Patent Abstract:
A baby bottle ( 10 ) having a dispensing member ( 20 ) and a sealing membrane ( 14 ) disposed between the dispensing member ( 20 ) and an open end ( 15 ) of the container ( 10 ). A threaded collar ( 26 ) engages the open end and a shoulder ( 34 ) extends laterally adjacent an extent of the thread. The sealing membrane ( 14 ) includes ports ( 42 ) for communicating fluid therethrough. The sealing membrane ( 14 ) moves from a sealing position with a sealing surface ( 24 ) in bearing contact with the open end ( 15 ) and a dispensing position with the sealing surface ( 24 ) spaced apart from the open end for fluid flow through the ports ( 42 ). The sealing membrane moves in response to the shoulder ( 34 ) moving as the collar ( 26 ) is rotated and moved longitudinally outwardly relative to the end ( 15 ) by the camming action of the thread on the bottle ( 10 ).

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to containers. More particularly, the present invention relates to containers for fluids having seals for closing the container to the flow of fluids from the containers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Containers are well-known bodies adapted for holding fluids. Typically, fluid-holding containers are open-ended bodies, and may be closable or not. For example, glassware commonly comprises a tubular body with a bottom and defining side walls and an open end for the fluid to pass into and out of the body. Other containers for fluids are closable. Often these containers define a thread on an exterior surface near the open end. A closure device, such as a cap or top, includes a mating thread on an interior face. The cap threads onto the open end to close the container. The cap typically is selectively removed to provide access to the container, and replaced to reclose the container. 
     Some containers hold products that must be sealed from the atmosphere until use. Often these containers have inner membranes applied across the open end to seal the contents. The inner membrane is unsealed after removing the cap to provide access to the contents. 
     Bottles holding drinking fluids, such as soft drinks, water, and milk for babies, are often re-sealed for subsequent use of the contents. Baby bottles typically are elongate tubes with a threaded open end and graduations marked on the side wall of the bottle. A resilient nipple having exit holes in a distal end is received on the open end. An annular cap with a threaded skirt couples the nipple to the bottle. Other containers suited for drinking materials include a ported spout that selectively opens. One such spout is pulled to move the spout relative to a longitudinal axis of the bottle and thereby open and close the bottle. 
     Babies may not completely drink the contents of the bottle, and parents often want to re-close the bottle to save the contents for a subsequent feeding. Some baby bottles include a disk-shaped lid that closes the annular opening in the cap and seals the open end of the nipple, which is typically inverted and disposed inwardly of the bottle. However, this necessitates handling of the nipple and opening the bottle to atmosphere. Similarly, containers for sports and other types of beverages are often partially consumed, with the remaining contents retained for subsequent drinking. 
     Accordingly, there is a need in the art for and improved container for fluids which is unsealed for use and readily resealed for subsequent use of the remaining contents. It is to such that the present invention is directed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention meets the need in the art by providing containers for fluids with a selectively actuated seal for closing the flow of fluids from the containers. The container comprises a receiving body for holding a fluid and having an open end. A collar that engages the open end of the receiving body includes a dispensing member attached to the collar for communicating fluids from the receiving body. A sealing membrane disposed between the collar and the open end of the receiving body selectively seals fluid flow from the receiving body. The sealing membrane moves selectively more than once from a sealing position with a sealing surface of the sealing membrane in bearing contact with an edge surface of the open end to a dispensing position with the sealing surface spaced apart from the open end for fluid flow, in response to movement of an actuator. 
     In another aspect, the container comprises a receiving body for holding a fluid and having an open end with an external thread. A rotatable collar having an internal thread engages the thread on the open end of the receiving body. The interior of the collar defines a shoulder adjacent an extent of the thread. A dispensing member attaches to the collar for communicating fluids from the receiving body. A sealing membrane is disposed between the dispensing member and the open end, with at least one port in a perimeter portion for communicating fluid therethrough. The sealing membrane moves from a sealing position with a sealing surface of the membrane in bearing contact with an edge surface of the open end and a dispensing position with the sealing surface spaced apart from the open end for fluid flow. The sealing membrane moves in response to rotating the collar to move the collar longitudinally outwardly relative to the end by the camming action of the thread on the container. The shoulder breaks the seal between the sealing membrane and the edge of the container. 
     Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification, in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is cut-away sectional view of a baby bottle having a sealing apparatus according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an upper perspective view of a sealing membrane in accordance with the present invention used in the baby bottle illustrated in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a cut-away sectional view of the baby bottle illustrated in FIG. 1 showing the sealing membrane in the dispensing position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 illustrates in cut-away sectional view a baby bottle  10  having a sealing apparatus generally  12  according to the present invention. The sealing apparatus  12  includes a sealing membrane  14  received on an open end  15  of the bottle  10 . The bottle  10  includes a side wall  18  with an exterior thread  16  in a portion near the open end. The side wall  18  extends to a closed end (not illustrated) for holding a fluid within the bottle  10 . 
     The open end  15  receives the sealing membrane  14  and a nipple  20 . The nipple  20  is conventional with a protruding extension  22  and laterally extending flange  23 . A distal end of the extension  22  defines an aperture for communicating fluids. A sealing surface  24  of the sealing membrane  14  is disposed for contacting an edge of the side wall  18  defining the open end  15 . An annular clamp ring  26  defines an opening through which the nipple  20  extends. The clamp ring  26  includes a depending skirt  28  and a radially inwardly extending flange  29 . The skirt  28  defines on an inner surface a thread  30  that matingly engages the thread  16  at the open end. 
     The illustrated embodiment of the baby bottle  10  includes a secondary seal  32  disposed longitudinally inwardly of the open end  15  for sealing between the skirt  28  and the bottle  10 , as discussed below. The skirt  25  defines a shoulder  34  near a distal extent of the thread  30 . The shoulder  34  extends radially inwardly from the skirt  28 . The shoulder  34  contacts the sealing surface  24  of the sealing membrane  14 . As discussed below, movement of the shoulder  34  actuates the release of the seal of the sealing membrane  14  from the open end  15  of the bottle  10 . A removable nipple guard  36  covers the nipple  20  and is readily re-installed by slipping the guard over the nipple following use of the bottle  10 . 
     FIG. 2 illustrates an upper perspective view of the sealing membrane  14  in accordance with the present invention. The sealing membrane  14  in the illustrated embodiment is an annular, substantially flat resilient disc with the sealing surface  24  and an opposing anterior flow surface  40 . A plurality of ports  42  are defined in spaced-apart relation in perimeter portions of the sealing membrane  14 . The ports  42  in the illustrated embodiment define semi-circular slots at the perimeter edge of the sealing membrane  14 . Other geometric shapes for the ports  42  may be gainfully used to facilitate the flow from the bottle  10  across the perimeter edge of the sealing membrane  14  when the seal is released, as discussed below. The anterior surface  40  of the sealing membrane  14  in the illustrated embodiment further defines a plurality of anterior bosses  46  that extend from the flow surface. The bosses  46  are spaced-apart and extend radially on the flow surface  40 . The bosses  46  define fluid flow pathways  48  between adjacent bosses. While the ports  42  and the bosses  46  facilitate the flow of the fluids, these features are not necessary to effect and to release the seal in the valving structure of the present invention. 
     With reference to FIG. 1, the sealing membrane  14  cooperates with the clamp ring  26  to seal the contents of the baby bottle  10 . The nipple  20  is received into the clamp ring  26  with the flange  23  bearing against the flange  29 . The sealing membrane  14  is positioned within the clamp ring  26  with the perimeter edge of the sealing membrane received between the flange  23  of the nipple  20  and the shoulder  34  of the clamp ring. The protruding extension  22  of the nipple  20  extends through the opening defined by the flange  29  of the clamp ring  26 . 
     The baby bottle  10  is initially filled with a fluid, such as a milk product for a baby. The sealing membrane  14  is placed on the edge  25  of the open end  15 . The clamp ring  26  with the nipple  20  is placed on the baby bottle  10 . The thread  30  engages the thread  16  of the bottle  10  at the open end  15 . The flange  29  of the clamp ring  26  bears against the flange  23  of the nipple  20  and thus against the perimeter portion of the sealing membrane  20 . Tightening the clamp ring  26  by rotating the ring relative to the bottle  10  forces the perimeter portion firmly against the edge of the open end  15 . This seals the bottle  10  to fluid flow from the open end  15 . The nipple guard  36  detachably covers the nipple  20 . 
