GB2544298B

GB2544298B - A food preparation and delivery apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2544298B
Application number: GB1519906.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Fois Eleonora
Original assignee: Miux Ltd
Current assignee: Miux Ltd
Priority date: 2015-11-11
Filing date: 2015-11-11
Publication date: 2019-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 2035-11-11
Also published as: GB201519906D0; GB2544298A

Description

A food preparation and delivery apparatus

The present invention relates generally to a food preparation and delivery apparatus and finds particular, although not exclusive, utility in preparing and delivering mashed food to infants.

Infants require some food to be softened, mashed and or pureed. The food is often cooked beforehand but this is not always the case. Apparatus for pureeing food is known and comprises such devices as electric blenders and pestles and mortars.

An alternative apparatus is described herein. In one aspect the invention provides a food preparation and delivery apparatus comprising a chamber having first connection means, a plunger movable within the chamber, and a spout releasably attachable to the chamber via the first connection means, wherein the plunger comprises a shaft and a seal member, the shaft being releasably connectable to the seal member, the food preparation and delivery device further comprising a mashing element releasably connectable to the shaft for use as a masher to soften food, in use, for delivery via the spout, the apparatus further comprising a second connection means at an end opposite from the first connection means, and wherein the chamber includes a first cap releasably attachable via the second connection means, the first cap including a hole through which the shaft passes, in use, to move the seal member within the chamber.

The masher may be used to mash or otherwise soften the food. The food may then be moved to the chamber. Alternatively, the food may be mashed or softened in the chamber.

The masher may be disassembled, for example, by unscrewing the mashing element from the shaft. The shaft may then be attached to the seal member for use as a plunger to force out the mashed food from the first chamber via the spout to a recipient such as an infant.

The first connection means may be a screw thread. The thread may be arranged on the exterior of the chamber. The chamber may be generally cylindrical. A connection ring may be provided for attaching the spout via the first connection means. This may have a screw thread complimentary to the screw thread arranged on the chamber. The ring may clamp a portion of the spout between itself and the chamber to thereby provide a seal.

The second connection means may be a screw thread. The thread may be arranged on the exterior of the chamber.

The first cap may include at least one gripping means for releasable gripping thereof, in use. The first cap may include two gripping means such that in use a person may locate their first and second fingers through them. These gripping means may comprise two partial loops.

The food preparation and delivery apparatus may further comprise a releasably attachable second cap to replace the first cap and shaft for sealing of the chamber. This may be for times when the food is not to be dispensed with the plunger. Rather, the infant may suck the food from the chamber via the spout at the other end of the chamber from the second cap.

The spout may also be considered a teat. The spout may comprise material which is relatively soft and flexible or it may consist of more rigid material. The spout may encourage sucking of liquid from the chamber.

The food preparation and delivery apparatus may further comprise a mashing cup for use with the mashing element. The mashing cup may be arranged to be releasably attachable to the chamber via the first or second connection means for transfer of softened food to the chamber. In other words, the mashing cup may be screwed on and off the chamber.

The food preparation and delivery apparatus may further comprise an attachment means for releasably attaching the shaft to the outside of the chamber for aiding its stability when stood up with its first connection means uppermost.

This assists when the chamber is to be loaded with softened food or liquid. In this case, the seal member is within the chamber to prevent any food or liquid from escaping through the hole in the first cap.

The food preparation and delivery apparatus may further comprise a spoon for feeding the softened food to a recipient.

The spoon may be arranged to be attachable to the chamber via the attachment mean in place of the shaft. The spoon may be used instead of the shaft for stabilising the chamber while food is being loaded in the same way as the shaft can act.

The shaft may include a gripping means for a user to grip in use, such as a loop through a user may place their thumb.

The seal member may be circular and seal against the inside surface of the chamber.

The spout may comprise a flange which may be trapped between the connection ring and the end of the chamber to provide a water-tight seal.

The food preparation and delivery apparatus may further comprise a releasably attachable cover for covering the spout. This may also be use to cover the spout, when used. This is to maintain air-tightness when not in use to avoid the food spoiling. It may also keep the spout clean when not in use and/or be sealed when being transported.

Although infants have been described as the intended recipients of this apparatus it will be understood that other recipients are contemplated such as the elderly, handicapped and even animals.

The above and other characteristics, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. This description is given for the sake of example only, without limiting the scope of the invention. The reference figures quoted below refer to the attached drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mashing cup and masher;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of part of the delivery apparatus;

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the apparatus of Figure 2 and the mashing cup;

Figure 4 is an elevational view of a delivery apparatus;

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of part of the delivery apparatus and various spouts;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the delivery apparatus of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is an exploded view of an alternative delivery apparatus;

Figure 8 is an elevational view of another alternative delivery apparatus;

Figure 9 is an exploded view of yet another delivery apparatus; and

Figure 10 is an elevational view of a further delivery apparatus.

