Finch bird feeder with adjustable port access

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016007573-A1
Application number	US-201414485141-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 12, 2014
Priority date	Sep 14, 2012
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A bird feeder is provided having adjustable port access. The feeder includes a seed reservoir with a side wall that has at least one seed access opening and an adjustable feed port element. According to one embodiment, the adjustable feed port element is a feed port assembly. The feed port assembly includes a base with a rotatable insert having a perch coupled thereto in fixed relationship so that the perch and insert rotate as a unit. According to another embodiment, the adjustable feed port element rotates around the perch between a first position in which the perch is below a feed port being accessed, enabling birds to feed while standing on the perch, and a second position in which the perch is above a feed port being accessed, requiring birds to hang upside down from the perch to feed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A bird feeder comprising:
a seed reservoir having a feed port therein through which birds can access seed held within the reservoir; a perch positioned adjacent the feed port and extending outwardly from the reservoir wall; and an adjustable port element rotatable with respect to the reservoir wall, said adjustable port element configured to rotate between a first position in which the port element allows birds to access feed through a feed port only while hanging upside down from the perch, and a second position in which the port element allows birds to access feed while standing in an upright position on the perch.

2 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said adjustable port element rotates in a plane that is generally parallel with the reservoir wall.

3 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said adjustable port element is coupled to said perch.

4 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said adjustable port element is movably coupled to said perch.

5 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said coupling between the adjustable port element and the perch is fixed.

6 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said perch is fixed with respect to the reservoir wall.

7 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said seed reservoir side wall has at least a first feed port and a second feed port therein through which birds can access seed held within the reservoir, said first and second feed ports being spaced apart and in generally vertical alignment with one another.

8 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the perch is fixed and extends outwardly from a perch base supported on the reservoir wall, said perch base being between, vertically aligned with, and generally equally spaced away from said first and second feed ports.

9 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the adjustable port element includes a mounting end rotatable around said perch and a second end distal from said mounting end, said second end having a blocking structure that prevents access to said first feed port or said second feed port as the adjustable port element is rotated around the perch.

10 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the blocking structure includes a covering member positioned over said feed port to be blocked and a locking member associated with said covering member, said locking member configured to be received into the feed port to be blocked and secured to the reservoir side wall, said locking member when secured within said feed port preventing rotation of said adjustable port element.

11 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the perch is positioned above a feed port providing birds with access to seed in the reservoir when the adjustable port element is in the first position, and said perch being positioned below a feed port providing birds with access to seed in the reservoir when the adjustable port element is in the second position.

12 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the feed port providing birds with access to seed in the reservoir when the adjustable port element is in the first position is the same feed port that provides birds with access to seed in the reservoir when the adjustable port element is in the second position.

13 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the feed port providing birds with access to seed in the reservoir when the adjustable port element is in the first position, and a feed port providing birds with access to seed in the reservoir when the adjustable port element is in the second position are two different feed ports.

14 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 1 , wherein rotating the adjustable port element between said first and second positions requires that the adjustable port element be rotated about 180 degrees.

15 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the adjustable port element includes a mounting end rotatable around said perch and a second end having a blocking structure that prevents access to a feed port positioned adjacent the blocking structure.

16 . A bird feeder comprising:
a seed reservoir having a side wall with at least two feed ports therein through which birds can access seed held within the reservoir, said two feed ports being spaced apart and in generally vertical alignment with one another; a perch extending outwardly from a perch base supported on the reservoir wall, said perch base being between, vertically aligned with, and generally equally spaced away from the two feed ports; and an adjustable port element rotatable with respect to the reservoir wall, said adjustable port element configured to rotate between a first position in which the port element allows birds to access feed through a feed port only while hanging upside down from the perch, and a second position in which the port element allows birds to access feed while standing right side up on the perch.

17 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 16 , wherein said two feed ports, said perch and said adjustable port element form a feeding station, said bird feeder having a plurality of feeding stations spaced from one another on the reservoir side wall.

18 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 17 , wherein said reservoir is an elongated cylindrical tube having a plurality of feeding stations positioned in spaced relationship from one another along and around said tube, said plurality of feeding stations including a first feeding station on a first side of the reservoir and a second feeding station on a second side of the reservoir, the second side being opposite the first side, said first and second feeding stations being in substantially horizontal alignment with one another.

19 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 18 , wherein a single elongated perch member extends across an interior of the reservoir and through opposing apertures formed in the reservoir side wall, said elongated perch member having a first end protruding on the first side and a second end protruding on the second side, said first and second ends forming perches for the first and second feeding stations, respectively.

20 . The bird feeder as set forth in claim 18 , wherein said plurality of feeding stations includes a third feeding station and a fourth feeding station respectively positioned on opposite sides of the reservoir, said opposite sides being different from said first and second sides of the reservoir, said third and fourth feeding stations being spaced below and around the reservoir tube to be approximately 90° out from the first and second feeding stations.

Assignees

• Woodstream Corp

Inventors

• Vaughn Jr William Ray
• Hoysak Judith Kim

Classifications

• A01K39/01 Primary

  Feeding devices (A01K39/04 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A01K39/012 Primary

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

• A01K31/12

  Perches {for poultry or birds, e.g. roosts} · CPC title