Claims
- 1. An adapter for connecting with a bottle having a threaded neck portion and for permitting the separate storage of a composition for subsequent mixing with a fluid contained in the bottle, the adapter comprising:
a connector having an outer wall defining a containment region therewithin, the containment region adapted to hold a composition, an internal threaded portion adapted to engage an external threaded section on a neck portion of a bottle, the threaded portion having an opening at a top end, the opening in fluid communication with the containment region, the threaded portion defining at least an upper portion of a passageway between the top end thereof and a lower end of the connector, and an upper end having an aperture in fluid communication with the containment region; a first sealing member for achieving a fluid-tight seal with the threaded portion opening; and a second sealing member for achieving a fluid-tight seal with the aperture; wherein in use a removal of the first sealing member permits fluid communication between the containment region and the fluid in the bottle, thereby permitting the formation of a mixture of the composition and the fluid, and a removal of the second sealing member permits removal of the mixture from the containment region and the bottle.
- 2. The adapter recited in claim 1, wherein the connector upper end comprises means for engaging with a drinking assembly.
- 3. The adapter recited in claim 2, wherein the engaging means comprises means for engaging with a baby bottle cap.
- 4. The adapter recited in claim 2, wherein the engaging means comprises an external threaded portion for engaging with an internal threaded portion of the drinking assembly.
- 5. The adapter recited in claim 1, wherein the threaded portion has a first length between the top end and a bottom end opposed to the top end, the first length smaller than a second length between a top end of the bottle neck threaded section and a bottom end opposed to the bottle neck top end.
- 6. The adapter recited in claim 5, wherein the first sealing member comprises a frangible seal positioned adjacent the threaded portion top end, the frangible seal removable by a mating of the connector with the bottle neck sufficient to cause the bottle neck top end to extend beyond the threaded portion top end.
- 7. The adapter recited in claim 1, wherein the connector is engageable with a deformable bottle and the first sealing member comprises a frangible seal positioned adjacent the threaded portion top end, the frangible seal removable under fluid pressure applied by deformation of the bottle.
- 8. The adapter recited in claim 1, wherein the first sealing member comprises a removable and replaceable seal.
- 9. The adapter recited in claim 1, wherein the second sealing member comprises a frangible seal.
- 10. The adapter recited in claim 1, wherein the connector is engageable with a deformable bottle and the second sealing member comprises a frangible seal positioned adjacent the connector upper end, the frangible seal removable under fluid pressure applied by deformation of the bottle.
- 11. The adapter recited in claim 1, wherein the second sealing member comprises a-removable and replaceable seal.
- 12. The adapter recited in claim 1, wherein the connector has a bottom face meeting a lower edge of the outer wall at an outer perimeter thereof, the bottom face comprising a depression configured to engage at least a portion of a shoulder region and the neck of the bottle, a central region of the depression comprising the passageway.
- 13. The adapter recited in claim 12, wherein the bottom face is configured to engage at least a portion of a shoulder region and the neck of a baby bottle, and the threaded portion is adapted to engage the external threaded section of the baby bottle neck.
- 14. An adapter and drinking assembly apparatus for connecting with a bottle having a threaded neck portion and for permitting the separate storage of a composition for subsequent mixing with a fluid contained in the bottle, the apparatus comprising:
a drinking assembly comprising a fluid delivery member at a top end and having a fluid passageway extending from an opening in the fluid delivery member to an opening at a bottom end; a connector having an outer wall defining a containment region therewithin, the containment region adapted to hold a composition, an internal threaded portion adapted to engage an external threaded section on a neck portion of a bottle, the threaded portion having an opening at a top end, the opening in fluid communication with the containment region, the threaded portion defining at least an upper portion of a first passageway between the top end thereof and a lower end of the connector, and an upper end having an aperture in fluid communication with the containment region and means for mating with the bottom end of the drinking assembly defining a second passageway between the containment region and the fluid passageway of the drinking assembly; a first sealing member for achieving a fluid-tight seal with the threaded portion opening; and a second sealing member for achieving a fluid-tight seal with the aperture; wherein in use a removal of the first sealing member permits fluid communication between the containment region and the fluid in the bottle, thereby permitting the formation of a mixture of the composition and the fluid, and a removal of the second sealing member permits dispensing of the mixture from the containment region and the bottle through the fluid delivery member opening.
- 15. The apparatus recited in claim 14, wherein the engaging means comprises an external threaded portion and the drinking assembly bottom end comprises an internal threaded portion adapted for engaging with the connector external threaded portion.
- 16. The apparatus recited in claim 15, wherein the drinking assembly comprises a baby bottle cap and the fluid delivery member comprises a nipple.
