U.S. patent application number 12/465072 was filed with the patent office on 2009-09-10 for detachable musical base for baby bottle.
Invention is credited to Marta Carrasco, Raymond Carrasco.
Application Number | 20090224112 12/465072 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41052622 |
Filed Date | 2009-09-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090224112 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Carrasco; Raymond ; et
al. |
September 10, 2009 |
DETACHABLE MUSICAL BASE FOR BABY BOTTLE
Abstract
A detachable music box for a baby bottle is comprised of a body
structure having a base for resting upon a horizontal surface to
support the baby bottle thereon in a stable manner. A musical sound
player is housed within the body structure. A bottle seat is
located at the top of the base and includes a bottle clamp for
gripping the sides of the baby bottle to thereby releaseably secure
the body structure to the baby bottle. The bottle clamp may
alternatively release the body structure from the baby bottle. The
clamping mechanism thereby allows the detachable music box to be
releaseably attached to baby bottles having physical sizes and
shapes that differ significantly from each other.
Inventors: |
Carrasco; Raymond; (South
Gate, CA) ; Carrasco; Marta; (South Gate,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Cislo & Thomas LLP
1333 2nd Street, Suite #500
Santa Monica
CA
90401-4110
US
|
Family ID: |
41052622 |
Appl. No.: |
12/465072 |
Filed: |
May 13, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11454037 |
Jun 16, 2006 |
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12465072 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
248/104 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61J 9/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/104 |
International
Class: |
A47D 15/00 20060101
A47D015/00 |
Claims
1. A removable attachment for a baby feeding bottle having a bottom
and upright side surfaces comprising: a seat for receiving said
bottom of said baby feeding bottle, a music producing device
located within said seat, and a releaseable clamp mechanism on said
seat for exerting compressive forces from opposing directions,
against said side surfaces of said baby feeding bottle and in the
alternative releasing said side surfaces of said baby feeding
bottle.
2. An attachment according to claim 1 wherein said releaseable
clamp mechanism includes at least one pair of opposing jaws facing
each other and mounted upon opposing sides of said seat, and gear
elements coupling said jaws together and movable in a first
direction to draw said jaws toward each other and in a second
opposite direction to force said jaws apart from each other.
3. An attachment according to claim 2 further comprising guide
slots in said seat, and said gear elements include a pair of
transversely extending clamp arms mounted within said guide slots
for mutually parallel reciprocal movement in a common clamp arm
plane relative to said seat, and each of said clamp arms carries a
separate one of said jaws at one of its extremities, and said clamp
arms have mutually facing longitudinal edges formed with teeth, and
said gear elements further include a pinion having a pinion axis of
rotation and located between and engaged with said teeth on said
clamp arms and said pinion axis of rotation is perpendicular to
said clamp arm plane, whereby said pinion and said gear teeth on
said clamp arms are engaged to form a rack and pinion jaw
advancement and jaw retraction mechanism.
4. An attachment according to claim 3 further comprising a manually
operated latch engageable with said releaseable clamp mechanism to
selectively permit and prevent movement of said jaws.
5. An attachment according to claim 4 wherein said latch is a lever
with an outboard operating end protruding from said seat, a toothed
inboard end engageable with said pinion, and said latch is
rotatably mounted to said seat for rotation about a latch axis
offset from and parallel to said pinion axis of rotation.
6. An attachment according to claim 5 further comprising a detent
on said seat past which said operating end of said latch moves when
said latch is rotated about said latch axis, so that said detent
tends to hold said lever alternatively engaged with and disengaged
from said rack and pinion gearing.
7. An attachment according to claim 1 wherein said seat has an
axial center and said releaseable clamp mechanism includes two
pairs of opposing jaws, wherein said jaws within each pair face
each other and are mounted upon opposing sides of said axial center
of said seat from each other, and said pairs of jaws are oriented
at right angles relative to each other, and further comprising a
retraction system for concurrently moving all of said jaws toward
said axial center of said seat and an extension system for
concurrently pushing said jaws away from said axial center of said
seat.
