Abstract:
A housing structure that includes a transparent opening in one wall thereof, the opening being covered with a transparent material such as Plexiglas®. This opening allows a user to view the interior of the structure and ascertain the welfare of any animals within or check for pests without opening the birdhouse and risk frightening or harming the animals. In addition, the housing structure may also include a light within such that a user can illuminate the interior thereof. This allows the user to inspect the interior of the structure when it is too dark to do so without the help of an artificial light source. Moreover, the structure may include a removable roof or side wall for easy access to the interior of the birdhouse for the purpose of cleaning and the like, or access ports that may be used to access the structure without opening.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/359,931, filed Feb. 27, 2002 entitled BIRD HOUSE. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to a housing structure for cavity-dwelling animals and, more specifically, to a housing structure having a view-in window for viewing the interior thereof.  
           [0003]    It is also necessary to monitor the interior of a birdhouse for the presence of rodents, snakes, insects and the like because the presence of such creatures can be harmful to the nesting birds or may deter birds from nesting in the first place. Snakes and rodents may attack and kill adult birds and nestlings. Many insects lay their eggs inside of birdhouses. It is, therefore, necessary to be able to identify the presence of such pests and eliminate them. Since one cannot generally view the interior of a birdhouse through the bird entrance, and physically opening the birdhouse disturbs the birds if the house is inhabited, it is common to lightly tap a birdhouse and then listen for the sound of birds within in order to determine the welfare of the birds. Tapping on the birdhouse will disturb the birds within and is therefore not a completely desirable method of checking on the welfare of the birds. Furthermore, while tapping on a birdhouse may allow a birdwatcher to determine whether birds are living within, it may not always be an effective method of determining the presence of pests within the birdhouse, particularly if the pests are insects.  
           [0004]    Many birds will not nest in a birdhouse that contains old nesting. It is therefore necessary to clean the interior of the birdhouse after each brood of nestlings has fledged. Regular cleaning also reduces the occurrence of insect infestations that may be harmful to birds nesting within the birdhouse. In order to properly clean the interior of a birdhouse, it is necessary that the interior of the birdhouse be accessible to the birdwatcher.  
           [0005]    Therefore, it is desirable to provide a birdhouse that allows for easy viewing of the interior of the structure by a birdwatcher, without disturbing the birds within or risking the escape and harm of nestlings. It is also desirable to provide such a structure so that the birdwatcher can readily identify animals other than birds that may have entered the birdhouse and taken up residence inside the structure. It is further desirable to provide such a structure that is easily opened and cleaned.  
           [0006]    In addition to the reasons provided above, there are public health and policy reasons for providing a housing structure having specific access and viewing features.  
           [0007]    The need exists for such structures not only in relation to birds but to any cavity-dwelling animals. For example, conservation or forestry department personnel could use such housing structured to tag, monitor and protect endangered species from intruders or human tampering. In addition, DNA samples could be extracted safely from animals contained within such a structure. The Department of Homeland Security or Center for Disease Control could use such a housing structure to monitor birds or other animals that carry disease-causing organisms that might be used in a bio-terrorism attack or might otherwise threaten human health. West Nile virus, for instance, spreads through avian populations and also poses a risk to human health. There is a need for a housing structure in which birds carrying West Nile virus will dwell that also allow health officials to have safe access to the birds. In addition to bio-terrorism attacks specifically directed at human beings, a suitable housing structure could be used to monitor animals for reactions to attacks at lower points on the food chains, wherein the animals observed serve a warning function in much the same way as canaries once warned for the presence of gas in a mine. In order to address these and other concerns it is desirable to provide a housing structure for use with various cavity-dwelling animals that allows one to have safe access to the interior of the structure.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention provides a housing structure for cavity-dwelling animals having a transparent opening in one wall thereof, such as a front or rear wall or side wall, with the opening being covered with a transparent material such as plexiglas. This opening allows a user to view the interior of the housing structure and ascertain the welfare of any birds or other animals within without having to open the housing structure and risk frightening or harming the animals. The opening also allows a user to check the interior of the structure for the presence of pests.  
           [0009]    The present invention also provides a light within the housing structure that a user can use to illuminate the interior of the house. This allows the user to inspect the interior of the structure when it is too dark to do so without the help of an artificial light source.  
           [0010]    The present further invention provides a housing structure with a removable roof or side wall for easy access to the interior of the structure for the purpose of cleaning and the like.  
