Patent ID: 9549537
Date: 2017-01-24
CPC Classifications: A01K

Claim:
1. A top-fill hummingbird feeder comprising: a liquid container with a liquid flow opening at a lower end and a removable cap at an upper end; a feeding basin positioned below the liquid container for containing nectar accessed by birds through at least one feeding port; and a sealing mechanism associated with the liquid flow opening of the liquid container and the feeding basin, said sealing mechanism including a float valve with a float, a bottle collar coupled to the container and to the feeding basin, and a bottle seal associated with the bottle collar and having a central through-channel in liquid communication with said liquid flow opening, said bottle seal operative with said float valve to open and close said liquid flow opening; said float, when in a first position, opening the central channel in the bottle seal to allow fluid to flow from said container into said basin through said liquid flow opening and, when the float is in a second position, closing the central channel in the bottle seal to prevent fluid flow from said container into said basin through said liquid flow opening, said float moving up and down between said first and second positions in response to changes in nectar level within said feeding basin.