GB2035278A

GB2035278A - Bottle sterilizer

Info

Publication number: GB2035278A
Application number: GB7938004A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-11-27
Filing date: 1979-11-02
Publication date: 1980-06-18
Also published as: GB2035278B; AU525136B2; AU5230179A; NZ191968A

Abstract

A bottle sterilizer comprises a container having bottle support means arranged to support a bottle when in the container and inverted, and a shroud covering the container, the bottle support means having at least one aperture arranged to direct steam, when generated from water when contained in the container, upwardly into a bottle when supported by the support. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Bottle sterilizing device This invention relates to a sterilizing device for the sterilizing of bottles, and is particularly useful for the cleaning and sterilizing of bottles of the type which are used to contain babies food.

According to prior art, babies bottles are usually sterilized by immersing them in hot water, or alternatively by placing them in a space containing steam, usually under a shroud positioned over a perforate plate above a container of boiling water.

Experiments have shown that if bottles are sterilised by immersing in hot water sterilisation is less effective than is sometimes desired and for example persistent bacteria such as staphylococci can in some instances remain on surfaces. If dry steam is used, there are certain bacteria including staphylococci which can exist in temperatures of above 100"C.

The main object of this invention is to provide means whereby most of the known bacteria will be removed from the glass surface of a baby's bottle (for example) with a sterilizer which is relatively inexpensive and can be conveniently used as a domestic appliance.

In this invention bottle sterilizing means comprise a container having a base wall and a side wall, bottle support means in the container arranged to support a bottle when in the container and inverted, and a shroud covering the container, characterised by said bottle support means having at least one aperture arranged to direct steam, when generated from water when contained in the container, upwardly into a bottle when supported by said support.

When the device of this invention is used, steam is directed upwardly into a bottle at some velocity so that its total energy in entering the bottle is greater than its energy is leaving the bottle and consequently the surface temperature in the bottle can be raised to 100or. The steam, at least at the commencement of sterilization, is wet steam issuing on the greater bottle surfaces and rinses away much of the adhered material with a mechanical action. The steam in passing outwardly from the bottle is moving with sufficient turbulence to scour the surfaces of the bottle and the physical action is found to be partially effective in achieving a very much higher degree of efficiency than can be achieved by immersing the bottle in hot water or allowing acquiescent steam to contact the bottle surfaces.

An embodiment of the invention is described hereunder in some detail with reference to as as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an elevational section through a bottle sterilizer, Figure 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section similarto Figure 1 but showing a retaining cup in more detail.

In this embodiment a bottle sterilizer 10 comprises a container 11 having a base wall 12 and an annular sidewall 13, the side wall 13 having an annular bottle support shelf 14 near its upper end and this is surmounted by an rim 15.

Seated on the support shelf 14 there is provided a circular discoid plate like member 18, and this plate member 18 contains four circumferentially spaced apertures 19 which carry support means. As illustrated, the support means comprise three bottle supports 21 and one container 22.

Each bottle support 21 is a cup-like member having a diameter to support an inverted feed bottle (Figure 1) and it is provided with a frusto-conical side wall 24 into which the lower end of the feed bottle wedges. Each bottle support 21 also has a base 26 from which there extends upwardly an inverted cup-like portion 27, the cup-like portion 27 containing four spaced apertures 28 arranged on a pitch circle. These apertures then direct steam upwardly into the bottle, the steam being generated from water 30 contained in the container 11 and heated by element 31. The element 31 is associated with a timer 32 which can be set to disconnect a power supply to element 31 after a period of time has elapsed, for example after 10 minutes.

The container 22 is arranged for containing ancillary components for the bottle 23, for example for a baby's feed teat 44 and a closure ring 35, these resting on a plate 36 loosely contained in the container 22, the plate 36 containing a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures 37.

The plate member 18 is provided with a peripheral upturned lip 39 which surrounds it and an inverted cup like shroud 40 retains steam around the bottle and its ancilliary components, the shroud 40 having an outurned flange 41 which is contained within the space defined by the lip 39.

The top wall of the shroud 40 contains a steam release aperture 44 and a lifting handle 45.

Although the above description has been directed to a container which contains an element 31 for heating purposes, in some instances such an element can be omitted and the container can rely upon external heating sources for example a gas ring.

However, experiments have shown that an almost complete steriliszation of a baby's bottle can be achieved with this invention and its use avoids the use of pressure vessels or autoclaves. It will be appreciated that the large shroud will be very easily lifted from the container in the event of there existing any tendency for super-atmospheric pressure to develop.

1. Bottle sterilizing means, comprising: a container having a base wall and a side wall, bottle support means in the container arranged to support a bottle when in the container and inverted, and a shroud covering the container, characterised by said bottle support means having at least one aperture arranged to direct steam, when generated from water when contained in the container, upwardly into a bottle when supported by said support.

