US3200980A

US3200980A - Nursing bottle

Info

Publication number: US3200980A
Application number: US373005A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis A Jamell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-06-05
Filing date: 1964-06-05
Publication date: 1965-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 1982-08-17

Description

Aug. 17, 1965 JAMELL 3,200,980

NURSING BOTTLE Filed June 5, 1964 United States Patent 3,200,980 NURSING BOTTLE Francis A. Jamell, 805 S. 11th Ave., Marshalltown, Iowa Filed June 5, 1964, Ser. No. 373,005

Claims. (CL 215-11) This invention relates to a nursing bottle and more particularly to a nursing bottle having a nursing nipple on one end thereof and a valve means on the other thereof.

Nursing bottles have long been used by mothers to feed their infants. The common nursing bottle has an upper open end on which a nipple means is mounted. As the infant withdraws fluid from a nursing bottle a vacuum is created therein which retards the flow of the fluid from the bottle. The infant is unable to withdraw fluid from the container unless the nipple is removed from his mouth and air is permitted to enter the container through the nipple. As the air enters the bottle through the nipple, air is entrained in the fluid in the form of bubbles. When the infant resumes his feeding, the fluid is swallowed as well as the entrained air bubbles. These entrained air bubbles cause the infant to have colic.

Anti-colic nipples have been designed to allow air to enter the bottle without removing the nipple from the infants mouth, but they also permit the entering air to pass through the fluid and thereby result in entrained air bubbles in the fluid.

Therefore, a principal object of this invention is to provide a nursing bottle which prevents colic.

A further object of this invention is to provide a nursing bottle which permits air to enter the bottle without removing the nipple from the mouth of an infant.

A further object of this invention is to provide a nursing bottle which has a nipple means on one end thereof and a valve means on the other end thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a nursing bottle which is easily cleaned and sterilized.

A further object of this invention is to provide a nursing bottle which permits air to enter the bottle without resulting in air being entrained in the fluid.

A further object of this invention is to provide a nursing bottle having a valve means associated therewith which is leak proof.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a nursing bottle which permits the fluid contained therein to flow freely through a nipple means.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a nursing bottle which is economical of manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

, This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the device with portions thereof cut away to more fully illustrate the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the valve means on one end of the bottle.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the device as seen on line 3-3 of FIG. 2 at an enlarged scale.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the valve means portion of the device.

FIG. 5 is an embodiment of the valve means in which the flexible resilient means has a plurality of holes to permit air to enter the nursing bottle.

The numeral generally designates a nursing bottle having opposite open ends. A nursing nipple 11 is 3,200,980 Patented Aug. 17, 1965 mounted on one end of nursing bottle 10 and is maintained thereon by means of cap member 13 threadably secured thereto. The numeral 15 generally designates a valve means partially inserted into the other open end of nursing bottle 10 and maintained therein by means of cup-shaped member 17.

With respect to FIG. 4, cap member 17 is comprised of a circular base portion 19 and having a wall portion 21 extending upwardly from the periphery thereof. Base portion 19 is provided with an opening 23 extending therethrough. The interior surface of wall portion 21 is provided with threads 25 extending inwardly therefrom. Valve means 15 is comprised of a fiat circular base portion 27 having a cylindrical member 29 extending upwarclly therefrom inwardly from the periphery thereof. A groove 31 is provided in cylindrical member 29 adjacent its upper end and which extends around the periphery thereof. An elongated bore 33 extends through base portion 27 and cylindrical member 29. Elongated bore 33 has an enlarged diameter portion 35 for a portion of its upper length as illustrated in FIG. 3. A valve seat 37 is provided in elongated bore 33 which is adapted to receive ball member 39. Ball member 39 is yieldably maintained inengagement with valve seat 37 by means of resilient retaining means 41. Resilient retaining means 41 has a lip portion 43 along its periphery which is adapted to engage groove 31 as illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment for allowing air to enter the interior of nursing bottle 10 in which a port 45 is provided in cylindrical member 29 and which extends there into from the outer edge and which is .in communication with enlarged diameter portion 35 of the elongated bore 33. A further embodiment for allowing air to enter the interior of nursing. bottle 10 is shown in FIG. 5. As illustrated in FIG. 5, resilient retaining means 41 is provided with a plurality of holes 47. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 port 45 is not present.

Nursing bottle 10 has external threads 49 which are adapted to threadably receive the threads of cap member 17 to maintain valve means 15 thereon.

Nursing bottle 10 may be constructed of any suitable material, such as glass, Pyrex or plastic.

