Abstract:
An infant feeding device, including a reservoir section, including a viewing window and a cylindrical gear ratchet for metering delivery of a food product into an infant&#39;s mouth; a rubber piston mounted on a handle configured to engage with the reservoir section so that when operated the rubber piston and the reservoir section operate to take in or expel the food product via an opening in an attachment end of the reservoir section; and an attachment arm removably coupled to the attachment end of the reservoir section for removably securing a plurality of attachment ends thereto.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention generally relates to infant feeding device and more particularly to an infant feeding spoon, including a plurality of interchangeable attachment ends, and designed to make infant feeding cleaner and easier. 
         [0003]    2. Discussion of the Background 
         [0004]    Over the years, various types of self filling spoons have been developed for administering medicine or food products but have failed to make it into the marketplace. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,482 to Gilbert, U.S. Pat. No. 2,698,996 to Hickerson, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,879 to Isaacs are devices for dispensing a metered amount of food or medicine into a spoon. However, such devices are not designed to deliver food once the device is in the child&#39;s mouth and once the piston is activated. Therefore, these devices are not effective in keeping a child from grabbing the food product in the exposed spoon end. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Therefore, there is a need for a device that overcomes the deficiencies in the background art devices and that is configured for dispensing liquid solid food into a child&#39;s mouth, that is simple to manufacture, and that is effective for delivering food products once the device is in the child&#39;s mouth, and without making a mess. 
         [0006]    The above and other needs are addressed by embodiments of the present invention, which include a device having a handle chamber with a variety of spoon, fork, nipple, and the like, shaped attachments with one or more integral orifices to take in and expel liquid solid foods. The handle chamber of the device includes a piston pump ring having a plunger that fits tightly in the reservoir tube. The plunger handle end of the device can be pulled along inside a cylindrical reservoir to take in baby food products and then pushed in measured increments to expel the food directly into the infant&#39;s mouth during feeding via the one or more orifices provided in the ends of the attachments. The spoon or nipple shaped attachment ends are detachable and contain an integral orifice near the front of the vessel which when inserted becomes sufficiently contained in the child&#39;s mouth. A variety of attachments are provided, for example, including one in the shape similar to that of a bottle nipple end to aid in the transition training between bottle and spoon feeding, and attachments in the shapes of spoons, forks, and the like. In an exemplary embodiment, there is provided a raised gear rack in the reservoir that turns the piston into a ratchet that meters the food with perceivable audible click as the handle is pushed deeper into the reservoir. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, in an exemplary aspect there is provided an infant feeding device, including a reservoir section, including a viewing window and a cylindrical gear ratchet for metering delivery of a food product into an infant&#39;s mouth; a rubber piston mounted on a handle configured to engage with the reservoir section so that when operated the rubber piston and the reservoir section operate to take in or expel the food product via an opening in an attachment end of the reservoir section; and an attachment arm removably coupled to the attachment end of the reservoir section for removably securing a plurality of attachment ends thereto. 
         [0008]    The device can include a plurality of attachment ends having an orifice at an end thereof and that are configured to be removably secured to the attachment arm. 
         [0009]    The attachment ends can be configured in a plurality of shapes and sizes for delivery of the food product via the orifice by operation of the rubber piston engaged with the reservoir section. 
         [0010]    The rubber piston can include a ring configured to come into contact with cylindrical raised gear teeth disposed inside the reservoir section, such that when the ring meets the raised gear teeth, the ring snaps past the raised gear teeth producing an audible and perceivable clicking sound. 
