Patent Publication Number: US-6662745-B2

Title: Bird feeder

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/791,363 filed Feb. 23, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,546,894, incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to the field of feeders for wildlife and, more particularly, to feeders for wild birds. 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Bird feeders are typically supported on posts or suspended from overhead structures such as tree limbs and the like. Consequently, it is common practice to refill such feeders at the feeding site while they remain fully attached to their means of support. The alternative requires completely disassembling the feeder and the support. 
     The present invention contemplates a feeder in which a base unit remains permanently attached to its means of support at all times, while one or more individual feed-dispensing cartridges are quickly and easily removed from the base unit when empty, refilled with feed at a convenient location, and then quickly and easily reinstalled in the base unit. 
     In one preferred form, the base unit comprises an upright housing having a hollow interior that is bounded by a continuous, annular, outer wall. The outer wall has a pair of relatively large, horizontally spaced window openings that expose a pair of upright receiving sockets within the housing adapted to receive and support a corresponding pair of transparent, cylindrical seed-dispensing cartridges. With the cartridges installed within their sockets, the window openings afford a clear view of the cartridges so that the home owner or other user can readily ascertain the level of feed within each cartridge. 
     Each cartridge is securely supported within its receiving socket, yet is readily removable therefrom by simply lifting the cartridge a short distance until its closed bottom wall clears a short, upstanding retaining wall, whereupon the cartridge can be withdrawn through the window opening. Likewise, after refilling, the cartridge can be quickly and easily reinstalled by inserting the cartridge through the window opening and placing it into its secured position behind the short retaining wall. 
     Each cartridge is closed at the bottom and open at the top so that refilling is accomplished through the top of the cartridge. Outlet ports in the sidewall of the cartridge provide a means for dispensing the feed. In one embodiment, the outlet ports are provided with internal deflectors or flow inhibitors that prevent feed from escaping through the ports while allowing birds perched outside the ports to reach in through the ports and take feed with their beaks. 
     Another embodiment locates the port adjacent the bottom of the cartridge and provides a feeding tray below the port that is adapted to receive and collect feed gravitationally from the port. In its preferred form, all parts of the feeder are molded from a synthetic resinous material. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
     Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a feeder incorporating the principles of the present invention, the feeder being supported by an upright post and the feed cartridges being especially adapted to dispense feed through multiple outlet ports in the sidewalls of the cartridges; 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the same feeder taken from the opposite end illustrating the manner in which the cartridges may be easily inserted and removed, a portion of the outer wall of the housing and top canopy being broken away to reveal details of construction; 
     FIG. 3 is an upright, longitudinal cross sectional view through the feeder with one of the cartridges removed and the other cartridge partially broken away and shown in cross section to reveal details of construction; 
     FIG. 4 is a transverse cross sectional view thereof taken centrally of the feeder; 
     FIG. 5 is an isometric view of one of the feed-dispensing cartridges; 
     FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the invention in which the feed is dispensed by gravity into a feeding tray; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged isometric view of one of the feed-dispensing cartridges for the second embodiment; and 
     FIG. 8 is a fragmentary isometric view of the cartridge of FIG. 7 illustrating a closure flap of the cartridge in its stored position uncovering the outlet port of the cartridge. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms. While the drawings illustrate and the specification describes certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that such disclosure is by way of example only. There is no intent to limit the principles of the present invention to the particular disclosed embodiments. 
     The feeder  10  in FIG. 1 broadly comprises a base unit or housing  12  that is adapted to remain permanently attached to a means of support for the feeder, and a pair of identical feed-dispensing cartridges  14  and  16  that are removably supported by housing  12 . As will be apparent, it is within the scope of the present invention to have more than two cartridges, or only one of such cartridges, without departing from the principles of the present invention. 
     Housing  12  is generally oval-shaped in transverse cross section and has a continuous, annular outer wall  18  that defines a hollow interior. At its opposite ends, wall  18  is provided with a pair of oppositely facing window openings  20  and  22  that extend almost the full height of the housing. 
     At the top and bottom of the housing, relatively short arcuate wall portions  24  and  26  remain at each window opening  20 , 22 . As will be seen, the upper wall portions  24  serve as downwardly projecting retainers, while the lower wall portions  26  serve as upwardly projecting retainers. 
     Upright skeletal-like structure  28  is located inside housing  12  and includes a pair of full height ribs  30  and  32  projecting inwardly from opposite side panels  18   a  and  18   b  of wall  18 . Each rib  30 , 32 , in turn, carries a stack or vertical series of flat, vertically spaced, horizontally extending plates  34 . The plates  34  on rib  30  are aligned horizontally with the corresponding plates  34  of the opposite rib  32 , and each plate  34  has an arcuately concave edge  36  that is aligned horizontally with the arcuate edge of the opposing plate. Edges  36  of the stacked plates are vertically aligned with one another to define the upright, inner boundaries of a pair of cartridge-receiving sockets  38  and  40  at opposite ends of housing  12 . 
     Depending upper wall portions  24  and upstanding lower wall portions  26  also help define sockets  38 , 40 . Additionally, a floor  42  at the bottom of the housing and a horizontal top wall  44  at the top of the housing serve to define the lower and upper limits, respectively, of each socket  38 , 40 . As will be seen, floor  42  also serves as a rest for cartridges  14  and  16  when they are installed. 
     Housing  12  has an integral hanger fin  46  projecting upwardly from top wall  44 . Fin  46  is provided with a horizontal hole  48  through which a suitable length of wire, twine or other material may be threaded (as illustrated in the second embodiment of FIG. 6) so as to adapt feeder  10  for hanging from an overhead support such as a tree limb or the like. 
