The present invention relates to disposable containers and, in particular, to a disposable infant formula feeding pouch.
Infant feeding bottles have typically been formed from a relatively rigid plastic material that allows a caregiver or child to grip the bottle. The rigid nature of these bottles is advantageous for gripability. However, rigid bottles are also disadvantageous because they are relatively expensive to manufacture, require repeated washing and sterilization after each use and are bulky since they are not easily compressible.
Collapsible pouches, on the other hand, are cheaper to manufacture since they are formed from minimal amounts of materials. Disposable pouches also eliminate the need to wash and sterilize the bottles after each use since they are disposable. Moreover, because disposable pouches can be prepackaged with formula, either in liquid or dry form, the correct amount of formula can be administered during each feeding.
The present invention recognizes and addresses considerations of prior art constructions and methods and provides an infant feeding bottle including a flexible pouch and a fitment. The pouch includes a first wall, a second wall, and a base connected between the first and the second pouch walls, so that the first and the second pouch wall form an open end opposite the base. The fitment includes a body for supporting an inside edge of the first and the second pouch walls, a first vertical wall connected to the body and extending parallel to a central axis of the body, and a second vertical wall connected to the body and extending parallel to the first vertical wall and the central body axis. The fitment may further include a threaded opening for receiving a nipple or other feeding mechanism. The open end of the pouch receives the fitment body so that the first and second fitment walls are received within the pouch proximate the pouch walls.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended drawings, in which:
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent same or analogous features or elements of the invention.
Reference will now be made in detail to presently preferred embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
Collapsible pouch 12, which may be of special or conventional design, may be made from a flexible, heat-sealable polymeric sheet so as to have a first wall 16 and a second wall 18. Walls 16 and 18 may be formed from any suitable flexible material, and in one embodiment,
Wall portions 16 and 18 may be sealable to each other at their edge portions, thereby defining an interior chamber 20. Chamber 20 is closed at a first end 22 by a base 23 and open at a second end 24 to form a mouth or opening into interior chamber 20. Base 23 may be even with the first end 22 of walls 16 and 18 (
Fitment 14 contains two components: a fitment body 26 and a threaded cylindrical top portion 28. Cylindrical top portion 28 may be separately molded and attached to body 26, but in one embodiment, the two parts are integrally molded together. Body 26 and cylindrical top portion 28 may be molded from a polymeric material suitable for forming the fitment, as shown in
Fitment body 26 contains a bonding portion 30 and an axially downward extending structure. In one embodiment, the axially downward extending structure comprises two parallel fitment walls 32 and 34. Fitment walls 32 and 34 are generally rectangular, have a convex bow shape, and are sized substantially equal to the width of walls 16 and 18. Fitment walls 32 and 34 may be of any suitable spacing from each other but, in one embodiment, fitment walls 32 and 24 are adequately spaced apart so that they are proximate to the inside surface of walls 16 and 18. An inwardly extending shoulder portion 38 connects fitment walls 32 and 34 to bonding portion 30. Each wall may contain a recessed oval area 36 (
When fluid is placed in the pouch, the pouch walls become relatively rigid under the pressure of the fluid. Without the fitment walls, the pouch would loose rigidity and become unstable and limp as the fluid is removed from the pouch during the feeding process. The loss of rigidity would cause the pouch to flop around in the caregiver's hand. Accordingly, the axially downward extending structure of fitment 14 supports the pouch so that it may stand upright and provide a rigid surface to enhance the pouch's gripability. The fitment walls also reduce the likelihood that product is squeezed out of the pouch under the gripping force of the caregiver and provide greater stability when the pouch collapses as the fluid is drained. Therefore, fitment walls 32 and 34 should generally be of sufficient thickness to enhance gripability and provide structural stability. In one embodiment, fitment walls 32 and 34 are in the range of about 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm thick but the wall thickness may vary depending on the application of the pouch and fitment and its intended contents.
