US3495993A - Disposable infant feeding package and method of making - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 17, 1970. v A.-(:. BARR ETAL 3,4955993' DISPOSABLE INFANT FEEDING PACKAGE AND METHOD 0 MAKING Filed July 27. 19s? United States Patent() DISPOSABLE INFANT FEEDING PACKAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING Arthur C. Barr, 111 King St., Madison, Wis. 53703, and Frederick M. Johnson, Rockford, Ill.; said Johnson assignor to said Barr Filed July 27, 1967, Ser. No. 656,483 Int. Cl. A61j 9/08; B65b 21/00 US. Cl. 99171 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND The invention pertains generally to nursing bottles and more particularly to a disposable infant feeding package and method of making the same.

Preparation of liquid baby food items such as milk, milk formula, fruit juice, or other liquid forms of nourishment has always been accompanied by a problem of maintaining sanitary conditions. In the home, formula is prepared by adding water to a powder or a concentrated liquid formula. To protect the babys health, great care must be exercised to maintain sanitary conditions. The water used should be boiled. The bottles, nipples, and caps must be sterilized. The process is an inconvenient one, at best, and there is always an attendant danger of contamination of the baby foo-d preparation.

By way of comparison with conventional household procedures, modern commercial baby food canning processes are far superior. Highly skilled technicians and scientific apparatus are utilized to maintain the most wholesome conditions possible and to insure nutritional value, flavor, and quality of the canned product. Some of these products, however, are still blended and bottled in the home with the attendant inconvenience and sanitary problems described above. Other products comprise a throwaway container in whicha presterilized liquid baby food is protected by a pry-off or screw-cap cover which must be removed and replaced by a pull-over nipple or a nipple I .with a separate attaching cap. Similar to this are the cans in which a hole is to be punched with a sterile instrument and a nipple affixed. While more convenient, these still expose the liquid baby food to possible contamination.

Another type of disposable package is illustrated in Patent No. 3,194,424 to Arthur C. Barr. In that patent, a rupturable disk closes the end of the bottle. The disk can be ruptured by manual pressure applied thereagainst through the hood and nipple. Subsequent removal of the hood exposes a sterile nipple. This eliminates any exposure of the liquid baby food and/or nipple to possible contamination.

The above disposable package, however, cannot be processed by some of the present canning processes. In general, in an aseptic canning process, the food is exposed to a high temperature for a short time to render the same sterile. When dealing with aspetic canning processes, high temperature, short time, generally means temperatures above 285 F. and with holding times measured in seconds. Thereafter, the food is placed into open containers which have been rendered sterile and the containers which have been rendered sterile and the containers are capped under aseptic conditions. As it relates at least to baby formulas, the containers are usually stored for a time to allow incubation of bacteria. After the requisite period, the containers are tested by a dud detector as an electric eye or mechanical sensor. The detector detects variations or deviations in the cap which may indicate an internal pressure change. Such a deviation is, for example, a bulge in the cap-evidence of possible contamination. The attached nipple of the aforementioned patent interferes with such testing.

SUMMARY The present invention relates generally to improved nursing packages and methods of making. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved method of canning of liquid infant food in a disposable package. The invention also relates to an improved package for storing a quantity of liquid infant food. A container is equipped with a manually rupturable and laterally displaceable cap, and a sterilized nipple mounted outwardly of the cap.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable infant feeding package and method of making the same, in which the liquid is initially excluded from the nipple, but which can be opened to admit the liquid to the nipple without any possible contamination.

Another object is to provide a new and useful canning process for producing a disposable infant feeding package.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container having a liquid infant food disposed therein, a cap 'sealing the end of the container, yet rupturable by the application of a moderate amount of externally applied pressure, and a nipple mounted outwardly of the cap and in sealing relation thereto.

Another object is to provide a package in accordance with the foregoing object and in which the nipple is arranged to cooperate in rupturing the cap.

