Pouch spoon

Abstract

A pouch spoon for attachment to a spout 18 of a baby food pouch, the pouch spoon comprising a spout receiving portion 12 which receives the spout 18, and a spoon portion 16 connected to the spout rece

Description

The present invention relates to a pouch spoon, particularly but not exclusively for use with a baby food pouch. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Introducing a baby to solid foods, which can also be referred to as weaning, starts when the baby is around 4-6 months. Various viscous fluid food or purees with different flavours are provided in baby food pouches, typically made from a flexible plastic, so that food can be squeezed out of a closable threaded spout provided on the pouch. This allows the baby to be introduced to a varied diet, alongside their usual breast milk or first infant formula milk. A pouch spoon can be attached to the spout of the pouch. This allows the baby to eat the baby food from the spoon and practice feeding. The baby can lean in with an open mouth or grab and bring the spoon to their own mouth. However, currently available pouch spoons are typically made from hard plastic. These can hurt the baby’s mouth or gums, or they may not be very comfortable to use. Most of the pouch spoons also need to be screwed onto the threads of the spout of the pouch. However, the difference between the tolerances of threads of the spout and pouch spoon can result in the pouch spoon being substantially at an angle from its desired orientation relative to the pouch. The threaded connection between the spout of the pouch and the pouch spoon therefore makes it difficult for the orientation of the pouch spoon to be easily changed to what is convenient for a parent or caregiver of the baby when feeding the baby. Furthermore, in most of the pouch spoons, the baby food has to be squeezed through a small aperture to reach the bowl of the spoon. This can cause a lot of pressure build-up within the pouch and can be a hassle to use because the baby food cannot be easily squeezed through the small aperture and supplied to the spoon. It is an object of the present invention to reduce or substantially obviate the aforementioned problems. STATEMENT OF INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pouch spoon for attachment to a spout of a baby food pouch, the pouch spoon comprising: a spout receiving portion for receiving the spout; a spoon portion connected to the spout receiving portion for receiving baby food from the spout; a channel or aperture extending through the spout receiving portion, the channel or aperture having a diameter (i.e., width) adapted to substantially match an outer diameter (i.e., width) of the spout for accommodating the spout within the spout receiving portion and conveying baby food from the spout to the spoon portion; and a shoulder disposed between the spout receiving portion and the spoon portion for abutting a tip of the spout and for enabling a substantially continuous surface to be formed between an upper surface of the spoon portion and an inner diameter (i.e., width) of the spout. The shoulder prevents the spout from extending through to the spoon portion. The formed continuous surface of the pouch spoon with the spout allows the baby food to directly flow from the spout to the food receiving surface of the spoon portion. A minimum width of the channel or aperture along the spout receiving portion i.e., along the whole length of the channel or aperture until it opens to the spoon portion may be the same or larger than a minimum inner width of the spout, i.e. the width of the channel at the shoulder. The minimum width of the channel or aperture along the spout receiving portion may be at the shoulder. The spout receiving portion may be adapted to form an interference fit with the spout by translation of the pouch spoon along a longitudinal axis of the spout. No part of the spout receiving portion 12 is required to be inserted within the spout 18 and contact an inner surface of the spout 18 to form the interference fit. The interference fit allows the pouch spoon to be attached to the spout in the required or desired orientation relative to the pouch without the orientation of the pouch spoon being affected by threads of the pouch. This is because the pouch spoon can be fitted or retained around the spout, by hand, using the interference fit, without the need for a screw-threaded connection with the spout. The translation of the pouch spoon along the longitudinal axis of the spout of the baby food pouch means that, in use, the pouch spoon is attached by interference fit to the spout by moving the pouch spoon in a straight line towards and along the length of the spout, without also needing to rotate the pouch spoon around the spout. The interference fit allows the inside of the channel or aperture to contact the spout. A surface of the spout receiving portion formed by the channel or aperture forms a tight fit with an outer surface of the spout. This enables the pouch spoon to be engaged or attached to the spout of the baby food pouch. The spout receiving portion may be resilient. This means that the spout receiving portion can resiliently deform to allow the spout to be inserted into or be