IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0897884
(2010-10-05)
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등록번호 |
US-8316800
(2012-11-27)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Puckett, Betsy
- Wo, Marco
- Bonnema, James Vincent
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
8 인용 특허 :
57 |
초록
▼
A bird feeder that includes a bird feed holder having open top and bottom ends, a plurality of feeding ports disposed in a sidewall defining the holder, a plurality of perches each associated with an inlet of an associated feeding port and a removable base for engaging with the bottom end of the hol
A bird feeder that includes a bird feed holder having open top and bottom ends, a plurality of feeding ports disposed in a sidewall defining the holder, a plurality of perches each associated with an inlet of an associated feeding port and a removable base for engaging with the bottom end of the holder, the removable base having a closed position for sealing the bottom end of the holder so as to retain the bird feed therein and an open position in which the base is removed from the holder to enable access to the bottom end of the holder. One embodiment has a manually operated latch member supported by the base and supported for radial engagement so as to enable releasable securing of the removable base to the holder. In another embodiment a manually operated latch couples to a main body portion, the latch being supported for rotation with respect to the main body portion to releasably secure the base assembly to the housing. Also disclosed is a feeder support apparatus.
대표청구항
▼
1. A bird feeder comprising: a housing for storing bird feed therein, including one or more ports through which access is provided to the bird feed, having an upper end and an open lower end wall and having a housing longitudinal center axis that extends between the upper and lower ends; anda base a
1. A bird feeder comprising: a housing for storing bird feed therein, including one or more ports through which access is provided to the bird feed, having an upper end and an open lower end wall and having a housing longitudinal center axis that extends between the upper and lower ends; anda base assembly adapted to close the open end of the housing, the base assembly including a main body portion adapted to fit within the housing at the open lower end of the housing so that the main body portion is rotatably fixed but removable with respect to the housing, said main body portion having an upper bird feed support surface and an underside surface, and a manually operated rotational latch having respective locked and released positions, connected to the underside surface of the main body portion so as to be accessible from under the main body portion and having a longitudinal latch center axis, the manually operated rotational latch being supported for rotation about said latch center axis and with respect to the rotatably fixed main body portion, as well as for rotation relative to said housing once the manually operated rotational latch is intercoupled with the main body portion and in use, the manually operated rotational latch, in the locked position thereof, securing the manually operated rotational latch and main body portion to the housing by releasably securing the manually operated rotational latch to the housing, and in the released position thereof being rotatable about the center axes and relative to the main body portion and housing so as to release the base assembly and the manually operated rotational latch from the housing, said latch center axis coincident with said housing center axis. 2. The bird feeder of claim 1, wherein one of the housing and the latch has a first engaging member and the other of the housing and the latch has a second engaging member adapted to releasably engage the first engaging member upon positioning the first and second engaging members adjacent one another. 3. The bird feeder of claim 2, further comprising one or more bird feed perches extending from the housing under a port. 4. The bird feeder of claim 3, wherein the bird feed port comprises an insert releasably engaged with the housing, the insert having one of the first and second engaging members. 5. The bird feeder of claim 2, wherein the first engaging member comprises a projection extending internally of the housing open lower end wall and the second engaging member comprises a slot and ridge on the latch for capturing said projection. 6. The bird feeder of claim 5, wherein the main body portion has an open bottom into which the latch is disposed, said latch including stops spaced apart to engage said projection at opposite open and closed positions of said latch. 7. The bird feeder of claim 6, wherein the main body portion of the base assembly has an annular rim adapted to sealingly engage the housing at the open end of the housing. 8. The bird feeder of claim 1 wherein one of the housing and the latch has a first engaging member and the other of the housing and the latch has a second engaging member, and wherein the first engaging member comprises a projection and the second engaging member comprises a lip for capturing the projection in the engaged position of the latch. 9. The bird feeder of claim 8 wherein the projection extends radially inward of the housing open lower end wall and the lip is part of a rim of the manually operated rotational latch. 10. A bird feeder comprising: a housing for storing bird feed therein, including one or more ports through which access is provided to the bird feed and having an open lower end wall; anda base assembly adapted to close the open end of the housing, the base assembly having a main body portion adapted to fit within the housing at the open end of the housing so that the main body portion is rotatably fixed but removable with respect to the housing, said main body portion having an upper bird feed support surface and an underside surface, and a manually operated rotational latch connected to the underside surface of the main body portion so as to be accessible from under the main body portion, the manually operated rotational latch being supported for rotation with respect to the rotatably fixed main body portion, as well as for rotation relative to said housing once the manually operated rotational latch is intercoupled with the main body portion and in use to releasably secure the manually operated rotational latch to the housing;wherein one of the housing and the latch has a first engaging member and the other of the housing and the latch has a second engaging member adapted to releasably engage the first engaging member upon positioning the first and second engaging members adjacent one another;and wherein the first engaging member comprises a projection extending internally of the housing lower end wall and the second engaging member comprises a slot in the main body portion and a lip on the manually operated rotational latch for capturing said projection when the manually operated rotational latch is rotated relative to the main body portion, as well as rotated relative to the housing to one of secure the base assembly to the housing and release the base assembly from the housing. 