     For use, the baby bottle  10  is unsealed. This allows the milk to flow from the bottle  10  past the sealing membrane  14  and through the aperture in the nipple  20 . With reference to FIG. 3, this is accomplished by rotating the clamp ring  26  in a reverse direction. The thread  16  functions as a cam to move the clamp ring  26  longitudinally outwardly relative to the end  15 . The shoulder  34  engages the radially distal edge portion of the sealing membrane  14 . As the clamp ring  26  moves longitudinally, the shoulder  34  induces a release of the sealing engagement of the perimeter portion of the sealing membrane  14  against the end  15 . The shoulder  34  thereby defines an actuator for releasing the sealing engagement of the sealing membrane  14  and the bottle  10 . In the illustrated embodiment, the ports  42  are opened to fluid flow as the portion of the sealing membrane  14  about these ports are likewise released from sealing engagement. 
     With the bottle  10  then inverted, milk begins to flow through the ports  42  and across the flow surface  40 . The fluid flows along the fluid pathways  48  to the nipple  20  for communicating through the aperture outwardly of the bottle  10 . The bosses  46  bear against a bottom surface of the flange  23  of the nipple  20  to maintain the flow pathways  48  over the flow surface  40  of the sealing membrane  14 . The bosses  46  in an alternate embodiment (not illustrated) are molded integral with the nipple  20  and extend from the flange  23  towards the sealing membrane  14 . The secondary seal  32  seals between the skirt  28  and the bottle  10  to prevent fluid from leaking past the skirt  25 . The clamp ring  26  bears against a perimeter edge of the flange  23  of the nipple  20  to form another secondary seal to prevent fluid flow between these members. 
     A remaining portion of the contents of the baby bottle  10  are readily resealed therein for subsequent use. The resealing is accomplished by rotating the clamp ring  26  relative to the threaded open end  15  to tighten the clamp ring to the bottle  10 . The flange  29  of the clamp ring  26  again bears against the flange  23  of the nipple  20  and thus against the perimeter portion  44  of the sealing membrane  14 . This forces the perimeter portion firmly against the open end  15 . The bottle  10  is thereby resealed to fluid flow from the open end  15 . 
     It is to be appreciated with respect to the present invention that the thread provides a satisfactory cam for guiding the longitudinal travel of the clamp ring  26  for unsealing and sealing the sealing membrane  14 . For example, a course thread may provide a {fraction (1/16)} inch longitudinal movement with less than a 120 degree rotation or twist of the clamp ring  26 . Such slight rotational movement is sufficient for the shoulder  34  to induce release of the sealed ports  42  without undue release of the clamping action holding the sealing membrane  14  and the nipple  20  to the open end of the bottle. 
     The secondary seal  32  that seals inwardly of the edge  25  between the skirt  28  and the bottle  10  in one embodiment is a molded feature of the bottle  10 . In another embodiment, the secondary seal  32  is a resilient ring added to the assembly of the bottle  10 . 
     The sealing assembly  12  with the sealing membrane  14  and the clamp ring  26  cooperatively provide a novel sealing mechanism that allows a person using the bottle  10  to break and open the seal of the contents by rotatably twisting the clamp ring  26  relative to the bottle  10  and readily reseal the bottle by reverse rotation of the clamp ring. The shoulder  34  moves the sealing membrane  14  to the dispensing position, while the flange  29  moves the sealing membrane to the sealing position. This provides in one aspect a push-pull valving action on the sealing membrane  14  and the end of the bottle  10  for affecting and releasing the seal of the sealing membrane. 
     It is to be appreciated that a break-away tamper ring (not illustrated) may be detachably engaged to the clamp ring  26 . The clamp ring  26  is not rotatable until the break-away tamper ring is detached. Further, the bottle with the nipple guard  36  may be enclosed with a shrink-wrap type security covering (not illustrated) to provide an additional tamper indicator for retail sale of bottles with sealing membranes in accordance with the present invention. It is to be appreciated that while the specification describes the present invention with respect to a baby bottle, the sealing apparatus is readily usable with a sports drink bottle or the like, in which a dispensing spout with a radially extending flange is received within the clamp ring  26 , for unsealing and sealing the container for subsequent use of the remainder fluids. 
     The specification has thus described in various embodiments the sealing membrane of the present invention including the manufacture and use thereof. It is to be understood, however, that numerous changes and variations may be made in the construction of the present invention. It should therefore be understood that modifications to the present invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0