Abstract:
A feed port for a bird feeder is disclosed. The feed port includes a body portion having a number of edges defining a first opening through the body portion. A shroud extends from the body portion and depends downwards forming a space rear of the first opening. The shroud further defines a second opening in fluid connection with the first opening. An obstruction extends across the second opening.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present patent document claims priority to earlier filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/074,385, filed Jun. 20, 2008, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/085,038, filed Jul. 31, 2008, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to bird feeders and more specifically to an improved side port for a tubular bird feeder that includes at least one center post to narrow or bisect the feed port openings. 
     2. Background of the Related Art 
     Tubular bird feeders are well known in the art. Tubular bird feeders generally include a tubular body with a sidewall for holding bird feed. At various points on the sidewall, a number of apertures are formed through the sidewall and into the tubular body. A number of feed ports are coupled to the sidewall at each of the respective apertures. Prior art feed ports include a body portion that generally includes a perch for the bird to land upon and an opening into the tubular body of the bird feeder. The body portion also includes a skirt or shroud that prevents the bird feed from simply draining out of the tubular body of the bird feeder through the opening on the feed port. In effect, the shroud acts as a baffle for the feed. 
     There have been many seed “blends” introduced to the market place over the past several years for feed. Smaller openings on the feed port usually can cause a problem with seed because the seed is hygroscopic. The seed will absorb moisture and swell or stick together, which will in turn prevent seed flow to the openings. A wider opening on the feed port allows the seed to flow easier than the conventional smaller openings thereby allowing birds to eat. 
     However, wider openings also suffer from several disadvantages. First, it is possible for smaller birds and fledglings of larger birds to have their heads become stuck in the feed port when the feed falls at or below the shroud or skirt. This situation occurs because the birds must insert their entire head into the feed port in order to reach the feed, which is falling out of reach as the supply of feed dwindles. In particular, the feathers on the bird lie flat as the bird inserts its head into the feed port, but resists the bird from withdrawing its head because the feathers “stand up” and get caught on the shroud and opening of the feed port. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a feed port that prevents smaller birds from getting their heads stuck in the fee port. 
     Second, the wider openings on these feed ports also allow larger birds to spill seed easily out of the bird feeder. In particular, larger birds tend to move their beaks from side to side in order to pick through the seeds. As the bird moves its beak from side to side, seed is inadvertently spilled out of the bird feeder. Accordingly, there is a perceived need in the prior art to prevent larger birds from spilling seed out of bird feeders with feed ports that have wider openings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention solves the problems of the prior art by providing a feed port for a bird feeder that includes an obstruction, such as a center post, that reduces the opening of the feed port between the lip of the opening and the shroud. The obstruction prevents smaller birds from being able to insert their heads below the shroud of the feed port and also prevents larger birds from moving their heads easily from side to side. As a consequence, smaller birds will not inadvertently become stuck in the feed and larger birds will not waste seed by spilling it onto the ground. 
    
    
     
       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 perspective view of a bird feeder showing the preferred embodiment of the feed port of the present invention, the sidewall being shown in broken lines so as not to obscure the interior of the bird feeder; 
         FIG. 2A  is a front perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the feed port of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2B  is a rear perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the feed port of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3A  is a front view of the preferred embodiment of the feed port of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3B  is a rear view of the preferred embodiment of the feed port of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a right side view of the preferred embodiment of the feed port of the present invention, it being understood that the left side view is the mirror image thereof; 
         FIG. 5A  is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the feed port of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5B  is a bottom view of the preferred embodiment of the feed port of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the feed port of the present invention with an alternative obstruction configuration; and 
         FIG. 7  is a front perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the feed port of the present invention with yet another alternative obstruction configuration. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the preferred embodiment of the feed port  100  of the present invention is shown installed on a tubular bird feeder  10 . The tubular bird feeder  10  includes a sidewall  12  (shown in broken lines so as not to obscure the interior of the bird feeder  10 ) with an open top and bottom end. Inserted into the open bottom end of the feeder  10  is a base portion  14  that includes a seed deflector  16 . The seed deflector  16  guides seed towards the feed ports  100 . The base portion  14  may be secured to the open bottom end of the feeder  10  by any number of techniques known in the art. For instance, fasteners such as rivets and screws may be used. Alternatively, latching mechanism such as spring buttons or clips may be used. Furthermore, the bird feeder  10  may include a top cap (not shown) to close the open top end. The top cap may be secured to the open top end in any manner known in the art. 
