Birdfeeder and seed dispenser therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10206374-B2
Application number	US-201715619113-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2017
Priority date	Dec 12, 2003
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

A birdseed dispenser and birdfeeder incorporating the same are provided. The dispenser has a base assembly mounted to a first opening formed in the sidewall of the birdseed reservoir, including a front plate having a second opening formed therein, a flange extending around the second opening and projecting away from the front plate, and an end wall supported by the flange such that the flange and end wall together define a chamber. The dispenser also includes an apertured piece received in the chamber having a first seed aperture of a first configuration and a second seed aperture of a different configuration. The apertured piece is moveable between a first orientation, which places the first seed aperture in a seed accessible state permitting birds access to the seed, and a second orientation to place the second seed aperture in the seed accessible state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A birdfeeder adapted to provide birdseed to birds, comprising:
a birdseed reservoir with a sidewall for receiving birdseed therein, said sidewall having an opening formed therein;
a seed dispenser having an access opening formed therethrough in communication with said reservoir sidewall opening, said dispenser including an outer piece that is moveable between a first orientation in which a first seed aperture of a first size is presented in a seed accessible state, and a second orientation in which a second seed aperture of a second size that is smaller than the first size is presented in a seed accessible state, said second seed aperture being obstructed when said outer piece is in said first orientation.

2. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said outer piece is rotatably movable relative to said sidewall.

3. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said rotational movement of the outer piece is in a plane that is substantially parallel with a plane of said sidewall.

4. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first seed aperture is unobstructed in said first orientation and is at least partly obstructed in said second orientation.

5. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first seed aperture is formed in said outer piece.

6. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said second seed aperture is formed in said outer piece.

7. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said outer piece has a. substantially flat portion that is substantially parallel with said reservoir sidewall in both said first and said second orientations.

8. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 7 , wherein said substantially flat portion remains substantially parallel with said reservoir sidewall while moving between said first and said second orientations.

9. A birdfeeder adapted to provide birdseed to birds, comprising:
a birdseed reservoir with a sidewall for receiving birdseed therein, said sidewall having an opening formed therein;
a seed dispenser having an access opening formed therethrough in communication with said reservoir sidewall opening, said dispenser including an outer piece having a substantially flat plate portion that is moveable between a first orientation in which a first seed aperture of a first size is presented in a seed accessible state, and a second orientation in which a second seed aperture of a second size that is smaller than the first size is presented in a seed accessible state, said substantially flat plate portion being substantially parallel with said reservoir sidewall in both said first and said second orientations.

10. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 9 , wherein said second seed aperture is obstructed when said outer piece is in said first orientation.

11. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 9 , wherein at least part of said outer piece remains outside said reservoir sidewall in both said first and second orientations.

12. The birdfeeder as set forth claim 9 , wherein said substantially flat portion remains substantially parallel with said reservoir sidewall while moving between said first and said second orientations.

13. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 12 , wherein said outer piece is rotatably movable relative to said sidewall.

14. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 9 , further comprising a cup-shaped trough that projects outwardly from said sidewall in both said first and second orientations.

15. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 9 , wherein said first seed aperture is formed in said movable piece.

16. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 15 , wherein said movable piece includes a substantially flat portion that remains substantially parallel with said reservoir sidewall during movement between said first and said second orientations.

17. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 16 , wherein said movable piece is rotatably movable relative to said sidewall.

18. A birdfeeder adapted to provide birdseed to birds, comprising:
a birdseed reservoir with a sidewall for receiving birdseed therein, said sidewall having an opening formed therein;
a seed dispenser associated with said reservoir sidewall opening and having a movable piece that is movable relative to the sidewall opening to present, in a first orientation, a first seed aperture of a first size in a seed accessible state, and in a second orientation, to bring a second seed aperture of a second size that is smaller than the first size into a seed accessible state; and
said first seed aperture being in a plane that is substantially parallel with a plane of said sidewall in both said first orientation and said second orientation.

19. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 18 , wherein at least part of said movable piece is outside said reservoir sidewall in both said first and second orientations.

20. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 18 , wherein said second seed aperture is in a plane that is substantially parallel with a plane of said sidewall in both said first orientation and said second orientation.

Assignees

• Woodstream Corp

Inventors

• Hunter Lynn
• Carter James
• O'Dell Furman
• Krueger Brian

Classifications

• A01K39/012 Primary

  filling automatically {, e.g. by gravity from a reserve} · CPC title