Instrumented infant feeding bottle
Inventors
Sazonov, Eduard S. • Salas, Ariel A. • Chandler-Laney, Paula Catherine
Assignees
UAB Research Foundation • University of Alabama at Birmingham UAB
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Publication Number
US-11529291-B2
Publication Date
2022-12-20
Expiration Date
Abstract
A feeding bottle includes a bottle enclosure defining a hollow bottle chamber, wherein the enclosure defines a feeding outlet at a first end and an attachment structure 26 at a second end. A bottom housing defines an instrument compartment extending between a closed exterior portion of the bottom housing and a separation surface within the bottom housing, wherein the bottom housing is configured for detachable connection to the attachment structure 26 of the bottle enclosure. A relief valve is positioned within the separation surface of the bottom housing. A pressure sensor is positioned adjacent the separation surface of the bottom housing and connected by a passageway to the instrument compartment in the bottom housing, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to detect changes of pressure in the bottle enclosure.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a feeding bottle that detects changes of pressure in a hollow bottle chamber produced during feeding. The bottle enclosure defines a feeding outlet at a first end and an attachment structure at a second end, while a bottom housing defines an instrument compartment separated by a separation surface. A relief valve is positioned within the separation surface, and a pressure sensor is positioned adjacent the separation surface and connected by a passageway to the instrument compartment.
The core pressure sensing is enabled by a liner that separates the fluid in the hollow bottle chamber from the pressure sensor. In this arrangement, the pressure sensor detects changes of pressure in the bottle enclosure while remaining isolated from the bottle fluid by the liner. The disclosure further includes pressure comparison, including an instrument compartment reference condition such as atmospheric pressure, to determine the pressure changes associated with feeding.
The invention also includes a computer and software to process pressure data into feeding pattern metrics and to coordinate fluid discharge. The disclosure describes a computer within the instrument compartment in data communication with the pressure sensor, and computing feeding patterns including suck counts/rates/frequency, sucking strength, volume of consumption per suck, meal initiation or termination, intra-meal pauses, and bottle orientation as reflected in the sensing context. An actuator controlled by the computer is connected to the bottle enclosure to control a rate of fluid discharge at the feeding outlet according to the software, and the pressure sensor is used for synchronizing the rate of fluid discharge produced by the actuator.
The system also supports environmental sensing through at least one audiovisual accessory positioned proximately to the bottle enclosure and configured to collect environmental sensor data related to the bottle enclosure, with the audiovisual accessory in electronic communication with the computer. The disclosure further includes optional multispectral/light and color analysis to estimate milk/formula energy content from sensed light or spectral information via image analysis, and pressure-synchronized fluid delivery by a regulatory vacuum device.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover three main inventive groupings: a liner-isolated pressure sensor with a relief valve, a computer-controlled actuator whose discharge rate is synchronized using pressure sensing, and a feeding bottle system that adds a computer in data communication with the pressure sensor plus an audiovisual accessory for environmental sensor data.
Liner-isolated pressure sensing with relief valve in a detachable bottom housing
A feeding bottle comprising a bottle enclosure defining a hollow bottle chamber with a feeding outlet and attachment structure, a bottom housing with an instrument compartment detachable to the attachment structure, a relief valve in a separation surface, a pressure sensor adjacent the separation surface connected by a passageway to the instrument compartment, and a liner between the bottle enclosure and the pressure sensor that separates bottle fluid from the pressure sensor so the pressure sensor detects changes of pressure in the bottle enclosure.
Computer-controlled actuator synchronized to pressure changes for rate of fluid discharge
A feeding bottle comprising a bottle enclosure and detachable bottom housing with an instrument compartment, a computer with at least a processor and memory storing software, a relief valve, a pressure sensor adjacent the separation surface connected by a passageway to the instrument compartment, and a liner separating the pressure sensor from fluid in the bottle enclosure, and at least one actuator controlled by the computer and connected to the bottle enclosure to control a rate of fluid discharge at the feeding outlet according to the software, wherein the pressure sensor detects changes of pressure in the bottle enclosure for synchronizing the rate of fluid discharge produced by the actuator.
Audiovisual accessory system for environmental sensor data with pressure-sensed bottle enclosure
A feeding bottle system comprising a bottle enclosure with a hollow bottle chamber, a detachable bottom housing with an instrument compartment and a separation surface, a relief valve in the separation surface, a pressure sensor connected by a passageway to the instrument compartment and configured to detect changes of pressure in the bottle enclosure with a liner separating fluid from the pressure sensor, and a computer positioned within the instrument compartment in data communication with the pressure sensor, further including at least one audiovisual accessory positioned proximately to the bottle enclosure configured to collect environmental sensor data related to the bottle enclosure and in electronic communication with the computer.
Across the independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on pressure sensing of a feeding bottle using a relief valve and a detachable bottom housing, isolating the pressure sensor from bottle fluid with a liner, and processing or synchronizing feeding and discharge using a computer-controlled actuator. A further independent claim adds audiovisual accessories to collect environmental sensor data in electronic communication with the pressure-sensing computer.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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