2. Bottle sterilizing means according to claim 1

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Bottle sterilizing device This invention relates to a sterilizing device for the sterilizing of bottles, and is particularly useful for the cleaning and sterilizing of bottles of the type which are used to contain babies food. According to prior art, babies bottles are usually sterilized by immersing them in hot water, or alternatively by placing them in a space containing steam, usually under a shroud positioned over a perforate plate above a container of boiling water. Experiments have shown that if bottles are sterilised by immersing in hot water sterilisation is less effective than is sometimes desired and for example persistent bacteria such as staphylococci can in some instances remain on surfaces. If dry steam is used, there are certain bacteria including staphylococci which can exist in temperatures of above 100"C. The main object of this invention is to provide means whereby most of the known bacteria will be removed from the glass surface of a baby's bottle (for example) with a sterilizer which is relatively inexpensive and can be conveniently used as a domestic appliance. In this invention bottle sterilizing means comprise a container having a base wall and a side wall, bottle support means in the container arranged to support a bottle when in the container and inverted, and a shroud covering the container, characterised by said bottle support means having at least one aperture arranged to direct steam, when generated from water when contained in the container, upwardly into a bottle when supported by said support. When the device of this invention is used, steam is directed upwardly into a bottle at some velocity so that its total energy in entering the bottle is greater than its energy is leaving the bottle and consequently the surface temperature in the bottle can be raised to 100or. The steam, at least at the commencement of sterilization, is wet steam issuing on the greater bottle surfaces and rinses away much of the adhered material with a mechanical action. The steam in passing outwardly from the bottle is moving with sufficient turbulence to scour the surfaces of the bottle and the physical action is found to be partially effective in achieving a very much higher degree of efficiency than can be achieved by immersing the bottle in hot water or allowing acquiescent steam to contact the bottle surfaces. An embodiment of the invention is described hereunder in some detail with reference to as as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an elevational section through a bottle sterilizer, Figure 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section similarto Figure 1 but showing a retaining cup in more detail. In this embodiment a bottle sterilizer 10 comprises a container 11 having a base wall 12 and an annular sidewall 13, the side wall 13 having an annular bottle support shelf 14 near its upper end and this is surmounted by an rim 15. Seated on the support shelf 14 there is provided a circular discoid plate like member 18, and this plate member 18 contains four circumferentially spaced apertures 19 which carry support means. As illustrated, the support means comprise three bottle supports 21 and one container 22. Each bottle support 21 is a cup-like member having a diameter to support an inverted feed bottle (Figure 1) and it is provided with a frusto-conical side wall 24 into which the lower end of the feed bottle wedges. Each bottle support 21 also has a base 26 from which there extends upwardly an inverted cup-like portion 27, the cup-like portion 27 containing four spaced apertures 28 arranged on a pitch circle. These apertures then direct steam upwardly into the bottle, the steam being generated from water 30 contained in the container 11 and heated by element 31. The element 31 is associated with a timer 32 which can be set to disconnect a power supply to element 31 after a period of time has elapsed, for example after 10 minutes. The container 22 is arranged for containing ancillary components for the bottle 23, for example for a baby's feed teat 44 and a closure ring 35, these resting on a plate 36 loosely contained in the container 22, the plate 36 containing a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures 37. The plate member 18 is provided with a peripheral upturned lip 39 which surrounds it and an inverted cup like shroud 40 retains steam around the bottle and its ancilliary components, the shroud 40 having an outurned flange 41 which is contained within the space defined by the lip 39. The top wall of the shroud 40 contains a steam release aperture 44 and a lifting handle 45. Although the above description has been directed to a container which contains an element 31 for heating purposes, in some instances such an element can be omitted and the container can rely upon external heating sources for example a gas ring. However, experiments have shown that an almost complete steriliszation of a baby's bottle can be achieved with this invention and its use avoids the use of pressure vessels or autoclaves. It will be appreciated that the large shroud will be very easily lifted from the container in the event of there existing any tendency for super-atmospheric pressure to develop. CLAIMS

2. Bottle sterilizing means according to claim 1 wherein said side wall has an annular support shelf, and further characterised by a plate-like member carried by the support shelf, and in that said bottle support means comprise a plurality of cup-like members on said plate, each of which is of diameter to support an inverted feeding bottle, and each of which contains a plurality of said apertures arranged to direct steam upwardly into the bottle.

3* Bottle sterilizing means according to claim 2 further characterised in that some at least of said apertures are arranged on a pitch circle such that said steam is directed by those apertures to flow upwardly into the bottle adjacent its interior wall surface.

4. Bottle sterilizing means according to either one of claims 2 or 3 further characterised in that each said bottle support cup-like member has a frustoconical side wall and a base which embodies an inverted cup-like portion, said apertures extending through a wall of said cup-like portion.

5. Bottle sterilizing means according to any one of claims 2 to 4further characterised in that the plate-like member is a generally planar member having a peripheral upturned lip, and a plurality of apertures, the aperture walls supporting a plurality of said bottle support members.

6. Bottle sterilizing means according to any one of claims 2 to 5 further characterised by a shroud of generally cylindrical shape supported by the support shelf, and arranged to contain a bottle or bottles when supported by said bottle support means.

7. Bottle sterilizing means according to any one of the preceding claims further characterised by a tubular container arranged to direct steam, when generated from water in the container, upwardly through said container.

8. Bottle sterilizing means according to any preceding claim further characterised by an electrical immersion heater contained in said container, an electrical conductor electrically coupled to said heater, and a timer switch in the electrical conductor.

9. Bottle sterilizing means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any one of the accompanying draw ings.