Abstract:
A collapsible bird structure allows for easy assembly of an enclosure for the housing, nesting, and/or feeding of birds. A fabric outer covering containing a flexible wire is connected to a base to form a bird house. A hole may be provided for ingress and egress of birds.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a bird structure. In particular, the present invention relates to a bird structure which is collapsible, whereby the bird structure may be conveniently transported and easily expanded to provide a nesting or feeding structure for birds. 
         [0002]    Historically, structures in which various types of birds can build nests or which are designed for feeding are constructed of rigid materials such as wood, metal or plastic. Such bird houses or feeders cannot be collapsed and therefore cannot be easily transported and/or displayed in convenient locations. For example, if one wishes to use a bird house or feeder in a non-permanent location such as a vacation home or campsite, transporting a large bird house may be inconvenient, as would assembling one that may be in a more compact form upon purchase or after disassembly. Also, these traditional bird houses and feeders may be awkwardly shaped or heavy, and as a result difficult to lift and secure to a tree, pole, or other base object. Many only include a means for hanging the bird house from a tree branch that is sufficient to support the weight, or are specifically designed to be placed in a window. However, it may be desirable to mount it on the trunk of a tree or a pole, especially if at a campsite or other location which does not have the necessary elements for mounting the traditional houses. Traditional houses or feeders may also be difficult to open to allow for re-filling bird feed and/or cleaning. It may be desirable to clean the house or feeder, particularly before it will be transported. This is very difficult if the house or feeder has only a small opening sized for the ingress and egress of birds. Furthermore, traditional structures require a higher shipping or transportation cost to the end user due to the larger, non-collapsible size and shape of the traditional structures. 
         [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,051 issued to Simantob et al. discloses a collapsible bird house which incorporates a plurality of removable rods and connectors to form the rigid frame of the fabric structure, and a removable rainfly/sunshade. With this arrangement, assembly requires insertion of the small rods into small channels in the fabric and is time consuming and difficult, and mounting of the bird house is taught only by hanging from a rod inserted into the top of the structure. U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,396 issued to Zheng discloses collapsible or foldable tents comprising a number of frame members and fabric material forming the side panels. However, it does not disclose using such a tent for housing or feeding birds, it includes a plurality of foldable frame members, and collapsing the tent requires a number of complicated steps to get the tent to a flat position. 
         [0004]    For these reasons, it would be beneficial to have a collapsible bird house or feeder comprised of a lightweight material, making it easy to transport and mount on a variety of base objects. It would also be beneficial for such a bird house or feeder to allow suitable access for placement of bird feed and for cleaning. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The collapsible bird structure of the present invention includes a base, a fabric cover supported by a flexible wire, and additional fabric flaps. From a flat, collapsed position, a zipper connects the portions of the fabric together to form an enclosed space for the housing or feeding of birds. Unzipping allows the wire to resume a flat position, and the bird structure can be easily cleaned and transported in the collapsed position. In one embodiment, the bird structure can be mounted to a tree, pole or other such object using tabs attached to the base. A hole in the front cover allows birds to enter and exit the bird house. 
         [0006]    In one embodiment, the orientation of the bird structure can be changed such that the base is floor of the structure, providing an area for feeding or observing the birds. An opening in the top for placing bird seed or for cleaning can also have a handle for transporting and mounting the bird house. In another embodiment, a handle may be affixed to tabs attached to the fabric cover. Holes may be located in various locations on the cover and flaps for ingress and egress of birds and observation of the inside of the structure. 
         [0007]    Various other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, including illustrative examples setting forth how to make and use the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention shown mounted on a tree; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a rear view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  shown with the zipper unzipped and the bird house in a collapsed position; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a partial cross-section of  FIG. 3 , taken generally along the line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective side view of the wire frame within the front cover in one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    One embodiment of the present invention is the collapsible bird house  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . The bird house  10  is generally constructed from a front cover  12  that is supported by a flexible wire frame  14 , upper and lower flaps  16 ,  18 , and a base  30 . The flexible wire  14  is contained in a sleeve  20  attached to the perimeter of the front cover  12 . The front cover  12  and sleeve  20  are attached to one side of the base  30 . The upper and lower flaps  16 ,  18  are attached to the perimeter of the upper and lower areas of the base  30 . A zipper  22  runs along the perimeter of the front cover  12  that is not attached to the side of the base  30 , the perimeter of the upper and lower flaps  16 ,  18  not attached to the base  30 , and the side of the base  30  opposite the attachment of the front cover  12 . To assemble the bird house  10  from its collapsed position ( FIG. 3 ) to its expanded position ( FIG. 2 ), the zipper  22  is zipped from its start at the lower attachment point for the front cover  12  and lower flap  18 , around the perimeters of the front cover  12 , lower flap  18 , side of base  30  opposite attachment points, upper flap  16 , and ends at the attachment point of the front cover  12  and upper flap  16  to the base  30 . To collapse the bird house  10  into a flat position ( FIG. 3 ) from the expanded position ( FIG. 2 ), the zipper  22  is unzipped starting with the upper attachment point around the upper flap  16 , front cover  12 , opposite side of the base  30 , lower flap  18  and ending at the lower attachment point. 
