Abstract:
A removable seed deflector for a bird feeder is disclosed that can be installed into the bottom open bottom end and a side wall of the bird feeder. A base member interfittingly engages the bottom end of the tubular body member. The base member includes at least one aperture defining at least one seat, respectively. The base member is releasably secured to the tubular body member of a feeder. A seed deflector is releasably secured to the base member and includes at least one downwardly depending leg that releasably engages with the seats, respectively, in the base member.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims priority to earlier filed U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/746,792, filed May 9, 2006, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to bird feeders, namely, tubular bird feeders. More specifically, the present invention relates to bases and seed deflectors for such tubular bird feeders. 
   2. Background of the Related Art 
   In the bird feeder industry, tubular bird feeders are very well known. These feeders include a tubular main feed body which is commonly transparent or translucent so the amount of feed remaining therein can be easily seen. Feed ports in the tubular body permit birds to gain access to the feed therein. A tubular bird feeder also typically includes a number of perches routed through or attached to the tubular body to support a bird during feeding through one of the feed ports. 
   A tubular bird feeder typically has an open top and bottom end. The top end is covered by a removable cap so feed may be introduced into the tubular body. Bails are also provided so the feeder can be hung from a support, such as a hook or other structure. The bottom of the main tubular body is also closed, typically permanently, by a bottom base or cap. This base is usually screwed on, riveted or otherwise fixedly secured to the bottom of the tubular main body to keep it closed. A post mount can be provided in the bottom of the bottom cap. Typically a post mount is threaded into a female-threaded aperture in the bottom of the base. 
   The bases of prior art tubular bird feeders usually extend up into the tubular body. The top surface of the base of the feeder is commonly tapered or angled in some fashion to direct feed toward one or more of the feed ports at the lowermost portion of the tubular main body. This ensures that birds can gain access to all of the feed within the tubular feeder and that no feed goes to waste. 
   These known tubular feeders suffer from various problems that make them difficult to maintain. Remaining amounts of feed typically accumulate at the bottom of the feeder. When this feed mixes with rain, and the like, the feed at the lower portion of the feeder becomes packed and dirty making it difficult, if not impossible, for birds to access it. Moreover, once the feed is wet and/or dirty, birds may not even wish to consume it. Since the bases of these known tubular feeders are secured to the bottom of the feeder, they are difficult to remove. If a base is permanently secured to the bottom of the feeder, it will not be able to be removed. Threaded fasteners, rivets and other permanent devices are used to secure the base, with a seed deflector thereon, to bottom of the tubular main body. These fasteners require tools, such as a screwdriver or wrench, to remove the base for cleaning the feeder. The requirement of tools increases the burden of cleaning a feeder and further makes a bird feeder owner less likely to clean their feeder. If, for example, rivets are used, it may not even be possible to remove the base at all to gain access to the bottom of the tubular portion of the feeder. 
   Some seed deflectors are integrally constructed with the base, which is usually permanently attached to the housing of the feeder making it virtually impossible to effectively clean the feeder. Thus, the enclosed end of the feeder where the seed deflector is located is particularly hard to clean. To further cause cleanliness problems, seed deflectors are often formed of a separate construction from the base. For example, the base member may be metallic while a seed deflector made of plastic is permanently secured thereon, such as by screws or rivets. Dirt, grime and bacteria can easily collect between and about the separate seed deflector and base parts. 
   Therefore, it is highly desirably to not only gain access to the base of a bird feeder to generally clean it but there is a desire to gain full access to the seed deflector as well to clean it thoroughly to remove all of the dirt, grime and bacteria that has collected. It is also desirable for a user to be able to easily change the base for aesthetic reasons. However, it is not possible to disassemble prior art seed deflectors from their base because they are permanently attached thereto. As a result, there is a need for a seed deflector for a bird feeder than be easily detached from the base so that it can be quickly and easily cleaned. 
