Patent Publication Number: US-2019166804-A1

Title: Bird feeder with squirrel resisting features

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/993,176, filed May 30, 2018, and claims the benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/512,783, filed May 31, 2017, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/529,162, filed Jul. 5, 2017, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Field 
     The present disclosure relates to bird feeders and more particularly pertains to a new bird feeder with squirrel resisting features for frustrating the attempts of squirrels to gain useful paw-holds on the feeder or descend down onto the perches of the feeder. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a birdfeeder apparatus for discouraging squirrels from accessing birdfeed in the birdfeeder apparatus. The birdfeeder apparatus may comprise a feed holder configured to contain a quantity of birdfeed and having a perimeter wall with an upper portion and a lower portion, with the upper portion and the lower portion of the feed holder each having a width. The apparatus may also comprise at least one feed opening being located on the lower portion and extending through the perimeter wall of the feed holder, and may also include a perch configured to support a bird feeding at the at least one feed opening. The perch may be located adjacent to the at least one feed opening on the lower portion of the perimeter wall and extending outwardly from the perimeter wall. The width of the upper portion may be larger than the width of the lower portion such that substantially an entirety of the perch is positioned below the upper portion of the feed holder. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the more important elements of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional elements of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment or implementation in greater detail, it is to be understood that the scope of the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and implementations and is thus capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosure. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. 
     The advantages of the various embodiments of the present disclosure, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the disclosure, are disclosed in the following descriptive matter and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be better understood and when consideration is given to the drawings and the detailed description which follows. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of a new bird feeder apparatus with squirrel resisting features according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2A  is a schematic side sectional view of a section of the upper portion with one configuration of the upper surface of the upper portion, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 2B  is a schematic side sectional view of a section of the upper portion with another configuration of the upper surface of the upper portion, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 2C  is a schematic side sectional view of a section of the upper portion with a further configuration of the upper surface of the upper portion, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic side sectional view of a lower section of the upper portion, the transition portion, and the lower portion of an optional configuration of the feed holder, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic side view of an optional feeder cap mounted on a bird feeder, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic exploded side view of an optional feeder cap configuration and a top section of a bird feeder, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic side view of the suspending structure of the bird feeder apparatus, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic side view of a feeder bottom end, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic side view of a lower extent of the feed holder with a feed tray, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic side sectional view of a lower portion of the feed holder showing detail of the perch devices, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic perspective view of a lower fill cap for the feed holder, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a partial sectional view of the lower fill cap, the lower portion of the perimeter wall, and the perch device of the feed holder, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic perspective view of a lower fill cap for the feed holder with an optional configuration for the locking slot, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic side view of the lower fill cap of  FIG. 12  with the optional configuration for the locking slot, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic perspective view of a perch device for the feed holder with an optional configuration, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a schematic side view of the perch device of  FIG. 14 , according to an illustrative embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 15  thereof, a new bird feeder with squirrel resisting features embodying the principles and concepts of the disclosed subject matter will be described. 
     The disclosure relates to a birdfeeder apparatus  10  for discouraging animals, and in particular rodents such as squirrels, from accessing bird feed located in (and dispensed by) the birdfeeder apparatus. The disclosure also relates to various structures that may be utilized with various other birdfeeder apparatus to achieve some of the advantages and benefits of the disclosure. 
     The birdfeeder apparatus  10  may include a feed holder  12  which may define an interior  14  for holding a quantity of bird feed and which may make the bird feed accessible to birds. The feed holder  12  may have an upper end  16  and a lower end  17  with the upper end being located relatively higher than the lower end when the apparatus  10  is in the normal orientation for use. The feed holder  12  may have a length defined between the upper  16  and lower  17  ends. The feed holder  12  may be substantially hollow to define the interior  14  for containing the bird feed. The feed holder  12  may include a perimeter wall  18  which may be formed by a substantially rigid material, and may be formed by a substantially transparent material to permit viewing of the contents of the holder to determine the need to add additional feed. 