received within the channel or aperture. This allows the spout receiving portion to form the interference fit with the spout and allows the spout to be retained within the channel or aperture before use and / or be removed from the channel or aperture after use. The pouch spoon may be made from flexible material. This provides a softer and deformable pouch spoon which does not hurt the baby’s mouth or gums when feeding. Furthermore, this allows the pouch spoon to form a manual interference fit with the spout. The spout of the baby food pouch may include a base section connected to the baby food pouch and a tip section which conveys the baby food out of the pouch. The tip section of the spout may have a smaller or narrower width than the base section of the spout. The tip section may have a cylindrical shaped cross-section and the base section may have a rectangular shaped or rectangular octagon shaped cross-section. The base section of the spout may include one or more flanges that extend perpendicularly to the length of the spout. The width of the base section is measured from one end to the other end of the one or more flanges i.e., the extent of the one or more flanges. The tip section of the spout may at least be partly threaded. The spout receiving portion may include a front section for surrounding the tip section of the spout and a rear section for surrounding the base section of the spout. This allows the pouch spoon to cover or enclose nearly or substantially the entire length of the spout. The shoulder may be disposed between the front section of the spout receiving portion and the spoon portion. The front section of the spout receiving portion may be configured to form the interference fit with the spout of the baby food pouch. The width of the channel or aperture along the front section of the spout receiving portion may be smaller than the width of the channel or aperture along the rear section. The change in width between the front and rear sections may be an abrupt change in width i.e., not a gradual change. The width of the channel or aperture along the front section of the spout receiving portion may staggeredly narrow towards an end of the front section connected to the spoon portion. This means that the end of the front section connected to the spoon portion may have a width smaller than the other end of the front section connected to the rear section of the spout receiving portion. The staggered changes in the width of the channel or aperture along the spout receiving portion allows the channel or aperture to substantially match the varying width of the tip section and base section of the spout. The minimum width of the channel or aperture along the front section of the spout receiving portion may be around 7mm. Preferably, the minimum width of the channel or aperture may be around 8mm. The channel or aperture may have a substantially cylindrical shaped cross-section in the front section of the spout receiving portion and a substantially rectangular shaped cross-section in the rear section. This allows the channel or aperture to substantially match the outer shape of the tip section and base section of the spout. The spout receiving portion includes a collar extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the spout receiving portion. The collar acts as an anti-choke collar. This prevents the spout receiving portion from entering a baby’s mouth which thereby prevents accidental choking, essentially by making the pouch spoon too large to swallow or choke on. The collar may extend around a circumference of the spout receiving portion. The collar may be a circumferential flange. This ensures a consistent anti-choke feature around the pouch spoon. An overall extent of the collar from one or both lateral sides of the pouch spoon may be longer than the overall extent of the collar from top and / or bottom sides of the pouch spoon. This prevents the baby’s nose from being covered by the top of the collar when feeding. The collar may be disposed on the front section of the spout receiving portion. The collar may be disposed directly adjacent to the spoon portion. This further ensures that only the spoon portion of the pouch spoon can enter the baby’s mouth when feeding. The collar may have a continuous curved periphery. This ensures that there are no sharp corners sticking or poking out of the pouch spoon which can potentially hurt the baby. The spoon portion may have a substantially arcuate cross-section between its lateral sides. This provides a substantially bowl-shaped spoon portion. A radius of curvature of the spoon portion may substantially increase as it extends away from the spout receiving portion towards a tip of the spoon portion. This allows a shallow spoon bowl to be formed so that food can easily be removed from the bowl or the food receiving surface of the spoon portion. The baby does not have to scoop out the food from the pouch spoon as much compared to when using spoons with deeper bowls. The tip of the spoon portion may lie below a centreline or central longitudinal axis of the channel or aperture. This further allows the baby food to easily flow from the spout towards the tip of the spoon portion. A guide wall may be provided to the spoon