           [0011]    Lastly, the present invention provides a housing structure for birds or other animals that allows safe access to the interior of the structure when animals or potentially harmful materials, such as microorganisms, are present. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    Examples of the housing structure in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a front plan view of one embodiment of a birdhouse constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a side plan view of one embodiment of a birdhouse constructed in accordance with the teaching of the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is an exploded side view showing a side wall and transparent, e.g., Plexiglas®, component of a birdhouse constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a front plan view of an alternative embodiment of a birdhouse constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a front plan view of a second alternative embodiment of a birdhouse constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is an exploded front view of an embodiment of a birdhouse constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an illustrative power supply, with cutouts, constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is a side plan view of a third alternative embodiment of one aspect of a housing structure constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9 is a side plan view of a fourth alternative embodiment of one aspect of a housing structure constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]    Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 6, numeral  10  designates generally a housing structure constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. For purposes of example only, the embodiments of the present invention shown in the figures relate to the construction of houses for ducks or other birds. The principles of the present invention can, however, be applied to the construction of a housing structure for any cavity-dwelling animal.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 is a front plan view of an embodiment of a birdhouse constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Birdhouse  10  includes a housing unit  11 , which includes a roof, four walls, and a floor. The floor of housing unit  11  is provided by a floor member  12 . The lower surface of floor member  12  serves as the base of the birdhouse. The upper surface of floor member  12  serves to provide a solid floor for the interior of the birdhouse upon which birds may construct nests and the like.  
         [0024]    Extending upwardly from floor member  12 , and substantially perpendicular thereto, are side wall members  14  and  16 . Side wall members  14  and  16  extend substantially along the length of floor member  12 . Roof  20  contacts the upper surface of side wall members  16  and  1   4 , enclosing the top portion of the birdhouse. Roof  20  may be constructed of a unitary piece of material, bent at a midpoint to form a “V” shape, or may be constructed of two smaller components fixedly attached so as to form a “V” shaped roof member. Front wall member  18  extends upwardly from a front portion of floor member  12  to a front portion of roof  20 . Front wall member  18  has an opening  22  that is sized, shaped, and located according to the type of bird that the birdhouse is meant to attract. A rear wall (not shown) extends upwardly from a rear portion of floor member  12  to a rear portion of roof  20 . The rear wall is sized and shaped substantially similar to front wall member  18 , except that the rear wall preferably does not contain an opening.  
         [0025]    The size of opening  22  may vary according to the type of bird the birdwatcher wishes to attract. For example, small birds such as chickadees or nuthatches may nest in a birdhouse having an opening 1 to 1 ¼ inches in diameter. Purple martins or woodpeckers may require an opening of 2 to 2 ¼ inches in diameter. Large birds such as barn owls may require an opening of up to  6  inches in diameter. Opening  22  should be as small as possible while still allowing the desired bird type to enter, because smaller holes make it more difficult for many predatory animals to enter the birdhouse and also discourage certain “pest” birds such as starlings.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 2 is a side plan view of an embodiment of a birdhouse constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. An opening  24  is provided in side wall  14 . Opening  24  provides a mean by which a birdwatcher can view birds inside of birdhouse  10 . Opening  24  is preferably, but not necessarily, covered with a sheet of transparent material  40 , as best shown in FIG. 3. The presence of the transparent material  40  prevents nestlings from falling from birdhouse  10  through opening  24  and also prevents pests and predators from entering birdhouse  1   0  through opening  24 . This opening  24  can be of virtually any design with the illustrative embodiment being a heart design. The transparent material  40  may be secured to the inside of side wall  14  by glue or any other suitable means, such as VELCRO®, staples or brads and the like. VELCRO® is a federally registered trademark of Velcro Industries B.V., having a place of business at Castorweg 22-24, Curacao, Netherlands. If the transparent material  40  is secured to the inside of side wall  14  by glue or any other fixed adhesive, then preferably, the entire side wall  14  is removedly attached from the entire birdhouse  10  with VELCRO °, staples or brads and the like. This allows for the retrofitting of conventional birdhouses. Although the transparent material  40  is preferably Plexiglas®, traditional glass as well as a wide variety of transparent materials will suffice. This transparent material  40  can be etched, clear, painted, imitation stain glass among numerous other modifications in color and design.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 is a front plan view of an alternative embodiment of a birdhouse, designated generally by numeral  26 , constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Birdhouse  26  comprises a housing unit  27 , which includes a roof, four walls, and a floor. The floor of housing unit  27  is provided by a floor member  28 . The lower surface of floor member  28  serves as the base of the birdhouse. The upper surface of floor member  28  serves to provide a solid floor for the interior of the birdhouse.  