11. A bird feeder comprising: a housing for storing bird feed therein, including one or more ports through which access is provided to the bird feed and having an open lower end wall; anda base assembly adapted to close the open end of the housing, the base assembly having a main body portion adapted to fit within the housing at the open end of the housing so that the main body portion is rotatably fixed but removable with respect to the housing, said main body portion having an upper bird feed support surface and an underside surface, and a manually operated rotational latch connected to the underside surface of the main body portion so as to be accessible from under the main body portion, the manually operated rotational latch being supported for rotation with respect to the main body portion, as well as for rotation relative to said housing once the manually operated rotational latch is intercoupled with the main body portion and in use to releasably secure the manually operated rotational latch to the housing;wherein one of the housing and the latch has a first engaging member and the other of the housing and the latch has a second engaging member adapted to releasably engage the first engaging member upon positioning the first and second engaging members adjacent one another;wherein the first engaging member comprises a projection extending internally of the housing lower end wall and the second engaging member comprises a slot in the main body portion and a lip on the manually operated rotational latch for capturing said projection when the manually operated rotational latch is rotated relative to the main body portion, as well as rotated relative to the housing about a longitudinal latch axis and between released and locked positions;wherein the main body portion has an open bottom into which the latch is disposed, said latch including stops spaced apart to engage said projection at opposite open and closed positions of said latch. 12. The bird feeder of claim 11, wherein the main body portion of the base assembly has an annular rim adapted to sealingly engage the housing at the open end of the housing. 13. A bird feeder comprising: a housing for storing bird feed therein, including one or more ports through which access is provided to the bird feed, having an upper end and an open lower end and having a housing longitudinal center axis that extends between the upper and lower ends of the housing; anda base assembly adapted to close the open end of the housing, the base assembly including a base adapted to fit within the housing at the open end of the housing but removable in order to provide access at the open lower end of the housing, said base having an upper bird feed support surface and an underside surface, a manually operated rotational latch connected to the underside surface of the removable base so as to be accessible from under the base, and having locked and released positions, and means for rotatably supporting the manually operated rotational latch relative to the removable base, as well as rotational relative to the housing, so that in the locked position the manually operated rotational latch is secured to the housing and in the released position the base and manually operated rotational latch may be removed from the housing;said means for rotatably supporting including means for enabling the manually operated rotational latch to rotate relative to said base and housing about a latch axis that coincides with the housing longitudinal center axis between locked and released positions and once the manually operated rotational latch is intercoupled with the main body portion and in use. 14. The bird feeder of claim 13 wherein the removable base is rotatably fixed in the locked position but removable with respect to the housing in the released position. 15. The bird feeder of claim 14 wherein one of the housing and the latch has a first engaging member and the other of the housing and the latch has a second engaging member adapted to releasably engage the first engaging member. 16. A bird feeder comprising: a housing for storing bird feed therein, including one or more ports through which access is provided to the bird feed and having an open lower end wall; anda base assembly adapted to close the open end of the housing, the base assembly including a base adapted to fit within the housing at the open end of the housing but removable in order to provide access at the open lower end of the housing, said base having an upper bird feed support surface and an underside surface, a manually operated latch connected to the underside surface of the removable base so as to be accessible from under the base, and having locked and released positions, and means for rotatably supporting the manually operated latch relative to the removable base, as well as rotatable relative to the housing, so that in the locked position the manually operated latch is secured to the housing and in the released position the base and the manually operated latch may be removed from the housing;wherein the removable base is rotatably fixed in the locked position but removable, along with the manually operated latch, with respect to the housing in the released position;wherein the manually operated latch is supported for rotation with respect to the base and housing once the manually operated latch is intercoupled with the base;wherein one of the housing and the latch has a first engaging member and the other of the housing and the latch has a second engaging member adapted to releasably engage the first engaging member;wherein the first engaging member comprises a projection extending internally of the housing open lower end wall and the second engaging member comprises a slot in the base and a lip on the latch for capturing said projection in the locked position of the manually operated latch when the manually operated latch is rotated relative to the base, as well as rotated relative to the housing. 17. The bird feeder of claim 16 wherein the latch has finger grips to facilitate the rotation of the latch. 18. The bird feeder of claim 16 including stop means between the latch and base to limit the rotation of the latch relative to the base. 19. The bird feeder of claim 16 wherein the base has an open bottom into which the manually operated latch is disposed and a circumferential base rim forming a base rest surface. 20. The bird feeder of claim 19 wherein the latch is entirely positioned in the open bottom of the main body portion and spaced above the base rest surface.
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