GB2379657A

GB2379657A - Feed bottle with teat or nipple

Info

Publication number: GB2379657A
Application number: GB0205598A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Mallet
Original assignee: Steribottle Ltd
Current assignee: Steribottle Ltd
Priority date: 2001-03-15
Filing date: 2002-03-11
Publication date: 2003-03-19
Also published as: WO2002074227A1; AR033033A1; GB0205598D0; GB0106325D0

Abstract

A teat 22 for use with a feed bottle, comprises a generally conical shaped upper section 40 and a base section 44, at least part of the base section 44 extends substantially perpendicular to the upper section 40 and has an inner 48 and an outer 46 annular flange extending therefrom. The inner 48 and outer flanges 46 may be substantially parallel to each other, and may extend in the opposite direction to the upper section 40 of the teat 22. The teat 22 may be provided with vent holes 50, which may be located in the base portion 44 inwardly from the inner annular flange 48, and the upper section 40 may be provided with ribbing and one or more vent holes 54 for the passage of fluid from the bottle. A single use feed bottle, of which the majority of components are made of plastics materials, comprises a body 2 having a mouth 4, a closure 10, and a teat 22 including a base section 44 wherein the inner 48 and outer 46 flanges abut opposing sides of the body 2 and are clamped in place by the closure 10. The teat may have an upper section 40 dimensioned to protrude from the closure 10, and a middle section 42 that mimics the inner profile of the closure 10 and a base section. The middle 42 and upper sections 40 may be arcuate. A combined closure 10 and teat 22 unit for use with a feed bottle, wherein the teat 22 and closure 10 are made as a co-moulded component. A teat shield 26 may be provided.

Description

l Title: An improved feed bottle for babies.

DESCRIPTION

. .. The present invention relates to improved feed and drink bottles for babies and in particular to such bottles as are made from plastics materials by an aseptic moulding process.

Feed bottles for babies generally comprise a container for the milk or other nutrient liquid (feed), a (natural or synthetic) rubber teat for placing over the mouth of the container, and a screw-threaded cap - to fit on the mouth to retain the teat in position. To ensure that a baby's feed is not contaminated, it is usual to wash the bottles and teats and then sterilise these items before use, as by cleaning the bottle in a sterilizing liquid or using a steam sterilizer. The same needs to be done with the teat and cap of the bottle to ensure their sterility.

However, sterilization, or even thorough cleaning of a baby's bottle, may be overlooked, or carried out inadequately, causing the feed to become contaminated.

Disposable, aseptic bottles intended for a single-use only are known. This is achieved by ensuring that the closure of the bottle cannot be removed once it has been fitted fully in place. For example,

the Applicant's co-pending PCT Patent Application No. PCT/GB99/00499 describes a feed and drink bottle that is made of a plastics material preferably by an aseptic process and/or by irradiation. In its basic form the bottle has a mouth intended to be sealed with a closure put in place after the feed has been put in the bottle through its mouth. The bottle is rendered unfit for re-use as a baby's bottle, thus making it disposable, either by preventing the closure from being able to be removed from the body of the bottle once it has reached its fully engaged position, or by preventing it from being replaced in a fluid tight position once it has been removed. The closure has a teat secured to it in an irremovable manner, such as by the teat being clamped between the closure and a retainer member held in place in the closure, or by the teat being bonded to the closure.

Whilst this bottle is entirely acceptable for its intended purpose, it does contain a number of parts which increases the cost of the disposable bottle. This is undesirable since single-use articles shoul be as cheap as possible. Additionally, whilst the retainer member holds the teat in position and prevents it being pulled out of the bottle, it is possible for a child to push the teat into the bottle, thereby rendering the bottle inoperative. This would also result in the fluid seal

being broken leading to leakage of the liquid from the bottle which could prove dangerous to a feeding infant.

Furthermore, drinking from these types of bottles can lead to a baby developing cholic due to the baby swallowing air that is trapped within the container.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved feed and drink bottle for babies that has fewer parts thereby reducing the cost of the article.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved feed and drink bottle for babies that has improved sealing and retaining properties.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved feed and drink bottle for babies which reduces the likelihood of a baby developing cholic following use of the bottle.

Accordingly, a first aspect of the present invention provides a teat unit for use with a feed bottle, the teat comprising a generally conical-

shaped upper section and a base section, at least part of the base section extending substantially perpendicularly to the upper section and having an inner and an outer annular flange extending therefrom.

A second aspect of the present invention provides a single-use feed bottle of which the major components are made of plastics

materials, the bottle including: a body for holding a quantity of milk or other liquid, the body having a mouth intended to be sealed in a fluid tight manner by means of a closure and a teat, the teat comprising a generally conical-shaped upper section and a base section, at least part of the base section extending substantially perpendicularly to the upper section and having a diameter substantially the same as the mouth of the body, the base section having an inner and an outer annular flange extending therefrom whereby, in use, the inner and outer flanges abut opposing sides of the body and are clamped in place by the closure so as to render the teat irremovable from the closure.

