BACKGROUND

The various embodiments and aspects described herein relate to a reusable food pouch for containing fluidic food products that can be consumed through a spout or a feeding tube.

Various reusable food pouches are currently marketed. However, these food pouches may be cumbersome to use and difficult to sanitize. For example, prior art reusable food pouches may have a flexible receptacle for holding the food product. A spout may be attached to the receptacle so that a toddler can suck the food product out of the receptacle when desired. The spout may be covered with a lid that stops fluid flow through the spout so that the user can store the food product within the reusable food pouch during the day and access the same and provide the same to the toddler when desired.

Unfortunately, these prior art reusable food pouches are cumbersome to use and difficult to sanitize.

BRIEF SUMMARY

A reusable food pouch is disclosed herein. The reusable food pouch may be completely disassembled so that all of the components of the reusable food pouch can be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Moreover, the reusable food pouch has a removably insertable one-way valve that can be inserted and used or removed depending on the viscosity of the food product being dispensed through the reusable food pouch. More particularly, if the food product has a water-like consistency, then the one-way valve may be inserted in the reusable food pouch to prevent spills if the reusable food pouch is laid on its side. If the food product has a consistency similar to thick oatmeal or applesauce, then the one-way valve may be removed and stored away to allow the toddler to easily suck the food product out of the spout and into his or her mouth.

More particularly, a container for holding flowable food product is disclosed. The container may comprise a deformable receptacle, a cover and a one way valve. The deformable receptacle may have a cavity for holding the flowable material. The receptacle may have a closed bottom and an opening at an upper end of the deformable receptacle. The cover may be attached to the deformable receptacle. The cover may have a reduced narrow spout for forcing the flowable food product out of the spout and into a mouth of a person. The one way valve may be disposed between the deformable receptacle and the cover or removed therefrom depending on a viscosity of the flowable food product. The one way valve is disposed between the receptacle and the cover for more viscous flowable food products and removed therefrom for less viscous flowable food products. Also, the one way valve may be disposed between the deformable receptacle and the cover for liquid food products and the one way valve may be removed from between the deformable receptacle and the cover for liquid food products with solid materials mixed with the liquid food products.

The cover may define an interior surface. The interior surface of the cover has a funnel shape that leads to the spout having a straight cylindrical configuration. The one way valve has an upper surface that may have a configuration identical to the interior surface of the cover.

The one way valve may have an outwardly protruding rib that engages the interior surface of the cover at the spout.

The cover may have a lid that engages with the spout to stop fluid flow through the spout when the lid is engaged to the spout and to allow fluid flow through the spout when the lid is disengaged from the spout.

The cover may have a downwardly protruding lip extending from the interior surface circumscribing the one way valve when the one way valve is seated on the interior surface of the cover.

The one way valve may have a lower surface and pull tab that extends below the lower surface in order to remove the one way valve from the cover when the one way valve is seated on the cover.

The one way valve may have a cross slit formed in a membrane.

In another aspect, a method of providing a flowable food product to a toddler is disclosed. The method may comprise the steps of providing a receptacle, a collar, a cover and a one way valve, the cover having a spout through which the toddler sucks out flowable food product disposed within the receptacle, the collar and cover capable of forming a seal with a flange portion of the receptacle so that a liquid tight seal is formed between the cover, flange portion of the receptacle and the collar; inserting the flange portion of the receptacle through the collar; filling the receptacle with a fluid having a viscosity about equal to a viscosity of water; disposing the one way valve between the flange portion of the receptacle and the cover so that the flowable food product does not flow out of the spout unless sidewalls of the receptacle are being compressed or suction is formed at the spout; and fastening the cover on the collar so as to compress the flange portion of the receptacle between the cover and the collar to form the seal with the flange portion.

In another aspect, a method of providing a flowable food product to a toddler is disclosed. The method may comprise the steps of providing a receptacle, a collar, a cover and a one way valve, the cover having a spout through which the toddler sucks out flowable food product disposed within the receptacle, the collar and cover capable of forming a seal with a flange portion of the receptacle so that a liquid tight seal is formed between the cover, flange portion of the receptacle and the collar; inserting the flange portion of the receptacle through the collar; filling the receptacle with a fluid having a viscosity about equal to a viscosity of a puree of vegetable and fruits; removing the one way valve between the flange portion of the receptacle and the cover so that the flowable food product does flow out of the spout without pressure on sidewalls of the receptacle; and fastening the cover on the collar so as to compress the flange portion of the receptacle between the cover and the collar to form the seal with the flange portion.

In accordance with other aspects of the present disclosure, there is provided a reusable food pouch used for tube feeding a patient. The reusable food pouch includes a deformable receptacle and a rigid cover attachable to the deformable receptacle, the rigid cover having a feeding tube connector for connection to a feeding tube or a syringe. When the deformable receptacle is squeezed, a flowable food product, e.g. a liquid or semi-liquid food, is forced out of the deformable receptacle and into the feeding tube or syringe.

