초록 ▼

Colic can be a particular problem for babies feeding on liquid feed from a feeder bottle. The colic can be formed by air from various sources in the liquid feed. Typically, there is less air in the liquid feed towards the bottom of the liquid feed container in the feeding position than towards the t

Colic can be a particular problem for babies feeding on liquid feed from a feeder bottle. The colic can be formed by air from various sources in the liquid feed. Typically, there is less air in the liquid feed towards the bottom of the liquid feed container in the feeding position than towards the top of the liquid feed. The present invention provides apparatus for drawing milk from the bottom of the feeding apparatus chamber when the feeder is held in the operating position. This is achieved by positioning a flow restrictor for allowing the passage of liquid feed from a main chamber into a flexible feeding teat at a suitable location. The present invention also provides a resiliently-biased cartridge to assist in priming and/or draining of the flexible feeding teat. The present invention also provides a construction in which the flow restrictor is always provided in the correct position regardless of the relative angular orientation of the elements of the feeder. The present invention also provides feeding apparatus that can be easily disassembled to facilitate cleaning.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A feeding apparatus comprising: a container having an open end and for defining a main chamber therein;a flexible mouthpiece for assembly to the open end of the container and for defining a secondary chamber therein, the mouthpiece including a protruding teat provided at a feeding end, the teat p

1. A feeding apparatus comprising: a container having an open end and for defining a main chamber therein;a flexible mouthpiece for assembly to the open end of the container and for defining a secondary chamber therein, the mouthpiece including a protruding teat provided at a feeding end, the teat protruding along a longitudinal axis; anda partition having a geometric centre and for separating the main and secondary chambers upon assembly of the container to the flexible mouthpiece;wherein said container, flexible mouthpiece and partition are constructed and arranged so that, when the flexible mouthpiece and partition are brought together during assembly of the apparatus for use, a flow restrictor, to allow liquid feed to flow from the main chamber to the secondary chamber, is automatically formed by a flow restrictor-forming portion of the flexible mouthpiece and a flow restrictor-forming portion of the partition, and is constructed and arranged to provide, during feeding, a greater resistance to the flow of liquid feed from the secondary chamber to the main chamber than to the flow of liquid feed from the main chamber to the secondary chamber;wherein, when the assembled apparatus is held with the longitudinal axis of the teat extending horizontally, said flow restrictor can be positioned below the geometric centre of the partition and fluid drawn from the main chamber into the secondary chamber only from a lower half of the main chamber; andwherein the restrictor-forming portion of the flexible mouthpiece comprises a moveable flap of mouthpiece material. 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible mouthpiece and partition are constructed and arranged to form said flow restrictor regardless of the relative angular orientation of the flexible mouthpiece and partition in the assembled feeding apparatus. 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the partition is part of a cartridge, at least a portion of which cartridge is arranged to locate within the open end of the container on assembly of the partition to the container to enable the formation of a sub-assembly of container and cartridge to which sub-assembly the flexible mouthpiece is arranged to be assembled on assembly of the apparatus. 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the construction and arrangement of the container, mouthpiece, and partition is such that, when the mouthpiece and partition are separated during disassembly of the apparatus, said flow restrictor-forming portion of the mouthpiece and partition are automatically separated to facilitate their subsequent cleaning. 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flow restrictor is a one-way valve constructed and arranged to allow, during feeding, the flow of liquid feed from the main chamber to the secondary chamber and to prevent the flow of liquid feed from the secondary chamber to the main chamber. 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protruding teat is constructed and arranged so that, when the assembled apparatus is held by the user with the longitudinal axis of the teat extending horizontally and with said flow restrictor entirely positioned below the geometric centre of the partition, the protruding teat is also positioned below the geometric centre of the partition. 7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moveable flap of mouthpiece material is configured to move away from the partition during feeding so as to reduce the resistance to the flow of liquid feed from the main chamber to the secondary chamber. 8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the flexible mouthpiece comprises a continuous circumferential flap and only a portion of this continuous circumferential flap forms said moveable flap of mouthpiece material configured to move away from the partition during feeding, the remainder of circumferential flap remaining in contact with the partition during feeding. 9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the partition is removable from both the container and the mouthpiece. 10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protruding teat is constructed and arranged so that, when the assembled apparatus is held by the user with the teat extending generally horizontally and with said flow restrictor entirely positioned below the geometric centre of the partition, the protruding teat is also positioned below the geometric centre of the partition. 11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the apparatus is assembled, the interior of the main chamber adjacent the partition is free of any tubes and/or valves. 12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable flap of mouthpiece material is arranged to flex away from the flow restrictor-forming portion of the partition to enable the flow of liquid feed from the main chamber to the secondary chamber. 13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the partition is part of a resiliently biased cartridge, at least part of which cartridge is configured to be biased towards a first position by a biasing element, and is moveable against the bias from the first position to a second position, the biased cartridge being configured at least substantially to close a path for the flow of liquid feed between the main chamber and the secondary chamber when said moveable part is in the first position, and to open said path when said moveable part is in the second position. 14. A method of priming the secondary chamber of a feeding apparatus with liquid feed from the main chamber of the feeding apparatus, wherein the feeding apparatus is as claimed in claim 13, the method comprising: assembling the feeding apparatus with liquid feed in the main chamber;holding the feeding apparatus with the main chamber above the secondary chamber; andmoving said moveable part of the partition from the first position to the second position to enable the flow of liquid feed into the secondary chamber from the main chamber. 15. A method of draining liquid feed from the secondary chamber of an assembled feeding apparatus to the main chamber of the assembled feeding apparatus, wherein the feeding apparatus is as claimed in claim 13, the method comprising: holding the assembled feeding apparatus with the main chamber below the secondary chamber and with at least some liquid feed present in the secondary chamber; andmoving said moveable part of the partition from the first position to the second position to enable the flow of said liquid feed into the main chamber from the secondary chamber. 16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein, during feeding, the movable part of the cartridge is in the first position and the moveable flap of mouthpiece material moves out of contact with the movable part of the cartridge so as to reduce the resistance to the flow of liquid feed from the main chamber to the secondary chamber. 17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein when the apparatus is not being used for feeding and the movable part of the cartridge is in the first position and the moveable flap of mouthpiece material is in contact with the movable part of the cartridge so as substantially to prevent to the flow of liquid feed from the main chamber to the secondary chamber, the movable part of the cartridge can be selectively moved against the bias from the first position to the second position so as to remove the moveable flap of mouthpiece material from contact with the movable part of the cartridge so as to enable liquid feed to pass freely between the main chamber and the secondary chamber in both directions. 18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the resiliently biased cartridge comprises: a locating element configured to locate the resiliently biased cartridge relative to the container; andan operating portion configured to be contactable by at least a part of the flexible mouthpiece when the apparatus is assembled;wherein said partition and said operating portion form the moveable part of the resiliently biased cartridge, said biasing element is configured to bias said moveable part towards said first position, and the operating portion is moveable against the bias of the biasing element by deformation of the part of the flexible mouthpiece with which it is contactable so as to move said moveable part against the bias of the biasing element from the first position to the second position. 19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the biasing element extends between the locating element and the moveable part of the resiliently biased cartridge. 20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the biasing element comprises a plurality of resiliently biased arms which deform to allow the moveable part of the resiliently biased cartridge to move relative to the locating element when the moveable part moves from the first position to the second position. 21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the biasing element is a spring.