Substance containment apparatus

• US 5,275,298 A
• Filed: 12/23/1992
• Issued: 01/04/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Technology Licensing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Insta-Mix Partners
• Inventors: Kajita, Kirk B., Holley, James W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHWARZ, PAUL
• Application Number:
  US07/999,174
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 215/11.1, 215/68, 215/11.4, 215/11.5, 206/221, 206/219, 604/416, 251/315, 141/319-322, 141/363, 141/364, 141/365, 141/366, 220/253
• US Class Current: 215/11.4
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/27 for mixing drinks; Hand-held shakers mechanically driven A47J43/042
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2031 having openings brought into alignment
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2093 Containers having several compartments for products to be mixed
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 9/00 Feeding-bottles in general
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/30 with plug valves , i.e. valves that open and close a passageway by turning a cylindrical or conical plug without axial passageways
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/305 provided with a spout, e.g. "escargot"-type valve
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3211 coaxially and provided with means facilitating admixture

Abstract

A storage container for storing powdered baby formula consisting of a first opening mated with a baby bottle and a hollow member rotatably disposed in the container. A wall of the hollow member provides a waterproof seal between the interior of the hollow member and the baby bottle when the hollow member is rotated into a first position. The hollow member defines a second opening which aligns with the first opening when the hollow member is rotated into a second position. The container also has a second open end for mating to a nipple. The container is used to store a pre-measured amount of powdered formula and the baby bottle is used to store a pre-measured amount of water. When in the first position the wall of the hollow member prevents contact between the powdered formula and the water. At a desired time, the hollow member is rotated to the second position to allow the water and powdered formula to mix, thereby producing liquid baby formula. Once thoroughly mixed, the liquid formula is consumed through the nipple.

Claims

1. A substance containment apparatus comprising:

a bottle defining a bottle opening;

a housing connected to said bottle, said housing defining a first opening communicating with said bottle opening, said housing also defining a second opening; and

a hollow member having an interior for storing a substance and a wall defining a third opening and a fourth opening, said hollow member being retatively disposed within the housing such that when the hollow member is in a first rotated position, said wall of the hollow member is disposed to block the bottle opening and said fourth opening aligns with said second opening wherein the substance is insertable into the interior of the hollow member through the second opening, and when the hollow member is in a second rotated position, the third opening aligns with the bottle opening to define a passage between an interior of the bottle and the interior of the hollow member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bottle is a baby bottle

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hollow member defines a fifth opening, and wherein when the hollow member is in the second position, the liquid passes through the fifth opening of the hollow member and out of the second opening.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a nipple detachably connected to the housing over the second opening.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hollow member is spherical.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said housing further comprises:

a lower casing fixedly connecting the housing to the bottle, the lower casing defining said first opening, the lower casing having a first inner surface; and

an upper casing adjustably connected to the lower casing, the upper casing defining said second opening and having a second inner surface;

wherein the first inner surface and the second inner surface define a hollow inner portion; and

wherein the hollow member is rotatively housed in the hollow inner portion.

7. A container defining a hollow inner portion, said container comprising:

a first end defining a first opening and a second end defining a second opening; and

a hollow member for storing a substance, said hollow member being rotatively disposed in said hollow inner portion and having an outer wall defining a third opening and a fourth opening;

wherein when said hollow member is in a first rotated position said outer wall is disposed to block said first opening, and said fourth opening aligns with said second opening to form a first passage into the hollow member; and

when said hollow member is in a second rotated position, said third opening aligns with said first opening to form a second passage into said hollow member.

8. The container of claim 7 wherein said first end further comprises a threaded portion disposed around said first opening for connecting to a baby bottle.

9. The container of claim 8 wherein said second end further comprises a threaded portion disposed around said second opening for connecting to a nipple assembly.

10. The container of claim 7 wherein said hollow member further comprises a fifth opening such that when said hollow member is in said second rotated position, said first, second, third and fifth openings define a passage through said hollow member.

11. A substance containment apparatus comprising:

a bottle defining a bottle opening;

a housing connected to said bottle and having a first opening communicating with said bottle opening, said housing also defining a second opening;

a hollow member having an interior for storing a substance, said hollow member having a wall defining a third opening and a fourth opening, said hollow member being rotatively disposed in the housing; and

means, connected to said hollow member, for adjusting the hollow member between a first position and a second position, wherein;

when the hollow member is in the first position, said wall of the hollow member is disposed to block the bottle opening and said fourth opening aligns with said second opening a first passage through which the substance is insertable into the hollow member, and

when the hollow member is in a second position, the third opening aligns with the bottle opening to define a second passage between the interior of the bottle and an interior of the hollow member.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said housing further comprises:

a lower casing fixedly connecting the housing to the bottle, the lower casing defining said first opening, the lower casing having a first inner surface; and

an upper casing adjustably connected to the lower casing, the upper casing defining said second opening and having a second inner surface;

wherein the first inner surface and the second inner surface define a hollow inner portion; and

wherein the hollow member is rotatively housed in the hollow inner portion.