Infant feeding apparatus

Technical field [0002] The present application relates to feeding devices.

Background Art [0003] Milk bottles are used to contain liquid food such as milk and infant feeding drinks.

[0004] However, there is no suitable feeding device that contains small pieces of cut fruit such as pear, apple and vegetables for feeding infants. There is a need to provide a feeding device that can be used to feed babies with foods such as fruit, jelly, yogurt, fish, meat, etc.

[0005] US2003 / 0018359 discloses a fluid dispenser that is equipped with a fluid containing portion and a supporting portion. The fluid containing part comprises a reservoir, teat and tether connecting the reservoir with the teat. Tether prevents or limits the relative rotation of the tank and teat, but this causes a separation problem.

Summary of the Invention [0006] A feeding apparatus comprising: a separate food container comprising an open end, a closed end, an annular collar at an open end, and a plurality of openings, at least adjacent to the closed end;

a first connecting member comprising an opening connected to the open end of the container, the first connecting member being engaged with the food container; and a second connecting element, which is separated from the food container, cooperating with the first connecting element such that it is slidable between the open position allowing food to flow through the opening of the first connecting element and into the food container, and the closed position in which the second connecting element covers and closes the opening of the first connecting element, thereby closing the open end of the food container;

wherein the food container is made of a soft elastic material and is deformable in the range between the original shape of the first volume and the distorted shape of the second volume, the food being pushed through the holes while the food container is distorted by external force, and when the external force stops, the food container returns to its original shape, characterized by that it includes a positioning mechanism having a notch on one of the edges of the annular food container flange and the first connecting member, and a projection on the other edge of the annular food container collar and the first connecting member, the notch and the projection fixing the position of the separate container on food when the annular collar is clamped between the annular platform of the first connecting element and the second connecting element.

[0007] In one embodiment, the soft elastic material is silicone, latex or rubber suitable for food contact.

[0008] In one embodiment, a projection is formed around each opening on the outer surface of the food container.

[0009] In one embodiment, the outer surface of the projection has the shape of a substantially conical dome.

[0010] In one embodiment, the feeding apparatus further has at least one attachment mechanism for attaching the first and second connecting members together in a closed position.

[0011] In one embodiment, the first and second connecting elements are joined together by means of threaded bolts or fasteners.

[0012] In one embodiment, the first and second connecting elements are hinged together on one side and joined together on the other side. [0013] In one embodiment, the first and second connecting elements are joined together on two sides by means of two fasteners, respectively.

[0014] In one embodiment, the open end of the food container, the outer surfaces of the first and second connecting members have a substantially circular shape.

[0015] In one embodiment, the food container is essentially shaped like a teat of a milk feeding bottle.

[0016] In one embodiment, the shape of the closed end of the food container is substantially adapted to the shape of the mouth of the infant.

[0017] In one embodiment, the feeding apparatus also includes a cap for covering a food container.

[0018] In one embodiment, the annular flange is adapted to be clamped between the annular platform of the first connecting member and the second connecting member in a closed position.

[0019] In one embodiment, the position of the annular collar relative to the annular platform is set by a positioning mechanism such that the hand of the person is substantially horizontal when the food container is in the mouth of the person.

[0020] In one embodiment, the cutout of the positioning mechanism is formed on the annular flange and the corresponding projection is formed on the annular platform.

[0021] In one embodiment, the handle assembly includes a handle core, a handle insert, and a handle sleeve, wherein the handle core is connected to a second connecting member, the handle insert is attached to the handle core, and the handle sleeve surrounds the handle insert.

[0022] In one embodiment, the at least one hole has a round shape and has a diameter of from about 1 mm to about 5 mm.

[0023] In one embodiment, the distance between two adjacent holes is about 2mm to about 10mm.

[0024] In one embodiment, the holes are arranged 360 degrees around the food container.

[0025] In one embodiment, the feeding apparatus also includes a plurality of protrusions formed on the outer surface of the food container. [0026] Although the feeding apparatus disclosed in the present application is presented and described with reference to certain embodiments, it is obvious that equivalents and modifications may occur for those skilled in the art after reading and understanding the patent specification. The present application contains all such equivalents and modifications, and is limited only by the scope of the claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings [0027] Specific embodiments of the feeding apparatus disclosed herein will now be described according to the examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploding view of a feeding apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 depicts another feeding apparatus in an exploding view, not in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is another exploding feeding apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the feeding apparatus of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows another feeding device in a partially exploding view, not in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the feeding apparatus of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows another feeding device in a partially exploding view, not in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7a is a top view of an annular projection in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7b is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of the annular projection of FIG. 7a;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the feeding apparatus of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 depicts another feeding device in a partially exploding view, not in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the feeding apparatus of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the feeding apparatus of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another feeding apparatus not in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of yet another feeding apparatus not in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a feeding apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a feeding apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a food container with holes and projections in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a top view of a projection provided on the food container in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along the YY line of the projection of FIG. 17.

