Unidirectional valve for pressurized containers

Abstract

In a nipple for a baby feeding container, a valve part is disclosed, comprising a unidirectional valve formed of a pliable material and oppositely oriented such that when attached to the container a normal fluid flow through the valve is into the container while a flow from the container to the outside is normally blocked, the valve is characterized by a plurality of normally closed non intersecting slits formed in a deformable wall which blocks the flow of liquid from the container to the outside unless when the slits become temporarily distorted by the natural mouth maneuverings of a baby. The valve is especially advantageous for use in baby feeding containers of inflatable type in which the liquid content is pressurized under the pressure exerted by the stretched elastomeric walls of the container.

Claims

1. A method of concurrently preventing air introduction and preventing liquid leakage from an inflatable baby feeding container comprising elastomeric walls, wherein introduction of a liquid into the inflatable baby feeding container is under an applied force such that the applied force overcomes resistance of the elastomeric container walls, stretching the container walls thereby, said method comprising the step of equipping the inflatable baby feeding container with a nipple comprising a domed edge having an aperture and further comprising a nipple structure a normal flow through the valve is directed into the container; and flow from the container to the outside is normally blocked; and wherein the valve further comprises at least two normally closed non intersecting slits of different sizes positioned within a convex side of a deformable wall of said dome-shaped unidirectional valve, whereby reverse liquid flow from said inflatable baby feeding container to the outlet is promoted through the natural mouth maneuverings of a baby which distort one of the two normally closed non intersecting slits while resistance of the valve against reverse flow increases as the pressure from said convex side increases, thereby preventing leakage from the inflatable baby feeding container.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of slits are formed in and are angularly spaced about a center of symmetry of said deformable wall.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein angular spaces between said slits are substantially equal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said non intersecting slits are three angularly spaced slits diverging from near an apex of a convex side of said deformable wall towards a circumference of said valve.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said non-intersecting slits are three angularly spaced slits diverging from near a mid-point of a convex side of said deformable curved wall towards a circumference of said valve.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein all three non- intersecting slits differ in length.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the step of orienting the outlet of said inflatable baby feeding container within the mouth of the user to promote distortion of one of the two normally closed non intersecting slits.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the orienting results in said one of the two normally closed non intersecting slits being positioned substantially perpendicularly to the gums of the baby.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 illustrates a valved nipple part according to the present invention as seen from its liquid inlet side.

(2) FIG. 2 illustrates a longitudinal cross section of the valved nipple part of FIG. 1, taken through line A-A.

(3) FIG. 3 illustrates the valved nipple part of FIG. 1 as seen from its liquid outlet side.

(4) FIG. 4 illustrates the valved nipple part of FIG. 1 as seen from its liquid inlet side when distorted by squeezing it vertically in a mid portion of its length, e.g. by the natural mouth maneuverings of a baby during bottle-feeding.

(5) FIG. 5 illustrates the valved nipple part of FIGS. 1 and 6 in perspective view showing its length and its liquid inlet opening.

(6) FIG. 6 illustrates a variation of the valved nipple part of FIG. 1, having slits of three different sizes allowing for a selectable liquid flow rate.

(7) FIG. 7 illustrates the valved nipple part of FIG. 6 as seen from its liquid inlet side when distorted by squeezing it vertically in a mid portion of its length , e.g. by the natural mouth maneuverings of a baby during bottle-feeding.

(8) FIG. 8 illustrates a longitudinal cross section of a variation of the valved nipple part of FIG. 1, differing from the embodiment of FIG. 1 in that the curved wall of the valve is conic rather than domed, and in that it comprises an integral domed nipple edge.

(9) FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a fluid-operated embodiment of a valved nipple according to the invention, shown in its closed state and attached to a baby feeding container.

(10) FIG. 10 illustrates a longitudinal cross section of a variation of the valved nipple part in attachment to a baby feeding container. FIG. 10A depicts similarly to FIG. 9, the attachment region of the valved nipple, and FIG. 10B includes an inflated baby container, as described in WO 2006129302.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(11) It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiment and that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

(12) FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a valved nipple part (1) according to the present invention. At least the valved part of the nipple is formed of a pliant material such as silicon rubber, and comprises a hollow cylindrical wall (3) constituting a nipple's neck within which a unidirectional dome shaped valve (4) (shown by FIGS. 1 to 4) is formed from the same piece of material. For concentrating smoothening and regulating the flow of liquid from the valve (4) into the mouth of a baby user the valved nipple part (1) may be further provided with a domed edge (119) having an aperture (120) at its center as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 8. The provision of a domed edge such as (119) of FIG. 8 can be achieved e.g. by snugly fitting the entire valved nipple part (1) into a hollow of a cylindrical neck of a conventional baby feeding nipple (not illustrated) such that the convexity of the dome shaped valve (4) will be facing the inflatable container to which the nipple is to be attached. Alternatively, a domed edge such as (119) of FIG. 8 can be integrated with a valve part (1) according to the invention by any acceptable production method.