These, and other objects and advantages of the pres- :ent invention, will become apparent as the same becomes better understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 and taken generally along line 22 of FIG. 4; FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 of FIG. 4 and showing how the cap may be ruptured merely by application of finger pressure;

DESCRIPTION The invention has to do particularly with the canning of liquid infant food in disposable containers. The term canning" means a process of packaging food in a hermetically sealed container. One form of container or package which may result from carrying out the method is illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows, in full size, a typical bottle 11 in which a four-ounce ration of liquid food for an infant may be disposed and stored in sterile condition. Of course, the invention is not limited to bottles nor to the particular size. Advantageously, the bottle is of the wide-mouth variety, as shown, having a neck 12 at the open end thereof and terminating in a rim 13 which defines the mouth of the "bottle. One or more circular ribs 14 are provided on the periphery of the neck and are suitable for the application of a cap, generally designated 17, which may be snapped on as shown, have a press fit, or be otherwise attached. FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a similar bottle 11' and similar parts are designated by the same numeral followed by the postscript prime Bottle 11', however, is provided wtih spiral threads 15 on the outside of neck 12' for receiving a screw-type c'ap, generally designated 18.

The snap-n cap 17 has a downwardly extending flange 21, advantageously made of thin metal, such as aluminum. Flange 21 has a lower edge engageable with the rib 14 by which the cap is locked in place. A sealing gasket 22 is carried by the downwardly extending flange 21 and serves to provide a seal between the flange and the rib. The cap 17 has a mouth-spanning portion for sealing the open end of the bottle and, in the embodiment of FIGS. l-4, includes a resilient plastic disk 26 and an inwardly extending narrow annular thin metal flange 24 having an inner edge 25. The inner edge 25 of the flange 24 defines a centrally disposed aperture or opening having a size approximating the major transverse axis of the nipple, hereinafter described. The aperture or opening is of a size large enough for the passage of a finger for a purpose which will become apparent. The disk 26 is preferably separable from the flange 24 and overlies the rim 13. The flange 24 serves the purpose of clamping the disk 26 against the rim 13 to seal the mouth of the container or bottle 11.

In the embodiment of FIGS. -8, the cap 18 is also formed of thin metal, such as aluminum, and has an underlying plastic layer. As shown, cap 18 includes a thin metallic layer 31 having an apertured central portion provided, as shown, by intersecting slits such as 32 and 33 throughout the central portion of the disk, but not extending to its periphery. Such slits may be provided in any suitable manner, for example, by the use of a rotating cutting blade or by a shearing action. Either case will provide actual cuts or slits through the cap which are very narrow and capable of being sealed subsequently with a coating of plastic film 34 compatible with food and sanitary requirements. The coating 34 underlies the metallic layer 31 and is preferably strong and dense enough to close the slits adequately to withstand normal internal or external pressures during manufacture, yet being such a coating of film that it may be ruptured by the same action which ruptures, or deforms, the central portion of the cap. Preferably, the coating 34 comprises a relatively soft plastic such that it will effectively act as a seal between the metallic layer 31 and the rim 13. Advantageously, the plastic film 34also overlies the metal layer 31 to assure that no foreign substances will lodge in the slits 32 or 33.

Instead of the slits 32 and 33, the aperture may be provided by closely spaced small perforations which are formed and subsequently sealed. A manually rupturable central portion may also be provided by grooves or score lines in the metallic layer 31. If the slits, grooves or holes (which are considered equivalent structures) are quite narrow or small, the film 34 may easily span across them to provide the requisite seal. In some cases the plastic film material, while fluid, may extend into the slits or apertures, but this is not objectionable.

As shown, cap 18 has a depending flange 35 which has internal spiral threads, as shown, for mating with the threads 15 on the neck 12'. When screwed in place, the mating threads lock the cap in place with the plastic layer 34 held against the rim 13' of the bottle 11'. In

this manner, then, the bottle or container 11' has its open end sealed. Obviously, the mouth-spanning portions of caps 17 and 18 may be utilized in a snap-on, screw-type or press fit cap, and the aforedescribed embodiments are by way of illustration only.

