Title:
INFANT FEEDING PACKAGE
United States Patent 3812992
Abstract:
An infant feeding bottle is fitted with a closure seal having a centrally disposed puncture panel recessed within the bottle neck. A nipple and internally threaded retaining member sub-assembly is placed over the closure seal and threadedly engaged on the bottle neck. The retaining member incorporates puncturing means whereby the seal puncture panel is broken allowing passage of the bottle contents into the nipple upon full tightening of the retaining member down onto the bottle neck.
US Patent References:
/1109484.html
Taliaferro - September 1914 - 1109484
Machine for scoring metal containers or parts thereof
Newman - October 1935 - 2017103
Container closure
McKnight - June 1965 - 3186572
Tamper-proof closures
Merrill - April 1966 - 3244307
/3273737.html
Davie - September 1966 - 3273737
/1109484.html
Taliaferro - September 1914 - 1109484
Machine for scoring metal containers or parts thereof
Newman - October 1935 - 2017103
Container closure
McKnight - June 1965 - 3186572
Tamper-proof closures
Merrill - April 1966 - 3244307
/3273737.html
Davie - September 1966 - 3273737
Inventors:
Wolf, Edward M. (Cranford, NJ)
Koll, Stanley J. (Keansburg, NJ)
Koll, Stanley J. (Keansburg, NJ)
Application Number:
05/249427
Publication Date:
05/28/1974
Filing Date:
05/01/1972
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Assignee:
American Flange & Manufacturing Co. Inc. (New York, NY)
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
215/352, 401/134, 220/267, 215/257
International Classes:
A61J9/00; B65D51/22; B65D51/18; B65D53/06
Field of Search:
215/40,42,46A 220/27,53,54 113/15R,15A
US Patent References:
| 3445023 | CONTAINER LID | May 1969 | Giessler et al. |
Primary Examiner:
Dixson Jr., William T.
Assistant Examiner:
Marcus, Stephen
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Parker, Albert M.
Parent Case Data:
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 7,780 filed Feb. 2, 1970, now abandoned.
Claims:
Having described our invention what we claim as our invention is as follows
1. A closure seal fabricated of lightweight metal comprising a centrally located recessed puncture panel, scoring formed in said puncture panel to facilitate fracturing by the application of a downwardly directed force thereto, an annular inverted U-shaped sealing channel surrounding said puncture panel, said sealing channel including an inner wall extending upwardly from said puncture panel terminating in an annular top wall and a circumferential outer wall extending downwardly from said top wall, said top wall having an annular horizontally flattened section forming an upwardly facing gasket seat, a resilient sealing gasket positioned within said sealing channel and said gasket seat being slightly reduced in cross-sectional thickness by a coining operation to insure a flat horizontal surface.
2. A closure seal fabricated of lightweight metal comprising a centrally located recessed puncture panel, a circular score line formed about the periphery of said puncture panel to facilitate fracturing and downward displacement of said puncture panel by a downwardly directed localized force randomly applied at any position about said entire puncture panel periphery, an annular inverted U-shaped sealing channel surrounding said puncture panel and joined thereto by a sharply radiused juncture portion, said sealing channel including an inner wall extending substantially vertically upward from said radiused juncture portion terminating in an annular top wall, a circumferential straight cylindrical outer wall extending substantially vertically downwardly from said top wall and terminating in said vertical extent below said puncture panel, said top wall forming an upwardly facing gasket engaging seat including an annular horizontally flattened section having a width of minor extent relative to the width of said channel, a resilient sealing gasket confined entirely within said sealing channel above said radiused juncture portion and said scoring positioned immediately radially inward of the radially innermost extent of said radiused juncture portion so as to place said scoring free of the metal strain at said juncture portion and whereby the periphery of said puncture panel is rigidified by said sealing channel inner wall for effective puncturing with minimal distortion of said panel.