(13) The valve comprises a domed wall (4) having three through slits (5) (15) (25) angularly spaced about the apex point (11) of its convexity (2a).

(14) The unidirectional valve domed wall (4) is oriented within the nipple's neck (3) such that its concaved side (2) is facing the liquid outlet opening (9) of the nipple (1), and its convexity (2a) facing the liquid inlet opening (7) of the nipple (1). A cylindrical widening (13) extending from the nipple's neck (3) and having an inner circumferential groove (8) at the liquid inlet of the nipple (1) allow for fixing the nipple to a matching cylindrical protrusion located at the liquid outlet of a baby feeding container (not shown), e.g. inflatable container of the type suggested by WO2006129302. As can be appreciated, when liquid from such baby feeding container is pressurized against the convexity (2a) of the domed wall (4), the domed wall tends to contract, thereby tightening and closing the slits (5) (15) (25) and preventing the liquid from leaking through. Contrarily, if liquid is pressurized from outside the container against the concavity (2) of the domed wall (4), the domed wall tends to extract, thereby loosening and widening the slits (5) (15) (25) and permitting the liquid to freely flow through, from outside into the container.

(15) Considering the purpose of the container to let its content out for feeding a baby, the orientation of the valve (4) within the nipple (1) is opposite to natural, i.e. it is oppositely oriented within the nipple. The increasing resistance of the valve (4) against reverse flow as the pressure from its convex side increases, is thus advantageous for preventing leakage from inflatable containers of the type disclosed by WO2006129302 in which the contained liquid is maintained in some high over atmospheric pressure. Reverse flow is permitted however through the valve (4) upon distortion of the valve during bottle-feeding of a baby due to the natural mouth maneuverings of the baby. A distortion of the valve (4) resulting from a temporal squeezing of the nipple's neck (3) is illustrated by FIG. 4. The distortion includes widening of at least one of the slits, depending on the squeezing direction and magnitude. In the illustrated situation the squeezing is vertical along slit (5) causing it to widen such that pressurized liquid will escape through it from the container side to the nipple outlet opening (9) and into the baby's mouth.

(16) In the illustrated embodiment the slits (5) (15) (25) are located in respective bulged regions (6) (16) (26) formed for reinforcement on the convex side (2a) of the domed wall (4). In the illustrated embodiment the curved wall (4) of the valve is of rotational symmetry about a longitudinal axis of symmetry (10) of the nipple(1). The slits (5) (15) (25) are angularly spaced about a center of symmetry (11) of the curved wall (4), in substantially equal spaces of 120 degrees each, and are diverging from near the apex of the convexity (2a) of the curved wall (4) towards a circumference thereof, thereby guaranteeing effective functionality of liquid release upon squeezing the nipple neck (3) in any occasional direction. Due to the fact that the slits (5) (15) (25) do not intersect, the valve closure is flap free. Furthermore they are substantially straight (i.e. following a geodesic of the dome (4)) and short (in the illustrated embodiment their length is each about 40% of the radius of the dome (4)). Interference between the function of the slits is thus avoided, and the transformation of each slit from a distorted open state to a normal closed state and vise versa is fast, reliable, and substantially independent of the state of the other slits.

(17) FIG. 6 illustrates a variation (1A) of the valved nipple part (1) of FIG. 1. This variation differs from the embodiment of FIG. 1 by having slits (5a) (15a) (25a) of three different sizes, respectively, thereby allowing for a selectable liquid flow rate. When the inflatable container to which the valved nipple part (1A) is attached is oriented such that the shortest slit (5a) is substantially perpendicular to the gums of a baby user, the slit (5a) will be distorted as shown by FIG. 7 upon squeezing, thereby allowing liquid to flow from the container under the pressure of its stretched walls. The flow rate will through it will be smaller however than slit (5) of FIG. 1, since slit (5a) is shorter, thus providing for a smaller opening upon distortion. By Rotation of the container so as to bring the mid sized slit (15a) or the large sized slit (15b) to a perpendicular position respective to the baby's gums, will result with respectively greater flow rates.

