WO1988004261A1

WO1988004261A1 - Baby bottle

Info

Publication number: WO1988004261A1
Application number: PCT/US1986/002622
Authority: WO
Inventors: April Viator
Original assignee: April Viator
Priority date: 1986-12-01
Filing date: 1986-12-01
Publication date: 1988-06-16

Abstract

A baby bottle having a main body portion, and an upper mouth portion (18), which is threaded for adapting thereunto a nipple (28). The main body portion further includes a centrally located reduced portion (34) of such a diameter that can be easily grasped in the hand of a baby. The surface of the reduced portion further includes a plurality of ridges (36) for facilitating frictional engagement by the baby's hand. There is further included an outer width of the body portion above and below the reduced portion, being of such a diameter so as to protrude a distance further than the distance of the baby's knuckles when the bottle is grasp, so that if the bottle makes contact with the floor while in the grasp of the baby, the baby's hand is protected from making contact also.

Description

BABY BOTTLE SPECIFICATION

Background Of The Invention

The present invention relates to bottles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a baby bottle having a reduced central portion for accommodating grasping of the bottle by the smaller hand of a baby yet enabling easy cleaning of the bottle after use.

In the field of bottles which contain milk and other liquids for intake by babies, historically, the bottles have been the type of bottle which includes a cylindrical body portion for housing the liquid in the bottle, and the threadable collar for accommodating a nipple on the top side, for the baby to injest the fluid from the bottle. However, one of the shortcomings of this type of a bottle is the fact that due to the smaller size of a baby's hands, and a baby being for the most part not fully coordinated, babies have a difficult time in grasping and holding the bottle during infancy, which may often times result in the bottle being dropped by the baby, and the baby being unable to retrieve it. Of course, such accidents can result in the baby being injured if the bottle does in fact make contact with the baby's face, or in the case of breakable bottles, the bottle being dropped onto a surface where the bottle is permanently damaged or broken.

There has been one particular bottle which is patented under a design patent which is U.S. Design Patent No. 167,273, issued to Nusbaum, entitled "Infant Mursing Bottle", wherein the bottle comprises a dual chamber in the body portion, with a space between the two chambers wherein a baby may grasp either of the chambers or the reduced size chambers, and hold the bottle with a single hand for intake of the fluid. Although this, on its face, appears to be a suitable item, it has very important shortcomings. One particular shortcoming is the fact that when a baby grasps one of the chambers, the baby is in effect grabbing the bottle off balance, and should the baby be holding the bottle and fall to the floor, there have been recorded instances of the fact that because the baby has grasp it on an off balance area, the bottle may shift when it makes contact with the floor, thus injuring the baby's hand or wrist as the bottle twists onto the surface. In addition, in the cleaning of the bottle, when the chambers makes the chambers flow into a central chamber on the lower portion of. the bottle. However, where the chambers meet, there is a "V" created by the inner side walls, and at the inner surface of that "V" becomes very difficult to clean with a brush or the like due to the fact that one is unable to make contact with that surface from the top portion.

Other patents issued in the art are as follows:

Patent No: Inventor: Title:

4,570,808 Campbell "Baby Bottle With Intergral

Handle"

3,366,261 Dewey "Dispenser Valve"

138,219 White "Nursing-Bottles" 3.739.932 Westover "Protective Holder"

1,832,806 Dawson "Bottle"

1,337,902 France Patent

226,688 Thornton "Baby Bottle"

Therefore, there is a need in the art for a baby bottl which is easy to grasp in the hand of a baby, and which wil protect the baby's hands should the bottle make contact wit the floor while the baby is grasping the bottle, and i addition, due to its shape is easy to clean so that al inner surfaces of the bottle can be cleaned with a brush o the like instrument.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION:

The apparatus of the present invention solves th shortcomings in the art in a simple and straightforwar manner. What is provided is a baby bottle having a mai body portion, and an upper mouth portion, which is threaded for adapting thereunto a nipple. The main body portion further includes a centrally located reduced portion, of such a diameter that can be easily grasped in the hand of a baby. The surface of the reduced portion further includes a plurality of ridges for facilitating frictional engagement in the baby's hand. There is further included an outer width of the body portions above and below the reduced portion, being of such a diameter so as to protrude a distance further than the distance of the baby's knuckles when the bottle is grasped, so that the bottle makes contact with a surface while in the grasp of the baby, the baby's hand is protected from making contact also.

Therefore, it is the principal object of the present invention of provide a baby bottle which includes a means for grasping the bottle which is balanced and easy to grasp;

It is still a principal object of the present invention to provide a baby bottle also which is easily grasp by the baby, and which protects the baby's hands if the bottle strikes a surface while still in the grasp of the baby;

It is still an object of the present invention to provide a baby bottle having a body portion wherein there is centrally located a reduced portion of a diameter that can be easily grasp by the baby; and

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a baby bottle which is easy to clean yet is easily grasp in one hand by a baby.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIGURES 1 represents a side view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 represents a cross sectional view along lines 3 - 3 of FIGURE 1 of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 illustrates cross-sectional view along lines 4 - 4 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of along lines 5 - 5 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 represents an^' overall view of the apparatus of the present invention in the grasp of the baby's hand; and

FIGURE 6 represents an overall view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the cleaning of the interior of the baby bottle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

FIGURES 1 - 6 represent the preferred embodiment of the apparatus by the numeral 10. As seen in the FIGURES, baby bottle 10 would comprise a main body portion 12 the body portion 12 having an overall annular wall portion 14 a flat floor portion 16 for resting the bottle upon the surface or the like, and a top large mouth open ended portion 18, the annular wall 14 and bottom 16 defining an interior space 20 therewithin for housing fluid or the like during use of the bottle. Mouth portion 18 would further include a threadable neck portion 22 having a plurality of threads to accommodat a nipple 24 of the standard type, nipple 24 having a housin 26 and a nipple portion 28 for releasing liquid from its to end portion 30.

