초록 ▼

A container adapter for use in feeding human infants and animal infants is shown. The container adapter has an internal threaded portion that can comprise a set of thread segments sized and configured to match the external threads of a commercially available soda or bottled liquid container, and can

A container adapter for use in feeding human infants and animal infants is shown. The container adapter has an internal threaded portion that can comprise a set of thread segments sized and configured to match the external threads of a commercially available soda or bottled liquid container, and can have an external threaded portion sized to match the internal threads of a standard nipple ring for an infant feeding bottle. The container adapter includes a funnel that provides a user with assistance in inserting infant feeding ingredients into the liquid container by placing the container adapter on the liquid container to use the funnel of the container adapter to place infant feeding ingredients into the liquid container. The container adapter is then inverted and installed onto the liquid container. A nipple within a collar is attached to the container adapter thus converting the liquid container to an infant feeding bottle.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A container adapter compatible with and for removable attachment to more than one standardized form of container having a neck with at least one external container thread, the container adapter comprising: a funnel portion including a funnel wall, the funnel wall defining a first edge;a cylindric

1. A container adapter compatible with and for removable attachment to more than one standardized form of container having a neck with at least one external container thread, the container adapter comprising: a funnel portion including a funnel wall, the funnel wall defining a first edge;a cylindrical portion integral with and extending from the first edge, the cylindrical portion having a wall with an inside surface and an outside surface with the wall defining a cavity extending through and communicating with the funnel portion;more than one internal thread segment provided on the inside surface of the cylindrical portion each segment spaced circumferentially from each other segment, the more than one internal thread segment being configured for engagement with the at least one external container thread on the neck of one of more than one standardized forms of container; andat least one expansion slit of the container adapter, each slit extending from an inside surface to an outside surface of the cylindrical wall for facilitating expansion of the wall when applying the container adapter to the neck of standardized containers of a variety of dimensions. 2. The container adapter of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion includes a funnel edge coupled to the first edge of the funnel portion and a container edge spaced apart from the funnel edge, at least one gripping portion positioned proximate to and extending generally from the container edge end of the cylindrical portion, the at least one gripping portion providing engagement between the cylindrical portion and the neck of the container when the cylindrical portion is coupled to the container neck. 3. The container adapter of claim 2, further comprising two generally arcuate gripping portions positioned in the cylindrical portion generally in opposition to each other. 4. The container adapter of claim 2, wherein the at least one gripping portion is generally flexible and frictionally engages the neck of the container. 5. The container adapter of claim 1, wherein the at least one internal thread segment is disposed around an inside surface of the cylindrical portion and extending into the cavity defined by the cylindrical portion, the at least one internal thread segment is adapted to engage with the external container threads of the container and the at least one internal thread segment being engagable with multiple containers having different external container thread configurations or dimensions. 6. The container adapter of claim 5, wherein the cylindrical portion includes an external threaded portion, the external threaded portion being configured for receiving a cooperatively threaded nipple-and-ring assembly. 7. The container adapter of claim 5, wherein the internal thread segments are threadably couplable to the external container threads of the container when the funnel portion is positioned between the cylindrical portion and the container, and the internal thread segments are not threadably coupled to the external container threads of the container when the cylindrical portion is positioned between the funnel portion and the container. 8. The container adapter of claim 7, wherein the internal thread segments are threadably couplable to the external container threads of the container when the funnel portion is positioned between the cylindrical portion and the container and a mouth of the container neck extends upwardly through the cylindrical opening. 