WO2004028439A1

WO2004028439A1 - Color coding method and system for baby bottle nipples

Info

Publication number: WO2004028439A1
Application number: PCT/US2002/038597
Authority: WO
Inventors: Caridad A. Schneider
Original assignee: Schneider Caridad A
Priority date: 2002-09-24
Filing date: 2002-12-04
Publication date: 2004-04-08
Also published as: AU2002357781A1

Abstract

A color coding system for baby bottle nipples includes nipples (10, 20, 30, 40) that are colored in accordance with the size of the nipple opening (12, 22, 32, 42). The color can be applied either to the surface of the nipple to make the desired color coding visible to the user, or can be applied to the nipple during its manufacture to permeate the nipple material, also making the coding visible to the user. The color is chosen from at least four different colors that correspond to different nipple flow rates, depending upon the age range of the infant. The flow rate ranges of the nipples vary approximately according to the following relative age ranges: newborns, newborn to three months, three to six months, and over six months.

Description

COLOR CODING METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR BABY BOTTLE NIPPLES

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to baby bottle^' nipples. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a color coding system and method for baby bottle nipples in which baby bottle nipples are colored according to a standard coloring scheme in which the color of the nipple corresponds to a respective flow rate range of the nipple, i.e., the flow rate of the nipple is indicated by a color that corresponds with a flow rate range which varies according to the age range of the baby or according to the type of liquid to be dispensed through the nipple.

BACKGROUND ART

Baby bottles are provided with nipples having different size openings depending upon the types of ingredients used to be dispensed through the nipple and upon the age of the baby. For example, nipples provided on bottles for use by newborns have the most restrictive openings, i.e., the opening is intentionally made very small . Newborns are generally fed milk or other liquid mixture and, because of their age and early stage of development, have a limited ability to draw the liquid from the bottle. Therefore, the small opening in the nipples used by these babies necessarily restricts the rate of flow of the bottle contents when the baby nurses, in order to avoid gagging and other problems, such as when the baby chokes because of excessive flow rate during nursing. Consequently, baby bottle nipples are often sold with size openings that correspond to the age of the child to be nursed. A representative classification might include nipples with progressively increasing openings for (a) newborns; (b) newborn to three months of age; (c) three months to six months of age; and (d) over six months of age.

As the baby gets older, the milk is eventually replaced with formula that may contain solid ingredients, e.g., cereal. The nipple opening must be increased in size to permit the thicker formula to flow when the baby nurses . The shape of the opening may also differ, depending upon the type of material to be dispensed. Some baby bottle nipples may have a circular opening, while others may have a crisscross opening. It is important, therefore, that the provider choose the nipple size that best matches the contents of the bottle to ensure adequate flow rate as the baby's requirements change.

Various color coding schemes have been proposed in diverse fields, such as for hand tools and for sewing needles. However, there is a need for a color-coding scheme that assists mothers and other child care providers in determining the appropriate nipple to use for particular types of feeding mixtures and for the particular age range of the infant.

The nipples are typically made either of latex, or natural rubber, or silicone. The colors of the materials used can vary according to the type of material; for example, the silicone-based nipples are typically transparent, whereas the latex-based nipples are typically opaque and colored brown or orange. The materials used for the nipple might include harder plastic materials, such as polypropylene or polycarbonate, especially for older infants which may be teething. Nipples made by AVENT (Avent is a trademark of Cannon Rubber Limited of London) , in particular, uses a clear nipple to indicate a nipple for use with a reusable bottle, while, for a bottle containing a disposable liner, a blue-tinted nipple

5 is used. However, AVENT does not coordinate the color of the nipple with the flow rate, as required in the present invention.

U.S. Patent No. 3,139,064, issued to Harle on June 30, 1964, teaches a baby bottle and nipple, in which the nipple can be rotated to match the position of an alignment mark on the nipple

.0 collar with one of three alignment marks on the bottle, depending upon the desired flow rate. The opening in the nipple is a slit which can be rotated to one position that permits only a slow flow rate or to another position that permits a faster flow rate.

