Birdfeeder and seed dispenser therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9675053-B2
Application number	US-201615062858-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2016
Priority date	Dec 12, 2003
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

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 first and second pieces cooperating with one another through movement of at least said first piece relative to said 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
at least part of said first piece being outside said reservoir sidewall in both said first and second orientations.

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

3. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said rotational movement of the first 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 while said second seed aperture is blocked, and said first seed aperture being at least partly obstructed in said second orientation while said second seed aperture provides access to birdseed.

5. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first piece is rotatably movable relative to said second piece.

6. The birdfeeder as set, forth in claim 1 , wherein said first piece has a substantially flat plate portion with said second seed aperture being formed therethrough.

7. 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 first and second pieces, at least one of said first and second pieces having a seed aperture formed therethrough which is smaller than said seed reservoir opening, said first and second pieces cooperating with one another through movement of at least one of said first and second pieces relative to the other 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, said movement being in a plane that is substantially parallel with a plane of said sidewall.

8. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 7 , wherein at least part of said first piece is outside said reservoir sidewall in both said first and second orientations.

9. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 7 , further comprising a cup-shaped trough that projects outwardly from said sidewall in both said first and second orientations.

10. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 9 , wherein said projecting trough is rotatable with respect to said sidewall opening about an axis defined by said seed dispenser, said trough having a concave inner surface and a convex outer surface, said concave inner surface facing upwardly in said first orientation and said convex outer surface facing upwardly in said second orientation.

11. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 9 , wherein said trough remains outside said reservoir sidewall in both said first and second orientations.

12. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 7 , wherein said first piece is rotatably movable relative to said second piece.

13. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 12 , wherein said rotational movement of the first piece relative to the second piece is in a plane that is substantially parallel with a plane of said second piece.

14. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 7 , wherein said first piece has a substantially flat plate portion with said second seed aperture being formed therethrough.

15. 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 said first orientation and said second seed aperture being in a plane that is substantially parallel with a plane of said sidewall in said second orientation.

16. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 15 , wherein at least part of said movable piece is outside said reservoir sidewall in both said first and second orientations.

17. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 15 , wherein said movable piece is rotatably movable relative to said sidewall.

18. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 15 , wherein said movable piece includes a cup-shaped trough that projects outwardly from said sidewall and remains outside of said reservoir sidewall in both said first and second orientations.

19. The birdfeeder as set forth in claim 18 , wherein said projecting trough has a concave inner surface and a convex outer surface, said concave inner surface facing upwardly in said first orientation and said convex outer surface facing upwardly in 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