WO2005002493A1

WO2005002493A1 - A feeding and teething device for babies

Info

Publication number: WO2005002493A1
Application number: PCT/AU2004/000811
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kerry-Anne Boyd; Stephen Boyd
Original assignee: Kerry-Anne Boyd; Stephen Boyd
Priority date: 2003-07-01
Filing date: 2004-06-22
Publication date: 2005-01-13
Also published as: AU2003903334A0

Abstract

A baby feeding and teething device is disclosed which takes the form of a body (2) having an upper part (3) and a lower part (4) which clamp a mesh bag (15) containing liquid generating foodstuffs (20) in its closed end (17). A baby is able to chew on the closed end (l 7) thereby releasing liquids which pass through the mesh bag and into the baby's mouth. In addition, the baby is able to chew on handle like wings (8, 9) on the body and which are fabricated from elastomeric material. This enables the pain of an erupting tooth to be relieved. The pain relief provides an incentive to the baby to consume liquids which is particularly advantageous during hot dry weather.

Description

A FEEDING & TEETHING DEVICE FOR BABIES

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to babies and, in particular, to the feeding of liquids to babies which are at, or approaching, the stage at which teeth erupt through the baby's gums.

Background Art

From the day of a baby's birth, the baby is initially fed milk via a nipple, whether the nipple be from the mother's breast or a manufactured nipple used for bottle fed babies. As the baby grows, so the baby is fed liquids, including milk, initially via a nipple on a bottle and later via low flow spouts provided on feeding cups. The baby is also introduced to liquid, but viscous, foods such as purees made from cooked vegetables, and the like. In order to relieve the pain of one or more teeth erupting through a baby's gum, a baby is often provided with a bread rusk, or similar, on which to chew. Alternatively, or additionally, an artificial teething device is used which is typically made from resilient elastomers such as rubber, and on which the baby is able to chew.

A particular problem arises in hot weather when the humidity is low, since it is necessary for the baby to ingest relatively high volumes of liquid in order that the baby not become dehydrated. This can particularly be a problem since at first the baby may be unaware that it is becoming dehydrated and thus not be thirsty. Consequently the baby may decline to breast feed and/or to drink from the regular nipple provided on a feeding bottle. On other occasions, a baby may be merely bored with the suckling action required to feed via a nipple and for this reason stop feeding.

Object of the Invention

The aim of the present invention is to provide a device and method of contemporaneously feeding liquid to a baby whilst permitting the baby to relieve the pain of teething, in particular by utilising the desire to chew on objects brought on by teething pain to thereby generate a source of liquid nourishment for the baby. Summary of the Invention

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a feeding and teething device for babies, said device comprising a liquid permeable elongate bag which is closed at one end and open at the other end, liquid generating foodstuffs being insertable into the closed end of said bag via said open end, and a split body releasably clamped across said bag intermediate the ends thereof to interrupt communication between the ends of said bag, and said body having at least an outer surface which is resilient, whereby a baby chewing on said bag closed end can force liquid through the bag and into its mouth, and said baby chewing upon said body outer surface can relieve the pain of an erupting tooth.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method of contemporaneously feeding liquids to a baby and relieving the pain of an erupting tooth, said method comprising the steps of: (i) inserting liquid generating foodstuffs into the closed end of an elongate liquid permeable bag via an open end thereof,

(ii) clamping said bag intermediate the ends thereof in a split body including at least an outer surface which is resilient,

(iii) permitting said bag closed end to be chewed by said baby to thereby force liquid through said bag and into the baby's mouth, and

(iv) permitting said baby to chew upon said body outer surface to thereby relieve the pain of an erupting tooth.

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a baby feeding on the device of the preferred embodiment in its feeding configuration, Fig. 2 is a perspective view from above of the device of Fig. 1 in the feeding configuration, Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the device of Fig. 1 in its transport configuration, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device of Fig. 1 in the transport configuration but without the mesh bag, Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lower half of the two part body, Fig. 6 is a plan view of the body clamping the mesh bag with the interior components of the body being illustrated in phantom, Fig. 7 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through the device of Fig. 1 showing the mesh bag in an initially clamped position, and Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the mesh bag pulled into the body so as to minimise the volume of the closed end surrounding the foodstuffs.

Detailed Description

As seen in the drawings, the feeding and teething device 1 of the preferred embodiment has a feeding configuration illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and a transport configuration illustrated in Fig. 3. The device 1 has a central body 2 formed from an upper part 3 and lower part 4. A protective cover 5 is releasably engageable with the body 2.

As best seen in Figs. 3 and 8, the upper part 3 and the lower part 4 each have three inclined ribs 7 which substantially abut and resiliently deflect when the upper part 3 and the lower part 4 are inter-engaged.

The lower part 4 has two manually graspable wings 8, 9 which are preferably formed from, or covered by a layer of, resilient elastomeric material upon which a baby can chew. A suitable material is TPR (thermoplastic rubber). The wings 8, 9 are preferably provided with elongate protrusions 11 and rounded humps 12 thereby providing the wings 8, 9 with a textured exterior surface which is easily grasped even by a baby's hands and whilst wet.