(18) FIG. 8 illustrates a longitudinal cross section of a variation (101) of the valved nipple part (1) of FIG. 1, differing from the embodiment of FIG. 1 in that the curved wall (104) of the valve is conic rather than domed, and in that it comprises an integral domed nipple edge (119) having a conventional outlet aperture (120). The conic wall is provided with a plurality of non intersecting slits (105) (115)angularly spaced about a top (111) of the cone shaped wall (104) and symmetrically distributed about a longitudinal axis (111) of the valved nipple part (101). The slits are preferably formed in respective bulged regions (106) (116) in which the curved wall (104) is thicker than in its other regions (104). As in the embodiment of FIG. 1, a concavity (102) of the conic wall (104) is facing away from the container and toward the liquid outlet aperture (120) which is at the baby user side.

(19) Another embodiment of a valved nipple according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 9. this embodiment is similar to the embodiment illustrated by FIGS. 3 and 4 of WO2006129302, with the main difference being that in the present invention the valve is positioned reversely, i.e. such that the internal liquid pressure tends to keep the valve closed, thus (oppositely to its functioning in WO2006129302) sealing the container more firmly as the internal liquid pressure increases. The valve (26) is shown in its closed state and attached to a partially illustrated baby feeding container (100) (preferably of the inflatable balloon-like type suggested by WO2006129302) by means of a teat and screw closure (55).

(20) The present embodiment utilizes the biting action of the baby to open the valve (26) which comprises two inter-engaging elements (44) and (46). In the drawing the lower element (44) is a movable flap, biased upwards and hinged at its left extremity (44a). The upper element (46) is fixed and provided with an aperture (48), which is normally sealed by the lower flap (44) coming into close contact to the bottom edges of the aperture (48). The flap (44) cannot be over bent to allow reverse flow of liquid from the container to the nipple, since the upper element (46) blocks any further movement of the flap (44) towards beyond its sealing position. Reverse flow through the valve can thus occur only upon actuation by a specially designed actuator e.g. of the type exemplified by the figure and described hereinafter.

(21) A first part (51) of a sealed, partially fluid-filled flexible pneumatic actuator (50) is positioned between the two inter-engaging elements (44) (46). A second part (52) of the actuator (50) extends into the nipple (22). The arrangement is such that a squeezing action on the nipple (22) by a nursing baby displaces fluid within the actuating means (50) to separate the two elements (44) (46) as the first part of the actuator (51) changes from a collapsed state seen in the present figure, to a round state (not illustrated). When the first part of the actuator (51) comes round, it pushes the flap (44) down, i.e. in the direction indicated by the small arrow illustrated near the bottom right of flap (44). This enables fluid (116) to flow under pressure of the inflated container (100) through the aperture (48) into the nipple (22) and out of the nipple opening (54).

(22) As can be seen in FIG. 6, the normally closed position of the lower flap (44) is attained when there is no mechanical pressure on the actuator part (52) and the first part (51) of the actuator is a flat oval as illustrated.

(23) The actuator (50) is preferably filled with water (49) and leaving a small portion of its inner volume for air or an inert gas. The quantity of gas is just sufficient to allow the valve (26) to close under its upwards biasing when no external pressure is applied thereto. Thus when the baby releases pressure on the nipple (22), the part (51) of the actuator disposed between the elements (44) and (46) is pressed between the closed elements to revert to its flat oval form. A light spring (not shown) can optionally be added to increase the upwards biasing so as to improve closure of the valve.

(24) The neck of the nipple (22) can be designed similar to the nipple neck (3) of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, and its outlet opening (54) can be wider, similar to the outlet opening (9) of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5. Differently from the embodiment of FIGS. 3-4 of WO2006129302, the oppositely oriented unidirectional valve (26) according to the present invention can allow pre filling of the container with a pressurized liquid forced into the container (100) through aperture (48). Post filling, the elastomeric walls of container (100) will be stretched and will thus maintain the contained liquid in over atmospheric pressure thereby firmly tightening together the flap (44) to the upper element (46) to prevent uncontrolled leak of the pressurized liquid.