         [0011]    Still other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description, simply by illustrating a number of exemplary embodiments and implementations, including the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention. The present invention is also capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details can be modified in various respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary baby feeding device in its operative position with two variations of the feeding attachments in profile view; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary baby feeding device in its component position with multiple variations in of the attachment ends in profile view; and 
           [0015]      FIGS. 3A-3B  illustrate cut away and three dimensional views of an exemplary gear rack and ratchet of the device of  FIGS. 1-2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    The exemplary device and individual components thereof are configured for feeding an infant child, advantageously, without the baby&#39;s hands coming in contact with the food product. The feeding of an infant without the baby&#39;s hands coming in contact with the food product occurs when the food is expelled from a reservoir tube through an orifice integral to an attachment end of the device when the orifice is sufficiently in the child&#39;s mouth. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It is apparent to one skilled in the art, however, that the present invention can be practiced without these specific details or with an equivalent arrangement. In some instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention. The pieces comprising the device can be produced of a sufficiently strong, medical/food grade plastic, and the like, for example, that can resist being brought to sterilization temperatures a large number of times without significantly deteriorating. 
         [0017]    Generally, the present disclosure is directed to a device for feeding an infant child its first solid food without waste or making a mess of the infants&#39; hands, face, clothing, and the like. The present invention includes recognition that when trying to feed an infant child solid food, the child&#39;s first instinct is to touch the food to investigate it. Once the food is on the child&#39;s hands there is no limit to the immediate mess that can be made when the child transfers the food from their hands to everything that is touched. Typically, a child transitions from a bottle and nipple at the age of about seven months. Introduction of the child to a spoon at this time provides a challenge because of the child&#39;s reflex to grab the food product in the exposed spoon end. Advantageously, the exemplary device prevents a child from making a mess while exploring the device, for example, configured as an empty spoon, and which is presented without coming into contact with the food product prior to activation. The spoon device can be filled with food once in the infant&#39;s mouth and out of the range of the infant&#39;s hands, so as to transfer food products to the infant in a clean and reliable manner. 
         [0018]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and more particularly to  FIGS. 1-2  thereof, there is illustrated a baby feeding device  100 , and components thereof, according to the present disclosure. In  FIG. 1 , the exemplary device  100  includes multiple components  101 - 107  that perform various functions. A hollow reservoir handle  103  having a base  101  and a clear plastic window  103   a  is provided for performing a multitude of functions. An operating handle  102  is provided and includes a rubber piston plunger  102   a  (e.g., made of rubber material, etc.) attached to an end thereof. The operating handle  102  member slides snugly into the reservoir handle  103  on one end creating a vacuum therein. A cylindrical gear rack and ratchet  104  are provided internal to the reservoir  103 . The cylindrical gear rack and ratchet  104 , advantageously, provides resistance and meters food with an audible click when the piston end  102   a  moves through the reservoir  103 . 
         [0019]    Hollow interchangeable attachment ends  106 - 107  are provided and configured in various shapes (e.g., spoon shapes, nipple shapes, fork shapes, etc.) and sizes so as to perform a variety of functions. The attachment ends  106 - 107  include integral mechanical connectors  109   b,  which engage with corresponding connectors  109   a  of a hollow attachment arm  105  (e.g., via threads, pressure fits, etc.), so that the attachment ends  106 - 107  can be removable attached and securely into place onto the attachment arm  105  of the reservoir handle  103 . Advantageously, a multitude of food types can be introduced into the reservoir  103  when integrated orifices  110  of the attachment ends  106 - 107  are placed directly into the food product source and the operating handle  102  and piston  102   a  are pulled back. In a similar manner, food can be introduced into the reservoir  103  with the attachment ends  106 - 107  removed or food product also can be introduced at the base end  101  of the reservoir handle  103 . Accordingly, the operating handle  102  and piston  102   a  can be pulled out to the end of the rubber piston plunger  102   a  for filling with food products. Food products entering and exiting the reservoir  103  can be viewed as they are received or expelled via the viewing window  103   a  and while being metered by the cylindrical gear rack  104 . 
         [0020]    The hollow attachment ends  106 - 107  expel food product when the handle chamber  102  and piston end  102   a  move inside the reservoir  103  toward the base of hollow attachment arm  105 . The piston  102   a  travels along the reservoir  103  encountering the gear ratchets  104 , which are configured to present discernable resistance and audible clicks, and meter food products through the hollow attachment arm  105 . Every gradient of the gear rack  104  can be spaced such that the device  100  expels a predetermined, metered amount of food product through the orifices  110  of the hollow attachment ends  106 - 107 . After the feeding is complete, the parts  101 - 107  of the device  100  can be easily disassemble for cleaning by any suitable dishwashing method, and the like. 
