Patent Publication Number: US-7219811-B2

Title: Baby feeding bottle with draw tube

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to drink dispensers, including nursing bottles for infants. More particularly, the present invention relates to a drink dispenser with a flexible draw tube. 
   Nursing bottles for infants are generally known in the art and typically comprise a resilient nipple mounted onto a cap or neck ring which is adapted in turn for mounting onto a bottle containing a selected beverage or food product in liquid form for an infant. The resilient nipple comprises a soft and collapsible mouthpiece which is manipulated by the infant with an alternating collapsing and expansion motion in combination with a sucking action to draw the liquid contents of the bottle through a nipple port. Nursing bottles of this standard type must be held in an inverted or substantially inverted position during use, to ensure fluid flow communication of the bottle contents to the resilient nipple. Further, such conventional bottles naturally fill with air as the infant drinks the liquid. In turn, the feeding infant tends to swallow some of the air, causing indigestion. 
   As an improvement on this long existing configuration, a newer generation of baby nursing bottles include a polymeric cylinder into which a collapsible plastic bag or liner can be positioned. The plastic bag is usually secured at the top of the cylinder by a neck ring or the like. The milk, formula or other liquid is then added to the bag rather than to the cylinder or bottle itself. When topped with the appropriate nipple assembly, this arrangement desirably provides a system under which the bag gradually collapses as the infant feeds from the liquid therein. However, because the bag collapses, pockets of the milk, formula or other liquid can be formed which are not easily accessible by the infant as there is no direct path or space available for fluid to flow to the nipple. Increasing suction is required to provide an ever decreasing fluid flow. 
   Due to the natural inclination of the plastic bag or liner to collapse upon itself and constrict fluid flow as the infant consumes the liquid, the infant child cannot suck fluid from the bottle while in a vertically erect or standing position. This is an ever increasing concern as the child grows and matures and desires to feed from the bottle in a sitting or standing position. In order to provide a constant fluid flow, the child must horizontally recline or arch his or her neck and back to force the fluid towards the nipple of the inverted bottle. However, even in an inverted position, small pockets of fluid can still be formed within the flattening liner and require a great deal of suction to remove. 
   Morever, these nursing bottles allow air to enter into the liner after the bottle has been put aside, particularly in an upright position such as might be the case when the baby is being burped or otherwise attended to. The weight of the liquid in the liner tends to pull the liner downward drawing air into the liner through the nipple. Air may also be drawn into the liner through the nipple or cap when the baby stops sucking for a period of time. Once the bottle is inverted and the infant begins feeding again, the air travels through the liquid and is trapped in a pocket at the top of the inverted bottle. As the fluid is removed, the air pocket remains at the top of the inverted bottle and can be nearly closed off by the liner as the fluid is removed. If the infant continues to suck after the fluid is removed, air is drawn through the nipple and into the infant causing indigestion. 
   Bottles have been devised that incorporate plastic bags. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,287 discloses a plastic bag with a lower rigid support which is manually slid into the cylinder to force the plastic bag upward to remove air out of the bottle. However, this does nothing to solve the problem of pockets of milk, formula or other liquid forming as the plastic bag collapses which denies the infant the ability to consume their full amount of milk, formula or other liquid. In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,973, bottle incorporates a valve into or otherwise associated with the nipple which is intended to overcome the problems which are brought about when air enters the bottle. However, as fluid is removed from the liner, the liner still collapses upon itself to create a constriction between portions of the fluid which are then difficult if not impossible for the child to access. 
   Accordingly, there is a need for a simple drink dispenser construction that permits all or nearly all of the liquid to be accessed by the child. There is a further need for a drink dispenser which permits the user to suck liquid easily and smoothly from the drink dispenser in virtually any orientation. There is an additional need for a drink dispenser having an elongated flow or delivery tube to accommodate versatile bottle positioning relative to a resilient nipple member, while insuring substantial liquid flow of the liquid to the infant in response to a normal suction action. There is also a need for a drink dispenser which allows the infant to feed from any angle or position, including an upright standing position. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An improved drink dispenser is provided for facilitating suction-drawn consumption of a beverage or other nutritious liquid therefrom. In a preferred form of the invention, a baby feeding bottle includes a dispenser body having an upper opening and a hollow interior. The dispenser body has a mouthpiece in fluid flow communication with fluid contained within the flexible fluid container. A flexible fluid container is supported by the dispenser body. An elongated flow tube has a first end disposed adjacent to the upper opening of the dispenser body and a second end disposed within the flexible fluid container. The flow tube facilitates passage of fluid within the fluid container and to the upper opening of the dispenser body. The flow tube includes at least one aperture through a sidewall thereof. The flow tube and fluid container are approximately the same length. 
