FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to infant products. In particular the invention relates to nipples used in pacifiers and feeding bottles.

BACKGROUND

Feeding bottles are typically used with nipples to enable sucking of liquid substances from the bottle in a manner that resembles sucking on a human breast.

Traditional nipples have a single gripping point and require support for holding the bottle steady in one place. Without support, the nipple is likely to slip out of a baby's mouth, especially when his sucking motions stop and the vacuum created by the baby's sucking is released. This is especially true with bottles full of liquid or other feeding substances, where their weight pulls down on the bottle, making it particularly challenging to properly and stably position the nipple in a baby's mouth without further support of the baby's or an adult's hands.

In addition, traditional bottle nipples separated from the bottle cannot serve as pacifiers for calming babies, because they lack suitable engagement points: sucking movements dislodge the nipple from the baby's lips, causing such nipples to drop from the baby's mouth. This requires babies to get used to different nipples for eating and calming purposes.

In addition, traditional bottle nipples used for feeding lack features for relief of teething pains, maintenance of gums and oral hygiene, or prevention of tooth shape distortion.

US patent No. 6,773,451 titled "Ergonomic Teat" to Louis-Marie Dussere describes a teat configured to cooperate with the tongue and the palate of a baby to stimulate movement analogous to that of sucking. US patent application publication No. 2010/0063543 titled "PACIFIER" to Allen J. Moses and Stephen H. Sheldon describes pacifiers aimed to improve accommodation by the anatomy of the human oral cavity and throat, thus allegedly providing improved healthy jaw development, correct swallowing and satisfaction of a user's inclination to suck or nibble. In these publications, however, the shape of the nipple does not change according to the baby's sucking movements.

The need remains, therefore, for a unified multi-function nipple which can be mounted on top of a feeding bottle or serve as a standalone pacifier, having multiple geometric features for securing the nipple within the baby's mouth. Embodiments described hereinbelow address this need.

SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

According to one aspect, an improved nipple for a baby is provided, the nipple comprising: a top part comprising a tip, at least one flange extending from the tip base outwards and upwards, a neck comprising the exterior walls of the flanges, at least one gum- gap, each gap defined by an interior wall of one of the flanges and the tip, wherein the nipple is configured to allow at least one of the baby's gums to be received in the gum-gaps and engage the tip and the flange, and the baby's lips to engage the neck, whereby the baby firmly engages the nipple.

In some embodiments, the tip comprises a bulge. Preferably, the flanges extend to under the bulge.

Preferably, the tip is extendible upwards in response to suction applied to the tip. The nipple with the extended tip may allow a baby's tongue to engage the tip. Preferably, the nipple with the extended tip allows a baby's gums to firmly engage the tip. Preferably the nipple with the extended tip allows baby's lips to firmly engage the neck.

In some embodiments, the baby's tongue or mouth roof engages the bulge.

Optionally, the tip further comprises a chamber therein, the chamber comprising walls, and an aperture configured to allow liquid to flow out of the aperture from within the chamber in response to suction.

In some embodiments, the nipple further comprises a bottom part comprising an outer-ring extending outwards from the nipple, from below the neck.

In some embodiments, the nipple further comprises a bottom part, wherein the bottom part comprises a baby-bottle ring, whereby the nipple is configured to be inserted into a baby bottle and held in place therein with the baby-bottle ring. In some embodiments, the nipple further comprises a handle, wherein the handle is connected to the chamber walls. Optionally, the handle is in the shape of a ring.

In some embodiments, the tip further comprises a chamber therein, the chamber comprising walls, the nipple further comprising a handle connected to the chamber walls, wherein the handle is configured to allow helping to introduce the nipple into a baby's mouth. Optionally, the handle is configured to allow ejecting the nipple from the baby- bottle ring.

In some embodiments, the nipple further comprises an opening between the chamber and the tip, and a valve extending from a chamber wall towards the opening, whereby the opening is sealed when the nipple is in its relaxed state. In preferred embodiments, the opening is exposed when the tip is extended.