         [0021]    In  FIG. 2 , the individual components  101 - 107  of the device  100  are shown in further detail and in a disassembled state and can be made of any suitable materials, such as plastic, metal, rubber, wood, and the like, but can be commonly constructed of sufficiently strong industrialized food grade plastics, rubbers, and the like. A threaded end  201  of the reservoir chamber  103  accepts a corresponding threaded base  202  of the hollow attachment arm  105  having channel  208  corresponding to channel  209  of the feeding attachments  106 - 107 . An end  203  of the attachment arm  105  removably locks in a mechanical manner (e.g., via a snap fit, threads, etc.) onto corresponding ends  204  of the feeding attachments  106 - 107 . A base  205  of the piston handle  102  can be made so as to be of an adequate size and shape so as to be operated with one hand. Advantageously, the handle  102  when inserted in the reservoir  103  provides positive feedback to the user&#39;s hand, as the piston  102   a  tracks across the cylindrical gear racks  104 . The attachment end  107  is shown as being similar in shape and size as that of a bottle feeding nipple and embodies such a shape, advantageously, to eliminate the risk of aspiration, and like. The spoon-shaped attachment end  106  can include the orifice  110  located toward a tip portion  206  of a concave portion  207  of the spoon-shaped attachment end  106 . 
         [0022]      FIGS. 3A-3B  illustrate cut away and three dimensional views of the exemplary gear rack and ratchet  104  of the device  100  of  FIGS. 1-2 . In  FIG. 3 , as the handle chamber  102  and piston end  102   a  move inside the reservoir  103 , the piston  102   a  travels along the reservoir  103  encountering the gear ratchets  104 , which are configured to present discernable resistance and audible clicks, and meter food products. Every gradient  302  of the gear rack  104  can be spaced such that the device  100  expels a predetermined, metered amount of food product. A small ring  304  (e.g., made of plastic, etc.) fits over the rubber piston  102   a.  The ring  304  comes into contact with the cylindrical gear teeth  104  (e.g., made of plastic, etc.) inside the reservoir  103 . When the ring  304  meets the raised gear teeth  104 , the ring  304  snaps past the raised gear teeth  104 , advantageously, producing an audible and perceivable clicking sound, and the like. 
         [0023]    Although the device  100  and components thereof, as described in  FIGS. 1-3 , are illustrated in terms of being of certain shapes, the device  100  and components thereof can be configured in any suitable shapes, such that the assembled components, for example, can resemble all suitable variations of animals, flying machines, automobiles, boats, and the like, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the infant product arts. 
         [0024]    Thus, described herein is an improved infant feeding device for feeding an infant child first solid food without the issue of the food getting on the infant&#39;s hands, face, and clothing or the wasting of food during the process of feeding. The exemplary infant feeding device with its multiple attachment ends, advantageously, can take in and expel food product through the clear plastic orifice end. The plunger handle with the piston end of the device can be pulled along inside the cylindrical reservoir to take in liquid or solid food, and the like, and then can be pushed in to expel the food directly into the infant&#39;s mouth. The gear rack and ratchet meter the food with a physical stop and audible click when the handle ends moves the piston through the reservoir. The reservoir can be configured for containing a metered amount of food product. The clear window in the reservoir can be configured for viewing the food product therewithin. The set of attachment ends with orifices are suitable for the safe and sufficient insertion into an infant&#39;s mouth during feeding. The components of the device can be easily disassembled for cleaning, and the like. 
         [0025]    While the present invention has been described in connection with a number of exemplary embodiments and implementations, the present invention is not so limited but rather covers various modifications and equivalent arrangements, which fall within the purview of the appended claims.