Vent Valve Assemblies For Baby Bottles

Abstract

A vent valve, and a vent valve assembly, for a liquid dispensing container, employ a vent disc having small open vent holes in cooperation with an overlying thin flexible flap that covers and closes the vent holes to limit liquid pressure on the holes when the container is upright, yet require little suction pressure to move the flap to draw liquid or vent through the holes. The vent valve can be used in a bottom cap that is attachable to the bottom open end of the container. The vent valve assembly includes such a bottom cap, a sealing member for sealing the bottom cap to the container, and a vent valve. The vent valve and/or bottom cap have an elevated vent disc and a top portion having the thin flexible flap.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bottle, comprising:
 a bottle having a wall defining a volume, the wall having an open top end and an open bottom end, said bottom end having a neck;   a nipple attachable to said open top end;   a vent valve attachable to said neck, said vent valve comprises a flexible material and has at least one opening, said vent valve has a top portion and an upstanding wall that extends upward and merges with said top portion , said upstanding wall having an outwardly extending groove for removably mounting said vent valve, said upstanding wall having a bottom peripheral portion surrounding said upstanding wall, said at least one opening being located in a central portion defined by said upstanding wall such that said at least one hole is raised relative to said peripheral portion, wherein said vent valve is activated when a pressure is applied to said nipple thereby allowing air to pass through and enter said bottle through said at least one opening to relieve vacuum within said bottle while preventing liquid from escaping out of said at least one opening,   
     
     
         2 . The baby bottle according to  claim 2 , wherein said upper wall is at least partially cylindrical. 
     
     
         3 . The baby bottle according to  claim 2 , wherein said upper wall is at least partially frustoconical. 
     
     
         4 . The baby bottle according to  claim 2 , wherein said upper wall is angled. 
     
     
         5 . The baby bottle according to  claim 2 , wherein said upper wall is sloped. 
     
     
         6 . The baby bottle according to  claim 2 , wherein said upper wall is stepped. 
     
     
         7 . The baby bottle according to  claim 2 , wherein said upper wall has a larger perimeter about said bottom peripheral portion than at said upper end with said at least one hole. 
     
     
         8 . The baby bottle according to  claim 2 , wherein said bottom peripheral portion is substantially flat. 
     
     
         9 . The baby bottle according to  claim 2 , wherein said flexible material has a durometer of between about 30 and about 85. 
     
     
         10 . The baby bottle according to  claim 2 , wherein said wall comprises a substantially rigid material.