8. An attachment according to claim 7 wherein said retraction and
extension systems are comprised of rack and pinion gearing.
9. An attachment according to claim 8 wherein each of said jaws is
mounted upon an outboard end of a separate support arm, and said
support arms each have a toothed side that forms a gear rack, and
further comprising a pinion having an axis of rotation located at
said axial center of said seat, and said pinion is engaged with all
of said gear racks so that rotation of said pinion in one direction
of rotation concurrently draws all of said jaws toward said axial
center of said seat and rotation of said pinion in an opposite
direction of rotation pushes said jaws apart from each other and
away from said axial center of said seat.
10. An attachment according to claim 9 further comprising a pinion
latch mounted on said seat and rotatable about a latch axis of
rotation offset from and parallel to said axis of rotation of said
pinion and said pinion latch is engageable with said pinion to
immobilize said pinion from rotation relative to said seat and
disengageable from said pinion to permit said pinion to rotate
relative to said seat.
11. An attachment according to claim 10 further comprising a detent
on said seat for holding said pinion latch in engagement and
alternatively in disengagement with said pinion.
12. A detachable baby bottle accessory comprising: a base for
supporting a baby bottle from beneath upon a flat surface, a music
player located within said base, at least one pair of opposing jaws
located atop said base for receiving said baby bottle therebetween,
and a jaw adjustment mechanism for moving at least one of said jaws
to clamp said baby bottle between said jaws and alternatively
release said baby bottle from between said jaws.
13. A detachable baby bottle accessory according to claim 12
further comprising two pairs of said jaws, and said jaws are all
mounted upon support arms having side edges formed as toothed
racks, wherein said toothed racks on said support arms in each pair
of said jaws reside in mutually coplanar relationship facing each
other, and said support arms for one of said pairs of jaws reside
in a first support arm plane parallel to and longitudinally
displaced from a second support arm plane in which said support
arms for the other of said pairs of jaws reside and further
comprising a pinion extending longitudinally between said first and
second support arm planes and mounted for rotation in said base
about a pinion axis of rotation perpendicular to both said support
arm planes and passing through the center of said base, and said
pinion has pinion teeth engaged with all of said toothed racks.
14. A detachable baby bottle accessory according to claim 13
further comprising a pinion latch mounted on said base and
selectively engageable with and disengageable from said pinion to
alternatively immobilize and permit rotation of said pinion on said
pinion axis.
15. A detachable baby bottle accessory according to claim 14
further comprising a detent for selectively retaining said pinion
latch engaged and disengaged with said pinion.
16. A detachable baby bottle accessory according to claim 12
wherein said jaws are each formed with concave inwardly facing
surfaces that contact said baby bottle when said jaws clamp said
baby bottle therebetween.
17. A detachable music box for a baby bottle comprising: a body
structure having a base for resting upon a horizontal surface to
support said baby bottle thereon in a stable manner, a musical
sound player housed within said body structure, and a bottle seat
located at the top of said base and including a bottle clamp for
gripping said bottle to thereby releaseably secure said body
structure to said baby bottle, and to alternatively release said
body structure from said baby bottle.
18. A detachable music box according to claim 17 wherein said
bottle clamp is comprised of four clamping members, each formed
with a jaw supported upon a clamp arm having an edge with a
plurality of teeth formed thereon, and said clamping members are
arranged in pairs with said jaws in each pair residing in
opposition to each other and with said plurality of teeth on said
clamp arms in each pair mutually parallel and in facing
relationship relative to each other, whereby each of said clamp
arms defines a linear toothed rack and further comprising guide
slots in said body structure, wherein each of said jaws is mounted
upon one of said transversely extending clamp arms and said clamp
arms in each pair are disposed in mutual parallel alignment with
each other and move in said guide slots formed in said body
structure, and said pairs of clamping members are oriented at right
angles relative to each other, and further comprising a single
pinion mounted to said body structure for rotation relative thereto
and engaged with all of said toothed racks and rotatable in a first
direction to concurrently draw all of said jaws toward each other
and alternatively rotatable in an opposite, second direction to
concurrently push all of said jaws apart from each other.
