pattern has a first bend portion 42, a second bend portion 44 and connection portions therebetween, the latter generally referred to as 46, including the first connection portion 46A and the second connection portion46B. Looking at the first of the repeated patterns of the loadbearing cord or strap of Figs 4A-4D shows one end of the first bend portion 42 being connected to one end of a first connection portion 46A and one end of the second bend portion 44 connected to the other end of the first connection portion 46A. The other end of the second bend portion 44 is connected to one end of the second connection portion 46B and the other end of the connection portion 46B connects to the next first bend portion 42. This pattern is repeated along the length of the loadbearing cord or strap 40.

[0141] The connection portions 46A, 46B include the portion where the annular plates intersect which provides sufficient cross-sectional area throughout the connection portion to transmit a load.

[0142] Figure 5A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the load-bearing cord or strap 50 according to the present invention. The load-bearing cord or strap 50 comprises square plates where adjacent plates are generally perpendicular to form two generally perpendicular planes, i.e. lines passing through the centroid of the square plates that are parallel to the sides extend in the longitudinal direction of the load-bearing cord or strap 50 and in directions generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the load-bearing cord or strap 50. As shown from the top view of the exemplary embodiment of the load-bearing cord or strap 50 in Figure 5B and the side view in Figure 5C the first and second bend portions 52 and 54 are shaped as portions of a square plate. The first bend portion 52 and the second bend portion 54 are connected by connection portions 56, including the first connection portion 56A and the second connection portion 56B. First bend axis H51 and second bend axis H52 are illustrated as both being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap 50. However, it is to be appreciated that the bend portions can also bend about an axis that is diagonal to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap.

[0143] The load-bearing cord or strap 50 is integrally formed from a resilient flexible material and has a plurality of bend portions that are connected by a plurality of connection portions in a repeating pattern. The repeating pattern has a first bend portion 52, a second bend portion 54 and connection portions therebetween, the latter generally referred to as 56, including the first connection portion 56A and the second connection portion 56B. Looking at the first of the repeated patterns of the loadbearing cord or strap of Figs 5A-5D shows one end of the first bend portion 52 being connected to one end of a first connection portion 56A and one end of the second bend portion 54 connected to the other end of the first connection portion 56A. The other end of the second bend portion 54 is connected to one end of the second connection portion 56B and the other end of the connection portion 56B connects to the next first bend portion 52. This pattern is repeated along the length of the loadbearing cord or strap 50.

[0144] The connection portions 56A, 56B include the portion where the square plates intersect which provides sufficient cross-sectional area throughout the connection portion to transmit a load.

[0145] Figure 6A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the load-bearing cord or strap 60 according to the present invention. The load-bearing cord or strap 60 is integrally formed from a resilient flexible material and has a plurality of bend portions that are connected by a plurality of connection portions in a repeating pattern. The load-bearing cord or strap 60 comprises round disc-shaped plates wherein adjacent plates are arranged in a repeating pattern such that adjacent disc-shaped plates are inclined at an angle of generally 120 degrees to one another. Accordingly, the disc shaped plates allow the load-bearing cord or strap to bend in at least three different directions. The repeating pattern comprises a first disc shaped plate which has a first bend portion 62 that bends about a first bend axis Hei. The first bend portion 62 is connected to a first connection portion 68A where the first disc shaped plate overlaps a second disc shaped plate. The second disc-shaped plate has a second bend portion 64 that bends about a second bend axis H62 that is connected to a second connection portion 68B where the second disc-shaped plate overlaps with a third disc-shaped plate. The third disc-shaped plate has a third bend portion 66 that bends about a third bend axis Hes which is connected to a third connection portion 68C where the third disc-shaped plate connects to another disc-shaped platethat forms a plane parallel to the first disc-shaped plate. This pattern is repeated along the length of the load-bearing cord or strap 60. First bend axis H61, second bend axis H62and third bend axis H63are illustrated as being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap 60. However, it is to be appreciated that the bend portions 62, 64, 66 can also bend about an axis that is diagonal to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap.

[0146] The connection portions 68A, 68B, 68C include the portion where the discshaped plates intersect which provides sufficient cross-sectional area throughout the connection portion to transmit a load.

