Systems and methods for facilitating seed feeder filling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11051494-B2
Application number	US-201715705022-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2017
Priority date	Mar 19, 2015
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A bird feeding system that can be filled after pressing a release button on a cap assembly connected to a body that includes a reservoir. The cap assembly may be opened to provide access to the reservoir. A lid of the cap assembly is released by depressing a first side of the release button. The lid is moved from a closed position to an open position using a bias of a spring assembly upon the release of the lid. The lid moves from the closed position to the open position along a rotation path created by a hinge at a second side. The lid is held in the open position by the spring bias, and the open position provides access to the reservoir through the cap opening. Birdseed is received through the cap opening into the reservoir.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for easy filling a bird feeder, the method comprising:
receiving a depression of a release button on a cap assembly, the cap assembly having a cap base connected to a body at a proximal end using a mount, the body defining a reservoir of the bird feeder, the mount including a lid arm extending proximally along an inner surface of the cap base and releasably connecting a lid to the cap base at a first side in a closed position, the release button being disposed on the lid arm and extending through a releaser opening defined in the cap base, the depression of the release button displacing the lid arm inwardly into a cap opening and away from the cap base, the cap opening providing access to the reservoir;
a disconnecting the lid of the cap assembly from the first side of the cap base in response to the lid arm displacing inwardly upon the depression of the release button;
moving the lid from the closed position to an open position using a bias of a spring assembly upon the release of the lid, the lid moving from the closed position to the open position along a rotation path created by a hinge at a second side of the cap base, the lid held in the open position by the spring bias, the open position providing access to the reservoir through the cap opening; and
receiving birdseed through the cap opening into the reservoir when the lid is in the open position.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an external force against the lid, the external force moving the lid from the opening position to the closed position; and
connecting the lid at the first side of the cap base by engaging the lid arm of the mount, the lid arm holding the lid in the closed position.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lid includes a latch that releasably connects to the lid arm in the closed position.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the external force is created by at least a portion of a single hand.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cap assembly includes a roof extending outwardly transverse to a length of the body.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hinge includes a pin inserted through at least one lid protrusion and at least one cap base protrusion.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the body includes one or more access ports disposed along a length of the body and providing access to the reservoir.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein one or more perches are disposed relative to the one or more access ports.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the one or more perches includes a surface having a perch opening and a projection, the surface and the projection being continuous.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cap assembly is connected to an adjustable hanger.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the birdseed is received through the cap opening from a spout of a birdseed tote into the reservoir.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the birdseed tote includes a tote body having a neck shaped to direct the birdseed from a bottom of a tote interior into the reservoir through the spout when the tote body is oriented at an angle of ninety degrees or less relative to the cap opening.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the neck extends from front ends of a pair of opposing side walls, and the neck, the pair of opposing sidewalls, a back wall connecting back ends of the pair opposing sidewalls, and a distal surface connecting the distal ends of the pair of opposing sidewalls forms the tote body.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the tote body has a proximal edge extending along a plane, the neck including a neck surface extending along a contour from the distal surface to the spout, an axis line of the spout extending parallel to the plane of the proximal edge of the tote body, the neck surface directing the birdseed from the distal surface through an opening in the spout into the reservoir without an orientation of the plane extending past the angle of ninety degrees or less to the cap opening.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the distal surface is placed on a lid of second birdseed tote in a storage position.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the tote body is placed in an interior of a second tote body in a nested positon.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the birdseed tote includes a handle.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the depression of the release button is created by at least a portion of a first hand of a single user while the birdseed tote is held with the handle by a second hand of the single user.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cap base is secured to the mount using one or more side arms.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mount is connected to the body at the proximal end using a hanging rod.

Assignees

• Classic Brands Llc

Inventors

• Donegan Robert W
• Krueger Bryan
• Bruno John
• Nifong Lindsey
• Putz John
• Combs Stephen
• Hunter Lynn

Classifications

• B65B7/2842

  Securing closures on containers (in general B65B51/00) · CPC title

• B65D43/24

  Devices for retaining in open position {(holding lids in open position in general E05C17/00; hinges with means for holding open E05D11/10)} · CPC title

• B65D43/163

  the container and the lid being made separately (B65D43/161 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65B1/04

  Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles · CPC title

• B65D51/242

  provided with means for facilitating lifting or suspending of the container · CPC title