     A feeding tray  50  is fixedly secured to the bottom of housing  12  and includes a centrally disposed, upstanding collar  52  that passes through floor  42  and extends for a short distance therebeyond. Collar  52  is adapted to receive a mounting post  54  (FIG. 1) which enables feeder  10  to be supported from the ground by the post  54  in lieu of an overhead means of support. 
     It will be noted that plates  34  within the interior of housing  12  are configured to present a series of vertically aligned, circular holes  56  that are also vertically aligned with collar  52  such that when feeder  10  is mounted on post  54 , post  54  projects upwardly through holes  56  and abuts top wall  44 . A protective canopy  58  may be secured to the upper end of housing  12 , the hanger fin  46  passing upwardly through a slit  60  in canopy  58 . 
     Each of the cartridges  14 , 16  is completely transparent and is cylindrical in configuration, having an open top  62 , a closed bottom  64 , and a continuous annular side wall  66 . Each cartridge  14 , 16  is somewhat shorter than the vertical distance between floor  42  and top wall  44  of housing  12  such that, when cartridges  14 , 16  are received within their sockets  38 , 40  as illustrated by cartridge  16  in FIG. 3 wherein closed bottom  64  rests upon floor  42 , an overhead clearance space  68  is defined between cartridge top  62  and top wall  44 . 
     The vertical dimension of each window opening  20 , 22 , on the other hand, is somewhat less than the height of each cartridge  14 , 16  such that, when cartridges  14 , 16  are in sockets  38 , 40  and resting upon floor  42 , upper wall portion  24  overlaps the upper extremity of each cartridge while lower wall portion  26  overlaps the lower extremity of each cartridge. Consequently, when situated within their sockets  38 , 40 , the cartridges  14  and  16  are snugly and securely received and cannot escape horizontally in view of the confining action afforded by wall portions  24 , 26  and edges  36  of plates  34  that complementally receive cartridge sidewall  66 . 
     On the other hand, the vertical dimension of clearance space  68  exceeds the height of each lower wall  26  so that by gripping a cartridge and lifting it directly upwardly, the closed bottom  64  thereof can be brought into clearing relationship with lower wall portion  26 , permitting the cartridge to be swung out at the bottom as illustrated in FIG.  2  and completely withdrawn from the housing. Reinstallation of the cartridge is a simple reversal of that process. 
     As shown particularly in FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 , the window openings  20  and  22  curve or wrap around the opposite upright ends of the oval housing  12 , following the profile established by upper and lower wall portions  24  and  26 . As also seen in those Figures, the curved sidewalls  66  of cartridges  14  and  16  are generally flush with the respective window openings  20 , 22  when cartridges  14  and  16  are disposed within their respective sockets  38  and  40 . 
     In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the cartridges  14 , 16  are designed primarily to attract relatively small song birds. Thus, cartridge sidewall  66  is provided with one or more outlet ports  70  spaced above bottom  64 . To prevent feed from escaping through port  70 , a combination perch and guard flap  72  of known construction is provided at each port  70 , the flap  72  having a deflector  74  that projects into port  70  and essentially covers or shields the latter in its immediate upper vicinity to prevent gravitational discharge of feed therethrough yet permit the birds to access seed by reaching into port  70 . 
     In a gravity-feed version of the feeder, denoted by the numeral  110  in FIGS. 6-8, cartridges  114  and  116  differ from cartridges  14 , 16  only in the manner in which feed is dispensed. With cartridges  114 , 116 , feed is dispensed by gravity through a single outlet port  170  located generally adjacent cartridge bottom  164  just above lower retaining wall portion  126 . Thus, feed escapes by gravity through port  170  and into feeding tray  150  as illustrated in FIG. 6, the feeding action being self-regulating depending upon the volume of feed accumulating outside of port  170  within tray  150 . 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate that outlet port  170  is provided with a cover flap  172  that overlies and closes off port  170  when cartridge  114  or  116  is being refilled. Flap  172  has three short projections (only two of which are visible) that are used to removably secure flap  172  to the cartridge. The illustrated projections have been denoted by the numerals  172   a  and  172   b  and are received within corresponding holes  172   a ′ and  172   b ′ in cartridge sidewall  166  when flap  172  covers port  170  as illustrated in FIG.  7 . On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 8, flap  172  may be removed from port  170  and moved to a storage position to allow discharge of feed when the cartridge is properly in place within housing  112 . It will be seen that when flap  172  is in its stored position, projections  172   a  and  172   b  (as well as a third, not shown projection) are received within corresponding holes  172   a ″,  172   b ″ and  172   c″.    
     Thus, feeder  110  is identical to feeder  10  of FIGS. 1-5 with the exception of the particular style of feed cartridges utilized. Because of the commonality of design of the housings  16  and  116 , the two types of cartridges can be readily interchanged. 
     It should be apparent from the foregoing that the present invention provides a wildlife feeder in which the base unit, namely the housing  12  or  112 , can remain permanently installed on its means of support at the feeding site. However, the feed cartridges of the feeder can be quickly and easily slipped out of the feeder for refilling or cleaning at a remote location. The filled cartridges can then be just as easily replaced within the feeder. 
     It will also be seen that the tall window openings at opposite ends of the feeder serve the dual purposes of providing clear visibility to the cartridges (so the level of feed can be easily checked) and providing a means for insertion and removal of the cartridges. The oval transverse configuration of the housing of the feeder also promotes the use of a pair of feeding stations instead of just one, as is typical of many feeders. 
     The preferred forms of the invention described above are to be used as illustration only, and should not be utilized in a limiting sense in interpreting the scope of the present invention. Obvious modifications to the exemplary embodiments, as hereinabove set forth, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     The inventors hereby state their intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.