Cap members

13 and 17 may be constructed of any suitable material, such as plastic or Bakelite. Valve means may also be constructed of any suitable material, such as plastic or the like. Resilient retaining means 41 may be constructed of a rubber material or of a resilient plastic material.

The normal method of operation is as follows. Valve means 15 willbe inserted into the open end of bottle 10 and cap member 17 will be threadably secured to the external threads of bottle 10 to maintain valve means 15 therein. The liquid to be consumed may be placed into nursing bottle 10 through the other open end and then nipple means 11 and cap member 13 placed thereon.

As the infant withdraws liquid from the nursing bottle 10, a reduction of pressure within nursing bottle 10 will obviously occur. The difference in pressure between the interior and exterior of nursing bottle 10 will cause air to pass through opening 23 of cap member 17 and to pass through elongated bore 33 as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5. The pressure differential will cause ball means 39 to be unseated from valve seat 37. As ball means 39 is unseated from valve seat 37 air will pass around the exterior surface of ball means 39 and pass througgh port 45 and then into the interior of bottle means 10 as illustrated in FIG. 3. If the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 5 is utilized, the air will pass around the exterior surfaceof ball means 39 and enter the interior of nursing bottle 10 by means of holes 47 in resilient retaining means 41 as illustrated therein. When suflicient air has entered the interior of nursing bottle 10 so that the resiliency of sponges resilient retaining means it is greater than the pressure caused by the outside atmosphere, ball means 39 will again be seated on valve seat 37.

It is obvious that when nursing bottle ltl is in a position so that valve means 15 is in a relatively lower position than nipple means 11, the weight of ball means 3? will prevent any liquid from escaping through elongated bore 33. Because the nursing bottle will usually be in such a position that nipple means llll will be in a lower position than valve means 15, the air will enter the upper portion of the nursing bottle it) in which the liquid is not present. This prevents the entering air from becoming entrained in the contained liquid. It is also obvious that the resilient retaining means 41 yieldably maintains ball means 39 in engagement with valve seat 37 to prevent any liquid from escaping from the interior of nursing bottle 10. The only time when ball means 3? will unseat from valve seat 37 is when a sufficient pressure differential exist to permit the outside atmosphere to move ball means 39 against a resilient action of resilient retaining means 41 to permit air to enter the interior of nursing bottle lltl. As stated before, the entering air will not become entrained in the liquid that is to be consumed. Because the liquid is free of entrained air, the infant will not develop colic as a result of swallowing such air. The device is so constructed that it is easy to assemble, clean and sterilize.

While the valve means 15' has been described to be especially applicable to a nursing bottle, it is obvious that it could also be utilized on any type of a container wherein it was desired to permit air to enter the interior thereof.

Thus, from the foregoing it can be seen that the device accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my nursing bottle without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a container having an open end,

a valve means mounted in said open end of said container,

said valve means comprised of a fiat circular base member having top and bottom surfaces; a cylindrical member extending upwardly from the top surface of said base member; said cylindrical member having an elongated bore extending therethrough along its longitudinal axis; a valve seat in said elongated bore; a ball valve yieldably movably maintained in engagement with said valve seat and having a portion thereof protruding above the upper end of said cylindrical member; a groove on the outer periphery of said cylindrical member adjacent its upper end; a resilient means extending over the upper end of said cylindrical member and having a lip portion on its periphery detachably engaging said groove; a port in said cylindrical member extending from said elongated bore outwardly therethrough at a plane above said valve seat;

means for maintaining said valve means in said open end of saidcontainer,

, said resilient means engaging said ball valve and maintaining said ball valve seat, whereby a reduced pressure in said container will cause said ball valve to disengage from said valve seat against said resilient means and permit air from outside of said container to enter said elongated bore and by-pass said ball valve and pass into said container through said port.

' The device of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining said valve means in said open end of said container is comprised of a cap means having an opening therein in communication with said elongated bore.

3. In a nursing bottle having open opposite ends,

a valve means mounted in one of said open ends of said nursing bottle,

a nipple means mounted in the other open end of said nursing bottle,

said valve means comprised of a fiat circular base member having top and bottom surfaces; a cylindrical member extending upwardly from the top surface of said base member; said cylindrical member having an elongated bore extending therethrough along its longitudinal axis; a valve seat in said elongated bore; a ball valve yieldably movably maintained in engagement with said valve seat and having a portion thereof protruding above the upper end of said cylindrical member; a groove on the outer periphery of said cylindrical member adjacent its upper end; a resilient means extending over the upper "end of said cylindrical member and having a lip portion on its periphery detachably engaging said groove; a port in said cylindrical member extending from said elongated bore outwardly therethrough at a plane above said valve seat,

means for maintaining said valve means and said nipple means in said open ends of said nursing bottle,

said resilient means engaging said ball valve and maintaining said ball valve in engagement with said valve seat whereby a reduced pressure in said nursing bottle will cause said ball valve to disengage from said valve seat against said resilient means and permit air from outside of said nursing bottle to enter said elongated bore and by-pass said ball valve and pass into said nursing bottle through said port.

