Feeding bottle

Abstract

A feeding bottle assembly having a flexible bottle defining a main chamber having a flexible peripheral and a divider member cooperating with the flexible bottle open top and having an opening extending therethrough. A raised lid attached to the open top retaining the divider member therebetween, the raised lid defining an auxiliary chamber with an having an outlet. An elongate liquid pickup tube having a proximate end passes through and sealingly connected to the divider member opening and extending above the divider member to define an auxiliary chamber, and extending below the divider into the main chamber. A nipple is mounted in a raised lid outlet, so that a liquid placed in the main chamber can be transferred to the auxiliary chamber through the pickup tube by squeezing the flexible bottle peripheral wall. The liquid is subsequently consumed by a user drinking from the nipple through a nipple outlet.

Claims

1. A feeding bottle assembly comprising: a flexible bottle defining a main chamber having a bottom wall and a flexible peripheral wall which forms an open top; a divider member cooperating with the flexible bottle open top and having an opening extending therethrough; a raised lid attached to the flexible bottle open top retaining the divider member therebetween, the raised lid having an outlet formed therein, the raised lid defining an auxiliary chamber between the outlet and the divider member; a tube extending from the opening in the divider member projecting above the divider member to define an auxiliary reservoir; a nipple having a proximal end mounted in the outlet of the raised lid and a distal end forming a nozzle outlet; and a restrictor member having a central open orifice formed therein through which liquid can freely flow, the restrictor being affixable to the proximal end of the nipple adjacent the outlet of the raised lid; wherein a liquid placed in the main chamber can be transferred to the auxiliary reservoir through the tube so the liquid can be subsequently consumed by a user drinking liquid flowing through a nipple outlet.

2. The feeding bottle assembly of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of interchangeable restrictor members having different size restrictor orifices, where one of the restrictor member or the plurality of interchangeable restrictor members can be affixed to the nipple in order to vary liquid flow rate there through.

3. The feeding bottle assembly of claim 1 further comprising at least one annular seal sealing a periphery of the divider member to at least one of the flexible bottle and the raised lid.

4. The feeding bottle assembly of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of interchangeable nipples having different size nipple outlets, where one of the nipple or the plurality of interchangeable nipples can be affixed to the outlet of the raised lid in order to vary liquid flow rate there through in order to vary the liquid flow rate.

5. The feeding bottle assembly of claim 4 wherein the plurality of interchangeable nipples are provided with a normally closed outlets which have differ maximum flow rates.

6. The feeding bottle assembly of claim 1 wherein the raised lid or the nipple is provided with an air vent to allow air to enter the raised lid as liquid consumed by a user drinking from the nipple.

7. The feeding bottle assembly of claim 1 wherein the feeding bottle assembly is generally cylindrical with an elongate central axis with the nipple being offset from the central axis and spaced a greater distance from the central axis than to a periphery of the raised lid.

8. The feeding bottle assembly of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary chamber has a volume is between 0.5 to 2 fluid ounces when the feeding bottle is in an upright orientation.

9. The feeding bottle assembly of claim 1 wherein the raised lid is circular and has a radius R, and the center of the raised lid outlet is located a distance of at least 0.5 R from the center of the raised lid.

10. The feeding bottle assembly of claim 1 wherein the raised lid or the nipple is provided with an air vent to allow air to enter the raised lid as liquid consumed by a user drinking from the nipple.

11. The feeding bottle assembly of claim 10 wherein the air vent is normally closed, with the air vent closing at a differential pressure below 1 inch of water.

12. The feeding bottle assembly of claim 11 wherein the nipple is provided with a normally closed nipple outlet that closes at a differential pressure which is above that of the air vent.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side elevation of the first embodiment of the feeding bottle.

(2) FIGS. 2A-2C are a series of drawings of restrictor members having different sized orifices.

(3) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of the feeding bottle tipped upward into an inclined feeding position.

(4) FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the nipple and the restrictor member attached to the outlet formed in the raised lid.

(5) FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side elevation of a second embodiment of the feeding bottle in a downwardly inclined feeding position.

(6) FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the feeding bottle of FIG. 5 having an offset nipple.