In an aseptic canning process, sterile containers such as bottle 11 or 11' are filled with a presterilized or aseptic product, such as liquid baby food, while the containers are maintained in sterile condition. The open end of the container is then hermetically sealed, as by cap 17 or 18. An in-can sterilization process may also be utilized. After filling, the containers may then be stored a requisite period of time to allow incubation of bacteria. Some bacteria will multiply and give off a gas which will cause the cap to laterially displace or bulge upwardly. Such a variation in the cap may result from an internal pressure change. A pressure change can be caused by bacterial action, some spores, enzymes, chemical reaction, or faulty canning process. After the storage period, the container is tested as by a dud detector to determine if there is any bulging of the cap. With the present invention, therefore, at this point in its manufacture, the cap is unobstructed and can be tested in this manner. Further, the embodiment of FIGS. l-4 provides a particularly advantageous apparatus for this testing procedure. As described above, the mouth-spanning portion of the cap 17 comprises a metallic layer in the form of flange 24 having a centrally located aperture, and a resilient plastic layer in the form of disk 26 spanning the mouth of the container. Since the layer 26 is resilient, it is more responsive to pressure by growing bacteria, and any resulting bulge is more easily detected than with a comparatively stiff, solid metal cap.

After testing, the exterior of the cap is again sterilized, and a sterile nursing nipple, generally designated 40, is mounted on the cap in sealing relation thereto. In the embodiment of FIGS. 58, the nipple 40 is secured to the cap 18 by any suitable adhesive, or may be fused to the top of the cap. In the embodiment of FIGS. l-4, the nipple 40 is held in sealing relation to cap- 17 by means of a second cap, generally designated 41. In its preferred form, the second cap 41 has a downwardly extending flange 45, the lower edge of which is engageable with the lower edge of cap 17, by which it is locked in place. An inwardly extending narrow annular flange 46 serves the purpose of clamping a laterally extending flange 47 of the nipple 40 securely upon the metal layer 24 of the cap 17. Alternately, the second cap 41 may be fastened to the bottle 11, if desired.

As a further contribution to assuring that the container is held or maintained in a sterile condition prior to use, it is preferred that a very flexible and sterile plastic hood or pouch 50 be drawn down over the nipple. Preferably, the hood 50 is not secured to the bottle but rather to the cap 18 or second cap 41. For this purpose, second cap 41 is provided with an annular groove 49 in flange 45 for receiving a fastener 51 (see FIG. 1). The exterior configuration of the threads on depending portion or flange 35 of cap 18 serves a similar purpose as groove 49. It is preferable that the hood be securely afifixed or sealed to said caps since these are easily sterilized a second time prior to mounting of the nipple 40 and hood 50 and also because they are not subjected to a possible spillage of the product when the containers are filled.

In general, the nursing nipple 40 includes the aforementioned peripheral flange 47 and a hollow teat portion rising upwardly therefrom. In accordance with the present invention, the base of the teat portion is formed with oblong cross section. Since the base of the teat portion has an oblong configuration at its point of juncture with the peripheral flange 47, the flange has a greater radial extent adjacent the minor transverse axis of the nipple than adjacent its major transverse axis, as best shown in FIG. 4. Thus, as shown, portions 53, 53 of the peripheral flange 47 are not covered by annular flange 46 of second cap 41. Vent openings 54, 54' are provided in portions 53, 53', respectively, along the minor transverse axis of the nipple. Thus, openings 54 and 54' directly overlie the central opening in the cap 17, as best seen in FIG. 3. In this manner, the vent openings or air openings 54 and 54' are most efficient during use.

The oblong configuration of the nipple is formed with transversely convex end walls 55 and interconnecting side walls 56. The side and end walls converge towards each other in a direction away from flange 47 to a neck portion 57 and a tip 58 provided with an opening 59 for feeding the liquid to an infant. To prevent complete collapse of the nipple when it is laterally compressed and to assure continuous flow of liquid from the bottle 11 or 11' to the opening 59, there are provided diagonally extending ribs 61 on the inside of walls 56. The ribs are formed integrally with the flattened side walls 56 of the teat portion and extend crosswise of each other so as to engage and prevent complete collapse of the nipple. The nipple, as above described, is identical to that illustrated and described in Patent No. 3,113,569 issued to Arthur C. Barr and Norma K. Barr, and reference is made thereto for a more complete description thereof.

