GB2425729A

GB2425729A - Baby feeding bottle with a volumetric control mechanism and timer

Info

Publication number: GB2425729A
Application number: GB0509337A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Mountain
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-05-07
Filing date: 2005-05-07
Publication date: 2006-11-08
Also published as: GB0509337D0

Abstract

A baby or infant feed bottle 1 which includes a volumetric control mechanism and a timer 16 to dispense specific volumes of feed at controllable time intervals. Preferably the bottle 1 is electronically programmable to control feed quantity, duration and intervals. Alternatively the feeding intervals may be controlled without limiting the quantity for night time feeding. The bottle 1 may have a decelerating or variable resistance flow gauge 9 to increase flow resistance towards the end of the feeding cycle. An override button may be provided to permit continuous feeding. The flow gauge 9 may be in the form of a unidirectional rotating element mounted on a spindle which activated by the timer 16.

Description

1 2425729

CONTROLLED BABY FEEDING BOTTLE

Baby feeding bottles are a common everyday means by which liquid feeds can be administered to babies and infants, via a simple rubber or silicone teat. They are a simple "delivery upon demand" device, the baby or infant having the ability to feed as and when it likes, particularly throughout the night and the quantity of feed to their liking. Unfortunately however, hungrier babies frequently empty the bottle in one single feed and a common night time activity undertaken by most parents of babies and infants is to spend the night refilling or replacing the feed bottle to satisfy the crying baby. For the purpose of this invention, feed" refers to any liquid feed of breast milk, formula milk, cows milk, or similar, or water, administered through a bottle.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a means of controlling the times at which a baby or infant can feed, principally although not exclusively through the night, and/or the quantity of feed, such that the feeding bottle will ideally last throughout the night. This way, the likelihood of a parent having to get up through the night to refill or replace the feed bottle is reduced, whilst still providing the baby or infant sufficient regular night time feeds. This ability to control the quantity of the feed is achieved by a simple flow gauge, with the interval of feeds controlled by a timer mechanism either acting independently or to control the flow gauge, both of which ideally housed within the bottle top. The inventive part of the design specifically relates to the bottle head, housing the flow and timer control mechanisms. These timer and flow control mechanisms can be purely mechanical in nature, fully electronic, or incorporating a combination of both. The simplest form of mechanism, incorporating a combination of mechanical flow gauge and an electronic timer mechanism, is explored in detail below, although other configurations of gauge/timer are possible.

With specific reference to the mechanisms, the process by which feedings are activated/de- activated will now be explained. The baby will be allowed to feed as normal, with feed passing from the bottle to the teat, through the flow gauge. After the required feed is dispensed (governed by the number of rotations of the flow gauge for example), the cut-oft mechanism is activated. This cut-off mechanism may be a lock on the flow gauge spindle (preventing the gauge from rotating further), or a separate flow valve located along the route of the feed between the bottle and the teat. Once engaged, no more feed will be dispensed. The desired result would be that the baby, now sufficiently fed, will drift off to sleep. The purpose of the timer mechanism is to release the cut- off mechanism (in whatever configuration), to allow feeding to commence after a desired interval. This timer switch may simply release the locking mechanism after the set period of time following the cut off mechanism being activated, or designed to allow a repeat quantity of feed after a simple period of inactivity of feeding. This later option may prove beneficial in some instances, for example where a baby feeds on the majority of the allotted feed, then falls asleep, but later in the night attempts to feed again but is only able to feed on a small quantity before the locking mechanism is engaged (i.e. a single feed is administered over two separate periods of feeding). This timer mechanism may be electronic in nature, mechanical orsimilar. A largely electronic configuration would obviously require a suitable array of sensors, circuit board and/or processor(s) For ease of use, and to allow inter- changeability and cleaning, the main components, for example the bottle, teat, etc, can be easily disassembled. It is also clearly beneficial that the design of the attachments/components be made to allow the use of standard sized bottles or rubber/silicone, or similar, teats. In addition, the inclusion of an over-ride button or mechanism could be included to allow a parent to over-ride the settings on the bottle, to allov continuous feeding if desired. This may be beneficial for example if the baby is particularly hungry. Design of the override button obviously needs to be child proof and can be recessed or require force to

engage for example.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the general configuration of the device in more detail, showing a bottle, 1, which can be a standard feeding bottle (8oz or similar), or specifically designed bottle. It is clearly beneficial that the ability to hold larger volumes of feed, for example l6oz, be available in certain circumstances, for example with hungrier babies that frequently consume in excess of 8oz in one night. The control mechanism and housing, 2, is attached to the bottle either by a simple screw or clip on attachment, or similar, 3, with the feed administered through a teat, 4.

