GB2338469A

GB2338469A - Infant feeding apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2338469A
Application number: GB9914216A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Victoria Naomi Leigh
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-06-18
Filing date: 1999-06-17
Publication date: 1999-12-22
Also published as: GB9813099D0; GB9914216D0

Abstract

Infant feeding apparatus, for example a bottle provided with a teat or spout retained by a sealing ring, comprises thermochromic material for example in the form of indicia for indicating when the contents are too hot for safe use. The bottle, teat or sprout may comprise the thermochromic material.

Description

ft^ 2338469 INFANT FEEDING APPARA i US This invention relates to infant

feeding apparatus (which expression includes babies).

Infants are commonly fed warm liquids from bottles provided with teats or spouts. The contents may have been warmed in warm water or in a microwave oven or in other ways. It is often difficult to monitor accurately the temperature of the contents especially since the container is often a io good thermal insulator. As a result every year children are injured through being given liquids which are too hot. Less seriously, although it may not, perhaps, seem it at the time on many more occasions infants are not fed because it is erroneously feared that the contents are too hot.

The invention seeks to reduce this problem.

An aspect of the invention provides a visual alert that the contents are above a safe temperature.

Embodiments of the invention will be illustrated by way of non-limiting example by reference to the accompanying figures of which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a teat, Figure 2 is a perspective view of a sealing ring, and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a bottle.

Bottle 1 defines a chamber for receiving fluid content. Conveniently bottle 1 comprises a thermoplastics material. Open end 2 of the bottle 1 is provided with a fastener for sealing co-operation with the sealing ring to 2 be described hereinafter. Examples of suitable fasteners include screw threads and bayonet fittings.

Sealing ring 3 has a fastener 4 sealingly engageable with the open end 2 of the bottle 1. Sealing ring 3 defines a hole for receiving a teat or spout as will be described hereinafter.

Teat 5 comprises a resilient material for example a rubber or silicone material. It is provided with a flange 6 which is, in use, trapped between io the open end of the bottle and the sealing ring thereby providing, it is hoped, a fluid tight seal.

As described the arrangement is conventional. In accordance with an aspect of the invention at least apart of at least a component of the feeding apparatus comprises a thermochromic material. The thermochromic material can be selected so as to change colour when the bottle contents are above a safe temperature. In general temperatures less than about 280C are regarded as too low for infant feeds while temperatures in excess of WC are generally regarded as too hot. By providing a thermochromic material continuously colour changeable over a range indicating that the contents are at temperature in the range of about 29' to WC preferably 30- 42C the carer can easily check that the contents are at the desired temperatures. By providing a thermochromic material which changes colour only when the contents are above a safe temperature for example in the range 384CC the carer can easily see if the contents are too hot.

i 4 Thermochromic materials are known. Many such materials are based on 1 -1 3 liquid crystals and may change colour over a narrow range of temperatures. Colour changes over narrow changes in temperature are not necessarily preferred in accordance with the invention. Providing a colour change over a range of temperatures allows the carer to judge by 5 experience when the contents are at the prefer-red temperature.

Desirably at the high end of the temperature range the colour changing material is a warm colour such as pink, yellow, orange or red. Warm colours such as these are generally associated with danger. Furthermore io these bright colours are often easier to see in the dark than cool, dark, colours. Little or no permanent hann is suffered by infants being offered liquids which are too cool while tissue damage can occur if the feed is too hot. Consequently it is preferred that a bright colour is employed to denote the hot end of the range.

is Desirably at the low end of the temperature range the colour changing material is a cool colour such as blue, green, purple, or brown. Cool colours such as these are generally associated with safety.

The whole or a part of any of the components of the bottle can comprise thennochromic material. For example the whole teat, spout or sealing ring can be formed of thermochromic material. Alternatively or additionally a panel could be formed in or applied to the bottle. Those skilled in the art will have no difficulty in devising suitable ways of embodying the invention.

In preferred embodiments of the invention indicia 10 are provided on the 4 thermochromic material. In some embodiments of the invention the indicia are generally of the same colour as the thermochromic material at the low end of the temperature range. In this case the indicia may be warning such as the words "TOO HOT". When the thermochromic material is cool the indicia are barely visible but when the thermochromic material is hot tile indicia will be of a contrasting colour and hence easily visible.

In other preferred embodiments of the invention the indicia 10 are of generally the same colour as the thermochromic material at the upper end io of the temperature range. In this case the indicia may be a reassuring message such as "SAFE' In other embodiments of the invention the indicia may be of thermochromic material which changes colour to provide a message in contrasting colours. For example the base thermochromic material may be blue at the low end of the temperature range and red at the high end. The indicia may be blue at the low end of the temperature and black at the high end. The indicia can therefore be even more contrasting.

In some embodiments of the invention the thermochromic material is in the form of the indicia and may be surrounded by a background which is of about the same colour as the indicia at one end of the temperature range. This operates in a similar way to that described above.

2s Those skilled in the art will have little difficulty in devising modifications.

1

Claims

1. An infant feeding apparatus provided with a visual indication that the content received in the apparatus is above a safe temperature.

2. An infant feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the visual indication comprises a thennochromic material continuously changing colour between a first temperature at which the contents are safe and a second temperature at which the contents are too hot for safe consumption.

3. An infant feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the colour of the thermochromic material is continuously changeable over the range 29 to 4CC.

4. An infant feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the colour is continuously changeable over the range 30 to 4TC.

5. An infant feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the colour is continuously changeable over the range 38 to 44PC.

6. An infant feeding apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising a feeding bottle having a teat or spout secured by a retaining ring.

7. An infant feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the teat, spout or retaining ring comprise thermochromic material.

6

8. An infant feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7 wherein a thermochromic panel is formed in or applied to the bottle.

9. An infant feeding apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the visual indication comprises indicia formed of thermochromic material capable of adopting a first or second colour on a background of a first colour.

10. An infant feeding apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 io wherein the visual indication comprises indicia of a first colour on a thennochromic background capable of adopting a first or second colour.

Infant feeding apparatus substantially as described herein.