(7) FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the nipple.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

(9) FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of feeding bottle 10 shown in cross-sectional side elevation. The feeding bottle is made up of a flexible bottle 12 having a main chamber 12 which is surrounded by a bottom wall 14 and a peripheral wall 16 which germinates into a top surrounded by a rim 18. Sealingly incorporating with the rim 18 is a divider member 20 which closes the open top. The divider member 20 is preferably provided with an annular seal 22 which engages rim 18. A raised lid 24 is attached to a rim 18 of a flexible bottle open top preferably using a threaded connection. The annular seal 22 of the divider member 20 is retained between the lid 24 and the rim 18 of the flexible bottle 16 as illustrated in FIG. 1. Fluid such as milk 26, is shown in the main chamber 12. The divider member 20 is provided with an opening 28 extending therethrough. An elongate liquid pickup tube 30 is provided with a proximal end 32 which passes through and is sealingly connected to the divider member opening 28 and extends a distance X above the divider member to provide an auxiliary fluid reservoir 34 within an auxiliary chamber 25.

(10) When the flexible bottle 12 is squeezed in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 1, the liquid in the air space within the bottle will be pressurized causing fluid to flow up the elongate pickup tube 30 from a submerged distal end 33 up through the feeding tube 30 and exiting the tube proximal end 32 as illustrated in FIG. 1. The fluid fills the auxiliary reservoir 34. If more liquid is transferred to the auxiliary chamber 25 than is shown in reservoir 34 in FIG. 1, that fluid will return to the main chamber 26 through the elongate pickup tube 30 when the flexible feeding bottle 12 is released and springs back to its initial shape. If the liquid level does not exceed the distance X shown in FIG. 1, and the bottle is in a vertical orientation, releasing the squeezing force on a flexible bottle will cause air to enter the auxiliary chamber through the elongate pickup tube 30 so that the air space returns to atmospheric pressure.

(11) Preferably, the feeding tube 30 is provided with a weighted end 36 to keep the distal end 33 of the feeding tube 30 submerged within the liquid 26. The proximal end 32 of the feeding tube 30 is preferably provided with an elastomeric seal 38 which sealingly closes the opening 28 in the divider plate 20. Preferably the liquid pickup tube 30 and the seal 38 are made of a soft flexible rubber material such as silicone or the like. The raised lid 24 is provided with an outlet opening 40, sized to receive a nipple 42 which is inserted therein. The distal end of the nipple 42 is provided with an annular groove on its outside diameter to receive the peripheral section of the raised lid 24 defining the opening 40. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the nipple 42 is provided with an annular groove on the inside diameter of the proximal end sized to receive a restrictor member 44 having central aperture 46 therein.

(12) Preferably, a plurality of restrictive plates are provided having different sized central apertures, as illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2C. The restrictor member 44′, 44″ and 44″′ have different sized orifices 46′, 46″ and 46″′. An appropriate sized restrictor plate orifice is selected based upon the baby's needs and the desired maximum fluid flow rate.

(13) FIG. 3 illustrates feeding bottle 10, downwardly inclined in an in-use position. The fluid in the main chamber 12 settles to the bottom of the main chamber 12 as illustrated, while the fluid in the auxiliary reservoir 34 moves to the bottom of the auxiliary chamber 25 into contact with the restrictor member 44. Fluid flows through the orifice 46 in the restricted member 44, into nipple 42 enabling the baby to drink from the nipple. When the liquid in the nipple is consumed, tipping the bottle 10 upward causes more fluid to transfer from the auxiliary reservoir 34 to the nipple 42 from the orifice 46. After the baby has consumed all of the fluid in the auxiliary reservoir 34, the auxiliary reservoir 34 can be replenished by squeezing the bottle 12 as previously described. Preferably the bottle 10 is returned to the upright position, so that a controlled amount of fluid can be transferred to the auxiliary chamber 25, however with some in-use experience a mother can learn to squeeze the bottle 12 when in the upright position and transfer a limited amount of fluid to the auxiliary chamber 25 without removing the nipple from the feeding baby. Care however should be used so that the auxiliary chamber is not over-filled.

(14) In the downwardly inclined feeding position shown in FIG. 3, the weight 36 is moved to the distal end 33 of the pickup tube 30 within the liquid 26, within the main reservoir. This enables liquid to be transferred from a main chamber 12 to the auxiliary chamber 25 when the bottle 10 is in the downwardly inclined feeding position.

