WO2020065389A2

WO2020065389A2 - Multiflow teat-ring for baby bottle and baby bottle comprising same

Info

Publication number: WO2020065389A2
Application number: PCT/IB2019/000690
Authority: WO
Inventors: Virginie RECOURA; Alexy MOSTIER
Original assignee: Health And Happiness (H&H) Hong Kong Limited
Priority date: 2018-09-24
Filing date: 2019-08-26
Publication date: 2020-04-02
Also published as: EP3856121A4; EP3856121A2; WO2020065389A3

Abstract

In the baby bottle (2) intended for feeding infants, the rigid ring (6) is secured to the external face (9a) of the base of the skirt (7), the ring (6) is arranged in such a way that the opening or, respectively, the closing of the baby bottle (2) is performed by rotation through 90 degrees or less, the ring (6) comprises on its periphery at least two cutouts (6a, 6b) each providing access to a section (7a, 7b) of the base of the skirt through which there are formed two devices (13a, 13b) allowing air to be drawn into the baby bottle, the teat (3) further comprises at its upper end several orifices (3a, 3b, 3c, etc.) acting as milk ducts during suckling. The baby bottle (2) is most generally made up of a teat-ring as defined hereinabove, of a baby bottle body (14) and of a protective cap (15).

Description

Multiflow teat-ring for baby bottle and baby bottle comprising same

Introduction

The subject of the invention is a single piece teat-ring, referred to as a "multiflow" teat-ring, for baby bottles intended for feeding infants, as well as a baby bottle comprising such a teat-ring and a protective cap.

Brief Analysis of the Prior Art

When an infant is being breast-fed, it develops the ability to latch on and suckle. The prior art suggests that there is a correlation between the digestive health of the infant and the correct positioning of the baby's mouth when feeding, this being so as to avoid the baby ingesting any air. When the infant is switching from breast-feeding to bottle-feeding, the infant is forced to adapt its latching to suit the baby bottle. Now, there are numerous instances in which the baby refuses the bottle, because the functional characteristics of the baby bottle may be too far removed from the functional characteristics of the mother's breast. Alternatively, if the infant accepts the bottle, it may experience colic far more frequently than when breast-feeding.

Beyond the physiological problems mentioned hereinabove, there are other handling constraints inherent to the baby bottle that arise: ease and safety of use, sealing, maximum cleanliness if not asepsis, especially in the light of the frequent cleanings that have to be performed after use. Baby bottles of the prior art, which are most generally made up of a baby bottle body to which a teat, a ring and a cap are attached, have all evolved in such a way as to provide the best solution to the above problems.

In terms of the actual teat itself, the latter is generally held on the neck of the baby bottle by means of a ring which fits, screws or "clips" onto said neck, compressing the base of the teat so as to ensure this arrangement remains fluidtight.

When the baby bottle has to be opened or, respectively, closed, by screwing, the screw threads hitherto in existence are relatively long, forcing the user to twist through at least 270 to more than 360 degrees, which is a handling operation that the user often finds awkward or even irksome. The ring is generally made of a rigid polymer material whereas the teat itself is more generally made of a polymer material that exhibits elastic properties, notably that is deformable and compressible.

The cleaning and sterilization of the various components that make up the baby bottle after use is usually performed by raising said components to approx. 100 degrees C, namely by keeping them for a few minutes in water that has been brought to the boil. Evidently, this repetitive treatment ultimately significantly impairs the properties of the polymer materials employed: change in coefficient of elasticity, cracking, deformation, etc.

The material of which the teat is made, an elastomer of silicone or latex type, although generally strong, does not escape from this phenomenon over the course of time.

Ultimately, the interface or zone of contact between teat and ring is then no longer capable of ensuring the required fluidtightness. On the one hand, drops of milk escape during handling and during actual suckling itself and, on the other hand, air can enter the baby bottle while the infant is suckling, and do so in an uncontrolled way, with the risk of causing the liquid thus administered to be regurgitated unwantedly.

The impairment of the polymer materials of which the teat as well as the ring are made also has a negative impact on the ability to maintain cleanliness if not to say sterility or even asepsis that needs to be ensured when feeding the infant.

Various solutions for overcoming this type of drawback have been proposed, and it may be seen that increasingly complex rings and teats are being proposed, for example in

EP 1 532 957 Al, WO 2012/138592 Al, WO 2009/149575 Al, EP 3 042 64 Al,

EP 2 020 980 Al, WO 2010/063134. This results in the development of manufacturing methods that are increasingly complex also, although the fragility of the teat/ring interface is not made more secure through all this.