19. A detachable music box according to claim 18 further comprising
a manually actuatable latching mechanism mounted on said body
structure and alternatively engageable with said pinion to
immobilize said pinion from rotation relative to said body
structure and disengageable from said pinion to permit said pinion
to rotate relative to said body structure.
20. A detachable music box according to claim 19 further comprising
a detent on said body structure to hold said latching member in
selected alternative positions of engagement and disengagement
relative to said pinion.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This document is a continuation application which is related
to, and claims priority from, U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/454,037, also entitled "Detachable Musical Base for Baby
Bottle," filed Jun. 16, 2006, which is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an accessory for a baby
feeding bottle that contains a music producing device and upon
which the baby feeding bottle may be seated and to which the baby
feeding bottle may be releaseably clamped.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Baby bottles have been in continuous use for many, many
years for nursing and feeding liquids to infant children.
Conventional baby bottles are formed as elongated, tubular
containers of glass or plastic having a closed bottom end and an
open mouth at the opposite, top end. Rubber nipples are releaseably
secured to the open, top ends of conventional bottles by means of
annular plastic collars which provide a liquid-tight seal at the
mouth of the bottle. Conventional infant feeding bottles of this
type may be cylindrical in cross-sectional shape, but are sometimes
formed with polygonal outer cross-sectional configurations.
[0006] Infant children are often quite temperamental during
feeding. The distress of many infants during feeding may be
relieved by playing soothing music to the infant. In many cases
music relaxes and calms the child so that the infant is able to
take nourishment without agitation by sucking liquid from the
bottle through the nipple.
[0007] The soothing and calming effect of music has been used to
advantage in a wide variety of children's products. Stuffed
animals, mobiles, and dolls have all been manufactured with
internal music boxes designed to capture and hold the attention of
infant children and newborn babies.
[0008] Various liquid containers for feeding infants have been
devised that contain music players for providing soothing music to
calm a distressed infant. However, conventional musical baby feed
bottles either require a bottle with a music player permanently
attached thereto, or involve a musical baby bottle attachment that
can only accommodate baby bottles of a specific size and shape. For
example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,745 discloses a musical baby bottle
adapter having a top chamber with an open ended cylinder that
receives the bottom of a baby feeding bottle. However, such an
adapter can only accommodate baby feeding bottles of a specific
size and shape. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,898,060 and 4,944,704 disclose
especially configured baby bottles to which specially configured
musical bases are attached.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention is an accessory or attachment for a
baby feeding bottle that contains a music player and which has a
unique system for releaseable attachment to baby feeding bottles of
widely differing sizes and shapes. Furthermore, the detachable,
musical baby bottle accessory of the invention may be easily and
quickly secured to the lower portion of a conventional baby feeding
bottle and will remain securely affixed thereto when desired. On
the other hand, the detachable accessory may be just as easily
released from the baby feeding bottle to permit the bottle to be
washed or refilled and heated.
[0010] The quick coupling and decoupling mechanism of the musical
baby feeding bottle attachment is quite simple in mechanical
operation and very durable in construction. Consequently, it will
not become damaged by a fall from between the bars of a baby's
crib, or by impacts from other causes. The musical baby bottle
attachment of the invention is constructed so that it can be
engaged with the bottom of the baby feeding bottle very securely
and very quickly. It can be detached from the baby bottle just as
easily.
[0011] Furthermore, the musical baby feeding bottle attachment of
the invention will securely grip the vast majority of commercially
available baby bottles that are currently utilized for infant
feeding. In one broad aspect the present invention may be
considered to be an attachment for a baby feeding bottle having a
bottom and upright side surfaces. The attachment of the invention
is comprised of a seat, a music producing device, and a releaseable
clamp mechanism. The seat receives the bottom of the baby feeding
bottle. The music producing device is located within the seat. The
releaseable clamp mechanism on the seat is operable to exert
compressive forces from opposing directions against the side
surfaces of the baby feeding bottle, and in the alternative is
operable to release the side surfaces of the baby feeding
bottle.
