GB2397575A

GB2397575A - Dispensing valve for a flexible container

Info

Publication number: GB2397575A
Application number: GB0301477A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Paul Tollman
Original assignee: Vital Innovations Ltd
Current assignee: Vital Innovations Ltd
Priority date: 2003-01-23
Filing date: 2003-01-23
Publication date: 2004-07-28
Also published as: GB0301477D0

Abstract

An attachment such as for a feeding bottle comprises a flexible teat 1 provided with an aperture 4 through which the bottle contents can be sucked or squeezed. The aperture is at least one slit 4 provided in the flexible material of a diaphragm 3 at the tip of the teat 1, the diaphragm 3 being inwardly convex in its normal position in which the slit 4 is closed. When suction is applied to the teat, the diaphragm is adapted to flex to assume a less inwardly convex or even an outwardly convex shape in which the slit is open but it is adapted to flex back to its normal position when the suction is released.

Description

À À À -: Bottle attachment The invention relates to a bottle attachment

and particularly to a teat, that is to say the flexible mouthpiece attachment for a baby's feeding bottle, and aims to provide such an attachment which is substantially leak-proof when the bottle is laid on its side or held upside down. The invention also extends to a bottle fitted with such an attachment, especially a feeding bottle.

When the invention is applied to a teat, the conventional pin hole in the teat through which the baby sucks the bottle contents is replaced by at least one slit provided in the flexible material of a diaphragm at the tip of the teat, the said diaphragm being inwardly convex i/? its normal position in which the slit is closed when the baby is not sucking and, when suction is applied by the baby's mouth, being adapted to flex outwardly to assume a less inwardly convex or even an outwardly convex shape in which the slit is open.

The diaphragm mery in some cases be provided w ith a plurality of intersecting slits, which are closed in the outwardly convex position of the diaphragm but both open when the diaphragm i.sflexed under suction.

In the case of a bottle attachment other than cr teat, for example a fitting at the mouth of a squeeze bottle, the f unction of the cliaphragnZ is the same, except that it flexes under pressure applied by squeezing the bottle or the attachment instead of under vacuum created by sucking.

À ese r *-.

À À À* À . À À À e À . À À À À . À . À À. .. e - 2 Ideally, the diaphragm is formed by a portion of reduced thickness of the material of the attachment itself.

The invention is particularly suitable for teats made of an elastomeric material such as silicon or latex.

Examples of the invention when applied to a teat will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein: Fig. I is a side elevation of one form of teat according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line A-A in Fig. 1; Fig 3 is a plan view of the Fig. I teat; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged top perspective vies! of another form of teat according to the invention, Fig. 5 is a plan view of the Fig. 4 teat; and Fig. 6 is an enlargedfragmentary longitudinal section through the Fig. 4 teat.

À-. .. ''. À-. e.: À À c À À À À À À À À e À. ... . . - 3 Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, these are diagrammatic representations of a flexible elastomeric teat 1 for attachment to a feeding bottle (not shown). The teat can, for the most part, be of conventional shape except at the tip 2 where, instead of having a rounded apex with a pin hole through which the baby sucks the bottle contents, the teat is provided with a flexible diaphragm 3, in this case formed by a thinner portion of the teat material than elsewhere, that is to say the diaphragm is integral with the remainder of the teat material.

The diaphragm 3 is provided with a slit 4 and is normally convex inwardly of the teat when a baby is not sucking on the teat. In this normal position, a slit 4 in the diaphragm is closed and will not permit any marked escape of liquid through the teat from the inside of the bottle to which the teat is fitted when the bottle is held upside down or laid on its side. However, when the baby sucks the teat, the diaphragm 3 flexes outwardly to a shallower inwardly curved shape or even to an ounwardly convex shape, in which the slit 4 is open. his soon as sucking stops, the diaphragm 3 resumes its inwardly convex shape as illustrated in Fig. 2 and the slit 4 is closed.

The teat of Figs. 4 to 6 its much the same as that of Figs. I to 3 except that the diaphragm 3 is provided with hro intersecting slits 6 and 7, both of which are closed except when a baby sucks on the teat. Two slits make it possible to achieve a different rate uffiow of liquid through the teat. Of course the rate offlow can also be varied by altering the length of the or each slit.

. - e: - 4 It will be evident that the teat attachment according to the invention does not prevent a mother from testing the temperature of the bottle contents. For this purpose, instead of turning the bottle upside down and allowing liquid to drip through the pin hole of a conventional teat, the teat according to the invention is squeezed between the thumb and forefinger. This causes the diaphragm 3 to flex outwardly to open the slit or slits and express a drop or trio of the liquid through the teat.

When the invention is applied to an attachment for a bottle or tube containing a liquid or cream, for example a squeeze bottle for sauces, the contents are expressed under pressure by squeezing the flexible attachment or the flexible squeeze bottle and substantially no leaking takes place when the pressure is released. - s -

Claims

Claims 1. A bottle attachment comprising a flexible teat provided with an

aperture through which the bottle contents can be sucked or squeezed, u herein the aperture is at least one slit provided in theflexible material of a diaphragm at the tip of the teat, the diaphragm being inwardly convex in its normal position in which the slit is closed, the diaphragm being adapted to flex outwardly to assume a less inwardly convex or even an outwardly convex shape in which the slit is open when suction is applied to the teat and being adapted to flex back to its said normal position when the suction is released.
2. An attachment according to Claim 1, wherein the diaphragm is provided with two or more intersecting slits which are both open when the diaphragm isflexed under suction and both closed when the suction is released.
3. An attachment according to either preceding claim, wherein the diaphragm is integral w ith the material of the attachment.
4. An attachment accor ding to any preceding claim, wherein the diaphragm is formed by a portion of reduced thickness of the material of the attachment and is in one piece therewith. - 6
5. An attachment according to an, preceding claim made of elastomeric material.
6. An attachment according to Claim 5 made of silicon or latex.
7. A bottle attachment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. I to 3 or Figs. 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.
8. A bottle having an attachment according to any preceding claim fitted to its mouth.
9. A bottle according to Claim 8 in the form of a baby's feeding bottle.
10. A bottle according to Claim 8 or Claim 9 in the form of a squeeze bottle containing a liquid or cream.
11. A tube containing a liquid, cream or paste and having an attachment according to any one of Claims I to / fitted to its mouth.