Flavor dot odorizer and method

• US 6,112,749 A
• Filed: 01/27/1998
• Issued: 09/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Appetek Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Appetek Incorporated
• Inventors: Hall, Warren Grimes, Rubin, David Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): MCDERMOTT, CORRINE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US09/014,429
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 604/77, 604/78, 604/500, 606/236, 215/11.1 R, 215/11.1, 215/386, 215/227, 215/230, 215/DIG. 3, 215/DIG. 7, 222/133, 222/145, 222/158, 128/898
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 11/003 having means for incorporating a mother's scent
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 9/00 Feeding-bottles in general

Abstract

A method and apparatus is taught to help infants change diets. An absorbent pad having an odorant is placed on a baby bottle so as to be near the baby'"'"'s nose when ingesting. First the odorant is paired to a flavored diet of the baby. Then the odorant is coupled to a novel diet which the baby is not so fond of. The result is the baby ingests more than usual of the novel diet. Other aspects include a flavor ring on a baby bottle or a bowl and a plurality of flavor dots on a baby bottle or bowl. The inventive concept of placing a pleasing odorant near a user'"'"'s nose during drinking can help babies, elderly people and even pets ingest more fluids.

Claims

1. A method to increase a user'"'"'s intake of a novel diet comprising the steps of:

pairing a novel odorant with a user'"'"'s preferred diet;

adding the novel odorant to a container at a location which is near the user'"'"'s nose during ingestion;

thereby increasing an intake of the novel diet on the basis of a classically conditioned acquired property of the novel odorant which influences ingestion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s preferred food is breast milk, and the step of pairing the novel odorant with a user'"'"'s preferred food is pairing the novel odorant with breast feeding.

14. The stimulus of claim 1, wherein the pad further comprises filter paper, and the sticky adhesive backing further comprises a resistance to water.

15. The stimulus of claim 1, wherein the fluid absorbent pad has a diameter of about 60 mm.

16. The stimulus of claim 15, wherein the odorant is vanilla.

17. The stimulus of claim 15, wherein the odorant is strawberry.

3. A method to stimulate overall ingestion for babies comprising the steps of:

placing an odorant on a container at a location which is near a baby'"'"'s nose while he ingests from the container; and

activating the odorant prior to ingestion of a contents in the container.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of selecting the odorant from the group consisting of future foodstuffs.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

placing a plurality of odorants on the container at locations near the baby'"'"'s nose while he ingests; and

moving the container during ingestion to a place a plurality of different odorants near the baby'"'"'s nose during ingestion.

6. A method to stimulate an ingestion of breast milk by a baby comprising the steps of:

placing an odorant on a breast at a location which is near a baby'"'"'s nose while he ingests milk from the breast; and

activating the odorant.

7. A classical conditioning method to increase a user'"'"'s intake of a novel diet comprising the steps of:

pairing a novel odorant with a user'"'"'s preferred food;

holding the novel odorant at a location which is near the user'"'"'s nose during ingestion; and

activating the novel odorant prior to ingestion of a novel diet, thereby increasing an intake of the novel diet on the basis of a classically conditioned acquired property of the novel odorant which influences ingestion.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of holding further comprises affixing the novel odorant to a container.

9. A bait and switch method to increase a user'"'"'s intake of a novel diet comprising the steps of:

coupling a novel odorant with a user'"'"'s present diet;

putting the novel odorant near the user'"'"'s nose during ingestion; and

switching the present diet with a novel diet while maintaining the novel odorant near the user'"'"'s nose during ingestion, thereby encouraging the user to ingest the novel diet based on his learned behavior associated with the novel odorant.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of putting further comprises affixing the novel odorant to a container.

11. An olfactory stimulus for ingesting comprising:

a fluid absorbent pad;

a sticky adhesive backing affixed to the pad;

a pad fixation point on a container, said pad fixation point located near a user'"'"'s nose while ingesting from the container;

said fluid absorbent pad having an odorant whose odor is attractive to the user upon an activation of odorant, thereby increasing an intake of a diet when the pad is affixed at the fixation point; and

wherein said activation comprises adding a wetting solution to the odorant.

12. An olfactory stimulus for ingesting comprising:

a fluid absorbent pad;

a sticky adhesive backing affixed to the pad;

a pad fixation point on a container, said pad fixation point located near a user'"'"'s nose while ingesting from the container;

said fluid absorbent pad having an odorant whose odor is attractive to the user upon an activation of odorant, thereby increasing an intake of a diet when the pad is affixed at the fixation point;

wherein the pad further comprises filter paper, and the sticky adhesive backing further comprises a resistance to water; and

wherein said activation comprises scratching said odorant.

13. An olfactory stimulus for ingestion comprising:

a fluid absorbent pad;

a sticky adhesive backing affixed to the pad;

a pad fixation point on a container, said pad fixation point located near a user'"'"'s nose while ingesting from the container;

said fluid absorbent pad having an odorant whose odor is attractive to the user upon an activation of odorant, thereby increasing an intake of a diet when the pad is affixed at the fixation point;

wherein the pad fixation point is atop a ring which supports a baby nipple; and

wherein the ring further comprises a plurality of fluid absorbent pads each containing an ordorant.

18. An olfactory stimulus for ingesting comprising:

a nipple retaining ring suitable to mount on a container;

said ring having an upper surface which is moved near a user'"'"'s nose upon an ingestion of a liquid in the container;

said ring having a plurality of small holes on the upper surface; and

an odorant whose odor is attractive to the user, said odorant located inside the small holes, whereby an activation of the odorant increases an intake of a diet.

19. An olfactory stimulus for ingesting comprising:

a fluid absorbent pad;

a sticky adhesive backing affixed to the pad;

a pad fixation point on a container, said pad fixation point located near a user'"'"'s nose while ingesting from the container;

said fluid absorbent pad having an odorant whose odor is attractive to the user upon an activation of odorant, thereby increasing an intake of a diet when the pad is affixed at the fixation point; and

wherein the container is a bowl, and the fixation point is on an upper inside periphery of the bowl.

20. An olfactory stimulus for ingesting comprising:

a fluid absorbent pad;

a sticky adhesive backing affixed to the pad;

a pad fixation point on a container, said pad fixation point located near a user'"'"'s nose while ingesting from the container;

said fluid absorbent pad having an odorant whose odor is attractive to the user upon an activation of odorant, thereby increasing an intake of a diet when the pad is affixed at the fixation point;

said olfactory stimulas further comprising a plurality of pads, and the container further comprises a bowl, and the plurality of pads are located on a plurality of pad fixation points which are located on an upper inside periphery of the bowl.

21. An olfactory stimulus for ingesting comprising:

a bowl

a ring placed along an upper inside periphery of said bowl;

an odorant permeated throughout the ring, thereby increasing an intake of a diet when a user ingesting a substance from the bowl.

22. An olfactory stimulus for ingesting comprising:

a bowl;

a ring of small holes placed along an upper inside periphery of said bowl;

an ororant located inside the small holes, whereby an activation of the odorant increases a user'"'"'s intake of a substance from the bowl.