U.S. patent application number 10/548700 was filed with the patent office on 2007-02-22 for feeding aid.
Invention is credited to Pamela Bellis, Jennifer Benson.
Application Number | 20070039192 10/548700 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32992588 |
Filed Date | 2007-02-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070039192 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Benson; Jennifer ; et
al. |
February 22, 2007 |
Feeding aid
Abstract
A feeding aid for teaching children to feed themselves. The
feeding aid includes a feeding implement (2), an anchor device (4)
for fixing the feeding aid to a surface and a resilient member (6)
connecting the feeding implement to the anchor device.
Inventors: |
Benson; Jennifer; (Milton
Keynes, GB) ; Bellis; Pamela; (London, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FAY, SHARPE, FAGAN, MINNICH & MCKEE, LLP
1100 SUPERIOR AVENUE, SEVENTH FLOOR
CLEVELAND
OH
44114
US
|
Family ID: |
32992588 |
Appl. No.: |
10/548700 |
Filed: |
October 10, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
October 10, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB03/04376 |
371 Date: |
October 5, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
30/296.1 ;
30/323; 30/327 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 21/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
030/296.1 ;
030/323; 030/327 |
International
Class: |
A47G 21/04 20070101
A47G021/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 11, 2003 |
GB |
0305487.1 |
Jul 18, 2003 |
GB |
0316874.7 |
Claims
1. A feeding aid including a feeding implement, an anchor device
for fixing the feeding aid to a surface and a resilient member
connecting the feeding implement to the anchor device.
2. A feeding aid according to claim 1, wherein the resilient member
is made from a plastics material that has elastic properties.
3. A feeding aid according to claim 2, wherein the resilient member
is made from a thermoplastic rubber or elastomer.
4. A feeding aid according to claim 3, wherein the resilient member
is made from a phthalate free PVC material.
5. A feeding aid according to claim 1, wherein the resilient member
is coiled.
6. A feeding aid according to claim 1, wherein the anchor device
includes a suction device.
7. A feeding aid according to claim 1, wherein the feeding
implement includes a cavity having first and second openings and
one end of the resilient member is located in the cavity through
the first opening and is attached to the feeding implement.
8. A feeding aid according to claim 7, wherein the resilient member
is ultrasonically welded to the feeding implement.
9. A feeding aid according to claim 7, wherein a plug is located in
the second opening.
10. A feeding aid according to claim 9, wherein the resilient
member is clamped between the plug and the feeding implement.
11. A feeding aid according to claim 10, wherein the cavity has a
base and one of the cavity base and the plug includes a formation
that is arranged to clamp the resilient member against the
other.
12. A feeding aid according to claim 11, wherein the cavity has a
first formation in its base and the plug has a second formation in
its body, wherein the first and second formations are arranged to
clamp the resilient member.
13. A feeding aid according to claim 2, wherein the resilient
member is coiled.
14. A feeding aid according to claim 3, wherein the resilient
member is coiled.
15. A feeding aid according to claim 4, wherein the resilient
member is coiled.
16. A feeding aid according to claim 2, wherein the anchor device
includes a suction device.
17. A feeding aid according to claim 3, wherein the anchor device
includes a suction device.
18. A feeding aid according to claim 4, wherein the anchor device
includes a suction device.
19. A feeding aid according to claim 5, wherein the anchor device
includes a suction device.
20. A feeding aid for a child, said feeding aid comprising: an
elongated resilient member comprising first end and second ends,
wherein said first end is connected to an anchor location; a
feeding implement for a child, said feeding implement connected to
said second end of said resilient member.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to feeding aids and in particular,
but not limited to, feeding aids for young children.
[0002] An essential step in the development of young children is
when a child begins to eat solid foods. Weaning typically begins
when children are around 4-6 months old. Initially, solid foods are
blended or mashed into a pulp and are fed to the child by an adult
using conventional feeding implements. The next stage of
development is to teach the child to feed hir/herself using feeding
implements such as knives, forks and spoons. Normally a child is
given an implement such as a baby spoon. This tends to be made of a
plastics material and is lighter and shorter than spoons used by
adults. A child will use the implement to scoop up a portion of
food from a bowl and attempt to deliver it to his/her mouth.
