Patent Publication Number: US-2023146594-A1

Title: Bird feeder preventing food from being stolen

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to the field of bird feeders, particularly a bird feeder that prevents food from being stolen. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many bird sanctuaries or single-family residential buildings have bird feeders hanging in specific areas near them to feed some birds. Each bird feeder has a relatively simple structure and is usually composed of a food storage pipe for placing birdseed and a hook for hanging the food storage pipe in a tree; at the same time, trays through which the birds stand when eating food may be disposed at the bottom of the food storage pipe, and a plurality of feeding ports, through which the birds can eat birdseed, may be disposed on the food storage pipe. However, the feeding ports of the existing bird feeder are not reasonable enough, occasionally resulting in the birdseed falling from the feeding ports. At the same time, there are many kinds of animals in some bird sanctuaries, such as squirrels (specifically abroad) or some big birds, and these squirrels or big birds also usually come and steal the birdseed in the bird feeder, so an object (bird) being fed will not eat the food. Therefore, many manufacturers manufacturing the bird feeder have also modified the conventional bird feeder, for example, a sound device for expelling the squirrels or big birds is disposed of, or a rotating motor and a sensor are disposed on the bird feeder, this structural improvement increases the structural complexity, results in the increased manufacturing cost of the bird feeder and has a poor expelling effect. 
     Therefore, it needs to research a new technical solution to solve the above problem. 
     SUMMARY 
     In order to solve the defects and deficiencies of the existing technology, the present disclosure provides a bird feeder preventing food from being stolen. By designing the bird feeder and disposing leak-proof portions at feeding ports of the bird feeder, birdseed may be prevented from falling outside a food storage cavity of the bird feeder from the feeding ports. Then trays may be rotationally connected so that birds can stand stably for eating food while effectively preventing squirrels from stealing the food. 
     In order to implement the above purpose, the present disclosure adopts the technical solution below. 
     A bird feeder preventing food from being stolen, including an upper cover, a food storage pipe and a bottom cover, where the food storage pipe is provided with a food storage cavity, and the upper cover is connected to a pendant; the upper cover is connected to an upper side of the food storage pipe, and the bottom cover is connected to a lower side of the food storage pipe; feeding ports communicating with the food storage cavity are provided around a circumferential side of the bottom cover; and the bottom cover, at the feeding ports, is rotationally connected to trays. 
     Correspondingly to the feeding ports, the bottom cover is inwards and concavely provided with leak-proof portions, each leak-proof portion is provided with a first backstop surface extending vertically, an upper edge of the first backstop surface is externally extended with a second backstop surface, and one end, away from each first backstop surface, of each second backstop surface, is connected to each feeding port. A gap is kept between a lower part of the first backstop surface and each feeding port. 
     In addition, the trays are horizontally disposed, when a downward force applied to the trays is greater than 0.6 N, the trays rotate downwards around the rotating centers of the trays. 
     As a preferred solution, when the downward force applied to the trays is greater than 1 N, the trays rotate downwards around the rotating centers of the trays. 
     As a preferred solution, when inner ends of the trays are extended with rotating shafts, rotating holes adapting to the rotating shafts are formed in a lower end surface of the bottom cover, and torsional springs are sleeved on the rotating shafts. 
     As a preferred solution, inside the rotating holes, the lower end surface of the bottom cover is provided with limiting members; the limiting members are provided with limiting surfaces that extend downwards and vertically and are parallel to the rotating shafts; and after the trays rotate 90 degrees inside, the trays continue to rotate inside and are limited to the limiting surfaces. 
     As a preferred solution, a plurality of feeding ports are disposed around a circumferential direction of an outer edge of the bottom cover. 
     As a preferred solution, the bottom cover, correspondingly to the food storage cavity, is provided with a food equalizing portion, the food equalizing portion is cone-shaped, and the feeding ports are disposed outside the food equalizing portion. 
     As a preferred solution, an installation cavity is formed inside the food equalizing portion, a PCB board, a battery and a buzzer are disposed inside the installation cavity, and the PCB board is electrically connected to the battery and the buzzer; and correspondingly to the buzzer, the bottom cover is provided with a sound outlet hole. 
     As a preferred solution, the bottom cover, at a periphery of the food equalizing portion, is provided with water leakage holes. 
     As a preferred solution, the food storage pipe is a transparent glass pipe or a transparent plastic pipe. 
     As a preferred solution, the food storage pipe is made of wire meshes, and a plurality of mesh holes are formed outside the food storage pipe. 
     Compared with the existing technology, the present disclosure has obvious advantages and benefits. Specifically, it can be known that, from the above technical solution, the birdseed may be prevented from falling outside the food storage cavity of the bird feeder from the feeding ports by designing the bird feeder and disposing the leak-proof portions at the feeding ports of the bird feeder. Then the trays may be rotationally connected so that the birds can stand stably for eating food while effectively preventing the squirrels from stealing the food. 
