GB2323838A

GB2323838A - Bottle with venting valve and cover therefor

Info

Publication number: GB2323838A
Application number: GB9706903A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Gerrard Peter Casey; Marie Helen Zeta Casey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-04-04
Filing date: 1997-04-04
Publication date: 1998-10-07
Also published as: GB9706903D0

Abstract

A container 10, in particular a baby's feeding bottle, is provided with an outlet 14 and a valve 26 which allows air into the container as fluid is drawn off. Separate removable covers 16, 24 are provided for the outlet and the valve means, to protect them from dirt. The outlet and valve means are preferably situated at opposite ends of the bottle. The valve means automatically closes when the stored material is in contact with it and opens due to the creation of reduced pressure in the container. The valve means may be removed so that it may be cleaned and sterilised. The valve is preferably made from a flexible plastic material and extends through a hole 22 in the base of the container.

Description

CONTAINERS This invention concerns improvements in or relating to containers, particularly but not exclusively containers for storing and dispensing liquids, and especially babies' feedings bottles.

With containers for storing and dispensing liquids, problems are often encountered during dispensing of the liquid. These problems are the result of air being urged into the container to replace dispensed liquid and to return the pressure within the container to atmosphere, from the lower pressure condition which results from the reduced volume of liquid within the container. This can result in uneven dispensing and particularly pouring, of liquid from the container. In the case of babies' feeding bottles this can result in air being swallowed by the baby due to the uneven flow of drink and perhaps the in rush of air, and this air can produce wind and colic.

According to the present invention there is provided a container, the container comprising an outlet to permit material to be dispensed from the container and valve means, the valve means being arranged to permit air to pass into the container as material is being dispensed to maintain a substantially constant pressure within the container, but to substantially prevent stored material passing through the valve means.

The outlet and valve means are preferably located at substantially opposite locations on the container. The container is preferably arranged such that in a stored position the outlet is at a generally uppermost part of the container and the valve means at a generally lowermost part of the container, whilst in a dispensing position the outlet would be at a generally lowermost part of the container and the valve means at a generally uppermost part of the container.

The valve means is preferably arranged to be automatically urged to a closed position when stored material is in contact therewith. Desirably the valve means is arranged to be automatically urged to an open position by the creation of reduced pressure within the container.

The valve means may comprise a valve member movable between open and closed position. The valve member is preferably restrainably located across an opening in the container. The valve member may comprise a flange located within the container and sealingly engageable around the opening when in a closed position. Formations may be provided on the valve member outside of the container, engageable with the edges of the opening when in an open position with the flange clear of the opening, to permit air to pass through the opening but to prevent the valve member passing fully into the container. The formations may comprise a plurality of spaced fingers extending beyond the edge of the opening.

The valve member may be made of a flexible material and preferably a flexible plastics material. The valve member is preferably arranged so as to be removable from the container whereby to permit cleaning and/or sterilisation.

A formation may be provided on the container to at least partially surround the external side of the opening to protect the valve member. The opening may be provided in a recess in the exterior of the container, and a removable nonairtight cover may be provided for the recess.

The invention also provides a baby's feeding bottle according to any of the preceding five paragraphs.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional side view of a container according to the invention in a first condition; Fig. 2 is a similar view of part of the container of Fig. 1 in a second condition; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view from beneath of a component of the container of Fig. 1.

The drawings show a container in the form of a baby bottle 10. The bottle 10 comprises a main body 12 with a teat 14 at the upper end thereof as shown in Fig. 1. A removable cover 16 is provided to protect the teat 14.

The base 18 of the body 12 is surrounded by an upstanding rim 20 to provide protection for the base 18. A central circular opening 22 is provided through the base 18. A further removable cover 24 is provided engageable around the exterior of the rim 20 to protect the base 18 and opening 22. The further cover 24 provides a non-airtight closure and any suitable means such as openings therein can be provided to permit air to reach the opening 22.

A valve member 26 made of a flexible plastics material such as neoprene is mounted across the opening 20. The member 26 comprises an upper domed portion 28 of a significantly larger diameter than the opening 22. Extending downwardly from the portion 28 is a cruciform shape projection 30 of a size to slidingly fit through the opening 22. A finger 32 extends from each arm of the crucifix of the projection 30, the fingers 32 being of a greater radius than the opening 22. A gap is therefore defined between the fingers 32 and the underside of the portion 28 which locates the edge of the opening 20.

In use, when the bottle 10 is in an upright condition as shown in Fig. 1, any milk or other liquid in the bottle will push the member 26 downwardly such that the portion 28 closes the opening 22. When the bottle 10 is used for feeding, the cover 16 is removed and the body inverted. As liquid is taken from the bottle 10 the reduced pressure in the body 10 will cause the member 26 to lift off the base 18 to a position as shown in Fig. 2 whereby to permit air to enter the bottom of the bottle 10 between the parts of the projection 30. This prevents air being pulled back through the teat 14 or otherwise which can cause wind and colic as previously described.

The rim 20 and further cover 24 prevent unwanted ingress or contamination of the valve member 26 for instance if the bottle 10 is placed on a damp and/or dirty surface. As the member 26 is formed of a flexible material, it can readily be removed from the opening 22 for cleaning and/or sterilisation.

There is thus described a baby bottle incorporating a valve arrangement which provides for considerable advantages in reducing the possibility of wind and colic. The bottle is of relatively simple construction and can thus be inexpensively manufactured by conventional methods. As the valve member is readily removable, no problems are encountered with regard to cleaning or sterilising of this bottle.

It is to be realised that arrangements according to the present invention can be used in a wide variety of applications. For example, such arrangements could be used for containers for many different liquids, such as for example containers for vehicle oil or food products. Containers according to the invention could be in certain circumstances be usable for storing and dispensing of powders.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, a tab or other projection could be provided on the underside of the valve member to assist removal thereof from the bottle for cleaning/sterilisation. As indicated above, containers according to the invention could be used with a wide variety of different materials, and thus the shape, size and format of the container can be chosen accordingly. A different valve arrangement could be used. The valve member could be of a different shape and/or material.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1 A Container comprising of a main body, a teat , two removable covers and a valve means

2 A Container as claimed in claim one where the teat, covers , and the valve means can be removed for cleaning and sterilisation.

3 A Container as claimed in claims one and two where the outlet and valve means are arranged so that when stored in an upright position the outlet is uppermost and the valve means is generally but not exclusively at the lowermost part of the container.

4 A Container as claimed in claim three where the valve means is moveable between the open and closed position.

5 A Container as claimed in claim four where the valve means will be automatically urged to close when the stored material is in contact with it and automatically urged open by the creation of reduced pressure within the container.

6 A Container substantially as described herein with reference to figures one , two and three of the accompanying drawing