U.S. Patent No. 4,117,791, issued to Current et al . on October

.5 3, 1978, teaches a color coding system for distinguishing sizes of sewing needles. U.S. Patent No. 4,856,820, issued to Kasprzak et al . on August 15, 1989, teaches a machine-readable and human- readable coding system using labels .

U.S. Patent No. 4,936,170, issued to Zumeta on June 26, 1990,

:0 teaches a color coding system for distinguishing tools. U.S. Patent No. 4,962,787, issued to Mayhew on October 16, 1990, teaches a color coding system for distinguishing direction of flow in pneumatic tools. U.S. Patent No. 4,982,627, issued to Johnson on January 8, 1991, teaches a color coding system for distinguishing

,5 tools and tool accessories.

U.S. Patent No. 5,322,031, issued to Lerner et al . on June 21, 1994, teaches a baby bottle nipple that changes color to indicate nipple wear to determine when worn nipple needs to be discarded. U.S. Patent No. 5,498,158, issued to Wong on March 12, 1996, teaches a color coding system for dentists' drills.

U.S. Patent No. 5,544,766, issued to Dunn et al . on August 13, 1996, teaches a color coding system for distinguishing nipple flow rate sizes. The nipple has a nursing portion with a unitary mounting flange around the base of the nursing portion which is captured between the bottle cap and the lip of the bottle, and in which the mounting flange is color coded according to the flow rate. The nipple may include a similarly color coded collar extending between the mounting flange and the nursing portion which extends above the cap so that the flow rate can be determined when the nipple is secured to the bottle. However, since the nursing portion of the nipples in the Dunn system all look the same, it can be difficult to distinguish between nipples of different flow rates, e.g., when shopping because the mounting flanges may not be visible through the packaging, when the care giver is rushed or in a hurry, when reaching for a nipple in dim light, for the visually impaired, etc. The patent lacks any disclosure regarding coding the color of the nursing portion of the nipples to correspond with the flow rate .

None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a color coding method and system for baby bottle nipples solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a color coding system for baby bottle nipples. The system includes a set of nipples. Each nipple exhibits a different color. Each nipple in the set has a different size aperture in the tip. Each different color corresponds to a different rate of flow of the nipple when used for nursing a baby.

Also part of the invention is a method of coding baby bottle nipples. The method includes providing a plurality of baby bottle nipples. Each nipple has a different rate of flow depending upon the needs of the baby. A different color is applied to each nipple. Each color is selected to correspond to the different rates of flow.

Also part of the invention is set of baby bottle nipples. The set includes a plurality of nipples. Each nipple has a different flow rate and each has a different color corresponding, respectively, to a different flow rate. The flow rates differ substantially in accordance with the different nursing requirements of different age ranges of infants. The age ranges include at least: newborn; newborn to three months of age; three to six months of age; and, over six months of age.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a color coding system for baby bottle nipples according to the present invention for a first style of nipples .

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a color coding system for baby bottle nipples for a second style of nipples.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a color coding system for baby bottle nipples for a third style of nipples.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings . BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a color coding system for distinguishing baby bottle nipple sizes. More particularly, the color coding system involves forming the nipples themselves in different colors depending upon the nipple size, i.e., the size of the opening (s) in the nipple that determines the flow rate. The different colors can be applied to the individual nipples either during the manufacture of the nipples or thereafter, i.e., the colors can be incorporated in the starting materials of the nipples prior to molding into the nipple shape or can be applied afterwards by painting the nipple surface with the appropriate color.

The key feature of the invention is that different colors are chosen to distinguish between different ranges of flow rate for the nipple corresponding approximately to different age ranges for the infant . Approximate representative corresponding age ranges for the flow rates of the nipples are: 1) newborns; 2) newborns to 3 months of age; 3) 3 to 6 months of age; and, 4) over 6 months of age.

Fig. 1 shows a set of four nipples having different colors according to the size of the nipple.