[0147] Fig 7A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the loadbearing cord or strap 70 according to the present invention. The load-bearing cord or strap 70 is integrally formed from a resilient flexible material and has a plurality of bend portions that are connected by a plurality of connection portions in a repeating pattern. The load-bearing cord or strap 70 comprises overlapping square-shaped plates arranged in a repeating pattern such that adjacent square-shaped plates are inclined at an angle of generally 120 degrees to one another. Accordingly, the square shaped plates allow the load-bearing cord or strap 70 to bend in at least three different directions. The repeating pattern comprises a first square shaped plate which has a first bend portion 72 that bends about a first bend axis H71. The first bend portion is connected to a first connection portion 78A where the first square shaped plate overlaps a second square shaped plate. The second square-shaped plate has a second bend portion 74 that bends about a second bend axis H72that is connected to a second connection portion 78B where the second square-shaped plate overlaps with a third square-shaped plate. The third square-shaped plate has a third bend portion 76 that bends about a third bend axis H73which is connected to a third connection portion 78C where the third square-shaped plate connects to another first square-shaped plate that forms a plane parallel to the first square-shaped plate. This pattern is repeated along the length of the load-bearing cord or strap 70. First bend axis H71, second bend axis H72and third bend axis H73are illustrated as being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap 70. However, it is to be appreciated that the bend portions 72, 74, 76 can also bend about an axis that is diagonal to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap.

[0148] The connection portions 78A, 78B, 78C include the portion where the square-shaped plates intersect which provides sufficient cross-sectional area throughout the connection portion to transmit a load.

[0149] Fig 8A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the loadbearing cord or strap 80 according to the present invention. The load-bearing cord or strap 80 is integrally formed from a resilient flexible material and has a plurality of bend portions that are connected by a plurality of connection portions in a repeating pattern. The load-bearing cord or strap 80 comprises alternating generally perpendicular rectangular plates connected by circular plates 86A, 86B that define planes generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap. Each rectangular plate defines a plane that is generally perpendicular to the plane defined by the adjacent rectangular plates. The short sides of the rectangular plates are generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap. The long sides of the rectangular plates are generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap. The load-bearing cord or strap 80 comprises a repeating pattern of a first rectangular plate forming a first bend portion 82 that bends about a first bend axis H81. One of the long sides of the first rectangular plate is connected to one side of a circular plate forming the first connection portion 86A. The other side of the circular plate 86A forming the first connection portion 86A is connected to one of the long sides of a second rectangular plate that forms the second bend portion 84 which bends about a second bend axis H82that is generally perpendicular to the first bend axis H81. The opposite long side of the second rectangular plate is connected to one side of a second circular plate 86B forming a second connection portion 86B. The opposite side of the second circular plate or second connection portion 84 is connected to the next first bend portion 82. This pattern is repeated along the length of the load-bearing cord or strap 80.

[0150] The connection portions 86A, 86B include the portion where the circular plates intersect which provides sufficient cross-sectional area throughout the connection portion to transmit a load.

[0151] Fig 9A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the loadbearing cord or strap 90 according to the present invention. The load-bearing cord or strap 90 is integrally formed from a resilient flexible material and has a plurality ofbend portions that are connected by a plurality of connection portions in a repeating pattern. The load-bearing cord or strap 90 comprises alternating generally perpendicular rectangular plates connected by square plates that define planes generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap 90. Each rectangular plate defines a plane that is generally perpendicular to the plane defined by the adjacent rectangular plates. The short sides of the rectangular plates are generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap 90. The long sides of the rectangular plates are generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap 90. The load-bearing cord or strap 90 comprises a repeating pattern of a first rectangular plate forming a first bend portion 92 that bends about a first bend axis H91. One side of the first rectangular plate is connected to one side of a square plate forming the first connection portion 96A. The other side of the square plate forming the first connection portion 96A is connected to one of the long sides of a second rectangular plate that forms the second bend portion 94 which bends about a second bend axis H92that is generally perpendicular to the first bend axis H91. The opposite long side of the second rectangular plate is connected to one side of second square plate 96B forming a second connection portion 96B. The opposite side of the second square plate 96B or second connection portion is connected to another first bend portion. This pattern is repeated along the length of the load-bearing cord or strap 90.

[0152] The connection portions 96A, 96B include the portion where the square plates intersect which provides sufficient cross-sectional area throughout the connection portion to transmit a load.

