Abstract:
A transportable feeding system for infants and the like comprises an hollow upper chamber for receiving a quantity of powdered food material and a hollow lower chamber for receiving a quantity of water. A normally closed valve member is selectively openable to permit water to flow from the hollow lower chamber into the hollow upper chamber for mixing and feeding.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     This invention relates generally to the feeding of powdered food materials, and more particularly to a unitary system for transporting and feeding powdered food materials.  
       BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     At the present time there exists no convenient system for feeding infants during travel, family outings, and other instances when the family is away from home. Premixed formula must be kept cold after opening and then must be warmed prior to use. Powdered formula can be safely used for up to thirty days after opening but must be used shortly after mixing with water. Thus, the feeding of powdered formula at a remote location involves separately transporting (a) powdered formula, (b) distilled or purified water, and (c) a baby bottle. Prior to feeding, the powdered formula and the water must be discharged into the baby bottle and mixed, a procedure which can be quite inconvenient.  
         [0003]     The present invention comprises a system for transporting and feeding powdered food materials such as powdered formula which overcomes the foregoing and other problems which have long since characterized the prior art. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, powdered food material is received and stored in an upper chamber and distilled or purified water is received and stored in a lower chamber which is isolated from the upper chamber by a normally closed valve. At feeding time the valve is opened, the water is directed through the valve into the upper chamber, the water and the powdered food material are mixed, and the resulting mixture is fed directly from the upper chamber.  
         [0004]     In accordance with more specific aspects of the invention, a transportable feeding system for infants and the like comprises a hollow upper chamber having an open upper end and an open lower end. A conventional feeding nipple is secured to the open upper end of the upper chamber and a valve section is secured to the open lower end of the upper chamber. A hollow lower chamber comprises an open upper end and a closed lower end. The open upper end of the lower chamber is secured to the valve section.  
         [0005]     The valve section of the device comprises a normally closed valve. The lower chamber receives a quantity of water and the upper chamber receives a quantity of a powdered food material such as powdered formula. At feeding time the valve of the valve section is opened and the water from the lower chamber is directed through the valve section into the upper chamber wherein the water is mixed with the powdered food material. The resulting mixture is then fed from the upper chamber through the nipple secured thereto.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]     A more complete understanding of the present invention may be had by reference to the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings, wherein:  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a transportable feeding system for infants and the like comprising the present invention;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the valve section of the transportable feeding system for infants and the like of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along the lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2  in the direction of the arrows;  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a first alternative construction of the valve section of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of a second alternative construction of the valve section of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is an enlargement of a portion of the transportable feeding system for infants and the like of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating the use of the transportable feeding system for infants and the like of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view illustrating an optional base which may be utilized in conjunction with the transportable feeding system for infants and the like of  FIG. 1 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]     As used herein the term “infant” is broadly defined to include not only young children but also any person or animal requiring or needing bottle feeding.  
         [0016]     Referring to the Drawings, and particularly to  FIG. 1  thereof, there is shown a transportable feeding system for infants and the like  10  comprising the present invention. The transportable feeding system  10  includes a hollow upper chamber  12  having an open upper end and an open lower end. A conventional nipple  14  of the type utilized in the feeding of infants, etc. is releaseably secured to the open upper end of the hollow upper chamber  12  by a conventional nipple retainer  15 . The nipple  14  may be protected during non-use by a removable cap  16 .  
         [0017]     The open lower end of the hollow upper chamber  12  of the transportable feeding system  10  is releaseably secured to a valve section  18 . The hollow upper chamber  12  is preferably threadedly secured to the valve section  18 . Other conventional devices for securing the hollow upper chamber to the valve section will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.  
         [0018]     The transportable feeding system  10  further comprises a hollow lower chamber  20  having an open upper end and a closed lower end. The open upper end of the hollow lower chamber  20  is releaseably secured to the valve section  18 . The hollow lower chamber  20  is preferably threadedly engaged with the valve section  18 , however, other well known techniques for releaseably securing the hollow chamber to the valve section are well known in the art.  
         [0019]     The valve section  18  of the transportable feeding system  10  is further illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The valve section  18  comprises a right circular cylinder  22  having internal securing members  24  formed in the upper and lower ends thereof. A valve socket  26  is disposed within the cylinder  22  and is provided with aligned apertures  28  to facilitate the flow of water from the hollow lower chamber  20  into the hollow upper chamber  12  of the transportable feeding system  10 .  
         [0020]     A valve member  30  is supported in the valve socket  26  for sliding movement with respect thereto between open and closed positions. A passageway  32  extends through the valve member  30  and actuating buttons  34  are provided at the opposite ends thereof.  
         [0021]     The valve socket  26  and the valve member  30  define a valve for the transportable feeding system  10 . The valve member  30  is normally located relative to the valve socket  26  with the passageway  32  therethrough positioned out of alignment with the apertures  28  thereby securely isolating the contents of the hollow upper chamber  12  of the transportable feeding system  10  from the contents of the hollow lower chamber  20  thereof. Conversely, when the transportable feeding system  10  is inverted from the upright position shown in  FIG. 1  and the valve member  30  is positioned as shown in  FIG. 3 , water from the hollow lower chamber  20  of the transportable feeding system  10  is allowed to flow into the hollow upper chamber  12  thereof.  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the valve section  18  further comprises an air vent  40 . The air vent  40  is the type commonly used in children&#39;s leak proof drinking cups, and includes a normally closed slit  42  which may comprise either a single slit or two slits arranged in a cruciform configuration as shown. The valve  40  permits air flow through the valve section  18  while preventing liquid flow therethrough.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a valve member  50  which may be employed in the valve section  18  illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  and described hereinabove in connection therewith in lieu of the valve member  30 . The valve member  50  has a passageway  52  formed therethrough which functions identically to the passageway  32  of the valve member  30 . An actuating button  54  is provided at one end of the valve member  50 ; however, in lieu of an actuating button at the opposite end thereof, the valve member  50  is provided with a spring  56  which is operatively positioned between a surface of the cylinder  22  of the valve member  18  and a shoulder  58  of the valve member  50 .  