[0003] Developing this skill can take several months or more. This
can be a very frustrating time for parents since children often
drop feeding implements onto the floor and the parents have to
repeatedly stoop to retrieve the implement. This also presents a
hygiene hazard since dirt, harmful bacteria and other infectious
organisms may contaminate the implement when it contacts the floor.
If the parent gives the implement back to the child without first
washing it, the child may ingest the contaminants which may
consequently damage the child's health. Therefore there is a need
for a feeding aid that can assist the child to develop a controlled
feeding action more quickly as well as preventing the feeding
implement from falling onto the floor.
[0004] A similar problem exists for physically impaired people.
Some impairments restrict a person's hand movement and coordination
making feeding difficult. Such people would benefit from a feeding
aid that assists feeding activity. Some conditions may also cause a
person to more easily lose their grip on feeding implements. If the
feeding implement falls onto the floor the person may not be able
to retrieve it by themselves thereby requiring assistance of
another individual.
[0005] Accordingly, the invention seeks to mitigate some of the
afore-mentioned problems.
[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention there is
provided a feeding aid including a feeding implement, an anchor
device for fixing the feeding aid to a surface and a resilient
member connecting the feeding implement to the anchor device.
[0007] Advantageously, the invention assists the child's
development by reducing the amount of time it takes to learn to
feed him/herself properly with a feeding implement. This is because
when the child has completed a feeding action, the child tends to
relax his/her arm and the resilient action of the resilient member
tends to return the child's hand towards the anchor device. This
has the effect of teaching the child to return his/her hand to
approximately the same position after each feeding action has been
completed which encourages the child to commence a subsequent
feeding action.
[0008] Since the feeding aid is firmly anchored to a surface if the
child loses its grip from on the feeding implement the feeding
implement will be prevented from falling onto the floor. This
reduces the risk of dirt and harmful bacteria migrating from the
floor onto the eating implement and therefore preventing the child
from ingesting such contaminants, thus benefiting the child's
health.
[0009] Preferably the resilient member is made from a plastics
material that has elastic properties. For example, the resilient
member can be made from a thermoplastic rubber or elastomer, such
as a phthalate free PVC material. Preferably the resilient member
is coiled.
[0010] Advantageously the anchor device includes a suction device.
Alternatively the anchor device may include a clip, a clamp or a
bracelet.
[0011] Preferably the feeding implement includes a cavity having
first and second openings, wherein one end of the resilient member
is located in the cavity through the first opening and is attached
to the feeding implement. Preferably the resilient member is
attached to the feeding implement by a welding process such as an
ultrasonic welding process. A plug is located in the second opening
to close the second opening. The resilient member may additionally
be clamped between the plug and the feeding implement. Preferably
the cavity has a base and one of the cavity base and the plug
includes a formation that is arranged to clamp the resilient member
against the other. In one embodiment, the cavity has a first
formation in its base and the plug has a second formation in its
body, wherein the first and second formations are arranged to clamp
the resilient member.
[0012] An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way
of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which like references indicate equivalent features, wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a feeding aid in accordance
with the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a cross-section of a feeding implement;
[0015] FIG. 3 is an end view of a feeding implement;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a side view of a feeding implement;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a top view of a feeding implement;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a top view of a feeding implement with a
handgrip;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a cross-section of a feeding implement with a
handgrip;
[0020] FIGS. 8-12 show various views of a plug for fitting into a
cavity in the feeding implement;
[0021] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a suction device; and
[0022] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the
invention.
[0023] FIG. 1 shows a feeding aid including a feeding implement
(spoon 2), an anchor device (suction cup 4) and a resilient member
(connector member 6) that connects the spoon 2 to the suction cup
4.