- 17. The apparatus recited in claim 16, wherein the drinking assembly comprises a bottle cap and the fluid delivery member comprises a spout movable between and open position wherein fluid passage is permitted and a closed position wherein fluid passage is inhibited.
- 18. The apparatus recited in claim 14, wherein the threaded portion has a first length between the top end and a bottom end opposed to the top end, the first length smaller than a second length between a top end of the bottle neck threaded section and a bottom end opposed to the bottle neck top end.
- 19. The apparatus recited in claim 18, wherein the first sealing member comprises a frangible seal positioned adjacent the threaded portion top end, the frangible seal removable by a mating of the connector with the bottle neck sufficient to cause the bottle neck top end to extend beyond the threaded portion top end.
- 20. The apparatus recited in claim 14, wherein the connector is engageable with a deformable bottle and the first sealing member comprises a frangible seal positioned adjacent the threaded portion top end, the frangible seal removable under fluid pressure applied by deformation of the bottle.
- 21. The apparatus recited in claim 14, wherein the first sealing member comprises a removable and replaceable seal.
- 22. The apparatus recited in claim 14, wherein the second sealing member comprises a frangible seal.
- 23. The apparatus recited in claim 14, wherein the connector is engageable with a deformable bottle and the second sealing member comprises a frangible seal positioned adjacent the threaded portion top end, the frangible seal removable under fluid pressure applied by deformation of the bottle.
- 24. The apparatus recited in claim 14, wherein the second sealing member comprises a removable and replaceable seal.
- 25. The apparatus recited in claim 14, wherein the connector has a bottom face meeting a lower edge of the outer wall at an outer perimeter thereof, the bottom face comprising a depression configured to engage at least a portion of a shoulder region and the neck of the bottle, a central region of the depression comprising the first passageway.
- 26. The apparatus recited in claim 25, wherein the bottom face is configured to engage at least a portion of a shoulder region and the neck of a baby bottle, and the threaded portion is adapted to engage the external threaded section of the baby bottle neck.
- 27. A fluid mixing and delivery apparatus comprising:
a bottle having a neck portion having an external threaded section and an opening at a top end; a drinking assembly comprising a fluid delivery member at a top end and having a fluid passageway extending from an opening in the fluid delivery member to an opening at a bottom end; an adapter comprising:
a connector having an outer wall defining a containment region therewithin, the containment region adapted to hold a composition, an internal threaded portion adapted to engage the bottle neck external threaded section, the threaded portion having an opening at a top end, the opening in fluid communication with the containment region, the threaded portion defining at least an upper portion of a first passageway between the top end thereof and a lower end of the connector, and an upper end having an aperture in fluid communication with the containment region and means for mating with the bottom end of the drinking assembly defining a second passageway between the containment region and the fluid passageway of the drinking assembly; a first sealing member for achieving a fluid-tight seal with the threaded portion opening; and a second sealing member for achieving a fluid-tight seal with the aperture; wherein in use a removal of the first sealing member permits fluid communication between the containment region and the fluid in the bottle, thereby permitting the formation of a mixture of the composition and the fluid, and a removal of the second sealing member permits dispensing of the mixture from the containment region and the bottle through the fluid delivery member opening.
- 28. A method of storing a composition for subsequent mixing with a fluid comprising the steps of:
placing a composition in a containment region of a connector, the connector having an internal threaded portion adapted to engage an external threaded section on a neck portion of a bottle, the threaded portion having an opening at a top end, the opening in fluid communication with the containment region, the threaded portion defining at least an upper portion of a passageway between the top end thereof and a lower end of the connector; and sealing the threaded portion opening and the aperture.
- 29. A method of delivering a mixture of a composition and a fluid comprising the steps of:
removing a first seal between a containment region of a connector and a bottle, the connector having an internal threaded portion adapted to engage an external threaded section on a neck portion of a bottle, the threaded portion defining at least an upper portion of a passageway between the top end thereof and a lower end of the containment region, the containment region containing a composition and the bottle containing a fluid; permitting the composition and the fluid to mix to form a mixture; removing a second seal sealing an aperture between the containment region and an area external to the containment region; and dispensing the mixture from the aperture.
- 30. The method recited in claim 29, wherein the composition comprises an infant formula, the fluid comprises water, and the bottle comprises a baby bottle.
- 31. The method recited in claim 30, wherein the dispensing step comprises permitting the mixture to flow from the aperture into a baby bottle cap and thence from a nipple affixed to the baby bottle cap.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to provisional patent application No. 60/377,538, “Disposable Bottle Adapter,” filed on May 3, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60377538 |
May 2002 |
US |