     In addition, through the specific design for the food equalizing portion, the water leakage holes, and other structures, the user experience of the bird feeder may be effectively improved so as to improve the market competitiveness of the bird feeder; 
     And then, by disposing the buzzer, the users&#39; requirement for expelling birds, squirrels and other animals in some user scenarios may also be met. 
     In order to clearly elaborate the structural features and functions of the present disclosure, the present disclosure is described in detail below in combination with drawings and specific embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a solid schematic diagram of Embodiment I of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  2    is a solid schematic diagram of Embodiment I in another angle of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  3    is a local amplified diagram of  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  4    is a decomposition schematic diagram of Embodiment I of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  5    is a local amplified diagram of  FIG.  4   ; 
         FIG.  6    is a schematic diagram of a first section of Embodiment I of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  7    is a local amplified diagram of  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  8    is a schematic diagram of a second section of Embodiment I of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  9    is a local amplified diagram of  FIG.  8   ; and 
         FIG.  10    is a schematic diagram of a section structure of Embodiment II of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     REFERENCE SIGNS 
       10 . Upper cover,  11 . Pendant,  20 . Food storage pipe,  30 . Bottom cover,  31 . Feeding port,  32 . Leak-proof portion,  321 . First backstop surface,  322 , Second backstop surface,  323 . Gap,  33 . Rotating hole,  34 . Limiting surface,  35 . Food equalizing portion,  351 . Installation cavity,  352 . Battery,  353 . PCB board,  354 . Buzzer,  36 . Water leakage hole,  37 . Sound outlet hole,  40 . Tray,  41 . Standing plate,  411 . Grabbing hole,  42 . Rotating shaft,  43 . Torsional spring,  50 . Birdseed. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The technical solutions in embodiments of the present disclosure are clearly and completely elaborated below in combination with drawings. It is apparent that the described embodiments are only preferred embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     It is noted that when one component is regarded as “fixed” on another component, it may be directly connected to another component, or a mediate component may exist. When one component is regarded as “connected” to another, this component may be directly connected to the other component, or a mediate component may exist simultaneously. Terms “vertical”, “horizontal”, “left”, “right”, and similar expressions used herein are merely for the purpose of description instead of the unique implementation mode. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by those skilled in the art. Herein, terms used in the description of the present disclosure are only for the purpose of describing specific implementation modes and not intended to limit the present disclosure. Term “and/or” used herein includes one or any and all combinations of multiple related items which are listed. 
     Referring to  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  10   , a bird feeder preventing food from being stolen provided by embodiments of the present disclosure includes an upper cover  10 , a food storage pipe  20  and a bottom cover  30 , where the food storage pipe  20  is provided with a food storage cavity for storing birdseed, and the upper cover  10  is connected to a pendant  11 ; the upper cover  10  is connected to an upper side of the food storage pipe  20 , and the bottom cover  30  is connected to a lower side of the food storage pipe  20 ; feeding ports  31  communicating with the food storage cavity are provided around a circumferential side of the bottom cover  30 ; and the bottom cover  30 , at the feeding ports  31 , is rotationally connected to trays  40 . 
     Further, referring to  FIG.  9   , correspondingly to the feeding ports  31 , the bottom cover  30  is inwards and concavely provided with leak-proof portions  32 , each leak-proof portion  32  is provided with a first backstop surface  321  extending vertically, an upper edge of the first backstop surface  321  is externally extended with a second backstop surface  322 , and one end, away from each first backstop surface  321 , of each second backstop surface  322 , is connected to each feeding port  31 , and a gap  323  (the gap  323  is communicated with each feeding port  31 ) is kept between a lower part of the first backstop surface  321  and each feeding port  31 , so as to prevent the birdseed  50  from falling outside the food storage cavity from the feeding ports  31  directly. 
     In addition, the trays  40  are horizontally disposed, when a downward force applied to the trays  40  is greater than 0.6 N, the trays  40  rotate downwards around rotating centers of the trays  40 . 
     Of course, in order to adapt to some heavy birds, when force for pushing the trays  40  to rotate downwards may be adjusted to be greater than 1 N, rotation occurs. Usually, the bird feeder is suitable for birds that are less than 100 g (the received gravity is about 1 N), even less than 60 g (the received gravity is 0.6 N). The weight of squirrel-like animal is usually greater than 150 g (the received gravity is about 1.5 N). When the squirrel-like animal stands on the trays  40 , the trays  40  occur downward rotation, thus, the squirrel-like animal cannot stably stand on the trays  40 , thereby playing a role in preventing squirrels from stealing food. However, when the birds stand on the trays  40 , the trays  40  will not rotate due to the lighter weight of the birds, so the birds can stand on the trays  40  and eat food in the food storage cavity through the feeding ports  31 . 
     Preferably, standing plates  41  are disposed on the trays  40 , so as to be more convenient for the birds to stay on the trays  40  for eating food; moreover, for some hook-like trays  40 , the squirrels can also be prevented from being hooked on the trays  40  for stealing food by designing the standing plates  41 . Preferably, grabbing holes  411  adapting to bird claws are also formed in the standing plates  41 , so as to further facilitate the stable staying of the birds. 