3. A closure seal fabricated of lightweight metal comprising a centrally located recessed puncture panel, a circular score line formed about the periphery of said puncture panel to facilitate fracturing and downward displacement of said puncture panel by a downwardly directed localized force randomly applied at any position about said entire puncture panel periphery, an annular inverted U-shaped sealing channel surrounding said puncture panel and joined thereto by a sharply radiused juncture portion, said sealing channel including an inner wall extending substantially vertically upward from said radiused juncture portion terminating in an annular top wall, a circumferential straight cylindrical outer wall entending substantially vertically downwardly from said top wall and terminating in said vertical extent below said puncture panel, said top wall forming an upwardly facing gasket engaging seat including an annular horizontally flattened section having a width of minor extent relative to the width of said channel, a resilient sealing gasket confined entirely within said sealing channel above said radiused juncture portion and said scoring positioned closely adjacent said radiused juncture portion whereby the periphery of said puncture panel is rigidified for puncturing by said sealing channel inner wall wherein said scoring is formed within the metal surface and has a substantially V-shaped cross-sectional configuration including a radially outwardly inclined score wall and a radially inwardly inclined score wall and said outwardly inclined score wall forming a greater angle to the vertical than the angle to the vertical formed by said inwardly inclined score wall.
4. A closure seal as in claim 2, wherein said scoring is formed in the interior surface of said puncture panel.
5. A closure seal as in claim 2, wherein said sealing gasket underlies said channel top wall extending exclusively from the upper end of said channel inner wall to an intermediate point along said channel outer wall.
1. A closure seal fabricated of lightweight metal comprising a centrally located recessed puncture panel, scoring formed in said puncture panel to facilitate fracturing by the application of a downwardly directed force thereto, an annular inverted U-shaped sealing channel surrounding said puncture panel, said sealing channel including an inner wall extending upwardly from said puncture panel terminating in an annular top wall and a circumferential outer wall extending downwardly from said top wall, said top wall having an annular horizontally flattened section forming an upwardly facing gasket seat, a resilient sealing gasket positioned within said sealing channel and said gasket seat being slightly reduced in cross-sectional thickness by a coining operation to insure a flat horizontal surface.
2. A closure seal fabricated of lightweight metal comprising a centrally located recessed puncture panel, a circular score line formed about the periphery of said puncture panel to facilitate fracturing and downward displacement of said puncture panel by a downwardly directed localized force randomly applied at any position about said entire puncture panel periphery, an annular inverted U-shaped sealing channel surrounding said puncture panel and joined thereto by a sharply radiused juncture portion, said sealing channel including an inner wall extending substantially vertically upward from said radiused juncture portion terminating in an annular top wall, a circumferential straight cylindrical outer wall extending substantially vertically downwardly from said top wall and terminating in said vertical extent below said puncture panel, said top wall forming an upwardly facing gasket engaging seat including an annular horizontally flattened section having a width of minor extent relative to the width of said channel, a resilient sealing gasket confined entirely within said sealing channel above said radiused juncture portion and said scoring positioned immediately radially inward of the radially innermost extent of said radiused juncture portion so as to place said scoring free of the metal strain at said juncture portion and whereby the periphery of said puncture panel is rigidified by said sealing channel inner wall for effective puncturing with minimal distortion of said panel.
3. A closure seal fabricated of lightweight metal comprising a centrally located recessed puncture panel, a circular score line formed about the periphery of said puncture panel to facilitate fracturing and downward displacement of said puncture panel by a downwardly directed localized force randomly applied at any position about said entire puncture panel periphery, an annular inverted U-shaped sealing channel surrounding said puncture panel and joined thereto by a sharply radiused juncture portion, said sealing channel including an inner wall extending substantially vertically upward from said radiused juncture portion terminating in an annular top wall, a circumferential straight cylindrical outer wall entending substantially vertically downwardly from said top wall and terminating in said vertical extent below said puncture panel, said top wall forming an upwardly facing gasket engaging seat including an annular horizontally flattened section having a width of minor extent relative to the width of said channel, a resilient sealing gasket confined entirely within said sealing channel above said radiused juncture portion and said scoring positioned closely adjacent said radiused juncture portion whereby the periphery of said puncture panel is rigidified for puncturing by said sealing channel inner wall wherein said scoring is formed within the metal surface and has a substantially V-shaped cross-sectional configuration including a radially outwardly inclined score wall and a radially inwardly inclined score wall and said outwardly inclined score wall forming a greater angle to the vertical than the angle to the vertical formed by said inwardly inclined score wall.
