AU2017101415A4

AU2017101415A4 - Baby Bottle Collar

Info

Publication number: AU2017101415A4
Application number: AU2017101415A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Michael Begg; Sascha Crawford-Begg; Allister HODSON; Edward Khoury
Original assignee: 888 Invest Wa Pty Ltd
Current assignee: 888 Investments Wa Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2016-10-28
Filing date: 2017-10-24
Publication date: 2017-11-23
Anticipated expiration: 2025-10-24

Abstract

Abstract A collar (10) for a baby bottle comprising a cylindrical side wall (14) open at a lower end thereof and an upper wall (18) extending across an upper end of 5 the side wall (14). The upper wall (18) includes an opening (20) for a teat and an outer surface of the side wall includes a resilient layer 36. 14 16 46 28 44 36 Fig 1a Fig lb

Description

“Baby Bottle Collar”

Field of the Invention [001] The present invention relates to a collar for a baby bottle.

Background to the Invention [002] Baby bottles utilise removable tops comprising a rigid collar and a flexible teat. The teat is received in the collar and the collar secured to the neck of the bottle. Other parts may also be included, such as a cap to cover the teat when not in use, or a sealing disc to cover the aperture in the collar when the teat is not in place.

[003] One issue with existing collars relates to the likelihood of the collar breaking. Baby bottles are often dropped during use or transport. If the collar strikes the ground when the bottle is dropped, many collars will simply crack, after which the collar is no longer usable. The present invention relates to a collar having an improved construction in order to make the collar more resistant to such breakages.

Summary of the Invention [004] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a collar for a baby bottle comprising a cylindrical side wall open at a lower end thereof and an upper wall extending across an upper end of the side wall, the upper wall including an opening for a teat, wherein an outer surface of the side wall includes a resilient layer.

[005] Preferably the resilient layer extends around the outer surface of the side wall from an upper end thereof to a lower end thereof.

[006] Preferably the resilient layer extends across a peripheral portion of the upper wall.

[007] In a preferred embodiment, the resilient layer extends across a lower edge of the side wall.

[008] In one embodiment, the lower edge of the side wall is provided with an annular groove adjacent the inner edge thereof and the resilient layer extends into the annular groove.

[009] In one embodiment, the collar is formed from rigid plastic and the resilient layer comprises over-moulded thermoplastic elastomer.

[010] Preferably the upper surface of the upper wall is provided with an annular projection having a diameter less than that of the upper wall to define the peripheral portion.

[011] In one embodiment, the annular projection comprises a generally cylindrical outer wall portion and a tapered inner wall portion such that the outer wall portion extends transversely away from the peripheral portion of the upper wall.

[012] In one embodiment, the inner wall portion defines a frustoconical surface which extends from an upper end of the outer wall portion inwardly to the edge of the opening

Brief Description of the Drawings [013] The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings in which: [014] Figure 1a is an upper perspective view of a collar in accordance with the present invention; [015] Figure 1b is an upper perspective view of a sealing disc for use with the collar of Figure 1a; [016] Figure 2a is a top view of the collar of Figure 1; [017] Figure 2b is a side view of the collar of Figure 1; [018] Figure 2c is a cross sectional view of the collar of Figure 2b through the line A-A; [019] Figure 3a is an upper perspective view of the sealing disc of Figure 1 a; [020] Figure 3b is a side view of the sealing disc of Figure 3a; and [021] Figure 3c is a side cross-sectional view of the sealing disc of Figure 3b through the line B-B.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments [022] Referring to the Figures, there is shown a collar 10 for use with a baby bottle (not shown). The collar 10 includes a side wall 12 being cylindrical in shape and open at a lower end thereof, such that a neck of the bottle may be received in the open lower end of the side wall 12. An inner surface 14 of the side wall 12 includes a thread 16 such that the thread 16 engages with an external thread provided around the outer surface of the neck of the bottle in a known manner.

[023] The collar 10 includes also an upper wall 18 extending across the upper end of the side wall 12. The upper wall 18 includes an opening 20. The opening 20 is provided centrally in the upper wall 18 for receiving a teat (not shown).

[024] An upper surface of the upper wall 18 is provided with an annular projection 22. The annular projection 22 is located around the opening 20 and has a diameter less than that of the upper wall 18 such that the upper wall 18 includes a peripheral portion 24 which is generally perpendicular to the outer surface of the adjacent side wall 12. The peripheral portion 24 may receive a cap (not shown) in a known manner.

