Abstract:
The present invention provides infant and toddler feeding and liquid food storing systems. Disposable containers and infant feeding assemblies are provided for preparing, storing, and serving a liquid food or other beverage to children or other subjects having special needs. The assembly can comprise a holder, a disposable container that fits into the holder, and a means for delivering the food to the subject, e.g., using a nipple or drinking spout.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/545,137, filed Feb. 18, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to infant and toddler feeding and storing system. More particularly, the present invention relates to disposable containers and nursing assemblies that can be used for preparing, storing and serving liquid food or perishable beverages such as juice, breast milk and infant formula. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Infants are required to be fed very frequently with a small amount of milk such as breast milk or infant formula, and therefore many clean bottles shall be needed. In order to minimize a chance that a baby can be infected by bacteria, the bottle shall be washed and sterilized with boiling water or steam before it is used. Such activities of washing and sterilizing bottles are extra work for parents who are already tired and do not have enough sleep. Therefore, it is advantage to have a bottle or container that is pre-sterilized before use and can be disposed after use. Preparing, storing, and serving liquid food or perishable beverages in a most convenient way that shall free the parents from washing and sterilizing baby bottles is the main focus of this invention. 
   A disposable baby feeding bottle for babies was described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,599,630 to Hair. In the Hair patent, a nursing assembly incorporating a disposable paper container is disclosed for feeding a baby during the traveling. The container is thrown away after each feeding. Thus, eliminating the need to wash and sterilize an used bottle. Nevertheless, this nursing assembly suffers a number of shortcomings. First, the nipple and the flange portion of the bottle are engaged together to form a seal by the interlocking of upper and lower brackets. When an excess force is applied by the brackets and the flange portion which may have already be softened by the infant formula contained therein, the flange portion of the bottle will be torn, ripped or distorted from a circular shape. When this disengagement or misalignment between the nipple and the flange portion occurred, a leakage will result. Second, when manipulating or holding the nursing assembly at the bottle with an excess force, the flange portion of the bottle can be torn or ripped. Thus, leakage will occur. Third, the nipple in the nursing assembly described in the Hair patent has a tailored design to form a seal with the flange portion of the bottle. This limits the use of the disposable bottle to only the described nursing assembly. 
   A nursing assembly for infant incorporating a disposable cup was described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,787 to Sheu. In the Sheu patent, a special collar socket with a skirt portion is required to secure a paper cup to the nursing assembly. The Sheu patent claimed improvements over the Hair patent described above. Nevertheless, in this design, it can be concluded with the following defects and which shall be solved sooner or later. First, the collar socket with a skirt portion is contact with an infant formula when it is used in the nursing assembly. Therefore, it is an extra part that needs to be washed and sterilized before it is used. It defeats a purpose of using a paper cup as container. Second, when manipulating, holding or accidentally step on the nursing assembly by the bottle with an excess force, the cup can be crumbled or ripped. Thus, leakage will occur. 
   A nursing assembly for infant incorporate a disposable plastic container was described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,781 to Marco. In the Marco patent, a plastic container which has thin and flexible body portion and thicker and less flexible rim portion is used as a disposable container for a nursing assembly. Similar disposable plastic containers can be found in the market manufactured by Playtex Products, Inc. of Dover, Del. The Playtex bottle consists of a cylindrical holder, in which a plastic liner bag is placed and filled with liquid food. In one variant, the plastic liner top is stretched over the top of the holder. In another variant, the plastic liner bag is provided with a semi-rigid rim around the top of to facilitate installation of the bag in just on hand. In either case, it requires parents to prepare infant formula in a separate container and let that cools down before transferring the formula to the plastic liner bag. Furthermore, these plastic liner bags should not be heated up in a microwave. Therefore, it is not convenient for parents. 
   Therefore, there is a need in the art for a disposable container suitable for preparing, short-term storing and feeding of liquid food such as infant formula directly from a single container to minimize the possibility of contamination of the contents and maximizing the usefulness and convenience of the container for parents. Further, there is a need in the art to make a container which can be disposable and affordable. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an objective of the present invention to provide an infant nursing assembly that reduces the number of parts necessary to be washed and sterilized after each use. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide an infant nursing assembly that reduces the amount of clean ups due to use of multiple containers. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a disposable container for an infant nursing assembly that does not deform its shape when contacts with boiling water. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a disposable container for an infant nursing assembly that does not be soften by a liquid food after storing for several days. 
   It is another objective of the present invention to provide an infant/toddler drinking cup that is disposable after use. 