4. In a container having at least one open end,

a valve means mounted in said open end of said container,

means for maintaining said valve means in said open end,

said valve means having a valve seat and a ball valve yieldably movably maintained in engagement with said valve seat,

resilient means for yieldably maintaining said ball valve in engagement with said valve seat,

said ball valve yieldably disengaging from said valve seat when a reduced pressure is created within said container,

. said disengagement of said ball valve from said valve seat allowing communication between the atmosphere and the interior of said container,

said valve means including a flat circular base member having a cylindrical member extending upwardly therefrom inwardly from the periphery thereof; said cylindrical member and said base member having an elongated bore extending therethrough; said 'valve seat being located in said elongated bore; said cylindrical member having a groove therein around its periphery adjacent its upper end; said resilient means for yieldably maintaining said ball valve in engagement with said valve seat extending over the upper portion of said cylindrical member and engaging said groove,

said resilient means having a port extending from said elongated bore outwardly therethrough at a plane above said valve seat.

5. In -a container having open opposite ends,

a valve means mounted in one of said open ends of said container,

a cap member detachably mounted on said container at said one end and maintaining said valve means therein,

5 6 said disengagement of said ball valve from said valve portion of said cylindrical member and engaging said seat allowing communication between the atmosgroove, phere and the interior of said container, and said cylindrical member having a port extending from said container having a nipple means detachably said elongated bore outwardly theret'hrough at a secured thereto at its other open end. 5 plane above said valve seat. said valve means including a flat circular base member having a cylindrical member extending upwardly References Cited y the Examine! therefrom inwardly from the periphery thereof; said UNITED STATES PATENTS cylindrical member and said base member having an elongated bore extending therethrough; said valve 10 2043186 6/36 ODette 215 112 2,084,099 6/37 Maccoy 21511.2

seat being located in said elongated bore, said cy- 3 5 d 5 1 lindrical member having a groove therein around its 9 59 Ree et 21 1 periphery adjacent its upper end; said resilient means for yieldably maintaining said ball valve in engage- JOSEPH LECLAIR Primary Emmmer' ment with said valve seat extending over the upper 15 FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A CONTAINER HAVING AN OPEN END, A VALVE MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID OPEN END OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID VALVE MEANNS COMPRISED OF A FLAT CIRCULAR BASE MEMBER HAVING TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES; A CYLINDRICAL MEMBER EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE TOP SURFACE OF SAID BASE MEMBER; SAID CYDLINDRICAL MEMBER HAVING AN ELONGATED BORE EXTENDING THERETHROUGH ALONG ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS; A VALVE SEAT IN SAID ELONGATED BORE; A BALL VALVE YIEDABLY MOVABLY MAINTAINED IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID VALVE SEAT AND HAVING A PORTION THEREOF PROTRUDING ABOVE THE UPPER END OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER; A GROOVE ON THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBBER ADJACENT ITS UPPER END; A RESILIENT MEANS EXTENDING OVER THE UPPER END OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER AND HAVING A LIP PORTION ON ITS PERIPHERY DETACHABLY ENGAGING SAID GROOVE; A PORT IN SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER EXTENDING FROM SAID ELONGATED BORE OUTWARDLY THERETHROUGH AT A PLANE ABOVE SAID VALVE SEAT; MEANS FOR MAINTAINING SAID VALVE MEANS IN SAID OPEN END OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID RESILIENT MEANS ENGAGING SAID BALL VALVE AND MAINTAINING SAIDD BALL VALVE SEAT, WHEREBY A REDUCED PRESSURE IN SAID CONTAIINER WILL CAUSE SAID BALL VALVE TO DISENGAGE FROM SAID VALVE SEAT AGAINST SAID RESILIENT MEANS AND PERMIT AIR FROM OUTSIDE OF SAID CONTAINER TO ENTER SAID ELONGATED BORE AND BY-PASS SAID BALL VALVE AND PASS INTO SAID CONTAINER THROUGH SAID PORT.