Abstract:
The present invention relates to a removable, efficiently shock absorbing, protective and heat sensitive, color changing silicone sleeve for baby feeding glass bottles or containers. The sleeve presents an innovative way to insert the baby bottle into the sleeve through the side openings as opposed to the conventional way of fitting the baby bottle through the top of the sleeve.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part application of application Ser. No. 14/201,923 filed on Mar. 10, 2014. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a removable, efficiently shock absorbing, protective and heat sensitive, color changing silicone sleeve for baby feeding glass bottles or containers. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0005]    Consumer market for baby products is vast and ever expanding. Specifically talking about safety products for baby bottles or containers, there are umpteen options available to the consumers. Various competitive products in the market comprise silicone sleeves based baby feeding glass bottles. These bottles consist of breakage free, heat insulating, comfortable gripping surface based silicone sleeves for protecting baby feeding glass bottles from undue damage, preventing babies from burns and facilitating easy transportation. Such silicone sleeves definitely serve the purpose of an insulating protective cover for baby feeding glass bottles or containers but fail to test the approximate temperature of the baby glass bottle contents just by viewing only, without involving the actual need of physically sensing or wrist testing the bottle contents in order to gauge the temperature of the liquid food inside. The present invention also goes a step further by providing an efficient shock absorbing system in the form of bumpers with air pockets at the four corners of the color changing silicone sleeve. These air pockets further comprise of silicon tubes and silicone supporting beams which prevent the air pockets to collapse upon application of pressure. Although there are prior arts discussing about various shock absorbing systems or elements in the silicone sleeves for containers but none of them utilizes the concept of air pockets with supporting beams or silicone tubing as discussed above. Examples like US Pat. Application No. 20090057257 to Marcus et al. (2009); U.S. Pat. No. 6,865,815 to Dunn et al. (2005); have already been discussed in the parent application. 
         [0006]    Another U.S. Pat. No. 2,706,571 to Ryan (1955) discusses about a shield for nursing bottle adapted to protect the bottle against breakage. The shield has two-stage cushioning action including an initial stage of soft cushioning through springing of the walls of the shield, and a stage of cushioning involving compression of bumper beads at the extremities of the shield. Furthermore, in order to conveniently adhere the sleeve to the bottle, there are annular beads projecting inwardly from the surface of the sleeve. These annular beads are spaced axially from the bumper beads permitting them to stretch or contract in order to conform to slightly varying bottle diameters. On the contrary, applicant&#39;s invention does not utilize bumper or annular beads as shock absorbing elements. Instead, the applicant&#39;s invention incorporates special bumpers with air pockets as shock absorbing elements at the four corners of the color changing silicone sleeve. These air pockets are further supported either by a mesh of supporting beams made of silicone, created from the same mould as the silicone sleeve; or by a circular tubing made of silicone. Adding supporting elements i.e. silicone beams and silicone circular tubing inside the air pockets prevent collapsing of these air pockets in the event of fall or slipping of the baby bottle. Thus, making the silicone sleeve efficiently impact resistant. Moreover, Ryan&#39;s Bottle Muff uses annular beads projecting inwardly from the surface of the sleeve. However these annular beads can create a gap between the bottle and the sleeve&#39;s wall. This could further lead to issues when the baby attempts to grip the bottle with the sleeve put on. The Baby has to press hard to push the sleeve&#39;s wall close to the bottle in order to achieve a tight grip. A Baby&#39;s grip is not that strong and hence this may cause problems. On the contrary, the applicant&#39;s color changing sleeve&#39;s design incorporates large windows or cut outs on both the sides of the sleeves, leaving two reasonably thin side walls. The side walls of the sleeve stay in contact with the bottle to ensure easy grip. Since, there are two large windows or cut outs in the applicant&#39;s sleeve&#39;s design, it renders an adequate level of friction that is required to grip the bottle. 
         [0007]    Another US Pat. Application No. 2010/0224585 A1 to Feeley et al. (2010) discusses about impact resistant casing for breakable containers. This application primarily talks about the shock absorbers comprising of elastomeric protuberance that extends outward from the surface of the structural material. These elastomeric protuberances can be in the form of rings, concentric rings and conical shapes. The shock absorbers can be placed at any conceivable location around the breakable container to reduce the frequency of breakage upon an impact. On the contrary, applicant&#39;s sleeve&#39;s shock absorbing system is completely different from the one proposed by Feeley et al. Applicant does not employ elastomeric protuberances of any kind Applicant&#39;s shock absorbing system or it&#39;s elements are hidden from the outer surface of the silicone sleeve and is only identifiable as pronounced bumps i.e. airbags at the corners. Feeley et al. also talks about a coating on the inner surface of silicone casing to facilitate the application and removal of the silicone casing from the container. It is also indicated that such an inner coating may be made up of phthalate esters, which are potentially hazardous for babies. On the other hand, applicant&#39;s color changing silicone sleeve does not have any inner coating or coating on the inner surface of the sleeve. The main reason for providing an inner coating is the fact that Feeley&#39;s silicone casing design possess a high level of contact between the container and the side walls of silicone casing, thus it becomes necessary to incorporate a coating to facilitate easy insertion and removal of the casing. However, applicant&#39;s sleeve&#39;s design exhibits two large cut outs or openings thereby eliminating the need of any inner surface coating to facilitate insertion or release of the sleeve from the container. Hence, the present invention is a substantial improvement over the existing prior arts. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention comprises a removable, protective, heat sensitive and color changing silicone sleeve for baby feeding glass bottles or containers. The present invention comes in various colors and dimensions. The present invention has two large openings or cut out windows at the front and back, leaving two reasonably thin adjacent side walls. The side walls of the sleeve stay in contact with the baby bottle to ensure an easy grip. It is therefore an object of invention to overcome the drawbacks of prior art and offer improved and advantageous features in the present invention. 
         [0009]    It is an object of invention to provide a heat sensitive color changing silicone sleeve which tends to change color when the baby food inside the feeding bottle or container reaches a stated hot temperature. The phenomenon behind the sleeve color change is thermochromism. A predetermined quantity of thermochromic additive CHROMAZONE® is mixed with silicone during the manufacturing process. 
         [0010]    It is further an object of invention to provide a heat sensitive, color changing silicone sleeve wherein the silicone sleeve changes the original color to a cautionary color upon reaching the stated hot temperature. The cautionary color may be white but not limited to any particular color. 
         [0011]    It is yet another object of invention to incorporate special safety bumpers with air pockets as shock absorbing elements at the four corners of the color changing silicone sleeve. These air pockets are further supported either by a mesh of supporting beams made of silicone, created from the same mould as the silicone sleeve; or by a circular tubing made of silicone. Adding supporting elements i.e. silicone beams and silicone circular tubing inside the air pockets prevent collapsing of these air pockets in the event of fall or slipping of the baby bottle. 
         [0012]    For a better understanding of the present invention, the matter disclosed henceforth will describe the invention and its preferred embodiments in the best possible manner. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    The embodiments of the present invention can be better understood with the help of accompanying drawings wherein; 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  shows the top perspective view of color changing silicone sleeve. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  shows the side perspective view of color changing silicone sleeve. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  illustrates the side perspective view of color changing silicone sleeve fitting the baby bottle. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  shows the bottom plan view of color changing silicone sleeve. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  shows the perspective bottom view of color changing silicone sleeve. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  illustrates the front plan view of color changing silicone sleeve with safety bumpers on the edges. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  illustrates the front plan view of color changing silicone sleeve with safety bumpers having closed air pockets on the edges. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  illustrates the front plan view of color changing silicone sleeve with safety bumpers having C-shaped cut out on the edges. 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  illustrates the cross section along line A-A of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  illustrates the front plan view of color changing silicone sleeve with safety bumpers having circular silicone tubing on the edges. 
           [0024]      FIG. 11  illustrates the cross section along line B-B of  FIG. 10 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0025]    With reference to the drawing, in  FIG. 1 , a top perspective view of color changing silicone sleeve  10  is shown. The silicone sleeve  10  has two large side openings  12  and  14  at the front and back respectively. The side wall  15  of the sleeve has a preferable thickness of 1.5 mm but may vary from 0.5 mm-2 mm during the actual product development. Silicone used in manufacturing the product is the food grade silicone. The color changing silicone sleeve  10  is designed in such a manner that it ensures sufficient friction for the sleeve to grip the bottle. Due to adequate friction, there is an overall ease in fitting the baby bottle into the sleeve  10 . The two large side openings  12  and  14  in the front and back respectively, allow the baby bottle to be inserted through the side openings as opposed to the conventional way of fitting the baby bottle through the top of the sleeve. The present design of the sleeve  10  does not require any internal coating of phthalate esters to facilitate fitting of the baby bottle within the sleeve. Conventional silicone sleeves are designed to be fitted into the baby bottles through the top opening of the sleeve and also the surface area of contact between such a sleeve and the baby bottle is comparatively larger than the present invention, which further additionally requires an internal coating within the sleeve&#39;s interior so as to facilitate a smooth fitting