Decorative holder for a baby bottle

A decorative holder for a baby bottle includes a flexible arm having a bottle receiver at one end and a clamp at the opposite end. A decorative cover in the form of an animal is removably wrapped around the flexible arm, with the animal's head near the bottle receiver and the animal's groin near the clamp. A baby bottle is placed in the bottle receiver, the clamp is attached to a support structure such as a crib, and the flexible arm is positioned so the baby can feed.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates generally to the field of feeding babies, and 
in particular to a holder for a baby bottle having a flexible arm which is 
surrounded by a removable decorative cover shaped like an animal. 
BACKGROUND ART 
Devices designed to hold the bottle of a feeding baby are well known in the 
art. To avoid the tedious chore of continuously manually holding the 
bottle as the child feeds, one common practice is to wrap the bottle in a 
blanket or towel and prop the bottle in a feeding position. However, this 
method is oftentimes inadequate since the bottle can be easily moved away 
from or otherwise dislodged from the baby's mouth. To address this 
problem, a variety of bottle holders have been devised. For example, U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,620,491 illustrates a nursing bottle holder in which a bottle 
is carried in a pivot mount which is releasably secured on a support 
member, the support member being formed to straddle a baby. This allows 
the baby to feed from the bottle and also permits ready removal of the 
pivot mount from the support member. U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,293 discloses a 
nursing bottle holder. The device includes a main support member in the 
form of a shell which fits over the body of the infant when the infant is 
lying down, an upright bottle support having a caricature removably 
mounted on the main support for mounting the bottle, and a bottle carriage 
which is pivotable between an active feeding position and an inactive 
released position. The bottle support includes a music box which is 
activated in the inactive position. U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,883 defines a 
positionable toy/bottle holder comprising interchangeable head members 
with openings representing the mouth of the characterization which the 
head represents. The opening contains a groove or channel for receiving 
and holding a resilient ring member which grasps and firmly holds a baby 
bottle. An extension arm supports the head member at a distance spaced 
from a base member. The extension arm, head and base member attachments 
are pivotable. U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,732 consists of a flexible baby bottle 
holding animal. A single piece flexible holding device has four major 
components: a multi-use clamp, a flexible rod, a protective sheath cover 
which provides protection for safe use, beauty, and is designed to bend 
with the movements of the flexible rod, and a flexible holding grip for 
holding a bottle. 
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
The present invention allows a baby to safely and effectively feed from a 
bottle without the need for someone to continuously hold the bottle. The 
mother or father can perform other tasks such as working on a computer, 
doing dishes, writing, working on a car, or talking on the phone while 
only occasionally glancing at the child to ensure that the feeding 
operation is progressing properly. The holder of the present invention 
includes a flexible arm which has a bottle receiver for grasping the 
bottle at one end and an attachment clamp for attaching the holder to a 
support structure at the other end. A removable decorative cover in the 
shape of an animal wraps around the flexible arm and gives the impression 
that it is the animal that is holding the bottle and feeding the baby. A 
preferred name for the present invention is "The Mother's Arm". 
The present invention incorporates numerous useful features and advantages. 
The decorative cover in the form of a soft cuddly animal is attractive to 
both the parents and the baby. The animal is cute and keeps the child 
entertained during feeding. Additionally, the placement of the animal upon 
the holder gives the impression that it is the animal that is performing 
the feeding operation, thereby further enhancing the entertainment value. 
The decorative animal covering is removable for easy cleaning and washing. 
The animal can also be removed and left with the baby, or wrapped around 
other objects such as cribs and pole lamps. Additionally, different animal 
covers can be used thereby providing variety and avoiding boredom to the 
baby. 
The holder fits any bottle and securely clamps to carriers, car seats, 
cribs, strollers, and the like, and once clamped, stays firmly in 
position. The arm of the holder is completely flexible, allowing the 
holder to be placed in any desired position. The holder can always be 
adjusted so that the animal is facing the baby. The holder keeps the 
bottle clean by not allowing it to drop onto the floor or ground. 
