Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     When the food from bird feeders, after it is disturbed by feeding birds, falls onto the ground, it is usually lost. In order to salvage this food, feed trays are sometimes positioned under the feeder to catch fallen bird food and also to provide an additional perch for feeding birds. An example of such a feed tray is seen in co-pending application Ser. No. 12/228,108, entitled Modular Bird Feeder System. 
     While such feed tray components are successful in receiving bird food falling from the bird feeder housings, the trays are also a repository for rainwater which collects and then stagnates in the tray. This often results not only in producing a rancid odor, but also saturates and makes the food in the tray inedible. If left there long enough, the water will mix with leaves and other debris to present a breeding ground for insects. 
     Existing feed trays have openings for draining water. However, none of these prior trays are configured to quickly, efficiently, and effectively drain substantially all the water in the tray, to allow the tray to dry, and thus avoid the resulting water accumulation problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is thus an object of the present invention to address the disadvantages and limitations of prior bird feed trays. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a bird feed tray which is configured to quickly, efficiently, and effectively drain all water which accumulates in the tray. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a bird feed tray which, by draining all accumulated water in the tray, salvages the bird food in the tray for consumption by birds. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a bird feed tray which, by draining accumulated water in the tray, eliminates the collection of stagnant water and its resulting odor and potential insect breeding grounds. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bird feed tray which is easy and economical to manufacture and readily adaptable for use with pole bird feeders, with hanging or suspended feeders, or as an independent hanging or elevated feeder. 
     These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention, a unitary body, bird feed tray. The tray is separated into a plurality of segments by partitions and circumscribed by an outer wall or rim. Each segment has dual surfaces which are sloped both downward toward the outer rim and inward to form a drain trough. The troughs terminate at the outer rim. A number of drain holes are provided adjacent to the outer rim. Water which collects on the surface of the tray funnels down into the troughs, where it is discharged through the drain holes. 
     The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention, itself, however, both as to its design, construction and use, together with additional features and advantages thereof, are best understood upon review of the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a view of the bird feed tray of the present invention installed beneath a pole mounted bird feeder. 
         FIG. 2  is a top isometric view of the bird feed tray shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the bird feed tray shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the bird feed tray shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a elevation view of the bird feed tray shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is another elevation view of the bird feed tray shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is an elevation view of the bird feed tray of the present invention installed atop a pole. 
         FIG. 8  is an elevation view of the bird feed tray of the present invention modified to be suspended from a bird feeder. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Bird feed tray  1  of the present invention is shown mounted on pole  30  beneath bird feeder  32  in  FIG. 1 . As best shown in  FIG. 2 , bird feed tray  1  comprises a unitary body comprising segments  2 ,  4 ,  6 ,  8 , and  10  which are separated by partitions  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 , and  20  extending outward from the center section of the body. Outer wall or rim  22  circumscribes bird feed tray  1  and constitutes the terminus of the segments. Although bird feed tray  1  is shown as being circular in configuration with five separate segments, it is contemplated that the feed tray can be any appropriate, desired configuration and can comprise a different number of segments. The invention is not to be considered restricted to the configuration of the bird feed tray or the number of segments therein. 
     As best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , segment  2  comprises inclined surfaces  2   a  and  2   b  sloped or angled downwards towards rim  22 . Surfaces  2   a  and  2   b  are also sloped inward toward each other and drain trough  2   c  is formed at the intersection of the surfaces. Drain through  2   c  extends substantially the length of the segment. Similarly, segment  4  comprises inclined surfaces  4   a  and  4   b  similarly sloped to form trough  4   c . Segment  6  comprises sloped surfaces  6   a  and  6   b  forming trough  6   c . Segment  8  comprises sloped surfaces  8   a  and  8   b  to form trough  8   c . Segment  10  comprises sloped surfaces  10   a  and  10   b  to form trough  10   c . Segment surface drain holes  2   d ,  4   d ,  6   d ,  8   d , and  10   d  are located at the outer edges of segments  2 ,  4 ,  6 ,  8 , and  10 , respectively, adjacent to rim  22 . Similarly, trough drain holes  2   e ,  4   e ,  6   e ,  8   e , and  10   e  are located at the end of the troughs of the respective segments, also adjacent to rim  22 . 
     The outer ends of partitions  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 , and  20  terminate at rim  22 . The inner ends of the partitions terminate at the center section of the unitary body, at central cylindrical sleeve  24 . Sleeve  24  comprises through opening  26  and threads  28 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , pole  30 , supporting bird feeder  32 , is inserted through opening  26  of sleeve  24  of bird feed tray  1 , such that the feed tray is located directly under the bird feeder. Bird feed tray  1  is held elevated in place on pole  30  by any number of means. For instance, sleeve  24  may be provided with threads  28  which can engage a lower section of pole  30  or other bird feeder component, e.g. pole brake  34  as seen in  FIG. 1 . Bird feed tray  1  can also be maintained in position on pole  30  by insertable stop pin  36 , used alone or in combination with pole brake  34 , also as seen in  FIG. 1 . The means to maintain feeder  32  in position are not to be considered limited to that which is described herein. 
     In use, bird food will spill onto bird feed tray  1 , as birds are perched on and feed on upper feed tray  33 . Food which falls onto bird feed tray  1  is also available, especially to larger perching birds. While water in prior feed trays will accumulate after a rain, saturating and making inedible food located on the trays, the present invention eliminates this problem, since rain water has no opportunity to collect on the bird feed tray  1 . Water is caused to flow downwardly and inwardly on sloped surfaces  2   a / 2   b ,  4   a / 4   b ,  6   a / 6   b ,  8   a / 8   b , and  10   a / 10   b  of their respective segments. Some of the water immediately drains out surface drain holes  2   d ,  4   d ,  6   d ,  8   d , and  10   d . The remaining water flows down into troughs  2   c ,  4   c ,  6   c ,  8   c , and  10   c , where it drains from the tray via trough drain holes  2   e ,  4   e ,  6   e ,  8   e , and  10   e.    
     Bird feed tray  1  can be adapted for use with virtually any elevated bird feeder and can even be employed independently as a feeder. For example,  FIG. 7  shows bird feed tray  1  used strictly as a feeder, mounted on top of pole  40 . For this use, cap  25  encloses the top of sleeve  24 . Pole  40  can be threadably engaged to sleeve  24  or attached in an equivalent manner.  FIG. 8  shows bird feed tray  1  comprising cap  27  with attachment loop  29 . Hook  44  or like attachment component, is configured to extend through loop  29  to suspend bird feed tray  1  from feeder  42 , hanging from pole  50 . The herein examples of the manner the bird feed tray of the present invention may be used are provided for illustrative purposes only and are by no means to be considered restricted to these uses. 
     The bird feed tray of the present invention thus prevents the accumulation of water on the tray, causing the water to immediately drain from the tray&#39;s surface. The tray will then dry out quickly, as will the food on the tray, thereby salvaging this food for birds. The potential buildup of soggy debris, with its resulting odor and insect breeding areas, is also eliminated. 
     It is anticipated that the bird feed tray will be constructed of plastic, molded as a single unit, ensuring its ease and economy of manufacture. 
     Certain novel features and components of this invention are disclosed in detail in order to make the invention clear in at least one form thereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention as disclosed is not necessarily limited to the exact form and details as disclosed, since it is apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Technology Category: 1