[0012] Preferably, the clamp mechanism includes at least one pair
of opposing jaws facing each other and mounted upon opposing sides
of the seat, and gear elements coupling the jaws together and
movable in a first direction to draw the jaws toward each other and
in an opposite direction to force the jaws apart from each other.
Guide slots are preferably formed in the seat and a pair of
transversely extending clamp arms are provided. Each of the jaws is
mounted upon one of the transversely extending clamp arms.
[0013] The clamp arms for the jaws in each pair of jaws are
disposed in mutual parallel alignment with each other and move in
the guide slots formed in the seat. The transversely extending
clamp arms for each pair of jaws are mounted for mutually parallel,
reciprocal movement in a common clamp arm plane for that pair of
jaws relative to the seat. Each of the clamp arms carries a
separate one of the jaws at one of its extremities. The clamp arms
have mutually facing longitudinal edges formed with teeth. The gear
elements further include a pinion having an axis of rotation. The
pinion is located between and engaged with the teeth on the clamp
arms. The pinion axis of rotation is perpendicular to the clamp arm
plane. In this way the pinion and the gear teeth on the clamp arms
are engaged to form a rack and pinion jaw advancement and jaw
retraction mechanism.
[0014] The baby feeding bottle attachment is further comprised of a
manually operated latch engageable with the releaseable clamp
mechanism to selectively permit and prevent movement of the jaws.
The latch is a lever with an outboard operating end protruding from
the seat. The latch has a toothed inboard end engageable with the
pinion. The latch is rotatably mounted to the seat for rotation
about a latch axis that is offset from and parallel to the pinion
axis of rotation.
[0015] A detent is preferably provided on the seat. The latch moves
past the detent when it is rotated about the latch axis. The detent
thereby tends to hold the latch lever alternatively engaged with
and disengaged from the rack and pinion gearing, as selected by the
user. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the seat has an
axial center and the releaseable clamp mechanism includes two pairs
of opposing jaws. The jaws within each pair face each other and are
mounted upon opposing sides of the axial center of the seat from
each other. The pairs of jaws are oriented at right angles relative
to each other. A retraction system is provided for concurrently
moving all of the jaws toward the axial center of the seat and an
extension system is provided for concurrently pushing the jaws away
from the axial center of the seat. The retraction and extension
systems are preferably comprised of rack and pinion gearing.
[0016] Each of the jaws is mounted upon an outboard end of a
separate arm. The support arms each have a toothed side that forms
a gear rack. A pinion is provided having an axis of rotation
located at the axial center of the seat. The pinion is engaged with
all of the gear racks so that rotation of the pinion in one
direction of rotation concurrently draws all of the racks toward
the axial center of the seat. Rotation of the pinion in an opposite
direction of rotation pushes the jaws apart from each other and
away from the axial center of the seat. In another aspect the
invention may be considered to be a detachable baby bottle
accessory comprising a base, a music player, at least one pair of
opposing jaws, and a jaw adjustment mechanism. The base can support
a baby bottle from beneath upon a flat surface. The music player is
located within the base. Each pair of opposing jaws is located atop
the base for receiving the baby bottle therebetween. The jaw
adjustment mechanism moves at least one of the jaws in each pair to
clamp the baby bottle between the jaws. Alternatively, the jaw
adjustment mechanism releases the baby bottle from between the
jaws.
[0017] In still another aspect the invention may be considered to
be a detachable music box for a baby bottle. The detachable music
box is comprised of a body structure, a musical sound player, and a
bottle seat including a bottle clamp. The body structure has a base
for resting upon a horizontal surface to support the body structure
thereon in a stable manner. The musical sound player is housed
within the body structure. The bottle seat is located at the top of
the base. The bottle clamp grips the bottle to thereby releaseably
secure the body structure to the baby bottle, and to alternatively
release the body structure from the baby bottle.