   In one embodiment, the flow tube or tubes is/are connected to at least a portion of an interior sidewall of the fluid container. In another embodiment, the flow tube extends centrally through the dispenser body and the fluid container. A substantially planar cap plate is disposed adjacent to the upper opening, the cap plate supporting the flow tube and including an aperture in fluid flow communication with the flow tube. A second end of the rigid flow tube includes a spacer. 
   The baby feeding bottle further includes a casing which engages the dispenser body to enclose the flexible fluid container. 
   Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a baby feeding bottle embodying the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of the bottle of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 2A  is a blown-up view of the top of the bottle of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional orthogonal view of the bottle of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an orthogonal view of a flexible container and flow tube embodying the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional front view of the bottle of  FIG. 2  with a collapsed fluid container; 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded view of another baby feeding bottle embodying the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the bottle of  FIG. 6 ; and 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the bottle of  FIG. 7  with a collapsed fluid container. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The present invention is a useful drink dispenser construction that permits all or nearly all of the liquid to be accessed by a child. The present invention permits the user to suck liquid easily and smoothly from the drink dispenser in virtually any orientation. The present invention further includes an elongated flow or delivery tube to accommodate versatile bottle positioning relative to a resilient nipple member, while insuring substantial liquid flow of the liquid to the infant in response to a normal suction action. The present invention allows the infant to feed from any angle or position, including an upright standing position. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages. 
   As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the present invention is concerned with a drink dispenser, in the form of a baby feeding bottle  10  seen in  FIGS. 1–8 . 
   Each baby feeding bottle  10  includes, generally, a dispenser body  22  that has an upper body opening  24  to permit passage of a fluid to be consumed therethrough. A flexible fluid container  26  is supported by the dispenser body  22 . Fluid may be introduced into the flexible fluid container  26  via the upper opening  24 . A mouthpiece  28  is provided in fluid flow communication with fluid contained within the flexible fluid container  26 . 
   The dispenser body  22  has a hollow interior and the flexible fluid container extends within the hollow interior of the dispenser body  22 . The dispenser body  22  includes an upper casing  30  upon which the flexible fluid container  26  is supported, a lower casing  32 , and means  34  for connecting the lower casing  32  to the upper casing  30 . The connection means  34  is in the form of a snap-fit connector that permits the lower casing  32  to be joined to the upper casing  30  by a snap fit. In the alternative, the connection means  34  may be in the form of a slide-fit connector that permits the lower casing  32  to be joined to the upper casing  30  by a friction fit. In another alternative, the lower casing  32  may include external threads that may engage internal threads disposed at a lower end of the upper casing  30 . A plate (not shown) may also be provided within the lower casing  32  to engage a lower end of the flexible fluid container  26  so that as the lower casing  32  is threaded into the upper casing  30 , the plate may engage a lower end of the flexible fluid container  26  to press it upwardly for purposes of expelling unwanted air from within the dispenser body  22 . 
   The flexible fluid container  26  is held in place between the upper casing  30  and a lower portion of the mouthpiece  28  and, when filled with the fluid to be consumed, may extend substantially the entire length of the dispenser body  22 . The lower casing  32  is removable so that a user may squeeze the flexible fluid container  26  to manually move fluid therein from being trapped in pockets formed as the fluid container empties to a location within the fluid container  26  where the fluid is accessible to the user. 
   A lower end of the lower casing  32  is provided an air vent  36  which allows equalization of air pressure within the dispenser body  22  as fluid is consumed and the volume of the flexible fluid container  26  within the dispenser body  22  decreases. The vent  36  also permits water to flow into and out of the casing during normal heating of milk within the container  26 . 
   In the alternative, two sets of numbers, one ascending and the other descending, may be provided on the exterior of the dispenser body  22 , which is preferably transparent. These numbers may be provided to permit the user of the baby feeding bottle  10  to ascertain the amount of fluid within the dispenser body  22 . For example, when filling the flexible fluid container  26  with a fluid to be consumed, the baby feeding bottle  10  may be held upright and the ascending numbers read to determine the number of fluid ounces within the flexible fluid container  26 . Alternatively, the baby feeding bottle  10  may be inverted and the descending numbers read to determine precisely the amount of fluid to be consumed that remains in the baby feeding bottle  10 . 