In some embodiments, the tip comprises elastic material. Optionally, the elastic material is selected from one or more of a group comprising: silicon rubber and latex.

In some embodiments, the shape of the neck is elliptical or the neck conforms to the shape of a baby's lips. In some embodiments, the width of the neck affects the widening of the lips and gums of the baby, such that the rubbing of gums and pressure applied to the nipple is reduced.

Some embodiments described herein disclose a baby bottle comprising embodiments of the improved nipple. Other embodiments disclose a pacifier comprising embodiments of the improved nipple.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, purely by way of example, to the accompanying drawings.

With specific reference now to the drawing in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention; the description taken with the drawing making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice. In discussion of the various figures described herein below, like numbers refer to like parts. The drawings are generally not to scale.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 illustrates a cross section of an improved ergonomic nipple embodiment in its relaxed state;

Figure 2 illustrates a cross section of a second nipple embodiment in its extended state;

Figure 3 illustrates an isometric projection of a nipple embodiment in a relaxed state; Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a nipple embodiment resting inside a baby's mouth in its relaxed state;

Figure 5 illustrates an isometric projection of a nipple embodiment shown in Fig. 3, in its extended state;

Figure 6 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a nipple embodiment shown in Fig. 4, resting inside a baby's mouth in its extended state;

Figure 7A illustrates a cross-section of a nipple embodiment ready to be coupled to a standard feeding bottle;

Figure 7B illustrates a cross-section view of a nipple embodiment coupled to a standard baby feeding bottle;

Figure 8 illustrates an isometric projection of an embodiment of a nipple in its resting state further comprising a small container having a bottom opening and a seal;

Figure 9A illustrates a cross-section view of a nipple embodiment comprising a valve in rest position;

Figure 9B shows the nipple embodiment shown in Figure 9A, in extended position;

Figure 9C illustrates a back view of the nipple embodiment having a valve; and

Figure 9D illustrates an inside-out side-view of the nipple embodiment having a valve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE SELECTED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of an improved ergonomic baby nipple comprise a unique shape with unique extension capabilities, which provide multiple secure features when inserted into a baby's mouth. Selected embodiments may serve as a nipple for a baby feeding bottle, and as a pacifier when detached from the feeding bottle.

When used in pacifiers, the multiple features secure the nipple and prevent it from falling out of the baby's mouth. When used with feeding bottles, the unique characteristics of the nipple enable hand free baby feeding. With the nipple, babies may consume liquid from feeding bottles containing small amounts of liquid without the need to further support the weight of the bottle. The nipple further comprises a unique valve for preventing liquid from spilling out of the bottle through the nipple when the baby stops sucking on the nipple.

The baby nipple may further assist in maintaining oral hygiene and in cleaning of babies' front teeth and gums, and can help ease irritations caused by teething.

Reference is made to figure 1 showing a cross section of an improved ergonomic nipple embodiment 100 in its relaxed state. At least part of the nipple is created from an elastic material, such as but not limited to silicon rubber, elastic polymers or the like.

The nipple 100 comprises a tip 102 with an optional aperture 104, at least one flange 106 extending from the tip base outwards and upwards, at least partially surrounding tip 102, a chamber 108, and a stem 110. Aperture 104 is configured to allow liquid flow from within tip 102 out of nipple 100. A gum-gap 112 exists between tip 102 and each interior wall of flange 106, with a gum-gap base 113.

Optionally, the nipple 100 may further comprise an outer-ring 114, commonly also known as a 'bridge', which may serve as a safety mouthpiece in pacifiers. The nipple may further comprise a base 118 which may serve as a sealing ring when connected to bottles. Stem 110 may be configured to be inserted along with base 118 into baby bottles and held in place with a baby-bottle ring as shown in Figure 7B. Optionally, the parts of the nipple whose functional structure does not require extension may be made of rigid material such as, but not limited to, rigid polymers. For example, the outer-ring and/or base may comprise materials or their mixture thereof of various flexibilities, hardnesses and plasticities, such as a polypropylene ring embedded in a latex ring. In addition, the nipple may be constructed from two or more separately made parts, which may be formed by molding, extrusion etc., and fused, stuck or otherwise firmly connected to each other.

