Infants pacifier and feeder apparatus

• US 5,154,318 A
• Filed: 10/29/1991
• Issued: 10/13/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucille B. Lampard
• Original Assignee: Lucille B. Lampard
• Inventors: Lampard, Lucille B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P.
• Application Number:
  US07/784,122
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 222/94, 222/95, 222/105, 222/106, 222/183, 222/209, 222/212, 222/214, 222/191, 222/192, 222/386.5, 141/18
• US Class Current: 222/105
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 11/00 Teats
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0023 Spoons
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0046 Cups, bottles or bags
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 9/001 with inner liners
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0055 Containers or packages provided with a flexible bag or a deformable membrane or diaphragm for expelling the contents

Abstract

A food/beverage dispenser for infants and small children includes a tubular flexible outer housing and a tubular flexible chamber which contains food. The bore housing between the tubular chamber and the housing wall is a void area that is filled during use with liquid. When a child squeezes the outer housing, the liquid between the housing and the chamber is forced downwardly compressing the chamber and dispensing food/beverage contained therein out through a dispensing outlet which can be in the form of an elongated tubular spout or in the form of a spoon having dispensing openings in the concave bowl portion of the spoon.

Claims

1. A food/beverage dispenser for infants and small children comprising:

a) a tubular flexible outer hollow housing having a generally cylindrical sidewall with a first larger diameter and defining an internal housing bore;

b) a first closed end portion of the housing sealing the bore at one end of the housing, the second end of the housing defining an open end portion thereof;

c) an elongated hollow flexible cylindrically shaped tubular chamber of a second and reduced diameter along its entire length disposed longitudinally within the bore and spaced inwardly of the housing sidewall, the chamber having an interior for containing the food or beverage to be dispensed;

d) the tubular chamber having a dispensing outlet at one end portion;

e) a generally circular and transversely positioned dispensing outlet seal plate that is connectable to the dispensing end of the outer housing at the open end portion thereof, the outlet seal plate having a central opening communicating with the tubular chamber for dispensing food/beverage from the flexible tubular chamber via the dispensing opening and, wherein the opening is corresponding in size and shape to the second, reduced diameter of the tubular chamber;

f) the outer housing bore having a fluid holding portion externally of the tubular chamber that is sealed during use between the tubular chamber, the housing sidewall, and the seal plate so that squeezing pressure exerted on the external housing sidewall by an infant or child can force fluid contained in the fluid holding portion to depress the flexible tubular chamber for forcing food or beverage contained therein from the tubular chamber via the seal plate opening;

g) a flexible pacifier member removably connectable to the housing sidewall at the housing open end portion and having one or more outlets communicating with the central opening of the outlet seal plate so that the infant/child can simultaneously or selectively consume the dispensed food/beverage or teethe on the pacifier; and

h) the dispensing outlet seal plate being positioned radially between the housing sidewall and the tubular chamber, forming a seal upon assembly with the housing sidewall at the periphery of the seal plate, and with the chamber at the central opening of the seal plate.

2. The dispenser apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongated hollow flexible tubular chamber is removably attachable to the flexible outer housing.

3. The dispenser apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flexible pacifier member and dispensing outlet seal plate in combination define a closure to both the fluid holding portion of the outer housing bore and the interior of the hollow flexible tubular chamber, and sealing the fluid holding portion.

4. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an external gripping surface which facilitates disassembly of the flexible pacifier member and outlet seal plate from the outer housing.