Referring to
Cylindrical top portion 28 contains a thread 44 about its outer periphery and a rim 46 that defines opening 48. Thread 44 is adapted to receive an annular cap 50 having a helical thread 52 on its inner circumference for removably securing cap 50 to the threaded cylindrical top portion 28. Outer circumference 54 of cap 50 may contain ribs or knurling 56 that allow the caregiver to more easily grasp cap 50 when removing it from or fitting it on cylindrical top portion 28. In addition to its internally threaded cylindrical wall, cap 50 includes an annular end wall 58, which defines an interior peripheral rim 60 dimensioned to fit around a portion of a nipple 64. Nipple 64 and cap 50 can thus be press fit together.
Referring to
As shown in
A releasable seal 75 (
In addition to the releasably attached seal 75, bottle 10 may also include an anti-tamper ring 76 (
In another embodiment (
Pouch 12 attaches to bonding surface 41 of ribs 40, for example, by adhesive bonding, ultrasonic bonding, heat bonding, or by other suitable bonding means. When pouch 12 is bonded to fitment 14, fitment walls 32 and 34 engage the inner surface of pouch walls 16 and 18, respectively. Thus, when the caregiver grasps pouch 12, fitment walls 32 and 34 exert an outward force against the caregiver's grasp that prevents the pouch from collapsing under the gripping force.
Fitment 214 differs from fitments 14 and 114 in that fitment walls 232 and 234 are substantially rounded and do not extend the full length or width of pouch walls 216 and 218. Fitment walls 232 and 234 connect to the bottom of bonding portion 230 and may extend vertically downward or, alternatively, downwardly at a slight outward angle. Each fitment wall 232 and 234 is formed with a plurality of holes 235. Holes 235 allow liquid trapped between fitment walls 232 and 234 and pouch walls 216 and 218, respectively, to flow through and into the main pouch chamber 220 so that substantially all of the liquid in pouch 12 may reach the nipple. A recess 236, which may be formed in fitment walls 232 and 234, enhances the caregiver's grasp on bottle 110 by receiving the caregiver's thumb and forefinger. Similar to bottle 10, a seal 274 may be received on the fitment mouth. Otherwise, all other parts of bottle 210 are, and operate, substantially the same as in bottles 10 and 110.
Any of the above discussed embodiments of the disposable infant formula feeding pouch may contain prepackaged formula. For example, the disposable pouch may contain premixed liquid formula or pre-measured powdered formula to which water may be added. Additionally, the flexible pouch may also be sold empty for use with separately-sold formula or even with breast milk.
While one or more preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it should be understood that any and all equivalent realizations of the present invention are included within the scope and spirit thereof. The embodiments depicted are presented by way of example only and are not intended as limitations upon the present invention. Thus, those of ordinary skill in this art should understand that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments since modifications can be made. Therefore, it is contemplated that any and all such embodiments are included in the present invention as may fall within the scope and spirit thereof.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2876113 | Barton | Mar 1959 | A |
3232467 | Barton | Feb 1966 | A |
3523026 | Emerson et al. | Aug 1970 | A |
3690524 | Haberhauer | Sep 1972 | A |
4637934 | White | Jan 1987 | A |
4678092 | Rane | Jul 1987 | A |
4718778 | Ichikawa | Jan 1988 | A |
4732299 | Hoyt | Mar 1988 | A |
4830251 | Conrad | May 1989 | A |
5257865 | Tani | Nov 1993 | A |
5511697 | Gruenbacher et al. | Apr 1996 | A |
5806719 | Witty et al. | Sep 1998 | A |
5823383 | Hins | Oct 1998 | A |
6000848 | Massioui | Dec 1999 | A |
6105821 | Christine et al. | Aug 2000 | A |
6142344 | Kai | Nov 2000 | A |
6241122 | Araki et al. | Jun 2001 | B1 |
6241132 | Morrison | Jun 2001 | B1 |
6250506 | Geiger et al. | Jun 2001 | B1 |
6273307 | Gross et al. | Aug 2001 | B1 |
6439429 | Gross | Aug 2002 | B1 |
6612428 | Segovia et al. | Sep 2003 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
WO8504574 | Oct 1985 | WO |
WO 8504636 | Oct 1985 | WO |
WO 0115653 | Mar 2001 | WO |
WO 03068631 | Aug 2003 | WO |