[0153] Fig 10A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the load-bearing cord or strap 100 according to the present invention. The load-bearing cord or strap 100 is integrally formed from a resilient flexible material and has a plurality of bend portions that are connected by a plurality of connection portions in a repeating pattern. The load-bearing cord or strap 100 is a generally square cord or strap having alternating first and second bend portions102, 104 formed in the loadbearing cord or strap 100 that are generally perpendicular to one another and connected by connection portions 106, including a first connection portion 106A and a second connection portion 106B. The first and second bend portions 102, 104 are areas of reduced thickness formed by V-shaped grooves on opposite surfaces of theload-bearing cord or strap 100. Each connection portion 106A, 106B comprises a rectangular prism connected on opposite sides to the base of two truncated triangular prisms that are generally perpendicular to one another and extending in opposite directions. Each triangular prism is truncated near its apex and connected at this point to a complementary inverted triangular prism to form V-shaped grooves on opposite sides of the load-bearing cord or strap 100.

[0154] The load-bearing cord or strap 100 comprises a repeating pattern of a rectangular prism connected to the base of a first triangular prism having a truncated top. The truncated top of the first triangular prism is connected to the truncated top of a second triangular prism facing the opposite direction thus forming an area of reduced thickness formed by V-shaped grooves on opposing surfaces of the loadbearing cord or strap 100 which form the first bend portion 102 that bends about a first bend axis H101. The base of the second triangular prism is connected to a second rectangular prism which connected to a third triangular prism having a truncated top which is generally perpendicular to the first and second triangular prisms. The truncated top of the third triangular prism is connected to the truncated top of a fourth triangular prism facing the opposite direction thus forming an area of reduced thickness formed by V-shaped grooves on opposing surfaces of the load-bearing cord or strap 100 which form the second bend portion 104 that bends about a second bend axis H102.

[0155] The connection portions 106A, 106B have a sufficient cross-sectional area throughout the connection portion to transmit a load.

[0156] However, because each of the bend portions 102, 104 is a strip, the strap 100 is forced to bend at specific bend axes H101and / or H102of the bend portions rather than a generally plate shaped bend portion that will fold about multiple bend axes extending in generally parallel directions which provides increased flexibility. Therefore, this embodiment is practically less desirable than the embodiments discussed above.

[0157] The load-bearing cord or strap 100 is essentially a strap having a constant cross-section with V-shaped grooves formed on opposing surfaces to form alternating generally perpendicular bend portions 102, 104. However, it should be appreciatedthat the shape of the cord and the shape of the grooves could be modified. For example, a round cord could have a bend portion formed in it by having arc shaped grooves that are generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis formed on opposite lateral surfaces of the load-bearing cord or strap 100. The bend portions could be arranged in an alternating perpendicular pattern as in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 10A-10D or alternatively could be arranged to bend about multiple bend axes extending in a greater number of directions. Preferably, in modified versions of this embodiment of the invention, the bend portions would be in the form of a plate rather the strip used in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 10A-10D.

[0158] Fig 11A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the load-bearing cord or strap 110 according to the present invention. The load-bearing cord or strap 110 of Fig. 11A comprises alternating first and second bend portions 112, 114 in the form of flat generally perpendicular plates that are connected by generally spherical connection portions 116, including a first connection portion 116A and a second connection portion 116B. The first and second bend portions 112, 114 comprise flat rectangular or square plates that define planes that are generally perpendicular to one another and the intersection of the planes extend generally in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing cord or strap. The loadbearing cord or strap is comprised of a repeating pattern of a first flat plate forming a first bend portion 112 that bends about a first bend axis H111. One side of the first flat plate is connected to one side of the first connection portion 116A which is generally spherical in shape. The other side of the generally spherical first connection portion 116A is connected to a second flat plate that forms the second bend portion 114 which bends about a second bend axis H112that is generally perpendicular to the first bend axis H111. The opposite side of the second flat plate is connected to one side of a second connection portion 116B that has the same generally spherical shape as the first connection portion 116A. The opposite side of the second connection portion 116B is connected to the next first bend portion. This pattern is repeated along the length of the load-bearing cord or strap 110.

[0159] The connection portions 116A, 116B have a sufficient cross-sectional area throughout the connection portion to transmit a load.

[0160] The load-bearing cord or straps of the present invention may be used in numerous applications including as a pacifier strap.

[0161] The load-bearing cord or strap illustrated in Figs 11A-11 D can be of unitary construction. For example, the structure can be formed in a single mold from a resilient flexible material such as silicone, rubber, TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) or TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane). Alternatively, the load-bearing cord or strap can be formed by co-molding or overmolding where the connection portions 116A, 116B can be formed from an inelastic plastic material and co-molded or overmolded with a resilient flexible material to form the first and second bend portions 112, 114. The inelastic plastic material can be a material like Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or polypropylene. The resilient flexible material such as thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), rubbers, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), silicone or other rubber like materials.