   The above objectives and advantages of the present invention are provided by an infant nursing assembly comprising a disposable container, a holder and a nipple bracket. The disposable container has an open end and generally made from polymer coated paper-board, plastics or combination thereof. The top of the container is provided with a circular flange about the circumference of the cup, such that the liquid filled cup can be dropped down into a cylindrical holder. The container can be use to prepare infant formula, store the formula inside the container for short-term, and feed the formula to an infant by mounting the formula filled container into the nursing assembly. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  representatively illustrates an exploded view of the components of the nursing assembly of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  representatively illustrates a plan view of the disposable container of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3A  &amp; B reprehensively illustrate a cross section of the disposable container of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 3C  &amp; D representatively illustrate a cross section of an inventive container. 
       FIG. 4  representatively illustrates a top view of the disposable container of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 5A-D  representatively illustrate different holders that can be used with the disposable container of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  representatively illustrates a conventional nipple; 
       FIG. 7  representatively illustrates a locking ring; 
       FIG. 8  representatively illustrates a one-piece nipple-ring assembly; 
       FIG. 9  representatively illustrates an adapter lid 
       FIG. 10  representative illustrates a cross section of the adapter lid of  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 11  representatively illustrates a one-piece nipple-lid assembly; 
       FIG. 12  representative illustrates a cross section of the nipple-lid assembly of  FIG. 11 ; 
       FIG. 13  representatively illustrates a lid with a drinking spout; 
       FIG. 14  representatively illustrates a lid with a drinking straw; 
       FIG. 15  representatively illustrates a lid; 
       FIG. 16  representatively illustrates a cross section of the lid of  FIG. 15 ; 
       FIG. 17  representative illustrates an exploded view of an infant drinking cup according to the present invention, the infant drinking cup having a holder, a disposable container, a lid with drinking spout and a locking ring; 
       FIG. 18  representative illustrates an a perspective view of an infant drinking cup according to the present invention, the infant drinking cup having a holder, a disposable container, a lid with drinking spout and a locking ring; 
       FIG. 19  representative illustrates an exploded view of an infant drinking cup according to the present invention, the infant drinking cup having a holder, a disposable container, a lid with drinking spout and a locking ring; 
       FIG. 20  representative illustrates an a perspective view of an infant drinking cup according to the present invention, the infant drinking cup having a holder, a disposable container, a lid with drinking spout and a locking ring; 
       FIG. 21  representative illustrates an exploded view of an infant feeding assembly according to the present invention, the infant feeding assembly having a disposable container, a adapter lid, a nipple and a locking ring; 
       FIG. 22  representative illustrates an exploded view of an infant feeding assembly according to the present invention, the infant feeding assembly having a disposable container, an adapter lid, a nipple-ring assembly; 
       FIG. 23  representative illustrates an a perspective view of an infant feeding assembly according to the present invention, the infant feeding assembly having a disposable container, an adapter lid, a nipple-ring assembly. 
       FIG. 24  representative illustrates an exploded view of an infant feeding assembly according to the present invention, the infant feeding assembly having a disposable container, a nipple-lid assembly. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The nursing assembly of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1  generally has a holder  10  a disposable container  20 , locking ring  40  and a nipple  30 . For storage, the nursing assembly further has a disposable lid  100 . 
   The disposable container  20  shown in  FIG. 2  of the preferred embodiment has a cylindrical shape, having a container body  24 , an opening end  29 , a closed end  26 , a flange  22  and graduated markings  28 . The container  20  has preferably larger opening end and smaller closed end to allow stacking of multiple containers  20  for packaging. The container  20  has preferably graduated markings printed on the outside and/or the inside of the container body  24 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , the open end  29  of the disposable container is defined by the flange  22  which preferably circular in shape. The open end  29  is defined by the flange  22 , which is extended outward from the container body  24  and along the entire circumference of the container body  24 . The flange  22  preferably has grooves  21 . 
   In the preferred embodiment, the flange  22 , the container body  24  and the close end  26  are made from the same material. The flange  22 , the container body  24  and the close end  26  need to be rigid enough that the container can support the weight of the liquid food therein and stand on its own without any support. Furthermore, the flange  22  is rigid enough that it can support the weight of the liquid food contain therein when the container is mounted on the holder  10 . 
