| CPC A61J 17/001 (2015.05) [A61J 17/10 (2020.05)] | 18 Claims | 

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               1. A pacifier with an integrated coupling mechanism, comprising: 
            a shield having a front face, a back face, a shield opening, and one or more ventilation holes, the shield comprising a first half shield and a second half shield, the first and second half shields being joined by a first overcoat layer that forms an elastic region along the first half shield and the second half shield, wherein the first overcoat layer enhances the flexibility of the shield along its median and facilitates the operation of the coupling mechanism, wherein the first overcoat layer introduces a biasing tension when the shield is flexed, creating a compressive edge; 
                a nipple attached to and extending outwardly from the front face; 
                a pair of actuating arms attached to and extending outwardly from the back face; and 
                a pair of knobs, wherein each actuating arm of the pair of actuating arms is attached to a respective knob of the pair of knobs, and the pair of knobs are configured to open and close based on movement of the actuating arms and the shield. 
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