4. A closure seal as in claim 2, wherein said scoring is formed in the interior surface of said puncture panel.
5. A closure seal as in claim 2, wherein said sealing gasket underlies said channel top wall extending exclusively from the upper end of said channel inner wall to an intermediate point along said channel outer wall.
Description:
This invention is concerned with ready to use infant feeding bottles and is particularly directed to an infant feeding bottle which is aseptically sealed for processing and is subsequently packaged with a nipple sub-assembly so as to enable unsealing in a completely sterile condition for feeding.
Many attempts have been made at developing a completely self contained, ready to use infant feeding bottle with varying degrees of success. Most of these attempts have involved packaging systems which require processing with the nipple affixed to the bottle. However, the severe elevated temperatures required for sterilization by autoclave processing make sealing difficult and place stringent limitations on the materials from which functionally effective nipples can be formed. Those arrangements wherein the nipple assembly is packaged as a separate unit and attached to the bottle just prior to feeding fall short of acceptance for hospital use in that the costly provision of an isolated sterile environment is still required for infant feeding preparation.
The instant invention overcomes the above described prior art deficiencies in providing a completely self contained, ready to use infant feeding package which is conveniently readied for feeding by simply tightening the nipple assembly down onto the bottle neck. The bottle, after being filled, is sealed with a unique metal seal having a specially designed recessed puncture panel surrounded by an inverted U-shaped sealing channel. The sealed bottle is then subjected to the necessary autoclave processing for sterilization whereupon the nipple assembly which includes an internally threaded nipple retaining member, is snugly threadedly engaged on the bottle neck over the metal seal and a lightweight plastic shroud applied over the entire closure assembly to complete the package. Just prior to feeding the nipple retaining member is tightened down onto the bottle neck breaking a light shrink seal band for removal of the overlying shroud without contacting the nipple. At the same time, a puncturing of the underlying seal puncture panel is effected by means of a rigid probe located within the nipple retaining member allowing the bottle contents to flow freely into the nipple for feeding. The metal seal is further provided with special gasket seat formed in the top wall of the annular sealing channel which gasket seat is sealingly engaged by an annular gasketing rib integrally formed within the nipple retaining member.
It is accordingly a principal object of the invention to provide an improved, completely self contained, ready to use infant feeding package which is readied for feeding by simply tightening a threadedly engaged nipple assembly down onto the bottle neck.
A further object is to provide a new infant feeding bottle seal having a recessed puncture panel scored for puncturing by a rotationally applied downwardly directed force.
A further object is to provide an infant feeding bottle seal having an upwardly facing gasket seat adapted for sealing engagement by an overlying nipple assembly.
Other and more detailed objects will in part be obvious and in part pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds.
In that drawing:
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the infant feeding package of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bottle seal;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the seal loosely in place prior to permanent sealing on the bottle neck;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the cross sectional configuration of the seal scoring;
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a sealed bottle;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on lines 6--6 and looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 7 is an exploded view showing the sealed bottle and nipple assembly;
FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the package ready for feeding with the seal broken open; and
FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing a portion of the opened puncture panel.
The self contained, ready to use infant feeding package of the invention is seen to comprise in FIG. 1, a bottle 1 having an upstanding neck 2 provided with an external screw thread formation 3. A radially extending ring 4 is located at the base of the neck 2 below the thread formation 3. The uppermost end of the neck 2 terminates in a circumferential sealing bead 5 having an outside diameter less than the root diameter of the thread 3. A radially outwardly opening circumferential groove 6 is formed in the neck 2 between the uppermost end of the thread 3 and the bead 5.