The present invention will be described with respect to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. Each drawing may not include all of the features of the invention and therefore should not necessarily be considered to be an embodiment of the invention. In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and the relative dimensions do not correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention.

Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking or in any other manner. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that operation is capable in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.

Moreover, the terms top, bottom, over, under and the like in the description and the claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that operation is capable in other orientations than described or illustrated herein.

It is to be noticed that the term “comprising”, used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps. It is thus to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression “a device comprising means A and B” should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B. It means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B.

Reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment” or “an aspect” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or aspect is included in at least one embodiment or aspect of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, or “in an aspect” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment or aspect, but may refer to different embodiments or aspects. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics of any embodiment or aspect of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments or aspects.

Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the description various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Moreover, the description of any individual drawing or aspect should not necessarily be considered to be an embodiment of the invention. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in fewer than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into this detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form yet further embodiments, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practised without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

In the discussion of the invention, unless stated to the contrary, the disclosure of alternative values for the upper or lower limit of the permitted range of a parameter, coupled with an indication that one of said values is more highly preferred than the other, is to be construed as an implied statement that each intermediate value of said parameter, lying between the more preferred and the less preferred of said alternatives, is itself preferred to said less preferred value and also to each value lying between said less preferred value and said intermediate value.

The use of the term “at least one” may mean only one in certain circumstances.

The principles of the invention will now be described by a detailed description of at least one drawing relating to exemplary features of the invention. It is clear that other arrangements can be configured according to the knowledge of persons skilled in the art without departing from the underlying concept or technical teaching of the invention, the invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

In Figure 1 a masher 10 is shown comprising a shaft 20, a loop 30 at one end thereof and a mashing element 50 attached at the opposite end. The mashing element 50 comprises of an upside-down “U” (saddle) shape element with a base 60 dependent from the ends of the two arms thereof. The base includes holes. At the top of the upside-down “U” shape the shaft 20 is connected 30 thereto. This may be by means of cooperating screw threads or a push-fit, although other means of releasably connecting the two are contemplated. A cup 70 is provided into which food may be placed. The cup includes an internal screw thread 80 at the open end thereof. The mashing element 50 has an appropriate size to fit inside the cup 70. In use, food may be mashed within the cup by means of the masher 10. A dispenser 100 for delivering food is shown in Figure 2. It comprises a chamber 110 which in the present example has two arms 120 on either side for gripping said chamber 110.

The chamber 110 has screw threads 130, 140 at either end thereof. A plunger seal 150 is insertable inside the chamber 110. The plunger seal 150 comprises a cylindrical body portion with a frustoconical portion 154 at one axial end and two flanges 152 around its circumference.

The plunger seal 150 is affixed to the end 22 of the shaft 20 which has been disassembled from the masher 50. The plunger seal 150 is movable axially along the inside of the chamber 110 as will be explained in more detail below. A first cap 160 is attachable to the lower end of the chamber 110 by means of the threads 140 provided on the outside of the chamber and complimentary threads 170 arranged internally of the first cap 160. The first cap 160 includes two loops 180 dependent therefrom through which a user may insert their fingers for manipulating the apparatus 100.

The first cap 160 has a hole through its centre such that the shaft 20 will pass therethrough, in use. In use, a user may insert their thumb through the loop 30 at the end of the shaft 20.

With reference to Figure 3, after the food has been mashed in the cup 70 the cup 70 may be attached to the end of the chamber 110 by means of the complimentary and cooperating screw threads 80, 130. In this way the food may be transferred from the cup to the chamber 110. Alternatively the food may simply be poured, or spooned, into the chamber 110. Figure 3 shows the dispenser assembled including the plunger seal 150 attached to the shaft 20 and located inside the chamber 110. The first cap 160 is shown attached to one end of the chamber 110 to seal it, although it will be understood that the two flanges 152 also press against the inside surface of the chamber 110 to seal thereagainst.

The cup 70 may then be removed and a spout 200 may be attached to the end of the chamber 110 instead. It is held in place by a connection ring 190 which includes an internal screw thread for cooperation with the external screw thread 130 provided on the outer surface at the end of the chamber 110. Figure 4 shows such an arrangement and the dispenser 300 is now ready for dispensing food to an infant.

In use the end of the spout may be held to an infant’s mouth and the shaft 20 pushed towards the spout 200 such that the plunger seal 150 urges the food within the chamber 100 out through the spout 200. A user may manipulate the dispenser 300 by putting their thumb through the loop 30 and their first and second fingers through the two partial loops 180 in the manner of a syringe.

In Figure 5 a selection of variously shaped spouts (or teats) 200, 202, 204 are shown each of which may be attachable to the chamber 110 by means of the connection ring 190. In use, each spout includes a radially outwardly extending flange 206 at its base which is clamped between the axial end of the chamber 110 and the connection ring 190 to thereby provide a seal. A cross-section through the dispenser 300 of Figure 4 is shown in Figure 6. The plunger seal 150 is visible attached to the end 22 of the shaft 20. Other features are referenced in accordance with Figure 4.

