Feeding apparatus

• US 9,717,656 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2014
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dongguan Kidsme Industrial Limited
• Original Assignee: Dongguan Kidsme Industrial Limited
• Inventors: Lo, Fu Man Herman
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, TRI M
• Application Number:
  US14/532,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20150122674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 11/0015 by size or shape of the opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 11/008 Protecting caps
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 11/04 with means for fastening to bottles
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 17/02 Teething rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 9/001 with inner liners
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 9/005 Non-rigid or collapsible feeding-bottles
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 9/08 Protective covers for bottles

Abstract

A feeding apparatus includes a food container. The food container includes an open end and a closed end. The food container is provided on a surface thereof with one or more apertures. The food container is made of a resilient material for use with foodstuff.

Claims

1. A feeding apparatus comprising:

a food container, the food container comprising an open end and a closed end, the food container being provided on a surface thereof with one or more apertures closer to the closed end and one or more apertures farther from the closed end, and

at least a portion of the food container proximate to the closed end being substantially in an elliptical shape when viewed from above the closed end, wherein the apertures are located on the elliptical shaped portion of the food container substantially parallel to the major axis of the elliptical shaped portion of the food container,

at least a portion of the food container proximate to the open end being substantially in a circular shape when viewed from above the open end, the open end of the food container comprising a flange, and the food container being made of a resilient material for use with foodstuff;

a first coupling member comprising a platform, and an opening in communication with the container open end, the food container being engaged with the first coupling member; and

a second coupling member cooperating with the first coupling member and movable between an open configuration allowing food to pass through the opening and into the food container, and a sealed configuration where the second coupling member covers the opening of the first coupling member thereby sealing the open end of the food container, the second coupling member comprising a first protruding plug portion which snugly plugs into and seals the opening of the first coupling member when the second coupling member is in the sealed configuration, the second coupling member comprising a second protruding plug portion extending from the first protruding plug portion which snugly plugs into and seals the opening of the food container when the second coupling member is in the sealed configuration,

wherein the flange comprises a first position indicator, and the platform comprises a second position indicator, such that when the first position indicator and the second position indicator are aligned, the food container is in a desired rotational position,

wherein the second coupling member further comprises a handle comprising at least two portions extending perpendicular to the second coupling member, wherein a major axis of the elliptical shaped portion of the food container is aligned with an axis between the handle extensions when the second coupling member is in the sealed configuration and the food container is in the desired rotational position;

wherein the open end of the food container comprises a flange which is adapted to be clamped between the platform of the first coupling member and the first protruding plug portion of the second coupling member, a bottom surface of the first protruding plug portion is pressed against a top surface of the flange of the food container, and a bottom surface of the flange of the food container is pressed against the platform of the first coupling member when the second coupling member is in the sealed configuration.

2. The feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance between two adjacent apertures is about 2 mm to about 10 mm.

3. The feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the food container further comprise a plurality of protrusions, the protrusions are formed between two adjacent apertures.

4. The feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient material for use with foodstuff is selected from the group consisting of silicone, latex, and rubber.

5. The feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the food container is generally in the shape of a nipple of a milk-feeding bottle.

6. The feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thickness of the food container is about 1 mm to about 6 mm.