     The sidewall  12  includes apertures to which the feed ports  100  are coupled. Although only two feed ports  100  are shown at the bottom of the tubular bird feeder  10 , it is important to note that a number of feed ports  100  may be provided at various points on the length of the sidewall  12  of the tubular bird feeder  10 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B,  3 A,  3 B,  4 ,  5 A and  5 B, the preferred embodiment of the feed port  100  of the present invention generally includes a body portion  102 . The body portion  102  has front and rear faces  104 ,  106 , a top portion  108  and a bottom portion  110 . The body portion is further configured to have a number of edges  112  that define a first opening  114  through the body portion  102  of the feed port  100 . 
     Extending from the front face  104  and bottom portion  110  of the body portion  102  is a perch  116 . The perch  116  is preferably configured as a loop to allow larger birds to feed while facing the tubular feeder  10 . Alternatively, a post (not shown) may be used instead of a loop perch. 
     Extending from the front face  104  and top portion  108  of the body portion  102  of the feed port  100  is a lip  118  configured to deflect rain, dew, and water on the sidewall  12  of the tubular bird feeder  10  generally, from entering the first opening  114  of the feed port  100  and spoiling the seed contained therein. 
     Extending from the rear face  106  and depending from the top portion  108  of the body portion  102 , is a shroud  120 . The shroud  120  terminates in a bottom edge  122  prior to depending the full length of the first opening  114 , which is best seen in  FIGS. 3B and 4 . The bottom edge  122  of the shroud and bottom-most edge  112  of the body portion  102  define a second opening  124 . The shroud  120  is preferably curved to allow seed to easily flow around it. However, it may also include a number of contiguous flat, sloped surfaces. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2A and 3A , projecting rearward from the shroud is a raised boss  126  with an aperture  128  formed therethrough. Opposite the boss  126  on the interior of the shroud  120 , a hex key  130  is formed. Referring back now to  FIG. 1 , a rod  132  extends between two feed ports  100 , located opposite one another, and the ends of the rod  132  extend into each aperture  128  on the boss  126  of each feed port  100 . The ends of the rod  132  are secured within each hex key  130  thereby retaining the feed ports  100  within the tubular bird feeder  10 . 
     A center post  134  bisects the second opening  124  and is connected to the shroud  120  and the rear face  106  of the body portion  102  of the feed port  100 , best seen in  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  5 B. The center post  134  prevents larger birds from moving their beaks from side to side by obstructing the bird&#39;s beak. Because the larger bird cannot move its beak from side to side it will pick seed from either side of the center post  134  as if it were a smaller opening feed port. As a consequence, less seed is spilled out of the bird feeder  10  and onto the ground. Also, the center post  134  obstructs the second opening  124  sufficiently that smaller birds are unable to insert their heads through the second opening. This feature prevents the smaller birds and fledglings from becoming stuck on the bottom edge  122  of the shroud  120 . Because the feed port  100  has larger openings, it allows newer seed blends to flow to the feed port  100  without binding. 
     As above, the preferred embodiment of such an obstruction is in the form of a vertically positioned post, namely one that is approximately perpendicular to the front plane of the feed opening. However, it should be understood that such an obstruction can be in many different forms to carry out the purposes of reducing spillage and preventing small birds from getting stuck. For example, as seen in  FIG. 6 , the alternative embodiment  200  includes an obstruction in the feed port aperture may be in form of a horizontally positioned post  202 . Or, as in  FIG. 7 , alternative embodiment  300  the obstruction in the feed port aperture may be in the form of a grid array  302 , such as an array of molded posts or even mesh material. It is also possible that the obstruction is more than one post that are arranged parallel to one another. The arrays, in parallel, grid or other form, may be oriented in any direction. Still further, instead of a post-like shape, the obstruction may be a plate with a number of smaller apertures therein to permit access to feed by birds while providing the needed obstruction function, as above. It is envisioned that any type of obstruction, while still permitting access to the feed in the feeder by a bird while carrying out the needed functions above, is deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. 
     Therefore, it can be seen that the present invention provides a unique solution to the problem of providing a feed port with a wider opening that prevents smaller birds from getting their heads stuck in the fee port and to prevent larger birds from spilling seed out of the bird feeders by picking through the seed through movement of their beaks from side to side, yet still allows newer seed blends to flow to the feed port without binding. Because the feed port includes the obstruction in the second opening, it may also have the added advantage in tending to deter squirrels from being able to reach into the bird feeder through the feed port. 
     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.