[0162] Figure 12A is an exploded perspective view of a pacifier strap or chain 120 according to the present invention for connection to a pacifier clip 124. The pacifier strap or chain 120 includes a pacifier cord 121 having the same general structure as the cord of Figure 1 that is connected to a band 122 at one end configured for attachment to the knob of a pacifier (not shown) and having a pacifier clip connector 123 at the opposite end for attachment to a pacifier clip 124. The pacifier clip connector 123 comprises a strap like portion 125 extending in generally the same direction as the longitudinal axis of the pacifier cord. The strap like portion 125 has a greater width than thickness and is complementary in shape to an aperture 128 in the pacifier clip 124 that is generally rectangular in shape but has rounded corners. The strap-like portion 125 has a securing projection 126 at the end of the strap like portion having an enlarged head 127, the securing projection 126 extending generally perpendicularly to the strap-like portion 125. The outside surface 129 of the pacifier clip 124 includes a recess 129A around the generally rectangular aperture 128. To assemble the pacifier strap or chain, the band 122 is compressed so that it fits through the generally rectangular aperture 128 in the pacifier clip and the pacifier cord 121 is passed through the generally rectangular aperture 128 until the securing projection 126 reaches the generally rectangular aperture 128. The pacifier cord 121 and / or the pacifier clip 124 is then rotated so that the securing projection 126 passes through the generally rectangular aperture 128 and the enlarged head 127 is receivedin the recess 129A so that the top surface of the enlarged head 127 sits generally flush with the outside surface 129 of the pacifier clip 124. The band 122 can be attached directly around the pacifier knob (not shown). Alternatively, the pacifier cord 121 can be wrapped around another part of the pacifier (not shown) such as the pacifier handle (now shown) and the pacifier cord 121 can be passed through the band 122 so that it forms a loop that be looped onto the pacifier (not shown).

[0163] In a commercial embodiment of the pacifier strap 120, that uses the loadbearing cord or strap illustrated in Figs 1A-1E, the cross-section of the elliptical first bend portion 12 has radius dimensions of 4mm and 1.6mm respectively giving a y-dimension of 8mm and x-dimension 3.2mm. The cross section of the second bend portion 14 has x dimension of 10.4mm and a y-dimension of 2.2mm. The dimensions of the first and second bend portions 12, 14 were selected so that the load-bearing cord or strap 10 will more readily bend about the second bend axis H2 than the first bend axis Hi because the pacifier strap needs to be more flexible in the up and down direction than the side to side direction. As a result, the x dimension of the cross section of the second bend portion 14 is bigger than the y-dimension of the first bend portion 12. The dimensions of the second bend portion 14 were also selected to ensure the pacifier strap could be pulled through the generally rectangular aperture 128 in the pacifier clip 124.

[0164] Another preferred embodiment of the present invention that is not illustrated is a tether for a bottle or cup. The tether for a bottle or cup includes a tether cord having the same general structure as the cord of Figure 1 that is connected to a loop at one end configured for attachment to the bottle or cup and having a connector at the opposite end for attachment to an object such as a highchair, pram or dining mat. The connector is a hole in the tether proximal to the end of the tether configured to receive one of a number of projections extending from the tether. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the connector can be an anchor such a ball to be received in a socket or another form of fastener such as a second loop.

[0165] In all previously described embodiments, the load-bearing cord or strap is depicted as extending straight along a main longitudinal axis without any bends or diversions. It is clarified that the load-bearing cord or strap is not limited to a straight configuration. It can extend along the main longitudinal axis and then redirect toanother direction, forming an angle with the main axis. The load-bearing cord or strap can also take on more complex shapes. For example, it may extend along the main axis and then split into two or more branches, each diverging from the main axis.

[0166] Comparison of the bending resistance of load-bearing cords or straps having a traditional construction and a load-bearing cord or strap of the present invention.

