Pressure equalizer for baby bottle and baby bottle assembly

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pressure equaliser (1) comprising:—a hollow element (101) with a cup-shaped section (1011) and a tubular section (1013) that merge seamlessly one into the other, and—a sealing element (103) that comprises a top edge (1031) with a first diameter (D1) and a central part (1033) with a second diameter (D2), wherein the top edge of the cup-shaped section (1011) of the hollow element (101) is inserted into the second inner diameter (D2) of the central part (1033) of the sealing element (103), the pressure equaliser being characterised in that at least the hollow element (101) can be disassembled into at least two hollow element parts (10a, 101b) along its longitudinal axis. The present invention further relates to a baby bottle assembly comprising: —a bottle-shaped container (3), —a pressure equaliser (1) according to the invention, —a screw element (5) and—a nipple (7a) or closure cap (7b).

Claims

1. A Pressure equalizer (1) comprising a hollow element (101) having a cup section (1011) and a tube section (1013) that grade seamlessly one into the other, and a sealing element (103) having an upper edge (1031) with a first diameter and a center part (1033) with a second diameter, the cup section (1011) of the hollow element (101) being accommodated with its upper edge in the second diameter of the center part (1033) of the sealing element (103), characterized in that at least the hollow element (101) is designed so as to be disassembled into at least two hollow element parts (101a, 101b) along its longitudinal axis; wherein the sealing element (103) comprises a transverse tube (1037) and a central tube (1036) connected at a right angle to said transverse tube (1037) at the center part (1033); and wherein the sealing element (103) is configured to disassemble into two sealing element parts (103a, 103b) with partition lines formed lengthwise along a longitudinal axis of the transverse tube (1037) or a longitudinal axis of the central tube (1036).

2. The Pressure equalizer (1) according to claim 1, in which the hollow element (101) has an articulated connection (1015) that connects the two hollow element parts (101a, 101b) to each other.

3. The Pressure equalizer (1) according to claim 2, in which connection elements are provided on an opposite side of the articulated connection (1015).

4. The Pressure equalizer (1) according to claim 1, in which the hollow element (101) has at least one fastening element (1019) that reversibly connects the two hollow element parts (101a, 101b) to each other.

5. The Pressure equalizer (1) according to claim 4, in which the fastening element (1019) is selected from the group consisting of rings, clamps, snap connections, clip connections, tongue and groove connections, guide elements, expansion joints, and a combination thereof.

6. The Pressure equalizer (1) according to claim 1, wherein the upper edge (1031) and the center part (1033) are separable into two components along the longitudinal axis of the central tube (1036).

7. The Pressure equalizer (1) according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element (103) is designed so as to be divisible along both the longitudinal axis of the transverse tube (1037) and the longitudinal axis of the central tube (1036).

8. The Pressure equalizer (1) according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element (103) has an articulated connection (1035) that connects the two sealing element parts (103a, 103b) to each other.

9. The Pressure equalizer (100) according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element (103) is designed so as to be asymmetrically divisible, with both the transverse tube (1037) and the central tube (1036) being divisible along their longitudinal axis, in which part of the transverse tube (1037) is connected to a part of the central tube (1036).

10. A Baby bottle assembly, comprising: a bottle (3), the pressure equalizer (1) according to claim 1, a screw element (5), and a nipple (7a) or closure cover.

11. The Baby bottle assembly according to claim 10, further comprising a coil element (9) having two spiral coil parts (901, 905) with at least one helical coil part (903) arranged axially in between, the coil element (9) being arranged with its helical coil part (903) slidable around the hollow element (101) of the pressure equalizer (1).

12. The Baby bottle assembly according to claim 11, further comprising a sleeve (907) that can be arranged in an interior of the helical coil part (903) in an intermediate space of the hollow element (101), the sleeve (907) being designed so as to be disassembled into at least two sleeve parts.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

(1) Further objectives, features, advantages and application possibilities are apparent from the following description of practical examples that do not restrict the invention with reference to the figures. All described and/or depicted features alone or in any combination then form the object of the invention, also independently of their summary in the claims or their back-referencing. In the figures:

(2) Figure A, Figure B, Figure D and Figure E show parts of the originally claimed device as described below.