Detailed Description [0028] Hereinafter, detailed reference will be made to preferred embodiments of the feeding apparatus disclosed in the present application, examples of which are also provided in the following description. The exemplary embodiments of the feeding apparatus disclosed in the present application are described in detail, although it will be clear to those skilled in the art that certain features that are not particularly important for understanding the feeding apparatus may not be shown for clarity. [0029] Furthermore, it should be understood that the feeding apparatus disclosed in the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments described below and that various changes and modifications thereof may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims. For example, the elements and / or features of various illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other and / or replace each other within the scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims.

[0030] It should also be noted that when in the description and claims one item is specified to be "attached" or "connected" to another, it does not necessarily mean that one item is fastened, attached or otherwise attached to another item. On the contrary, the term "attached" or "connected" means that one element is connected directly or indirectly to another element, or that it is mechanically or electrically connected to another element.

[0031] FIG. 1 is an exploding view of a feeding apparatus not in accordance with the present invention. The apparatus comprises a food container 7, a first connecting element 5 and a second connecting element 3. The food container 7 has an open end 71 and a closed end 72. The first connecting element 5 comprises an opening 51. The food container 7 can be detachably engaged with the first connecting element 5. When the food container 7 is connected to the first connecting element 5, the open end 71 of the food container 7 is in communication with the opening 51 of the first connecting element 5. The food can be inserted into the food container 7 through the opening 51 of the first connecting element 5 and the open end 71 of the food container 7. The second connecting element 3 can cooperate with the first connecting element 5 and slide between the open position and the closed position. In the open position, food can be inserted into the food container 7 through the opening 51 of the first connecting element 5 and the open end 71 of the food container 7. In the closed position, the second connecting element 3 covers the opening 51 of the first connecting element 5 thereby closing the open end 71 food container 7.

[0032] The food container 7 is provided with at least one opening 8. According to the illustrated embodiment, the food container 7 has a plurality of holes 8 arranged 360 degrees around the food container 7. The size and shape of the holes 8 can be designed so that the food coming out of holes 8 will not choke the person eating the food. According to the illustrated embodiment, the holes 8 have a round shape and may have a diameter of about 1 mm to about 5 mm. The size, number and distribution of holes 8 may vary according to various designs and requirements. [0033] The food container 7 is made of soft elastic material suitable for contact with food. This soft elastic food contact material may contain silicone or latex or rubber or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for food contact. The silicone material is non-toxic, environmentally friendly, wear-resistant, resistant to high and low temperatures and resistant to aging. Products made of silicone are more environmentally friendly, safer and more durable. It will be appreciated that the food container 7 may be made of a soft, transparent and resilient material that allows a person to easily look through the food container 7 and recognize whether the food container is full or empty. [0034] Normally, the food container 7 remains in its original shape and the food remains inside this container 7. When the food container 7 is inserted into the mouth of a person and a person chews, bites or sucks the food container, the container collapses under the outer forcing leakage of food (such as small pieces of crushed food, fruit puree, pulp, juice, etc.) and passing through holes 8. The food container 7 returns to its original shape after releasing the force due to the elasticity of the container 7.

[0035] The food container 7 may be sized and shaped to contain small pieces of fruit or other food such as jelly, yogurt, vegetables, meat or fish etc. The food container 7 may be inserted into the mouth of a person for biting, sucking or chewing . For fruit containing juice and pulp, fruit juice and small pieces of pulp may be sucked through the holes 8 into the mouth of the person, while larger pieces of pulp are kept inside the food container 7. Because the holes 8 are smaller than the esophagus of the person eating the food, the person will not choke on the food coming out of the holes 8. This may protect the safety of the person eating the food from the feeding apparatus. For fruit containing puree but without sweetening, fruit puree can be dispensed through holes 8 into the mouth of a person. Therefore, the device can be used to feed babies or children with food such as fruit, and to teach the baby or child to chew and swallow without choking on fruit. The feeding apparatus is safe for babies or children and is convenient to use because it is not necessary for the carer to squeeze the fruit juice before feeding. Thanks to the feeding device, an infant or child can easily eat fresh fruit (such as strawberries, apples and pears), vegetables, fish, meat etc.

