EP0734711B1 - Device providing a temporary seal for a nursing bottle - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to the technical sector of feeding products and their components: baby bottle, pacifier.

As is well known, the teats of baby bottles are made in one flexible material such as elastomer with a particular profile allowing their sucking by child

Each teat thus has a contoured curve with an area of small section forming a neck capable of being taken in the mouth and extending through a body wider cylindrical to fit into the bottle nut ring on the liquid container and which ensures the connection and assembly of the assembly. A peripheral flange formed on the teat seals against the ring-nut, other complementary sealing means being provided between said ring-nut and the container.

It is also recalled that, to allow suction, the teat has one or more liquid passage openings.

Usually a cap is attached around the nipple to ensure it protection, this cap being used mainly for this function.

The problem is that the bottles are subjected, in in some cases, untimely manipulation, or desired agitation for allow the components of the drinking liquid to be mixed. So it happens very often there are leaks and losses of liquid escaping through the perforations formed on the teat allowing the liquid to flow out. The nipple can therefore be very easily soiled externally by these flows as well as the protective cover. There are also more or less fluid losses important which involve, in a non negligible way, the reduction of the dosage initially introduced into the container. By the way, the appearance on the body outside the nipple of liquid flow areas, dairy or otherwise, can cause splashes or dirt on baby's clothes and in a way general flows or projections are troublesome around the environment how to use the bottle.

We also recall that the bottles taken as a whole are products of very great use and are sold in stores with large area. Consequently, their cost price must be low, which does not allow complex arrangements or structures in an attempt to remedy the aforementioned drawbacks.

The aim sought after according to the invention was therefore, from all of these constraints, to realize and design a specific arrangement of the bottle, low manufacturing cost, and which can allow the transport and / or agitation of baby bottles in the best conditions avoiding the loss of liquid whatever either the circumstances.

Another goal sought was to design a layout that is perfectly usable by moms or other people having to handle bottles, to ensure, in a temporary setting, a sealing of the pacifier by eliminating all possibilities of fluid loss.

From these goals and objectives, the Applicant became interested in a new design of the bottle ensuring by a side pinching effect closing sealing the tapered part forming the neck of the teat. So the solution was in a particular arrangement of the nipple sealing device.

Such a device is however described in US Pat. No. 2,986,296. This US Pat. No. 2,986,296 describes a sealing device according to the first part of claim 1. However, the implementation is particularly complex and requires the realization of several profiled parts, cooperating with each other using means of articulation. In particular, the means of pinching the part tapering of the teat are established in the form of attached profiled tabs and articulated on projecting axes established on a flange of the body of a ring positioned around the teat. A rotary pusher introduced into the cavity interior of the cover body is arranged with projecting areas forming cams to allow the tilting in certain phases of said tabs so to obtain the desired pinching effect. Such a device and arrangement is complex and expensive to make. The shapes of the pusher, ring and tongue pieces are complex, and there are special assembly and mounting requirements given the number of parts and components required.

Considering that manufacturing costs should be kept in mind marketing conditions for these bottles. The solution proposed in this US patent 2,986,296 is not economically satisfactory.

Thus, the aim sought after according to the invention was to design a device ensuring the closing and sealing of the bottle nipple from its part used forming the neck by a temporary transverse tightening action

The features of claim 1 will become apparent from the remainder of the description.

La figure 1 est une vue en coupe éclatée, avant montage, du dispositif selon l'invention de mise à étanchéité de la tétine de biberon.

La figure 2 est une vue à grande échelle en coupe selon la ligne 2-2 de la figure 3 illustrant l'agencement du dispositif selon l'invention dans la partie réceptrice du biberon, en phase de non étanchéité de la tétine.

La figure 3 est une vue en plan et en coupe selon la ligne 3-3 de la figure 2.

La figure 4 est une vue à grande échelle en coupe selon la ligné 4-4 de la figure 5 illustrant l'agencement du dispositif selon l'invention dans la partie réceptrice du biberon, en phase d'étanchéité de la tétine.

La figure 5 est une vue en plan et en coupe selon la ligne 4-4 de la figure 4.

La figure 6 est une vue en variante illustrant la liaison du capuchon et la bague sélecteur avant montage.

La figure 7 est une vue en variante illustrant la liaison du capuchon et la bague sélecteur après montage.

La figure 8 est une vue partielle en coupe illustrant les moyens à butée fixe établis sur le capuchon.

To fix the subject of the invention illustrated without limitation in the figures of the drawings where:

Figure 1 is an exploded sectional view, before assembly, of the device according to the invention for sealing the bottle nipple.