     The feed holder  12  may comprise an upper portion  20  which is located toward the upper end  16  of the feed holder and a lower portion  22  located toward the lower end  17  of the feed holder. In some embodiments, a transition portion  24  may be positioned or located between the upper  20  and lower  22  portions of the feed holder, and may function to join the lower portion  22  to the upper portion  20 . The upper  20  and lower  22  portions may each have a width measured in a direction oriented substantially perpendicular to the length of the feed holder. In some embodiments, the perimeter wall  18  may have a substantially cylindrical shape and the width of each of the upper and lower portions may comprise a diameter, although other cross sectional shapes may be employed for the holder. For example, the perimeter wall, and the corresponding upper and lower portions, may each have a cross sectional configuration of rectangular or square or other polygonal shape. 
     Significantly, in some embodiments the upper portion and the lower portion have different widths, with the width of the upper portion being larger than the width of the lower portion. The transition portion  24  may extend between the relatively larger width of the upper portion and the relatively smaller width of the lower portion. In embodiments of the holder  12  with cylindrical shapes, the diameter of the upper portion may be relatively larger than the diameter of the lower portion. The transition portion  24  may thus form an overhang of the upper portion with respect to the lower portion. In some embodiments, the transition portion  24  may have a substantially frustrated conical shape (shown in broken lines in  FIG. 1 ), and in some embodiments the transition portion may have an annular disk shape (shown in solid lines in  FIG. 1 ). Optionally, the transition portion of the wall may even slope inwardly and upwardly from the upper portion to the lower portion, or even upwardly and inwardly and then downwardly and inwardly to the lower portion. In some embodiments, a skirt section  27  of the perimeter wall (see  FIG. 3 ) may extend downwardly from the upper portion past the uppermost extent of perimeter wall forming the transition portion to further frustrate the efforts of the squirrels attempting to grab onto structures on the lower portion of the feed holder. 
     At least one feed opening  28  may be provided on the feed holder  12 , and may be located on the lower portion  22 . In some embodiments, a plurality of feed openings may be provided. The one or more feed openings  28  may extend through the perimeter wall  18  of the feed holder such that feed held in the interior  14  of the feed holder is able to pass through the perimeter wall, such as through the actions or activity of feeding birds. The plurality of feed openings  28  may be located on the perimeter wall at substantially equal spacings or separations from each other, such as about the circumference of the lower portion. 
     The birdfeeder apparatus  10  may also include a perch  30  for supporting a bird feeding at the at least one feed opening may also be provided. The perch  30  may be located adjacent to one of the feed openings  28 , and each opening may have a perch associated with it. The perch may be mounted on the perimeter wall  18  and may extend radially outwardly from the exterior surface of the perimeter wall in a substantially horizontal orientation. The perch  30  may have an inner end  32  which is located adjacent to the perimeter wall and may be mounted on the perimeter wall, The perch may also have an outer end  34  which is located opposite of the inner end  32 , and may be a free end. The perch  30  may have a length between the inner  32  and outer  34  ends. 
     Significantly, the length of the perch  30  may be configured such that a significant portion, or even an entirety, of the length of the perch  30  is positioned below the upper portion  20  of the feed holder and as well as the transition portion  24  if present. The perch may not extend, or may not extend to an appreciable degree, beyond the vertical plane of the upper portion of the perimeter wall at the location of the perch. Illustratively, some embodiments of the feed holder may have an upper portion  20  with a diameter or width of approximately 6 inches to approximately 7 inches, while the lower portion  22  may have a diameter or width of approximately 2 inches to approximately 3 inches, although other sizes may also be used. 
     In some embodiments of the apparatus  10 , the upper end  16  of the feed holder  12  may be configured to resist gripping of the upper end by the paw of a rodent such as a squirrel, and may have a shape that squirrels cannot easily and reliably jump to and land on to use as a platform for attempting to reach the seed dispensing openings below. The upper end of the feed holder may have an upper surface  26  with a shape which resists or prevents the gripping of the upper surface by the claws of the squirrel. In some embodiments, the upper surface  26  may have a dome shaped wall (see  FIG. 2B ). In some other embodiments, the upper surface  26  may have an inverted cone or conical shape (see  FIG. 2C ) that tapers narrower in an upward direction. In some further embodiments, the upper surface  26  of the feed holder may have a flat or planar shape which lacks any protruding edge (see  FIG. 3C ) which might provide a paw-hold for a squirrel, and may be slightly rounded at the location where the upper surface of the top wall meets the outer surface of the perimeter wall. The diameter of the upper portion  20  may also be large enough that squirrels of typical size are unable to embrace and hold onto a substantial enough portion of the outer surface of the perimeter wall to support themselves. 