[0036] When the food container 7 contains a solid and liquid food mix, the fluid may form a sealing membrane over the openings 8 under the effect of surface tension. For this reason, the food inside the container 7 may not come out easily through the openings 8. The infant or child must perform sucking to suck the food through the openings 8. In this way, the infant or child may exercise the muscles around the mouth as well as exercise lung capacity. Also, this may prevent fluid leaking through the holes 8 and destroying the clothes of the person eating the food from the feeding apparatus. If the food container 7 is made of a mesh, the holes on the mesh are not elastic and it is therefore difficult to form a sealing membrane over the holes of the mesh. Since the holes on the mesh are close together, it becomes difficult to form a sealing membrane over the holes of the mesh. The distance between the two holes 8 in the present application may be from about 2 mm to about 10 mm.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 1, the first connecting element 5 and the second connecting element 3 can be connected together. For example, the first connecting member 5 may be provided with an annular recess and the second connecting member 3 may be provided with an annular projection. A closed position is created when the annular projection is pressed into the annular recess. An open position is created when the annular projection is pushed out of the annular recess. Of course, the first connecting element 5 and the second connecting element 3 can be joined together by another suitable connecting mechanism such as threaded bolts.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 2, the feeding apparatus according to the present invention may also be provided with a handle assembly 1 which is connected to the second connecting element 3. This facilitates grasping of the feeding apparatus by the person consuming the food. This can promote a person's arm muscle training, especially for children and patients, and can promote the coordination of his or her hand, brain and mouth. The subject feeding device model may perform a function that encourages the consumption of food by an infant or child.

[0039] The feeding apparatus may also comprise a cap 9 for covering the food container 7. The cap 9 serves to separate the food from the external environment. The attachment 9 can prevent dust and dirt from contaminating food when a person is not consuming food. The cap 9 can be detachably attached to the first connecting element 5. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the cap 9 can be attached to the first connecting element 5 by a simple latching mechanism. It is understood that the cap 9 can be attached to the first connecting element 5 by another suitable mechanism such as threaded bolts. The closed end of the cap 9 can be provided with a plurality of support elements 91. The support elements 91 allow the cap 9 to be stable on a flat surface such as a desk. In order to fill the food container 7 with food, attach the cap 9 to the first connecting element 5, then place the cap 9 on the desk in an upright position on the supporting elements 91. This makes it easier to fill the food container 7 with even one hand. The attachment 9 can also be transparent and allow you to see the food inside the food container 7.

[0040] As shown in FIG. The feeding device may be provided with a cable fastening element 10 through which the cable can be tied. The cable attachment element 10 may have a substantially ring shape integrally formed on the second connecting member 3. The cable attachment element 10 may be made of hard plastic or other suitable material. The cord may be tied or threaded through the cord fastener 10 so that the feeding apparatus can hang on a person. This prevents accidental dropping of the feeding apparatus to the ground and contamination of food.

[0041] The food container 7 may have the shape of a milk bottle teat. It serves as a sedative to calm the baby or child, and stimulates the baby or child to eat food. The closed end of the food container 7 may be substantially shaped to match the shape of the mouth of the infant or child. This makes it easier for the infant to hold the food container 7 inside the mouth and to suck the fruit juice, puree or pulp from the food container 7 without choking.

[0042] According to the illustrated embodiment, the open end 71 of the food container 7, the outer surfaces of the first connecting element 5 and the second connecting element 3 have a substantially circular shape. This prevents dirt from getting trapped on the feeding device and facilitates cleaning of the feeding device.

[0043] The feeding apparatus may also be provided with a fastening mechanism for fixing the first connecting element 5 and the second connecting element 3 of the feeding apparatus in a closed position. The fastening mechanism can strengthen the fastening between the first connecting element 5 and the second connecting element 3 and prevent accidental detachment of the first connecting element 5 from the second connecting element 3 and thereby the food falling out.

[0044] According to the feeding apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3 and 4, according to the present invention, the fastening mechanism may comprise a hinge 17 and a fastener 18. One side of the first connecting element 5 and the second connecting element 3 can be hinged to each other via a hinge 17. The other side of the first connecting element 5 and the second element the connecting member 3 can be attached together by a connecting member 18. One end 181 of the fastener 18 may be slidably connected to the other fastener 3. The other end 183 of the fastener 18 may include a fastening hole for frictional engagement with a corresponding fastening projection integrally formed on the first fastener 5. It is contemplated that hinge 17 and fastener 18 are simple in construction and can make it easy to open and close the first connecting element 5 and the second connecting element 3.

[0045] According to another feeding apparatus shown in FIG. 5 and 6, according to the present invention, the fastening mechanism may comprise two fasteners 18. Both sides of the first connecting element 5 and the second connecting element 3 may be fastened together by two fasteners 18 respectively.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 7a and 7b, the annular projection 81 in accordance with the present invention can be integrally formed on the outer surface around the opening 8 '. The projection 81 can be used to massage the gums, reduce teething discomfort, contribute to the growth and development of gums and the teeth of an infant or child. Performance 81 can also strengthen gums and enhance chewing ability. You can put your favorite baby or baby food in the food container 7. An infant or child will want to eat food and will have gums massaged while eating. The feeding device with protrusions 81 can therefore serve as a more effective teether compared to traditional tasteless teethers.

