Patent ID: 8051803

Claim:
A hummingbird feeder comprising: a liquid container having a top end opening and a bottom end opening; a removable cap for sealing the top end opening; a sealing mechanism operatively connected to the bottom end opening; a feeding basin connected to the sealing mechanism and having at least one feeding port in liquid flow communication with a fluid holding area inside said basin; said sealing mechanism being activated by movement of said liquid container so that, when said liquid container is pulled upwardly away from said basin, a movable component of said sealing mechanism is moved to a first position in which fluid flow from the liquid container into said fluid holding area is enabled and, when said liquid container is pushed downwardly toward said basin, said movable component is moved to a second position in which fluid flow from the liquid container into said fluid holding area is prevented, said movable component being a tubular member coupled to and linearly movable with said liquid container; said sealing mechanism further including a base collar affixed to a base of said feeding basin and having mouth openings in a collar wall adjacent said base to allow fluid flow between the liquid container and the basin fluid holding area, said linearly movable tubular member being inserted within said base collar, and a seal element positioned beneath said tubular member and operative therewith to block said mouth openings when said tubular member is in said second position; and said collar wall further including a plurality of central cutouts adjacent an upper rim thereof, said tubular member having a corresponding plurality of projections that are sized to be received within said central cutouts.