US2269223A - Nipple - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 6, 1942. c, R. PoRTHoUsE F.1- Al. y2,269,223

NIPPLE Filed NOV. 16, 1940 yPatented Jan. 6, 1942 i v l Y Ohio, as'sgnors tov The Pyramid Rubber Company, Ravenna, Ohio, a

McIntosh, Akron,

corporation of Ohio Application November 1s, 1946,'sea1 No.- 366,006 l:z claims. (c1. 12s-252) This invention relates to flexible or elastic :nipples and has for one o f its objects the production of a simple and efficient nipple which is provided with means for facilitating the attachment of a nipple to a bottle and the remloval of a nipple from a bottle'.

A further object of this invention is the production of a simple and eiiicient nipple having a finger-engaging portion' or portions whereby the ngers of an operator'xnay conveniently grip the nipple Vfor placing'thefnipple upon a' bottle or removing vthe nipple from a bottle.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specication and claims.

In the drawing: l y y Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the ple;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the nipple looking at right-angles to Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a bottoml plan View of the nipple; s

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2J a portion of the nipple being shown in elevation;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Figure 1, a portion of` the nipple being shown in elevation;

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the nipple and bottle, the nipple being shown partly in section; f

' Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7; Y

Figure 9 is a bottom plan view illustrating the invention as applied to a breast style nipple; and

Figure 10 is a side elevational view of the nipple shown in Figure 9.

By referring to the drawing, it will be seen that I0 designates the neck of the nipple, which is supported by a thickened base I I. The thicknip ened base II carries a projecting annular base,

circumference of the nipple and cause' the nipple to assume an elliptical shape at its bottom when the nipple is placed over the neck of a bottle, as shown in Figure 8. The tabs, when the nipple is placed upon'the bottle, will have more prominence thanrunder normal conditions and in this way will provide means whereby the operator may easily grip the tabs when removing the nipple fromthe bottle.

The nipple is provided with a conventional annular bead-receiving recess or channel I1 preferably located -above the notches I5r and in the inner, face of thev nipple. The bead I8 -of a bottle I9 is adapted to t within the channel I1 flange I2 having a knurled or roughened upper face I3 and a knurled or roughened lower face I4 upon opposite sides of the nipple to provide tabs or finger-grip portions. The base I I of the nipple is provided with a finger-receiving notch or recess I5 upon each side of the nipple adjacent the knurled or roughened upper face I3, as shown in the drawing.

The open .lower end of the nipple is provided with a built-up portion I6 'upon the inner face of the nipple opposite each notch I 5, which builtup portions will cause the tabs or nger-grip portions to project outwardly beyond the normal in the manner shown in Figure 7, and the base II' of the nipple is adapted to snugly grip the neck of the bottle I9as shownto hold the nipple upon the fbottle. y

It should be noted that the built-up portions I6 which are formed upon the inner face of the nipple upon either side thereof will reinforce the nipple behind .the notches I5 and will provide a wall to compensate for the cut-out portion of the elastic body of the nipple which provides the notches I5. The built-up portions I6 yextend in a straight line across the sides of the inner wall of the nipple, as shown in Figure 3, when the nipple is in its normal position, but due to the fact that the nipple is formed of rubber or other elastic material, the nipple when stretched over the neck of a bottle will conform to the contour of the neck of a bottle and will assume the .position shown in Figure 8, thereby causing the tabs I4 to extend or project beyond the normal circumference of the nipple, in this way presenting protruding tabs which may be readily engaged by the fingers. 'When the nipple is removed from the neck of a bottle, the tabs will automatically merge into or conform to the normal contour of the flange I2. l

The notches I5 also will provide recesses into which the fingers may be extended to obtain an eflicient grip and the notches I5 will further form pockets into which the finger or fingers may be extended, the edges of the notches snugly tting'around the fingers, thereby adding an additional gripping action. The built-up lportions provide substantially flat areas when the nipple is in its normal position and these built-up portionsv are preferably rounded or tapered toward their lupper ends as the built-up portions merge into the contour of the inner face of the nipple.

By referring to Figures 9 and 10, it will be noted that there is illustrated a breast style nipple which is adapted to be applied to a Widemouth bottle. In the structure shown in Figures 9 and 10 it will be noted that IIJa designates the nipple having notches l5a similar to the notches I5 previously described formed upon the side of the nipple above the annular base ange I2a Which is similar to the flange l2 previously described. The nipple |08 is provided with builtup portions I8a similar to the previously described portions I6, said portions |63 being formed upon the inner face of the nipple in back of the notches |58.

It should be noted that the present invention embodies as one important feature, the built-up portions which are formed along the inner face of the nipple directly in back of the notches which are formed on the outer face of the nipple making these portions of the nipple heavier adjacent the notches so as to reinforce the nipple at these points and cause the pull on the bead to be distributed over a maximum circumference of the bead when a pull is exerted thereon. These reinforcing or thickened portions will avoid the narrowing of the nipple opening ai; the bead when the nipple is being pulled by the operator when grasping the tabs or edge of the flange to t the nipple over the neck of a bottle.

It should be understood that certain detail changes in the mechanical structure may be employed Without departing from the spirit of the invention so long as such changes fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

Havingy described the invention, what claimed as new is:

l. An elastic nipple of the class described comprising a body having a base portion, the base portion having anannular base flange, the inner face of the nipple having oppositely located built-up portions to reduce the normal diameter ofthe inner portion of the base of the nipple and being adapted to cause the portion of the flange opposite the built-up portions to protrude beyond the normal diameter and contour of the flange when the nipple is flexed over the neck of a bottle thereby producing projecting finger-gripping tabs to facilitate the removal of the nipple from a bottle, the projecting fingergripping tabs being adapted to automatically merge into the normal contour of the flange When the nipple is removed from the neck of a bottle.

2. An elastic nipple of the class described comprising a body having a base portion, the base portion having an annular base flange, the inner face of the nipple having oppositely arranged built-up portions to span a portion of and reduce the normal diameter of the inner portion of the base of the nipple and being adapted to cause the flange opposite the built-up portions to protrude beyond the normal diameter of the flange when the nipple is flexed over the neck of a bottle thereby producing finger-gripping tabs protruding beyond the normal contour of the annular base flange to facilitate the removal of the nipple from a bottle, and said base having finger-receiving notches formed in the outer face thereof opposite the built-up portions to reduce the thickness of the nipple adjacent the built-up portions and thereby facilitate the flexing of the nipple adjacent the notches when placing the nipple over a bottle to constitute fingerreceiving pockets and provide maximum fingergripping areas for the flange adjacent the pockets.

- CYRIL R. PORTHOUSE.

W'ILLIAM B. McINTOSH.

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