     In some embodiments of the apparatus  10 , a fill opening may be formed on the feed holder  12  to permit filling of feed into the interior  14  of the holder  12 . A filler cap may also be removably mounted on the feed holder to selectively close the fill opening, and the filler cap may be generally horizontally oriented when the apparatus  10  is oriented for use. Illustratively, a fill opening  36  may be located on the lower end  17  of the feed holder such that the feed holder may be inverted to fill the feed holder through the opening  36  (see  FIG. 1 ). A filler cap  38  may be mounted on the lower end  17  of the feed holder in order to selectively close the fill opening  36 . The upper end  16  of the feed holder may be permanently closed against opening or removal of portions that would permit filling of the interior. Such a configuration may be useful in eliminating from the upper end  16  of the feed holder structure that would aid the gripping of the feed holder by the paws of a squirrel. 
     In other embodiments, the fill opening may comprise an upper fill opening  40  which is located at the upper end  16  of the feed holder (see  FIG. 2B ), and the filler cap may comprise an upper filler cap  42  which is mountable on the upper end  16  of the feed holder to selectively close the fill opening. The upper filler cap  42  may have an upper surface  44 , and the upper surface may have a dome shape, or an inverted cone or conical shape, or even a flat shape which lacks a protruding edge which may provide a paw-hold for a squirrel. The upper filler cap  42  may be removably mounted on the perimeter wall  18  of the feed holder in any suitable manner, such as, for example, through the use of complementary threads on the cap  42  and the perimeter wall  18 , or through the use of guide wires that extend from the perimeter wall to guide the movement of a cap between a closed position against the perimeter wall, and an open position away from the upper fill opening  40  of the perimeter wall, or through the use of a “snap on/snap off” type of interference relationship between the cap and wall  18 , or other suitable structure. 
     Optionally, one or more vents  46  may be provided for ventilating the interior  14  of the feed holder  12 , and the vent or vents may be formed on the upper portion  20  of the feed holder toward the uppermost portion of the perimeter wall  18 . In some embodiments, the vents  46  may extend into the perimeter wall  18  from the upper fill opening  40  at the upper end  16  toward the lower end  17  of the feed holder, and may be at least partially covered by the fill cap  42 . Bump outs or inward protrusions from the inner surface of the cap  42  may form air flow gaps through which air may flow into the covered vents while advantageously minimizing the opportunity for moisture from precipitation to pass through the vents into the interior  14  of the feed holder. In other embodiments, the vent  46  may be located just below the position of the upper fill cap  42  when the cap is mounted on the body. As a further option, the vent or vents  46  may be formed on the cap itself. 
     The apparatus  10  may also include a suspending structure  50  (see  FIG. 6 ) which is configured to suspend the feed holder  12  from a support located above the feed holder. The suspending structure  50  may comprise an elongate member  52  which may have an upper end  54  and a lower end  55 . The elongate member  52  may comprise a cord or cable or other relatively thin and flexible structure capable of resisting a degree of tension to support the feed holder without any significant stretching. 
     In some embodiments, a portion of the elongate member  52  may be formed into a loop  56  and the loop may be located above the feed holder when the feed holder is suspended by the elongated member from the support. To accomplish this, the feed holder  12  may be inverted or substantially inverted and a portion of the feed holder may be inserted into the loop  56  to thereby hold the feed holder in an inverted condition for filling of the interior of the feed holder. A feed holder having a lower fill opening  36  with a lower filler cap  38  may be utilized in combination with the loop  56  such that upon inverting and inserting the feed holder into the loop, the lower filler cap  38  may be removed from the lower fill opening  36  and a quantity of bird feed may be moved through the lower fill opening  36  to fill the interior. Once the desired quantity of bird feed has been dispensed into the interior  14  through the lower fill opening  36 , the lower filler cap  38  may be re-mounted on the lower end  17  of the feed holder and the feed holder may be removed from the loop  56  such that the feed holder is able to be suspended in the normal upright orientation for use. In some embodiments, a pulley may be positioned above the feed holder and may receive a portion of the elongate member  52  to permit the elongate member to move through the pulley and relative to the support positioned above the feed holder to raise and lower the vertical height of the feed holder as needed. 