         [0028]    Extending upwardly from floor member  28 , and substantially perpendicular thereto, are side wall members  30  and  32 . Side wall members  30  and  32  extend substantially along the length of floor member  28 . Roof  36  contacts the upper surface of side wall members  30  and  32 , enclosing the top portion of birdhouse  26 . In this embodiment, roof  36  is a unitary, flat member positioned parallel to floor member  28  along the upper surfaces of side wall members  30  and  32 . Front wall member  34  has an opening  38  that is sized, shaped, and located according to the type of bird that birdhouse  26  is meant to attract. A rear wall (not shown) extends upwardly from a portion of floor member  28  to a rear portion of roof  36 . The rear wall is sized and shaped substantially similar to front wall member  34 , except that the rear wall preferably does not contain an opening.  
         [0029]    Side wall  30  is substantially similar to side wall  14 , as shown in FIG. 3 and described above, having an opening  24  through which a birdwatcher may observe birds within birdhouse  26 . The opening  24  of side wall  30  is also preferably, but not necessarily, covered with Plexiglas® or other suitable transparent material to prevent nestlings from falling out of birdhouse  26  and to prevent predators and pests from entering.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 5 is a front plan view of a second alternative embodiment of a birdhouse, indicated generally by the numeral  42 , constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Birdhouse  42  is similar in general structure to the embodiments above, essentially being a housing unit  43  comprising a floor member  44 , opposing side wall members  46  and  48 , a roof member  50 , a front wall  58 , and a rear wall (not shown). The structure of the front wall of birdhouse  42  is, however, different from the two embodiments previously described.  
         [0031]    Front wall  58  has an opening  52  that is sized, shaped and located according to the type of bird that birdhouse  42  is meant to attract. Front wall  58 , however, is constructed of a plurality of solid, opaque members  56  made of wood or other suitable materials, and a plurality of solid, transparent members  54 , preferably, but not necessarily, made of Plexiglas® or other transparent materials. Transparent members  54  allow a birdwatcher to view the interior of birdhouse  42 , and any animals therein, from the front.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 6 is an exploded front view of the first embodiment described above of a birdhouse  10  constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Roof  20  is shown removed from the remainder of housing unit  20  so that light bulb  60 , located in the interior of birdhouse  10  when birdhouse  10  is assembled, can be seen. Light bulb  60  is removably attached to socket  62 , which is, in turn, attached to the underside of roof  20 . A nonlimiting example of a socket  62  can include a bayonet lamp base, e.g., RADIO SHACK® Model 272-359 and a nonlimiting example of a light bulb  60  can include a bayonet lamp bulb, e.g. RADIO SHACK® Model 272-1108A.  
         [0033]    A pair of wires  64  extends from socket  62  through an opening in roof  20  and to a power source (not shown). The presence of light bulb  60  allows a birdwatcher to illuminate the interior of birdhouse  10  for the purpose of viewing the interior thereof. The light cast by light bulb  60  produces a glare along the interior surface of transparent material  40 , thus rendering any birds within birdhouse  10  incapable of seeing the birdwatcher and preventing them from becoming alarmed. The light bulb configuration shown in this embodiment may be used with any of the above embodiments of the present invention. Moreover, any of a wide variety of light bulbs and associated power supplies may be utilized with the present invention. Also, more than one light bulb  60  can be located within the birdhouse  10  in a wide variety of locations and configurations.  
         [0034]    Referring now to FIG. 7, an illustrative, but nonlimiting, power supply is generally indicated by numeral  100 , which is preferably child safe for indoor and outdoor usage. An illustrative housing preferably, but not necessarily, includes a housing  106 , e.g., RADIO SHACK® project enclosure Model 270-1807 that is fastened by screws  108 . The battery can be of any type and is preferably a standard nine (9) volt battery that is generally indicated by numeral  102  and secured in position with a battery holder  104 . However, any of a wide variety of batteries will suffice in this application, e.g., 6.3 volt lantern battery, nickel cadmium battery, and so forth. The power supply  100  can be located within the birdhouse or a considerable distance away from the birdhouse. An advantage to locating the power supply away from the birdhouse is that the power supply can be protected in more environmentally favorable conditions. An alternative current power supply can also be utilized instead of a lantern.  