portion. The guide wall may surround the channel or aperture and may extend from the spout receiving portion towards a substantially central plane across the length of the spoon portion i.e., substantially halfway along the length of the spoon portion. This helps guide the baby food from the spout to the spoon portion whilst preventing the baby food from spilling from a rear end and sides of the shallow bowl of the spoon portion. This also prevents the guide wall from getting in the way of the baby’s mouth when in use because the guide wall is not provided at the front of the spoon portion. A rear end of the guide wall may fully surround the channel or aperture and the guide wall may gradually open out and slope down from an upper edge of the channel or aperture to side peripheral edges of the spoon portion as it extends substantially towards the central plane of the spoon portion. This forms a sloping or sloped guide wall decreasing in height and extent as it goes forwards towards the tip of the spoon. The guide wall may extend from the collar. The guide wall may merge with the spoon portion at about halfway along the length of the spoon portion, wherein the peripheral edge of the guide wall transitions to the side peripheral edges of the spoon portion. The channel or aperture may be an unobstructed channel or aperture. This allows the baby food to easily flow to the spoon portion without anything blocking its way and further prevents pressure build-up within the pouch when baby food is being squeezed from the pouch and through the channel or aperture of the pouch spoon. A lowest extent of the upper surface of the spoon portion may substantially lie along the same plane as a bottom edge of the channel or aperture. This provides the spoon portion with a substantially flat food receiving surface which makes it more comfortable to use for the baby. A bottom surface of the spoon portion is preferably above a lowest extent of the collar. In other words, the collar extends in a downwards direction below a horizontal line (parallel with the longitudinal extent of the channel) which runs through the lowest part of the bottom surface of the spoon portion. This ensures that when the pouch spoon is rested down on a surface, for example, on a table, the collar can prevent the bottom surface of the spoon portion from touching the surface. The bottom surface of the spoon portion may have at least a portion which is substantially flat. One or more resilient internal ridges may be provided within the channel or aperture. This prevents the spoon pouch from sliding off from the spout and thereby allows the pouch spoon to be securely attached to the spout when in use. The one or more internal ridges can resiliently deform to allow the spout to be inserted into the channel or aperture before use, and to allow the spout to be removed from the channel or aperture after use. The one or more internal ridges may be provided within the channel or aperture in the rear section of the spout receiving portion. This allows one or more flanges at the base section of the spout to be locked within the channel or aperture in front of the one or more internal ridges. In an embodiment, two internal ridges may be provided, one on each lateral side of the spout receiving portion. Parts of pouch spoon may be integrally formed together. This allows for easy manufacture of the pouch spoon and does not require assembly before use or attachment to the spout. The pouch spoon may be made from a single piece of material. The pouch spoon may be made from silicone or elastomer. The pouch spoon may have around 60-80 shore hardness. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a baby food pouch comprising a pouch spoon according to the first aspect of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example only to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a pouch spoon according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows the pouch spoon of Figure 1 attached to a baby food pouch; and Figure 3a shows a side view of the pouch spoon of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 3b shows a cross-sectional view from underneath of the pouch spoon of Figures 1 to 3a; Figure 4 shows a top view of the pouch spoon of Figures 1 to 3b; Figure 5a shows a cross-section from one side of the pouch spoon of Figures 1 to 4; Figure 5b shows front cross-sectional views of a guide wall and spoon portion of Figures 1 to 5a; and Figure 6 shows a rear view of the pouch spoon of Figures 1 to 5a. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Figures 1 to 6, a pouch spoon for attachment or connection with a spout 18 of a baby food pouch is generally indicated at 10. The pouch spoon 10 is formed as a single piece with integrally formed parts. The pouch spoon 10 is made from a flexible and resilient material. This allows the pouch spoon 10 to be made from a substantially soft and deformable material which does not hurt a baby’s mouth or gums when in use. The flexible and deformable property of the pouch spoon 10 also allows it to form an interference fit with the spout 18 of the baby food pouch, thereby allowing the pouch spoon 10 to be attached to the baby food pouch. In this embodiment, the pouch spoon 10 is made from silicone with around 60-80 shore hardness. However, it will be appreciated that the pouch spoon 10 can be made from other flexible material with similar shore hardness. The pouch spoon 10 comprises a resilient spout receiving portion 12, a channel 14 extending from a first end to a second end of the spout receiving portion 12 along the length of the spout receiving portion 12, and a spoon portion 16 connected to and extending from the second end of the spout receiving portion 12. Central longitudinal axes of the spout receiving portion 12 and channel 14 extend in a direction in-line with and parallel to each other. The lengths of the spout receiving portion 12, channel 14 and spoon portion 16 extend in a direction in line or parallel to each other. The channel 14 allows the spout 18 of the baby food pouch to be received and accommodated within the spout receiving portion 12 and allows the baby food to be supplied from the spout 18 to the spoon portion 16. The spoon portion 16 then allows the baby food to be transferred to the baby’s mouth. The pouch spoon 10 can be attached to the spout 18 of the baby food pouch by moving the pouch spoon 10 in a straight line towards and along the spout 18 i.e., along the length of the spout 18. The spout 18 is inserted through the channel 16 from the first end of the spout receiving portion 12. The pouch spoon 10 does not need to be rotated around the spout 18 for attachment. A surface formed by the channel 14 within the spout receiving portion 14 is a substantially smooth surface i.e., it is not a threaded surface. A threaded connection between the spout receiving portion 12 and the spout 18 is not required to attach the pouch spoon 10 to the baby food pouch. When the spout 18 of the baby food pouch is inserted within the spout receiving portion 12, a tip of the spout 18 is disposed directly next to the second end of the spout receiving portion 12. A base of the spout 18 or the baby food pouch itself is disposed next to the first end of the spout receiving portion 12. An outer surface of a body of the spout receiving portion 12 has a width which gradually narrows across its length from the first end to the second end of the spout receiving portion 12 i.e., narrows towards the spoon portion, as can be more clearly seen in Figures 1 and 4. This provides the spout receiving portion 12 with a smooth outer surface. The spout receiving portion 12 includes a front section 12a and a rear section 12b. When the pouch spoon 10 is attached to the spout 18, a threaded tip section of the spout 18 extends along a front part of the channel 14 disposed in the front section 12a of the spout receiving portion 12. A base section of the spout 18, with a plurality of flanges extending perpendicularly to the length of the spout 18, extends along a rear part of the channel 14 disposed in the rear section 12b of the spout receiving portion 12. A shoulder 20 is disposed between the front section 12a of the spout receiving portion 12 and the spoon portion 16. The shoulder 20 extends inwards from the channel, perpendicularly to the length of the pouch spoon 10. An abutment surface of the shoulder 20 faces towards the spout receiving portion 12, wherein in use, the tip of the spout 18 abuts the shoulder 20. A top surface or a baby food receiving surface of the spoon portion 16 forms a continuous surface with an inner width or surface of the spout 18. This allows the baby food to easily flow from the baby food pouch to the spoon portion 16. An interference fit is formed between the front section 12a of the spout receiving portion 12 and the tip section of the spout 18. A surface of the spout receiving portion 12 formed by the channel 14 forms a tight fit with an outer surface of the tip section of the spout, thereby holding the spout 18 in place within the spout receiving portion 12. No part of the spout receiving portion 12 is required to be inserted within the spout 18 and contact an inner surface of the spout 18 to form the interference fit. A width of the channel 14 substantially matches an outer width of the spout 18. In this embodiment, the front part of the channel 14 has a cylindrical cross-section which substantially matches a cylindrical shaped tip section of the spout 18. The rear part of the channel 14 has a rectangular cross-section which substantially matches a rectangular octagon shaped base section of the spout 18. This allows the spout receiving portion 12 to substantially surround nearly the entire length of the spout 18. This can be seen more clearly in Figure 2. The width of the front part of the channel 14 has a smaller width than the rear part of the channel 14, wherein there is an abrupt change in width between the front part and the rear part. This also matches the change in width between the tip section and base section of the spout 18, wherein the tip section of the spout 18 has a smaller width than the base section of the spout 18. The width of the base section of the spout 18 is measured as the extent of the flanges across the spout 18. The rear part of the channel 14 has a substantially constant width along the rear section 12b of the spout receiving portion 12. The front part of the channel 14 has a staggeredly narrowing width