This teat could be a standard commonly available style of rubber or silicone teat, or specifically designed.

Figure 2 shows a possible view of the visible control face of the bottle head, in this instance for a simple slide button control. This may control a mechanical or circuit controlled mechanism.

The feed quantity is controlled by a variable position slide selector, 5, which can select a range of feed quantities, for example 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8oz feeds. The feed interval can be controlled be a similar variable position slide selector, 6, which can select a range of intervals between feeds, for example 1 hr, 2hr, 3hr or 4hr intervals between feeds. Other variations of mechanical selector mechanism are possible.

Figure 3 shows a possible electronic control panel using a simple LCD control panel, 7, push button selectors, 8, or similar, to electronically select the feed intervals or feed quantities. Other control variations are possible, and should be inherently child proof such that the feeding child cannot inadvertently adjust them.

Figures 4a and 4b, where 4b is rotated about 90degrees, show an example of a typical mechanical volumetric control mechanism, i.e. flow gauge, which can be used to measure the quantity of liquid feed dispensed. In this example, this consists of a unidirectional rotating flow gauge, 9, of plastic or similar, which rotates in response to the flow, 10, which ultimately is dispensed through the teat, 11. The rotating gauge will result in the rotation of a spindle, 12, where the number of rotations will indicate the volume of feed dispensed. These figures show an example of a simple mechanical flow gauge. Other forms of flow gauge, mechanical, electronic, magnetic, or similar, are possible and can be adopted to provide the same means of determining the amount of feed dispensed. As soon as the required feed is dispensed, determined by the number of revolutions of the spindle, 12, for example, a cut off mechanism is engaged. Alternatively, instead of the mechanism relying on the mechanical rotation and control of the spindle, 12, an electronic sensor arrangement could be used to "count" the rotations and monitor the dispensed volume of feed, for example.

Figure 5 shows the principle of the cut off and timer mechanism in more detail, in this example being mechanical in nature, although other forms are possible. It can consist of a mechanical "brake", 13, to arrest rotation of the spindle,12, (hence preventing flow, 14, through the gauge, 9), for example, or be positioned independently along the route of the flow in the form of a valve, 15. The valve and "brake" can be mechanical, magnetic or similar. The purpose of the timer, 16, is to release the cut-off mechanism, 14 or 15, (in whatever configuration), which is engaged following dispensing of the desired amount, to allow feeding to continue and to allow a second feecr after the desired period of "no feeding" has passd. Where required, electronic components are powered by a low voltage power supply in the form of a battery, 17. It is envisaged that for electronically controlled timer and/or flow gauge mechanisms, i.e. not relying entirely UOfl mechanical operation, that both the timer and/or gauge and/or the cut-off mechanism, will be linked to a processor and/or circuit board to respond to the desired feed quantities and intervals and action the necessary responses to activate/deactivate the flow and feed. This processor/circuit board may be a separate component, or in this instance an integral part of the timer mechanism. This process of on-off feeding will obviously continue until the bottle is exhausted of feed, ideally after providing several independent feeds throughout the night. A largely electronic configuration would obviously require a suitable array of sensors, circuit board and/or processor(s), to achieve the desired control mechanisms.

Claims

1. A baby or infant feed bottle incorporating a volumetric control mechanism and timer mechanism to dispense specific volumes of feed at controllable time intervals.

2. A baby or infant feed bottle as claimed in claim 1, incorporating an electronic program ming facility to control feed quantities, durations, intervals between feeds, etc.

3. A baby or infant feed bottle as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, excluding the volumetric control mechanism, to regulate feeding times throughout the night but not limit the quantity of feed.

4. A baby or infant feed bottle as claimed in claims 1, 2, or 3, incorporating a decelerating or variable resistance flow gauge to increase the resistance to flow during feeding, making feeding harder towards the end of the feed cycle.

5. A baby or infant feed bottle as claimed in claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, incorporating an override button to allow continual feeding if desired.

6. A baby or infant feed bottle as herein described above and illustrated in the

accompanying drawings or description.