The tip 102, in particular the shape of the exterior wall of flanges 106, may be elliptical, in a shape of a ball, or any other suitable shape, tip 102 is configured to enter a baby's mouth in a way that the nipple's flanges 106 rest between the baby's lips and the baby's gums. The nipple enables the baby's gums to comfortably and naturally slide in gum- gap 112. By doing so, tip 102 is extended into the baby's mouth. When used with baby bottles, the baby's suction movements enable liquid to flow from the baby bottle into chamber 108, throughout aperture 104, and into the baby's mouth.

In some embodiments there is one flange 106 that may completely surround the tip 102. Flange 106 may serve as housing for tip 102 when the nipple is in its relaxed state. In other embodiments the flange 106 does not completely surround the tip; for example, in some embodiment the flange 106 is situated to allow only one of the gums to slide in a gum- gap. In some of the embodiments there are two flanges 106, one for each gum. In between the two flanges there may be no flange. The flanges or even one flange in the one-flangeed embodiments may have an uneven height, in order to better conform to the different contours and lengths of each gum.

Viewing the nipple 100 again, we see that the tip 102 is bulb-shaped, i.e., there is a bulge 103 on the tip 102. The bulge 103 may further help guide the baby to properly and securely engage the nipple 100. Preferably, the flanges 106 do not extend beyond the bulge 103. The flanges 106 are preferably sufficiently thick and of a suitable material to have mechanical strength, and stiffness preventing obstruction of the gap 112, yet sufficiently thin to be comfortable to the baby when the flanges 106 lie between the baby's gums and lips and sufficiently flexible to allow the baby to easily push the gums into the gap 112.

Figure 2 illustrates a cross section of a second improved ergonomic nipple embodiment 200 in its extended state. The nipple 200 may reach this state when suction is applied to tip 102. As tip 102 extends forward into the baby's mouth, flange 106 provides back support for the baby's lips which are typically led to rest on chamber 108. This securing feature guides the baby's lips to enable effective suction. In this embodiment 200, a neck 222 is formed on the nipple 200, by the exterior walls of flanges 106, upon which the baby's lips may rest. The neck 222 has an effect on the width of the baby's mouth opening during suction, and helps guide the baby's lips to a location on the nipple 200 which enables effective suction for example by pressure of the lips on the chamber 108 as well as helping in securing the nipple in the mouth. This embodiment 200 further comprises a handle 220 for a pacifier or as means to easily eject nipple 200 from a baby bottle. Handle 220 may be in the shape of a ring or any other suitable shape. The handle is preferably made of strong material to withstand manual pulling and twisting. Note that a valve 224 is also shown, whose role will be explained below.

Figure 3 illustrates an isometric projection of improved ergonomic nipple 200 in a relaxed state. This embodiment 200 can serve as a pacifier or as a baby bottle nipple.

Flange 106 also serves as housing for tip 102 in the relaxed state of the nipple 200. Handle 220 is connected to a wall of the chamber 108 (see Figure 2), and can be used to ease the process of ejecting the nipple from the baby bottle. Handle 220 may also be used by an adult to help introduce the nipple into a baby's mouth when it is intended to serve as a pacifier. The area of the chamber 108 to which the handle 220 connects may be made of a strong and inflexible material.

Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of nipple embodiment 200 resting inside a baby's mouth 300 in its relaxed state. The figure shows baby's lips 302, gums 304 and tongue 306 holding nipple 200 in place. Gums 304 lie within gum gap 112, lips 302 rest on neck 222 and tongue 306 lies beneath tip 102. The multiple engagement points allow the gums, lips and tongue to contribute to the nipple's stability within the baby's mouth, and to prevent nipple 200 from slipping out of the baby's mouth even when the baby is not performing sucking motions. This feature is particularly important in pacifiers, which tend to slip from babies' mouths whenever suction stops.