An elongate mesh bag 15 is also provided which has a hemmed open end 16 and a closed end 17. The bag 15 is fabricated from a mesh material such as muslin, open weave nylon, or the like. The upper part 3 is provided with four lugs 13 which are snap engageable with corresponding recesses 14 on the lower part 4, thereby enabling the upper part 3 and lower part 4 to be joined together to clamp the bag 15, or separated to release the bag 15. In order to facilitate this opening action, tabs 18, 19 are provided on the parts 3, 4 respectively. In addition, the lower part 4 is provided with two upstanding fins 22 which conveniently locate the bag 15 prior to its being clamped between the two parts 3, 4.

As best seen in Figs. 6-8, liquid generating foodstuffs such as cubes 20 of watermelon, rockmelon, apple, cooked vegetables, and the like and even grapes are able to be inserted into the bag 15 via its open end 16 and passed down into the closed end 17. Then the bag 15 is clamped intermediate its ends as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the cubes 20 being loosely retained within the closed end 17. The open end 16 of the bag 15 is then able to be pulled in the direction of the arrows of Figs. 6 and 8 relative to the body 2 in order to tightly bunch the closed end 17 around the cubes 20. With the bag 15 in this configuration there is no danger of the baby choking on, or attempting to swallow, the closed end 17 of the bag 15. The protective cover 5 is then engaged with the body 2 in order to place the device 1 in the feeding configuration illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the feeding configuration, the wings 8, 9 are able to be grasped by the baby and the closed end 17 chewed thereby generating liquid from the cubes 20, which liquid passes in the baby's mouth via its normal sucking action. The action of chewing on the closed end 17 naturally relieves the pain of any erupting tooth and this relieving action therefore encourages the consumption of liquid. In addition, the baby is able to chew on the wings 8, 9 themselves which being resilient, provide a strong restoring force which massages the baby's gums.

Between loading the bag 15 and placing same in the tightened condition illustrated in Fig. 8, but before giving the device 1 to the baby, the cover 5 can be placed over the closed end 17 (as indicated in Fig. 3). This places the device 1 in the transport configuration and ensures that the closed end 17 remains free from dirt and is generally maintained in a hygienic condition. The foregoing arrangement provides a number of advantages. Firstly, as the volume of the cubes 20 is decreased by the baby's chewing action, the volume of the closed end 17 can be decreased from time to time by pulling the open end 16 in the direction of the arrows illustrated in Figs. 6 and 8. This ensures that the closed end 17 is maintained in a full condition notwithstanding the reduction in volume of the cube 20. Secondly, any seeds such as watermelon seeds, grape seeds, or other generally inedible items such as pith, and the like, are retained within the closed end 17 and are therefore not ingested by the baby.

Thirdly, the mesh bag 15 is able to be washed between uses and thus maintained in a hygienic condition. Similarly, the parts 3, 4 of the body 2 being fabricated from plastic, such as polypropylene, are easy to wash between uses. Fourthly, the baby is encouraged to feed because the chewing action on the closed end 17 relieves any pain of erupting teeth and this provides an incentive for the baby to ingest liquids. This incentive is not provided by either bottle feeding or by attempting to feed purees, or similar, by means of a spoon.

The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the two body parts 3, 4 can be hinged together, if desired.

The term "comprising" (and its grammatical variations) as used herein is used in the inclusive sense of "including" or "having" and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of.

Claims

1. A feeding and teething device for babies, said device comprising a liquid permeable elongate bag which is closed at one end and open at the other end, liquid generating foodstuffs being insertable into the closed end of said bag via said open end, and a split body releasably clamped across said bag intermediate the ends thereof to interrupt communication between the ends of said bag, and said body having at least an outer surface which is resilient, whereby a baby chewing on said bag closed end can force liquid through the bag and into its mouth, and said baby chewing upon said body outer surface can relieve the pain of an erupting tooth.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said clamping body is shaped to provide low resistance to movement of said open end away from said body and high resistance to movement of said closed end away from said body.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said body is formed into first and second interengageable parts each of which includes a plurality of ribs which are substantially abutting when said parts are interengaged.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said ribs are inclined towards said bag open end.

5. The device as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein said parts are releasably engageable and disengageable to respectively clamp and release said bag.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said parts are snap engageable.

7. The device as claimed in any one of claims 1-6 and including a removable cover which in a transport configuration covers the closed end of said bag.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said cover is snap engageable with said body.

9. The device as claimed in claim 7 or 8 wherein said cover is releasably engageable with said body in a feeding configuration to cover the open end of said bag.

10. The device as claimed in any one of claims 1-9 wherein said bag is formed from a fabric mesh.

11. A method of contemporaneously feeding liquids to a baby and relieving the pain of an erupting tooth, said method comprising the steps of: (i) inserting liquid generating foodstuffs into the closed end of an elongate liquid permeable bag via an open end thereof, (ii) clamping said bag intermediate the ends thereof in a split body including at least an outer surface which is resilient, (iii)permitting said bag closed end to be chewed by said baby to thereby force liquid through said bag and into the baby's mouth, and (iv) permitting said baby to chew upon said body outer surface to thereby relieve the pain of an erupting tooth.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 including the further step of: (v) drawing said bag open end away from said body to thereby minimise the volume of said bag closed end enclosing said foodstuffs.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 or 12 including the further step of: (vi)prior to carrying out steps (iii) and (iv) removing a cover from said body which covers said bag closed end.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 including the further step of: (vi) after carrying out step (vi) and before carrying out steps (iii) and (iv) placing said cover onto said body to cover said bag open end.