[0024] The spoon 2 has an arcuate handle 8 that is suitable for
gripping by a young child. The spoon 2 is preferably made from a
plastics material such as polypropylene. Alternatively, the spoon 2
may be formed from a suitable metal such as stainless steel,
although plastics materials are preferred as these tend to be
lighter than metals and are kinder to children's gums and teeth
(i.e. do less damage). Towards one end of the handle, there is a
cavity 10 formed in the handle 8 (see FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 7). The
cavity 10 is substantially rectangular in plan view, is
substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the spoon 2 and
has an opening 11. The cavity 10 has a base 12 with a first rib 14
integrally formed therewith that extends across the width of the
cavity 10. A bore 16 is formed in the end of the handle 8 that
intersects the cavity 10. The bore 16 is arranged to receive one
end of the connector member 6. The connector member 6 is threaded
through the bore 16 and into the cavity 10 such that it lies over
the first rib 14. The connector member 6 is attached to the base 12
of the cavity by an ultrasonic welding process.
[0025] A plug 18 is inserted into the opening 11. The plug 18 has a
top plate 22 with an arcuate upper surface that lies flush with the
handle 8 when the plug 18 is properly located. The plug 18 includes
a second rib 20 that depends from the underside of the top plate
and is arranged to engage with the connector member 6 above the
first rib 14 to clamp the connector member 6 between the ribs 14,
20. This provides a strong joint between the spoon 2 and the
connector member 6. The plug 18 is sealed in place to prevent water
and foodstuffs from entering the cavity 10 via the opening 11 since
this may lead to the growth of mould and bacteria inside the cavity
10 which could present a health risk to the child.
[0026] The handle 8 includes a shallow recess 24 that extends
around the circumference of the handle 8 and along a substantial
part of the length of the handle. A moulded handgrip 26 is located
in the recess to provide improved grip for the child holding the
spoon 2. The handgrip 26 is arranged to cover the plug 18 for
aesthetic reasons and helps to prevent the ingress of water and
foodstuffs to the cavity 10. Preferably the handgrip 26 is made
from a plastics material such as a thermoplastic rubber or
elastomer such as polyurethane. However any other suitable material
can be used.
[0027] The connector member 6 connects the spoon 2 to the suction
cup 4, and has an elastic or shape memory property that seeks to
return the connector member 6 substantially to its original shape
or position after it has been stretched. The connector member 6 is
elongate. It has a circular cross-section typically in the range 2
to 6 mm, and preferably 4 mm, is coiled having an extended coil
length typically in the range 20 to 32 cm, and is made from a
phthalate-free PVC material. It has been found that a connector
member 6 of this type allows a child to manipulate the spoon 2 to
feed him/herself within the normal extensible limit of the
connector member 6. The resilient action of the connector member 6
is a slow recoiling action that draws the child's hand downwards in
a gentle fashion when the child has delivered the food to his/her
mouth and has relaxed his/her arm. In use, the connector member 6
extends as the child lifts his/her hand and resists the child's
action thereby restricting the hands movement to guide the hand
along a path from a start position adjacent a bowl of food to a
final position adjacent the child's mouth. The recoiling action of
the connector member 6 activates the motor movement necessary to
retract the child's hand to the start position by exerting a
pulling force on the child's arm. The recoiling action also guides
the child's hand substantially along the same path to the start
position as the connector member 6 contracts. Retracting the hand
to the start position stimulates the child to begin a subsequent
feeding action. Thus, the feeding aid teaches the child the
reflexes and coordinated movement required for feeding him/herself
with a spoon 2 by instructing the child's brain the path along
which the hand must travel from a bowl of food to reach the mouth,
and from the mouth back to the bowl of food.
[0028] The length of the connector member 6 restricts the amount
that the child can move his/her hand. Preferably the length of the
connector member 6 is such that the connector member 6 is close to
its normal extensible limit when the spoon 2 is positioned at the
child's mouth, this is of course in part determined by the position
of the suction cup 4 relative to the child. The length of the
connector member 6 is also determined by the application, for
example a longer connector member 6 may be used with older (larger)
children.
[0029] Alternatively the connector member 6 may be made from other
plastics materials such as other thermoplastic rubbers or
elastomers or any other material that activates the extension and
recoil action necessary to mimic the reflexes required for
feeding.