Figure 5 illustrates an isometric projection of nipple 200 in its extended state. When a baby performs sucking movements, part or all of tip 102 is pulled into the mouth.

Figure 6 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of nipple embodiment 200 resting inside a baby's mouth 300 in its extended state. The position of tip 102 is naturally adjusted according to the baby's tongue 306 and the intensity of the baby's suction on tip 102. During suction, the baby's lips 302 conform with neck 222. When the nipple 200 is coupled with a baby bottle full of liquid, chamber 108 is filled with liquid as a result of the baby's suction. The baby's gums 304 engage tip 102 as they are inserted into gum-gap (112 in Figure 3) between tip 102 and flange 106. Flange 106 is configured to support the baby's gums 304 and assist in holding tip 102 in one place, preventing it from moving about the baby's mouth, even when the baby is not sucking on tip 102. A rubbing effect between flanges 106 and tip 102 and gums 304 stimulates blood flow into gums 304, thus easing teething pains.

Furthermore, preferably, the shape of the nipple embodiments, for example their length and contour, is economically designed to help firmly but releasingly engage the tip with the tongue 306 and/or with the roof of the mouth 307, yet to avoid provoking a gag reflex from contact with the roof 307 which might occur in other longer objects that are brought into contact with the roof 307 further within the mouth 300. The width and contour of the nipples 102, in particular in the region of the chamber 108, may be designed to imitate the form of mother's nipples.

The extension of the nipple 102 towards the baby's mouth 300 simulates a mother's nipple, which extends when suction takes place and recedes when suction stops.

The upper front teeth might develop protruding due to excessively intense sucking on a pacifier or nipple. In addition, some babies might, as a result of excessive force applied by their gums to a nipple, develop gum distortion such as arches in the front of their gums.

When nipple 200 serves as a pacifier, the width of neck 222 affects the widening of lips 302 and gums 304. When the width of neck 222 is properly adjusted, the lips 302 are widened to a comfortable extent, and the space between the gums 304 is consequently reflexively widened as well. Thus, the rubbing of gums 304 and pressure applied to the nipple 200 is potentially reduced, such that less gum distortion is caused when sucking takes place.

Reference is now made to Figure 7A illustrating a cross-section of a nipple embodiment 400 with base 118 and handle 220 ready to be coupled with a standard baby feeding bottle embodiment 500 having a baby bottle ring 510. The bottle 500 typically has an outer thread and the ring 510 typically has an inner thread (not shown), for screwing and unscrewing the ring 510 onto the bottle 500. Figure 7B illustrates feeding bottle 500 coupled with the nipple 400, which may be accomplished by passing the nipple 400 up through the ring such that the base (not shown) of the nipple 400 is flush with the inside top of ring 510, and then screwing the ring 510 onto the bottle 500, so that the base serves as a gasket. In order to remove the nipple 400 from the ring 510, e.g. for replacement of the nipple 400 or for cleaning the nipple 400, the handle (220 in Figure 7A) may expeditiously be pulled.

Reference is made to Figure 8 illustrating an isometric projection of an embodiment 600 in its resting state. Embodiment 600 with aperture 104 is intended for feeding, and further comprises a container 630 for storing small amounts of liquid such as baby formula, breast milk, juice or other liquid substances used in baby feeding. The bottom of container 630 comprises a seal 632. Removing seal 632 exposes an opening 634 in container 630 through which the insertion of small liquid amounts into container 630 is made possible. When seal 632 is applied to opening 634, liquid cannot escape container 630. The relatively small size of container 630 (when compared to traditional baby bottle containers) only enables the insertion of small liquid amounts; thus, the weight of the container can be supported by the firm grasp of the baby's lips and gums on the nipple, and enables hand free baby feeding.

r Reference is made to Figure 9A illustrating a cross-section view of a nipple embodiment 700 comprising a valve 740, the nipple being in rest position. In this embodiment, valve 740 is attached to or an extension of one side of the wall 730 of the chamber 108 or is an extension of the wall 730 facing inwards in the nipple 700, and seals the base opening 742 of tip 102in this position. Figure 9B illustrates a cross-section view of the nipple embodiment 700 shown in Figure 9A, in pulled position. The valve 740 does not block the base opening 742 in this position. Figure 9C shows a rear view of nipple embodiment 700 showing walls 730 of chamber 108 in , with attachment loop 732 for attaching ring 220, , and valve 740 covering the base opening. Figure 9D illustrates aside view of an inverted nipple embodiment 700 showing the chamber walls 730 with attachment loop 732 coupled to ring 220 on one side and valve 740 on the other side.