In the present invention, however, the nipple 40 is particularly advantageous in rupturing the cap 17 or 18. As previously explained, the cap is ruptured to place the liquid in communication with the nipple. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the flattened side wall portion 56 may be engaged by the finger through the hood 50 and pressed downwardly against the cap. In this manner, rib 61 is brought into engagement with the cap and serves to increase the unit pressure for the rupturing of the cap. The person about to give the bottle to an infant, leaves the hood 50 in place as shown, and applies the tip of one finger to the hood and nipple, forcing the latter downwardly against the cap. In the embodiment of FIGS. 5-8, just enough pressure is applied to deform the metal layer 31 and rupture it along the slit lines 32 and 33 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 6. When at least one of the portions of the disk has assumeda displaced position, the bottle is thus unsealed. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, it can be seen that the nipple has a small flange 55' attached to each end wall 55 and overlying flange portion 46 of the second cap. The side walls 56, however, are not provided with flange 55' and thus are more easily displaced downwardly against the plastic layer 26. The pressure to displace the nipple, then, is materially reduced because of the particular configuration of the nipple and, in both embodiments, the rib 61 serves as a projection to aid in the rupturing of the cap.

It is to be noted that in this manner, without disturbing the sterile condition of the bottle contents or the sterility of the nipple, the bottle seal has been broken. After removal and discarding of the hood 50, the bottle may be given to the infant with the liquid readily flowing to the nipple and air entering the bottle through openings 54 and 54'. After dispensing of the liquid to the infant, it is contemplated that the remainder of the package may be discarded.

Since the package is disposable, it is preferable that the nipple be formed of a rather inexpensive material. Suitable nipples may be formed of resilient thermoplastic molded into the form illustrated. Suitable materials for such nipples are vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, and methylacrylate-ethylene copolymer. Of course, the more expensive rubber nipple may be utilized, if desired.

One of the great advantages of the invention herein disclosed is the fact that the containers of liquid food may be prepared in advance in a food factory under highly controlled conditions. Additionally, the package is adaptable to an in-can or aseptic canning process, and after testing the caps may be re-sterilized and a sterile nipple and hood applied thereto. Thus, the present invention provides not only convenience but economy with a guarantee of the most sanitary product possible.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific steps and embodiments herein shown and described, but departures may be made therefrom without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What is claimed is:

1. In an aseptic canning method of packaging liquid infant food in a disposable package including sterilizing rigid bottles and liquid infant food and filling the bottles with the liquid infant food under aseptic conditions, the improvement comprising: hermetically sealing each rigid bottle under conditions so as to not rupture the seal with a sterilized cap having a mouth-spanning portion having a central area which is both manually rupturable downwardly by finger pressure and displaceable upwardly by internal bottle pressure; storing the hermetically-sealed bottles for a length of time suflicient for incubation of bacteria; testing the hermetically-sealed bottles for upward displacement of the central area of the caps caused by internal pressure from excessive bacterial growth; selecting the hermetically-sealed bottles which pass the test; thereafter applying a sterilized flexible nursing nipple on the cap in sealed relation thereto with the teat portion overlying the manually rupturable central area of the cap so that the central area is rupturable downwardly by finger pressure applied thereagainst by pressing downwardly on the teat portion of the nursing nipple and affixing a sterilized flexible hood over the nipple and sealed end of the bottle.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of hermetically sealing each bottle with a cap includes providing a cap with the mouth-spanning portion and with a depending portion for surrounding the bottle at the open end, and securing the depending portion of the cap to the outside of the bottle to effect the hermetic seal at the open end of the bottle; wherein the step of applying a flexible nursing nipple includes placing a nursing nipple with a peripheral flange portion engaging the top of the cap outwardly of the manually rupturable and upwardly displaceable central portion, and securing the nipple in sealing relationship to the cap with an outer cap having a portion overlying the flange portion of the nipple and a depending portion overlying and engaged with the depending portion of the other cap; and wherein the step of aflixing the flexible hood includes securing the hood to the depending portion of the outer cap.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of applying the sterilized flexible nursing nipple on the cap includes supplying a nursing nipple with a peripheral flange extending outwardly from the teat portion, and adhesively securing the peripheral flange to the cap outwardly of the central area of the cap.

4. A disposable infant feeding package comprising: a rigid bottle for storing a quantity of liquid infant food, said bottle having a peripheral rim at the top and defining a mouth, a cap closing the mouth of the bottle and in sealing relation to the bottle, said cap including a depending portion engaged with the outside of the rigid bottle and a mouth-spanning portion at least a part of which is both manually rupturable downwardly by finger pressure and upwardly displaceable by internal bottle pressure, the mouth-spanning portion including a metallic layer having a relatively large central aperture of a size suflicient for passage of a finger and a plastic layer underlying the metallic layer, said plastic layer completely spanning the mouth and engaged with the bottle rim, cooperating means on the bottle and depending portion of the cap for locking the cap in position to press the metallic layer and plastic layer in sealing engagement with the bottle rim to seal the bottle, the seal between the plastic layer and the rim adapted to be broken by finger pressure applied to the plastic layer through said central aperture, a

nursing nipple overlying the cap, and means for securing the nursing nipple in sealing relation to the cap.

