Patent Publication Number: US-2011065352-A1

Title: Entertainment attachment for baby bottles

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This patent application is related to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/093,792 filed Sep. 16, 2008. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates, in general, to attachments for baby feeding bottles and, more particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus to attach to existing baby bottles to add both light and sound entertainment. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Prior to the conception and development of the present invention, babies drinking from a bottle and those feeding it to them have had limited entertainment during that feeding time. Both may benefit from something entertaining that is as accessible as the bottle itself. Playing soothing music or sounds may be especially helpful. 
     Providing music-playing attachments for baby bottles has been the objective of several prior-art patents. Smith in U.S. Pat. No. 2,929,290 discloses a rather bulky wind-up music box that has a top receptacle for inserting a baby bottle. Another wind-up baby-bottle attachment is taught by Wergeland in U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,161. A special toy-like baby bottle with a detachable music box is disclosed by Grace in U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,704. 
     Pearce in U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,625 teaches a compact musical baby bottle attachment which is battery operated. Montgomery discloses a baby bottle attachment which can provide not only music but vibration. The devices of Pearce and Montgomery share a serious drawback of attaching only to a special baby bottle with matching threads at the bottom rim. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,137, Myers discloses an attachment which holds a certain size of baby bottle and provides light and music. All of the aforementioned prior art share a significant shortcoming in providing a fixed and limited amount of music, often just one song. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a light and sound emitting apparatus for attachment to assorted conventional infant feeding bottles, including a base member having at least one side wall, an inner floor and a bottom panel, all forming a substantially hollow interior compartment, with a solid-state memory device for storing a plurality of sounds, and at least one speaker disposed adjacent the bottom panel or side wall for emitting sounds. A sound-generating device is disposed within the interior compartment for transmitting a plurality of songs and sounds to speakers, and lights are disposed adjacent an exterior surface of the side wall for emitting flashes of light from at least two locations. Light and sound generation is powered by a battery disposed within the interior compartment, and an adjustable clamp rises vertically from the base for releasable attachment to a nursing bottle. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the solid state memory device is exchangeable with others that can provide a different supply of songs and/or sounds. In another enhancement, flashing lights are also embedded along the adjustable clamp post. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide an attachment for existing baby bottles which can provide both light and music entertainment. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a light and sound emitting baby bottle attachment that can fit a range of standard bottle sizes. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a musical infant feeding bottle attachment which can provide a range of musical and sound offerings which can be interchanged with other play lists. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an entertaining nursing bottle attachment which can provide flashing lights not only at the base but up along the side of the bottle. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide a variety of entertaining features to a baby bottle attachment in a cost-effective manner. 
     In addition to the various objects and advantages of the present invention described with some degree of specificity above, it should be obvious that additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an overall perspective view of the present invention removed from a baby feeding bottle. 
         FIG. 2  provides a perspective elevation view from one side of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom plan view of the base of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an elevation sectional view of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND VARIOUS ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present invention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity and understanding, identical components which have identical functions have been identified with identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawing figures. 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , an overall perspective view of the present invention, generally shown as  10 , is provided, separated from a baby feeding bottle  12  to which it can be clamped. The apparatus is designed to clamp to a range of bottle sizes and types, and emit sounds and flashes of light when turned on. A base member  14  forms a cylindrical cavity with an inner floor  24  and a side wall  26 . While the interior of the side wall is cylindrical, the exterior could take other shapes such as square or hexagonal. A post support member  18  is fixed adjacent the outer periphery of the base member  14 . An adjustable clamping member  16 , preferably a telescoping post, has semi-flexible arcuate arms  20  which create a yieldable opening for locking onto baby bottles  12  of various diameters. Optionally, the post member  16  can contain at least one light-emitting diode (LED)  22  for additional light flashes. The base member  14  houses a light-generating means, a sound-generating means, a battery, and associated electronic circuitry (all not shown). Apertures or lenses  22  in the outer surface of the base  14  allow light from recessed light emitting diodes (LED)to be visible when turned on. The lights would preferably be flashing, but could be steady as an alternative. Also within the base member  14  is a solid state memory device which is attached to a removable drawer or insert  30 , which can be removed from a slot in the base  14  by pulling on the handle  32 . The solid state memory device holds sound-generating data for songs or other sounds to be played, and is preferably replaceable so that new or different songs can be played. One example of an acceptable solid-state memory device is the micro-SD chip commonly used in mobile phones. However, to preclude a swallowing hazard to infants and toddlers, the chip is made part of a larger item, such as a drawer or a larger disk, which can be pulled out and exchanged with another having different sounds. Numerous other shapes could be substituted for the drawer, and they could alternatively enter through the floor  24  or bottom panel as well. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention from a different angle than in  FIG. 1 . The base member  14  has an inner cylindrical wall  26  and an inner floor  24 . Apertures  22  in various shapes allow light to be emitted from the light-generating means housed within a substantially hollow interior compartment of the base  14 . A support post  16  is attached to the base  14 , and the post is preferably a common telescopic type with an extendable portion  17  which can be locked and released by twisting an outer sleeve  19 . Near the top of the extendable portion  17 , two substantially flexible arcuate arms  20  form a yieldable opening  21  which enables removable attachment around the upper part of a baby bottle while the base  14  surrounds a lower portion of the bottle with the bottom resting on the inner floor  24 . Optionally, the top of the extendable portion  17  has a decorative item or figurine  36 . 
       FIG. 3  provides a bottom plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The bottom panel  15  is preferably removably attached to the rest of the base member  14  with screws or bolts  47 , and has openings for a battery compartment with lid  42 , and at least one speaker  46 . At least one battery  49  is disposed under the lid  49  within the internal compartment. There is also a selector switch  40  with a slide lever  44  that allows choosing lights, music, lights combined with music, and Off. A drawer  30  containing the replaceable solid state memory device is seen protruding slightly from one side with a grasping tab  32 . A drawer is just one example of a removable insert for supporting the solid state memory device, and numerous other shapes could be substituted for the drawer, and alternatively the insert  30  could enter through the floor  24  or bottom panel  15 . 
       FIG. 4  provides a cross sectional elevation view of the base member  14  as indicated by IV-IV on  FIG. 3 . Adjacent the outer portion of the wall  26  is at least one light or LED,  48 . The drawer  30  holding the solid state memory device  50  slides into a substantially hollow inner compartment  29  under the floor  24  and contacts  54  connect it electrically to the circuitry  52  for the sound and light generating means. Contacts or leads  56  on the circuit board  52  connect it to a battery, not shown. At least one speaker  46  is positioned substantially flush with the bottom panel  15  of the base member  14 , but alternative locations are acceptable. Fixed adjacent an outer portion of the sidewall  26  is a post support member  18  with a cavity  19  for attaching the lower end of the adjustable clamping means. Alternatively, the bottom of the adjustable clamping means may be clamped or fastened to the base by other means. Likewise, the bottom panel  15  may as shown be an integral part of the base member  14  along with the wall, or removably fastened with screws as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     While a presently preferred and various alternative embodiments of the present invention have been described in sufficient detail above to enable a person skilled in the relevant art to make and use the same, it should be obvious that various other adaptations and modifications can be envisioned by those persons skilled in such art without departing from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.