Abstract:
A modular bird feeder system has a plurality of different modular bird feeder components which can be interchangeably connected based on user preference. All components are slideably mounted on a vertically standing pole. The slideable components include a feed filling funnel, an upper feed tray, a lower feed tray, a squirrel guard, and a feeder unit position adjustment handgrip which controls the upward and downward movement along the pole of the integral bird feeder unit which is assembled. An adjustable locking pin extending from the pole is used to maintain the bird feeder unit in the uppermost bird feeding position on the pole, regardless of which components are being used. When the pin is removed, the handgrip facilitates control of the bird feeder unit as it slides from its bird feeding position to a user-friendly, convenient feed filling position on the pole.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Bird feeders are often equipped with a variety of different components to accommodate different needs, uses, and desires. For instance, feeders routinely have perches on which birds stand during feeding, but sometimes additional perches for larger birds are required or wanted. Certain feeders have squirrel and other small animal guards for situations in which it is necessary to prevent intrusion by these animals. There is, however, currently no bird feeder which is readily adaptable to permit bird feeder components to be interchangeable, i.e. to be added or removed from the feeder, depending on user desire or specific need. 
         [0002]    Additionally, pole mounted bird feeders are usually positioned at a height which makes it difficult for the normal sized individual to refill the feeder. Step stools or small ladders are often used to awkwardly fill empty feeders, presenting a bother, if not a real danger to the user. Ease of filling feeders without loss of bird food being poured into the feeder&#39;s storage compartment is also a problem which is encountered when attempting to replenish a feeder. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    It is thus the object of the present invention to address and solve the disadvantages and limitations of prior bird feeders. 
         [0004]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a modular bird feeder system which has a plurality of compatible, but different, interchangeable, modular bird feeder components. 
         [0005]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a modular bird feeder system which has a plurality of modular bird feeder components which can be readily connected and disconnected, according to the needs and desires of the user. 
         [0006]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a modular bird feeder system which allows the interchangeable use of several, all, or none of its available modular bird feeder components, by providing for quick and effective connections between components. 
         [0007]    It is still another object of the present invention to provide a modular bird feeder system which is easily and safely filled with bird food. 
         [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a modular bird feeder system which allows the height of the bird feeder itself to be adjusted, for convenient and safe filling of the bird feeder unit itself. 
         [0009]    It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a modular bird feeder system which provides an efficient and wasteless bird feed filling component which is integral with the system. 
         [0010]    These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention, a modular bird feeder system which comprises a plurality of different modular bird feeder components which can be interchangeably connected based on user preference or need. All components are slideably mounted on a vertically standing pole. The slideable components include a feed filling funnel, an upper feed tray, a lower feed tray, a squirrel guard, and a feeder unit position adjustment handgrip which controls the upward and downward movement along the pole of the integral bird feeder unit which is assembled. An adjustable locking pin extending from the pole is used to maintain the bird feeder unit in the uppermost bird feeding position on the pole, regardless of which components are being used. When the pin is removed, the handgrip facilitates control of the bird feeder unit as it slides from its bird feeding position to a user-friendly, convenient feed filling position on the pole. 
         [0011]    The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention, itself, however, both as to its design, construction and use, together with additional features and advantages thereof, are best understood upon review of the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is an exploded cross-section view of the basic upper components of the bird feeder system of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a cross-section view of the lower feed tray of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section view of the squirrel guard of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a cross-section view of the control handgrip of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a cross-section view of the basic bird feeder unit configuration of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a cross-section view of an alternate bird feeder unit configuration of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a cross-section view of still another bird feeder unit configuration of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a cross-section view of a further bird feeder unit configuration of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a view of the bird feeder system of the present invention in the bird feeding position. 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a view of the bird feeder system of the present invention in the feed filling position. 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a view of the locking pin configuration of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    The bird feeder system of the present invention comprises a number of separable, modular components which are configured to be conveniently assembled to form various integral bird feeder unit configurations  1   a  ( FIG. 5 ),  1   b  ( FIG. 6 ),  1   c  ( FIG. 7 ), and  1   d  ( FIG. 8 ). Roof  2 , comprising pole guide compartment  3 , is removeably positioned on filling funnel  4 , which itself is designed to mate with feed housing tube  6 . As best seen in  FIG. 5 , ring  5  is attached to and extends completely around the underside of roof  2 . Roof  2  is configured to be positioned on filling funnel  4 , inboard of ring  5 , in order to prevent the ingress of weather elements, such as water and wind, into the filling funnel and hence into feed housing tube  6 . It is contemplated that housing feed tube  6  will be constructed of plastic or similar material, and, if of clear material, to permit visual observation of bird feed levels. Feed housing tube  6  is shown as being cylindrical in shape, with open space  8 . However, the shape and configuration of this component as well as roof  2  is not to be considered restricted to that which is disclosed. Any convenient or desired shaped feed housing container or roof can be used. 
