Baby Food Lid with Built-in straw

Abstract

A baby food lid with a built-in straw provides female threads which enable the lid to be affixed to commercially available jars of baby food for easy consumption. The straw is rigid and gently curved, with a large circular cross-section. This enables the infant to easily draw foods with a thicker consistency through the straw, and also enables the adult user to easily clean the straw. The lid is dishwasher safe and is provided in a variety of bright colors and sizes, to fit any commercially available jar of baby food.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/157,408, filed May 5, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to infant and child care accessories, and in particular to a baby food lid with a built-in straw. Various types of pureed baby food have been available in small jars for over a century. At the time of their introduction, they represented a great stride forward in convenience and food safety. However, times have changed and the demand for greater convenience is growing. Mothers are still required to transfer the food to a bowl or other container, slowly spoon-feed the infant, and then clean up and wash the bowl and spoon afterward. A baby food lid with a built-in straw, providing female threads which enable the lid to be affixed to commercially available jars of baby food for easy consumption, would resolve this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the invention is directed to a baby food lid with a built-in straw. The lid provides female threads which enable the lid to be affixed to commercially available jars of baby food for easy consumption. The straw is rigid and gently curved, with a large circular cross-section. This enables the infant to easily draw foods with a thicker consistency through the straw, and also enables the adult user to easily clean the straw. The lid is dishwasher safe and is provided in a variety of bright colors and sizes, to fit any commercially available jar of baby food.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawing is included to provide a further understanding of the invention and is incorporated into and constitutes a part of the specification. It illustrates one embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serves to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the first exemplary embodiment affixed to a baby food jar, displaying the lid 10, the straw 12, the tip 13, and the jar 14.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the first exemplary embodiment, displaying the lid 10, and the straw 12.

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the first exemplary embodiment with the tip removed, displaying the lid 10, the threads 11, and the straw 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, the invention is directed to a baby food lid 10 with a built-in straw.

The first exemplary embodiment is comprised of a circular lid 10 which provides female threads 11, enabling the lid 10 to be affixed to commercially available jars 14 of baby food for easy consumption. The straw 12 is rigid and gently curved, with a large circular cross-section. This enables the infant to easily draw foods with a thicker consistency through the straw 12, and also enables the adult user to easily clean the straw 12, using a bottle brush or similar device. The lower end of the straw 12 provides a flexible, removable tip 13, to minimize noise and damage when contacting the bottom of the jar 14.

The lid 10 is dishwasher safe and is provided in a variety of bright colors and sizes, to fit any commercially available jar of baby food. A transparent, dishwasher safe, shatterproof container may also be provided with the lid, enabling the adult user to transfer baby foods from any commercially provided package into the container for consumption. An alternate embodiment, which provides a flexible gasket joining the straw 12 to the lid 10, is contemplated. The gasket provides a tight seal, but enables tilting and sliding of the straw 12 within a central aperture.

To use the first exemplary embodiment, the adult user opens a jar of baby food 14 and places the lid 10 over the mouth of the jar 14, inserting the straw 12 into the baby food. The adult user then engages the male threads of the mouth of the jar 14 with the female threads 11 of the lid 10, until a tight seal is created. The baby food may then be consumed by an infant user, using the straw 12 which is provided.

The lid 10 and the straw 12 are preferably manufactured from a rigid, durable material which is shatterproof, easily cleaned, and dishwasher safe, such as plastic or acrylic polymer. The tip 13 is preferably manufactured from a flexible, durable material which is easily cleaned and dishwasher safe, such as silicone.

Components, component sizes, and materials listed above are preferable, but artisans will recognize that alternate components and materials could be selected without altering the scope of the invention.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is presently considered to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should, therefore, not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A baby food lid, comprising: a circular lid; said lid having female threads such that the lid is configured to screw onto a jar; a straw having an upper end and a lower end; said upper end extending upwardly from said lid; said lower end extending downwardly from said lid; said lid, upper end, and lower end being all one continuous piece; and said straw having a large circular cross section such that a pureed solid may be drawn through said straw.