초록 ▼

An artificial baby-feeding nipple including a substantially solid nipple portion with one or more ducts formed therethrough for conveying fluids through the nipple. The nipple is radially compressible so as to prevent passage of fluids through the one or more ducts when so compressed through use of

An artificial baby-feeding nipple including a substantially solid nipple portion with one or more ducts formed therethrough for conveying fluids through the nipple. The nipple is radially compressible so as to prevent passage of fluids through the one or more ducts when so compressed through use of a material having a low durometer material.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A nipple, comprising: a substantially solid nipple portion adapted to be inserted into the mouth of a user and being formed of a material having a Shore A hardness of less than about 5; at least one duct for conveying fluid through said nipple; said nipple in use being capabl

What is claimed is: 1. A nipple, comprising: a substantially solid nipple portion adapted to be inserted into the mouth of a user and being formed of a material having a Shore A hardness of less than about 5; at least one duct for conveying fluid through said nipple; said nipple in use being capable of contraction along its radius so as to restrict passage of fluids through said at least one duct. 2. The nipple of claim 1, wherein said solid nipple portion has a Shore 00 hardness in the range of about 20 to about 45. 3. A nipple for baby feeding, comprising: a substantially solid nipple having a Shore A hardness of less than about 5 yielding a very soft solid nipple, including one or more ducts formed therethrough for conveying fluids through said nipple and having a flow restrictive feature presented by said very soft solid nipple which in use is capable of contraction along its radius, positioned in said one or more ducts, said flow restrictive feature preventing passage of fluids through said one or more ducts. 4. The nipple of claim 3, wherein said solid nipple portion has a Shore 00 hardness in the range of about 20 to about 45. 5. An improved feeding nipple, comprising: a substantially solid nipple portion adapted for mouth-insertion and formed of a material having a first Shore A hardness of less than about 5, with at least one fluid conveying duct formed therethrough wherein said at least one fluid conveying duct is collapsible during use to substantially prevent the passage of fluid therethrough; and a container attachment portion formed of a material having a second Shore A hardness, said second Shore A hardness being greater than said first Shore A hardness; said container portion and said solid nipple portion being formed in a unitary piece. 6. The nipple of claim 5, wherein said solid nipple portion has a Shore 00 hardness in the range of about 20 to about 45. 7. An improved feeding nipple, comprising: a substantially solid nipple including one or more ducts formed therethrough for conveying fluids through said nipple, said nipple being radially compressible so as to prevent passage of fluids through said one or more ducts when so compressed, and wherein said solid nipple portion has a Shore A hardness of less than about 5. 8. A feeding nipple for use with a container, comprising: a substantially solid nipple portion including one or more ducts for conveying fluids through said nipple portion wherein said one or more ducts are collapsible during use to substantially prevent the passage of fluid therethrough; and a mounting portion, said mounting portion including a land for providing a seal with a container and an attachment feature for securing said feeding nipple to the container, and wherein said solid nipple portion has a Shore A hardness of less than about 5. 9. An improved feeding nipple wherein the improvement comprises: an elongated nipple part having a Shore A hardness less than about 5 adapted to be insertable into a user's mouth, said elongated nipple part having at least one conduit formed therethrough for conveying fluid from a distal end to a proximal end where fluid exits the nipple into the user's mouth, said elongated nipple part being made of a soft material capable of substantially closing said conduit(s) in use under at least one of (a) an extension force stretching said elongated part longitudinal to thereby constrict said conduit(s) or (b) a radially inwardly compressive force to thereby pinch said conduit(s). 10. The improved nipple of claim 9, wherein said elongated nipple part has at least three conduits. 11. The improved nipple of claim 9, wherein said improved nipple further includes a mounting portion having an attachment device associated therewith capable of affixing the nipple to a container, and a transition portion between said mounting portion and said elongated nipple part, said transition portion forming a hollow dome with said mounting portion, said distal end of said elongated nipple part communicating with said dome. 12. The improved nipple of claim 11, wherein said elongated nipple part, transition portion and mounting portion are formed as one integral piece. 13. The improved nipple of claim 12, wherein said mounting portion is formed of a material that is more rigid than said soft material. 14. The improved nipple of claim 13, wherein said mounting portion has a Shore A hardness in the range of about 20 to about 90, and said elongated nipple part has a Shore A hardness less than about 5. 15. The improved nipple of claim 12, wherein said mounting portion has a sufficient rigidity to maintain its shape in use under an extension force applied to said elongated nipple part by the user's mouth. 16. The improved nipple of claim 13, wherein said mounting portion and said elongated part are co-molded together. 17. The improved nipple of claim 11, further including a rigidifying attachment ring, said ring surrounding a collar segment of said mounting portion to thereby substantially restrict radially outward movement of said mounting portion in the area of said collar segment. 18. The improved nipple of claim 17, wherein said ring is located around the exterior of said collar segment. 19. The improved nipple of claim 18, wherein the improvement further comprises a plurality of nipples having at least one differing feature, and a plurality of rings having indicia indicative of a particular different feature. 20. The improved nipple of claim 19, wherein said indicia comprises color-coding. 21. An improved feeding nipple, comprising: a substantially solid nipple including one or more ducts formed therethrough for conveying fluids through said nipple, said nipple being radially compressible so as to prevent passage of fluids through said one or more ducts when so compressed, and wherein said solid nipple portion has a Shore 00 hardness in the range of about 20 to about 45. 22. A feeding nipple for use with a container, comprising: a substantially solid nipple portion including one or more ducts for conveying fluids through said nipple portion wherein said one or more ducts are collapsible during use to substantially prevent the passage of fluid therethrough; and a mounting portion, said mounting portion including a land for providing a seal with a container and an attachment feature for securing said feeding nipple to the container, and wherein said solid nipple portion has a Shore 00 hardness in the range of about 20 to about 45. 23. A nursing nipple, comprising: a substantially solid elongated nipple portion formed of a material having a Shore 00 hardness of less than about 45 and sized and shaped to be insertable into the mouth of a nursing infant, said elongated portion having a proximal end, with at least one duct extending through said solid nipple portion; a transition portion defining an internal volume, wherein said one or more ducts are collapsible during use to substantially prevent the passage of fluid therethrough; and a container attachment portion, said container attachment portion being a generally cylindrical ring and having an internal shoulder adapted to engage a rim of a container mouth, said shoulder having a channel formed therein which communicates with said volume at one end and which communicates with ambient air at another end to thereby form a vent.