US3113687A

US3113687A - Nursing bottle construction

Info

Publication number: US3113687A
Application number: US123763A
Authority: US
Inventors: Butts Richard Raymond
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-07-13
Filing date: 1961-07-13
Publication date: 1963-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 1980-12-10

Description

Dec. 10, 1963 R. R. BUTTS 3,

mmsmc BOTTLE CONSTRUCTION Filed July 13, 1961 INVENTOR. FIG. 3 RICHARD R. BUTTS 2 I M,,,44W

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,113,637 NURSING BQTTLE QONSTRUQTHUN Richard Raymond Butts, M79 Midland Road, Bay City, Mich. Filed July 13, 1961, Ser. No. 123,763 7 Claims. (fill. 215-11) This invention relates to a nursing bottle construction and more panticularly to a disposable nursing bottle which can be filled with liquid, sealed under hygienic conditions and stored until such time as the contents are consumed, the bottle being formed of such inexpensive material as to permit it to be thrown away or discarded after it is emptied.

An object of the invention is to provide a nursing bottle which is constructed of such inexpensive material as to permit the bottle to be discarded after its contents are drained and yet which is of suflicient rigidity to pernr t it to be self-supporting and to prevent collapsing or rupturing of the walls of the bottle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a disposable nursing bottle construction in which beverages may be placed under completely sanitary conditions and which may be stored for an indefinite period of time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a nursing bottle that may be completely sealed prior to its use and which quickly and easily can be pierced to permit its contents to be removed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved valve construction for nursing bottles which permits air to enter the bottle when, and in the amounts, necessary to assure proper flow of the bottles contents.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out specifically or will become apparent from the following description when it is considered in conjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a nursing bottle formed in accordance with the invention and in condition for storage prior to use;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of one embodiment of a nursing bottle ready for use;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the inside surface of the base of the bottle shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4, but illustrating a modified form of the invention.

A bottle formed in accordance with the invention comprises a hollow body 1 having side walls 2 and end walls 3 which terminate at one end of the body in an integral nipple 4. At its other end, the side and end walls terminate in outwardly flared end portions 5 and 6, respec' tively. The body member 1 preferably is an integral structure formed of flexible material such as polyethylene and it may be manufactured by either vacuum or injection molding processes or in any other suitable manner.

The apparatus includes a combined base member and valve structure which, in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, comprises a base member 7 having an end Wall 8 of a size corresponding substantially to the cross-sectional size of the base end of the body 1. Extending completely around the wall 8 is an integral flange 9 that is flared to correspond to the flaring of the flanges 5 and 6 and which is adapted to be received within the flanges 5 and 6 in fiace-to-face engagement therewith. The base member 7 preferably is formed of the same material as the body member 1 and it may be fixed to the latter by heat welding or fusion of the flanges 5, 6 and 9.

At substantially the center of the base member, the

3,ll3,87 Patented Dec. 16, i863 wall 8 may be deformed outwardly so as to provide an outwardly convex depression 10 of substantially conical shape. Received in the depression ii) is a ball valve element 11 having a stem 12 rigidly secured thereto. Overlying the ball 11 is a mounting device or spider 13 having a plurality of arms 14 intersecting at corresponding ends to form a centrally located web 15 that is apertured so as slideably to receive the valve stem 12. The free ends of the arms 14 may be permanently secured to the inner surface of the base wall 8 by heat welding, fusion, or any other suitable process. Surrounding the valve stem 12 is a coil spring 16 which reacts between the web 15 and the ball 11 to urge the latter snugly into engagement with the walls of the conical depression 10. The parts 11-16 preferably are formed of a plastic material such as polyethylene, although other materials may be used.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 5, the base member '7 is the same as has been described earlier. The diflerence between the two embodiments is in the valve structure. In the apparatus shown in FIGURE 5, a ball element 17 may be molded at one end of a flexible polyethylene strap 18 which may be welded or fused at its other end to the inner surface of the base wall 8. The strap 18 yieldably holds the ball 17 in engagement with the wall of the conical depression 10.

In the manufacture of the nursing bottle of either embodiment, the body member 1 is formed as a separate unit and the combined valve and base unit is formed as a separate unit. The empty bodies may be conveyed by suitable machinery through a sterilizing machine and then to a filling machine where the inverted bodies may be filled with a beverage such as a milk formula, fruit juice, water, or the like. A sterilized base structure then may be fitted within the open base end of a body and be welded or fused thereto. When a body and a base are assembled, the contents of the bottle will be completely sealed in an impervious container. Alternatively, the bottle body may be filled with a liquid and the base se cured to the body, following which the entire assembly may be sterilized.

Following the sterilization process, the bottle may be rotected against contamination by being wrapped with a cover or shield 19 formed of a thin sheet of flexible material such as has previously been described. The edges of the shield may be heat sealed or otherwise secured to one another so as to protect the entire bottle structure. Filled bottles then may be packed for shipment and storage.