along the front section 12a of the spout receiving portion 12, from the rear section 12b to the spoon portion 16, as can be seen in Figures 3b and 5a. In other words, the narrowing of the front part of the channel 14 is not a smooth or gradual narrowing. A minimum width of the channel 14 along the whole length of the channel 14 is at least as large as a minimum inner width along the length of the spout 18. In other words, channel 14 at least matches the interior diameter of the spout 18. This ensures that the channel 14 does not narrow in that it causes pressure build-up when the baby food is squeezed out of the pouch and through the channel 14. The channel 14 is an unobstructed channel meaning that it does not include a valve or other flow control means or device which substantially restricts or controls the flow of baby food towards the spoon portion 16. This further ensures that pressure does not build up within the baby food pouch when baby food is squeezed through the channel. A pair of resilient internal ridges 22 is disposed on either side of the channel 14 in the rear section 12b of the spout receiving portion 12, as can be more clearly seen in Figure 3b. The internal ridges 22 engage or contact one of the flanges at the base section of the spout 18 and substantially lock behind the flange of the spout 18 and prevent the pouch spoon 10 from coming off when in use. The pair of internal ridges 22 resiliently deform when the spout 18 is inserted into the channel 14 before use and when the spout 18 is pulled out of the channel 14 after use. Since the pouch spoon 10 is made from flexible material, the pouch spoon 10 can also be translated towards the spout 18 in an orientation where the spout 18 deforms the walls of the spout receiving portion adjacent to walls in which the internal ridges 22 are disposed. The pouch spoon 10 is then twisted around the spout 18 so that the pouch spoon 10 can be oriented to lock the flange of the spout 18 in front of the ridges 22. The bowl of the spoon portion 16 has a shallow arcuate cross-section. The radius of curvature of the spoon portion between left and right sides or edges of the spoon portion increases from the end connected to the spout receiving portion 12 to a tip of the spoon portion. This can be seen more clearly in Figure 5b. A lowest part of the upper surface of the spoon portion 16 lies substantially along the same plane as a bottom edge of the channel 14. This provides the spoon portion 16 with a shape that is comfortable for the baby’s mouth. An anti-choke circumferential collar 26 is provided on the front section 12a of the spout receiving portion 12 and extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the spout receiving portion 12. The collar 26 has a substantially oblong front profile and surrounds the whole circumference of the spout receiving portion 12. The collar 26 prevents the spout receiving portion 12 from entering the baby’s mouth when in use and prevents the baby from choking because of the pouch spoon 16. An extent of the collar 26 from the lateral sides of the spout receiving portion 12 is longer than the extent of the collar 26 from the top and bottom sides of the spout receiving portion 12. This prevents the baby’s nose from being covered by the top of the collar 26 when using the pouch spoon 10. A rear end of a guide wall 24 surrounds a circumference or periphery of the channel 14 and extends from the spout receiving portion 12 or the collar 26 to approximately halfway along the length of the spoon portion 16. The guide wall 24 gradually opens out and slopes down from an upper edge of the 5 channel 14 or spout receiving portion 12 to peripheral side edges of the spoon portion 16 about halfway along the spoon portion 16. This allows the peripheral edge of the guide wall 24 to transition or merge with the peripheral side edges of the spoon portion 16. A tip of the spoon portion 16 lies below a centre line B-B of the channel 14 as shown 10 in Figure 3a. This also allows the baby food to easily flow from the spout 18 of the baby food pouch towards the tip of the spoon portion 16. Overall, the present invention provides a pouch spoon 10 which allows for a more comfortable feeding experience for a baby and prevents the baby from choking or hurting himself using the pouch spoon 10. 15 The embodiments described above are provided by way of example only, and various changes and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A pouch spoon for attachment to a spout of a baby food pouch, the pouch spoon comprising:a spout receiving portion for receiving the spout;a spoon portion connected to the spout receiving portion for receiving baby food from the spout;a channel or aperture extending through the spout receiving portion, the channel or aperture having a diameter adapted to substantially match an outer diameter of the spout for accommodating the spout within the spout receiving portion and conveying baby food from the spout to the spoon portion; anda shoulder disposed between the spout receiving portion and the spoon portion for abutting a tip of the spout and for enabling a substantially continuous surface to be formed between an upper surface of the spoon portion and an inner diameter of the spout.