[0167] To find the area moment of inertia of a circle with an area of A = 22mm2:First find radius r,Aπ22— ≈ 2.6463mmπThe area moment of inertia of a circle is given by the following expression:πr4Where r is the radius of the circle.Given r « 2.6mm, for the circle shown in Figure 14A:π(2.6463)4I = - ≈ 38.5mm44

[0168] To find the area moment of inertia of a square with an area of A = 22mm2:First find side length a,a = √Aa = √22 ≈ 4.6904mmThe area moment of inertia of a square with respect to an axis passing through its centroid, is given by the following expression:a4I = a4 / 12where a is the side length of the square.Given a « 4.7mm, for the square shown in Figure 14B:I = (4.7)412I ≈ 40.3mm4

[0169] To find the area moment of inertia of a rectangle with an area of A = 22mm2and where the rectangle has a base two times as wide as it is high b = 2hFirst find length of base b and height hA = bh22 = 2h2h ≈ 3.3166mmthereforeb ≈ 6.6332mmThe area moment of inertia of a rectangle with respect to an axis passing through its centroid, is given by the following expression:bh3lxx= - 12where b is the rectangle width of the base, and specifically its dimension parallel to the axis, and h is the height (more specifically, the dimension perpendicular to the axis).The area moment of inertia of a rectangle with respect to a centroidal axis perpendicular to its base, can be found, by alternating dimensions b and h, in the first equation above:hb3Iy= hb3 / 12Given h ≈ 3.3166mm and b ≈ 6.632mm, for the rectangle shown in Figure 14C:bh3I xr= -12(6.632)(3.3166)3- ≈ 20.2mm412hb3Iy =12(3.3166)(6.632)3Iy≈ 80.6mm412

[0170] For a rectangle having an area of A = 22mm2, and having a base four times the height b = 4h, the side lengths can be calculated as follows:A = bh22 = 4h2h ≈ 2.3452mmthereforeb ≈ 9.3808mmGiven h ≈ 2.3452mm and b ≈ 9.3808mm, for the rectangle shown in Figure 14D:bh3Ix= bh3 / 12Ix= (9.3808)(2.3452)3 / 12 ≈ 10.1mm4Iy= (2.3452)(9.3808)3 / 12 ≈ 161.3mm4

[0171] To find the area moment of inertia of an ellipse with an area of A = 22mm2and where the radius along the x-axis is twice the radius along the y-axis, a = 2b.First find the radius along the x-axis, a and along the y-axis, bA = πab22 = 2πb2b ≈ 1.8712mmthereforea « 3.8515mmThe Moments of Inertia of an ellipse are given by the following expressions:nab3I.4na3bly 4Where a is the radius along the x-axis and b is the radius along the y-axis.The area moment of inertia for this ellipse shown in Figure 14E can be calculated as follows:nab3Ix= ——x47T(3.8515)(1.8712)34L = - - - « 19.3 mmx4na3bly =~T7T(3.7424)3(1.8712)4Iy= - - - ≈ 77.0mm⁴

[0172] For the ellipse of the first bend portion 12 having a radius along the x-axis a = 1.6mm and radius along the y-axis b = 4mm, which are the dimensions of the first bending portion in the commercial embodiment of the invention being a pacifier strap, the Moments of Inertia can be calculated as follows:nab31hx =~ ~7T(1.6)(4)3IHx= - ~ 80.4mm4na3b1h?=~ ~7T(1.6)3(4)IHy= - - - « 12.9mm4It can be seen that the area moment of inertia of the ellipse of the first bend portion 12 with respect to its base is around six times larger than that with respect to its height axis. Consequently, the first bend portion 12 of the load-bearing cord or strap 10 offers much less resistance to bending about the y-axis compared to the x-axis. In other words, at first bend portion 12 the load-bearing cord or strap 10 bends more readily about the y-axis than the x-axis.

[0173] Second bend portion 14 in the commercial embodiment of the invention being a pacifier strap, is not an ellipse but is generally rectangular but has rounded edges. A rough approximation of the area moment of inertia for the second bend portion can be obtained by using either the formulas for calculating the area moment of inertia of a rectangle or an ellipse. We have chosen to use the formula for calculating the area moment of inertia of a rectangle because it is considered to be a better approximation, and a rectangle would provide more resistance to bending about the bending axis than the shape of the second bend portion. The second bend portion has cross-section having a length of 10.4mm and a thickness of 2.2mm. A rough approximation of area moment of inertia can be obtained by using the formulas for calculating the area moment of inertia (Second moment of area) of a rectangle.bh3'X =~L2(10.4)(2.2)34x =- 12 - ~9'2mmhb3Iy= hb3 / 12(2.2)(10.4)3Iy= - ≈ 206.2 mm4y12

[0174] Certain terminology has been used in the description to assist the clarity of description but is not intended to be limiting. For example, spatial descriptors such as upper and upright and other like descriptors, refer to the load-bearing cord or strap as oriented when the load-bearing cord or strap resting on a flat and horizontal surface. This terminology is to be understood in this context and should not be considered applicable when the load-bearing cord or strap is otherwise oriented, such as will frequently and ordinarily occur with a load-bearing cord or strap of the kind relevant to the present invention.