In one aspect, there is provided a container for holding flowable food product, the container including a deformable receptacle having a cavity for holding the flowable food product, the deformable receptacle having a closed bottom and an opening at an upper end of the deformable receptacle, and the container further including a rigid cover attachable to the upper end of the deformable receptacle. The rigid cover has a male feeding tube connector that is uniquely connectable to a female feeding tube connector of a feeding tube, wherein, with the male feeding tube connector connected to the female feeding tube connector, the deformable receptacle and the feeding tube are in fluid tight fluid communication to allow the flowable food product to be forced out of the opening of the deformable receptacle and into the feeding tube when the deformable receptacle is squeezed.

The male feeding tube connector may comply with a United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognized consensus standard.

The male feeding tube connector may comply with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 80369-3.

The container may further include a valve removably disposable between the deformable receptacle and the rigid cover. The valve may have an upper surface that has a configuration identical to the interior surface of the rigid cover.

In another aspect, there is provided a container for holding flowable food product, the container including a deformable receptacle having a cavity for holding the flowable food product, the deformable receptacle having a closed bottom and an opening at an upper end of the deformable receptacle, and the container further including a rigid cover attachable to the upper end of the deformable receptacle. The rigid cover has a female feeding tube connector that is uniquely connectable to a male feeding tube connector of a syringe, wherein, with the female feeding tube connector connected to the male feeding tube connector, the deformable receptacle and the syringe are in fluid tight fluid communication to allow the flowable food product to be forced out of the opening of the deformable receptacle and into the syringe when the deformable receptacle is squeezed.

The female feeding tube connector may comply with a United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognized consensus standard.

The female feeding tube connector may comply with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 80369-3.

The container may further include a valve removably disposable between the deformable receptacle and the cover. The valve may have an upper surface that has a configuration identical to the interior surface of the rigid cover.

In another aspect, there is provided a method of providing a flowable food product to a patient, the method including providing a deformable receptacle having a cavity for holding the flowable food product, the deformable receptacle having a closed bottom and an opening at an upper end of the deformable receptacle, and the method further including filling the deformable receptacle with the flowable food product and attaching a rigid cover to the upper end of the deformable receptacle. The rigid cover has a male feeding tube connector that is uniquely connectable to a female feeding tube connector of a feeding tube, wherein, with the male feeding tube connector connected to the female feeding tube connector, the deformable receptacle and the feeding tube are in fluid tight fluid communication to allow the flowable food product to be forced out of the opening of the deformable receptacle and into the feeding tube when the deformable receptacle is squeezed. The method further includes connecting the male feeding tube connector to the female feeding tube connector of the feeding tube and squeezing the deformable receptacle to force the flowable food product out of the deformable receptacle and into the feeding tube.

The male feeding tube connector may comply with a United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognized consensus standard.

The male feeding tube connector may comply with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 80369-3.

The method may further include disposing a valve between the deformable receptacle and the rigid cover so that the flowable food product does not flow out of the opening of the deformable receptacle unless sidewalls of the deformable receptacle are being compressed or suction is formed at the male feeding tube connector. The valve may have an upper surface that has a configuration identical to the interior surface of the rigid cover.

In another aspect, there is provided a method of providing a flowable food product to a patient, the method including providing a deformable receptacle having a cavity for holding the flowable food product, the deformable receptacle having a closed bottom and an opening at an upper end of the deformable receptacle, and the method further including filling the deformable receptacle with the flowable food product and attaching a rigid cover to the upper end of the deformable receptacle. The rigid cover may have a female feeding tube connector that is uniquely connectable to a male feeding tube connector of a syringe, wherein, with the female feeding tube connector connected to the male feeding tube connector, the deformable receptacle and the syringe are in fluid tight fluid communication to allow the flowable food product to be forced out of the opening of the deformable receptacle and into the syringe when the deformable receptacle is squeezed. The method further includes connecting the female feeding tube connector to the male feeding tube connector of the syringe, squeezing the deformable receptacle and/or operating a plunger of the syringe to force the flowable food product out of the deformable receptacle and into the syringe, disconnecting the female feeding tube connector from the male feeding tube connector of the syringe, connecting the male feeding tube connector of the syringe to a female feeding tube connector of a feeding tube of the patient, and operating the plunger of the syringe to force the flowable food product out of the syringe and into the feeding tube.

The female feeding tube connector may comply with a United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognized consensus standard.

The female feeding tube connector may comply with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 80369-3.

The method may further include disposing a valve between the deformable receptacle and the rigid cover so that the flowable food product does not flow out of the opening of the deformable receptacle unless sidewalls of the deformable receptacle are being compressed or suction is formed at the female feeding tube connector. The valve may have an upper surface that has a configuration identical to the interior surface of the rigid cover.

