Mug with insert for dispensing measured quantity

Details Mug with insert for dispensing measured quantity Mug with insert for dispensing measured quantity

1988-02-22

1990-05-01

Weaver, Sue A.

Bottles and jars

Nursing bottles and nipples

With valve for liquid

215 6, 220 902, 222450, 222456, A61J 700

Patent

active

049211129

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a substantially closed nursing mug of the kind comprising an upper discharge nipple, a liquid flow channel extending from the bottom portion of the mug to said upper discharge nipple, and valve means disposed in said liquid flow channel for controlling the discharge liquid flow.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Such nursing mugs or bottles are known, e.g., from US-A-2 877 917 and US-A-3 044 650. In these known devices, which are intended for the feeding of small babies, the liquid flow channel and the valve means disposed therein serve the purpose of preventing the infant from sucking air while being fed with milk from the bottle.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention, on the other hand, is to facilitate the feeding of drinking liquids to elderly patients, who have difficulty in drinking from ordinary drinking glasses. Many of such patients must be fed by another person, e.g., a nurse. Even so, the patient cannot always control the drinking and swallowing of the liquid properly, and as a result, too much liquid is often poured into the patient's mouth and, consequently, frequently spills out.
According to the invention, this problem is solved by way of a nursing mug, in which the liquid flow channel is located adjacent to a side wall portion of the mug and includes a dosing chamber, the volume of which corresponds to a predetermined liquid volume to be drunk at a time, wherein the valve means includes upper and lower valves at the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the dosing chamber, said upper valve being adapted to automatically switch from a closing position to an opening position when the mug is tilted past a first tilting angle, and said lower valve being adapted to automatically switch from an opening position to a closing position when the mug is tilted past a second tilting angle, which is less than or substantially equal to the first tilting angle. Thus, when the mug is tilted, a proper dosage of drinking liquid will automatically enter into the dosing chamber, whereupon this dosage can easily be drunk by the patient without any risk of receiving too much drinking liquid into the mouth. In principle, such a mug can be used also by young or healthy persons who have difficulties in swallowing properly, although they are otherwise capable of holding and tilting the mug with their own hands.


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features of the mug according to the invention will appear from the appended claims and from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, reference being made to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a central longitudinal section through a nursing mug in upright position;
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an insert body forming a part of the nursing mug of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a transversal section along line III--III in FIG. 2; and
FIGS. 4a-d are central longitudinal sections through the mug according to FIG. 1, illustrating the function thereof while being tilted successively to increasing tilting angles.


DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The nursing mug shown in FIG. 1 comprises essentially three parts, i.e. a mug 1 having a bottom wall 2, and a substantially cylindrical side wall 3 and a handle 4, an insert body 10 (see FIG. 2) with upper and lower valves 11 and 12, respectively, and an upper closure member 30 of resilient material partially forming a discharge nipple 31.
The mug part 1 and the insert body 10 are preferably produced by injection molding in one piece, respectively, of a thermal plastic material, such as polycarbonate, which is resistant to washing in a dish washing machine, whereas the upper closure member 30 is made of a relatively flexible plastic material or a thermo-plastic rubber material, such as TPG.
The mug part 1 is substantially cylindrical with an upper end opening defined by an upper circular edge 5 flaring slightly outwardly and an annular shoulder 6 providing an abutment for the insert body 10.
The insert body 10 comprises a

REFERENCES:
patent: 252519 (1882-01-01), Richter et al.
patent: 298778 (1884-05-01), Rogers, Jr.
patent: 467176 (1892-01-01), Jensen
patent: 532630 (1895-01-01), Baird
patent: 1498491 (1924-06-01), Stinson et al.
patent: 2113501 (1931-04-01), Baxter
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patent: 2742168 (1956-04-01), Panetti
patent: 2877917 (1959-03-01), Brooks et al.
patent: 3044650 (1962-07-01), Oltion et al.
patent: 3129859 (1964-04-01), Chappell
patent: 4582230 (1986-04-01), Vierkotter
patent: 4600111 (1986-07-01), Brown

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