GB2605663A

GB2605663A - Baby bottles

Info

Publication number: GB2605663A
Application number: GB2113538.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leslie Gort-Barten Alexander
Original assignee: Alexander Leslie Gort Barten
Current assignee: Alexander Leslie Gort Barten
Priority date: 2020-09-23
Filing date: 2021-09-22
Publication date: 2022-10-12
Also published as: GB202015051D0

Abstract

A feeding bottle or baby bottle system 2 comprises a bottle 4 having a cylindrical neck 5 provided with a screw thread 14b, a flexible teat 8 having at least one dispensing aperture 10 therein and a circular collar 6 with a matching thread 14a configured to engage with the screw thread on the neck of the bottle along a common axis. The screw thread is provided on the interior surface of the neck of the bottle, and on the external surface of the collar. In use, the bottle is assembled such that the flexible teat is pinched between the bottle and the circular collar in a radial direction, perpendicular to the screw axis, to form a fluid tight seal when the thread of the circular collar is engaged with the screw thread on the cylindrical neck of the bottle (Fig 2). When assembled, the circular collar is entirely enclosed by the flexible teat and the cylindrical neck. The bottle and collar are preferably formed from stainless steel, with the teat providing an insulative barrier between a baby’s mouth and the collar.

Description

Baby Bottles

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to bottles for use by babies, or nursing bottles for feeding liquid such as milk to babies, infants or small children.

BACKGROUND ART

Baby bottles typically have multiple components including a bottle, a teat, a threaded collar for securing the teat to the bottle (the teat and collar sometimes collectively defining a collar assembly), and a cap for covering the teat when the bottle is not in use. The teat is usually resiliently flexible, being made of a flexible material such as a rubber, and typically has one or more openings for allowing liquid contained within the bottle to exit through the teat and into a baby's mouth for consumption by the baby (or young child). The other components are normally made of rigid material. US2892559 and US2517457 disclose nursing bottles of this type, and show that this conventional design of baby bottle has been known for over 70 years. The bottle is assembled so that a circular flange forming the circumferential edge of the teat is pinched axially between the threaded collar and the neck of the bottle as these are screwed together. When assembled and in use, the baby places an end of the teat in their mouth and sucks on it to withdraw the liquid contained within the bottle, the bottle being inverted so that liquid flows from the interior of the bottle into the teat.

There are many different designs of baby bottle, in most of which the bottle and collar are made of a plastics material. The use of plastics material for containers holding liquids is common because plastic is cheap and less fragile than glass; however it is problematic because plastics can release chemicals into the liquid to be ingested by someone drinking from the bottle; one such chemical is bisphenol A (BPA, and food and beverage containers are increasingly being made of materials which do not release unwanted chemicals such as BPA. Baby's bottles have been designed which are made of stainless steel, and have teats which are made of some flexible material which is equally unlikely to leak chemicals, such as silicone rubber. EP2547309 and 662491790 disclose examples of stainless steel baby bottles which are designed to be BPA-free, and to display other known advantageous characteristics of stainless steel (such as its hygienic and resistance to damage or blemishing properties).

One problem with baby bottles which are made of stainless steel is that stainless steel is harder than plastic or glass, and is a better conductor of heat; when a baby or toddler uses such a baby bottle, the hard stainless steel can bruise, and/or be painful against, a sensitive mouth, and the heat from the milk inside the bottle can be conducted to the outside of the bottle near the teat, making the bottle uncomfortable to use. Another problem with such bottles relates to the screw threads used to join the collar to the bottle; if the match between the threads is too tight the parts are not easily screwed together or apart, or can jam, whereas if the screw threads are too loose then the parts are easily screwed and unscrewed, but are prone to leaking liquid. A further problem with conventional baby bottle designs is that they are usually inverted in use, so that the liquid in the bottle moves downwardly into the teat, and the liquid pressure on the openings in the teat (in combination with the suction pressure from the baby's mouth) expands the openings allowing milk to flow out into the baby's mouth; this is of course desirable, except where the baby removes the bottle from its mouth but the bottle remains inverted. In this situation, liquid can leak from the teat. Many conventional designs of baby bottle allow liquid to collect in certain areas (where different parts screw together, in or adjacent to the screw threads, for example) and this can require cleaning so as to reduce the risk that pooled liquid might solidify and/or go stale, causing a hygiene risk to the baby. In some designs where liquid pooling is prone to occur, this can cause concerns to the parent feeding the baby, as they don't know how much liquid has pooled, leaving them unsure exactly how much liquid the baby has consumed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is predicated on an entirely different design principle compared to most conventional baby bottles, and this has several advantages over conventional designs, particularly but not exclusively where the bottle is made of BRA-free stainless steel.

The present invention therefore provides a bottle system for storing and dispensing liquid which comprises a bottle having a cylindrical neck provided with a screw thread, a flexible teat having at least one dispensing aperture therein and a circular collar with a matching thread configured to engage with the screw thread on the neck of the bottle and to pinch the flexible teat between the bottle and the circular collar to form a fluid tight seal when the thread of the circular collar is engaged with the screw thread on the cylindrical neck of the bottle to assemble the bottle system for storing and dispensing fluid, in which the screw thread is provided on the interior surface of the cylindrical neck and the matching thread on the collar which engages with the screw thread of the cylindrical neck is provided on the exterior of the circular collar, and in which when assembled the circular collar is entirely enclosed by the flexible teat and the cylindrical neck.

Bottle systems in accordance with the invention have the striking contrast from most conventional designs in that the collar engages with the interior of the neck of the bottle, whereas in most conventional designs the collar engages with the outside of the bottle neck; in both cases the liquid tight seal is formed by screwing parts of the bottle system together.

With an arrangement in accordance with the invention, there are no metal parts or surfaces near to the baby's mouth, instead the collar (which, like the bottle, is suitably made of a stainless steel such as grade 304 18/8 stainless steel, which is BRA-free) is entirely enclosed by the flexible teat (which is made of a suitable resilient and flexible material such as BRA-free and phthalate-free proprietary food grade silicone) and the end of the neck of the bottle, leaving no part of the collar exposed. The collar is removed from the area of the teat which the user would insert in the mouth; thus the material of the teat insulates the user's mouth from physical and thermal contact with the stainless steel collar, and so provides a safer arrangement than conventional designs. Designs in accordance with the invention not only ensure that there is no need for any outer part of the bottle to be exposed metal (the exterior of the bottle can be coated with a rubber-like material which is comfortable to hold, and a further collar, or bumper, can be provided to extend around the exterior of the cylindrical neck and bridge any gap between the exterior of the bottle and the teat where it surrounds the circular collar as will be described below). Lastly, designs in accordance with the invention have only a single, large joint from which liquid in the bottle might escape, compared to the two joints found in conventional bottles (the two joints are at the junction between the parts where they screw together, and at the meeting point between the collar and the teat); one of the joints in conventional designs is relatively close to the end of the teat, and thus the baby's face, whereas in designs in accordance with the invention the sole joint is further removed from the face of the user.

The circular collar may be in the general shape of an open ended cylinder, which allows liquid in the bottle to flow freely to the teat. Preferably the open ended cylinder is thin-walled and has an axial bore which is substantially unobstructed to allow liquid to flow freely therethrough; alternatively, to prevent unexpected leakage of liquid from the teat when the full bottle is dropped or shaken, there may be a restrictor within the cylinder to selectively stop liquid flowing towards and into the teat.

The circular collar may be provided with an external lip which is configured, when the bottle system is assembled, to pinch the teat between the external lip and the neck of the bottle, thus forming a first seal to retain the liquid in the bottle. When the bottle system is assembled, the screw threads on the neck of the bottle and on the circular collar will usually have a common screw axis, and the neck of the bottle and the circular collar may be configured to pinch the teat in a direction parallel to the screw axis, i.e. along the major length of the bottle. This means that, as with conventional baby bottles, the act of tightening the collar on the neck of the bottle creates the liquid-tight seal (but as explained above, the seal line is further removed from the end of the teat and the baby's mouth than in a conventional arrangement). Additionally or alternatively the neck of the bottle and the circular collar may be configured to pinch the teat in a radial direction, perpendicular to the screw axis, when the collar is screwed onto the bottle neck to extend the seal along the axis. This pinching can be achieved in several ways, such as by providing a taper on one or both of the collar and bottle neck, and/or by providing a bead around the edge of the teat; it has the effect of either adding to the sealing, or of moving the seal line yet further away from the end of the teat and ensuring that this is within the enclosure formed by the neck of the bottle and thus protecting the seal and preventing leakage should there be an accidental impact on the edge of the bottle. Because the teat material is resiliently flexible, or elastic, the act of pinching the teat material elastically deforms it, which provides a force to hold the collar and the neck assembled together. In conventional bottle designs there are usually two joints which need to be liquid-tight: one joint is where the circumferential edge of the teat is pinched between the bottle and the collar, and the second joint is where the collar screws onto the bottle. This second joint is nothing more than a screw thread, which is inherently prone to leaking liquid unless some other gasket or sealing arrangement is provided. In the present invention there are two different pinching mechanisms, one axial the other radial, but both of these mechanisms are closely adjacent and deform adjacent parts of the edge of the teat material to provide a single, enlarged seal, which is an inherently better method for providing a good, liquid-tight seal than conventional designs.

The external lip may extend away from the neck, parallel to the screw axis in a tubular collar section, the outer circumferential surface of the tubular collar section being knurled, that is it has a series of protrusions or knobs which are preferably regularly spaced around the outer surface of the tube. These protrusions are preferably large enough so as to deform the teat around them and to protrude through the teat material, thus providing enhanced grip with cushioning for someone tightening or loosening the circular collar on the cylindrical neck of the bottle, whilst also not being too rough against the skin of the baby or toddler using the bottle.

There may be an inlet arrangement which is adapted to allow ambient air to enter into the bottle but to prevent air or liquid from leaving the bottle; this type of ventilation is used in conventional baby bottles (see US5433353, for example) to provide an uninterrupted flow of liquid and to reduce the risk of colic The principle behind this type of ventilation is to let the air into the bottle so that it enters near the bottom of the bottle, in the void above the milk (when the bottle is tipped up for feeding). This means that the ambient air doesn't pass through the milk (as it would if the air was allowed to enter into the bottle near the teat), creating air bubbles that could cause infant colic.

The inlet arrangement may be provided adjacent the teat, a pipe being provided leading from the inlet arrangement within the teat towards the closed end of the bottle; conveniently, the inlet arrangement functions to locate the pipe in the desired position. The inlet arrangement may be configured to locate the pipe offset from the common central axis of the cylindrical collar and the teat which extends along the length of the bottle. This provides a relatively simple arrangement, in which the inlet arrangement and the pipe communicate with an opening (other than the dispensing aperture) in the teat; because the teat material is flexible and resilient/elastic, the opening can easily be configured to remain closed except when there is a pressure difference across it (in the same manner as low pressure on the dispensing aperture(s) allows liquid to flow through for the baby to drink, below ambient pressure inside the teat opening allows air to flow through and equalise the pressure inside the bottle arrangement). Alternatively, the inlet arrangement may be configured to hold the pipe coaxially with the central axis. In the latter configuration, the inlet arrangement may comprise one or more flow restrictors, to restrict the flow of liquid within the bottle to the teat, and/or a flow separator to allow ambient air to flow from the opening to the pipe without coming into contact with liquid inside the bottle. The flow separator may be in the form of a cap which closes off the majority of the cylindrical collar.

The teat, cap and inlet arrangement may be configured to provide a labyrinthine path for ambient air passing through the teat opening to flow to the pipe. The inlet arrangement may have one or more axial through passages to allow the flow of liquid therethrough, and/or these passages may be configured and/or dimensioned so as to control the flow of liquid therethrough. The inlet arrangement and pipe may be configured and dimensioned so as to provide a liquid trap, to retain liquid flowing along the pipe in the direction of the teat (when the bottle is inverted for feeding) and prevent it from reaching the teat opening; this liquid trap may be arranged so as to allow retained liquid to flow along the pipe away from the teat (when the bottle is turned back to an upright position).

The bottle system may comprise a bumper, which is a further cylindrical collar which is dimensioned and configured to surround an outer portion of the neck of the bottle when the bottle system is assembled. This bumper fills the gap between the shoulder of the bottle and the external lip and covers the neck of the bottle, giving the exterior of the bottle system a neat appearance, and providing insulation (thermal and physical) to the neck of the bottle. Because this bumper is removed from any contact with the liquid contained in the bottle in use, it can be made of any suitable material and does not have to be BPA-free. The bumper may be free to rotate about the neck of the bottle while held captive by the shoulder of the bottle and the external lip in the direction of the screw axis, and can have a hook or eye so that a lanyard or the like can be tied to the bumper to secure the bottle should the user drop it or let go of it.

Preferably the bottle has a maximum diameter and the neck of the bottle has a nominal diameter smaller than the maximum diameter, the ratio of the nominal diameter to the maximum diameter being between 1:1.05 and 1:1.55, the length of the bottle being of the same order as its maximum diameter. This makes for a bottle which, when dimensioned so as to be comfortable for the typical baby or infant to hold, means that the interior of the neck of the bottle and of the circular collar are wide enough to allow easy cleaning of their internal surfaces -it being important to be able to sterilise the bottle system when it is for use by small babies.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides an inlet arrangement for a baby bottle arrangement (of the type described above or of the conventional type) which is configured to hold a pipe so as to allow ambient air to flow from an opening formed in the teat to a pipe extending from the teat towards the bottom of the bottle, the pipe and/or the inlet arrangement being configured so as to prevent (or at least restrict), liquid flow from the bottle to the opening. The inlet arrangement may comprise a flow restrictor, and the flow restrictor may be adapted to fit along the common screw axis within the circular collar and/or the circular collar and to retain the end of the pipe adjacent the inlet arrangement, the flow restrictor having one or more axially-extending passages for the flow of liquid between the interior of the bottle and the interior of the teat. The flow restrictor may further comprise one or more generally radial cross channels which are in fluid communication with the end of the pipe adjacent the inlet arrangement and the inlet arrangement. The or each cross channel may be directed at an angle to the common screw axis such that, when the bottle system is upright, the radially outer end of each cross channel is closer to the teat than is the radially inner end of the cross channel. This allows liquid caught in the inlet arrangement during drinking, when the bottle is inverted, to drain back into the bottle easily when the bottle is righted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying figures, in which; Figure 1 is a partially exploded, cross-sectional schematic view of a bottle system in accordance with the invention; Figures la and 1 bb are plan and elevation views of the bottle system of Figure 1; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional schematic side view of the bottle system of Figure 1; Figures 2a and 2b are enlarged views of the areas marked AA and BB in Figure 2; Figure 3a is a schematic perspective view of the bottle system of Figure 1 and Figure 3b is a similar schematic perspective view but with an added bumper: Figures 4a and 4b are plan and side elevation views respectively of the bottle system of Figure 3a but with an added cap; Figures 5a and 5b are plan and side elevation views respectively of the bottle system of Figure 3b but with an added cap, and Figure 5 c is a perspective schematic view of this bottle system; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional schematic side view of a bottle system similar to that of Figure 1 but having an alternative neck arrangement, and Figure 6a is an enlarged area of the area CC in Figure 6; Figures 7a and 7b are side elevation views of the collar of Figure 1, and Figure 7c is a perspective view thereof; Figures 8a and 8b are side elevation views of different bottles for use with the bottle system of Figure 1; Figures 9a and 9b are perspective views of modified collars; Figure 10a is a perspective, cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a bottle arrangement with an air inlet vent arrangement and vent pipe, Figure 10 b is a perspective view of the air inlet arrangement of Figure 10a and Figure 10c is a view of the air inlet arrangement of Figure 10b fitted within the cylindrical collar and with a vent pipe attached; Figure ha is a perspective, cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a bottle arrangement with an air inlet vent arrangement and vent pipe, Figure llb is an enlarged view of part of Figure Ha, and Figure 11c is a perspective view of a flow restrictor forming part of the inlet arrangement of Figure 11a; Figure 12a is a perspective, cross-sectional view of yet another embodiment of a bottle arrangement with an air inlet vent arrangement and vent pipe, Figure 12b is an enlarged view of part of Figure 12a, Figure 12c is a perspective view of a flow restrictor forming part of the inlet arrangement of Figure 12a, and Figure 12d is a perspective view of a flow separator cap forming part of the inlet arrangement of Figure 12a; Figure 13a is a perspective, cross-sectional view of a bottle arrangement similar to that of Figures 11 and 12 but with the inlet arrangement configured to provide a liquid trap, ad Figure 13 b is an enlarged view of part of Figure 13a; Figure 143 is an exploded view of a further embodiment of a bottle system in accordance with the invention, and 14b is a perspective view of the elements when assembled; Figures 15a and 15b are perspective and plan views of the teat from the bottle system of Figures 14a and 14b; Figure 16a is a cross-sectional view of the bottle system of Figures 14a and 14b but omitting the internal pipe and flow restrictor elements, and Figure 16b is an enlarged view of part of Figure 16a; Figure 17a is a perspective view of the flow restrictor of Figure 14a, Figures 17b and 17c are plan views from top and bottom respectively of the flow restrictor, and Figure 17d is a cross-sectional view of the flow restrictor perpendicular to the horizontal axis of Figures 17b and 17c; Figure 18a is a cross-sectional view of the bottle system of Figures 14a and 14b including the internal pipe and flow restrictor elements, and Figure 18b is an enlarged view of part of Figure 18a, and Figures 19a and 19b are perspective and plan views of the teat of Figures 14a and 14b, respectively, from underneath.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The bottle system 2 shown in Figure 1 (and in plan and side elevation in Figures la and 1b) has three main parts, a stainless steel bottle 4, a generally cylindrical stainless steel collar 6 and a silicone rubber teat 8. The bottle system is assembled by screwing the threaded collar 6 into the matching thread inside the neck 5 of the bottle 4. The teat is flexible, and has one or more apertures 10 from which liquid in the bottle is dispensed/drunk, and there is a simple air inlet 12 (described further below). The arrangement is entirely BPA-free with regard to the surfaces which come into contact with milk inside the bottle, or into contact with the user's mouth.

The thread 14a is on the internal surface of the collar 6, and engages with the matching thread 14b which is on the outside of the neck 5 of the bottle 4. The bottle 4 and the collar 6 are made of thin-walled steel, so the screw threads can be press formed in the respective parts; this means that the engaging threads are mirrored on the other sides of the thin walls, as shown in the drawings* When assembled, the teat 8 surrounds the upper part of the collar 6, and the lowermost circular edge of the teat 8 is pinched between the outside of the collar 6 and the inside of the upper end of the neck 5 of the bottle 4, as will be described further below. When assembled and the collar is fully screwed onto the bottle, the outer part of the neck 5 of the bottle 4 and the exterior "mirroring" of its screw thread are visible between the shoulder 16 of the bottle 4 and the lower circumferential edge 18 of the teat 8, as shown in Figure lb. Figure 2 shows the bottle system 2 in side elevation and cross-section, and Figure 2a is an enlargement of the area indicated by Ak As can be seen in Figure 2a, the upper, outermost part 20 of the collar 6 is generally cylindrical, and has an external diameter broadly similar to the outer diameter of the neck 5 of the bottle 4, and the upper end of the neck 5 of the bottle 4 is folded over so as to present a rounded end 7 where it pinches the teat 8. The collar 6 has an inward step 22 to a second generally cylindrical portion 24 in which the thread 14 is formed* The inward step 22 is dimensioned so that the radial distance between the cylindrical portion 24 and the rounded end 7 is apt to receive the end of the teat 8 snugly.

The threads are preferably quite coarse, which facilitates the radial gap being suitably large so as to accommodate the lower edge of the teat 8. The inward step 22 in combination with the inwardly sloping upper part of the teat 8 means that the resilience of the rubber teat 8 engages with and holds the outer profile of the collar when the collar 6 is inserted in the teat 8 before the bottle system 2 is fully assembled (as shown in Figure 1), ensuring that the lowermost part of the teat 8 is correctly aligned with the collar 6 as the collar is screwed into the neck 5 of the bottle 4, so that as the parts are screwed tightly together the teat 8 is pinched (i.e. squeezed and elastically deformed) to create a liquid-tight seal in exactly the correct place.

It will be appreciated that, as the collar 6 is screwed into the neck 5 of the bottle 4, the parts as shown in Figure 2a move axially (vertically in the drawing) relative to each other, thus pinching (i.e. squeezing and deforming) the material of the teat 8 between the fold 7 and the step 22 to create the desired seal. The teat 8 extends at its furthest from the apertures 10 at the tip of the teat to an annular bead 26 and this is also pinched between the neck 5 and the collar 8, but radially between the screw thread 14 in the neck 5 and the upper cylindrical portion 24 of the collar 6, creating an additional seal which helps make the overall seal completely liquid-tight. It will also be understood that once assembled the collar 6 is completely enclosed by the teat 8 and the neck 5 of the bottle 4; this means that the collar 6 can easily be press formed of stainless steel, but that no part of that element can come into proximity with the sensitive mouth of an infant or baby.

Figure 2b shows the inlet 12 in greater detail; this inlet allows air into the bottle 4 as liquid leaves through the aperture 10, but prevents liquid from passing. The inlet 12 consists of a small hole 28 formed at the bottom of a narrow bore formed in the teat 8 having inwardly-sloping extremities adjacent the hole. This inlet is made of the same material as the teat 8 and, being elastic, when the volume of liquid in the bottle 4 drops and the pressure inside the bottle also drops, this internal pressure drop causes the lower part of the inlet 12 to open allowing ambient air to flow into the bottle. When the pressure inside the bottle 4 equalises with ambient air pressure, the elastic inlet 12 closes and prevents liquid from leaking out of the inlet.

Figures 3a and 3b are perspective views of the assembled bottle system 2, in Figure 3b a bumper 30 in the form of an annular collar has been slid over the neck 5 of the bottle before the collar 6 and the teat 8 have been screwed to the bottle 4 (shown more clearly in Figure 6) and this bumper covers the external thread 14b and provides a smooth outer surface which is more comfortable to hold than the uncovered thread 14b. The bumper 30 can be a tight fit or it could be a looser fit and so able to rotate freely around the neck 5 of the botde. The bumper 30 has an eyelet 32 to which a string or lanyard can be attached, to secure the bottle system in case the baby drops it.

Figures 4a and 4b are plan and side views respectively of the bottle system 2 (without a bumper) to which a protective cap 34 has been fitted to cover the teat 8 and keep it clean and protected when the bottle system is waiting to be used. The cap 34 is made of a suitably resilient material so as to be a snap fit on the upper part 20 of the collar 6 and the teat 8 where it extends over the upper part 20, and the cap is provided with a flap 36 which extends further from the collar and assists in fitting and removing the cap 39 to the bottle system 2. Figures 5a and 5b are similar plan and side views, but of the bottle system with a bumper 30 fitted as well as the cap 34, and Figure Sc is a perspective view of this.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of another bottle system 2' of a slightly different design and illustrating the bumper 30 in more detail; Figure 6a is an enlarged view of the neck portion CC of the bottle in Figure 6. The collar 6 and teat 8 are the same as shown in Figures 1 to 5, but the upper end of the neck 5 of the bottle 4 is not folded over to present a rounded end where it pinches the teat 8, as in Figure 2a, but instead is formed in a "roll" 7'. This provides a rounded lower profile where the bumper 30 abuts. The bumper 30 is made of an elastic material, so that it can be stretched over the roll 7' for fitting/removing the bumper 30.

As shown in the drawing, the bumper 30 has an axial length (i.e. parallel to the axis of the bottle neck) close to that of the distance between the roll 7' and the shoulder 16 of the bottle 4 so that the bumper 30 is held so as not to be free to rotate (it is easy to provide a slightly shorter bumper if a freely rotatable bumper arrangement is desired); because the lower part of the roll 7' is smoothly curved, it does not abrade or damage the edge of the bumper 30 as a straight edge as in Figure 2a might.

Figures 7a to 7c are cross-sectional, side and perspective views of the collar 6, which can be a simple metal item. The drawing shows the upper part 20 of the collar as a smooth, cylindrical shape but, as described above, this could be formed into a series of regularly-spaced protrusions extending radially outwardly, or very coarse knurling, so that the protrusions may be felt through the material of the teat 8 and provide an enhanced grip when screwing the collar to the bottle while the elastic teat material cushions the hand against the protrusions.

Figures 8a and 8b shows two differently-shaped bottles 4' and 4", both of a relatively squat or "dumpy" configuration with a wide neck opening. The bottle 4' in Figure 8a has a height h', a maximum diameter m' and a nominal neck diameter n' (the nominal neck diameter is the diameter of the neck 5 before the screw thread 14b is formed in it, or its diameter excluding the screw thread 14b); the bottle 4" has the same range of dimensions, but identified in the drawing with a double" "suffix. In practice, these bottles have the following approximate measurements: h' -80mm h" -97mm m -65mm m" -68mm 54mm m" -54mm The axial length of the neck 5 between the shoulder 16 and the roll 7' is preferably about 10-20mm. Bottles of these dimensions contain the generally accepted volume of milk which baby's bottles are required to hold whilst being comfortable for adults and babies to handle. They also have a ratio of height to maximum diameter between about 1:1 and 1:2 or 1:3 at most, and a nominal diameter of neck to maximum diameter of bottle between about 1:1.05 and about 1:1,55; these proportions are desirable because it makes for a bottle which has a relatively large neck opening, which makes the bottle and the collar easy to clean (because a brush or other cleaning device can be inserted easily) which is always a requirement for baby bottles, and also means that that part of the collar which is gripped for assembly is of large diameter, allowing it to be gripped easily and easily screwed tight, and unscrewed when it has been tightly screwed -tight screwing being desirable so as to pinch the teat and create a good, liquid tight seal to the assembled bottle.

In use, the bottle system is inverted for a baby to drink from it. In the inverted position, milk in the bottle can percolate into the space between the collar 6, the edge of the neck 5 of the bottle 4 and the end of the teat 8; it is detrimental to hygiene and health for this milk to remain in this space, and therefore drain holes 38 are provided so that when the bottle is returned to the upright position (i.e, as shown in Figures lb, 2 and 6) milk can drain from this space back into the bottle 4, In Figure 9a the drain holes 38 are provided in a spiral, following the sweep of the thread 14a, with the maximum size of the hole being dictated by the pitch of the spiral thread 14a. Additionally or alternatively, as shown in Figure 9b, the drain holes 38 can be formed in the cylindrical portion 24 of the collar 6 above the thread 14a; this arrangement, unless accompanied by drain holes 38 between the threads, relies on the milk being able to drain through the matching threads, which is facilitated by the coarse nature of the threads.

The bottle arrangement shown in Figures 10a and 10b has an inlet arrangement 102 which holds a pipe 104 so that it extends from the hole 28 in the inlet 12 of the teat 8 towards the bottom of the bottle 4. The inlet arrangement 102 has a small inlet 106 allowing fluid communication between ambient air outside the bottle and the inside of the bottle. The lower end of the pipe (as shown) extends to close to the bottom of the bottle, so that when the bottle is inverted in use very little if any of the liquid in the bottle runs along the pipe towards the teat 8 (and any that does is trapped by the inlet 106 and the opening 28 acting together to prevent any liquid from leaking from the inverted bottle). As liquid is drawn from the dispensing opening 10 in the teat 8, the pressure within the bottle falls below ambient; this causes hole 28 to open so that air can enter the arrangement and flow to a point above the surface of the liquid within the (inverted) bottle. Thus, air does not bubble through the liquid (which could cause indigestion or colic), and also the air pressure within the bottle does not reduce to the extent that it becomes difficult for the baby to suck hard enough to be able to continue drinking.

The inlet arrangement 102 is in the form of a generally circular ring (as shown in Figure 10b) which has a collar part 108 configured to hold the end of the pipe 104 in a "snap fit" arrangement (for ease of assembly/disassembly and cleaning) as shown in Figure 10c, The collar part 108 is disposed so as to locate the pipe 104 in an offset position from the central axis of the bottle 4, collar 6 and teat 8; this is so that the pipe can be directly aligned with the inlet 12 in the teat 8. The inlet arrangement has a flattened chord 110 on one edge; this allows the inlet arrangement 102 to be held in position against the upper open end 20 of the collar by circlip 112. Inlet arrangement 102, pipe 104 and circlip 112 are all made of BPA-free plastic and/or stainless steel. The interior of the teat 8 is configured and dimensioned so as to form a close fit with the inlet arrangement 102.

Figures ha and lib (the enlarged portion DD of Figure 11a) show an alternative arrangement of bottle and vent pipe, in which the pipe 104 is located substantially along the central axis of the bottle 4. In this case, the inlet arrangement comprises a flow restrictor 114 (shown in Figure 11c) and an end cap 116 (shown more clearly in Figure 12d) which either fits releasably to the upper end of the cylindrical collar 6, or is integrally formed therewith.

The flow restrictor 114 is provided with one or more cross channels 118. The teat 8' is formed with an internal cylindrical lip 120 configured to grip (because the lip 120 is formed of the same resiliently elastic material as the teat 8') the upper part (i.e. towards the teat dispensing opening 10) of the flow restrictor 114 but which does not extend as far as the end cap 116; the outside of the upper part of the flow restrictor 114 and/or the lower part of the lip 120 are configured to leave a gap 122, which allows air to flow between the pipe 104, through the cross channels 118, along the gap 122, between the bottom of the lip 120 and the upper surface of the end cap 116 to the teat opening 28 at the inlet 12 of the teat 8. The flow restrictor 114 has two or more axially-extending passages 124 (which do not communicate with the cross channels 118) which allow liquid in the bottle 4 to flow toward the teat dispensing opening 10 when the bottle arrangement is inverted (from the position shown in the drawings) for drinking.

Figures 12a and 12b (the enlarged portion EE of Figure 12a) show another coaxial arrangement of the pipe 104, in which the inlet arrangement 114' differs from the Figure 11 embodiment in that the axial passages 124' (see Figure 12C) are very much smaller than in the Figure 11 arrangement. It will be understood that the dimensions of the axial passages can be varied so that they act as a flow restrictor for liquid passing from the bottle 4 to the teat opening 10, with these dimensions being tailored to the amount of throughflow desired and/or the viscosity of the liquid, and/or the strength at which the baby can suck. These axial passage can be formed through the entire inlet arrangement 124' or they could be formed as holes in a plate 126 which is a snap fit in a matching indentation in the top of the inlet arrangement 114' (plates with different sizes and numbers of holes could be provided to be selectively fitted into the top of the inlet arrangement 114, to allow the flow rate of liquid to be controlled/varied as desired). Figure 12d shows the end cap 116 at the top of the cylindrical collar 116. It has a central hole 128 to receive the lower part of the inlet arrangement 114, 114' in a snap fit.

Figures I3a and 13b (the enlarged portion FF of Figure 13a) show a variation of the design of the inlet arrangement 114 and end cap 116' which provides a liquid trap. Referring to Figure 11b, it will be appreciated that as the bottle is inverted and set upright, liquid could remain in the inlet arrangement and flow along the cross channels 118, thus contaminating the gap 122 and the space between the end cap 116 and the teat 8; of course this contamination can be removed by cleaning (which normally happens on re-use) but if the contents of the bottle are only party drained, the small amount of liquid remaining at the top of the bottle can go sour so that, when it comes for the remainder of the contents to be drunk, the baby gets indigestion. This problem is addressed as shown in Figure 13: the radial dimensions of the pipe 104, end cap 116' (and its central hole) and the lower part 130 of the inlet arrangement 114 are arranged to provide an axially-extending gap 132 between the outside of the pipe 104' and the outside of the lower part 130 of the inlet arrangement 114. This gap 132 retains any liquid dripping down the pipe 104' when the bottle is inverted and, when the bottle is set upright again, this retained liquid flows along the pipe 104' towards the bottom of the bottle 4, Figures 14a and 14b show an alternative embodiment of a bottle system in accordance with the invention, and the remaining drawings show the elements and operation of this embodiment; where an element or feature in these drawings has the same purpose or function as an element or feature described above it will have as a suffix the same reference number as used above.

The bottle system 2002 illustrated in Figure 14a comprises a bottle 2004 having a neck 2005, a collar 2006 and a teat 2008; there are also optional elements namely an annular bumper 2030 with an eyelet 2032, a pipe 2104 and a flow restrictor 2114. There is also a cap 2034 (shown in Figure 18a) which covers the teat 2008 when the bottle is not in use. The pipe 2104 is provided with apertures 2105 around either end for the easy passage of liquid into and out of the pipe, as will be described, and the flow restrictor 2114 will also be described below (and is shown in Figures 17a to 17d). The bottle and collar are formed of stainless steel and the bumper is formed of a SPA-free material, as above; the teat is made of a silicon rubber, and the flow restrictor is formed of a different silicon rubber as will be described below, the pipe is formed of any suitable, BPA-free material, such as stainless steel.

The teat 2008 shown in Figures 15a and 15b is slightly different from that described above, in that it has a ring of dimples 2009 arranged circumferentially around the lower curved edge of the teat, and in several of which there is a simple air inlet 2012 (three air inlets are shown, but there could be one, two or more) which is in the form of a simple slit cut through the teat material). The dimples 2009 assist an infant to grip the bottle, and a user to assemble the bottle system 2002. The teat also has an annular outer ring 2011 which protrudes radially and protects the upper end of the bottle 2002., as shown in Figure 16b; there are also one or more drinking apertures 2010 in the top of the teat. The teat is further described with reference to Figures 19a and 19b below.

Figure 16a shows the bottle assembly 2002 assembled without the flow restrictor 2114 or the pipe 2104 of Figure 14a, and Figure 16b is the portion FE of Figure 16a enlarged. The collar 2006 has a generally cylindrical portion 2024 in which a screw thread 2014a is formed, configured to engage with matching screw thread 2014b formed in the neck of the bottle. There are also drain holes 2038 as described above in connection with Figure 9a. It can be seen in Figure 16b that the protruding annular ring 2001 of the teat extends outwardly a sufficient distance to protect the upper end of the neck of the bottle 2004, which is formed in a "roll" 2007', against impact damage (if the bottle is dropped for example). On the right hand side of the drawing one of the dimples 2009 in the teat is shown, the dimple on the left hand side is not shown completely, only its lower end which is provided with an air inlet 2012 which functions exactly the same as inlet 12 described above. As in the embodiments above, the bottle seals in use by the lower part of the teat 2008 being sandwiched between the neck of the bottle 2004 and the collar 2006 as these are screwed together, the teat material being "pinched" radially and axially between the inward step 2022 in the collar 2006 and the roll 2007' at the top of the neck 2005 of the bottle.

The flow restrictor 2114 shown in Figures 17a to 17d has the same functions as flow restrictor 114 described above. It has four radial arms 2115 which separate four axially-extending passages 2124; two of the radial arms 2115 contain cross channels 2118 which lead from a central axial chamber 2123 to outer openings 2117 (there could be fewer or more than four arms, and the number of cross channels could be as few as one, or as many as there are arms). The cross channels 2118 are angled downwardly towards the centre, so that when the bottle is the right way up (as shown in Figure 18a) any liquid retained in the cross channels will drain into the bottle 2004. A liquid collection chamber 2121 is provided so that when the bottle is inverted for drinking, should any liquid flow upwardly along the pipe 2104 (as will be further described below) it will tend to collect in chamber 2121 so that, when the bottle is righted again, any liquid in the chamber 2121 will drain down the pipe 2104 back into the bottle. Some liquid may get past the collection chamber 2121, this liquid would gather in the space near the uppermost, outermost parts of the cross channels 2118. Draining of this liquid is dealt with below, in connection with Figures 18b and 19a and 19b; however, it will be noted that there are two ramped channels 2119 extending around the circumference of the flow inverter between the outer openings 2117. These channels 2119 interact with features of the lower surface of the teat 2008 and with the upper part 2020 of the collar 2006 to create a circumferentially-extending volume (seen more dearly in Figure 18b) within which any liquid which flows past the collection chamber 2121 when the bottle is inverted for drinking gathers. The ramped channels are each configured to spiral downwardly (when the bottle is upright) from one end adjacent one outer opening 2017 towards the other outer opening, so that any liquid in the circumferential volume flows downwardly along the spiral ramps 2119, along the cross channels 2118 and thence down the pipe 2104.

Figure 18a shows the bottle assembly 2002 assembled including the flow restrictor 2114 and the pipe 2104 of Figure 14a, and Figure 18b is the portion GG of Figure 18a enlarged.

The upper parts of the flow restrictor are configured so that at least one of the outer openings 2117 is in fluid communication with an air inlet 2012. Internal neck 2123 of the flow restrictor 2114 is configured to releasably retain an end of pipe 2104 such that the holes 2105 in the pipe 2104 allow fluid communication between the cross channels 2118 and the interior of the bottle 2004. These holes act to restrict the flow of liquid from the pipe into cross channels 2118, whilst allowing air which enters the inlets 2012 during drinking to flow through and down the pipe to relieve any low pressure formed inside the bottle through the extraction of liquid via the teat opening 2010.

The circumferential volume defined by the outer upper surface of the flow restrictor 2114, the ramped channels 2119 in the flow restrictor, the lower surface of the teat 2008 and the upper part 2020 of the collar 2006 is shown on the left hand side bounded at its top by one of the air restrictors 2012, whilst on the right hand side it is topped by a teat channel 2031 described below in connection with Figure 19a and 19b. As described above, any liquid which gathers in this volume when the bottle is inverted for drinking will, when the bottle is set upright, flow by gravity along spirally ramped channels 2119 to the outer openings 2017, along angled cross channel 2118 to exit to the bottle through the pipe 2104.

Also illustrated in Figure 18b is the creation of a seal between the flow inverter 2114, upper part 2020 of the collar 2006 collar 2020 and the teat 2008 in three regions, an upper seal 21I4a between the flow restrictor and the teat, a middle seal 2114b between the flow restrictor and upper part 2020 of the collar 2006, and a lower seal between the flow restrictor and the collar 2006. The flow restrictor 2114 is made of a higher shore hardness (i.e. more rigid, less flexible) silicone rubber than is the teat 2008, so that on assembly the teat will stretch tightly around the flow restrictor, with both deforming slightly, to form the first seal 2114a. At the location of the second seal 2114b, the flow restrictor is formed in a number of externally circumferential ribs which are of greater diameter than the internal diameter of the upper end 2020 of the metal collar 2114; these ribs deform when the elements are assembled, in an interference fit, to form seal 2114b. A final seal 2114c is formed between the metal collar 2020 and the flow restrictor. These three seals prevent any air from mixing with the liquid within the bottle system; accordingly, they are air seals as well as liquid seals.

In the teat 2008' shown in Figure 19a and 19b, the only significant difference from the teat 2008 shown in the previous figures is that the air inlet 2012' is formed with a cross-shaped opening slit rather than a single slit. The lower, internal surface of the teat 2008' is also provided with three arcuate teat channels 2031, each of which extends between two of the air inlets 2012'. These teat channels 2031 provide part of the upper surface of the generally circumferential volume described above, which retains liquid while the bottle is inverted but also allows that liquid to drain freely back into the bottle when it is righted. The interaction of the three inlet openings 2008, 2008' with the two ramped channels 2119 and two outlet openings 2117 means that the generally circumferential volume extends around the entire circumference of the bottle, and that, whatever the relative rotational positions of the flow restrictor and the teat, there will always be at least one inlet 2012, 2012' in fluid communication with the ramped channels 2119, outlet openings 2117 and cross channels 2118 and thence via the pipe 2104 to the interior of the bottle 2004. This means that it is not possible for the system to be assembled inadvertently in such a way that air cannot flow into the bottle as intended (to relieve any low pressure created inside the bottle by the drinking of liquid out of the teat openings), nor liquid be prevented from draining from the volume. Other variations of the numbers of air inlets/arcuate teat channels and of outlet openings/ramped channels and/or their circumferential dispositions which provide a similar advantage (of being impossible to align/assemble in a way that prevents air/liquid flows for the bottle system to operate as intended) will be understood by those skilled in the art.

It will of course be understood that many variations may be made to the above-described embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, there could be an outer covering around the bottle up to the shoulder and the neck; this covering could be a suitable rubber-like material which acts as a physical and thermal insulator for the bottle, and makes the bottle more comfortable to hold. If this covering extends to the shoulder of the bottle, then when the bottle system is assembled with a bumper in place there would be no exposed metal surfaces, which makes for a safer arrangement for a baby or infant to use. The outer surface of the bottle could be smooth or may have a pleasing configuration to enhance grip, and it can be in any colour. A window of a suitable BPA-free transparent material could be provided in the bottle so that it can be quickly established how full the bottle is, or how much liquid remains after a baby has been feeding for a while. The edge of the teat distant from the apertures has been described as being an annular bead, as this is the simplest shape to form in the teat material, but the teat may be formed in any suitable shape at its edge, and the shape and configuration of the parts of the collar and the neck of the bottle which pinch the edge of the teat to form the seal can be varied in any suitable way to make the seal better, and/or to allow easier assemble/disassembly. There may be more than one inlet, and there may be a pipe fixed to the or each inlet within the bottle and of a length to extend so as almost to reach the bottom of the bottle; such an arrangement would allow ambient air to enter into the bottle above the surface of the liquid within the bottle (the bottle being inverted for drinking from by the baby/infant) and prevent any aeration of the milk which might cause colic. Additionally or alternatively there may be a one-way valve located on the base of the bottle for the same purpose. A taper could be introduced to the generally cylindrical part of the collar which would add to the pinching effect on the annular bead of the teat so as to increase the sealing effect; additionally or alternatively the upper end of the neck 5 of the bottle 4, at the rounded end 7, could be tapered, this adds to the sealing effect, and also aids with alignment and compensates for any axial misalignment between the threads. The circumferential edge at one or both ends of the circular collar may be rolled, similar to the roll 7' shown in Figure 6a.

The drawings show each of the collar 6 and the neck 5 having a single matching thread, but it will be appreciated that there could be multiple threads (i.e. double, triple or more helical threads), or matching multiple angled lugs providing a rotary fixture. All of the drawings show teats with relatively small dispensing openings 10; it is known that these dispensing openings can be of an "open" design (i.e. much larger than shown), which is particularly useful when the bottle contains liquid which is of higher viscosity than milk or the like (soup, or liquidised food, for example), or where the user cannot suck with enough strength to draw liquid from the bottle. It will be appreciated that flow restrictors and/or flow separators can be used together with such open design teat dispensing openings to allow the bottle arrangement to be tailored so as to be suitable for many variations and combinations of liquid viscosity and abilities of the baby to suck when feeding/drinking.

Where different variations or alternative arrangements are described above, whether in relation to the first or second aspect, it should be understood that embodiments of the invention may incorporate such variations and/or alternatives in any suitable combination; further, it should be appreciated that the two aspects may constitute separate inventions, although the present invention is as set out in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A bottle system for storing and dispensing liquid comprising a bottle having a cylindrical neck provided with a screw thread, a flexible teat having at least one dispensing aperture therein and a circular collar with a matching thread configured to engage with the screw thread on the neck of the bottle to screw together along a common screw axis and to pinch the flexible teat between the bottle and the circular collar to form a fluid tight seal when the thread of the circular collar is engaged with the screw thread on the cylindrical neck of the bottle to assemble the bottle system for storing and dispensing fluid, in which the screw thread is provided on the interior surface of the cylindrical neck and the matching thread on the collar which engages with the screw thread of the cylindrical neck is provided on the exterior of the circular collar, in which when assembled the circular collar is enclosed by the flexible teat and the cylindrical neck, and in which, when the bottle system is assembled, the neck of the bottle and the circular collar are configured to pinch the teat between them in a radial direction, perpendicular to the screw axis.
2. A bottle system according to Claim 1 in which the circular collar has the general shape of an open ended cylinder.
A bottle system according to Claim 2 in which the open ended cylinder is thin-walled and has an axial bore which is substantially unobstructed,
4. A bottle system according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the circular collar is provided with an external lip which is configured, when the bottle system is assembled, to pinch the teat between the external lip and the neck of the bottle.
5. A bottle system according to Claim 4 in which, when the bottle system is assembled, the neck of the bottle and the circular collar are configured to pinch the teat in a direction parallel to the screw axis.
6. A bottle system according to Claim 5 in which the external lip extends in a tubular collar section parallel to the screw axis, and in which the outer surface of the tubular collar section is knurled. 7.
A bottle system according to any preceding claim further comprising an inlet arrangement adapted to allow ambient air to enter into the bottle but to prevent air or liquid from leaving the bottle.
A bottle system according to Claim 7 in which the bottle has a closed end distant from the cylindrical neck of the bottle, the inlet arrangement being adapted to allow ambient air to enter the bottle at a point inside the bottle adjacent its closed end.
A bottle system according to Claim 8 in which the inlet arrangement is provided adjacent the teat, a pipe being provided leading from the inlet arrangement within the teat towards the closed end of the bottle.
A bottle system according to Claim 9 in which the cylindrical collar and the teat have a central axis extending along the length of the bottle, the inlet arrangement being configured to locate the pipe being offset from the central axis.
A bottle system according to Claim 9 in which the cylindrical collar and the teat have a central axis extending along the length of the bottle, the inlet arrangement being configured to locate the pipe coaxially with the central axis.
A bottle system according to Claim 9, 10 or 11, further comprising a flow restrictor adapted to fit along the common screw axis within the circular collar and/or the circular collar and to retain the end of the pipe adjacent the inlet arrangement, the flow restrictor having one or more axially-extending passages for the flow of liquid between the interior of the bottle and the interior of the teat.
13. A bottle system according to Claim 12, in which the flow restrictor comprises one or more generally radial cross channels which are in fluid communication with the end of the pipe adjacent the inlet arrangement and the inlet arrangement.
14. A bottle system according to Claim 13, in which each cross channel is directed at an angle to the common screw axis such that, when the bottle system is upright, the radially outer end of each cross channel is closer to the teat than is the radially inner end of the cross channel. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
15. A bottle system according to any of Claims 12, 13 or 14, in which the lower surface of the teat, the upper surface of the flow restrictor are shaped and configured so as to form, with the collar, an air chamber extending around the circumference of the bottle when the bottle system is assembled.
16. A bottle system according to any of Claims 12 to 15, in which the flow restrictor is formed of a flexible material which is less flexible than the material of the teat.
17. A bottle system according to any preceding claim in which the bottle has a maximum diameter and the neck of the bottle has a nominal diameter smaller than the maximum diameter, in which the ratio of the nominal diameter to the maximum diameter lies between 1:1.05 and 1:1.55.
18. A bottle system according to any preceding claim, in which the flexible teat has a plurality of dimples arranged generally circumferentially around its outer surface.
19. A bottle system according to Claim 18, in which one or more of the dimples has an opening adapted to open to allow the passage of ambient air therethrough when the pressure inside the teat adjacent the opening is less than ambient pressure.