The holder is safe. It has no removable parts that a baby can swallow. The 
bottle receiver which holds the bottle is fabricated from soft pliable 
material and contains no solid parts or sharp edges that could harm the 
baby. Further, the child can easily move the holder out of the way or push 
the bottle away when they are not wanted. 
The flexible arm may be folded out of the way after the completion of 
feeding without disconnecting the clamp. Conversely, the arm may be 
positioned so the baby can play with the decorative animal covering. 
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a holder for a 
baby bottle includes a flexible arm having a first end and an opposite 
second end. A bottle receiver is connected to the first end and a clamp is 
connected to the second end. A decorative cover in the form of an 
attractive animal is removably attachable to the first and second ends of 
the flexible arm with the animal's head located near the bottle receiver 
and the animal's groin located near the clamp. 
In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, the decorative 
cover is attached to the flexible arm by hook and loop attachment means 
such as Velcro.RTM.. 
In accordance with an important feature of the invention, the animal is 
wrapped around the flexible arm so that the animal straddles the arm. 
In accordance with another important aspect of the invention, the 
decorative cover has two spaced cooperating fasteners located on the chest 
of the animal, the two spaced cooperating fasteners selectively retaining 
the decorative cover around the flexible arm. 
In accordance with another important feature of the invention, the animal 
has at least two limbs which are selectively fastenable together so as to 
surround the flexible arm. The two limbs are also selectively fastenable 
together so as to surround and hold the baby bottle. 
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the body of the animal is 
made of fabric or other soft flexible material and is substantially flat 
so that it can be wrapped around the flexible arm. Other parts of the 
animal, such as the head and limbs, can be stuffed to provide a natural 
look. 
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent 
from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the 
accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles 
of the invention.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
Referring initially to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a perspective view of a 
holder for a baby bottle in accordance with the present invention, 
generally designated as 20. FIG. 2 is an end elevation view of a flexible 
arm 22, a bottle receiver 24, and a clamp 26 used in the holder. FIG. 3 is 
a side elevation view of FIG. 2. Flexible arm 22 has a first end 28 and an 
opposite second end 30. Flexible arm 22 is bendable into various positions 
in directions 19, 21, 23, and 25 thereby making it possible to adjust the 
relative position and orientation of bottle receiver 24 with respect to 
clamp 26. Once bent into position, flexible arm 22 retains the desired 
configuration. In a preferred embodiment, flexible arm 22 is similar in 
construction to the neck of a common desk lamp. 
Bottle receiver 24 is connected to first end 28 of flexible arm 22. Bottle 
receiver 24 receives a baby bottle 500 which is used to feed a baby 502. 
Bottle receiver 24 is fabricated from soft pliable material and contains 
no solid parts or sharp edges that could harm the baby 502. In a preferred 
embodiment, bottle receiver 24 comprises cooperating bands 27 and 29 of 
hook and loop material. The bands are snugly wrapped around baby bottle 
500 to firmly hold it in place. Bottle receiver 24 may be adjusted to 
accommodate virtually any size baby bottle 500. Clamp 26 is connected to 
second end 30 of flexible arm 22, can be of any convenient design, and is 
used to secure holder 20 onto a support structure 504 such as a crib. In 
the shown preferred embodiment, clamp 26 is a spring clamp similar to the 
clamps on battery cables. 
FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a decorative cover 32 for the holder. 
FIG. 5 is an end elevation view of FIG. 4. Decorative cover 32 is 
removably attachable to first end 28 and second end 30 of flexible arm 22 
shown in FIG. 2. Decorative cover 32 is in the form of an animal which has 
an imaginary flexible spinal axis 35. In a preferred embodiment, the 
animal of decorative cover 32 has a body portion 34 which is flattened, 
thereby facilitating the process of wrapping decorative cover 32 around 
flexible arm 22. Decorative cover 32 has a first connection point 36 and a 
second connection point 38. 
FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of flexible arm 22, bottle receiver 24, and 
clamp 26 placed adjacent the front of decorative cover 32 in a ready to be 
wrapped position. When attached to and wrapped around or straddling 
flexible arm 22, the spinal axis 35 of the animal (FIGS. 3 and 4) is 
substantially codirectional with flexible arm 22 (FIG. 1). That is, the 
animal is lying with its front side along flexible arm 22 with the head 
and neck of the animal located near first end 28 and bottle receiver 24, 
and the groin of the animal located near second end 30 and clamp 26. 
Flexible arm 22 has a first connection point 40 disposed at first end 28 
and a second connection point 42 disposed at second end 30 (refer also to 
FIG. 2). The first connection point 36 of decorative cover 32 includes one 
of hook and loop fastening material, and first connection point 40 of 
flexible arm 22 includes the other of hook and loop fastening material. 
Similarly, second connection point 38 of decorative cover 32 includes one 
of hook and loop fastening material, and second connection point 42 of 
flexible arm 22 includes the other of hook and loop fastening material. 
First connection point 36 of decorative cover 32 is located near the neck 
44 of the animal, and second connection point 38 of decorative cover 32 is 
located near a groin 46 of the animal. When decorative cover 32 is 
attached to flexible arm 22, first connection point 36 of decorative cover 
32 cooperates with first connection point 40 of flexible arm 22, and 
second connection point 38 of decorative cover 32 cooperates with first 
connection point 42 of flexible arm 22. In accordance with a preferred 
embodiment of the invention, the second connection point 38 near the groin 
of the animal includes two spaced apart connection points. Also, in a 
preferred embodiment, connection points 40 and 42 of flexible arm 22 
comprise loop fastening material, and connection points 36 and 38 of 
decorative cover 32 comprise hook fastening material. 
Referring also to FIG. 7, to effect the wrapping of decorative cover 32 
around flexible arm 22, decorative cover 32 has two spaced cooperating 
fasteners 48 located on opposite sides of the chest of the animal. The two 
spaced cooperating fasteners 48 selectively retain decorative cover 32 
around flexible arm 22. In a preferred embodiment, one of the two spaced 
cooperating fasteners 48 includes hook fastening material, and the other 
of two spaced cooperating fasteners 48 includes loop fastening material. 
In FIG. 7, decorative cover 32 has been wrapped around flexible arm 22 in 
directions 47 and 49. 
The animal of decorative cover 32 has at least two opposing limbs 50. If 
the animal is a bird such as is shown, the two limbs 50 comprise wings. It 
may be appreciated however, that if the animal is four legged, such as a 
dog or cat, the animal would have two opposing front legs 50 and two 
opposing rear legs. Two limbs 50 are selectively fastened together so as 
to surround flexible arm 22. Again, this is accomplished by a pair of 
cooperating hook and loop fasteners 60 and 62. In a preferred embodiment, 
two limbs 50 can be fastened together so as to surround baby bottle 502 
and give the impression the animal is holding the baby bottle 502 (refer 
also to FIG. 1). 
Using the holder for a baby bottle 20 to feed a baby may be accomplished by 
attaching the baby bottle 500 to bottle receiver 24, wrapping the 
decorative cover 32 around flexible arm 22 so that the head of the animal 
is near bottle receiver 24 and the groin of the animal is near clamp 26, 
attaching clamp 26 to a support structure 504, and positioning flexible 
arm 22 so that baby bottle 500 is accessible to the baby 502. After 
repeated use, decorative cover 32 may be removed from flexible arm 22 for 
cleaning. 
The preferred embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary 
and numerous modifications, dimensional variations, and rearrangements can 
be readily envisioned to achieve an equivalent result, all of which are 
intended to be embraced within the scope of the appended claims.