   The upper end of the upper casing  30  includes a cylindrical and externally threaded neck for receiving a bottle cap  38  which, when threaded onto the upper casing  30 , compresses an outer flange  40  of a nipple  42  that forms the mouthpiece  28  referred to above. The nipple  42  includes a cross-valve  43  through which fluid passes to the user. The mouthpiece  28  provides a soft and resilient or natural feel to the infant, while making possible a substantially improved suction-induced liquid flow. 
   In use, the mouthpiece  28 , comprising the bottle cap  38  and the nipple  42 , is removed from the upper casing  30  to expose the upper body opening  24 . Fluid to be consumed is poured into the flexible fluid container  26  through the upper body opening  24 . When the desired amount of fluid to be consumed has been placed into the dispenser body  22 , the mouthpiece  28  is replaced atop the upper casing  30 . 
   An elongated flow tube  44  has a first end disposed adjacent to the upper body opening  24  of the dispenser body  22  and a second end disposed within the flexible fluid container  26 . The flow tube  44  facilitates passage of fluid within the fluid container  26  and to the upper body opening  24  of the dispenser body  22 . The flow tube  44  includes at least one aperture  46  through a sidewall  48  thereof. The sidewall  48  of the flow tube  44  may also include a plurality of apertures  46  spaced along the length of the flow tube  44  between the first and second ends of the flow tube  44 . The flow tube  44  and fluid container  26  are approximately the same length. The flow tube  44  is constructed from a relatively rigid yet flexible plastic tubing or the like. 
     FIGS. 2–5  illustrate an embodiment of the elongated flow tube  44  where the flow tube  44  is connected to an interior sidewall  50  of the fluid container  26 . The flow tube  44  may be permanently affixed to the sidewall  50  of the fluid container  26  or, alternatively, the flow tube  44  may be removably attached to the sidewall  50 . The removably attachable flow tube  44  may be press-fit into at least one generally U-shaped cradle (not shown) located on an upper portion of the interior sidewall  50  of the flexible fluid container  26 , preferably near the upper end of the fluid container  26 . 
     FIG. 2A  illustrates a seal  45  located between the top of the fluid container  26  and the nipple  42 . The seal  45  includes a central cross-valve  47  through which fluid passes to the user. The seal  45  includes a central portion  49  extending into the nipple  42  and an annular flange  51 . There is sufficient space between the top opening of the flow tube  44  and the flange  51  so as to allow fluid to flow to the user through the valves  43 ,  47 . 
     FIGS. 6–8  illustrate another embodiment of the elongated flow tube  44  where the flow tube  44  extends centrally through the dispenser body  22  and the fluid container  26 . A substantially planar cap plate  52  adjacent the upper body opening  24 , between the fluid container  26  and the mouthpiece  28 , the cap plate  52  supporting the flow tube  44  and including an aperture  54  in fluid flow communication with the flow tube  44  through which the first end of the fluid tube  44  passes. A second end of the flow tube  44  includes a generally cylindrical spacer  56 . The spacer  56  may be of single piece construction with the flow tube  44  or, alternatively, the spacer  56  may include a central aperture  58  which press-fits against the second end of the flow tube  44 . 
   A protective cap  60  may be placed over the top of the baby feeding bottle  10 , as seen in  FIG. 1 . 
   From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the present invention provides a convenient drink dispenser wherein all or nearly all of the fluid within the baby feeding bottle to be consumed therein to be easily and smoothly withdrawn, such as by sucking on an appropriate mouthpiece. The above-described embodiments are advantageous over existing nursing bottles using collapsible plastic bags as the flexible fluid container collapses as fluid is withdrawn in a manner that still allows all or nearly all of the fluid to be accessible to the user as the fluid tube impedes the premature capture of fluid in pockets which require forceful sucking to remove. The design of the baby feeding bottle further allows the child or infant to drink from the bottle while in an erect or standing position, which is not possible with existing bottles. 
   The above-described embodiments of the present invention are illustrative only and not limiting. It will thus be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the appended claims encompass all such changes and modifications as falling within the true spirit and scope of this invention.