Turning now to the principal body portion 12, bod portion 12 would further include a means 32 for graspin baby bottle 12 firmly. This means would comprise a reduce central portion 34 substantially the width of a baby's han 50, i.e., 1 1/2" to 2" in length, and of a reduced diamete so that a baby's fingers 52 may easily wrap around portio 34 as seen in FIGURE 5. In addition, reduced centra portion 34 would comprise a plurality of ridges 36 substantially equally spaced around the outer wall o portion 34 so that it would facilitate a frictional engagement of the bottle by the baby when in the grasp of the baby's hand. Bottle 12 would further comprise a lower base portion 38 and an upper portion 40, the base portion 38 and upper portion 40 being of a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of base 16 and wide mouth portion 18 respectively. As seen in the FIGURE, the wall of portions 38 and 40 would be angulated along wall portion 42 to join reduced portion 34 for defining the grasping means 32.

In addition, as seen in FIGURE 5, the sloping of wall 32 inwardly to grasping portion 34, constitutes a safety zone 46 which is defined as that space between the outer most diameter of portions 40 and 42 and the diameter of grasping means 34, so that when a baby's hand 50 is grasping onto central portion 34, the safety zone 46 would protect the baby's knuckles 52 from striking a surface that would make contact with the wall portions of upper portion 40 and lower portion 42, but would not make contact with baby's knuckles 52. Therefore, while a baby is carrying bottle 12, should a baby fall and bottle strike the surface of the floor, that zone 46 between the baby's knuckles and the surface which could be defined by phantom line 54 is free of contact with the surface and therefore injury would not occur.

I should be noted, that in addition to the grasping portion 34 being of a reduced size for easy grasping, grasping surface 34 is located substantially along the center line of baby bottle 12, so that the contents of bottle 12 that may be contained in portion 40 and 42 are substantially equally divided, and therefore the bottle is in a balanced mode, such as with a "dumb bell" type structure.

FIGURE 6 represents baby bottle 12 in the cleaning mode. As seen in the FIGURE, there is included a brush 60 which includes a handle portion 62 and a brush portion 64 inserted into the bottle. As seen in the FIGURE, this would be a standard brush having a plurality of bristles extended outwardly from stem portion 60, so that the brush can be rotated within the inner model and clean it. As seen in the FIGURE, although there is a reduced portion 34, the brush has the ability to be inserted into the bottle and yet upon being angulated as seen in the FIGURE, it is making contact with the inner surface 66 of wall 14 of bottle 12, and is able to clean all the interior portions of the bottle so that there is no problems with reaching and cleaning areas within the bottle as with the prior art.

For purposes of construction, bottle 12 may be of molded plastic for light-weight use, and may come in a variety of colors, such as pink, blue, green, etc., to be more attractive for the baby.

Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein taught, and because many modifications may be made in the embodiments herein detailed in accordance with the descrip¬ tive requirement of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed as invention is:

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. A baby bottle, comprising: a. a main body portion, having a lower en portion and an upper mouth portion for accommodating nipple thereupon, the body portion defining a spac therewithin for containing fluids; and b. a portion along the length of the body of reduced diameter for facilitating grasping by a baby.

2. The apparatus in Claim 1, wherein the reduce portion for grasping is situated substantially in th central area of the body portion.

3. The apparatus in Claim 1, wherein the reduce diameter portion is substantially of a diameter for allowin a infant's hand to wrap entirely around the portion.

4. The apparatus in Claim 1, wherein the reduce diameter portion further comprises a plurality of ridges fo facilitating frictional engagement between the infant's han and the upper portion.

5. The apparatus in Claim 1, wherein the reduce portion is of a diameter so that the infant's hand does no protrude a distance outward further than the diameter of the non- reduced portion of the body portion.

6. A bottle for housing fluids, of the type having a nipple on the upper end thereof, the bottle used principally by infants, comprising: a. a body portion, comprising a single fluid chamber, the fluid chamber having a reduced centrally located area of a diameter to facilitate grasping by an infant's hand; and b. the remainder of the fluid chamber being of the diameter greater than the diameter of the infant's hand grasping the reduced portion, so' that any contact of the body portion with a surface provides a protective zone between the infant's hand and the surface.

7. The apparatus of Claim 6, wherein the reduce portion further includes a plurality of ridges for facilitating frictional engagement between the infant's hand and the body portion.

8. The apparatus in Claim 6, wherein the body portion is substantially "dumb-bell" shaped, and is easily cleanable with a brush or the like.

9. An infant's bottle, of the type for housing fluids and the fluids retrievable through a nipple threadably adaptable to the upper portion of the bottle, the bottle comprising: a. a single fluid chamber, the chamber further comprising a centrally located grasping zone, the grasping zone being of a reduced diameter to facilitate grasping by an infant, so that the infant's fingers enclose around the grasping zone; and b. a protective means, further comprising that area between the reduced diameter of the grasping zone and the overall diameter of the remainder of the fluid chamber, so that when contact is made by the fluid chamber, the safety means allows the infant's hand grasping the bottle to be at a distance below the contact of the chamber wall in the surface so that no contact is made to the infant's hand and the surface.

10. The apparatus in Claim 9, wherein the grasping zone is centrally located along the length of the chamber, so that fluid contained within the fluid chamber may be evenly distributed.