of the baby bottle within the sleeve. Since, the present invention has two large side openings  12  and  14  respectively, the overall area of contact of the sleeve  10  and baby bottle is far less as compared to the conventional counterparts. Hence, there is no need to include an internal coating of harmful phthalate esters within the sleeve  10 . The present invention thus provides a phthalate free solution to the buyers. The preferable shore level for manufacturing the color changing silicone sleeve  10  is A40. However, during the actual manufacturing process, a shore level may assume any value between shore A20 to shore A80. The bottom of the color changing silicone sleeve  10  bears four triangular shaped holes  40 . However any shape and number of openings can be embodied by the base of the sleeve  10 . While inserting the baby bottle into the sleeve  10 , an air bubble would often be created between the bottom of the sleeve  10  and the bottom of the baby bottle which causes bottle or sleeve to wobble when placed on surface. The present invention addresses and solves this problem by providing four triangular holes at the bottom of sleeve  10  to let the air escape from the bottom. 
         [0026]    In  FIG. 1 , the color changing sleeve  10  bears bumpers  11  at the four edges or corners of the sleeve. The thickness of these bumpers is preferably 5 mm but may vary from 3-8 mm. The bumpers provide shock absorption capability to the container inside the sleeve so as to reduce the frequency of breakage upon an impact on the floor. Various embodiments of these bumpers are further discussed in the coming section. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side perspective view of color changing silicone sleeve  10  inserted into a baby bottle  30  with collar  20  (as shown in broken lines). Bumpers  11  present at the four edges of the sleeve  10  provide an active shock absorption system to the sleeve. This sleeve design may also be adapted for use on adult drinking bottles whereby the bumpers offer an equally significant shock absorption if the person drops their glass drinking bottle. 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  illustrates the side perspective view of color changing silicone sleeve  10  fitting the baby bottle  30  through the side window  12  of the sleeve. The present invention offers an innovative way of inserting the sleeve through one of the side window&#39;s unlike conventional sleeves wherein the baby bottle is inserted through the top opening of the sleeve. 
         [0029]      FIG. 4  illustrates the bottom plan view of sleeve  10  with four triangular holes  50  at the base  40  of the sleeve. The four holes at the base create a “cross beam” design that acts as bracing to hold the side walls/corners of the sleeve  10  in place. This solves the problem of the corner lip of the sleeve  10  being stretched up too high (when sliding it over the bottle) thus losing protection of the sleeve at the corners. 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  shows the perspective bottom view of color changing silicone sleeve  10  with side window  12  and base  40  bearing triangular holes  50 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 6  illustrates the front plan view of color changing silicone sleeve  10  with safety bumpers  11  on the edges and  12  being one of side&#39;s window on the sleeve. As discussed before, the safety bumpers  11  provide shock absorption capability to the container inside the sleeve so as to reduce the frequency of breakage upon an impact on the floor. The thickness of these bumpers is preferably 5 mm but may vary from 3-8 mm. Other embodiments of these bumpers are further discussed below. 
         [0032]      FIG. 7  illustrates the front plan view of color changing silicone sleeve  10  with safety bumpers having closed air pockets  70  on the edges. In the event of accidental fall, these air pockets  70  inside each corner bumper  11  impart efficient and added shock absorption capability to the sleeve  10 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 8  illustrates the front plan view of color changing silicone sleeve  10  with safety bumpers  11  having a C-shaped cut out or C-shaped air pocket  80  on the edges. The C-shaped cut out is further supported by supporting ribs/beams  81  made of silicone and created from the same mould as the silicone sleeve  10 . The C-shaped cut out  80  with supporting rib  81  gives the same effect as the air bubble. Supporting ribs  81  ensure that the air pockets cannot easily collapse upon application of pressure. With the bottle inserted, it would seal the “cutout”  80  and effectively creates a cushioning bubble. 
         [0034]      FIG. 9  illustrates the cross section along line A-A of  FIG. 8 . The cross section shows the side wall of the sleeve  91  followed by supporting ribs  81  inside the side wall  91 .  90  being the inside base of the sleeve  10 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 10  illustrates the front plan view of color changing silicone sleeve  10  with safety bumpers  11  having circular silicone tubing  100  on the edges. The circular silicone tubing  100  is hollow and this hollow section along within bumper  11  creates shock absorption properties as needed for the sleeve. 
         [0036]      FIG. 11  illustrates a circular cross section along line B-B of  FIG. 10 . The outer layer  10  represents the sleeve which is followed by the circular silicone tube wall  102 . Circular silicone tube wall  102  is further followed by the tube cavity  103 , which is further followed by the circular silicone tube wall  104 . The innermost layer  105  represents the baby bottle surface. 
         [0037]    To ensure the durability and estimate the shock absorption properties of the color changing silicone sleeve, several drop tests were performed. Below is the table presenting the same: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Drop 
                   