Another option is that instead of the plunger shaft 20 and plunger seal 150 being used, they are removed and the first cap 160 is replaced with a second cap 165. This second cap 165 has no aperture such that it seals the lower end of the chamber 110. The spout 202 and connection ring 190 are maintained. The food may then be dispensed by the infant sucking the food out of the chamber 110. Alternatively, the chamber may comprise at least one flexible portion in its side wall such that the food may be urged out of the spout 202 by squeezing the chamber 110.

In Figure 7 this version 400 is shown in exploded form and in Figure 8 in assembled form. A covering cap 310 is also shown for allowing the apparatus 400 to be transported without leaking.

In an alternative embodiment, the spout 202 may be replaced with a spout 290, as shown in Figure 9. The spout 290 may be of the push-to-close, pull-to-open variety, although other types are contemplated. In this way, the dispenser 500 may be used to dispense liquid drinks instead of mashed or pureed food.

Finally, in Figure 10 it is shown how a spoon 605 comprising a shaft 610 and scoop 620, which may be provided with the dispenser 600, may be releasably attached to the chamber 110 by means of socket 125 provided on the outer side thereof. The socket 125 is also shown in Figures 3 and 6. In particular, the shaft 610 may be placed into the socket 125 such that the scoop 620 is at the spout end and the base of the spoon shaft 610 is level with the base of the loops 180 provided on the end of the first cap 160. In the example shown in Figure 10 the shaft 20 has been removed. In this way the two loops 180 and spoon shaft 610 may act as a tripod to stabilise the dispenser in an upright position such that without the lid 310 and spout 202 in place the chamber 110 may be loaded with food.

It is possible that the spoon 605 be replaced with the plunger shaft 20 in a similar manner to provide support for the chamber 110.

It is contemplated that food may be cooked within the chamber/mashing cup in a microwave oven. For instance the chamber 110 may have the mashing cup 70 arranged at one end thereof and the second cap 165 arranged at the other end thereof to temporarily seal the chamber 110. Water may be added to food within the chamber 110. Following cooking of the food, the second cap 165 may be removed and the food mashed by inserting the masher 10 through the chamber and into the mashing cup 70.

When the food has been mashed, the masher 10 may be removed and disassembled. The first cap 160 may be attached to one end of the chamber 110 with the seal member 150 inside the chamber connected to the shaft 30. The food may then be tipped into the chamber 110 from the mashing cup 70 which is then removed. The spout 200 may then be attached, by means of the connection ring 190, in place of the mashing cup at the end opposite from the first cap 160. The apparatus is then ready to dispense the food via the spout by use of the plunger. It is to be understood that a carer or adult may use the plunge to dispense the food for an infant. However, it is also contemplated that the recipient may also feed themselves either by using the plunger themselves or merely by sucking the food out of the spout. In the latter case, the plunger may be present, or it may be removed and the first cap 160 replaced with the second cap 165.

The delivery apparatus may be used as a straw trainer to aid an infant learning how to suck food or drink from an upright position.

The delivery apparatus may be used as a free-flow open cup (like a glass). For example, the first chamber may be presentwith only the second cap 165 such as is shown in Figure 7 without the spout 202, connection ring 190, or cap 310.

Claims

1. A food preparation and delivery apparatus comprising a chamber having first connection means, a plunger movable within the chamber, and a spout releasably attachable to the chamber via the first connection means, wherein the plunger comprises a shaft and a seal member, the shaft being releasably connectable to the seal member, the food preparation and delivery device further comprising a mashing element releasably connectable to the shaft for use as a masher to soften food, in use, for delivery via the spout, the apparatus further comprising a second connection means at an end opposite from the first connection means, and wherein the chamber includes a first cap releasably attachable via the second connection means, the first cap including a hole through which the shaft passes, in use, to move the seal member within the chamber.

2. The food preparation and delivery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a connection ring is provided for attaching the spout via the first connection means.

3. The food preparation and delivery apparatus according to either one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the first cap includes at least one gripping means for releasable gripping thereof, in use.

4. The food preparation and delivery apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a releasably attachable second cap to replace the first cap and shaft for sealing of the chamber.

5. The food preparation and delivery apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a mashing cup for use with the mashing element.

6. The food preparation and delivery apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the mashing cup is arranged to be releasably attachable to the chamber via the first or second connection means for transfer of softened food to the chamber.

7. The food preparation and delivery apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising an attachment means for releasably attaching the shaft to the outside of the chamber for aiding its stability when stood up with its first connection means uppermost.

8. The food preparation and delivery apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a spoon for feeding the softened food to a recipient.

9. The food preparation and delivery apparatus according to claim 8, when dependent on claim 7, wherein the spoon is arranged to be attachable to the chamber via the attachment mean in place of the shaft.

10. The food preparation and delivery apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a releasably attachable cap for covering the spout.

11. The food preparation and delivery apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the shaft includes a gripping means for a user to grip in use.