[0018] The invention may be described with greater clarity and
particularity by reference to the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view illustrating a detachable
baby bottle accessory according to the invention with a
conventional baby bottle seated therein shown in phantom.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the musical baby feeding bottle
attachment of the invention showing the clamping jaws thereof
immobilized and with the bottle seating platform removed to allow
illustration of the rack and pinion gearing.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the baby feeding bottle
attachment showing the clamping jaws thereof when retracted and
extended and with the bottle seating platform removed to allow
illustration of the rack and pinion gearing.
[0022] FIG. 3A is a top plan view of the baby feeding bottle
attachment with the bottle seating platform shown in position.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the baby bottle attachment
of the invention.
[0024] FIG. 5 is an electrical schematic diagram showing the
operation of the music player in the baby feeding bottle attachment
of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT
[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates an attachment or accessory generally at
10 for use with a baby feeding bottle indicated at 12. The baby
feeding bottle 12 is a conventional baby bottle which may have
cylindrical shape, or the shape generally of a hexagonal or
octagonal prism, all of which are commercially available. The
geometric shape and cross-sectional area of the baby feeding bottle
12 may vary considerably.
[0026] Most, if not all, commercially available baby bottles have a
generally flat bottom 14 opposite the upper end at which a baby
feeding nipple 16 is coupled to the mouth of the baby bottle. Baby
feeding bottles 12 of the type shown have upright side walls 18
that typically define an interior bottle cavity of generally
uniform cross section from the bottom 14 of the baby feeding bottle
12 up to the shoulders 20, which narrow to form the mouth to which
the nipple 16 is coupled.
[0027] The baby feeding bottle attachment 10 has a body portion 22
that houses a music player 24, indicated in FIG. 5. The music
player 24 may be any conventional type of music playing device,
such as an electrically operated audio tape player powered by a
battery 26 which is also housed within the body portion 22. The
music player 24 is electrically connected to a speaker 28, which is
positioned to face a perforated speaker panel 30, shown in FIG. 4,
in the underside of the body portion 22. The annular, depending,
peripheral rim 32 at the bottom of the musical baby feeding bottle
accessory 10, illustrated in FIG. 4, forms a stand for supporting
the baby bottle 12 from beneath upon a flat surface, indicated at
34 in FIG. 1.
[0028] An electrical push button switch 29, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5,
may be connected between the battery 26 and the music player 24 to
control operation of the music player 24. As shown in FIG. 5 the
switch 29 may be a three-way, push button switch which may be
toggled to alternatively turn the music player to an OFF position,
indicated at 31, to a continuously ON position, indicated at 33,
and to a position 35 in which the music player 24 is actuated or
deactuated under the control of a position sensitive device 37.
That is, the position sensitive device 37 may turn the music player
24 OFF when the bottle 12 is in the upright position depicted in
FIG. 1 and alternatively turn the music player 24 ON when the
bottle is tilted. One suitable position sensitive switching
mechanism 37 is illustrated and described, for example, in our
prior U.S. application Ser. No. 10/750,729 filed Jan. 5, 2004. This
prior application is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
[0029] The novel feature of the detachable baby bottle accessory 10
of the present invention is the mechanism by which the accessory 10
is attached to and detaches from the baby feeding bottle 12. As
illustrated in FIG. 3A, there is a disc-shaped seating platform 36
mounted atop the body portion 22 to form a seat for receiving the
bottom 14 of the baby feeding bottle 12. The diameter of the
seating platform 36 is no greater that the width of the smallest
baby feeding bottle 12 which the attachment 10 can accommodate.