A metal seal 10 formed of lightweight aluminum and having a centrally located recessed puncture panel 11 is sealingly engaged onto the neck sealing bead 5. A circular score line 12 is formed in the under surface of the puncture panel 11 adjacent the periphery thereof. The score line 12 has an inverted substantially V-shaped cross sectional configuration as seen in FIG. 4 comprising an inclined inner wall 13 extending at approximately 15 degrees to the vertical, a flat bottom wall 14 and an inclined outer wall 15 extending at approximately 30 degrees to the vertical. The purpose for reducing the incline angle of the inner wall 13 of the score line 12 is to minimize the inherent distortion of the puncture panel 11 caused by the displacement of metal in the scoring operation. An annular sealing channel 16 surrounds the puncture panel 11 having an upstanding inner wall 17, a top wall 18 and a circumferential depending outer wall 19. An annular sealing gasket 20 of resilient synthetic plastic material is formed in place within the sealing channel 16 and, as seen in FIG. 3, the gasket 20 covers the interior of the sealing channel top wall 18 extending to a point 21 at the upper end of the channel inner wall 17 and extending to a point 22 along the channel outer wall 19 spaced below the point 21. The gasket 12 is formed by subjecting a semi-liquid plastic compound applied within the channel 16 to an elevated curing temperature giving the same a permanent set. In order to prevent any harmful distortion of the channel top wall 18 during the gasket curing cycle a coining operation is performed on the channel top wall 18 resulting in a flat annular section 18a having a slightly reduced cross sectional thickness. The section 18a provides an upwardly facing gasket seat lying in a flat horizontal plane and functioning in a manner described hereinafter. The annular sealing channel 16 is joined to the recessed puncture panel 11 by a sharply radiused portion 23 at the base of the inner channel wall 17 so as to give maximum rigidity to the puncture panel 11. As seen in FIG. 3 the score line 12 is located just radially inwardly of the radiused portion 23. This relationship places the score line free of the metal distortion resulting from formation of the radiused portion 23 and aids in the necessary score depth control while permitting a maximum score diameter to facilitate liquid flow through the puncture panel as described hereinafter.
In FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 the seal 10 is shown permanently applied to the bottle 2 with the sealing channel 16 tightly engaged about the neck bead 5 and locked in position by a radially inward forming of the lower portion of the channel outer wall 19 into the neck groove 6 as indicated at 19a. The sealing channel construction and gasketing means formed therein improves over conventional sealing arrangements by completely surrounding the neck sealing bead so as to advantageously withstand the severe internal pressures developed during autoclave processing required for sterilization. Heretofore head space control has been extremely critical in order to provide sufficient void volume between the closure and bottle contents to prevent closure blow off due to liquid expansion during sterilization. Even then, if blow off did not occur, the likelihood existed with over-filled bottles, of drawing air back into the bottle as a result of the vacuum developed within the bottle during cooling after sterilization. With the invention construction a much greater upward deflection of the central puncture panel 11 can be tolerated due to the ability of the lower portion of the channel inner wall 17 to fold upwardly within itself during internal pressure build up. During the vacuum forming cool down after sterilization, placement of the sealing channel gasket 20 with its inner extremity at the point 21 at the upper end of the channel wall 17 prevents drawing of the gasket into the bottle neck interior creating a detrimental air space behind the gasket which could destroy the sterile seal.
As seen in FIGS. 1 and 7, a nipple assembly 30 is applied to the bottle after processing comprising a synthetic plastic nipple retaining member 31 having a cylindrical side wall 32 internally threaded at 33. The nipple retaining member 31 has an annular top wall 34 extending radially inwardly from the uppermost end of the side wall 32 and surrounding a central opening within which a feeding nipple 35 is sealingly mounted. An annular gasketing rib 36 depends from the under surface of the top wall 34 spaced radially inwardly of the internal thread formation 33. Formed as an integral part of the retaining member 31 adjacent the inner edge of the top wall 34 is a hollow puncturing probe 37 extending downwardly within the side wall 31.
