Patent Application
20050245861
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to the field of providing nourishment and sustenance to the very young and/or the disabled. More specifically, this invention relates to a mesh type feeder that may be used to feed infants, small children or adults who might otherwise be susceptible to choking while being fed.
2. Description of the Related Technology
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,364,348 and 6,524,272 describe mesh type feeders that are used in the feeding of infants and small children to facilitate the transition between bottle feeding and spoon feeding. These feeders included a mesh enclosure that is held open by a holder and a handle member/plug that is threaded so as to be screwed into and seal an opening that is defined in the holder. The apparatus was described in that patent and later U.S. patent as having particular utility in the administration of certain foods, such as semi solid foods.
In the devices described above the handle member necessarily had to be completely disengaged and removed from the member that holds the mesh enclosure in order to insert or remove food from the interior of the mesh enclosure. This could possibly result in the handle being misplaced or contaminated with bacteria if the caregiver finds it necessary to temporarily place the handle in an unhygienic location while preparing the food and placing into the mesh enclosure. Bacteria could also be transmitted to the mesh enclosure from the caregiver's hand during screwing and unscrewing of the handle member/plug. Caregivers tend to be quite busy, especially if responsible for more than one child and are frequently trying to do several things at once. The process of screwing and unscrewing the handle member/plug from the holder necessarily required the caregiver to use both hands and required a range of wrist motion that could be painful for older caregivers or caregivers with arthritis. This is exacerbated by the fact that many caregivers might prefer to use the feeder to feed the child small amounts of food at a time, which would necessitate frequent screwing and unscrewing of the handle member/plug.
A need exists for an improved mesh type feeder that is more convenient to use and more sanitary than the conventional mesh feeders described above.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved mesh type feeder that is more convenient to use and more sanitary than the conventional mesh feeders described above.
In order to achieve the above and other objects of the invention, a feeding apparatus according to a first aspect of the invention includes a mesh enclosure having a first open end and a second closed end; a mesh holder for holding the first, open end of the mesh enclosure in an open position, the mesh holder having an opening defined therein through which food may be inserted into the mesh enclosure; a closure for selectively sealing said opening; and mounting structure for mounting the closure to the mesh holder for movement between a first open position wherein food may be inserted or removed from the mesh enclosure through the opening and a second, closed position wherein the opening is sealed, the mounting structure being constructed so as to maintain engagement between the closure and the mesh holder in both the first open position and the second closed position.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a feeding apparatus includes a mesh enclosure having a first open end and a second closed end; a mesh holder for holding the first, open end of the mesh enclosure in an open position, the mesh holder having an opening defined therein through which food may be inserted into the mesh enclosure; a closure for selectively sealing the opening; and a hood member, releasably mounted to one of the mesh holder and the closure, for covering the mesh enclosure when the feeding apparatus is not in use.
These and various other advantages and features of novelty that characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding structure throughout the views, and referring in particular to
Feeding apparatus 10 further preferably includes a mesh holder 18 that is preferably permanently secured to the mesh enclosure 12 proximate to the first, open end 14 so as to hold the first, open end 14 in a wide open position. Referring now to
The mounting insert 28 of the mesh holder 18 further defines a frustoconical internal surface that tapers downwardly to an inner rim 34 defining an opening through which the interior of the mesh enclosure 12 may be accessed. The entire mesh holder 18 is preferably fabricated from a resilient plastic material such as a Copolymer Polypropylene, preferably having a hardness of about 95 A Durometer.
Alternatively, the mesh holder 18 may be of one-piece construction, with the plastic material of the mesh holder either being co-molded with the mesh enclosure or molded about an upper portion of the mesh enclosure so that the mesh material is securely entrained therein.
Referring again to
According to one important aspect of the invention, a mounting mechanism 44 is provided to permit movement of the closure member 36 between a first open position in which food may be inserted into the mesh enclosure 12 and a second, closed position. Preferably, mounting mechanism 44 is constructed in such a manner that it remains continuously engaged with both the mesh holder 18 and the closure member 36 whether the closure member 36 is in the first position, the second position or in transit between the two positions. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, mounting mechanism 44 is embodied as a hinge 46 that constrained to the closure member 36 for pivotal movement with respect to the mesh holder 18. Looking briefly to
According to another important aspect of the invention, a flexible latch member 58 is integral with the closure member 36 and includes a flexible arm 60 and a locking projections 62 that extends radially inwardly from a distal end of the flexible latch arm 60. Locking projection 62 is sized and shaped to be releasably received by the locking recess 26 that is defined in the exterior surface of the mounting ring 20 described above. Additionally, a gripping projection 64 extends radially outwardly from the distal end of the flexible arm 60 so that a consumer may grip the distal end of the flexible arm 60 in order to unseat the locking projection 62 from the locking recess 26. Additional structure may be provided to help the closure member 36 seat securely in relation to the mesh holder 18 when in the second, closed position. This may include a pair of raised bumps (not shown) on frustoconical surface 42 that snap into a corresponding pair of recesses that are defined in inner surface 33 of the mounting insert 28.
For safety purposes and to enhance the grippability of the gripping projection 64, a soft elastomeric overmolding 66 is provided on the protruding portion of the gripping projection 64. In the preferred embodiment, overmolding 66 is fabricated from a Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) having a hardness of about Durometer 60 A or softer, such as which is commercially available from GLS Corporation as grade Dynaflex 7960.
Closure member 36 further includes a handle 68 for gripping and carrying the feeding apparatus 10. In the preferred embodiment, handle 68 is constructed as a teething ring 70 and has a soft, elastomeric overmolding 72 at an upper end thereof to provide a soft teething surface for an infant or small child. Closure member 36 and handle 68 are preferably fabricate from a resilient plastic material such as a copolymer polypropylene. As is shown in
A feeder that is constructed according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention is depicted in
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