US 2012/0248056 is an illustration of this increasing complexity. That document describes a disposable single-use baby bottle made up of a teat unit resting via its base on a support body or surrounding said support body, itself secured to a fixing part intended to connect said teat unit to the container containing the liquid intended for the infant. In one particular embodiment, said support body and the fixing part are connected in such a way that they cannot be detached from one another without destruction. This type of baby bottle is intended for single use and therefore qualified as "disposable".

Finally, from a purely technical standpoint, the higher the number of constituent

components in the baby bottle, the more complex manufacturing thereof becomes; the ring/teat or ring/seal/teat fit also requires a high level of precision in order to ensure that it remains fluidtight and sanitary. These technical constraints sit badly with the concept of a baby bottle that is said to be "disposable". In terms of the handling of the baby bottle itself, experience shows that very often the person tasked with feeding the infant is forced to perform certain actions during feeding with just one hand, the other hand continuing to hold the infant against their body, their own hip for example. If, for example, the ring needs to be readjusted or retightened on the neck of the baby bottle, the complexity of the usual components, ring and other seals where appropriate, correspondingly interrupts this operation. The same is true when the infant, who from a certain age is endowed with a sometimes-unsuspected degree of strength, partially pulls or even rips the teat out of its initial housing.

The invention offers the relevant individuals a baby bottle in which the configuration of the teat is as similar as possible to that of the mother's breast, allowing the stream of nutritional liquid to flow similarly to that of the mother's breast, and substantially limiting any risk of colic.

The invention represents a novel and particularly effective solution aimed at eliminating the drawbacks or disadvantages listed above.

Invention

The subject of the invention is a one-piece teat-ring (1) for a baby bottle (2) intended for feeding infants, made up of a flexible upper part (3) known as the teat, configured in such a way as to allow the infant to feed, extended by a flexible lower part (4) known as the skirt, and by a rigid ring (6) secured to the base (7) of said skirt (4), said rigid ring (6) being dimensioned and configured in such a way as to collaborate mechanically with the external face (8) of the neck (5) of the baby bottle (2), in which the rigid ring (6) is secured to the external face (9a) of the base of the skirt (7), the rigid ring (6) is arranged in such a way that the opening or, respectively, the closing of the baby bottle (2) is performed by rotation through 90 degrees or less, the rigid ring (6) comprises on its periphery at least two cutouts (6a, 6b) each providing access to a section (7a, 7b) of the base of the skirt (7) through which there are formed at least two devices (13a, 13b) allowing air to be drawn into the baby bottle, said teat (3) comprising at its upper end several orifices (3a, 3b, 3c, etc.) acting as milk ducts during suckling.

Another subject of the invention is a teat-ring as defined hereinabove, in which the teat (3) comprises, at its base, arranged symmetrically with respect to its axis of rotation, two concave depressions (16a, 16b) of oval or elliptical overall shape.

Another subject of the invention is a baby bottle (2) intended for feeding infants, made up of a teat-ring (1) as described hereinabove, of a feeding-bottle body (14) and of an ergonomic protective cap (15). The term "mechanically and/or chemically secured" used in the context of this invention defines an assembly in two parts joined together in such a way that the movement imparted to one, for example a turning of the ring, automatically leads to the same movement of the other, namely turning of the teat. Teat and ring then just form a single object, which in this context is a single unit.

The term "mechanically secured" also reinforces the following concept: ultimately, the ring cannot be disassociated from said skirt without damaging or destroying the structure of the whole, by pulling, turning or tearing for example.

The term "chemically secured" indicates that the cohesion of the teat-ring interface is essentially caused by a molecular interaction of the polymers involved, such as a

copolymerization, for example a partial melting. These points will be developed later on in the description.

The invention is defined in the claims below.

Drawings

Fig.l illustrates a view in section of an outline diagram of a teat-ring according to the invention.

Figs 2a & 2b are views in profile, from angles 90 degrees apart, of a teat-ring according to the invention.

Fig. 3 illustrates a view from above of the teat-ring according to Figs 2a & 2b.

Figs 4 & 5 describe the detail of a one-way valve arranged on the teat-ring.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a teat-ring according to the invention.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate, in one particular embodiment, detail of the means of assembling the teat-ring with the neck of the baby bottle and, respectively, with the cap.