     In other aspects of the disclosure a feeder cap  60  may be utilized for providing some of the benefits and advantages of the design of the disclosed feed holder to other feed holders as a retrofitted feature (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). The feeder cap  60  may be mountable on an upper end of a bird feeder lacking these features as manufactured. The feeder cap  60  may have an outer perimeter  62  with a width, and in some embodiments the outer perimeter may have a circular shape and the width may comprise a diameter. The width of the outer perimeter  62  may be substantially equal to, or preferably larger than, the width of the bird feeder, such as the feed holder element of the bird feeder. The feeder cap  60  may have an upper surface  64 , and the upper surface may have a dome shape, or in inverted cone or conical shape, or even a flat shape which lacks a protruding edge that may provide a paw-hold for squirrel. The feeder cap  60  may include a top wall  66  which has the outer perimeter as well as the upper surface  64 , and a perimeter wall  68  which may extend generally downwardly from the outer perimeter of the top wall (see  FIG. 4 ). The feeder cap may be mounted on the top of the feeder in any suitable manner, such as by mechanical fastening or bonding by an adhesive or adhesive structure. 
     In other optional embodiments, a feeder bottom end  70  (see  FIG. 7 ) may be provided for mounting on the lower end of a tubular structure  1 . The feeder bottom end  70  may include an upper transition portion  72  for mounting to a lower section  3  of the tubular structure located at a lower opening for of the tubular structure to thereby close the lower opening. The upper transition portion  72  may have a width which is substantially equal to the width of the lower end  2  of the tubular structure. The feeder bottom end  70  may also include a lower portion  74  located below the upper transition portion  72 . The lower portion  74  may have a width that is less than the upper transition portion  72 , and may also have at least one feed opening at least one perch being provided on the lower portion adjacent to the feed opening. 
     The feed openings, and the associated perches, are formed on the lower portion and for the most part are tucked underneath the larger upper portion so that a squirrel sliding down or falling along the outer surface of the upper portion may slide right past the perches since the perches do not protrude significantly with respect to the outer surface of the upper portion. 
     In some embodiments, a feed tray  76  may be located toward the lower end  17  of the feed holder, such as at the lower end, and may be attached to the lower end. The feed tray  76  may have a generally upstanding perimeter lip  78  for helping to keep feed (e.g., seeds) on the feed tray until consumed by a bird. The feed tray  76  may extend outwardly from the lower portion  22  of the feed holder, and more specifically may extend outwardly in at least two opposite directions from the lower portion. The feed tray  76  may have an extent measured in the opposite directions. In some embodiments, the extent may be configured such that, or characterized by the fact that, all, or substantially all, of the extent of the tray does not extend, or does not extend to an appreciable degree, beyond the vertical plane of the perimeter wall of the upper portion  20  of the perimeter wall  18  of the feed holder. The perimeter shape of the tray  76  may be of any suitable shape, and may correspond to the shape of the horizontal cross section of the perimeter wall of the upper portion of the feed holder. 
     In some embodiments, the perch  30  may comprise a perch device  82  which is configured to be at least partially inserted into one of the feed openings  28  of the feed holder  12  and provide a perch or rest for a bird accessing feed through the feed opening. The perch device may include a feed diverter portion  84  which is insertable through the feed opening  28  into the interior  14  of the feed holder. The feed diverter portion  84  may have an interior and  86  which may be fully inserted into the interior and may be configured to abut against the interior and of a feed diverter portion of a second perch device inserted through a second feed opening located on an opposite side of the perimeter wall  18  from the first feed opening. The interior ends of the feed diverter portions of the devices may be abuttable and connectable together using a suitable fastener which thereby holds the perch device is in position on the perimeter wall. Each perch device may also include a wall abutment portion  88  which is configured to abut against an outer surface  90  of the perimeter wall of the feed holder when the feed diverter portion  84  is inserted through the feed opening. The wall abutment portion  88  may be configured to frame or otherwise surround the feed opening in the perimeter wall. The wall abutment portion  88  may include an engagement peg  92  which is configured to insert through a positioning hole  93  when the feed diverter portion is inserted through the feed opening. The perch device  82  may also include a perch portion  94  which extends outwardly from the wall abutment portion  88  four extending outwardly from the perimeter wall of the feed holder when the feed diverter portion is inserted through the feed opening. 
