Claims
- 1. A transformable holder for use in disposable feeding systems, said holder comprisinga first rigid body section having a first longitudinal axis and a first pair of open ends, a second rigid body section having a second longitudinal axis and a second pair of open ends, and connecting means for connecting one end of said first body section to one end of said second body section in a friction fit fashion, said connecting means comprising a first ramping lug, a second ramping lug, a first friction lug, and a second friction lug such that the first and second body sections are movable relative to each other between a first position in which said first and second longitudinal axes are in substantial coaxial alignment with each other, whereby said holder is substantially straight, and a second position, in which said one end of said first body section abuts said one end of said second body section and in which said first and second longitudinal axes are substantially out of coaxial alignment with each other, whereby said holder is substantially angled.
- 2. The transformable holder according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said ramping lugs has an angle of curvature of from about 5 degrees to about 45 degrees.
- 3. The transformable holder according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said ramping lugs has a stop flap having a height of about 0.005 inches to about 0.5 inches.
- 4. The transformable holder according to claim 1, wherein said first and second ramping lugs are integral with the first body section, and said first and second friction lugs are integral with the second body section.
- 5. The transformable holder according to claim 1, wherein said first and second ramping lugs are located on diametrically opposed portions of a guiding ring.
- 6. The transformable holder according to claim 1, wherein said first and second friction lugs are located on diametrically opposed portions of a rim of one of the body portions.
- 7. The transformable holder according to claim 1, wherein said first friction lug frictionally engages the first ramping lug when the first body portion is rotated up to about 180 degrees relative to the second body portion.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continued prosecution application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/225,793 filed on Jan. 5, 1999, which is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/896,187 (Attorney Docket No. JBP-378) filed on Jul. 17, 1997, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein now U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,681.
US Referenced Citations (22)
Foreign Referenced Citations (9)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0 061 868 A1 |
Oct 1982 |
EP |
0 414 67381 |
Mar 1994 |
EP |
0 891 762 A2 |
Jul 1998 |
EP |
2 109 247 |
Nov 1981 |
GB |
2 109 247 |
Jun 1983 |
UA |
2 277 452A |
Nov 1994 |
UA |
WO 9103225 |
Mar 1991 |
WO |
WO 9201435 |
Feb 1992 |
WO |
WO 9214437 |
Sep 1992 |
WO |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08/896187 |
Jul 1997 |
US |
Child |
09/225793 |
|
US |