[0001] This invention relates to feeding bowls suitable for babies of the type arranged
to keep food contained within the bowl warm.
[0002] In a known construction, such a bowl has a compartment into which hot water can be
poured, so that the food within the bowl is kept warm by the heat ofthe water. This
type of bowl functions adequately, but has always presented several hazards largely
because the opening to the hot water compartment has invariably been located on the
upper surface of the bowl. This positioning of the opening facilitates easy access
for filling and reduces the risk of leakage of the hot water from the opening when
the bowl is in normal use, however, this positioning of the opening often leads to
the opening not being adequately sealed if the bowl is mis-used either because the
plug closing the opening has only been designed to seal against minor splashes of
hot water or because it has not been inserted properly.
[0003] Since one is not forced to check that the plug will seal the opening even during
mis-use of the bowl, a danger arises that a baby can be presented with a bowl containing
hot water which may spill out if the bowl is tipped. Furthermore the plug is within
easy reach, and if it is not properly secured it may be loosened or even removed by
the baby. A further disadvantage of a bowl having an opening on its uppermost surface
is that the plug interrupts the otherwise smooth upper surface of the bowl, providing
a place in which food can lodge, thus presenting a possible health hazard.
[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a baby feeding bowl which is
capable of keeping the baby's food warm, but which does not suffer from the disadvantages
of the known design.
[0005] According to the invention there is provided a bowl comprising an upper section into
which food may be placed and a lower section on which the bowl may stand, the two
sections having between them a compartment, the lower section having a hole through
which a hot liquid may be introduced into the compartment and a removable plug sealing
the hole.
[0006] Preferably, the plug is located in the hole by means of a screw thread connection.
Preferably the plug and the hole are below the level of the liquid in the compartment
when the bowl is in normal use. The hole may be in the bottom surface of the lower
section.
[0007] Thus, the filling hole is preferably not in a position where food may easily be trapped
in it and the danger of accidental removal of the plug is minimised. Furthermore,
if the plug is not properly replaced after filling the compartment with hot water,
this will be noticed almost at once.
[0008] Preferably, the hole is surrounded by a skirt on which the bowl stands in normal
use. In a preferred method of manufacturing bowls according to the invention, the
two sections are formed as separate components which are joined together around one
rim of the lower section.
[0009] The invention may be carried into practice in various ways and one embodiment will
now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the uppermost side of a baby bowl in accordance
with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the underside of the baby bowl shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation taken on a diameter of the bowl shown in Figure
1; and
Figure 4 is a sectional side elevation taken on a diameter of the plug which is shown
inserted into the baby bowl in Figure 2.
[0010] The baby feeding bowl 2 shown in Figure 1 is of a generally short stepped cylindrical
form and consists of three parts; a dish section 4, a warming section 6 and a plinth
8. The dish section 4 is of shallow cylindrical form and has a flat bottom. A tab
12 projects from the rim of the dish, enabling the bowl to be steadied, in use, and
also allowing easier separation of the bowls when stacked. The warming section 6 is
effectively another dish having the same form as the dish section 4 but having a smaller
diameter. In addition, the warming section 6 has a plug hole 14 (see Figure 3) in
its bottom surface.
[0011] The rim of the warming section is sealed to the underside of the bottom of the dish
section 4 as shown at 24 in Figure 3, thereby creating a sealed compartment 16 which
is accessible only by way of the plug hole 14. The plinth section 8 comprises a short
cylindrical skirt having a smaller diameter than the warming section 6. The skirt
extends down from the underside of the warming section 6 and surrounds the plug hole
14, and may be adapted to receive a sucker ring 15 partially shown in Figure 3 and
with which the bowl may be affixed to a surface by suction.
[0012] A plug 10, as shown in Figure 4 is sealably insertable into the plug hole 14 (as
shown in Figure 2) thereby enabling the compartment 16 to be completely sealed. The
plug 10 comprises a short screwed shank 18 and a relatively large diameter head 20
with a sealing washer 22 mounted on the shank 18 adjacent the head 20.
[0013] The bowl 2 may be manufactured from a plastics material by moulding. The dish section
4 would be moulded as one component while the warming section 6 and plinth 8 would
be moulded as a single separate component. The two components would then be fixed
together with adhesive. The plug 10 may also be of a moulded plastics material.
[0014] The positioning of the plug hole 14 in the bottom of the warming section 6 ensures
that the following sequence of operations must be performed when the bowl 2 is to
be used. Firstly, the bowl 2 must be inverted (and preferably laid on a flat surface)
so that the plinth section 8 is uppermost. With the plug 10 removed, hot water is
poured into the compartment 16. During this operation the plinth 8 acts as a bund
wall, catching any hot water which fails to enter through the hole 14. The plug 10
is then screwed into the hole 14 forming a tight seal before the bowl 2 can be returned
to the upright position with the dish section 4 uppermost. In returning the bowl 2
to the upright position any hot water caught in the plinth section 8 is tipped out,
and the sealing of the plug 10 is inherently checked. Finally, food is served into
the bowl section 4.
[0015] It will be appreciated that various other configurations may be used to produce the
same end result, in addition to the one specifically described. For example, the dish
section 4 may be of a shallow concave form secured around its rim to the warming section
6 so that the entire surface of the dish is adjacent the warming section 6. Alternatively
a flatter, plate section could replace the dish section.
1. A bowl (2) comprising an upper section (4) into which food may be placed and characterised
by additionally including a lower section (6) which is attached to the upper section,
the two sections (4,6) defining between them a compartment (16), the lower section
(6) having a hole (14) through which a hot liquid may be introduced into the compartment
(16) and a removable plug (10) sealing the hole (14) .
2. A bowl as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that the plug (10) is located in
the hole (14) by means of a screw thread connection.
3. A bowl as claimed in Claim 2 characterised in that the plug (10) and hole (14)
are below the level of the liquid in the compartment when the bowl (2) is in normal
use.
4. A bowl as claimed in Claim 3 characterised in that the hole (14) is in the bottom
surface of the lower section (6).
5. A bowl as claimed in Claim 4 characterised in that the hole (14) is surrounded
by a skirt (8) on which the bowl (2) stands in normal use.
6. A bowl as claimed in Claim 5 characterised by a sucker ring (15) removably mounted
on the skirt (8).
7. A bowl as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that the two sections
are formed as separate components which are joined together around a rim of the lower
section (6).
8. A childs feeding bowl (2) comprising an upper section (4) constituting a food receptacle
formed by a base and an upstanding surrounding wall of open-topped form, characterised
by a mid-section constituting a container (16) for hot water for warming the base,
and formed by the underside of the base, a side wall and a lower wall, a lower section
(6) including an annular wall (8) depending from the underside of the lower wall,
a stoppered aperture (14) in the lower wall which is disposed within the confines
of the annular wall (8) and which enables the introduction of the hot water into the
container, and a sucker ring (15) removably mounted on the annular wall (8).