   Also, there is a desire in the art of bird feeders to simply and unify the assembly of bird feeder bases and seed deflectors. As stated above, seed deflectors can be either integrally attached to the base or permanently affixed thereto by rivets, fasteners and the like. There also needs to be a way to easily change a seed deflector so that it can meet the needs of the user without having to change the entire base configuration. Furthermore, there is a need for a bird feeder base and seed deflector configuration where a single base can be used for a wide array of bird feeder sizes and shape where the seed deflector can be easily changed to suit the base construction to the particular feeder environment and feed port pattern at hand. 
   For example, there is a desire for the same base to be used, but the seed deflector can be interchangeable depending on the seed type to be placed in feeder. Also, there is a desire for the same base to be compatible with feeders of different sizes to facilitate the manufacturing process to reduce the number of parts across a line of feeders. Also, it is possible that the use may wish to change the color of the seed deflector to, in turn, change the appearance of the feeder to add interest or, perhaps, attract different types of birds to the feeder. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a solution to the problems associated with prior art tubular bird feeders. The present invention includes a new and novel interchangeable and easily removable seed deflector and universal base that permits the entire base construction to be quickly and easily removable from the bottom of the main tubular body of a feeder to facilitate cleaning thereof. The present invention provides a seed deflector construction that can be easily disassembled from the universal base to permit full and completely cleaning thereof. The new seed deflector also allows for the single universal base to be used for a wide range of bird feeders where only the seed deflector is changed for the given bird feeder construction. This obviates the need for multiple bases for a range of bird feeder constructions. Also, the present invention permits the seed deflector to be easily modified to suit the aesthetic appearance of the feeder. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
       FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a bird feeder base with an embodiment of a removable seed deflector assembled thereto; 
       FIG. 2  is front perspective view thereof; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a bird feed base with the seed deflector removed therefrom; 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of a seed deflector; 
       FIG. 5  is a side cross-section view through line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a person removing the seed deflector from the bird feeder base; and 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a bird feeder with the removable base and seed deflector assembled thereto. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Turning now to the attached drawings, the seed deflector and universal base are shown in detail. In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the seed deflector  10  and universal base  12  of the present invention is shown to include the seed deflector  10  affixed to the top of the base  12 . Spring-loaded pins  14 , actuated by buttons  16  that engage with apertures on a tube of a feeder (best seen in  FIG. 7 ), are one way of many ways to releasably secure a tubular feeder body to the base  12  and seed deflector  10 . Such a releasable construction is disclosed in co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 11/069,878, which is commonly owned with the instant application, and is incorporated herein by reference. 
   In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , it can be seen that downwardly depending legs  18  of the seed deflector  10  engage with the base  12 . As seen in  FIG. 3 , the base includes a number of notches or seats  20  for respective receipt of the downwardly depending legs  18  to releasably secure the seed deflector  10  in place. The legs  18  each, preferably, have an outwardly extending flanges  22  from the free ends thereof, as seen in  FIG. 4 . 
   In  FIG. 5 , the preferably opposedly positioned legs  18  are squeezed together so that their respective flanges  22  on the free ends can be depressed slightly so that they can clear the outer edge  24  of the seats  20  in the base  12 . For example, the flanges  22  in the legs  18  can be complementarily mated with a ridge or edge  24  in the base  12  when positioned into place. Moreover, when the bottom edge  26  of the seed deflector  12  mates with the top surface  28  of the base  12 , the legs  18  can be released so that they spring back to their resting condition, as seen in  FIG. 4  or  6 . There can be many different configurations of the location of the seed deflector  10  and the base  12  and the embodiment shown herein is just one of many different possible configurations within the scope of the present invention. While two opposing legs are preferred, more or less than 2 legs can be used in accordance with the present invention. 