To condition a bottle for use, the shield or hood member 19 may be torn ofl the bottle and the end of the nipple pierced to provide an opening 20 (see FIGURE 2) through which the contents of the bottle may 'be withdrawn. If desired, a pin (not shown) may be packaged with each bottle, inside the shield 19, so as to provide a sterilized device for piercing the bottle. It is preferred that the nipple 4 be slightly dimpled on its exterior surface so as to facilitate its being pierced, the dimple being formed in the molding process. The conical projection 10 on the base wall also should be provided with a dimple which can be pierced to form an opening 21 through which air may enter the body :as its contents are withdrawn.

The opening 21 in the base of the bottle will be sealed by the appropriate valve element 11 or 17 until the withdrawal of the fluid through the nipple causes a reduction in pressure within the bottle to permit atmospheric pressure to displace the valve element against the bias of the spring 16 or 18, thereby assuring a smooth flow of fluid through the nipple. The Wall thickness of the body should be such as to prevent collapsing of the body during removal of its contents. Stated differently, the capacity or" the springs 16 or 18 should be such as to assure opening of the associated valve prior to collapsing of the body walls. if it is desired to make use of thinner walls, they may be longitudinally fluted or ribbed to rigidify them. When the pressures inside and outside the bottle are equalized, the spring 16 or 18 will effect resealing of the opening 21.

As is indicated in the drawings, the depressions 10 do not extend beyond the flange 9 of the base. Accordingly, the bottle may be stood upright on its base.

When the bottle is empty it may be thrown away, inasmuch as the materials from which the bottle is made are extremely inexpensive.

The disclosed embodiments are representative of presently preferred forms of the invention but are intended to be illustrative rather than definitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A disposable nursing bottle construction comprising a hollow body member having imperforate walls; means at one end of said body member forming a nipple; and check valve means remote from said one end of said body member and located wholly within the latter, said nipple being adapted to be pierced to permit the contents of said body member to be withdrawn and said body being adapted to be pierced adjacent said valve means to permit air to enter said body member under the control of said valve means as the contents of said body member are withdrawn.

2. A disposable nursing bottle construction comprising a hollow body member having imperforate walls formed of flexible material; means at one end of said body member forming a nipple; check valve means remote from said one end of said body member and located wholly within the latter adjacent a wall of said body; and yieldable means within said body resiliently urging said check valve means into engagement with said Wall, said nipple being adapted to be pierced to permit (the contents of said body member to be withdrawn and said wall being adapted to be pierced adjacent said valve means to permit air to enter said body member under the control of said valve means as the contents of said body member are withdrawn.

3. A disposable nursing bottle construction comprising a hollow body member having imperforate walls formed of flexible material; means at one end of said body member forming a nipple; a wall of said body member at the opposite end of said body member having an outwardly convex depression therein; a ball check valve wholly within said body member; and yieldable means in engagement with said valve and resiliently urging the latter into said depression, said nipple being adapted to be pierced to permit the contents of said body member to be withdrawn and said wall of said body being adapted to be pierced adjacent said valve to permit air to enter said body member under the control of said valve as the contents of said body member are withdrawn.

4. A disposable nursing bottie construction comprising a hollow body member formed of flexible, imperforate material and havin an integral nipple at one end thereof; an imperforate closure wall at the other end of said body member, said closure wall having an outwardly convex depression formed therein; a valve element; means mounting said valve element wholly within said body member and adjacent said depression; and yieldable means Within said body member in engagement with said valve element and yieldably biasing the latter into said depression.

5. The construction set forth in claim 4 wherein said valve element comprises a ball member, and wherein said yieldable means comprises a spring reacting between said ball member and said mounting means.

6. The construction set forth in claim 4 wherein said mounting means comprises a flexible and resilient strap secured at one end to said closure and having a ball memher at its other end received in said depression, said ball member constituting said valve element and said strap constituting said yieldable means.

7. A disposable nursing bottle construction comprising a hollow body member having side walls formed of flexible, impertorate material, the side walls of said body member terminating at one end of the latter in means forming a nipple, the side walls of said body member terminating at the other end of the latter in outwardly flared flanges extending beyond the sides of said body member to form a base for said body member, said flanges being of such rigidity as to enable them to support said body member in an upright position; a bottom wall formed of imperforate material and secured to said flanges, said bottom wall being capable of being pierced at a predetermined zone to form an opening through which air may enter said body member as its contents are drained; check valve means mounted on said bottom wall on its inside surface at said zone; and yieldable means acting on said valve means urging the latter into engagement with said bottom wall for yieldabiy closing said opening.

Allen Aug. 20, 1957 Litzie Mar. 4, 1958

Claims

1. A DISPOSABLE NURSING BOTTLE CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A HOLLOW BODY MEMBER HAVING IMPERFORATE WALLS; MEANS AT ONE END OF SAID BODY MEMBER FORMING A NIPPLE; AND CHECK VALVE MEANS REMOTE FROM SAID ONE END OF SAID BODY MEMBER AND LOCATED WHOLLY WITHIN THE LATTER, SAID NIPPLE BEING ADAPTED TO BE PIERCED TO PERMIT THE CONTENTS OF SAID