Granted Patent B2

US 10,085,919 · App. 14/552,669 · Granted Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

Claims (28)

1. A bottle feeding device, comprising:

a bottom piece of a bottle body having a first perimeter wall, the bottom piece having a bottom piece upper end that is opposite a bottom piece lower end, the bottom piece having a bottom piece central vertical axis;

a top piece of the bottle body having a second perimeter wall, wherein the top piece has a top piece upper end and a top piece lower end opposite the top piece upper end, the top piece having a top piece central vertical axis, the top piece is pivotally affixed to the bottom piece such that the top piece lower end is proximal the bottom piece upper end, and the top piece is rotatable with respect to the bottom piece about an axis extending generally orthogonally through the first perimeter wall and the second perimeter wall;

a liner forming a continuous storage volume, the liner positioned within the bottom piece and the top piece such that a liner opening is contiguous with the top piece upper end; and

a nipple attachable to the top piece upper end, the nipple attachable to the top piece upper end;

wherein the top piece is rotatable about the bottom piece in an upper portion of the bottle feeding device such that the top piece is radially outward of the bottom piece,

wherein the top piece has a first relative rotational position and a second relative rotational position different from the first relative rotational position, and

wherein the top piece central vertical axis is aligned with the bottom piece central vertical axis in the first relative rotational position,

wherein the top piece central vertical axis is angled with respect to the bottom piece central vertical axis in the second relative rotational position,

wherein the top piece is pivotally affixed to the bottom piece about the bottom piece central vertical axis such that the top piece is able to rotate to a second relative rotational position by rotating in a first direction and a second direction, and

wherein both the first relative rotational position and the second relative rotational position completely encompass a perimeter wall of the liner, at least at a region where the top piece is pivotally affixed to the bottom piece, to prevent pinch points.

2. The bottle feeding device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a pair of detent features to restrain the bottom piece and the top piece into either a first relative rotational position or a second relative rotational position.

3. The bottle feeding device of claim 2 , wherein each detent feature includes a first protrusion from the first perimeter wall, and a corresponding second protrusion from the second perimeter wall which interacts with the first protrusion to resist rotational motion.

4. The bottle feeding device of claim 2 , wherein each detent feature includes a protrusion from the first perimeter wall and a corresponding indent in the second perimeter wall which interacts with the protrusion to resist rotational motion.

5. The bottle feeding device of claim 2 , wherein an angle between a central axis of the bottom piece and a central axis of the top piece is about 0° in the first relative rotational position and the angle between the central axis of the bottom piece and the central axis of the top piece is about 25° in the second relative rotational position.

6. The bottle feeding device of claim 2 , wherein the first relative rotational position is adapted for storage and filling of the bottle feeding device and the second relative rotational position is adapted for feeding an infant using the bottle feeding device.

7. The bottle feeding device of claim 1 , further comprising a rib extending around the first perimeter wall, wherein at least a portion of the rib extends around the first perimeter wall at an angle, and wherein the rib interacts with the second piece to limit rotation of the second piece with respect to the bottom piece.

8. The bottle feeding device of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the bottom piece and top piece of the bottle body has a rounded ball shape to facilitate rotation from the first relative rotational position to the second relative rotational position.

9. The bottle feeding device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a flexible overmolding extending from at least one of the bottom piece of the bottle body and the top piece of the bottle body, toward the other of the bottom piece and the top piece of the bottle body to prevent pinch points between the bottom piece and top piece as the top piece is rotated with respect to the bottom piece.

10. The bottle feeding device of claim 1 , wherein a top end of the top piece of the bottle body has a threaded portion which receives complementary threads of a nipple ring, and wherein the threaded portion and complementary threads include visual, audible and tactile indicators to alert the user that the nipple ring is securely fastened to the top piece of the bottle body.

11. The bottle feeding device of claim 1 , wherein a bottom end of the bottom piece of the bottle body has a circumferential groove to receive a hood to secure the hood to the bottom end.

12. The bottle feeding device of claim 1 , further comprising vent holes through the first perimeter wall to permit circulation of water about the bottle and to allow the bottle to sink within water during warming and sterilization.

13. The bottle feeding device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a nipple, operatively affixed to the top piece of the bottle by a nipple ring coupled onto the top piece of the bottle.

14. The bottle feeding device of claim 13 , wherein the liner is flexible and configured to hold the liquid to be dispensed from the bottle which has a top opening, wherein the top opening of the liner is secured to the top piece of the bottle by the nipple ring and wherein the liner is in fluid communication with the nipple.

15. The bottle feeding device of claim 1 , wherein the top piece lower end has a diameter that is generally the same size as the bottom piece lower end.

Assignments (8)