         [0024]     The spring  56  functions to normally position the valve member  50  in a closed relationship with respect to the apertures  28  of the valve socket  26  of the valve section  18 . That is, the passageway  52  of the valve member  50  is normally positioned out of the alignment with the apertures  28  under the action of the spring  56 . Whenever it is desired to cause water to flow from the hollow lower chamber  20  into the hollow upper chamber  12  of the transportable feeding system  10  the actuating button  54  is engaged to move the valve member  50  inwardly against the action of the spring  56  thereby aligning the passageway  52  with the apertures  28  of the valve socket  26 .  
         [0025]     Figure  5  illustrates a valve section  60  which may be used in lieu of the valve section  18  illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  and described hereinabove in connection therewith. The valve section  60  comprises many component parts which are substantially identical in construction and function to component parts of the valve section  18 . Such identical component parts are designated in  FIG. 5  with the same reference numerals utilized above in the description of the valve section  18  but are differentiated therefrom by means of a prime (′) designation.  
         [0026]     The valve section  60  differs from the valve section  18  in that the valve section  60  employs a ball valve  62  having a passageway  64  extending therethrough. A shaft  66  extends from the ball valve  62  and a handle  68  is secured at the end of the shaft  66  remote from the ball valve  62 . The handle  68  is employed to rotate the ball valve  62  between a closed orientation wherein the passageway  64  extends at right angles to the apertures  28 ′ and an open orientation wherein the passageway  64  is aligned with the apertures  28 ′.  
         [0027]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , an air vent  70  may be formed at the upper end of the hollow lower chamber  20 . Alternatively, the vent  70  may be formed in the lower edge of the valve socket  26  of the valve section  18 . The function of the vent  70  is to allow air flow into the hollow lower chamber  20  and through the vent  40  (not shown in  FIG. 6 ) of the valve section  18  during feeding from the transportable feeding system  10 .  
         [0028]     Operation of the transportable feeding system  10  of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . All of the component parts of the transportable feeding system for infants and the like  10  are sterilized prior to use. Powdered food material such as powdered formula is initially received in the hollow upper chamber  12 . Distilled or purified water is initially stored in the hollow lower chamber  20 . The valve member  30  comprising the valve section  18  is initially in its closed configuration thereby separating the water in the hollow lower chamber  20  from the powdered food material in the hollow upper chamber  12 .  
         [0029]     Whenever it is desired to feed an infant, a disabled person, or an animal utilizing the transportable feeding system  10 , the valve member  30  comprising the valve section  18  is moved to its open configuration. The transportable feeding system  10  is inverted from the orientation thereof illustrated in  FIG. 1  thereby allowing water to flow from the hollow lower chamber  20  through the valve section  18  into the hollow upper chamber  12 .  
         [0030]     After all of the water has been transferred from the hollow lower chamber  20  into the hollow upper chamber  12  of the transportable feeding system  10  the valve member  30  of the valve section  18  is returned to the closed configuration. At this point the hollow lower chamber  20  may be disengaged from the valve section  18  and replaced with an optional bottle base  72  as illustrated in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0031]     The next step in the operation of the transportable feeding system  10  comprises shaking the hollow upper chamber  12  to thoroughly mix the powdered food material and water now contained therein. After the water is thoroughly mixed with the powdered food material, the resulting mixture is fed through the nipple  14  in the conventional manner.  
         [0032]     All of the component parts of the transportable feeding system  10  are manufactured from food grade materials and are adapted for sterilization in microwave ovens of the type commonly used in household kitchens. The nipple retainer  15 , the cylinder  22  of the valve section  18 , the valve member  30  of the valve section  18 , and the optional bottle base  72  are preferably manufactured from a colored plastic material. The removable cap is manufactured either from a transparent plastic material or from a translucent plastic material and is slightly pliable. The nipple  14  is made from a conventional soft material such as silicone rubber. The valve socket  26  is made from a firm rubber or similar material such as urethane rubber. The hollow upper chamber  12  and the hollow lower chamber  20  are preferably transparent and are manufactured from a sturdy plastic material such as an acrylic. The nipple retainer  15 , the cap  16 , the hollow upper chamber  12 , the cylinder  22  comprising the valve section  18 , the lower chamber  20  are all cylindrical in shape and are adapted to fit into existing bottle warmers. The hollow upper chamber, the valve section, and the hollow lower chamber form the continuous cylinder with minimal seams when assembled.  
         [0033]     The component parts of the transportable feeding system  10  of the present invention may also be constructed from traditional materials. For example, the nipple retainer  15  and the valve section  18  may be manufactured from sterilizable corrosion resistant metals such as brass or stainless steel. The hollow upper chamber and the hollow lower chamber may be formed from sterilizable glass. If metals and/or glass or glass like materials are utilized in the construction of the transportable feeding system of the present invention, gaskets formed from sterilizable materials may be deployed from the component parts thereof.  
         [0034]     Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention.