NZ504554A - Feeding teat with mounting screw thread and entry valve - Google Patents

Abstract

A calf-feeding teat of elastomeric material includes a threaded mounting end 33 for screw mounting to the outlet of a feeding container, and a valve V mounted in the bore in the mounting part extending from the inlet opening of the mounting part to the interior of the hollow body of the teat.

Description

No: Divided out of 500135 Date: NEW ZEALAND Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO FEEDING TEATS ROBERT DYMOCK McINTYRE a New Zealand citizen of Mclntyre's Lane, R D 5, Hunterville, New Zealand, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement WTELLlCTUArpROPERTfoFHct 0F NZ f 6 MAY 2000 MECEIVEB '• 504554 AN ANIMAL FEEDING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to animal feeding devices, more particularly a feeding nipple for animal feeding containers.

It is known to use a bottle with a teat or nipple for the 10 single feeding of young animals. Such feeding bottles can be hand-held, however it is also known to provide a mounting frame or bracket whereby the bottle can be inserted into the frame or bracket. In a normal situation on a farm or the like the frame or bracket is positioned on a structure such 15 as a fence, side of a bale, race or similar.

Feed within the container is supplied to an animal by the animal suckling on the feeding nipple. The nipple is installed by pulling the feeding end of the feeding nipple 20 through an opening in the container. Considerable force needs to be applied to force the part of the feeding nipple having a greater diameter than that of opening through the opening so that the opening engages within a grooved base end of the feeding nipple.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 2 AUG 2001 RECEIVED SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an animal feeding nipple for a liquid feed container which is easier to install and remove than known pull through mounted feeding nipples.

According to one broad aspect of the invention there is an animal feeding nipple including a one piece elongate hollow body moulded from an elastomeric material, the body having a mounting part and an outlet end, the mounting part incorporating a male thread wherein in use the animal feeding 15 nipple can be threaded into an opening m a feeding container, a bore which extends from an inlet opening in the ) mounting part to the interior of the hollow body, and a valve located in the bore in the mounting part.

According to a second broad aspect of the invention there is provided an animal feeding nipple according to the foregoing broad aspect in combination with a feeding container, the male thread of the animal feeding nipple being threaded into a female opening in the feeding container.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 2 AUG 2001 RECEIVED i __ BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an animal feeding container for use with the feeding nipple of the present invention, Figure 2 is an exploded view of the container as shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the container, Figure 4 is a pictorial view of the container mounted by the attachment element according to one arrangement to a fence rail, Figures 5 is a similar pictorial view showing the container mounted according to a further arrangement, Figure 6 is yet a further pictorial view of a further manner in which the container can be mounted to a tubular element of a structure, Figure 7 is a plan view of a flexible and resilient attachment element, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 2 AUG 2001 RECEIVED 50 4 4 Figure 8 is an elevation view of a feeding nipple construction suitable for use with the container, Figure 9 is an end view of the feeding nipple shown in 5 Figure 8, Figure 10 is a perspective base end view of the teat of Figures 8 and 9, Figure 11 is an elevation view of yet a further form of feeding nipple suitable for use with the container, Figure 12 is an elevation view of a second form of the feeding container, Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the modified version of Figure 12, Figure 14 is a perspective exploded view of the 20 container shown in Figures 12 and 13, and Figure 15 is a plan view of the container shown in Figures 12 and 13.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 2 AUG 2001 RECEIVED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A container 10 comprises a hollow body 11 having a large open end 12. The body tapers in the somewhat curved manner shown 5 in the drawings toward a narrow end 13 having an opening 14 into which an end of a teat T can be inserted. As shown in the drawings the hollow body 11 is configured so that it curves from the large open end 12 toward the smaller end 13 such that the longitudinal axis of the teat T is inclined to 10 the plane of the open end 12.

The hollow body 11 incorporates ribbed and/or indented portions 15 which not only add to the aesthetic appeal of the container but also provide a positive finger/hand grip on 15 what could be a slippery container. These indented portions can also provide a degree of strengthening to the wall of the body 11.

Projecting from the wall of the body 11 is a handle/hook 16 20 having a long foot 17 which extends away from the open end 12. A shorter foot 19 extends in an opposite direction. The leg 18 of the handle 16 is positioned toward the open end 12 of the body 11. The configuration of the body 11 and the positioning of the leg 18 of the handle 16 enables a 25 plurality of containers 10 to be stacked together by inserting one container end 13 first into the open end 12 of another container. The containers will be able to interfit SPEC1209 12/05/00 6 to the point that the leg 18 of the one container engages with the rim 20 of the open end 12 of the other container.

The rim 20 not only provides strengthening for the open end 12 5 of the body 11 but also provides a suitably configured area to receive lid 21 (see Figure 2). In one form, the lid 21 is a friction fit within the rim 20. The friction can be achieved from a resilient sealing ring. Preferably the positioning of the lid when it is placed on the container 10 is determined by 10 a ledge 22 in the container 10 which engages with the end of the skirt 23 of the lid 21. A peripheral rim 24 of the lid 21 can also engage with the peripheral edge of the rim 20. A suitable hand gripping portion 25 can be provided with lid 21 to enable a user to install and remove the lid.

In use, the container with teat T installed is filled with liquid food, eg milk or a milk mixture, and the lid installed. The container 10 is then used in a substantially conventional manner to feed an animal. The container 10 can 20 be used in a hand-held manner to feed an individual animal in a conventional way. The user can simply grip the hollow body though the presence of the handle 16 provides one means of ensuring that a firm grip of the container is achievable. The handle 16 provides an advantage over most conventional 25 feeding bottles which are either difficult to grasp or due to a coating of milk fat on the outer surface can be very slippery especially in some climatic conditions, eg rain.

SPEC1209 12/05/00 However, the container can also be attached to a suitable fixture such as a fence rail or tubing of a race, stall, gate or the like. This is achieved by the use of an attachment element in the form of an elastic fastener or bungy 28. In 5 its simplest form, bungy 28 can be an elongate ring made of a natural or synthetic rubber or rubber-like plastics material.

The teat T can be of the type disclosed and claimed in my New Zealand patent specifications 247058 and 293714. Such a teat 10 is shown in the drawings.

As illustrated and described in NZ 293714 the teat is formed in one piece and comprises a hollow elongate body having a mounting part at one end and an outlet at the other end. 15 Toward the mounting end the body flares outwardly such that the greatest cross-sectional dimension of this outwardly flaring portion terminates in a shoulder. A peripheral groove is provided adjacent the shoulder. This general construction is, for example, illustrated in Figure 3 of the 20 present specification.

The mounting part of the teat has a bore which extends from an inlet opening in the mounting part, the bore thus communicating with the interior of the hollow body (Figure 25 3) . A valve V is located in the bore. The valve can be of the type shown in Figures 6-11 of NZ 293714.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I OFFICE OF N.Z. - 4 OCT 2001 The teat is in accordance with normal installation techniques located within the container with the feeding end orientated toward the opening 14 whereupon the teat is pushed/pulled through the opening 14 until a grooved portion at the base of the teat locates with the opening 14 (see eg Figure 3).

According to the present invention a different configuration of the base or mounting portion of teat is employed to simplify installation/removal of the teat. Tests incorporating the invention are shown in Figures 2 to 7. The teats are based on the novel teat disclosed in my New Zealand patent specifications 247058 and 293714.

According to the arrangement shown in Figures 2 to 5 the base 33 of the teat T has flange portion 34 formed with an angled 8 slot 35. This angled slot 35 in the flange 34 enables the teat to be installed base end first by a simple twist-on action. This is achieved by the angled slot 35 being of a width commensurate with the thickness of the wall section 5 defining the opening 14. The teat T is simply installed by aligning and engaging the lead-in end of the slot 35 with a part of the wall defining the opening 14 and then twisting the teat through approximately 90° (clockwise) substantially about the longitudinal axis of the teat. The teat of this 10 configuration when installed on the container 10 is shown in Figure 3.

In a further form of the teat shown in Figure 4 the base 33 is longer and has a tapered thread 36. The teat can thus be 15 installed base end first with the opening 14 by simply inserting the narrow or distal end of the base 33 into the unthreaded opening 14 and then applying a screwing action to the teat about its longitudinal axis until the base 33 is fully screwed into the opening 14. The threaded base 33 20 being elastomeric will seal over the thread.

The teats as shown in Figures 2-7 can be used with other feeding devices and are not intended simply for use with the container of the type shown in the drawings. The teat 25 according to this configuration is, however, easy to install and remove when compared with conventional arrangements where the feeding end of the teat needs to be pulled through the SPEC 1209 12/05/00 9 opening and considerable force applied to force the part of the teat having a greater diameter than that of the opening through the opening so that the opening engages within the grooved base end of the teat. It is therefore believed that 5 this easier installation and removal will result in users more regularly removing a teat for cleaning purposes.

Other means of mounting the teat T can be used. For example the end 13 of the body 11 could have a screw threaded portion 10 adjacent opening 14. The teat T fitting to a threaded ring or cap can then be screwed onto the threaded portion to attach the teat to the container.

Other modifications to the invention will be apparent to 15 those skilled in the art and are modifications which, while not disclosed herein, nevertheless fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

SPEC1209 12/05/00

Claims (14)

1. WHAT I CLAIM IS: 5 1. An animal feeding nipple including a one piece elongate hollow body moulded from an elastomeric material, the body having a mounting part and an outlet end, the mounting part incorporating a male thread wherein in use the animal feeding nipple can be threaded into an 10 opening in a feeding container, a bore which extends from an inlet opening in the mounting part to the interior of the hollow body, and a valve located in the bore in the mounting part. 15
2. 2 . The nipple according to claim 1 wherein the male thread is a tapered thread.
3. 3. The nipple according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the 20 exterior of the body has an outwardly flaring portion whose greatest cross-sectional dimension is at a shoulder, a lead in end of the male thread being located adjacent the end of the mounting part having said inlet opening, and a distal end of the male thread 25 terminating a distance from said shoulder. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 2 AUG 2001 RECEIVED
4. The nipple according to claim 3, further including a peripheral groove located between said shoulder and said distal end of the male thread.
5. 5 5. The feeding nipple according to any one of claims 1 to 4 in combination with a feeding container, the male thread of the animal feeding nipple being threaded into a female opening in the feeding container. 10
6. 6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the feeding container includes a hollow container with an open top part and a lower end part to which the animal feeding nipple is threadingly engaged. 15
7. 7. The combination of claim 6, wherein the open top part of the container is closed by a removable lid.
8. 8. The combination of claim 7, wherein the lid is hingedly coupled to the container. 20
9. 9. The combination of claim 6, 7 or 8 wherein the lid includes a venting valve.
10. 10. The combination of any one of claims 5 to 9 wherein the 25 container includes a flexible attachment element and — anchor member on the container to co-operate with the INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. attachment element to facilitate mounting of the 2 2 AUG 2001 ccntainer to a fixture or structure. RECEIVED
11. 11. The combination of claim 10, wherein the flexible attachment element is an endless length of elastomeric material. 5
12. 12. The combination of claim 10, wherein the anchor member is a handle spaced from an external surface of the container. 10
13. 13. The combination of claim 11, wherein the anchor member is a handle spaced from an external surface of the container.
14. 14. A feeding nipple as claimed in claim 1 substantially as 15 herein described with reference to Figure 7 of the drawings. ROBERT DYMOCK MCINTYRE 20 By his attorney DON HOPKINS & ASSOCIATES Per: 25