9. The container adapter of claim 8, wherein the cylindrical portion includes an external threaded portion, the external threaded portion being configured for receiving a cooperatively threaded nipple and ring assembly, a portion of the nipple being engaged between the mouth of a protruding container neck and the ring. 10. A container adapter compatible with and for removable attachment to more than one standardized form of container having a neck with at least one external container thread, the container adapter comprising: a funnel portion including a funnel wall, the funnel wall defining a first edge;a cylindrical portion integral with and extending from the first edge, the cylindrical portion having a wall with an inside surface and an outside surface with the wall defining a cavity extending through and communicating with the funnel portion;more than one internal thread segment provided on the inside surface of the cylindrical portion each segment spaced circumferentially from each other segment, the more than one internal thread segment being configured for engagement with the at least one external container thread on the neck of one of the more than one standardized forms of container;the cylindrical portion includes a funnel edge coupled to the first edge of the funnel portion and a container edge spaced apart from the funnel edge, at least one gripping portion positioned proximate to and extending generally from the container edge end of the cylindrical portion, the at least one gripping portion providing engagement between the cylindrical portion and the neck of the container when the cylindrical portion is coupled to the container neck; andat least one expansion slit of the container adapter, each slit extending from an inside surface to an outside surface of the cylindrical wall for facilitating expansion of the wall when applying the container adapter to the neck of standardized containers of a variety of dimensions. 11. The container adapter of claim 10, further comprising two generally arcuate gripping portions positioned in the cylindrical portion generally in opposition to each other. 12. The container adapter of claim 10, wherein the at least one gripping portion is generally flexible and frictionally engages the neck of the container. 13. The container adapter of claim 10, wherein the at least one internal thread segment is disposed around an inside surface of the cylindrical portion and protrudes into the cylindrical opening, the at least one internal thread segment is adapted to engage with the external container threads of the container and the at least one internal thread segment being engagable with multiple containers having different external container thread configurations or dimensions. 14. The container adapter of claim 13, wherein the internal thread segments are threadably couplable to the external container threads of the container when the funnel portion is positioned between the cylindrical portion and the container, and the internal thread segments are not threadably coupled to the external container threads of the container when the cylindrical portion is positioned between the funnel portion and the container. 15. The container adapter of claim 13, wherein the internal thread segments are threadably couplable to the external container threads of the container when the funnel portion is positioned between the cylindrical portion and the container and a mouth of the container neck extends upwardly through the cylindrical opening. 16. The container adapter of claim 14, wherein the cylindrical portion includes an external cylinder threaded portion, the external cylindrical threaded portion being configured for receiving a cooperatively threaded nipple-and-ring assembly. 17. The container adapter of claim 10, wherein the one or more expansion slits extend more than half-way between a container edge of the cylindrical portion and a funnel edge of the cylindrical portion, the funnel edge coupled to the first circular edge of the funnel portion and the container edge spaced apart from the funnel edge. 18. The container adapter of claim 10, wherein the one or more expansion slits comprise two slits positioned about 180 degrees apart on the circumference of the cylindrical portion. 19. A container adapter compatible with and for removable attachment to at least more than one standardized form of container having a neck with at least one external container thread, the container adapter comprising: a funnel portion including a funnel wall, the funnel wall defining a first edge;a cylindrical portion integral with and extending from the first edge, the cylindrical portion having a wall with an inside surface and an outside surface with the wall defining a cavity extending through and communicating with the funnel portion;more than one internal thread segment provided on the inside surface of the cylindrical portion each segment spaced circumferentially from each other segment, the more than one internal thread segment being configured for engagement with the at least one external container thread on the neck of one of the more than one standardized forms of container when the funnel portion is positioned between the cylindrical portion and the container, and the internal thread segments are not threadably coupled to the external container threads of the container when the cylindrical portion is positioned between the funnel portion and the container, the internal thread segments are threadably couplable to the external container threads of the container when the funnel portion is positioned between the cylindrical portion and the container and a mouth of the container neck extends upwardly through the cylindrical opening;the cylindrical portion includes a funnel edge coupled to the first edge of the funnel portion and a container edge spaced apart from the funnel edge, at least one gripping portion positioned proximate to and extending generally from the container edge end of the cylindrical portion, the at least one gripping portion providing engagement between the cylindrical portion and the neck of the container when the cylindrical portion is coupled to the container neck;at least one expansion slit of the container adapter, each slit extending from an inside surface to an outside surface of the cylindrical wall for facilitating expansion of the wall when applying the container adapter to the neck of standardized containers of a variety of dimensions; andthe cylindrical portion includes an external cylinder threaded portion, the external cylindrical threaded portion being configured for receiving a cooperatively threaded nipple-and-ring assembly.