[0175] Where any or all of the terms "comprise", "comprises", "comprised" or "comprising" are used in this specification (including the claims) they are to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components, but not precluding the presence of one or more other features, integers, steps or components.

[0176] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described. It is understood that the invention includes all such variations and modifications which fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0177] Future patent applications may be filed in Australia or overseas on the basis of or claiming priority from the present application. It is to be understood that the following claims are provided by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of what may be claimed in any such future application. Features may be added to or omitted from the claims at a later date so as to further define or re-define the invention or inventions.

Claims

Claims1. A pacifier strap for use with a pacifier clip comprising:a load-bearing cord or strap,a clip connector proximal to one end of a load-bearing cord or strap and a pacifier connector proximal to the opposite end of the load-bearing cord or strap configured to connect the pacifier strap to a pacifierthe load-bearing cord or strap havinga first bend portion having a larger width than thickness and being configured to bend about a first bend axis,a second bend portion having a larger width than thickness and being configured to bend about a second bend axis, anda connection portion connecting said first bend portion and said second bend portion,wherein said first bend axis and said second bend axis extend in different directions when the load-bearing cord or strap is in a relaxed state.

2. A pacifier strap according to claim 1, wherein said first bend portion and said second bend portion are formed from a resilient flexible material, for example silicone.

3. A pacifier strap according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the load-bearing cord or strap is of unitary construction.

4. A pacifier strap according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the load-bearing cord or strap is integrally formed from an elastic and flexible material, for example silicone.

5. A pacifier strap according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein load-bearing cord or strap is a tether.

6. A pacifier strap according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the first and second bend portions being generally plate shaped having a larger width than thickness.

7. A pacifier strap according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the first and second bend portions comprising a strip having a larger width than thickness.

8. A pacifier strap according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the cross-section of the first and second bend portions have a lower area moment of inertia (second moment of area) about the width dimension than a comparable round cord or strap.

9. A pacifier strap according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first bend axis and the second bend axis are generally perpendicular to one another.

10. A pacifier strap according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the cross-sectional area of the connection portion is within the range of 80-120 percent of the cross- sectional area of each of the first bend portion and the second bend portion.

11. A pacifier strap according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the first bend axis and second bend axis extend generally in the width direction of the first and second bend portions respectively.

12. A pacifier strap according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the connection portion has a greater cross-sectional area and / or has a cross-sectional shape which has a larger area moment of inertia about the first and second bend axis.

13. A pacifier strap according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the load-bearing cord or strap has a longitudinal axis and the first and second bend portions each have a long dimension and a generally perpendicular short dimension, wherein the long dimension is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strap or tether when in a relaxed state.

14. A pacifier strap according to any one of claims 1 to 8 or any one of claims 10 to 13 when dependent on any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the load-bearing cord or strap has three or more bend portions configured to bend about the first and second bend axis as well as a third or more bend axes wherein each bend axis extends in a different direction.

15. A pacifier strap according to any one of claims 1 to 14, the connection portion comprising a first connection portion and a second connection portion, the loadbearing cord or strap comprising a repeating pattern in which the first bend portion is connected to the second bend portion and the second bend portion is connected to the next first bend portion, each of the bend portions being connected by connection portions therebetween.

16. A pacifier strap according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the first and second bend portions have a generally elliptical and / or a generally rectangular cross-section.

17. A pacifier strap according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the connection portions are generally tetrahedral in shape.

18. A pacifier strap according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the clip connector comprises a male connector comprising a projection that is configured to be received within a female connector on the pacifier clip comprising an opening including a recess to connect the pacifier strap to the pacifier clip.

19. A pacifier strap for use with a pacifier clip comprising:a load-bearing cord or strap,a clip connector anda pacifier connector,the load-bearing cord or strap havinga first bend portion configured to bend about a first bend axis,a second bend portion being configured to bend about a second bend axis anda connection portion connecting the first and second bend portions,said first bend axis and said second bend axis extending in different directions when the load-bearing cord or strap is in a relaxed state,wherein the first bend portion has a cross-sectional shape having a lower area moment of inertia (second moment of area) about said first bend axis than a comparable round cord or strap andsaid second bend portion has a cross-sectional shape having a lower area moment of inertia (second moment of area) about the second bend axis than a comparable round cord or strap.

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