- The teat preferably comprises an upper section dimensioned to protrude from the closure, a middle section that mimics the inner profile of the closure and a base section. Preferably, the middle and upper sections are arcuate.

The inner and outer annular flanges are preferably substantially parallel. The inner and outer flanges extend in the opposite direction to the upper section of the teat.

Vent holes are preferably provided in the teat. More preferably, the vent holes are located in the base portion inwardly from the inner annular flange. The upper and middle sections may also be provided

with ribbing. One or more vent holes are provided in the top of the upper section for passage of fluid from the bottle.

third aspect of the present invention provides a combined closure and teat unit for use with a feed bottle, the closure and teat being made as a co-moulded component.

The combined teat and closure may be provided with only an outer flange extending from the base section of the teat or may have an inner and outer flange. Preferably a vent hole is provided inwardly of the inner flange on the base section of the teat.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect reference will now be made by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an exploded side elevation of one embodiment of the invention, of which the component parts shown in Fig. 1 a to d are in section; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the bottle shown in Figure 1 when fully assembled, with volume concentrations applied to the side of its body; Figure 3 is a section of the line I-I of Fig. 2, showing one embodiment of an irreversible coupling between the body and the closure;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of component c shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a plan view from below of the teat shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view through the teat of Figure 4 and showing the upper part of the body of the bottle; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view through a combined teat and closure according to another embodiment of the present invention and showing the upper part of the body of the bottle; Figure 3 is an exploded side elevation of a bottle having the combined teat and closure shown in Figure 7, in which the component parts shown in Fig. 8 a to c are shown in section; and Figure 9 is a side elevation of the bottle shown in Figure 8 when fully assembled, with volume concentrations applied to its body.

For the sake of simplicity, in the following description of the

drawings, components which are the same in different figures retain their original references.

Referring to Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings, a baby's bottle according to one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The bottle basically comprises a body 2 acting as the container for the liquid feed. At its upper end (as viewed), the wide mouth 4 of the body is formed with screw threads 6 and with a projecting annulus of ratchet teeth 8. Intended to cooperate with the

threads 6 is a closure 10 having its inner surfaces formed with complimentary screw-threads 12 and having an extended skirt 14 with an annular series of complementary ratchet teeth 16. A teat 22 is provided for placing onto the rim around the mouth of the body of the bottle as is described in further detail below. A teat shield 26 is provided that is designed to clip over the shoulder of the closure 10 thereby housing the teat 22 until the bottle is put to use.

Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings illustrate the teat in further detail. The teat is designed such that it may be placed onto the bottle and retained by means of the closure 10. No separate retainer member is required to seal and retain the teat in place. The teat has an upper portion 40 that protrudes from the closure, when fully assembled, and is the portion that is placed inside a baby's mouth.

The teat is also provided with a middle portion 42 and a base portion 44, the base portion being provided with an outer and an inner annular flange 46, 48 extending therefrom (see Figures 5 and 6). The upper and middle portions of the teat have curved sides to form a generally conical-shaped unit and the base portion extends substantially perpendicularly from the middle portion to effectively form a rim. The teat is also provided with vent holes 50 in the base portion 44 positioned inwardly from the inner annular flange 48. The teat may

also be provided with ribbing 52 on the upper and middle portions.

The top of the upper portion has a pair of holes 54 for the delivering fluid to a baby's mouth when the teat is sucked.

The diameter of the base portion 44 and the diameters of the annular flanges 46, 48 are substantially the same as the diameter of the mouth of the body. The dimensions and configuration of the middle section 42 substantially mimics the dimensions and configuration of the internal walls of the closure 10 such that, in use, the walls of the middle section abut and follow the contours of the walls of the closure. The conically-shaped upper section 40 has a diameter at its base that is substantially the same as the diameter of the top opening of the closure but the top of the upper portion is smaller than the diameter of the top opening of the closure to enable this portion to protrude therefrom and fit within a baby's mouth.

In this manner, the teat is placed over the mouth of the body such that the inner flange abuts the inner sides of the bottle whilst the outer flange abuts the outer sides of the bottle (see Figure 6). The closure is then placed over the teat and teeth of the closure interengage with the teeth of the upper part of the body. This causes the flanges of the teat to be clamped between the walls of the body and the container thereby providing a bottle having a teat that is both sealed and retained

without additional retaining means. The flanges prevent the teat from being pulled free from the bottle without the requirement for a separate retainer disc and hinder introversion of the teat, for example wherein a baby pushes the teat into the bottle thereby breaking the seal thereof.