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate views in section, in one particular embodiment, of a baby bottle comprising a cap, a teat-ring and a bottle body.

Particular Embodiments of the Invention

The teat-ring according to the invention (see notably fig. 1) comprises a flexible top part (3) known as the teat, configured in such a way as to allow the infant to feed, extended by a flexible lower part (4) known as the skirt, dimensioned in such a way as to fit the neck (7) of said skirt (4).

In the terms of the art, the teat-ring according to the invention is said to be "multi-flow”, given the presence of orifices such as (3a, 3b, 3c, etc.) formed in its upper part and acting as milk ducts during suckling - see also Fig. 6.

Most generally, the ring (6) adheres to the entirety of the external face (9a) of the base (7) of the skirt, ensuring maximum adhesion and securing between said ring and the skirt (4), more specifically the base (7) thereof (see fig. 3 for example).

According to another embodiment of the invention, the lower portion of the ring (6) adheres continuously to the circumference of the base (7) of the skirt (4) whereas the upper portion of said ring (6) adheres thereto discontinuously as illustrated in fig. 6. It has been found that this type of configuration provides the mechanical securing of the assembly in a way that is satisfactory while at the same time offering the opportunity to create an original design.

One of the preferred embodiments of the invention foresees no point of mechanical catching at the interface between the ring (6) and the base (7) of the skirt (4). This then encourages the best possible adherence between these two components. However, depending on the circumstances, provided that having them does not represent a significant technical obstacle, such mechanical catching points may nevertheless be envisioned.

According to the invention, the flexible parts (3) and (4) of the teat-ring (1) form a

continuum within which the Shore hardness of the material used varies from a maximum value at the base of said skirt (7) to reach its minimum value at the teat (3). Values of the order of 30 to 40 degrees of Shore hardness are characteristic of the flexibility best suited to the region of the teat (3), so that it is similar to that of the mother's breast.

Values of the order of 40 to 50 degrees of Shore hardness are, on the other hand, characteristic of the flexibility given to the skirt (4) of the teat-ring, more particularly in the region of the connection between the base of said skirt (7) and the rigid ring (6).The injection-molding techniques and the polymer materials currently available allow such a continuum to be achieved.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the flexibility of the teat (3) can be achieved or accentuated by altering the thickness of the material used for the whole, with a constant degree of Shore hardness, this hardness then being lower, or even substantially lower, than that of the skirt (4).

Likewise according to the invention, the teat (3) comprises at its base, a region referred to as the junction region formed, for example, of two concave depressions (17a, 17b) of oval, elliptical or similar overall shape, arranged symmetrically with respect to its axis of rotation - see, by way of example, Figs 2a and 2b. In most cases, the depression or the concavity of the

5 regions (17a, 17b) consists in a reduction of at most 40% of the initial thickness of the region of the skirt concerned, as measured at the center thereof - see Fig. 2a. The periphery of the regions (17a, 17b) may also be shaped in such a way as to break the symmetry of the ellipse and better resemble the impression that the lips of the infant would leave at the junction region - see Figs 2b & 2c.

This type of configuration ensures better positioning of the lips of the infant during suckling, thus avoiding or limiting any unwanted ingress of air into the mouth of the infant. This then comes as close as possible to the characteristic configuration of the mother's breast.

This allows infants that are bottle-fed from birth to enjoy feeding that is as close as possible to breast-feeding, notably from the functional and physiological standpoints. Also, it guarantees an optimum transition between breast-feeding and bottle-feeding, thus making it possible to avoid potential refusals of the bottle and to appreciably limit the risk of colic.

Finally, according to the invention, the terminal part of the teat (3) is preferably rounded, if not perfectly hemispherical (see, for example, Fig. 1) and thereby as close as possible to the natural shape of the human teat. It is further provided with several through-holes or orifices or flow ducts (3a, 3b, 3c, etc.) acting as milk ducts during suckling. There are generally 2 to 5 of these, most usually 4, positioned equidistantly on the rounded tip of the teat. In this way the flow of the streams of breastmilk during suckling are mimicked as closely as possible. Fig. 6 is an illustration of this, given solely by way of example.

The teat-ring (6) may further comprise one or more mechanical, tactile, audible or visible respectively open or closed position indicators (which are not illustrated).