[025] The annular projection 22 in the embodiment shown includes a generally cylindrical outer wall portion 26. The outer wall portion 26 extends transversely away from the peripheral portion 24 of the upper wall 18 and defines a cylindrical surface being generally parallel to the side wall 12 of collar 10. The annular projection 22 includes also a tapered inner wall portion 28. The inner wall portion 28 defines a frustoconical surface which extends from an upper end of the outer wall portion 26 inwardly to the edge of the opening 20.

[026] The collar 10 may be provided with a sealing disc 30 to seal across the opening 20 when a teat is not present. The sealing disc 30 comprise a circular planar member having a central circular raised portion 32. The sealing disc 30 is dimensioned to be received in the lower end of the collar 10 and the raised portion 32 is dimensioned to be received within the opening 20 and clamped between the bottle and the collar 10 in use to seal across the opening 20 in a known manner.

[027] An inner edge of the opening 20 is provided with a plurality of interference protrusions 46 around the periphery thereof (as can be seen in Figure 1). These protrusions 46 engage with the vertical edge of the raised portion 32 of the sealing disc 32. The vertical edge of the raised portion 32 is tapered slightly such that upper end of the raised portion 32 is wider than the base. This arrangement allows the sealing disc 30 to be secured within the opening 20. An upper surface of the sealing disc 30 also engages with an annular rib 48 provided on a lower surface of the upper wall 18 around the opening 20 (as can be seen in Figure 2c) to create a seal.

[028] An inner surface of the upper wall 18 of the collar 10 is provided with an annular channel 34. The annular channel 34 extends around the periphery of the rib 48. The annular channel 34 is of the same diameter as the upper edge of the neck of the bottle such that the neck of the bottle engages a peripheral edge of the teat to press the peripheral edge into the channel 34 to create a seal between the teat and the bottle.

[029] The collar 10 is constructed of a relatively rigid material, such as a suitable rigid plastic. The collar 10 is provided with a resilient layer 36 extending around the outer surface of the side wall 12. The resilient layer 36 is formed from a suitable resilient material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer or silicon based material, formed around the outer surface of the side wall 12 by over-moulding.

[030] The resilient layer 36 extends around the entire outer surface of the side wall 12 from an upper end thereof to a lower end thereof. In the embodiment shown, the resilient layer 36 extends also across the peripheral portion 24 of the upper wall 18, as can be seen in Figure 2c.

[031] The resilient layer 36 also extends across a lower edge of the side wall 12 as can be seen in Figure 2c. The lower edge of the side wall 12 is provided with an annular groove 38 adjacent the inner edge thereof. The resilient layer 36 in the embodiment shown extends also into the annular groove 38.

[032] An outer surface of the resilient layer 36 may be provided with surface ornamentations 40 as can be seen in the Figures. The surface ornamentations 40 may be provided to improve the aesthetics of the collar 10 and may also be for providing additional grip to the outer surface of the collar 10. In the embodiment shown, there is provided a wave shaped ridge 42 for grip and aesthetics and a plurality of diamond shaped indentations 44 for grip.

[033] It will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts that various modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing embodiments, in addition to those already described, without departing from the basic inventive concepts of the present invention.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A collar for a baby bottle comprising a cylindrical side wall open at a lower end thereof and an upper wall extending across an upper end of the side wall, the upper wall including an opening for a teat, wherein an outer surface of the side wall includes a resilient layer.
2. A collar in accordance with claim 1, wherein the resilient layer extends around the outer surface of the side wall from an upper end thereof to a lower end thereof.
3. A collar in accordance with claim 2, wherein the resilient layer extends across a peripheral portion of the upper wall.
4. A collar in accordance with claim 3, wherein the resilient layer extends across a lower edge of the side wall.
5. A collar in accordance with claim 4, wherein the lower edge of the side wall is provided with an annular groove adjacent the inner edge thereof and the resilient layer extends into the annular groove.
6. A collar in accordance with any of the preceding claims, wherein the collar is formed from rigid plastic and the resilient layer comprises overmoulded thermoplastic elastomer.
7. A collar in accordance with any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the upper surface of the upper wall is provided with an annular projection having a diameter less than that of the upper wall to define the peripheral portion.
8. A collar in accordance with claim 7, wherein the annular projection comprises a generally cylindrical outer wall portion and a tapered inner wall portion such that the outer wall portion extends transversely away from the peripheral portion of the upper wall.
9. A collar in accordance with claim 8, wherein the inner wall portion defines a frustoconical surface which extends from an upper end of the outer wall portion inwardly to the edge of the opening