2. A pouch spoon as claimed in claim 1, in which the spout receiving portion is adapted to form an interference fit with the spout by translation of the pouch spoon along a longitudinal axis of the spout.

3. A pouch spoon as claimed in claim 2, in which the spout receiving portion is resilient for allowing the interference fit to be formed with the spout.

4. A pouch spoon as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the spout receiving portion includes a front section for surrounding a tip section of the spout in use, and a rear section for surrounding with a base section of the spout in use.

5. A pouch spoon as claimed in claim 4, in which the diameter of the channel or aperture along the front section of the spout receiving portion is smaller than the diameter of the channel or aperture along the rear section.

6. A pouch spoon as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, in which the front section of the spout receiving portion is configured to form the interference fit with the spout.

7. A pouch spoon as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a minimum diameter of the channel or aperture along the spout receiving portion is at the shoulder.

8. A pouch spoon as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the spout receiving portion includes a collar extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the spout receiving portion.

9. A pouch spoon as claimed in claim 8, in which the collar extends around a circumference of the spout receiving portion.

10. A pouch spoon as claimed in claim 9, in which an overall extent of the collar from one or both lateral sides of the pouch spoon is longer than the overall extent of the collar from top and / or bottom sides of the pouch spoon.

11. A pouch spoon as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, when dependent on claim 4, in which the collar is disposed on the front section of the spout receiving portion and is disposed directly adjacent to the spoon portion.

12. A pouch spoon as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11, in which the collar has a continuous curved periphery.

13. A pouch spoon as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a radius of curvature of the spoon portion substantially increases as it extends away from the spout receiving portion towards a tip of the spoon portion.

14. A pouch spoon as claimed in claim 13, in which the tip of the spoon portion lies below a centre line of the channel or aperture.

15. A pouch spoon as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a guide wall is provided to the spoon portion, the guide wall substantially surrounding the channel or aperture and extending substantially towards a central plane across the length of the spoon portion.

16. A pouch spoon as claimed in claim 15, in which the guide wall gradually opens out and slopes down from an upper edge of the channel or aperture to peripheral side edges of the spoon portion as it extends towards the central plane of the spoon portion.

17. A pouch spoon as claimed in claim 15 or claim 16, when dependent on claim 8, in which the guide wall extends from the collar.

18. A pouch spoon as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the channel or aperture is an unobstructed channel or aperture.

19. A pouch spoon as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a lowest extent of the upper surface of the spoon portion substantially lies along the same plane as a bottom edge of the channel or aperture.

20. A pouch spoon as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the spout receiving portion includes one or more resilient internal ridges for locking the spout to the pouch spoon.

21. A pouch spoon as claimed in claim 20, when dependent on claim 4, in which the one or more internal ridges are provided within the channel or aperture in the rear section of the spout receiving portion.

22. A pouch spoon as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 21, in which a minimum diameter of the channel or aperture along the front section is around 7-8mm.

23. A pouch spoon as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the pouch spoon is made from flexible material.

24. A pouch spoon as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the pouch spoon is made from silicone or elastomer.

25. A baby food pouch comprising a pouch spoon as claimed in any preceding claim.16

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