When the nipple 700 is in its resting state, valve 740 blocks liquid from flowing from the chamber 108 into tip 102. When the nipple is in its extended state such that tip 102 is pulled forward, base opening 742 of tip 102 is also pulled forward and is drawn away from valve 740, enabling liquid to flow from the chamber 108 into tip 102. Referring back to figures 4 and 6, the flange's length 107 defines the depth of gum gap 112. Gum gap 112 enables maximal contact of the nipple with the baby's gums 304, which may allow a rubbing effect on gums 304 during suction. This rubbing effect is particularly important when teething takes place, for stimulating blood flow to gums 304 and soothing teething pains and other teething discomforts. Guided placement of the gums in a designated location within the nipple may further aid in preventing teeth shape distortion often caused by babies' sucking movements.

When suction stops, tip 102 retracts from inside the baby's mouth and gums 304 partially retract from gum gap 112. However, the nipple remains securely held within the baby's mouth because the baby's lips 302 are located between chamber 108 and flange 106, and gums 304 remain locked in gum gap 112 between tip 102 and flange 106. Thus, releasing suction does not cause the nipple to drop from the baby's mouth. Disengagement from the nipple happens when the baby opens his mouth.

The depth of the gum gap 112 which serves as a housing for the tip 102 in the nipple's relaxed state is pulled forward in a maximal suction state. This length can be determined by the manufacturer of the nipple to suit the requirements of different babies' age groups. The elasticity of the material used to create the nipple housing and tip can also be adjusted, for example and without limitation the nipple's elasticity can be reduced to accommodate the needs of strong babies capable of applying more suction on the nipple's tip 102. Changes to elasticity in various areas of the nipple may further affect other usage elements, such as the force which the baby will need to apply in order to insert his gums into the gap between the nipple's tip 102 and the nipple's flange 106.

Embodiments may be adapted for use as a pacifier wherein the chamber 108 is sealed optionally by a seal configured to be pushed against the valve, preventing air from entering the chamber. Thus the nipple is used as a pacifier. Alternatively, permanently sealed pacifiers may be provided having nipples with securing features.

In the various embodiments, the neck 222 may be elliptically-shaped, for improved fit of the nipple between the baby's two lips. In preferred embodiments, the neck 222 conforms with the shape of baby's lips, as is evident in the embodiments 200, 600 shown in Figures 3, 8 respectively. Note also that as the tip 102 is pulled forward by sucking, flanges 106 may be pulled back to further help engage the baby's lips 302. This is viewable in Figure 6. It is a particular feature of a nipple with an elliptical or lip -conforming flange that when it does not rest properly in a baby's mouth, rotating the nipple may help reposition the nipple securely within the baby's mouth.

Although the engagements of the nipples at multiple features help to secure the nipple in the baby's mouth, it is stressed that the embodiments serve minimize unintentional dropping of the nipple out of the mouth and provide healthy and easy feeding or other mouth-employing of a nipple, and are not designed to excessively fasten the nipples in the mouth.

Beyond the health benefits of the embodiments, they are considered to have a beneficial effect on the emotional well-being of the babies, as the babies might lose confidence and/or patience in their feeding, when the nipple is poorly designed.

The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and includes both combinations and sub combinations of the various features described hereinabove as Well as variations and modifications thereof, which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.

In the claims, the word "comprise", and variations thereof such as "comprises", "comprising" and the like indicate that the components listed are included, but not generally to the exclusion of other components.