     In some embodiments, the lower fill cap such as is shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , may include an insert portion  100  which is configured to insert into the interior  14  of the feed holder through the lower fill opening  36  of the feed holder. The insert portion  100  may have an outer surface  102  four being positioned adjacent to the perimeter wall when the insert portion is inserted into the interior. A locking slot  110  may be configured to receive a portion of the engagement peg  92  of the wall abutment portion  88  of the perch device which extends through the positioning hole  93  in the perimeter wall when the perch is mounted on the feed holder. The locking slot  110  may be formed in the outer surface of the insert portion, and may have an entry portion  112  and a locking portion  114  with the locking portion being oriented substantially perpendicular to the entry portion. The entry portion  112  may be in communication with a top and  116  of the insert portion. In some embodiments, a pair of the locking slots  110 ,  111  may be formed in the outer surface, and may be located on substantially opposite sides of the insert portion. During mounting of the lower fill cap on the perimeter wall, the insert portion  100  may be inserted through the lower fill opening and may be rotated to align the engagement peg or pegs  92  of the perch device or devices with the entry portion  112  of the locking slot. The insert portion may be can continue to be moved into the interior until the engagement peg reaches the end of the entry portion, whereupon rotation of the lower fill cap tends to move the engagement peg  92  into the locking portion  114  of the slot to thereby secure the lower fill cap on the perimeter wall in the condition that closes the lower fill opening  36 . The lower fill cap may be removed by rotating the cap such that the engagement peg moves through the locking portion to reach the entry portion, whereupon the insert portion may be withdrawn from the interior by a generally linear movement of the portion  100  with respect to the perimeter wall. 
     In some embodiments, the lower fill cap may also include a lip portion  120  which extends radially outwardly from some or all of the circumference of the insert portion such that the lid portion  120  abuts against a lower edge of the perimeter wall to thereby limit the degree of insertion of the insert portion into the interior of the feed holder. 
     In some further embodiments, such as are shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13  of the drawings, a convoluted locking slot  122  positioned on the opposite locations on the lower fill cap may have a configuration that has a path for the engagement peg to move as the lower fill cap is mounted on the perimeter wall of the feed holder. In greater detail, the slot  122  may have a configuration that requires an initial rotation of the lower fill cap in a first rotational direction and then a subsequent rotation of the fill cap in a second opposite rotational direction in a substantially opposite direction to the first rotational direction. Illustratively, the convoluted slot  122  may include an entry portion  124  which extends at an oblique angle with respect to the plane defined by the top of the lower fill cap to require rotation of the fill cap about a rotation axis  126  as the lower fill cap is moved axially along the rotation axis in order to advance the lower fill cap into the interior  14  of the feed holder. At a media point along the path, further insertion of the lower fill cap into the feed holder interior requires reversal of the direction of rotation about the rotation axis to move the engagement peg into the locking portion  128  of the locking slot which may be oriented substantially parallel to the plane defined by the top of the lower fill cap. A transition portion  130  of the slot may be arcuate in shape such that the convoluted locking slot has a serpentine shape. 
     In still other embodiments, such as are shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15  of the drawings, the feed diverter portion of a perch device may include a lower shield wall  132  provided to help shield the locking slot of the lower fill cap from seed within the interior of the feed holder moving into the locking slot and potentially inhibiting movement of the engagement peg in the slot and removal of the lower fill cap from the perimeter wall. The perch device is configured to position the lower shield wall  132  adjacent above the entry into the slot when the perch device is mounted on the perimeter wall and the lower fill cap is inserted into the interior of the perimeter wall with the engagement peg positioned in the locking portion of the locking slot. The lower shield wall  132  extends from the wall abutment portion of the perch device in substantially the same direction as the engagement peg for a distance that is generally sufficient to deter seed from entering the locking slot. The lower shield wall  132  may form a partial throat  134  on the feed diverter portion of the perch device is positioned into which the feeding bird may insert its beak or other mouthparts to reach the feed in the interior of the feed holder. 
     It should be appreciated that in the foregoing description and appended claims, that the terms “substantially” and “approximately,” when used to modify another term, mean “for the most part” or “being largely but not wholly or completely that which is specified” by the modified term. 
     It should also be appreciated from the foregoing description that, except when mutually exclusive, the features of the various embodiments described herein may be combined with features of other embodiments as desired while remaining within the intended scope of the disclosure. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the disclosed embodiments and implementations, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art in light of the foregoing disclosure, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosed subject matter to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to that fall within the scope of the claims.