US 6,588,613 B1 · Baby-feeding nipple

Abstract

Baby bottle nipples which mimic the function of the human breast nipple are provided. In the human breast nipple, milk is delivered to the baby through 15-25 fluid-delivery capillaries called lactiferous ducts. These ducts are 2-4 centimeters in length and 500-900 microns in diameter. Baby bottle nipples fabricated in accordance with the methods of this invention have the common feature of at least one hydrophilic fluid delivery passage. In one embodiment, the fluid delivery passage is a microtube. In another embodiment, the fluid delivery passage is a microchannel. In yet another embodiment, the fluid delivery passage comprises a porous reticulated foam with interconnected pores. In each of these embodiments, the fluid delivery passage has at least one dimension in the range of 1-2000 microns.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A nipple for use with a baby bottle, said nipple comprising a nipple body and a portion that can be attached to a fluid container with a leak-free seal;

wherein said nipple body is made of a flexible, non-toxic material, has a feeding-tip that fits comfortably into an infants mouth and has a fluid-delivery means consisting of at least one fluid-delivery passage, each passage having a hydrophilic interior surface, at least one cross-sectional dimension in the range of 1-2000 microns, any cross-section or axial shape, and a length equal to that of the solid portion of said nipple extending from the termination of said feeding-tip toward the end of the nipple body that makes contact with the fluid in said container;
said passages being embedded in said nipple body and aligned in such an orientation as to deliver a water-based fluid from said fluid container to a sucking infant on the other end by capillary action.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Baby-feeding nipple

Life of this patent

Baby-feeding nipple

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25