In the style of nipples shown, the four nipples have different numbers of holes in their tips. Nipple 10 has a single hole 12, generally usable by newborns. Nipple 20 has two holes 22, approximately corresponding to the requirements of babies up to about 3 months. Nipple 30 has three holes 32, approximately corresponding to the requirements of babies from 3 to 6 months. Nipple 40 has four holes 42, approximately corresponding to the requirements of babies over 6 months. The particular color scheme used in the Figures corresponds to yellow for nipple 10, red for nipple 20, green for nipple 30, and blue for nipple 40. However, the particular color scheme used can be different from the one shown here as long as the colors are different for each of the differently sized nipples.

Fig. 2 shows a set of four nipples having a different style fro^*m the style shown in Fig. 1, in this case, the nipples each have a wider dome-shaped base. The tip of nipple 110 has a single, -small diameter opening 112, corresponding to the requirements of a newborn. The tip of nipple 120 has a larger diameter opening 122 approximately corresponding to the requirements of an infant ranging from newborn to 3 months of age. The tip of nipple 130 has a crisscross opening 132, approximately corresponding to the requirements of an infant in the age range of 3 to 6 months. The tip of nipple 140 has a large slit 142 approximately corresponding to the requirements of an infant of an age above 6 months. In this set, as in the set shown in Fig. 1, the four different nipples are colored differently to distinguish between the four different flow rate sizes, i.e., nipple 110 is yellow, nipple 120 is red, nipple 130 is green, and nipple 140 is blue. Again, the color can either be applied to permeate the material of the nipple or be applied to the nipple surface, as long as the colors are clearly visible and distinguish between the different flow rates.

Fig. 3 shows a set of four nipples that correspond approximately in style to the type commonly used in "disposable" baby bottles, i.e., baby bottles that use disposable inner liners rather than baby bottles that are washable and reusable. The first nipple 210 in the set has a single opening 212, approximately corresponding to the requirements of a newborn. The second nipple 220 has two openings 222, approximately corresponding to the requirements of an infant from newborn to 3 months in age. The third nipple 230 has three openings 232, approximately corresponding to the requirements of an infant 3-6 months in age. The fourth nipple 240 has four holes, approximately corresponding to the requirements of an infant over 6 months in age. Again, as before, a portion of the nipple surface can be colored or the entire nipple material can be colored as long as the color is easily identified and distinguished according to the different flow rate ranges, i.e., nipple 210 is yellow, nipple 220 is red, nipple 230 is green, and nipple 240 is blue.

The nipples can be produced and marketed as a set or individually. However, once a color scheme has been chosen, the same scheme must be used as a standard for all styles of nipples in order to ensure consistency, especially when a large number of child care givers using the nipples become accustomed to a particular color scheme. It will be noted that, in all embodiments, both the nursing portion and the mounting flange are color coded for rapid visual recognition of the nipple flow rate. The preferred embodiments of the invention provide a nipple color coding system for distinguishing the sizes of baby bottle nipples in accordance with flow rate. The flow rate range corresponds approximately with the age range of the infant. The color may permeate the nipple material, or be applied to the surface of the nipples.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMSI claim:

1. A color coding system for baby bottle nipples, comprising: a set of nipples, each exhibiting a different color; wherein each nipple in the set has a different size aperture in the tip, and wherein each different color corresponds to a different rate of flow of the nipple when used for nursing a baby.

2. A method of coding baby bottle nipples comprising: providing a plurality of baby bottle nipples, each nipple having a different rate of flow depending upon the needs of the baby, applying a different color to each nipple, wherein each color is selected to correspond to the different rates of flow.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the color permeates a material from which the nipple is made.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the color is applied to at least a portion of the external surface of the nipple.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the color is applied to the entire external surface of the nipple.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the color is selected from the group comprising: yellow, red, green and blue, wherein yellow corresponds to the flow rate usable by a newborn baby; red corresponds to the flow rate usable by a baby ranging in age from newborn to three months of age; green corresponds to the flow rate usable by a baby ranging in age from three to six months of age; and, blue corresponds to the flow rate usable by a baby over six months of age .

7. A set of baby bottle nipples comprising: a plurality of nipples, each nipple having a different flow rate and each having a different color corresponding, respectively, to a different flow rate, the flow rates differing substantially in accordance with the different nursing requirements of different age ranges of infants, the age ranges including at least: newborn; newborn to three months of age; three to six months of age; and, over six months of age.