In one particular embodiment of the invention, the respectively mechanical or audible position indicator is made up of screw thread portions (10), in other words, of short threads, positioned equidistant from one another on the periphery (8) of the neck (5) of the baby bottle. Such an arrangement means that opening or, respectively, closing, the baby bottle requires only a twist through 90 degrees or less, most generally through between 70 and 90 degrees, whereas the current baby bottles need to be twisted through at least 180 degrees, or even 360 degrees or more in order to obtain the same effect. Figs 7 and 8 give a partial illustration of this.

The teat-ring according to the invention comprises at least two devices (13a, 13b) known as "anti-colic" devices, in this instance at least two one-way valves (13a, 13b) or, equally, any other device allowing air to be drawn into the baby bottle, given the depression resulting from suckling. These devices are arranged on the skirt (4) in the spaces (6a, 6b) formed by the ring (6), preferably on the base (7) of said skirt, as illustrated in Figs 4 and 5.

In concrete terms, the depression created by suckling deforms the lips of one or the other or both devices (13a, 13b), the deformation allowing air to pass. The lips then start to vibrate and the passage of the air re-equalizes the pressures. The teat-ring according to the invention may of course comprise as many "anti-colic" valves as are required in order to perform the desired function, namely that of equalizing the respective internal and external pressures to prevent the teat from collapsing.

As far as this aspect is concerned, the particular feature of the invention stems from the presence of at least two devices (13a) and (13b), located symmetrically with respect to one another about the axis of rotation of the teat-ring (1). This arrangement ensures in all instances that one of the one-way valves (13a) or (13b) is triggered in the event of the other one being obstructed or malfunctioning. A set of two devices (13a, 13b) distant from one another by 180 degrees and each located on the periphery of the base of the skirt (7), preferably in a plane perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the concave depressions (17a, 17b) - see notably Figs 2a & 2b - ensures optimum operation of the anti-colic system.

The choice of materials and also the choice of assembly methods or techniques are made in such a way as to ensure that the ring (6) and the base (7) of the skirt (4) are joined together indissociably via the surface they have in common because it is imperative that the ring and the teat should form a one-piece assembly able to withstand knocks, rough or accidental handling, and the heat treatments mentioned above.

In this particular context, the teat (3) and the skirt (4) are made of a flexible nontoxic nonallergenic polymer material chosen from silicone, rubber, latex or any other polymer material having similar physico-chemical properties.

The ring (6) itself is made of a rigid nontoxic, nonallergenic polymer material chosen from polypropylene (PP), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a bioplastic such as polyethylene furanoate (PEF), a copolymer such as Tritan^®,

polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), a polycarbonate or any other thermoplastic copolymer or polymer having similar physicochemical properties, particularly a similar high melting point.

In terms of the manufacturing techniques or methods to be employed in the context of the invention, the person skilled in the art has at his disposal a relatively broad list notably comprising bonding, ultrasonic welding, UV welding, molding, overmolding,

copolymerization, thermoforming, coextrusion or two-shot injection molding.

In the context of the invention, the teat-ring (1) may advantageously be manufactured by overmolding; overmolding involves injecting a material in liquid form onto a solid insert made of a material of the rigid polymer type. The material injected in liquid form is then solidified through a thermochemical reaction. In such an embodiment, the materials considered here are of the polypropylene (PP) or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) type for the ring and liquid silicone (LSR) type for the teat. LSR is a material that exhibits excellent tensile strength and resistance to tearing, is hydrophobic, flexible, antibacterial, anti UV and biocompatible. Its relatively high molding temperature of 177°C is high enough to soften certain initially rigid supports, notably polyacrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) or polyethylene (PE), but remains largely compatible with polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) for example.

In fact, a person skilled in the art, by virtue of the teachings afforded by the present description, has at his disposal a range of polymer materials that is broad enough that he can optimize the securing of the ring to the teat.

The adhesion between the overmolding materials is obtained by virtue of a chemical bond made between the overmolded materials. It is of course very important to take account of the compatibility of the materials in order to obtain the required secureness of bonding. The incorporation of a suitable mechanical-connection process that further strengthens the adhesion between the components involved at their interface is an essential aspect of the invention. An undercut represents a good example of mechanical adhesion.

This technology allows two components to be paired definitively and irreversibly. It thus avoids complex assemblies, simplifies the design of the products and makes it possible to improve the physico-chemical properties of numerous injection-molded components.