[0030] A releaseable clamp mechanism 38 is mounted upon the body
portion 22 beneath the seat 36 for exerting compressive forces from
opposing directions against the side surfaces 18 of the baby bottle
12 at the bottom 14 thereof. In the alternative the releaseable
clamp mechanism 38 is operable to release the side surfaces 18 of
the baby bottle 12. The releaseable clamp mechanism 38 is comprised
of at least one pair, and preferably two pairs of opposing clamping
jaws 40, 42 and 44, 46 which are respectively mounted upon
transversely oriented clamping jaw support arms 50, 52, 54, and 56,
as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The seating platform 36 is removed in
the drawing views of FIGS. 2 and 3 to allow illustration of the
rack pinion gearing that operates the clamping jaws 40, 42, 44, and
46.
[0031] The clamping jaws 40, 42, 44, and 46 each have a generally
arcuate-shaped configuration, curved concave facing the axial
center of the body portion 22, which is indicated as an axis 62 in
the drawings. The support arms are arranged in two pairs, 50, 52
and 54, 56. The support arms within each pair are mutually parallel
to each other. That is, the support arms 50 and 52 in the first
pair of support arms are mutually parallel to each other. The
support arms 54 and 56 in the second pair of support arms are
likewise mutually parallel to each other.
[0032] All of the support arms 50, 52, 54, and 56 have interior
side edges that are formed with a plurality of teeth 58 thereon.
The toothed edges of the support arms 50, 52, 54, and 56 thereby
are formed as toothed racks comprising part of a rack and pinion
gearing system. The toothed racks formed on the support arms in
each pair reside in mutually coplanar relationship to each other
and face each other on opposite sides of the axial center 62 of the
body portion 22, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. That is, the
toothed racks of teeth 58 formed on the mutually facing edges of
the support arms 50 and 52 reside in a common plane 63 with each
other. Similarly, the toothed racks on the support arms 54 and 56
likewise reside in a common plane 65 with each other that is
parallel to and located beneath the plane 63 of the toothed racks
on the support arms 50 and 52. The support arms 50 and 52 for the
first pair of jaws 40 and 42 reside in the first horizontal support
arm plane 63 parallel to and above the second, horizontal support
arm plane 65 in which the support arms 54 and 56 for the other pair
of jaws 44 and 46 reside. The planes 63 and 65 are spaced
longitudinally from each other and are both perpendicular to the
axial center 62 of the body portion 22. The seating platform 36 is
also horizontal and is located above the level of the plane 63 and
is parallel to both of the planes 63 and 65.
[0033] The rack and pinion gearing system is further comprised of a
pinion 60 that extends longitudinally and vertically between the
first and second support arm planes 63 and 65. The pinion 60 is
mounted for rotation on the body portion or base 22 about the
pinion axis of rotation. The pinion 60 is located at the axial
center of the body portion 22 and has an axis of rotation that is
coaxial with the alignment of the baby feeding bottle 12 and which
coincides with the body portion axis 62. The pinion 60 extends
vertically between and beyond both the first support arm plane 63
and the second support arm plane 65 in which the support arms 50,
52 and 54, 56 are respectively located.
[0034] The pinion 60 has teeth 64 defined in its periphery
throughout its length. The pinion teeth 64 are configured to mesh
with the teeth 58 on the toothed racks formed on the jaw support
arms 50, 52, 54, and 56. The upper portions of the teeth 64 engage
the teeth 58 in the toothed racks on the support arms 50 and 52
that reside in the first, upper plane 63.
[0035] The lower portions of the teeth 64 of the pinion 60 engage
teeth 58 on the toothed racks on the support arms 54 and 56 that
reside in the second, lower plane 65. Because the jaw support arms
54 and 56 are located at a lower level on the body portion 22 than
the jaw arms 50 and 52, the jaws 44 and 46 are taller in a vertical
or longitudinal direction than the jaws 40 and 42. All of the jaws
40, 42, 44, and 46 thereby grip the side walls 18 of the base 14 of
the baby bottle 12 at the same vertical level above the seating
platform 36.