5. A disposable infant feeding package as set forth in claim 4 wherein the nursing nipple includes a peripheral flange closely adjacent the metallic layer of the cap and an upstanding teat; and wherein the last-mentioned means comprises a second cap having a top wall with a central aperture surrounding the teat and a skirt portion secured to the depending portion of said other cap.

6. A disposable infant feeding package as set forth in claim 4 wherein: the nursing nipple has a teat portion including a pair of substantially flat side walls and arcuate end walls intersecting the peripheral flange and converging upwardly to a reduced neck, said side Walls having internal ribs on the inner faces thereof and extending oblique to the flat side walls, said ribs extending crosswise of each other to intersect adjacent said neck and prevent complete shut-off of flow when the side walls are pressed together during feeding, and at least one rib operative for engaging the plastic layer of the cap when the side wall is pressed downwardly by a finger to break the seal.

7. A disposable infant feeding package comprising, in combination, a rigid bottle for storing a quantity of liquid infant food and having an open end defining a mouth, a first cap hermetically sealed to the open end and having a mouth-spanning portion and a depending portion surrounding the bottle at the open end and secured to the outside thereof, said mouth-spanning portion being both manually rupturable downwardly by finger pressure and upwardly displaceable by internal bottle pressure, a flexible nursing nipple overlying the first cap and including a hollow upstanding teat portion and a laterally extending peripheral flange, a second cap having a top wall with a central aperture for passage of the upstanding teat portion and overlying the peripheral flange, said second cap having an annular skirt portion surrounding the depending portion of the first cap and secured thereto to hold the peripheral flange of the nursing nipple in sealed relationship to the first cap, and the mouth-spanning por tion of the first cap adapted to being ruptured by finger pressure applied thereto by pressing downwardly on the teat portion of the nursing nipple.

8. A disposable infant feeding package as set forth in claim 7 wherein: the teat portion includes a pair of substantially flat side walls and arcuate end walls inter secting the peripheral flange and converging upwardly to a reduced neck, said side walls having internal ribs on the inner faces thereof and extending oblique to the fiat side walls, said ribs extending crosswise of each other to intersect adjacent said neck and prevent complete shutoff of flow when the side walls are pressed together during feeding, and at least one rib operative for engaging the first cap when the side wall is pressed downwardly to break the seal.

9. A disposable infant feeding package comprising: a rigid bottle for storing a quantity of liquid infant food and having a peripheral rim at the top defining an open mouth, a cap overlying the mouth of the bottle and in sealing relation to the bottle, the cap having a central area having a plurality of narrow slits, said central area being initially perforate and deformable but subsequently coated and sealed with an imperforate film to seal the slits against leakage, said central area being both displaceable upwardly by internal bottle pressure and rupturable downwardly by finger pressure applied thereagainst, a nursing nipple overlying the cap and including a peripheral flange and an upstanding teat portion spaced from the central area of the cap, the teat portion including a pair of substantially fiat side walls and arcuate end Walls intersecting the peripheral flange and converging upwardly to a reduced neck, said side walls each having an internal rib on its inner face, said ribs extending oblique to the flat side walls and crosswise of each other to intersect adjacent said neck and prevent complete shutoff of flow 'when the side walls are pressed together during feeding, at least one rib operative for engaging the central area of the cap when the side wall is pressed downwardly by a finger to concentrate the pressure and rupture the central portion, and means for securing the nursing nipple in sealing relation to the cap.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,496,458 6/ 1924 Friend 99--186 3,113,569 12/1963 Barr et a1 128-252 3,194,424 7/ 1965 Barr 215-11 3,235,113 2/1966 Seibert 2l511 3,244,305 4/1966 Moore 21511 3,334,764 8/1967 Fouser 215l1 A. LOUIS MONACELL, Primary Examiner W. R. BOVEE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 215-l1

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