   When the legs  18  are released, as in  FIG. 6 , the flanges  22  on the free ends of the legs  18  communicate with the base  12  to secure the seed deflector  10  in place. The present invention contemplates any type of construction where the seed deflector  10  can be removably attached to the base  12 . The assembled seed deflector  10  and base  12  is now ready for installation to a bird feeder housing, such as by using the retractable pins  14  and buttons  16  arrangement. The seed deflector  10  has one or more contoured seed deflecting surfaces  30   a ,  30   b , and collectively as  30 . In this embodiment, there are two seed deflecting surfaces  30   a ,  30   b  and the slope is relatively steep and the centerline  32  is relatively tall. Also, a transverse through hole  34  is optionally provided for routing a perch or other component therethrough (not shown). For example, a perch may be routed through opposing apertures in the tube of a feeder to help secure the seed deflector  10  in place. 
   The seed deflector  10  and base  12  can now be installed into a feeder housing for use. The housing may be permanently attached, using rivets, screws, or the like. However, for easy access to the seed deflector  10  for cleaning, it is desirable that the housing be easily removably form the base  12  and seed deflector  10  as well. For example, the housing may be removably attached using the construction in commonly owned Ser. No. 11/069,878 shown in figures thereof. 
   As can be understood, the ability to easily remove a seed deflector  10  adds greatly flexibility in the manufacture of bird feeders. More specifically, as mentioned above, the base  12  can now serve as a universal base that can be used in feeders of different configuration and sizes. For example, the same base can be used for 2¾ inch diameter tubular feeder, a seed tube, thistle tube, peanut feeder and Nyjer mesh by simply adapting the configuration of the seed deflector  10  to suit the given feeder environment, such as a particular feed port pattern. Such adaptation of the seed deflector  10  may be to vary the characteristics thereof, such as the slope, height, width, concavity, and the like, and even color or transparency for aesthetic or attractant purposes. With the present invention, the appropriate seed deflector  10  can be simply snapped in place to adapt the base  12  to the given feeder and then immediately installed into the bottom opening of the tube of the feeder. 
   For example, an alternative configuration of the shape and configuration of the seed deflector  10 , in accordance with the present invention, the seed deflector  10  can be made shorter than the deflector shown in  FIGS. 1-6 . The height of this seed deflector  10  may be adjusted for deflecting certain feeds and for certain feeder constructions. Besides adjusting the overall height of the seed deflector  10 , the slope of the deflecting surfaces  30  may also be changed. Moreover, the deflecting surfaces  30  may include more than the two opposed deflecting surfaces  30   a ,  30   b  shown or even a single surface. For instance, the deflecting surface  30  could be conical-shaped. Additionally, the seed deflector  10  could have a flat deflecting surface  30  or even a convex shape. The seed deflector  10  may also be constructed from a material having a translucent appearance as a design element to make the feeder more attractive. Other colors may also be used. 
   The seed deflector  10  of the present invention is preferably made of plastic for ease of manufacture and reduced cost. It may also be metal or a combination of metal and plastic or any other material that is suitable to permit the operation of the seed deflector  10  as described herein. 
   Referring the  FIG. 7 , an assembled bird feeder is generally shown at  100 . The assembled bird feeder  100  includes a tubular body  102  having an open bottom end and top end. The top end is enclosed with a cap  104 . An optional bail  106  may be attached to the top end of the tubular body  102  and/or cap  104  in order to hang the bird feeder  100 . On the sidewalls of the tubular body  102  are a number of feed ports  107  that may contain optional perches  108  extending therefrom. The feed ports  107  provide access for birds to the interior of the tubular body  102 . Also on the sidewall of the tubular body  102  are a pair of opposing apertures  110  configured to receive the spring-biased pins  14  of the releasable base  12 . With the seed deflector  10  assembled to the base  12 , it is interfittingly engaged to the open bottom end of the tubular body  102  and the spring-loaded pins  14  are aligned to interlock with the apertures  110  on the tubular body  102  thereby releasably securing the base member  14  thereto. With the base member  12  secured to the open bottom end of the tubular body  102 , the interior of the tubular body may be filled with bird feed  112 . 
   Therefore, it can be seen that the present invention provides a unique solution to the problem of providing a removable see deflector from a bird feeder base that is easy to clean and maintain. 
   It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such modifications and changes are intended to be within the scope of the present invention except as limited by the scope of the appended claims.