Figure 2 is a large-scale sectional view along line 2-2 of Figure 3 illustrating the arrangement of the device according to the invention in the receiving part of the bottle, in the non-sealing phase of the teat.

FIG. 3 is a plan view and in section along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

Figure 4 is a large-scale sectional view along line 4-4 of Figure 5 illustrating the arrangement of the device according to the invention in the receiving part of the bottle, in the sealing phase of the teat.

FIG. 5 is a plan view and in section along line 4-4 of FIG. 4.

Figure 6 is an alternative view illustrating the connection of the cap and the selector ring before mounting.

Figure 7 is an alternative view illustrating the connection of the cap and the selector ring after assembly.

Figure 8 is a partial sectional view illustrating the fixed stop means established on the cap.

In order to make the object of the invention more concrete, it is now described in a nonlimiting manner to the figures of the drawings.

The bottle nipple seal is intended to fit on the upper part of the teat resting on its container, whose characteristics, shapes and dimensions may vary. The characteristics of the teat, its profile, its constituent material, may also vary, it is nevertheless considered that the teat remains made of a flexible and deformable material to respect, on the one hand, food hygiene conditions and, on the other hand, allow suction by the child.

For this purpose, the teat referenced as a whole by (1) comprises a first tapered zone (1a) forming a neck for the mouth, extended by a wider cylindrical conformation zone (1b) having at the end a peripheral flange (1c) intended to come into internal support against the clamping ring nut (2) engaging itself on the receptacle (3) some cash. The clamping nut ring is also established anyway suitable ensuring, in combination with the container, the functions well known sealing.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, the device is remarkable in that it includes an additional ring (4) forming a selector arranged internally with two tongues (4a - 4b) articulated by their base (4c) secured to the face inside of the selector ring and being arranged diametrically opposite one to the other the other, said tabs being in one piece with the selector ring. said tabs are pivoted to move away or closer to contact of the walls of the teat requested according to the desired non-sealing phase or sealing the teat. Furthermore, said selector ring cooperates with a profiled cap (5) which, in a particular implementation, surrounds and protects the teat and the selector ring. The cap is positioned on the nut ring by clipping or otherwise and thus being in a fixed but removable position. This cap advantageously and internally has means (Sa - 5b) radial to fixed position, constituting stop means, on the one hand, of the selector ring and, on the other hand, allowing the articulation of the interior tongues (4a - 4b). These means can be radial ribs commerc shown in Figure 3 by example. Alternatively, these means can be established closed, as shown Figure 8, in the form of a loop showing a positioning cavity. The aforementioned cap has for example a window (5c) of rectangular shape and established according to an angular sector of approximately 40 to 90 degrees, and preferably of around 70 degrees, the length of this sector being very precisely defined by compared to the extreme positioning of the aforementioned tabs in opening and release of the teat or closing and clamping transverse thereof. said selector ring has notches (4d) which allow its positioning and its retention in the cap in support and guiding with respect to one of the radial ribs (5a) formed in said cap and more generally fixed means (5a). Said tabs (4a - 4b) are shaped as a strip or flat part of great length (4a1 - 4b1) disposed between its ends. A first end (4a2 - 4b2) is defined by a zone of connection and connection with the selector ring (5), being thinned by a reduction of material for example, while allowing the articulation of the tongue. Its other free end (4a3) - 4b3) is shaped as a stud by example, of any profile suitable for coming into abutment and abutting against another radial rib (5b) shaped in the cap.

The selector ring is advantageously shaped, on its outer face, with a projecting shape (4d) capable of engaging and overflowing into the window (5c) established on the cap (5) to constitute a push button (4f) allowing the opening-closing adjustments of the transverse clamping device pacifier.

In order to maintain the position at both ends and avoid any floating selector ring, in the cap and therefore a function check sought, additional means are provided in the form of, for example, projections (4th - 5d) or micro-teeth established, on the one hand, on the cap and, on the other hand, on the selector ring, in appropriate places allowing a holding by clipping or other in the two desired end positions. The removable connection of the selector ring with respect to the cap is effected by all male-female complementary means formed on the two elements.

There is shown in the drawings such an arrangement by the references. These protrusions can be arranged not only on the pusher area of the selector ring, but also in the cap itself.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show another alternative embodiment of the invention. In this case, the selector ring (4) is positioned in the extension of the cap and clipped relative thereto, so that allow partial rotation of one relative to the other controlled manually. The selector ring is arranged, as indicated above, with the means of tightening the neck of the nipple, while the body of the cap of the fixed means (Sa - 5b) as shown above. In this case, neither the ring selector, nor the cap, does not present a window for their reciprocal orientation.