                   
                 Sleeve with 
               
               
                 Height 
                 Sleeve without 
                 Sleeve with 
                 Bumpers and 
               
               
                 (ft) 
                 Bumpers 
                 Bumpers alone 
                 supporting Ribs 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 2 
                 No bottles broke 
                 No bottles broke 
                 No bottles broke 
               
               
                   
                 after 20 drops 
                 after 20 drops 
                 after 20 drops 
               
               
                 4 
                 1 bottle broke 
                 No bottles broke 
                 No bottles broke 
               
               
                   
                 after 20 drops 
                 after 20 drops 
                 after 20 drops 
               
               
                 6 
                 11 bottle broke 
                 No bottles broke 
                 No bottles broke 
               
               
                   
                 after 20 drops 
                 after 20 drops 
                 after 20 drops 
               
               
                 8 
                 20 bottles broke 
                 No bottles broke 
                 No bottles broke 
               
               
                   
                 after 20 drops 
                 after 20 drops 
                 after 20 drops 
               
               
                 10 
                 20 bottles broke 
                 No bottles broke 
                 No bottles broke 
               
               
                   
                 after 20 drops 
                 after 20 drops 
                 after 20 drops 
               
               
                 20 
                 20 bottles broke 
                 2 bottle broke 
                 No bottles broke 
               
               
                   
                 after 20 drops 
                 after 20 drops 
                 after 20 drops 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0038]    Table 1 shows that the sleeve with bumpers and supporting ribs offered the most durability. None of the baby bottles broke after 20 drops when inserted into the sleeve with safety bumpers and supporting ribs even from a height of 20 feet. Sleeves with the safety bumpers alone also fared well, with only 2 bottles broken when dropped from a height of 20 feet after 20 drops. Whereas the sleeve with no safety bumpers offered the least durability from the experimented lot. 
         [0039]    While the written description of the invention describes the invention in the best possible mode thereof, it is expected that the ordinary skilled in the art reckons the variations, modifications and combinations of the preferred embodiments. Therefore, the invention shall not be construed as limiting by the mentioned embodiments, methods, examples, terminologies or phraseologies, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and ambit of the invention claimed.