     Specifically, when inner ends of the trays  40  are extended with rotating shafts  42 , rotating holes  33  adapting to the rotating shafts  42  are formed in a lower end surface of the bottom cover  30 , the rotating shafts  42  may be rotationally assembled in the rotating holes  33 , and torsional springs  43  are sleeved on the rotating shafts  42 . Thus, it may implement that the trays  40  can be rotationally disposed on the bottom cover  30 . 
     Preferably, inside the rotating holes  33 , the lower end surface of the bottom cover  30  is provided with limiting members; the limiting members are provided with limiting surfaces  34  that extend downwards and vertically and are parallel to the rotating shafts  42 ; and after the trays  40  rotate 90 degrees inside, the trays  40  continue to rotate inside and are limited to the limiting surfaces  34 , that is, the rotating angle scope of the trays  40  is limited to 90 degrees by disposing the limiting surfaces  34 , so when the trays  40  rebound every time, its rebounding force will not be so great. When the squirrels press the trays  40  downwards, the deformation quantities of the torsional springs  43  may also be ensured. Thus, the stability (stability of a spring coefficient) may be ensured well, the service lives of the torsional springs  43  are prolonged, and the rotating and rebounding reliability of the torsional springs  43  is ensured. 
     In an actual application, a plurality of feeding ports  31  are disposed around a circumferential direction of an outer edge of the bottom cover  30 ; for example, in this embodiment, four feeding ports  31  are disposed around the circumferential direction of the outer edge of the bottom cover  30 , correspondingly, four trays  40  are provided, four limiting surfaces  34  are provided. The four limiting surface  34  enclose a square. 
     Preferably, the bottom cover  30 , correspondingly to the food storage cavity, is provided with a food equalizing portion  35 , the food equalizing portion  35  is cone-shaped, and the feeding ports  31  are disposed outside the food equalizing portion  35 . A height of the food equalizing portion  35  is greater than a distance from the feeding ports  31  to a bottom of the bottom cover  30 , so food in the food storage cavity may be completely guided to the feeding ports  31  by disposing the food equalizing portion  35 , that is, the food may be prevented from stacking in a bottom middle of the food storage cavity by disposing the food equalizing portion  35 , resulting in a problem that the birds cannot eat the food. 
     In an actual application, the food storage pipe  20  may be a transparent (perspective) glass pipe, or a transparent plastic pipe (such as a PC material), so as to facilitate the birds for eat food. Of course, the food storage pipe  20  may also be made of wire meshes, and a plurality of mesh holes are formed in an outer side of the food storage pipe  20 , so as to keep the food dry. Preferably, water leakage holes communicating with the food storage cavity are formed in the bottom of the bottom cover  30 . Specifically, the water leakage holes are formed at a periphery of the food equalizing portion  35 . When there is water in the food storage cavity, the water may drip on the ground from the water leakage holes. In an actual application, the food storage pipe  20  may be cylindrical or prismatic, such as a cuboid (pyramid). 
     The upper cover  10  may be connected to an upper side of the food storage pipe  20  through a turnbuckle (or screw), and the bottom cover  30  may be connected to a lower side of the food storage pipe  20  through the turnbuckle (or the screw). The upper cover  10  and the bottom cover  30  may be made of alloy materials, or may also be plastic parts; and the pendant  11  may be a rope. 
     Further, an installation cavity  351  is formed inside the food equalizing portion  35  (the food equalizing portion  35  may be detachably disposed on the bottom cover  30 , so as to implement the installation of a buzzer and other components), a PCB board  353 , a battery  352  and the buzzer  354  are disposed inside the installation cavity, and the PCB board  353  is electrically connected to the battery  352  and the buzzer  354 . Correspondingly to the buzzer  354 , the bottom cover  30  is provided with a sound outlet hole  37 , so when the bird feeder provided by the present disclosure needs to expel the birds, the buzzer  354  may make a sound to play an expelling role; and of course, different sounds may also be set to attract the birds for eating food. A control mode that the PCB board  353  specifically controls the buzzer  354  is the existing technology, and repetition is not made herein. 
     The design focus of the present disclosure is as follows: by designing the bird feeder and disposing the leak-proof portions at the feeding ports of the bird feeder, the birdseed may be prevented from falling outside the food storage cavity of the bird feeder from the feeding ports; and then trays may be rotationally connected so that the birds can stand stably for eating food while effectively preventing the squirrels from stealing the food. 
     In addition, through the specific design for the food equalizing portion, the water leakage holes, and other structures, the user experience of the bird feeder may be effectively improved to improve the market competitiveness of the bird feeder. 
     The above-mentioned is only a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure instead of any limitation to the technical scope of the present disclosure. Any fine amendment, equal variation and modification made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present disclosure all belong to the scope of the technical solution of the present disclosure.