US 2026/0102318 A1 · COMPLIANT INFANT SUCKLING DEVICE

Abstract

Nutritive and non-nutritive suckling devices made entirely of a soft, highly deformable elastomer includes a completely and/or partially filled nipple portion constructed of a low durometer elastomer. For nipple feeding, one or more ducts longitudinally extend through the completely-filled nipple portion. The nipple portion has sufficient axial strength to pass biting and elongation failure in regulatory testing yet is sufficiently radially compliant that a <8 PSI transverse compressive pressure can compress the nipple duct(s) to shut off fluid flow. An attachment design allows the soft highly deformable elastomer of the nipple base to resist detachment from the bottle collar when screwed onto the bottle under >20 pounds axial load. A non-nutritive pacifier device includes a completely-filled nipple portion having an open interior volume portion with a wall thickness adjusted to replicate the feel of a human nipple and an areola wall thickness sufficient to resist collapse during use.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A device for nutritive infant suckling comprising:

a nipple portion having a proximal end, a distal end, and an exterior surface, and further defining:
a filled portion wherein said nipple portion is filled along a longitudinal portion of the length of said nipple portion from the proximal tip thereof toward the distal end thereof and further defining at least one duct extending generally longitudinally through the filled portion of the nipple portion, and
a partially filled portion wherein said nipple portion is partially filled along a longitudinal length extending from the distal end of the filled portion to the distal end of the nipple portion, said partially filled portion defining an open interior volume that is contiguous with a distal end of the at least one duct, and
an areola portion connected to the nipple portion at the distal end thereof, wherein said areola portion defines an open interior volume contiguous with the open interior volume of the partially filled nipple portion, and
wherein said nipple portion and areola portions are both constructed of a single low durometer elastomer having a hardness of about Shore A1 to about Shore A30.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Compliant infant suckling device

Life of this patent

Compliant infant suckling device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22