US2733581A - Baby feeding plate - Google Patents

Description

INVENTOR EDWARD I: OL SEN Muf 477-02445 Filed July 31, 1955 mm oooooooooooooooo 2,733,581 r BABY FEEDING PLATE j Edward F. Olsen, Hillman, Mich.

Application July 31, 1953, Serial No. 371,676

7 2 Claims. (CI. 65-15) This-invention relates to a baby feeding plate.

1 Itis-the object of the present invention to provide a novel baby feeding plate construction, wherein the compartmented food supporting element thereof is completely enclosed by a flexible element provided with a supporting base in. the form of a suction cup, and provided with means for preventing accidental dislodgement of food from the plate.

- It'is thefurther object of the present invention to provide a novel and simplified construction, which is easy to manufacture and wherein the food supporting element may be easily removed from its enclosure and replaced.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of the present feeding plate partially broken away, for illustration.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the plate shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 44 of Fig. 1, shown on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 5 is an elevational section of a slightly different form of feeding plate of plastic construction.

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates merely a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

Referring to the drawing, the present feeding plate includes the annular plate enclosure, generally indicated at 11, which includes the upwardly and outwardly extending annular side walls 12 terminating at its upper end in the angularly and inwardly directed flange 13, which is tapered towards its outer end defining the circular rim 14.

The side walls 12 terminate at their lower ends in the inwardly directed annular flanged formation 15, thereby defining the circular opening 16 centrally of plate enclosure 11.

The flanged portion 15 has a downwardly and outwardly curved portion 17 of annular configuration to thereby define a suction cup, whose internal annular surface is generally indicated at 18, and which has an outer marginal edge 19, as shown in Fig. 2.

A plurality of substantially coplanar circularly arranged hemispherical projections 20 are formed and deof the side wall portions 12 of theenclosure and registers with the base portionof the inwardly directed flanged rim 13, as indicated at 24, whereby the compartmented dish is snugly retained within said enclosure.

Said dish 21 is molded or formed with an elongated ridge 25, which terminates at one end in dish sidewalls 23, and on its opposite end intersects centrally the transverse ridge 26 formed as a part of the dish base 22, the ends of which ridge 26 terminate at and connect the inner surfaces of the side walls 23. a.

It will be noted that the points of intersection of the ridges 25 and26 are curved as at 27 and blend with the base 22 as by the curved portions 28, Fig; 2.

Furthermore, the respective outer ends of the ridges.

25 and 26 blend with or merge with the corresponding interior wall portions 23, as by the curved formations 29 and 30.

By this construction, there are provided the three compartinents 31, .32 and 33 for receiving different items of food inaconventional manner. r t

The advantage of the annular inwardly directed flange or rim 13 resides in its function of retaining food within pend from the interior surface 18 of the suction cup formation 17, and are arranged in a plane above the plane of the outer marginal edge 19 of said suction cup, for functioning in the manner hereafter described.

A compartmented food tray or dish 21, preferably constructed of a plastic material, is snugly positioned within the annular enclosure 11 with its bottom surface 22 bear- .ing upon the annular flange 15 and with the upwardly and outwardly inclined side walls 23 thereof cooperatively bearing against the interior surface of the corresponding side walls of enclosure 11. It will be noted that the upper annular edge 23' of the plate 21 extends up to the top the device or upon accidental tipping of the baby feeding plate.

As the enclosure 11 is preferably constructed of rubber, the interior plate '21 may be easily removed for washing and easily replaced.

The suction cup formation 17 of enclosure 11 provides a convenient means for immovably securing the present baby feeding plate to a table surface.

Normally, when so secured the circularly arranged projections 20 will be slightly out of contact with the table surface.

In order to break the vacuum for removing the plate, it is merely necessary to manually bear downward upon the side wall of the plate, at any point throughout its periphery, which will in effect project adjacent projections 20 into operative engagement with the table surface, and to lift slightly adjacent portions of the suction cup rim 19, permitting the entrance of air thereinto.

The dish 21 is so formed without sharp corners to facilitate not only removal of the food from the various compartments, but to facilitate cleaning.

A slightly different form of construction is shown in Fig. 5, wherein in place of the outer enclosure 11 of Fig. 2, there is provided a unitary structure.

The feeding plate shown in Fig. 5, includes a compartmented plate construction similar to that shown in Fig. 1, and including the annular upwardly and outwardly extending side walls 31, which terminate at their upper ends in the upwardly and inwardly directed flange 32', defining an annular rim with bounding inner circular edge 33.

The side walls 31' merge as at 35 in the bottom wall 34, which is compartmented the same as in Fig. 1, and includes the formed element 36, which defines one of the bounding walls of the compartments similar to formation 25 in Fig. 1.

At the lower ends of side wall 31, there is provided a curved outwardly and downwardly extending annular flange 37, having a circular marginal edge 38 to define the flexible suction cup construction 39.

There is similarly provided a series of circularly arranged projections 40 of semi-circular shape, which project downwardly from the interior surface of the suction cup formation 39 at points slightly inward of the side walls 31'. These projections provide fulcrums for breaking the vacuum within the suction cup upon the application of downward pressure to the rim of the plate, in the manner above described in connection with projections, 20 of Figs. 2 and 3.

Having described my invention, reference should now I, j Patented Feb. 7, 1956= be had to the claims which follow for determining the scope-thereof.-

I claim: 1

1. A baby feeding plate comprising a compartmented dish'having an annular side wall and a bottoirr'wal'l, the lower annular portion of said side wall terminating in a downwardly and outwardlydirected curved annular flange below said bottom wall forming 2. depending suction cup, an inwardly directed upwardly extending annular rim at the top of said side walls, and a series of circularly arranged depending projections on the undersurface of said flange inwardly of its outer edge, whereby a downward thrust upon aside wall of said; dish operatively directs adjacent projections against a supporting surface lifting anjadjacent po'flion of the suction cup rim to break the vacuum.

2. A baby feeding plate comprising a compartmented dish-of flexible material having an annular side wall and a bottom wall, both walls being of uniform thickness throughout, said side wall converging downwardly and inwardly, the lower annular portion of minimumtdiameter of said side wall terminating in a downwardly and outwardly directed curved annular flange thicker than said side wall at its point of connection with the bottom wall and which extends below said bottom wall tapering towards its rim forming a depending suction cup, and an inwardlydirected upwardly extending annular flange at the top of said side wall, said latter flange being tapered towards-its peripheryand"extendinginwardlyto substantially overlap and vertically {register with the interior base of said side wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 12,876 V Stimpson May 15, 1855 229,158 r 1880 355,021 1886 664,117 1900 879,364 Cohen uFeb 18, 1908 1,394,540 Diack Oct. 25, 1921 1,563,746 Hirsch et a1. Dec. 1, 1925 1,753,611 Lower Apr. 8, 1930 1,893,628 Marsden Jan. 10, 1933 2,023,703 Sehlbach Dec. 10, 1935 2,083,299 Hunter June 8, 1.937 2,240,602 Bartsch May 6, 1941 2,259,682. Collins Oct. 21, 1941 2,329,279 Lower Sept. 14, 1 943 2,545,733 Hatfield Mar. 20, 1951 2,588,990 Sanchez Mar. 1-1, 1952 H FOREIGN PATENTS 168,400 Switzerland June 16, 1934

Images