[0030] The slow recoiling action described above is preferable to
other embodiments of the invention that include resilient connector
members 6 that have stronger elastic properties since such
connector members 6 tend to restrict the child's hand movement
unnecessarily and the stronger resilient action tends to pull the
child's hand downwards more sharply which distracts the child and
disrupts the feeding activity. This may increase the time taken to
develop feeding skills. If the resilient action is too strong the
child may even lose his/her grip on the feeding implement. The slow
recoiling action of the connector member 6 described above returns
the child's hand slowly to the start position without the child
being distracted by the guiding action.
[0031] The suction cup 4 is used to anchor the feeding aid to a
surface such as a table, a high chair or other non-porous surfaces,
and includes a hole 28 located in an upper part. One end of the
connector member 6 is threaded through the hole 28 and is welded
against itself. Preferably the suction cup 4 is made from a
thermoplastic rubber or elastomer such as a phthalate-free PVC
material. The suction cup 4 is arranged such that it firmly anchors
the spoon 2 to a surface, via the connector member 6, such that in
normal use (i.e. when the child is feeding him/herself) the child
cannot pull the anchor free from the surface. The suction cup 4 may
alternatively be replaced by other means of anchoring the feeding
aid to a surface such as a clip or a clamp. The feeding aid may
also be attached to a person's clothing using a clip or to a
child's wrist using an adjustable bracelet.
[0032] The embodiment of the invention described above is
relatively lightweight, meets the European and United States
destructive tensile test requirements and is easy to clean. The
embodiment is also resistant to commonly used sterilizing fluids,
can be safely used in sterilizing units that are adapted for use in
microwaves, and can be cleaned in a dishwasher.
[0033] The feeding aid may include any kind of feeding implement
and therefore references to a spoon 2 above should be considered to
include knives and forks.
[0034] In use, the feeding aid is firmly attached to a surface such
as a high chair or table by the suction cup 4. Preferably the
suction cup 4 is located adjacent a bowl of food. The child grips
the spoon 2 via the moulded handgrip 26 around the handle 8. The
child scoops a portion of food onto the spoon 2 and draws the spoon
2 towards his/her mouth. This action stretches the connector member
6 which uncoils and extends its length. As the coil extends it
resists the child's movement and guides the child's hand along a
path to a position near the child's mouth. When the child has
completed the manoeuvre, the child tends to relax his/her arm and
the resilient action of the connector member 6 tends to contract
the connector member 6 drawing the spoon 2 and child's hand along
substantially the same path to the start position which stimulates
the child to move his/her arm along the path. This has the effect
of teaching the child to return his/her hand to approximately the
same position after each feeding action has been completed which
stimulates the child to commence a subsequent feeding action. This
develops the child's coordination and the child's ability to feed
him/herself much more quickly than when using conventional feeding
implements by instructing the child the path along which the hand
must travel to deliver food from the spoon 2 to his/her mouth, thus
developing the reflexes required for feeding.
[0035] If the child releases his/her grip on the spoon 2 it will
not fall onto the floor but will be suspended above the floor from
the surface by the suction cup 4 via the connector member 6.
[0036] FIG. 14 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention
that uses a different means for attaching the connector member 106
to the spoon 102. The spoon 102 has a handle 108 with a through
hole 130. The connector member 106 is threaded through the hole 130
and is attached to itself, preferably by welding, to make a secure
connection.
[0037] In other respects the second embodiment is similar to the
first embodiment.
[0038] It will be apparent to the skilled person that other
resilient materials can be used for the connector member 6,106 that
have elastic or shape memory properties such as rubber and rubber
compounds, or devices such as springs, including metallic springs.
It is not essential for the connector member to be coiled. It will
also be apparent that other ways of connecting the connector member
6,106 to the feeding implement 2,102 can be used.
[0039] The feeding aid can be adapted for use with physically
impaired people, including adults. Therefore any references to a
child above are not to be considered to limit the invention to
feeding aids that are suitable only for children. The guiding
action of the feeding aid that is used to teach children the
reflexes required for feeding themselves with a feeding implement
can be adapted to help physically impaired adults to learn or
remember (as appropriate) the coordinated movement required to feed
themselves. For example, adults who have suffered strokes can be
helped to rediscover the muscle control required to move their hand
along the correct path from bowl to mouth. Other adults who,
because of their impairment, have had difficulty learning to feed
themselves using existing aids may also benefit from this
invention.
* * * * *