         [0016]    In the zipped position shown in  FIG. 1 , the bird house  10  forms a structure in which birds can nest. The bird house  10  can be constructed in a variety of sizes to allow for the nesting of a variety of birds. For example, a bird house  10  for a small bird like a wren will have smaller overall dimensions than one for a larger bird. The fabric cover  12  and flaps  16 ,  18  are preferably made of a durable, weather-resistant fabric such as nylon or polyester. The inside of the fabric may contain a coating such as a polyurethane coating to protect from damage by the birds and allow easy cleaning. The base  30  is preferably made of a stiff, durable, weather-resistant material such as plastic. Other suitable materials may also be used to construct the cover  12 , flaps  16 ,  18 , and base  30 . A hole  40  is cut in the front cover  12  and optionally may be framed with a stiff frame  42 . This hole  40  allows for the ingress and egress of birds, and can be sized to allow for smaller or larger birds to pass. Ventilation holes  44  (optional) can be placed in the front cover and upper and lower covers  16 ,  18  to allow for additional airflow inside the bird house  10 . 
         [0017]    The flexible wire  14  fits around the perimeter of the similarly shaped front cover  12 . The wire  14  is affixed to the front cover  12  by fitting into a fabric sleeve  20  that is sewn, friction welded, glued, or otherwise attached to the border of the front cover  12 . In the collapsed position shown in  FIG. 3 , the wire  14  is in a plane parallel to the base  30 . When the front cover  12  is folded so that the side of the cover  12  opposite the side the attached to the base  30  meets the side of the base  30  opposite the attachment side, the tension in the wire  14  causes the cover  12  to bow out into an arc shape. The tension on the wire  14  pushing against the sleeve  20  attached to the front cover  14  forms the rigid, curved frame for the front cover  12 . The zipper  22  is then zipped to connect the cover to the upper and lower flaps  16 ,  18  and the base  30 , as seen in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , the front cover  12  and sleeve  20  containing the wire  14  are sewn or otherwise attached to the base  30  along one side of the base  30 . The upper point of the attachment is also the starting point for the zipper  22 . The upper and lower flaps  16 ,  18 , which are sewn or otherwise attached to the top and bottom borders of the base  30 , contain one side of the zipper teeth, and the perimeter of the cover  12  contains the other side of the zipper teeth. In one embodiment, the upper and lower flaps  16 ,  18  have attachment points at the upper and lower attachment points of the cover  12  to the base  30  and at the same locations on the opposite side of the base  30 . Starting from the collapsed position in  FIG. 3 , the zipper  22  is zipped starting at the upper attachment point of the front cover  12  and upper flap  16 , connecting the cover  12  to the upper flap  16 , the cover  12  to the side of the base  30  opposite the attachment, and around to connect the lower flap  18  to the cover  12 . The tension from the wire  14  causes the front cover  12 , now connected to the flaps  16 ,  18 , to form an arc shape, defining the inside area of the bird house  10 . 
         [0019]    In the unzipped, collapsed position, as seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the bird house  10  is in a flat position. As shown in the cross-section in  FIG. 4 , the front cover  12  is in a generally flat position, with the base  30  collapsed over to lie flat on top of the cover  12 . The upper and lower flaps  16 ,  18  can be pulled out for a more flat overall shape, or folded under the base (not shown) for a more compact shape. The bird house  10  is now in a generally flat shape, and can be easily packaged, transported or stored in a variety of compact spaces. Also, the flat surface of the cover  12  in the collapsed position allows for easy cleaning of the inside surface of the cover  12 , and the inside surfaces of the flaps  16 ,  18  and base  30  can also be easily cleaned in the collapsed position. 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , one embodiment of the bird house  10  may also include a plurality of tabs  50  for mounting the bird house  10 . The tabs  50  may include holes  52  to allow for nailing the bird house  10  to a tree (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) or through which to thread string or rope or hook a bungee cord for securing the bird house onto a tree or other base structure. The tabs  50  may be made of a durable fabric so that they can be sewn or otherwise affixed to a fabric border on the base. The holes  52  may be reinforced with grommets  54  made of metal, plastic, rubber, etc., so that they may withstand the tension from tying or pulling by bungee cords and the weight of the food and/or nests of birds in the bird house  10 . 
         [0021]    As seen in  FIG. 6 , another embodiment of the present invention includes a collapsible bird house  10  that can be used for feeding. In this embodiment, the bird house  10  is positioned such that the base  30  is now the bottom of the structure, acting as a floor of the feeder. Such an embodiment may include upper and lower flaps  16 ,  18  attached to a different location on the base  30  so as to provide a surface  60  on the base  30  for the entry and exit of birds through an opening  62  adjacent to the base  30 . Such an embodiment may also include a recess (not shown) in the front cover  12  into which a lid  66  can be removed for easily placing bird seed into the bird house  10 . The lid  66  may also include a handle  68  for easy removal and for carrying the bird house  10 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the front cover  12  and upper and lower flaps  16 ,  18  may also include a plurality of holes  70  for the ingress and egress of birds or for viewing the inside of the bird house  10 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 7  shows another embodiment of the collapsible bird house  10  to allow for feeding. Such embodiment may include tabs  80  attached to the front cover  12  through which a handle  82  can be placed for carrying or hanging the feeder. The front cover  12  may include an opening (not shown) with a flap  84  that can be opened for the easy placement of bird feed. 
         [0023]    While the invention has been described with respect to certain embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain substitutions, alterations, and omissions may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is meant to be exemplary only and should not limit the scope of the invention set forth in the following claims.