US2628906A

US2628906A - Nursing devices

Info

Publication number: US2628906A
Application number: US139818A
Authority: US
Inventors: John J Horan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-01-21
Filing date: 1950-01-21
Publication date: 1953-02-17
Anticipated expiration: 1970-02-17

Description

J. J. HORAN NURSING DEVICES Feb. 17, 1953 Filed Jan. 21 1950 INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 NURSING DEVICES J ohn' 'J. Horan, Willow Grove, -Pa. .ApplicationJanua-ry 21, 1950, Serial No."1'39,818

'11 Claims.

invention relates to devices forpackaging .liquid infant food. It embodies novel and improved. means not specifically shown, although considered r included; i in myv earlier applications, -Nos.;' 9772 -234 through 772,239 for such devices. At the time of earlier application I felt it dosirable to keep the applications as briefas'possible and anticipated that these and other specific novel constructions would be inclusively covered by allowable claims. Since Oifice actions to .date. makelit appear that. the claims allowed will be .narrower in scope that Ithad -expected,' it appears advisable to disclose the generic and detailed :constr'uctionsand to seek-the additional measure of protection they specifically merit. Thishapplication isltherefore submitted in continuation. 'in part :of disclosures in applications Nos. 772,234 through 772,239 inclusive.

These constructions are generically similar, and'all ofthem relate to means for sealing nursing nipples to prevent premature leakage there- 'l'throu'gh; "the creation of such means being an obj'ect'of this invention.

- obj'ectof this invention is to provide nursing nipple. constructions whereby the nursing "nipple itself contains an initial seal which positively prevents passage of liquid infant food out *ofthe feeding orifice and prevents any air from enteringand oarryingorganisms'to the food, the seal being capable of being readily broken by the parent with-out touching. the nipple with the fini'gers. of any extraneous device.

A1 IO.theT "object of this invention: is "to provide se'als havingra wen defined plane of'weakness, v whereby. thesize' of the sucking :orifice ispredetermined in the manufactureof the nipple.

@An o'bj'ecttofthi's" invention. istoprovide sealing means adaptable to any methodof fabrication of J'the. nipples or containers having nipples incorporated therewith; whether by injection, compres- "sion or'transfer molding, impact or tubular ex- .itrusion, :manufacture from sheet stock, heat '-"seam-1ng, etc.

An object of this invention is to provide a sealed nipple construction capable of permitting .isyringeloading f ihe containe'r through the nipple with subsequent sealing at the point of :injection.

znn' object 'of this invention is to provide a closed nipple orifice construction permitting the "parent to remove. the closure element in such a "manner as to provide a selective range of sucking .eorifi'ceopening areas.

Further objects and novel features of my innvention will become apparent the balance of designed .topermitthe parent optionally to out i the orifice walls 3. y l is a weaksection at the juncture of the orifice walls 3 andthe .pull element 4. Bygrasping and the specification, inthe claims appended, in'the drawings and in the following description of the flexible nursing containers (one shown in section), each having a nipple in accordancewith my invention; g i

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view offa nipple as in Fig. 1, 'after unsealing;

Fig. 3 is an illustration of essenti lly the same embodiment as those in Fig. 1, here shown a'dapted to and assembled to a difi ere'nt type of vessel, this vessel .being particularly suited to manufacture from glass;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a nipple as in Fig. 3, after unsealing; Fig. 5.is a cross sectional view of bodiment of my invention; I N

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the lower portionof the device shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional viewof a. third embodiment of my invention prior to. unsealing;

and

Fig. 8Lis a fragmentary sectional view oflthe third embodiment after unsealing.

Referring now .to Figs. 1 and.2, there'areshown two nipples I, onebeing in section, the other a second emshown externally. The nipple I has a tapered orifice 2 having orifice walls 3 of taperingthickness and a pull element 4 integrally molded to -It will be seenthat there pulling the pull element 4 it may be separated from the walls- 3, thus providing sucking access to the contents through the orifice 2. Thenipple continues .on through the skirt portion 5 130.134

peripheral portion 6-, which is adherently attached totherim of .the body 8ofthe holding vessel, which containsa supply of liquid .inf'ant food9.f A plurality of filled assembliescomprising vessels and nipples. may be 'sterilized'and enclosed in a hermeticallyisealed can or fi'askJll, having: lids .11 at either end. Upon opening the can, there willbe no leakageor loose milk visible;

* andeach of the vesseland nipple assemblies may be individually withdrawn and opened.

-The tapered orifice 2.. and orifice walls3 are with a sc'alded blade through the wane below the pull element 4 when desired .to provide-an .orifice 30f: larger 1n1inimum-oross- .sectional area. "The tapered orifice feature, while desirablefor "many infants, may be eliminated if selectively variable orifice area is not to be provided.

Selection of vessel and nipple materials impermeable to gas diffusion will render it unnecessary to afford refrigerated storage for the prevention of spoiling of the liquid contents of the individual vessels after opening the outer container. However, some temporary protection such as is afforded by refrigeration or recovering is desirable to retard the collection of organisms on the surfaces of the thus exposed nipples.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be seen that the construction of the orifice 22 and the pull element 24 of the nipple 2| is similar to that previously described, these two figures having been included chiefly to show the versatility of the construction regardless of the type of package in which it is employed. It will be seen that the plane of weakness between the nipple 2i and the pull element 24 is located at the widest portlon of the orifice 22, instead of the narrowest as in Figs. 1 and 2, the orifice walls extending up into the pull element 25. Grasping detachment of the pull element 24 will cause the break to occur at the widest orifice area, but, if the pull element should be out 01f above the plane of weakness instead of being pulled off, there will be provided an orifice of smaller minimum cross sect onal area. The nipple 2| is squeezed at its skirt portion 25 between the ca 28 and the rim 28 of the vessel 30. thus effectively obturating by compression the nipple venting orifice '26 so that no initial leakage of liouid infant food 3! can take place throu h the nipple: and the per pheral portion 21 of the nip le skirt is cemented or otherwise adherentlv attached to the vessel in order to pre ent dislod ing the ni le u on priable removal of the cap 29. whose skirt is crim ed over the nip le and vessel assembly in the manher of the Crown t pe closure.