[0036] The body portion 22 of the detachable baby bottle accessory
10 is formed with transversely oriented slots 66 in the outer wall
of its structure to accommodate the presence and allow reciprocal
movement of the jaw support arms 50, 52, 54, and 56. Each of the
jaw support arms has a retaining foot 68 on its end extremity
remote from the jaw which it supports. The retaining feet 68
prevent the jaw support arms 50, 52, 54, and 56 from being pulled
completely out of the slots 66 in the body portion 22.
[0037] The detachable baby bottle accessory 10 is provided with a
pinion latch lever 70 that has an interior end 71 with teeth 58
formed thereon that mesh with the teeth 64 of the pinion 60. The
pinion latch lever 60 has an opposite, outboard operating end 72
that protrudes outwardly from the body portion 22 so that it can be
adjusted by the user. The latch lever arm 70 is mounted to the body
portion 22 for rotation about a latch axis formed by a vertical
latch pin 74. The latch pin 74 mounts the latch lever arm 70 to the
body portion 22 for rotation about a latch axis that is offset from
and parallel to the pinion axis of rotation which also the axial
center 62 of the body portion 22.
[0038] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the operating end 72 of the
latch lever arm 70 may be rotated relative to the body portion 22
in opposing directions to either engage the latch lever arm teeth
58 with the pinion teeth 64, as illustrated in FIG. 2, or disengage
the latch lever arm teeth 58 from the pinion teeth 64, as
illustrated in FIG. 3. The latch lever arm 70 is rotatable in a
plane that is parallel to and which lies between the first jaw
support arm plane 63 and the second jaw support arm plane 65. A
slot 73 is defined in the structure of the body portion 22 to allow
movement of the operating end 72 of the latch lever arm 70.
[0039] The body portion 22 of the baby feeding bottle accessory 10
is provided with a detent 76. The detent 76 is a rounded plastic
boss located in the slot 73 in the body portion 22 through which
the outboard operating end 72 of the latching lever 70 projects.
The detent boss 76 is located at the center of the slot 73. The
operating end 72 of the latch lever arm 70 is moved past the detent
boss 76 when the latch lever 70 is rotated about the axis 74 of the
latch pin. The latch lever 70 is flexible enough so that the
operating end 72 of the latch lever 70 can move past the detent
boss 76 when the latch lever 70 is rotated in either the clockwise
or counterclockwise directions, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3.
However, the detent boss 76 tends to hold the teeth 58 of the latch
lever 70 alternatively either engaged with the teeth 64 of the
pinion 60 in the rack and pinion gearing system as illustrated in
FIG. 2, or disengaged from the pinion teeth 64, as illustrated in
FIG. 3. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pairs of jaws 40, 42
and 44, 46 are oriented at right angles relative to each other.
[0040] With the bottom 14 of the baby bottle 12 seated on the
seating platform 36 atop the body portion 22, within the lateral
confines of the jaws 40, 42, 44, and 46, the jaws in either of the
opposing pairs may be pressed toward each other when latch lever
arm 70 is moved to the disengaged position illustrated in FIG. 3.
Opposing inward pressure against the jaws 40 and 42 in the first
pair of jaws, for example, causes the racks on the jaw support arms
50 and 52 to rotate the pinion 60 in a counterclockwise direction,
as viewed in FIG. 3. The pinion 60 also engages the racks on the
lower set of support arms 54 and 56, so that its counterclockwise
rotation, as viewed in FIG. 3, also causes the jaws 44 and 46 to be
pressed inwardly against the side walls 18 of the baby bottle 12.
Once the concave surfaces of all four of the jaws 40, 42, 44, and
46 are pressed against and in contact with the side walls 18 of the
baby feeding bottle 12, the user rotates the latch lever arm 70 in
a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3, to move
the latch lever 70 from the disengaged position illustrated in FIG.
