Container for storing, mixing and dispensing

• US 5,419,445 A
• Filed: 06/24/1994
• Issued: 05/30/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David M. Kaesemeyer
• Original Assignee: David M. Kaesemeyer
• Inventors: Kaesemeyer, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McDonald, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US08/265,407
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 206/219, 206/220, 215/11.1, 215/11.4, 215/11.5, 215/6, 215/219, 215/220, 215/DIG. 8
• US Class Current: 215/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2041 having removable plugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2093 Containers having several compartments for products to be mixed
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 11/008 Protecting caps
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 11/04 with means for fastening to bottles
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 9/00 Feeding-bottles in general
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 215/08 Mixing

Abstract

A baby bottle 10 with two separate compartments for storage of powdered baby formula 104 and water 106. Water 106 is stored in a bottle portion 12 and baby powdered formula 104 is stored in a cartridge assembly 14. The cartridge assembly 14 consists of a housing member 16, a seal member 18, a storage cylinder 20 and a nipple assembly 22. Nipple assembly is attached to the top of storage cylinder 20 which is disposed through the top of housing member 16. Seal member 18 is attached to the bottom of housing member 16 and engages an opposing mating surface on the bottom of storage cylinder 20, thus providing a releasable connecting means to disconnect the seal member 18 from the housing member by allowing the seal member to be turned by the storage cylinder. The bottom of housing member 16 is attached to the top of bottle portion 12. Seal member 18 provides an internal leakproof seal that can be released by external means at a desired time by rotating nipple assembly 22. As a result, storage cylinder 20 forces seal member 18 to detach itself from the bottom of housing member 16. The seal member 18 and powdered formula 104 both fall into water 106. The seal member 18 can provide a more efficient means of mixing the water 106 and powder 104 together while the bottle 10 is being shaken. Once thoroughly shaken, the liquid formula is consumed through the end of a nipple 72.

Claims

1. A container comprising:

a bottle defining a bottle opening having first mating threads and an interior for storing a substance;

a housing having second mating threads connected to said first mating threads on said bottle opening, said housing defining a first open end communicating with said bottle opening, said housing also defining a second open end;

a storage cylinder having an interior for storing a substance, said cylinder is disposed within said housing, said cylinder further defines a first open end and a second open end, said first open end of cylinder communicating with said second open end of said housing, said storage cylinder interior also communicating with said bottle interior;

a seal member operably disposed to block communication between said bottle interior and said storage cylinder interior, said seal member connected to said first open end of said housing and also engaging said first open end of said cylinder by a releasable connecting means to disconnect said seal member from said housing when a directional means of force is applied to said hollow cylinder and whereby said hollow cylinder interior communicates with said bottle interior; and

a nipple assembly connected to said second open end of said storage cylinder.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein said nipple assembly further comprises a baffle located between said nipple and said second open end of storage cylinder to provide for a blocking means of preventing any powdered substances from caking inside the nipple.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein said nipple assembly further comprises a nipple shield which provides a leakproof means of preventing substances from leaking from end of nipple.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein said seal member is connected to said housing by mating external threads disposed on said seal member with internal threads disposed on said housing.

5. The container of claim 4 wherein said seal member includes a cylinder wall having a first end around which a plurality of notches are disposed with a single notch omitted to form a key tab that along with said notches engages with an opposing plurality of tabs and key notch on said storage cylinder.

6. The container of claim 4 wherein said seal member includes a cylinder wall having a first end around which a single notch is disposed to engage with an opposing tab on said storage cylinder.

7. The container of claim 4 wherein said seal member includes a cylinder wall having a first end, a surface of said first end is parallel to said external connecting threads and terminates at a step that will engage with an opposing parallel surface and step on said storage cylinder.

8. The container of claim 1 wherein said directional means of force is a screwing motion.

9. The container of claim 1 wherein said directional means of force is a rotational motion.

10. The container of claim 1 wherein said seal member is connected to said housing with an o-ring disposed between a holding groove and a placement groove, said o-ring and said holding groove disposed in one of said seal member and said housing.

11. The container of claim 1 wherein said seal member is connected to said housing with a ridge integrally attached to one of said seal member and said housing.

12. The container of claim 1 wherein said directional means of force is a linear motion.

13. The container of claim 1 wherein seal member provides a rattling means of producing noise within said bottle for amusement of an infant.

14. The container of claim 1 wherein said seal member facilitates mixing of the ingredients.

15. The container of claim 1 wherein said nipple assembly is a bottle cap assembly.

16. A container comprising:

a bottle defining a bottle opening having first mating threads and an interior for storing a substance;

a housing having second mating threads connected to said first mating threads on said bottle opening, said housing defining a first open end communicating with said bottle opening, said housing also defining a second open end;

a storage cylinder having an interior for storing a substance, said cylinder is disposed within said housing, said cylinder further defines a first open end and a second open end, said first open end of cylinder communicating with said second open end of said housing, said storage cylinder interior also communicating with said bottle interior;

a seal member operably disposed to block communication between said bottle interior and said storage cylinder interior, said seal member connected to said first open end of said storage cylinder and also engaging said first open end of said housing by a releasable connecting means to disconnect said seal member from said storage cylinder when a directional means of force is applied to said storage cylinder and whereby said storage cylinder interior communicates with said bottle interior; and

a nipple assembly connected to said second open end of said storage cylinder.

17. The container of claim 16 wherein said seal member is connected to said storage cylinder by mating internal threads disposed on said storage cylinder with external threads disposed on said seal member.

18. The container of claim 16 wherein said seal member further includes a tab which is disposed to engage with an opposing notch on said housing.

19. The container of claim 16 wherein said nipple assembly further comprises a baffle located between said nipple and said second open end of storage cylinder to provide for a blocking means of preventing any powdered substances from caking inside the nipple.

20. The container of claim 16 wherein said nipple assembly is a bottle cap assembly.