The body of the baby bottle (14), the of which may be 150, 270 or 350 ml or more according to the age of the infant; the capacities most frequently encountered range between 130 and 400 ml. Said body of the baby bottle is most generally made of a rigid or semirigid polymer material such as polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or Tritan^® for example; it may also be made of glass.

The dimension is of some of the characteristic elements of the baby bottle according to the invention are given hereinafter by way of nonlimiting example:

- Milk ducts (3a, 3b, 3c, etc.): diameter from 0.1 to 1 mm; distributed over a

circumference from 3 to 6 mm in diameter - see Fig.3

- Teat (3): height: 18 to 19 mm - diameter: 14 mm - average thickness: 1 mm

Skirt - radius of curvature: approximately 45 mm - average thickness: 1.4 mm.

Claims

1. A one-piece teat-ring (1) for a baby bottle (2) intended for feeding infants, made up of a flexible upper part (3) known as the teat, configured in such a way as to allow the infant to feed, extended by a flexible lower part (4) known as the skirt, and by a rigid ring (6) secured to the base (7) of said skirt (4), said rigid ring (6) being dimensioned and configured in such a way as to collaborate mechanically with the external face (8) of the neck (5) of the baby bottle (2), in which the rigid ring (6) is secured to the external face (9a) of the base of the skirt (7), the rigid ring (6) is arranged in such a way that the opening or, respectively, the closing of the baby bottle (2) is performed by rotation through 90 degrees or less, the rigid ring (6) comprises on its periphery at least two cutouts (6a, 6b) each providing access to a section (7a, 7b) of the base of the skirt (7) through which there are formed at least two devices (13a, 13b) allowing air to be drawn into the baby bottle, said teat (3) comprising at its upper end several orifices (3a, 3b, 3c, etc.) acting as milk ducts during suckling.

2. The teat-ring as claimed in claim 1, in which the flexible parts (3) and (4) of the teat ring (1) form a continuum within which the Shore hardness of the material used varies from a maximum value at the base of said skirt (7) to reach a minimum value at the teat (3).

3. The teat-ring as claimed in claim 1, in which the flexible parts (3) and (4) have the same degree of Shore hardness, the flexibility of the teat (3) being achieved by a thickness of material that is lower by comparison with that of the skirt (4).

4. The teat-ring as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which the teat (3)

comprises at its base, arranged symmetrically with respect to its axis of rotation, two concave depressions (17a, 17b) of oval or elliptical overall shape.

5. The teat-ring as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which the at least two devices (13a, 13b) comprise or consist of a one-way valve.

6. The teat-ring as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which the teat (3) and the skirt (4) are made of a flexible nontoxic nonallergenic polymer material chosen from silicone, rubber, latex or any other polymer material exhibiting similar

physicochemical properties.

7. The teat-ring as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which the ring (6) is made of a rigid nontoxic, nonallergenic polymer material chosen from polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate or any other thermoplastic polymer material possessing similar physicochemical properties.

8. The teat-ring as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which the ring (6) and the base (7) of the skirt (4) are joined together indissociably via all or part of the surface they have in common.

9. The teat-ring as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which the ring (6) adheres continuously to the circumference of the base (7) of the skirt.

10. The teat-ring as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which the ring (6) is

physically or chemically secured to the external face (9a) of the base (7) of the skirt.

11. The teat-ring as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which the ring (6) and the base (7) of the skirt (4) are rendered indissociable from one another by bonding, ultrasonic welding, UV welding, molding, overmolding, copolymerization,

thermoforming, coextrusion or two-shot injection molding.

12. The teat-ring as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which the ring (6) and/or the base (7) of the skirt (4) comprise at least one mechanical, tactile, audible or visible respectively open or closed position indicator.

13. The teat-ring as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which the mechanical or respectively audible position indicator is made up of portions of short screw threads (10a, 10b, 10c, etc.) which are positioned equidistant from one another on the periphery (8) of the neck (5) of the baby bottle.

14. The teat-ring as claimed in one of the preceding claims, in which the external face (9a) of the base (7) of the ring (6) comprises projecting elements (11) and, respectively, recessed elements (12) intended to make it easier to grasp or to handle.

15. A baby bottle (2) intended for feeding infants, made up of a teat-ring (1) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 15, of a feeding-bottle body (14) and of a cap (15).