As seen in FIG. 1, the nipple assembly 30 is applied to the bottle 2 after processing with the nipple retaining member 31 snugly threadedly engaged onto the bottle neck 2 with the probe 37 just contacting the seal puncture panel 11. The reduced diameter of the neck bead 5 plus the thickness of the seal channel outer wall 19 results in an overall diameter of the sealed bottle no greater than the root diameter of the neck thread 3 thus allowing passage of the retaining member 31 over the seal 10. A lightweight plastic shroud 40 is then placed over the nipple assembly and affixed to the bottle neck 2 by means of a narrow band of plastic material surrounding the base of the shroud 40. The band 41 is shrink sealed about the neck 2 immediately above the ring 4 by the application of heat thereto. The sterile, self contained infant feeding package is thus completely protected against contamination during shipment to the consumer.
In preparation for feeding the nipple assembly 30 together with the covering shroud 40 are turned in a clockwise direction causing the lower edge of the side wall 32 of the nipple retaining member 31 to force the shrink seal band 41 against the neck ring 4 thus breaking the band allowing removal of the shroud 40. At the same time the downward travel of the nipple retaining member 31 along the neck thread 2 forces the probe 37 against the seal puncture panel 11 causing the panel to fracture along the score line 12 and assume the open position illustrated in FIG. 9 extending down into the bottle. A small portion of the score line remains intact as indicated at 24 after the puncture panel 11 is fully deflected by the probe 37 and acts as a connecting hinge to prevent the panel 11 from falling into the bottle. The sharply radiused seal portion 23 imparts sufficient rigidity to the puncture panel 11 to cause fracturing of the score line 12 with relatively short downward travel of the probe 37. It should be noted that the puncturing action of the probe 37 effects a clean tearing of the seal puncture panel 11 along the score line 12 as opposed to a metal cutting action which could result in minute metal particles falling into the bottle. With further attention directed to FIG. 8 it can be seen that final seating of the nipple retaining member 31 brings the gasketing rib 36 into sealing engagement with the seal gasket seat 18a. Here the necessity for holding the gasket seat 18a in a flat horizontal plane is evident as the relatively hard plastic rib 36 bearing against the channel top wall 18 forms a liquid tight barrier about the bottle head 5 restricting passage of the bottle contents to the center opening in the retaining member for dispensing through the feeding nipple 35.
Many attempts have been made at developing a completely self contained, ready to use infant feeding bottle with varying degrees of success. Most of these attempts have involved packaging systems which require processing with the nipple affixed to the bottle. However, the severe elevated temperatures required for sterilization by autoclave processing make sealing difficult and place stringent limitations on the materials from which functionally effective nipples can be formed. Those arrangements wherein the nipple assembly is packaged as a separate unit and attached to the bottle just prior to feeding fall short of acceptance for hospital use in that the costly provision of an isolated sterile environment is still required for infant feeding preparation.
The instant invention overcomes the above described prior art deficiencies in providing a completely self contained, ready to use infant feeding package which is conveniently readied for feeding by simply tightening the nipple assembly down onto the bottle neck. The bottle, after being filled, is sealed with a unique metal seal having a specially designed recessed puncture panel surrounded by an inverted U-shaped sealing channel. The sealed bottle is then subjected to the necessary autoclave processing for sterilization whereupon the nipple assembly which includes an internally threaded nipple retaining member, is snugly threadedly engaged on the bottle neck over the metal seal and a lightweight plastic shroud applied over the entire closure assembly to complete the package. Just prior to feeding the nipple retaining member is tightened down onto the bottle neck breaking a light shrink seal band for removal of the overlying shroud without contacting the nipple. At the same time, a puncturing of the underlying seal puncture panel is effected by means of a rigid probe located within the nipple retaining member allowing the bottle contents to flow freely into the nipple for feeding. The metal seal is further provided with special gasket seat formed in the top wall of the annular sealing channel which gasket seat is sealingly engaged by an annular gasketing rib integrally formed within the nipple retaining member.
