Reinforced nursing nipple

Claim 2

A nursing nipple and bottle combination comprising: a unitary construction having a feeding tip carried on a bulbous portion with an outwardly extending reinforced flange base; said reinforced flange base enclosing a rigid, non-flexible annular element; said unitary construction composed of a pliable, resilient material covering and surrounding said rigid, non-flexible annular element whereby said feeding tip and said bulbous portion move and flex relative to said reinforced flange base; said rigid, non-flexible annular element is a circular ring having a central opening defined by an inner edge surface and having an outer edge surface spaced from said inner edge surface, said annular element having a flat top surface and a flat bottom surface joining said inner edge surface and said outer edge surface; said ring inner and outer edge surfaces and said ring flat top and flat bottom surfaces covered by said pliable, resilient material; said ring top and bottom surfaces being parallel and having a width more narrow than the width of said flange base; said pliable, resilient material includes a pigment obscuring said ring; said ring is coaxially disposed with respect to said feeding tip and said bulbous portion and is enclosed solely by said flange base and is separate from said bulbous portion; a nursing bottle having a circular shoulder defining an opening into the interior of said bottle; a closure cap having a circular member defining a central opening for insertably receiving said bulbous portion and further having an undersurface engageable with said flange base so as to apply a sealing load thereto compressing said flange base between said closure cap circular member undersurface and said bottle shoulder; said ring has a diameter greater than the diameter of said closure cap central opening; and said annular ring comprises a plurality of rigid semi-circular elements placed in end-to-end fixed spaced apart relationship.

Claim 3

A nursing nipple and bottle combination comprising: a unitary construction having a feeding tip carried on a bulbous portion with an outwardly extending reinforced flange base; said reinforced flange base enclosing a rigid, non-flexible annular element; said unitary construction composed of a pliable, resilient material covering and surrounding said rigid, non-flexible annular element whereby said feeding tip and said bulbous portion move and flex relative to said reinforced flange base; said rigid, non-flexible annular element is a circular ring having a central opening defined by an inner edge surface and having an outer edge surface spaced from said inner edge surface, said annular element having a flat top surface and a flat bottom surface joining said inner edge surface and said outer edge surface; said ring inner and outer edge surfaces and said ring flat top and flat bottom surfaces covered by said pliable, resilient material; said ring top and bottom surfaces being parallel and having a width more narrow than the width of said flange base; said pliable, resilient material includes a pigment obscuring said ring; said ring is coaxially disposed with respect to said feeding tip and said bulbous portion and is enclosed solely by said flange base and is separate from said bulbous portion; a nursing bottle having a circular shoulder defining an opening into the interior of said bottle; a closure cap having a circular member defining a central opening for insertably receiving said bulbous portion and further having an undersurface engageable with said flange base so as to apply a sealing load thereto compressing said flange base between said closure cap circular member undersurface and said bottle shoulder; said ring has a diameter greater than the diameter of said closure cap central opening; said bulbous portion is a separate component and said flange base is a separate component; said flange base having a central opening defined by a circular collar; said collar fixedly joined to said bulbous portion providing reinforcement; said flange base having an upper surface defined between said collar and a circular wall carried on the edge of said flange base; and a plurality of spaced apart ribs radiating outwardly on said upper surface between said collar and said circular wall in fixed spaced apart relationship.

Claim 4

A nursing nipple and bottle combination comprising: a unitary construction having a feeding tip carried on a bulbous portion with an outwardly extending reinforced flange base; said reinforced flange base enclosing a rigid, non-flexible annular element; said unitary construction composed of a pliable, resilient material covering and surrounding said rigid, non-flexible annular element whereby said feeding tip and said bulbous portion move and flex relative to said reinforced flange base; said rigid, non-flexible annular element is a circular ring having a central opening defined by an inner edge surface and having an outer edge surface spaced from said inner edge surface, said annular element having a flat top surface and a flat bottom surface joining said inner edge surface and said outer edge surface; said ring inner and outer edge surfaces and said ring flat top and flat bottom surfaces covered by said pliable, resilient material; said ring top and bottom surfaces being parallel and having a width more narrow than the width of said flange base; said pliable, resilient material includes a pigment obscuring said ring; said ring is coaxially disposed with respect to said feeding tip and said bulbous portion and is enclosed solely by said flange base and is separate from said bulbous portion; a nursing bottle having a circular shoulder defining an opening into the interior of said bottle; a closure cap having a circular member defining a central opening for insertably receiving said bulbous portion and further having an undersurface engageable with said flange base so as to apply a sealing load thereto compressing said flange base between said closure cap circular member undersurface and said bottle shoulder; said ring has a diameter greater than the diameter of said closure cap central opening; said bulbous portion is a separate component and said flange base is a separate component; said flange base having a central opening defined by a circular collar; said collar fixedly joined to said bulbous portion providing reinforcement; said flange base having an upper surface defined between said collar and a circular wall carried on the edge of said flange base; and a plurality of spaced apart ribs radiating outwardly on said upper surface between said collar and said circular wall in fixed spaced apart relationship.