   The flange  22 , the container body  24  and the close end  26  are made from a rigid material that is compression-resistant in the axial and/or radial direction. A container that comprises a compression-resistant material does not collapse or change substantially its shape or volume during normal feeding by the infant. A compression-resistant container can also withstand boiling water without deforming or distorting the shape of the container. Furthermore, it can withstand liquid food contained therein for three days in a refrigerator without weakening the container body  24  or resulting in liquid leakage. In addition, when placed in a water bath, a compression-resistant container preferably does not collapse, leak, or otherwise loose its rigidity and ability to be used. The container is preferably made from a water-proofed or water-resistant material. The preferable water proofed material is plastic or a polymer coated paperboard (i.e., comprised of a wood or cellulose material), which is coated on both side of the paperboard. The paperboard material can be any effective composition, including, e.g. selected kraft, bleached, news, or white-lined recycled or virgin paperboard. Polymers that can be used, include, e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, derivatives thereof, etc. The thickness of the water-proofed or resistant material can be of any effective size, e.g., preferably from 0.1 to 1.0 mm. More preferably in a range of 0.2 to 0.7 mm. Even more preferably in a range of 0.3 to 0.5 mm. Other water-proofed or water-resistant material can be used as well, such as wax coated paperboard, polystyrene, foamboard, styrofoam, etc, and other laminate combinations. 
   The flange  22  is formed by curling the material outward as shown in  FIG. 3A . The curl significantly increases the rigidity of the flange  22 , which will prevent the flange  22  from distorting from a circular shape when an excessive force is applied to the locking ring  40 .  FIG. 3B  shows an alternative way to form the flange  22 . In this approach, the flange  22  is formed by bonding the water proofed paper-board portion of the flange to a polymeric material for reinforcement. The suitable polymeric materials are, but not limited to, polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene. 
   The locking ring  40  shown in  FIG. 7  is used to attach the nipple  30  to the disposable container  20  and the holder  10 . The locking ring  40  has a cylindrical shape, having a body  41 , an opening end  43  and end wall  42  with a nipple opening  45  in it. The interior of the locking ring body  41  has inner threads  48 . 
   The locking ring  40  is preferably made from rigid material such as polypropylene, polycarbonate and polystyrene. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5A , holder  10  has a cylindrical shape, having a holder body  11 , a bottom open end  13 , a top open end  15  and a rim  12 . The top open end has external threads  14 . The holder body  11  is preferably long enough to contain the entire disposable container body  24  therein. The rim  12  has an interior circumference that is large enough to receive the disposable container body  24 . However, the interior circumference of the rim  12  should be smaller than the outer circumference of the flange  22 , which allow the flange  22  to sit on top of the rim  12  when the disposable container  20  is inserted onto the holder  10 . 
   The top open end  15  of the holder  10  is defined by the rim  12  which preferably circular in shape. The top open end  15  has external threads  14 , which allow engagement of the top open end  15  with the locking ring  40 . 
   In an alternative embodiment, a reusable bottle  210  can be used as a holder (see  FIG. 5B ). The reusable bottle  210  has a cylindrical shape, having a body  211 , a close end  213 , an open end  215  and a rim  212 . The open end has external threads  214 . The reusable bottle body  211  should be long enough to contain the entire disposable container body  24  therein. The rim  212  has an interior circumference that is large enough to receive the disposable container body  24 . However, the interior circumference of the rim  212  should be smaller than the outer circumference of the flange  22 , which allow the flange  22  to sit on top of the rim  212  when the disposable container  20  is inserted onto the reusable bottle  210 . 
   In another alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 5C , holder  310  has a cylindrical shape, having a holder body  311 , a bottom closed end  313 , a top open end  315  and a rim  312 . The top open end has external threads  314 . Preferably, the holder  313  has larger opening end and smaller closed end to fit the disposable container body  24 . The rim  312  has an interior circumference that is large enough to partially receive the disposable container body  24 . In addition, the interior circumference of the closed end  313  is large enough to receive the disposable container closed end  26 . However, the holder body  311  should be shorter than the disposable container body  24 , which allow a gap between the flange  22  and the rim  312  when the disposable container  20  is inserted onto the holder  310  (See  FIG. 17 ). 
   In another alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 5D , holder  410  has a cylindrical shape, having a holder body  411 , a bottom open end  413 , a top open end  415  and a rim  412 . The top open end has external threads  414 . Preferably, the holder  413  has larger opening end and smaller closed end to fit into the disposable container body  24 . The rim  412  and the open end  413  have interior circumferences that are large enough to partially receive the disposable container body  24  as shown in  FIG. 19 . The holder body  411  should be shorter than the disposable container body  24 , which allow a gap between the flange  22  and the rim  412  when the disposable container  20  is inserted onto the holder  410  (See  FIG. 19 ). 
   The holders  10 ,  210 ,  310  and  410  are preferably made from rigid material such as polypropylene and polycarbonate. 
