STIMULATING FEEDING DEVICE FOR A CHILD

• US 20080203049A1
• Filed: 02/26/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jonathan David Friedman, Steven B. Goldberg
• Original Assignee: Jonathan David Friedman, Steven B. Goldberg
• Inventors: Goldberg, Steven B., Friedman, Jonathan David
• Granted Patent: US 7,850,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 215/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 9/00 Feeding-bottles in general

Abstract

An example feeding device includes a container and a controller that determines an orientation of the container. The controller activates a first stimulus when the container is in a first orientation and a second stimulus when the container is in another orientation. The first stimulus may please a child, and the second stimulus may displease a child.

Claims

1. A feeding device comprising:

a container; and

a controller that determines an orientation of said container, said controller activates a first stimulus when the container is in a first orientation and a second stimulus when the container is in another orientation.

2. The feeding device of claim 1, wherein the first stimulus or the second stimulus is visual.

3. The feeding device of claim 1, wherein the first stimulus or the second stimulus is audible.

4. The feeding device of claim 1, wherein the first stimulus or the second stimulus is tactile.

5. The feeding device of claim 1, wherein the first orientation corresponds to a feeding orientation.

6. The feeding device of claim 1, wherein said container comprises at least one collar assembly for providing at least one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus.

7. The feeding device of claim 1, wherein the first stimulus pleases a child and the second stimulus displeases the child.

8. The feeding device of claim 1, including a sensor for determining an angle of orientation of said feeding device.

9. The feeding device of claim 8, wherein said controller activates the first stimulus when the angle corresponds to a generally upright container.

10. The feeding device of claim 8, wherein said controller activates the second stimulus when the angle corresponds to an at least partially inverted container.

11. The feeding device of claim 1, wherein the first stimulus pleases a child and the second stimulus encourages the child to maintain the container in an orientation associated with the first stimulus.

12. A feeding device comprising:

a container;

a sensor for determining a spatial orientation of said container; and

a controller for activating a first stimulus when the spatial orientation of said container corresponds to a feeding position and a second stimulus when the spatial orientation of said container corresponds to a nonfeeding position.

13. The feeding device of claim 12, wherein the feeding position comprises an at least partially inverted position of said container.

14. The feeding device of claim 12, wherein the nonfeeding position comprises a generally upright position of said container.

15. The feeding device of claim 12, wherein said sensor determines an angle of said container.

16. The feeding device of claim 15, wherein a first range of angles corresponds to the feeding position of said container and a second range of angles corresponds to the nonfeeding position.

17. A method of encouraging feeding, comprising:

providing a feeding device movable between a feeding orientation and a nonfeeding orientation;

activating a first stimulus when the feeding device is in the feeding orientation; and

activating a second stimulus when the feeding device is in the nonfeeding orientation.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first stimulus encourages maintaining the device in the feeding orientation and the second stimulus discourages maintaining the device in the nonfeeding orientation.