3, to the engaged position illustrated in FIG. 2. In moving the
latch lever arm 70 from the disengaged to the engaged position, the
operating end 72 of the latch lever arm 70 must be pushed past the
detent boss 76, which thereafter holds the latch lever arm 70 in
the engaged position, as illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0041] When the jaws 40, 42, 44, and 46 of the releaseable clamp
mechanism of the invention are pushed in against the side walls 18
of the baby bottle 12, and the latch lever arm is moved to the
locked position, illustrated in FIG. 2, the baby feeding bottle
accessory 10 tightly grips the side walls 18 of the baby feeding
bottle 12 adjacent the bottom 14 thereof. The baby feeding bottle
12 is then lifted and tilted to the baby feeding position, with the
detachable musical accessory 10 securely, but releaseably fastened
to the bottom 14 of the baby feeding bottle 12. The music player 24
can then be actuated, deactuated, or conditionally actuated by
sequential depression of the stepping switch button 29 on the
bottom of the detachable accessory 10.
[0042] The rack and pinion clamping system of the invention may be
easily operated to detach the accessory 10 from the bottom 14 of
the baby bottle 12. This is quickly accomplished by rotating the
latching lever arm 70 from the locked position shown in FIG. 2 to
the disengaged position shown in FIG. 3, simply by pushing the
outboard, operating end 72 of the latching lever 70 in a clockwise
direction, as indicated by the directional arrow 80 in FIG. 3.
Rotation of the latch lever arm 70 in the clockwise direction about
its latch pin 74 withdraws the latch arm teeth 58 from engagement
with the teeth 64 of the pinion 60, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The
jaws 40, 42, 44, and 46 of the clamping system thereupon no longer
tightly grip the side walls 18 of the baby feeding bottle 12. To
the contrary, when latching arm 70 is rotated past the detent 76 to
the released position illustrated in FIG. 3, the baby feeding
bottle 12 can be easily lifted out of the seat formed by the seat
platform 36 at the top of the body portion 22 of the musical baby
bottle accessory 10. With the latching lever arm 70 in the position
illustrated in FIG. 3, any of the opposing jaws 40, 42 and 44, 46
may be easily drawn apart if there. is any resistance whatsoever to
withdrawal of the baby feeding bottle 12 from the musical baby
bottle accessory 10.
[0043] The single pinion 60 employed in the musical baby bottle
accessory 10 is mounted to the body member 22 for-rotation relative
thereto and is engaged concurrently with all of the toothed racks
formed on the jaw support arms 50, 52, 54, and 56. The pinion 60 is
rotatable in a first direction, namely a clockwise direction, to
concurrently draw all of the jaws 40, 42, 44, and 46 radially
toward each other when the latching lever 70 is in the released
position depicted in FIG. 3. Alternatively, the pinion 60 is
rotatable in the opposite, counterclockwise direction to
concurrently push all of the jaws 40, 42, 44, and 46 radially apart
when the latch lever arm 70 is in the released position of FIG. 3.
When the latch lever arm 70 is in the engaged position depicted in
FIG. 2, the pinion 60 is immobilized relative to the body member
22, as are the jaws 40, 42, 44, and 46. The detent 76 on the body
member 22 holds the latching lever arm 70 in a selected position of
engagement (FIG. 2) and alternatively in a position of
disengagement (FIG. 3) relative to the pinion 60.
[0044] The rack and pinion gearing formed by the racks on the jaw
support arms 50, 52, 54, and 56 and by the pinion 60 comprise a
retraction system for concurrently moving all of the jaws 40, 42,
44, and 46 toward the axial center 62 of the body portion 22. These
same rack and pinion elements also serve as an extension system for
concurrently pushing the jaws 40, 42, 44, and 46 away from the
axial center 62 of the body portion 22. The manually operated latch
lever arm 70 serves as a releaseable locking mechanism for engaging
the pinion 60 to selectively permit and prevent movement of the
jaws 40, 42, 44, and 46.
[0045] Undoubtedly, numerous variations and modifications of the
present invention will become readily apparent to those familiar
with musical baby feeding bottles. For example, the releaseable
clamp mechanism could be formed with a retractable and extendable
radial band like an oil filter wrench, rather than with a rack and
pinion gear system. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should
not be construed as limited to the specific embodiment depicted and
described, but rather is defined in the claims appended hereto.
* * * * *