         [0024]    Housing feed tube  6  is in turn placed on upper feed tray  10 . Feed tray  10  comprises center tube support  12  with through channel  13 . Upper section  14  of center tube support  12  is configured to extend into feed housing tube  6 , the lower section  16  having threaded connection  18 . Small bird feeding platform  19  extends from tube support  12 . Threaded connection  18  of upper feed tray  10  is configured to be threadably mated with any of the threaded connections of the other module components of the invention: lower feed tray  20 , squirrel guard  30 , and feeder position control handgrip  40 . 
         [0025]    Lower feed tray  20  comprises center tube support  22  with through channel  23 , upper threaded connection  24  and lower threaded connection  26 . Large bird feeding platform  28  extends from tube support  22 . 
         [0026]    Squirrel guard  30  comprises concave, curvilinear protective shell  32 , which has open bottom  35 . Center tube support  34  has through channel  33 , upper thread connection  36 , and lower thread connection  38 . 
         [0027]    Feeder unit position adjustment control handgrip  40  comprises elongated tube  42  open at each end and sized for grasping by a user. Channel  43  extends through handgrip  40 . Threaded connection  46  is located at the upper end of handgrip  40  and flared base section  48  is located at the lower end. 
         [0028]    Elongated mounting pole  50  is configured to be vertically standing, secured within a ground foundation, as is common in the art. Pole  50  is designed to extend through channel  43  of handgrip  40 , channel  33  of center tube  34  of squirrel guard  30 , channel  23  of center tube  22  of lower feed tray  20 , channel  13  of center tube support  12  of upper feed tray  10 , housing feed tube  6 , and feed filling funnel  4 . Roof  2  rests on upper end  52  of pole  50 , the upper end being positioned within pole guide compartment  3  extending down from the roof. Locking pin  54  is configured to extend through pole  50 , to maintain the bird feeder  1  on the pole in its uppermost bird feeding position, as is described hereinafter. 
         [0029]    An integral bird feeder unit of the bird feeder is formed by the assembly of different modular components. For instance,  FIG. 5  shows basic, integral bird feeder unit  1   a , with roof  2 , filling funnel  4 , housing feed tube  6 , upper feed tray  10 , and central handgrip  40 , connected and fully assembled around pole  50 .  FIG. 9  shows this particular bird feeder unit mounted in its uppermost, bird feeding position on pole  50 . Bird feed  60  fills housing feed tube  6 . In this configuration, threaded connection  46  of handgrip  40  is threadably mated with threaded connection  18  of upper feed tray  10 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . Bird feeder unit is maintained in this uppermost position on the pole by locking pin  54  through pole  50 . 
         [0030]    Locking pin  54  comprises finger section  56  which interconnects elongated arm section  58  with pole cradle section  60 . There is resiliency between sections  58  and  60  which permits these sections to spread apart when a force is applied between them. Elongated arm section  58  is configured to be inserted through holes located through pole  50 .  FIG. 9  shows holes  62 ,  64 ,  66 , and  68  on one side of pole  50 . Another set of four holes corresponding to these holes, and immediately across from them, is located on the other side of pole  50 . See also  FIG. 11 , showing hole  64  and opposite, corresponding hole  65 . 
