This invention relates to containers, and more particularly, to double walled baby bottles, and vented baby bottles.
Conventional baby bottles have a single wall that does not retain heat well. Insulated baby bottles increase heat retention by using a double-walled container, but there is a need for improved double walled baby bottles.
Some baby bottles are vented, to allow air from the atmosphere into the bottle as milk is taken out. However, conventional vented baby bottles often spill some of the milk out through the vent when the bottle is turned upside down from an upright position. Thus, there is also a need for vented baby bottles that do not drip or spill milk from the bottle when the bottle is tipped upside down.
Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide new and improved containers.
Another object is to provide new and improved double walled baby bottles.
Another object is to provide new and improved vented baby bottles.
In keeping with one aspect of this invention, a container has an inner vessel for containing liquid such as milk, water, juice or the like. An outer vessel creates a larger volume than the volume of the inner vessel, so that the inner vessel can fit inside the outer vessel.
The inner vessel has an open top end, and the outer vessel has an open top end. A top cap covers both vessels, and is secured so as to maintain the inner and outer vessels in spaced relation to each other. The top cap can have an integral nipple in fluid communication with the inside of the inner vessel. An alternate top cap secures the inner and outer vessels in the same manner, without the integral nipple. Either top cap can be used with the outer vessel alone, or the inner vessel alone, as well as the double-walled assembly of vessels.
A bottom cap can also be provided for the bottom end of the inner vessel, if desired. The bottom end of the inner vessel can be sized to industry standard diameter and threads, to accommodate conventional baby bottle caps and nipples.
In another aspect of the invention, a vent in the top cap permits air to enter the liquid holding vessel as the liquid is removed. A filter in the vent allows the air to pass, but not the liquid, so the liquid does not spill when the container is tipped.
The above mentioned and other features of this invention and the manner of obtaining them will become more apparent, and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
As seen in
The vessels 12 and 14 can contain liquid such as milk, juice or water for a baby. A removable sanitary cap 21 can be provided to protect the nipple 17 and bottle contents from outside contamination.
As seen in
The top cap 16 secures and seals the inner and outer vessels in spaced relation to each other, as seen in
The cap 16 has lips 34, 35 that further seal a space 36 between the inner and outer vessels. The space 36 provides thermal insulation for the inner vessel 12, and can itself contain air, heated water, cooled water or the like.
The cap 16 also has at least one thread 40 that engages the thread 28 on the outer vessel 14, and at least one thread 42 which engages the thread 24 of the inner vessel 12. The cap 16 could also secure the vessels 12, 14 in other ways, such as press fit, bayonet attachment, or bonding. Bonding is advantageous for single use applications, for disposable containers, and for preserving the contents in a sterile or uncontaminated condition. In these and other suitable ways, the vessels can be secured in spaced relation to each other, and the space 36 can be adequately sealed.
The top cap 16 further includes an opening 44 and spaced inner extensions 46, which receive and secure the vent 18, shown in
The filter 20 is located at the first end 48 in
A variation of the cap 16 is shown in
Another variation of the cap 16 is shown in
It is contemplated that the top ends of the inner and outer vessels will not accept an industry standard nipple and cap. It is desirable to at least have the capability to use an industry standard nipple and cap, though, and a bottom opening 90 may be provided for this purpose, if desired, as shown in
To facilitate use of a standard nipple and cap of the bottom opening 90, the storage cap 86 (
Liquid (or solid food) can easily be stored in the vessel 12 with both caps 92 and 94. An industry standard or other sized cap and nipple can be used by replacing the cap 92 with an industry standard (or the like) cap and nipple, or a cap of the present invention can be used, but replacing the top 94 with a cap of the present invention.
While the principles of the invention have been described above in connection with specific apparatus and applications, it is to be understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation on the scope of the invention.
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