         [0035]    This battery holder  104  can preferably, but not necessarily, include a VELCRO® is a federally registered trademark of Velcro Industries B.V., having a place of business at Castorweg 22-24, Curacao, Netherlands. A battery connector  116  may be utilized to provide power from the battery  102 . A nonlimiting example of this illustrative type of battery connector is a RADIO SHACK® Model 270-325. Optionally, there is a pair of micro alligator clips  120  and  122 , e.g., RADIO SHACK® Model 270-373B that connects to pair of wires  128  and  126 . Wire utilized with the present invention is preferably, but not necessarily 22 gauge wire. Wire  126  can be connected to an on/off switch that is generally indicated by numeral  132 . This preferably can include a rocker, single pole, single throw switch, e.g., RADIO SHACK® Model 275-693. From the on/off switch  132  there is a wire  129  that connects to a connector terminal  131 . A nonlimiting example of a connector terminal  131  includes a speaker terminal board, e.g., RADIO SHACK® Model 274-622A that is severed in half and attached to the housing  106  by pair of screws  130 . An optional rope cleat  140  may also be attached to the housing  106 . From the terminal connector  131  extends the aforementioned pair of wires  64 , as shown in FIG. 6. RADIO SHACK® is a federally registered trademark of TRS Quality, Inc., having a place of business at 1700 One Tandy Center, P.O. Box 17180, Fort Worth Texas 76102.  
         [0036]    Another alternative embodiment of one aspect of the present invention is shown in FIG. 8 and indicated generally by the numeral  200 . Shown is an interior side wall  210  having an opening  212  for viewing the interior of the housing structure. Opening  212  is preferably, but not necessarily, covered with a transparent material. Also provided with side wall  210  are two access ports  214  for allowing access to the interior of the structure. Access ports  214  may be covered with flaps or other structures to prevent them from being completely open when not in use by a person accessing the interior of the housing structure.  
         [0037]    When no one is either accessing the interior of the housing structure or viewing the animals therein through opening  212 , an exterior side wall , or cover,  220  is provided to cover interior side wall  210 . This allows for greater comfort and security on the part of animals dwelling within the structure in that they are not alarmed by the presence of an obvious opening in the side of the structure. Exterior side wall  220  can be attached to interior side wall  210  by hinges, pins or any other suitable means of attachment. Though a side wall structure is provided in the drawings, the same principles may instead be applied to the construction of a rear wall for the housing structure. For instance, the opening provided for viewing, as well as the access ports, may be provided in an interior rear wall and an exterior rear wall may be provided to cover the openings when not in use.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 9 provides still another alternative embodiment of a side or rear wall of the present invention, designated generally by the numeral  300 . This embodiment includes access ports  310  with gloves  320  attached thereto. Gloves  320  are attached to the interior of wall  300  such that a user can insert his hands through access ports  310  and into gloves  320 . The user can then easily manipulate objects within the interior of the housing structure. This embodiment is particularly useful for conservationists who may wish to check, for example, eggs within the structure for hardness, or gather eggs for incubation purposes, as well as for health officials dealing with animal populations that are carriers of human disease.  
         [0039]    A housing structure constructed in accordance with the present invention may be constructed of any suitable material. Wood is preferred, however plastics and metals and the like may also be used. The precise material used to construct a birdhouse may vary depending on the type of bird that the birdhouse is meant to attract. Likewise, the precise structure, shape and configuration of the birdhouse may also vary depending on the type of bird desired. The shape of the side wall openings, such as opening  24  described above, may be any suitable shape, including any number of fanciful configurations such as the heart shape illustrated in the above embodiment.  
         [0040]    In each of the above embodiments, the roof or one of the side walls of the birdhouse may be detachable to allow access to the interior of the birdhouse. Thus, a birdwatcher may clean the interior of the birdhouse after each brood of nestlings has fledged. The roof or side walls may be entirely detachable or may be positioned on hinges and held closed with a clasp (not shown) that may be opened by the birdwatcher.  
         [0041]    Thus, there has been shown and described several embodiments of a birdhouse constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Many changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications of the present constructions will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering this specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited by the claims which follow.