   The disposable lid  100  shown in  FIG. 15  has a cylindrical shape, having an opening end  103  and close end  102 . The opening end  103  has an interior circumference that is large enough to receive the flange  22 . In the preferred embodiment, the body  34  should fit tightly around the flange  22  when the disposable lid  100  is engaged with the disposable container  20 . 
   The disposable lid  100  is preferably made from polymer material such as polyethylene. 
   Referring to  FIG. 6 , the nipple  30  has a flange  32 , a mouthpiece  34  and an annular lip  36 . The flange  32  is preferably circular in shape. The annular lip  36  is extended downward from undersurface of the flange  32  and along the entire circumference of the flange  32 . The outer circumference of the flange  32  is slightly smaller than the inner circumference of the locking ring body  41  of the locking ring  40 . The outer circumference of the annular lip  36  is slightly smaller than the inner circumference of the flange  22  of the disposable container  20 . 
   The nipple  30  is preferably made from soft polymer material such as silicone. 
   Referring to  FIG. 9 , the adaptor lid  60  has a bottom open end  63 , a top open end  65 , a body  61 , and a rim  62 . The top open end has external threads  64 . Preferably, the adaptor lid  60  has larger bottom open end  63  and smaller open top end  65 . This allows the user to use a larger diameter disposable container with a smaller diameter locking ring (see  FIG. 21 ). The adaptor lid  60  also has a locking recess channel  66 , which can form a tight seal when it is engaged onto the flange  22  of the disposable container  20 . 
   The user can use the nursing assembly of the present invention as follows 
   Step 1: for preparing infant formula, the user places a powder infant formula directly into the disposable container  20 . Boiling water is then added to the disposable container  20 . The infant formula/water mixture is stirred thoroughly and allowed to cool down to an appropriate temperature for feeding. The mixture can be cooled down by placing the disposable container  20  inside a water bath. 
   Step 2: the user can prepare infant formula and use it at a later time such as making infant formula early in the evening and use it for late night feedings. In this case, the user can prepare infant formula in the disposable container  20  as described in step 1. The disposable lid  100  is then used to seal the open end  29  of the disposable container  20  before the disposable container  20  is placed in the refrigerator for storage. 
   Step 3: for traveling, the user can prepare infant formula in the disposable container  20  as describe step 1 in advance. The filled disposable container  20  maybe packed in a diaper bag for traveling. In this case to prevent leakage, the user engages the disposable lid  100  onto the flange  22  of the disposable container  20 . The user then inserts the filled disposable container  20  into the holder  310 . The locking ring  40  is then engaged into the holder  310 . The inner threads  48  of the locking ring  40  are then engaged with the external threads  14  of the holder  310 . When the locking ring  40  is tightly engaged with the holder  310 , the disposable lid  100  is pressed tightly against the flange  22  of the disposable container  20 . This prevents the infant formula contain therein from leaking. The engaged nursing assembly can be packed in a diaper bag for traveling. 
   Step 4: feeding at home, the stored infant formula described in step  2  can be use for feeding. The disposable container  20  is first removed from the refrigerator. The disposable cover  30  is then removed from the disposable container  20  and discarded. The user inserts the filled disposable container  20  into the holder  10 , which causes the flange  22  to sit on top of the rim  12  of the holder  310 . The user then engages the nipple  30  with the locking ring  40  so that the flange  32  of the nipple  30  is against the interior of the end wall  42  of the locking ring  40 . The inner threads  48  of the locking ring  40  are then engaged with the external threads  14  of the holder  310 . When the locking ring  40  is tightly engaged with the holder  310 , the flange  32  of the nipple  30  is pressed tightly against the flange  22  of the disposable container  20 . This prevents the infant formula contain therein from leaking. After feeding, the locking ring  40  is disengaged from the holder  310  so that the empty disposable container  20  can be removed and discarded. 
   Step 5: feeding while traveling, the stored infant formula described in step 3 can be use for feeding. The locking ring  40  is first disengaged from the holder  310  so that the disposable lid  100  can be removed. The user then engages the nipple  30  with the locking ring  40  so that the flange  32  of the nipple  30  is against the interior of the end wall  42  of the locking ring  40 . The inner threads  48  of the locking ring  40  are then engaged with the external threads  14  of the holder  310 . When the locking ring  40  is tightly engaged with the holder  310 , the flange  32  of the nipple  30  is pressed tightly against the flange  22  of the disposable container  20 . This prevents the infant formula contain therein from leaking. After feeding, the locking ring  40  is disengaged from the holder  310  so that the empty disposable container  20  can be removed and discarded 
   The nursing assembly provided by the present invention provides convenience, versatility and hygienic. 
   As various changes could be made in the above disposable container  20  without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.