(3) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a hollow element 101 according to the invention according to one embodiment of the invention,

(4) FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a disassembled hollow element 101 according to the invention according to an embodiment of the invention with the joint-like connection 1015,

(5) FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a disassembled hollow element 101 according to the invention according to an embodiment of the invention with fastening elements 1019,

(6) FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a disassembled hollow element 101 according to the invention according to another embodiment of the invention with fastening elements 1019,

(7) FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a disassembled sealing element 103 according to the invention according to an embodiment of the invention,

(8) FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a disassembled sealing element 103 according to the invention according to another embodiment of the invention,

(9) FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a sealing element 103 capable of being disassembled according to another embodiment of the invention in the assembled state,

(10) FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of the sealing element 103 depicted in FIG. 7 according to an embodiment of the invention in the disassembled state,

(11) FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of a baby bottle assembly according to an embodiment of the invention,

(12) FIG. 10 shows a schematic view of a coil element 9 according to an embodiment of the invention,

(13) FIG. 11 shows a schematic view of a coil element 9 according to an embodiment of the invention with the inserted sleeve 907 and

(14) FIG. 12 shows a schematic view of a drinking element 11 according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(15) The first application forming the basis of priority is referred to below, which defined the following features in conjunction with Figures A, B, D and E:

(16) Easy Clean

(17) There are many practical devices, which, however, are difficult to clean because of added cavities or tunnel devices.

(18) In order to solve this problem but not compromise the function, these devices are preferably divided into two parts but designed to be assembled again.

(19) The cavities are therefore exposed and cleaning is simple.

(20) In Figure A, 1 is a straw and 1.1 is a disk with tunnel passages known from the Dr. Brown baby bottle.

(21) In 3 an ordinary straw.

(22) In 4 an inlay for a coil, known from DE 10 2013 017 310.8.

(23) In Figure B, these devices, hollow element 1, disk 2, straw 3 and inlay 4 are separated lengthwise or crosswise but can be assembled again into their desired embodiment watertight and/or air-impermeable.

(24) The cavities are exposed by the separation and are easy to clean.

(25) D) 1 shows the Dr. Brown anti-colic straw.

(26) 2.1 and 2.2 show the two separate halves of the straw. Both can be assembled again into a closed system as in 1.

(27) 2.3 and 2.4 are ring elements into which 2.2 is introduced from above in order to guarantee optimal holding. They could also be click elements.

(28) [In] E 1 and 1.1 show the anti-colic disk [used] in Dr. Brown.

(29) In Figure E, a first disk component 2 and a second disk component 3 (corresponding to disk 1 and 1.1) is separated though not in half, but rather into parts having different sizes. The channels, however, are exposed. In first channel component 3.1 and second channel component 3.2, the channel of the Dr. Brown system arranged beneath the disk is also divided lengthwise by a separation and therefore exposed.

(30) 3 is inserted onto 2 and with 3.1 into the opening to the channel underneath the disk.

(31) 3.2 and 3.1 are assembled again as a closed system.

(32) An additional view of the exposed channel is shown in 2.2.

(33) A pressure equalizer 1 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 in the closed state. The hollow element 101 then has a cup-like section 1011 in the upper area that is connected to the sealing element 103. The sealing element 103 positions the pressure equalizer in the bottle neck (cf. FIG. 9) and simultaneously represents a seal relative to the screw element 5 with the nipple 7a. On the opposite side the cup-like section 1011 grades into a tube section 1013, which is dimensioned such that it extends almost to the bottom of the bottle-like container 3.

(34) One embodiment proposes that the tube section 1013 ends 1 mm to 5 mm before the bottle bottom. In an alternative embodiment, the tube section 1013 can be closed off with the bottle bottom but at the same time have recesses 1014 on the lower edge, such as small semicircles, so that air exchange is guaranteed when the bottle is used.

(35) The hollow element 101 and the sealing element 103 each consist of a food-compatible material permitted for babies and small children, especially polypropylene (PP) for the tube section and silicone for the sealing element.