It is accordingly a principal object of the invention to provide an improved, completely self contained, ready to use infant feeding package which is readied for feeding by simply tightening a threadedly engaged nipple assembly down onto the bottle neck.
A further object is to provide a new infant feeding bottle seal having a recessed puncture panel scored for puncturing by a rotationally applied downwardly directed force.
A further object is to provide an infant feeding bottle seal having an upwardly facing gasket seat adapted for sealing engagement by an overlying nipple assembly.
Other and more detailed objects will in part be obvious and in part pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds.
In that drawing:
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the infant feeding package of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bottle seal;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the seal loosely in place prior to permanent sealing on the bottle neck;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the cross sectional configuration of the seal scoring;
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a sealed bottle;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on lines 6--6 and looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 7 is an exploded view showing the sealed bottle and nipple assembly;
FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the package ready for feeding with the seal broken open; and
FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing a portion of the opened puncture panel.
The self contained, ready to use infant feeding package of the invention is seen to comprise in FIG. 1, a bottle 1 having an upstanding neck 2 provided with an external screw thread formation 3. A radially extending ring 4 is located at the base of the neck 2 below the thread formation 3. The uppermost end of the neck 2 terminates in a circumferential sealing bead 5 having an outside diameter less than the root diameter of the thread 3. A radially outwardly opening circumferential groove 6 is formed in the neck 2 between the uppermost end of the thread 3 and the bead 5.
A metal seal 10 formed of lightweight aluminum and having a centrally located recessed puncture panel 11 is sealingly engaged onto the neck sealing bead 5. A circular score line 12 is formed in the under surface of the puncture panel 11 adjacent the periphery thereof. The score line 12 has an inverted substantially V-shaped cross sectional configuration as seen in FIG. 4 comprising an inclined inner wall 13 extending at approximately 15 degrees to the vertical, a flat bottom wall 14 and an inclined outer wall 15 extending at approximately 30 degrees to the vertical. The purpose for reducing the incline angle of the inner wall 13 of the score line 12 is to minimize the inherent distortion of the puncture panel 11 caused by the displacement of metal in the scoring operation. An annular sealing channel 16 surrounds the puncture panel 11 having an upstanding inner wall 17, a top wall 18 and a circumferential depending outer wall 19. An annular sealing gasket 20 of resilient synthetic plastic material is formed in place within the sealing channel 16 and, as seen in FIG. 3, the gasket 20 covers the interior of the sealing channel top wall 18 extending to a point 21 at the upper end of the channel inner wall 17 and extending to a point 22 along the channel outer wall 19 spaced below the point 21. The gasket 12 is formed by subjecting a semi-liquid plastic compound applied within the channel 16 to an elevated curing temperature giving the same a permanent set. In order to prevent any harmful distortion of the channel top wall 18 during the gasket curing cycle a coining operation is performed on the channel top wall 18 resulting in a flat annular section 18a having a slightly reduced cross sectional thickness. The section 18a provides an upwardly facing gasket seat lying in a flat horizontal plane and functioning in a manner described hereinafter. The annular sealing channel 16 is joined to the recessed puncture panel 11 by a sharply radiused portion 23 at the base of the inner channel wall 17 so as to give maximum rigidity to the puncture panel 11. As seen in FIG. 3 the score line 12 is located just radially inwardly of the radiused portion 23. This relationship places the score line free of the metal distortion resulting from formation of the radiused portion 23 and aids in the necessary score depth control while permitting a maximum score diameter to facilitate liquid flow through the puncture panel as described hereinafter.
In FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 the seal 10 is shown permanently applied to the bottle 2 with the sealing channel 16 tightly engaged about the neck bead 5 and locked in position by a radially inward forming of the lower portion of the channel outer wall 19 into the neck groove 6 as indicated at 19a. The sealing channel construction and gasketing means formed therein improves over conventional sealing arrangements by completely surrounding the neck sealing bead so as to advantageously withstand the severe internal pressures developed during autoclave processing required for sterilization. Heretofore head space control has been extremely critical in order to provide sufficient void volume between the closure and bottle contents to prevent closure blow off due to liquid expansion during sterilization. Even then, if blow off did not occur, the likelihood existed with over-filled bottles, of drawing air back into the bottle as a result of the vacuum developed within the bottle during cooling after sterilization. With the invention construction a much greater upward deflection of the central puncture panel 11 can be tolerated due to the ability of the lower portion of the channel inner wall 17 to fold upwardly within itself during internal pressure build up. During the vacuum forming cool down after sterilization, placement of the sealing channel gasket 20 with its inner extremity at the point 21 at the upper end of the channel wall 17 prevents drawing of the gasket into the bottle neck interior creating a detrimental air space behind the gasket which could destroy the sterile seal.
As seen in FIGS. 1 and 7, a nipple assembly 30 is applied to the bottle after processing comprising a synthetic plastic nipple retaining member 31 having a cylindrical side wall 32 internally threaded at 33. The nipple retaining member 31 has an annular top wall 34 extending radially inwardly from the uppermost end of the side wall 32 and surrounding a central opening within which a feeding nipple 35 is sealingly mounted. An annular gasketing rib 36 depends from the under surface of the top wall 34 spaced radially inwardly of the internal thread formation 33. Formed as an integral part of the retaining member 31 adjacent the inner edge of the top wall 34 is a hollow puncturing probe 37 extending downwardly within the side wall 31.
As seen in FIG. 1, the nipple assembly 30 is applied to the bottle 2 after processing with the nipple retaining member 31 snugly threadedly engaged onto the bottle neck 2 with the probe 37 just contacting the seal puncture panel 11. The reduced diameter of the neck bead 5 plus the thickness of the seal channel outer wall 19 results in an overall diameter of the sealed bottle no greater than the root diameter of the neck thread 3 thus allowing passage of the retaining member 31 over the seal 10. A lightweight plastic shroud 40 is then placed over the nipple assembly and affixed to the bottle neck 2 by means of a narrow band of plastic material surrounding the base of the shroud 40. The band 41 is shrink sealed about the neck 2 immediately above the ring 4 by the application of heat thereto. The sterile, self contained infant feeding package is thus completely protected against contamination during shipment to the consumer.
In preparation for feeding the nipple assembly 30 together with the covering shroud 40 are turned in a clockwise direction causing the lower edge of the side wall 32 of the nipple retaining member 31 to force the shrink seal band 41 against the neck ring 4 thus breaking the band allowing removal of the shroud 40. At the same time the downward travel of the nipple retaining member 31 along the neck thread 2 forces the probe 37 against the seal puncture panel 11 causing the panel to fracture along the score line 12 and assume the open position illustrated in FIG. 9 extending down into the bottle. A small portion of the score line remains intact as indicated at 24 after the puncture panel 11 is fully deflected by the probe 37 and acts as a connecting hinge to prevent the panel 11 from falling into the bottle. The sharply radiused seal portion 23 imparts sufficient rigidity to the puncture panel 11 to cause fracturing of the score line 12 with relatively short downward travel of the probe 37. It should be noted that the puncturing action of the probe 37 effects a clean tearing of the seal puncture panel 11 along the score line 12 as opposed to a metal cutting action which could result in minute metal particles falling into the bottle. With further attention directed to FIG. 8 it can be seen that final seating of the nipple retaining member 31 brings the gasketing rib 36 into sealing engagement with the seal gasket seat 18a. Here the necessity for holding the gasket seat 18a in a flat horizontal plane is evident as the relatively hard plastic rib 36 bearing against the channel top wall 18 forms a liquid tight barrier about the bottle head 5 restricting passage of the bottle contents to the center opening in the retaining member for dispensing through the feeding nipple 35.