         [0031]    Once the assembled bird feed unit, for instance the unit shown in  FIG. 9 , is slideably raised up to its desired height by means of position adjustment control handgrip  40 , locking pin  54  is inserted into hole  62  and opposite, corresponding hole. As locking pin  54  is being so inserted, arm section  58  and pole cradle section  60  are pushed against the surface of pole  50 , as the pole is forced between these sections. The resiliency between arm section  58  and pole cradle section  60  causes the two sections to spread apart to accept and then close to maintain pole  50  between the sections. Once locking pin  54  is fully inserted into hole  62  and its opposite hole, the locking pin is secured within the pole. Base  48  of control handgrip  40  can then rest atop locking pin  54  and the bird feeder unit is maintained in this uppermost position on the pole. 
         [0032]    When it is necessary to fill the bird feeder unit with feed, finger section  56  makes it easy to remove locking pin  54  from pole  50 . This allows all components of the bird feeder unit, except roof  2  which remains positioned on pole  50 , to slide down the pole, until control handgrip  40  reaches fixed stop support  70 , secured around the pole. See  FIG. 10 . Base  48  of control handgrip  48  then rests on stop support  70  to maintain the bird feeder unit in this position on pole  50 . Stop support  70  can be a circular washer permanently attached around pole  50 , or equivalent stop component, large enough to support base  48  of control handgrip  40 . Stop support  70  is located on pole  50  at a height which allows comfortable filling of the bird feeder unit such that, in this position, feed can easily be added to housing feed tube  6 , via filling funnel  4 . It is contemplated that this position will place filling funnel  4  at a height adjacent to the waist of an individual of average height. 
         [0033]    When the feed filling operation is completed, the bird feeder unit is simply slid up pole  50  to the uppermost position on the pole. Locking pin  54  is then inserted into the holes in the pole which maintain the bird feeder unit at this desired height. 
         [0034]    Another significant novel advantage of the bird feeder system of the invention is that it allows the ability to add and mix and match different modular components, depending on user preference. While bird feeder unit la can be used solely with upper feed tray  10 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , the bird feeder unit can also comprise lower feed tray  20  and/or squirrel guard  30 , each easily and interchangeably added. 
         [0035]    For example,  FIG. 6  shows bird feeder unit  1   b , with the inclusion of lower feed tray  20  connected at its upper threaded connection  24  to threaded connection  18  of upper feed tray  10  and at its lower threaded connection  26  to threaded connection  46  of handgrip  40 .  FIG. 7  shows bird feeder unit  1   c , with squirrel guard  30  connected at its upper threaded connection  36  to threaded connection  18  of upper feed tray  10 , and its lower threaded connection  38  connected to threaded connection  46  of handgrip  40 .  FIG. 8  shows bird feeder unit id with all available modular components in use, upper feed tray  10  being connected at threaded connection  18  to lower feed tray  20  at its connection  24 , the lower feed tray being connected at its threaded connection  26  to squirrel guard  30  at its connection  36 , and the squirrel guard in turn connected at its connection  38  to handgrip  40  at its connection  46 . 
         [0036]    Adding components to the assembled bird feeder unit increases the length of the overall unit. This added length of the bird feeder unit on pole  50  is accommodated by adjusting the position of locking pin  54  through the pole. When configured as in  FIG. 6 , bird feeder unit  1   b  is maintained in position on pole  50  by locking pin  54  through hole  64  and its corresponding opposite hole  65 . When configured as in  FIG. 7 , bird feeder unit  1   c  is maintained in position on pole  50  by locking pin  54  through hole  66  and its corresponding opposite hole. And when configured as in  FIG. 8 , bird feeder unit  1   d  is maintained in position on pole  50  by locking pin  54  through hole  68  and its corresponding opposite hole. 
         [0037]    Of course, since all the modular components are slideably mounted around pole  50 , regardless of the configuration of the bird feeder unit and placement of the components, the height of the unit on the pole can be easily and simply adjusted for filling by the slideably movement of handgrip  40  over the pole onto stop support  70 . 
         [0038]    Thus, by this invention, a versatile bird feeder system is provided which allows the flexibility to interchange feeder components and, regardless of its configuration, provides a means to easily refill the feeder without the use of ladders or step stools or removing the feeder from its mounting. 
         [0039]    Certain novel features and components of this invention are disclosed in detail in order to make the invention clear in at least one form thereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention as disclosed is not necessarily limited to the exact form and details as disclosed, since it is apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.