Patent ID: 6138847
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: A61J

Abstract:
A disposable non-reusable baby bottle for feeding liquid to a nursing infant, comprising:a generally cylindrical container having an open end formed by a rigid flange, said rigid flange characterized as having a rigid flange top, a rigid flange side, a rigid flange bottom, and a rigid flange bevel connecting said rigid flange top with said rigid flange side;a nipple formed of compressible material, said nipple comprising:a flexible tubular body having a tip end for insertion in the infant's mouth and a base end, said tip end being invertible within said base between a use position wherein said tip end extends upwardly to fit in the infant's mouth and a storage position wherein said tip end extends downwardly through said base end for storage, said tip end having a nipple opening for flow of the liquid through said nipple from said bottle in response to the infant's sucking action on said tip end; anda radially enlarged flange on said base end for attaching said nipple to said open end of said container; and locking means for locking said nipple to said open end of said container, said locking means comprising:a snap ring having a top, a bottom, a nipple hole between said top and bottom, and a sidewall, said snap ring sidewall further characterized as having a sidewall top portion, a sidewall bottom portion, and a snap ring circumference distal from said snap ring top; andsaid snap ring further having a plurality of locking ears integrally formed with said sidewall bottom portion of said snap ring sidewall and extending inwardly from said snap ring sidewall, said locking ears being evenly spaced around said snap ring sidewall bottom portion of said snap ring so that said plurality of said locking ears are separated by a plurality of spaces between said locking ears, said locking ears being flexible between an at-rest position and a spread position, each said locking ear having a locking ear top surface and a locking ear bottom surface, said locking ear bottom surface further including a locking ear bevel, so that said radially enlarged flange of said base end of said nipple mates with said bottom of said snap ring and, as force is applied on said top of said snap ring to force said snap ring onto said open end of said container, said locking ear bevels engage said rigid flange bevel, thereby causing said locking ears to flex outwardly away from said rigid flange side to said spread position, and, further, as said snap ring bottom is pressed against said radially enlarged flange on said nipple and said radially flange is pressed against said open end rigid flange top, said radially enlarged flange on said nipple is compressed between said snap ring and said cylindrical container rigid flange top and said locking ears flex inwardly to return to said at-rest position wherein said locking ear top surfaces rest against said rigid flange bottom of said open end of said cylindrical container, said locking ear top surfaces being biased against said rigid flange bottom of said open end of said container as a result of the compression of said radially enlarged flange of said base end of said nipple, so that said nipple is locked against said open end of said container.