(36) An embodiment in which the hollow element 101 has a joint-like connection 1015 that connects the two hollow element parts 101a, 101b to each other is shown in FIG. 2. Essentially one part is therefore obtained that can be opened for cleaning and closed again for functional use. Two different materials can be preferably used here, for example, silicone in the joint-like connection 1015, because it is very soft and elastic, and a plastic-like polypropylene (PP) in the two hollow element parts 101a, 101b.

(37) There is also the possibility of molding a soft material on locations at which the two hollow element parts 101a, 101b are reassembled. This ensures the hollow element 101 is closed again [so as to be] airtight and watertight.

(38) Another variant according to the invention, in order to join the two hollow element parts 101a and 101b in sealed fashion, can be achieved by a compression or rail matching a recess (tongue and groove arrangement).

(39) FIGS. 3 and 4 schematically depict variants in which the two hollow element parts 101a, 101b are separated from each other and joined again by fastening elements 1019.

(40) In FIG. 3 rings are shown, for example, as fastening elements 1019, which are positioned on one of the two hollow element parts 101a, 101b. These rings serve as a guide, over which the two hollow element parts 101a, 101b can now be pushed back into each other from above. The system of rings is then made matching such that the pressure at the interfaces forces the two hollow element parts 101a, 101b against each other so that sealing is obtained for a closed system. A molded-on lip made of a soft material, preferably silicone, can optimize tightness at the cutting edges.

(41) Click elements are shown in FIG. 4 as fastening elements 1019, which are used for firm snapping in.

(42) FIGS. 5 and 6 show divided sealing elements 103 in different embodiments.

(43) A click system is shown in FIG. 5, in which the two sealing element parts 103a, 103b are inserted, for example, using small pins on the cutting edge of one part into the corresponding matching opening on the cutting edge of the other part such that the two sealing element parts (103a, 103b) can be snapped into each other and unsnapped. Here again sealing can preferably be improved by molding on a soft material like silicone. The sealing element 103 depicted in FIG. 5 is preferably divided vertically in the center so that the tunnel is exposed and can be easily cleaned.

(44) The sealing element 103 depicted in FIG. 6 is divided asymmetrically, as already described above. A smaller part 103b then covers half of the top of the tunnel system and the tunnel system is simultaneously exposed in the larger part 103a. The smaller part 103b is inserted from the top into the lower larger part 103a to restore the tunnel system.

(45) The sealing element 103 seals off the cup-like section 1011 and ensures open air exchange by means of the tunnel system. The tunnel system can run horizontally in the center through the sealing element 103 and preferably lead the air into the interior of the pressure equalizer 1 via an additional directly connected vertical tunnel.

(46) Another embodiment of the sealing element 103 is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, in which two essentially mirror-image sealing element parts 103a, 103b are connected via a joint-like connection and can be simply opened for cleaning.

(47) FIG. 9 shows a baby bottle assembly according to the invention with a bottle-like container 3, a pressure equalizer 1 arranged in it, a screw element 5 and a nipple 7a. As an alternative to the nipple 7a a closure cover 7b can be provided. An ordinary cap that protects the nipple 7a is not shown.

(48) The coil element 9 with the two screw-like coil parts 901, 905 and the helical coil part 903 arranged axially in between is shown in FIG. 10, whereas in FIG. 11 a sleeve 907 is also added, which is arranged in the interior of the helical coil part 903 in the intermediate space of the tube element 101. The sleeve 907 is inserted [so as to be] matching and can also be disassembled into two sleeve parts 907a, 907b for cleaning.

(49) Finally, a drinking element 11 is shown in FIG. 12, which is reminiscent in its basic shape of a straw, the depiction showing the form opened for cleaning. The drinking element 11 is preferably made by [means of] injection molding.

(50) The ventilation device in its preferred embodiment is laid out in dimensions for use with the “Dr. Brown baby bottles”. In principle, however, the present invention can also be designed for any other dimension and for any bottle system available on the market, for example, for use with bottles from the NUK company or the MAM company.

(51) Because most manufacturers offer different bottle sizes, in another embodiment at least the tube element is offered in different lengths so that reliable ventilation is ensured with any of the employed bottle sizes.