Unidirectional valve for pressurized containers

Abstract

In a nipple for a baby feeding container, a valve part is disclosed, comprising a unidirectional valve formed of a pliable material and oppositely oriented such that when attached to the container a normal fluid flow through the valve is into the container while a flow from the container to the outside is normally blocked, the valve is characterized by a plurality of normally closed non intersecting slits formed in a deformable wall which blocks the flow of liquid from the container to the outside unless when the slits become temporarily distorted by the natural mouth maneuverings of a baby. The valve is especially advantageous for use in baby feeding containers of inflatable type in which the liquid content is pressurized under the pressure exerted by the stretched elastomeric walls of the container.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention is in the field of valves for baby feeding devices.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Baby feeding bottles in use today are in the form of rigid containers made of polymeric materials. They comprise a teat and screw closure over a top opening through which liquid nutrition content can be filled when the closure is taken off. One known problem associated with such bottles is that during the feeding process there is a build up of vacuum inside due to volumes of liquid exiting the bottle for consumption without simultaneously being exchanged by similar volumes of air. This vacuum complicates the feeding process, distracts its continuity and upsets the baby. A number of solutions to this problem have been suggested, one of which is the use of inflatable containers that automatically adapt their volume to the volume of their liquid content, as disclosed by WO2006129302. Elastomeric balloon-like containers as suggested by WO2006129302 requir...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0003]In a first broad aspect the invention relates to the recognition of a most appropriate valve type for use in baby feeding devices of the type comprising inflatable container. In this regard it is suggested by the inventor of the present

Problems solved by technology

The build-up of vacuum inside the bottle is limited, however, because the valve functions as a unidirectional, allowing entrance of air from outside when the atmospheric pressure is greater than the pressure inside the bottle.

Unfortunately, the valve suggested by U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,340 cannot be fully recommended for use in inflatable containers of the type disclosed by WO2006129302, because the internal liquid pressure in such containers is substantially greater than in the conventional ones towards which the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,340 is aimed.

Unfortunately,

Images