Bottles and jars – Nursing bottles and nipples
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-25
2001-06-26
Garbe, Stephen P. (Department: 3727)
Bottles and jars
Nursing bottles and nipples
C215S388000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250487
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to baby feeding bottles, and more specifically to bottles having liquid flow path including a flexible tube extending from the bottle to the nipple, and wherein a liquid flow control valve is disposed within the liquid flow path, and where an attachment strap is provided for engaging the bottle to a support member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Baby feeding bottles are generally well known, and bottle devices having a flexible liquid flow tube engaged between a nipple and a liquid holding container are likewise known, as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,290, issued Feb. 6, 1990 to Cueto. A bottle device such as taught by Cueto allows a nipple to be disposed within an infant's mouth where the infant or its caregiver does not have to hold the bottle in an inverted position for liquid to flow. Rather, as taught by Cueto, the bottle can be placed adjacent to the infant and the tube permits the flow of liquid from the bottle to the nipple disposed in the infant's mouth.
A drawback of the Cueto type bottle device is that fluid in the extended feeding tube will drain away from the nipple and back into the bottle when the nipple is sufficiently elevated above the bottle. This condition can lead to the infant sucking and ingesting air in a vain attempt to obtain liquid through the nipple. Conversely, fluid will leak from the nipple continuously where the nipple is sufficiently lowered below the elevation of the bottle. This condition can lead to the draining of the bottle contents into the bedding of the infant. Thus, either condition creates a less than optimum performance of the device. The present invention solves both of these problems through the utilization of a liquid flow control valve in the liquid flow path which prevents both liquid back flow and liquid drainage.
The attachment strap mechanism of the present invention facilities the near vertical holding of the bottle, and does not appear to have a counterpart in the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved baby bottle device that has a liquid flow tube between the nipple and the liquid container and which includes a liquid flow control device.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved baby bottle device wherein a remotely disposed nipple in fluid communication with a liquid containing bottle will not leak when the nipple is disposed in a lowered location relative to the bottle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a remotely disposed nipple in fluid communication with a liquid container, wherein liquid will not drain from the nipple when the nipple is disposed in an elevated location relative to the liquid container.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an attachment strap mechanism which permits the user to easily attach the bottle to a variety of structural members, such that the bottle is orientated in a near vertical position.
The improved baby bottle device of the present invention includes a liquid holding container having a flexible liquid flow tube engaged thereto. A baby nipple is engaged to the distal end of the liquid flow tube. A liquid flow control device is disposed within an adaptor that serves to engage the nipple with the liquid flow tube to control the flow of liquid from the bottle to the nipple, such that liquid neither leaks from the nipple when the nipple is disposed below the container nor drains from the nipple when the nipple is disposed above the container. In the preferred embodiment, the liquid flow control device includes a spring loaded check valve. A valve cracking pressure of approximately 0.94 pounds per square inch has been determined to be appropriate for controlling fluid movement through the tube, yet permit relatively unimpeded fluid access to the sucking infant. The attachment strap mechanism is preferably formed from two velcro straps that are joined at their center points utilizing a rivet or similar connection which permits the relative rotation of the straps. The attachment strap mechanism allows the user to engage the bottle in a near vertical orientation to structural members that have virtually any orientation.
It is an advantage of the present invention that it provides an improved baby bottle device that has a liquid flow tube between the nipple and the liquid container and which includes a liquid flow control device.
It is another advantage of the present invention that it provides an improved baby bottle device wherein a remotely disposed nipple in fluid communication with a liquid containing bottle will not leak when the nipple is disposed in a lowered elevation relative to the bottle.
It is a further advantage of the present invention that it provides a remotely disposed nipple in fluid communication with a liquid container, wherein liquid will not drain from the nipple when the nipple is disposed in an elevated location relative to the liquid container.
It is yet another advantage of the present invention that it provides a strap attachment mechanism that allows the user to attach the bottle in a near vertical orientation to other structural members.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become well understood upon reading the following detailed description of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 395992 (1889-01-01), Oster
patent: 514974 (1894-02-01), Turck
patent: 4301934 (1981-11-01), Forestal
patent: 4898290 (1990-02-01), Cueto
patent: 4969564 (1990-11-01), Cohen et al.
patent: 4994076 (1991-02-01), Guss
patent: 5201460 (1993-04-01), Caines
patent: 5234117 (1993-08-01), Garvin
patent: 5513762 (1996-05-01), Janani
patent: 5727734 (1988-03-01), Su
patent: 5862927 (1999-01-01), Tebeau
patent: 2067416 (1981-07-01), None
Garbe Stephen P.
Guillot Robert O.
Opeenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP
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