(15) When the baby is drinking from the nipple 42, it is necessary to allow air to enter the auxiliary chamber 25 to prevent a vacuum from hindering fluid flow. In the embodiment illustrated, a small air vent 48 is formed in the nipple 42 at a distance from a proximal end 50 of the nipple 42. Vent 48 is preferably a small slit which opens when there is a pressure differential and which seals shut in this minimal pressure differential. Accordingly, when the bottle 10 is downwardly inclined, fluid will not escape through vent 48. Preferably, the distal end 50 of the nipple 42 is provided with a similar slit opening to limit liquid from freely flowing out of the nipple 42 when the bottle is inverted. The size of the slit opening in the nipple 42 can be varied according to the baby's feeding needs. A large slit, having a “Y” shape, will allow fluid to freely flow form the nipple, while a smaller single slit is much more restrictive requiring more suction by the infant.

(16) A second feeding bottle embodiment 52 is illustrated in FIG. 5 in a cross-sectional side elevation shown in the downwardly inclined feeding position. Feeding bottle 52 is similar to feeding bottle 10 in that it has a flexible bottle 54 having a peripheral wall defining a main chamber 56. A divider member 58 is provided closing the open top of the flexible bottle 54. A raised lid 60 is connected to the rim of the flexible bottle open top by cooperating screw threads to entrap the divider member 58 therebetween.

(17) The raised lid 60 is provided with an offset outlet which is fitted with a nipple 62. Like the first embodiment, feeding bottle 52 is provided with an elongate liquid pickup tube 64 having a proximate end and having a length which is sufficient to enable the distal end of the liquid pickup tube 64 to reach the bottom of the flexible bottle 54 when the bottle 52 is standing upright in a vertical orientation. When the bottle is tipped in the inclined feeding position as shown in FIG. 5, a weight 66, located adjacent the distal end of the feeding tube 64, maintains the end of the pickup tube 64 in the liquid within the main chamber 56 regardless of bottle orientation. A proximal end of the elongate pickup tube 64 extends above the divider member 58 a distance X sufficient to define an auxiliary reservoir when in the upright position in the same manner as described in reference to feeding bottle 10 in FIG. 1. When tipped in the downwardly inclined feeding position shown in FIG. 5, the fluid in the auxiliary reservoir falls to the bottom of the auxiliary chamber adjacent the nipple 62 as shown.

(18) FIG. 6 illustrates a top plan view of the feeding bottle 52 showing the offset orientation of nipple 62 relative to the centerline CL of the elongate feeding bottle assembly. Preferably the center of the nipple 62 is located more than 0.25 times the radius R from the center of the feeding bottle 52 shown in the FIG. 6 plan view. Preferably the nipple 62 is positioned adjacent the periphery of the raised lid 60 in plan view as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. Preferably a nozzle outlet near the distal end 50 has a membrane with a slit formed therein so a baby can drink from the nipple 62 with relatively little sucking effort. Preferably this slit provides sufficient flow resistance so that fluid would not freely pour from the nozzle when tipped up in the inclined feeding position shown in FIG. 5. Nipple 62 may be provided with a vent similar to nipple 42 in FIG. 1, however the illustrated FIG. 5 embodiment employs a vent 68 formed in the dome of the raised lid 60, which is generally diametrically opposite the location of the nipple 62 as shown. The vent will be oriented out of the region in which fluid in the auxiliary reservoir is located when the bottle is inclined as shown. Vent 68 may be a simple hole formed through the raised lid 60, or it can be an elastic normally closed member which opens at a differential pressure above a predetermined level. Preferably the predetermined level at which the vent opens is below one inch of water. The slit membrane in the distal end 70 of nipple 62 preferably opens at a predetermined pressure which is above one inch of water. Accordingly, if the bottle is squeezed when in the inclined position air will escape out the vent 68 rather than squirting liquid from the nipple distal end 70.

(19) Nipple 62 as shown in side elevation in FIG. 7 can be a standard size baby bottle nipple, having a distal end 70 and having an annular outer diametrical groove for cooperating with the opening in the raised lid. The distal end 70 is provided with a membrane having a slit enabling the baby to drink from the nipple 62. Preferably, a set of color coded nipples are provided having different slit geometries enabling different flow rates to be used for different stages of the child's development.

(20) The feeding bottle can be made of conventional materials. Preferably, the flexible bottle is made of clear or translucent food grade low density polypropylene. The elongate liquid pickup tube as well as the nipple can be made of relatively soft silicone material. The divider member and the raised lid can likewise be formed of polypropylene. Of course, other materials can be used, for example the liquid pickup tube and the nipple may be formed of a latex material and the raised lid and the flexible bottle can be formed of other food grade plastic materials having sufficient rigidity or flexibility to suit the intended purpose.

(21) While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.