. thereto. The adherence may be obtained by heat soft ning methods or by the use of bonding agents, pressure adhering surfaces or partly curedsurfaces. The ni ple 4| and vessel 48 as shown form an assembly hi hly adaptable for forming in one p ece by such methods as are used for fo ming balloons or by im act forming or extrusion process. The t 43 of th ni ple 4| is of extra thickness: and the orifice 42 is adapted to recei e a syringe for o t onal top in e t on of liduid infant food 48 prior to the a plication of the pull elem nt 44. which is thereupon adherently att che by its base 45 to the tip 43 over the orifice 42 in a manner which will insure failure of the closure at the sealin juncture when tensile force is applied to the ull element 44, thus forming a temporarily completely sealed vessel and ni ple combination. Optionally, of course. the pull member could have been molded to the nipple as an integral part in the manner of the prior embodiment.

Referring now to Figs. '7 and 8, there is shown a third embodiment of a nipple capable of sealing off the contents of a vessel containing liouid infant food against leakage of the foodpast the nipple orifice. Op osite sides 63 below the orifice 62 of the internal surface of the nipple BI are forced together. preferably by heat or pressure,

to form a seal along the plane where they meet,

rated by squeezing the vessel, if flexible, thus forcing liquid under pressure between them or by grasping and pulling the skirt of the nipple 6| at opposite sides below the adhering surfaces, thus causing their bond to fail.

It will be obvious that various combinations of nipples and holding vessels are entirely feasible, as, for example, the nipple and/or pull element constructions in Fig. 1 or 3 would be adaptable to the vessel shown in Fig. 5, or the sealing means in Figs. '7 and 8 could be applied to the vessel nipple assemblies in Figs. 1, 3, or 5, etc. It will be apparent after reading this disclosure that various changes, modifications and combinations will become immediately obvious to others skilled in the art without departing from the true and full scope of my invention, in particular including elements of disclosures appearing in my copending applications; and it is accordingly intended in the appended claims to cover such equivalents as may fall within the true scope of my invention and without the prior art. I wish it to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown or specifically covered by my claims.

Therefore, I claim:

1. In a nursing nipple, a pull element borne by said nipple at the tip thereof.

2. A nursing nipple having at its tip an element substantially integral therewith and capable of removal therefrom to provide a sucking 3. A nursing nipple having at its tip a small sealing protuberance forming'a wall for a sucking orifice, said protuberance being capable of being cut off to provide a sucking orifice.

4. A sealed nursing container having nipple means therewith, said means being initially nonfunctionable as a nursing device by reason of an element incorporated therein at the tip thereof forming a closure for said nipple, said element being capable of separation from said nipple.

5. A nursing device comprising a vessel portion and a nipple portion, said vessel portion having therein a supply of liquid infant food, said nipple portion having a sucking orifice at the tip thereof, said nipple portion having adherently attached surfaces blocking the passage of said food out of said nipple.

6. In a package, an enclosure comprising a vessel portion holding therein a supply of liquid infant food and a nipple, having a sucking orifice initially closed by an element separable therefrom, said element forming in conjunction with said nipple a seal for said enclosure.

7. In a nursing device carrying therein a supply of liquid infant food, a nipple closing one end thereof, said nipple having a sucking portion, a pull element on said sucking portion and forming a sealed juncture thereto, said juncture being relatively Weaker than said nipple and said pull element, whereby said pull element is detachable from said nipple at said juncture.

8. In a nursing device, a nursing nipple having a pull element at the tip thereof, said nipple and said pull element having a juncture therebetween, said juncture being weak so as to fail inelastically upon the application of lifting force to said pull element, whereby a functionable sucking orifice is created in said nipple upon the removal of said pull element.

9. A dispenser comprising a vessel having a supply of liquid infant food therein, said vessel being bounded at one end by nipple means, said nipple means having an element externally detachable therefrom, whereby a sucking orifice for said nipple is opened upon the detachment of said element.

10. A nursing nipple having at the tip thereof an element, said element constituting a closure for said nipple, said element being initially removable by Withdrawal from said nipple, whereby an unobturated sucking orifice is provided.

11. A nursing nipple having a passage for suckling, said passage having a Wal1, said passage being closed initially by a surface adhering to said wall, said adhering surface being capable of direct withdrawal from said Wall.

JOHN J. HORAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,344,760 Goddard June 29, 1920 2,093,130 Kurkjian Sept. 14, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 13,588 Great Britain 1907

Claims

4. A SEALED NURSING CONTAINER HAVING NIPPLE MEANS THEREWITH, SAID MEANS BEING INITIALLY NONFUNCTIONABLE AS A NURSING DEVICE BY REASON OF AN ELEMENT INCORPORATED THEREIN AT THE TIP THEREOF FORMING A CLOSURE FOR SUCH NIPPLE, SAID ELEMENT BEING CAPABLE OF SEPARATION FROM SAID NIPPLE.