Patent ID: 6818162
Filing Date: 2004-11-16
Classification: A61J,B29C,Y10T

Abstract:
A process for fabricating a nipple for use with a baby bottle, said nipple comprising a nipple body and a portion that can be attached to a fluid container with a leak-free seal; wherein said nipple body is made of a flexible, non-toxic material, has a feeding-tip that fits comfortably into an infants mouth and has a fluid-delivery means consisting of at least one fluid-delivery passage, each passage having a hydrophilic interior surface, at least one cross-sectional dimension in the range of 1-2000 microns, any cross-sectional shape, and a length equal to that of the solid portion of said nipple extending from the termination of said feeding-tip toward the end of the nipple body that makes contact with the fluid in said container; said passages being embedded in said nipple body and aligned in such an orientation as to deliver a water-based fluid from said fluid container to a sucking infant on the other end by capillary action, said process comprising the steps of:(a) selecting a nipple body material and a fugitive material used to form said fluid-delivery passages; (b) forming said fugitive material into a desired cross-sectional shape, axial shape, and dimensions to define the interior of said fluid-delivery passages; (c) placing and holding at least one piece of fugitive material in a nipple mold with an orientation principally along the axis of the nipple; (d) injecting a quantity of said nipple body material into said mold sufficient to fill the body; (e) solidifying said nipple body; (f) removing a minimal quantity of nipple body material necessary to expose the ends of said fugitive material; and (g) removing said fugitive material, thereby leaving at least one fluid-delivery passage with interior dimensions equal to or less than the external dimensions of said fugitive material.