The vent hole allows pressure equalization either side of the teat, i.e. inside and outside. The hole vents back into the bottle and an infant sucking on the teat can keep the seal around the teat. A feeding infant does not remove its mouth/lips from the teat to equalize the air pressure to gain further liquid flow. Consequently, the bottle becomes anti-colic. As infants breathe through their nostrils during feeding because of the pressure equalization facility the infant is less likely to swallow feed down the wrong way.

The closure device may be any suitable mechanism but the ratchet mechanism described in the Applicant's co-pending PCT Patent Application No. POT/ GB99 /00499 is preferred.

It is a feature of this invention that all the components are made of plastics materials which may be made into the components of the bottle by a aseptic process, so that the products do not need post-

sterilisation, but can be packed as manufactured. With all interior surfaces of the bottle, and both interior and exterior surfaces of the teat, being aseptic, the user need do nothing but ensure that the feed is

sterile before putting in the bottle and closing it by means of the closure. Amongst the materials which may be used for the body and closure are polypropylene and polyethylene. A suitable material for the teat itself, and one which is more expensive than the others, is a thermoplastic elastomer, such as that sold under the trade name KRATON. Not all teat materials lend themselves to being made by an aseptic process, in which case the teats have to be pre-sterilised before being positioned on the bottle. After manufacture and assembly (in those versions which comprise separate components, not necessarily of the same plastics material) the bottle, if it is not aseptic as made, may be rendered sterile by means of irradiating it with ultraviolet or infrared radiation, with x-rays, gamma rays or an electron beam, subject to the plastic material not being degraded as a result.

The teat and closure may also be produced as a single co-

moulded component 100, as illustrated in Figures 7 to 9 of the accompanying drawings, wherein the teat 22' and closure 1O' are formed integrally but are provided with an inner and outer profile that mimic the profiles of the separate teat and closure of Figures 1 to 6 whereby the combined teat and closure may be screwed onto the main body of the bottle. The article may be provided with a single outer

flange or both an inner and outer flange (as shown in Figure 7). The ability to produce the closure and teat as a single component reduces the number of parts, resulting in the bottle being easier to sterilize and cheaper to produce.

Claims

1. A teat unit for use with a feed bottle, the teat unit comprising a generally conical-shaped upper section and a base section, at least part of the base section extending substantially perpendicularly to the upper section and having an inner and an outer annular flange extending therefrom.

2. A teat unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inner and outer annular flanges are substantially parallel to one another.

3. A teat unit as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the inner and outer flanges extend in the opposite direction to the upper section of the teat.

4. A teat unit as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein vent holes are provided in the teat.

5. A teat unit as claimed in claim 4 wherein the vent holes are located in the base portion inwardly from the inner annular flange.

6. A teat unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the upper section is provided with ribbing.

7. A teat unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein one or more vent holes are provided in the top of the upper section for passage of fluid from the bottle.

8. A single-use feed bottle of which the majority of components are made of plastics materials, the bottle including a body for

holding a quantity of milk or other liquid, the body having a mouth intended to be sealed in a fluid tight manner by means of a closure and a teat, the teat comprising a generally conical-shaped upper section and a base section, at least part of the base section extending substantially perpendicularly to the upper section and having a diameter substantially the same as the mouth of the body, the base section having an inner and an outer annular flange extending therefrom whereby, in use, the inner and outer flanges abut opposing sides of the body and are clamped in place by the closure so as to render the teat irremovable from the closure.

9. A single-use feed bottle as claimed in claim 8 wherein the teat comprises an upper section dimensioned to protrude from the closure, a middle section that mimics the inner profile of the closure and a base section.

10. A single-use feed bottle as claimed in claim 9 wherein the middle and upper sections are arcuate.

11. A single-use feed bottle as claimed in claim 8, 9 or 10 wherein vent holes are provided in the teat.

12. A single-use feed bottle as claimed in claim 11 wherein the vent holes are located in the base portion inwardly from the inner annular flange.

13. A single-use feed bottle as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the middle and upper sections are provided with ribbing.

14. A single-use feed bottle as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 13 wherein one or more vent holes are provided at the top of the upper section of the teat for passage of liquid from the bottle.

15. A combined closure and teat unit for use with a feed bottle, the closure and teat being made as a co-moulded component.

16. A combined closure and teat unit as claimed in claim 15 wherein the teat comprises a generally conical-shaped upper section and a base section, at least part of the base section extending substantially perpendicularly to the the upper section and having an outer annular flange extending therefrom.

17. A combined closure and teat unit as claimed in claim 16 wherein at least part of the base section of the teat is provided with an inner annular flange extending therefrom.

1 3. A combined closure and teat unit as claimed in claim 17 wherein a vent hole is provided inwardly of the inner flange on the base of the teat.

19. A teat unit substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to Figures 4 and S of the accompanying drawings.

20. A single-use feed bottle substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to Figures 1 to 3 and Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings

21. A combined closure and teat unit substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to Figures 7 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.