[0047] The feeding apparatus of the present invention may include one or more handle assemblies. However, the feeding apparatus shown in FIG. 9 and 10, is not in accordance with the present invention and the figures show the feeding device handle 1 assembly comprising the handle core 13, the handle insert 14 and the handle sleeve 11. The handle core 13 can be attached to the second connecting element 3. The handle insert 14 may be mounted on the handle core 13 to provide a non-slip and attractive effect. According to the illustrated feeding device, the two handle inserts 14 are attached respectively to the front and back of the handle core 13. Alternatively, the two handle inserts 14 can be attached to the left and right of the handle core 13. The handle sleeve 11 may surround the handle insert 14. The assembly grip 1 may further comprise a plurality of non-slip strips 12. The straps 12 can be attached to the grip pads 14 to further provide anti-slip and attractive effects. It is understood that the number of straps 12 on the handle insert 14 may vary depending on different designs. The handle sleeve 11 and straps 12 may be made of soft rubber or other suitable material that may allow gripping the handle assembly 1 and create a feeling of comfort for the person holding the handle assembly 1. The handle core 13 and the handle insert 14 may be made of hard plastic or other suitable material.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 9-11, the second connecting member 3 of another feeding apparatus according to the present invention may comprise an outer ring 33 and a cover 31 covering the top of the outer ring 33. The outer ring 33 and the cover 31 may be joined together by relative rotation of the projection mechanism with the recess. For example, the recess mechanism with the recess may include an annular groove and an annular projection formed on the outer ring 33 and cover 31, respectively. The outer ring 33 and cover 31 may also be connected together with threaded bolts. Alternatively, the outer ring 33 and cover 31 may be integrally formed as one element. The two cores of the handle 13 can be attached respectively on two sides of the cover 31. In addition, the cap 9 can be attached to the outer ring 33.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 3 and 5, the outwardly expanding annular flange 73 is located at the open end 71 of the food container 7. In the closed position, the annular flange 73 rests on the inwardly extending annular arm or platform 54 of the first connecting member 5, and can be gripped between the ring platform 54 and the second connecting element 3. In the open position, the annular flange 73 can be removed from the annular platform 54 of the first connecting member 5. This can simplify and facilitate the assembly and cleaning of the feeding apparatus. Since the food container 7 is made of a soft elastic material, the soft elastic annular flange 73 can perform a sealing function and can strengthen the seal between the first connecting element 5 and the second connecting element 3. As a result, this can prevent spilling of food when a person, especially a child, plays with the feeding apparatus while eating.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 12, in accordance with the present invention, the open end 71 of the food container 7 and the first connecting element 5 may have a substantially triangular shape. Each of the three acute angles can be rounded. As shown in FIG. 13, according to the present invention, the open end 71 of the food container 7 and the first connecting element 5 may have a substantially rectangular shape. Each of the angles can be rounded. These two models of the feeding device do not have unhygienic "dead" corners that could cause hygiene problems and are therefore easy to clean.

[0051] As shown in the embodiments of the feeding apparatus in FIG. 14 and 15, according to the present invention, the position of the annular flange 73 and the annular platform 54 may be determined by a positioning mechanism, thereby allowing the person to hold the handle in a horizontal position with the hand while the food container 7 is in the mouth. This allows a person to hold the handle comfortably while eating. According to the illustrated embodiment, the positioning mechanism includes a notch 75 located on the annular flange 73 and a corresponding projection 58 located on the annular platform 54. Of course, it will be appreciated that the notch may be formed differently on the annular platform and the corresponding protrusion may be formed on ring collar 73.

[0052] Although it has been shown and described that the annular projections 81 are formed around the openings 8 ', it is understood by a person skilled in the art that further projections may be formed elsewhere on the outer surface of the food container 7.

[0053] FIG. 16 shows a food container 7, according to the present invention, having a plurality of holes 8 formed around the food container 7 and a plurality of projections 83 integrally formed at the closed end of the food container 7. The holes 8 are used to dispense food, and the projections 83 are used to massaging the gums of a child or baby. According to the illustrated embodiment shown in FIG. 17 and 18, according to the present invention, the projections 83 have a half-round shape. It is understood that the shape, size and location of these projections 83 on the food container may vary depending on the different models.

[0054] Although it has been shown and described that the holes 8 and 8 'have a round shape, it is understood that the holes 8 and 8' may have other suitable shapes.

[0055] Although the feeding apparatus disclosed in the present application has been presented and described in detail with reference to several preferred embodiments, it should be noted that various other changes or modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the accompanying claims.