The operation is then as follows, with reference to the figures:

In the transverse non-pinching phase of the nipple, at the location of its zone tapered forming collar for its mouthing shown in Figure 3, the selector ring is in a closed position at one end of the window of the cap, as part of the first variant. The two tabs do not are not requested and are both in a parallel plane offset one from the other and around the neck of the nipple, without ensuring contact or deformation. The free end of each tab is internally pressed against the radial ribs of the cap, while their areas of connection with the selector ring put them in contact with the internal face thereof. When the practitioner wishes to seal the teat to ensure a temporary seal, it then proceeds, as shown in Figure 5, to rotate on a angular sector (α) of the selector ring which moves along the stroke of the window of the cap relative to the latter. This rotating movement allows simultaneously changing the position of two tabs that come together one from the other with a quasi-juxtaposition by removing the initial offset and by ensuring the bringing together and the wedging of the walls opposite the teat. This movement is established by the fact that the tongues modify their support zone by their free end with the pre-established radial ribs and playing on elasticity and articulation of their bonding area with respect to the body of the selector ring, thus obtaining a position shown in FIG. 5 of pinching of the nipple.

The notching means or micro-teeth established on the selector ring and the cap ensure a firm hold of the assembly. In assuming a release of the teat, a reverse maneuver is performed by the operator who releases the aforementioned notches by turning the selector ring in the other direction.

It should be noted that the two tabs thus act as scissors on a simply part of the height of the nipple neck. When pinching this last, we obtain a significant deformation of said teat as shown in Figure 4 for example.

In the context of the realization of Figures 6 and 7, it is the operator who acts directly by a rotational movement between the cap and the selector ring.

This implementation is extremely simple to carry out and inexpensive in manufacturing cost term. It is obvious that the selector ring is made in a plastic food material which rigorously meets the requirements of hygiene. Indeed, when removing the cap, after opening the tabs, the baby must be able to suck the pacifier, without any diffusion of bacteria or microbes resulting from the selector ring.

Said selector ring is advantageously clipped by grooves in the cap to maintain it. The removal of the selector ring relative to the cap can be done by the exercise of simple pressure.

Claims (8)

1. Temporary leaktight device of a baby-bottle teat using lateral gripping comprising a fixed external body for the protection of the teat that receives first hinged means disposed on either side of the collar of the teat and having a flat surface facing the teat body, an additional part hinged to rotate relative to said external body and fitted with profiled means that cooperate with the first means, wherein the protective external body is a cap (5) the inside of which is equipped with fixed means (5a) (5b) projecting inside the body that constitute stopping and positioning means for the additional part in the shape of a selector ring (4) positioned and held to rotate freely relative to the cap, and wherein said selector ring is fitted directly as a single part, the ring being characterised in that hinged tongues (4a-4b) connected to the inner surface of said selector ring are disposed in planes diametrically opposed to each other,
      in that said tongues (4a) (4b) are capable of being pivoted relative to the cap (5) cooperating with said selector ring, said pivoting enabling the parts to be moved further away or drawn closer together until leaktight contact of the teat surfaces is obtained,
      and in that said tongues being hinged at their base (4c) are constructed as part of the inner surface of said ring,
      the opposite ends of the tongues being profiled studs (4a3) (4b3) capable of defining base and contact planes between said fixed means (5a-5b),
      and in that said fixed means (5a) (5b) constitute means for stopping and positioning the selector ring (4) and means for hinging and pivoting the inner tongues (4a) (4b) of the selector ring when said ring is displaced at an angle relative to the cap.
2. Device as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the tongues (4a-4b) have long flat sections (4a1-4b1) capable of coming to bear on each other in the leaktightness phase and are positioned parallel and offset on either side of the teat when not in use, said tongues having a thinned first end (4a2-4b2) that constitutes a hinge by defining the connection zone with the selector ring and a free end (4a3-4b3) that cooperates with the fixed means (5a-5b) provided on the cap.
3. Device as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 characterised in that the cap (5) can have a window (5c) along an angular sector (α) that matches the rotation amplitude of the selector ring in the cap depending on the open/close and gripped or non-gripped positions of the teat
      and in that the selector ring has push-button means (4f) that project through the window and enables said selector ring to be set manually to the required positions.
4. Device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the selector ring and the cap are equipped with notching means (4e-5d) that define zones enabling them to be held relative to each other in the open or close position.
5. Device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the selector ring and the cap are fitted with male-female means enabling them to be connected or disconnected.
6. Device as claimed in claim 3 characterised in that the fixed means (5a-5b) are radial ribs.
7. Device as claimed in claim 3 characterised in that the fixed means (5a) (5b) are closed radial ribs.
8. Device as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 characterised in that the selector ring (4) is disposed in the extension of the cap to which it is clipped.

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