Many bird feeders are notoriously difficult to clean and fill. For example, bird feeders configured to dispense nectar generally must be inverted to receive the nectar. Such bird feeders commonly include a bottle with an opening at one end that is configured to engage a base through which the nectar is dispensed and a hanger positioned at the opposite end of the bottle to hang the bird feeder. To fill the bird feeder, a user holds the bottle in the inverted position with one hand while attempting to pour the nectar into the opening of the bottle with the other hand. The user then endeavors to secure the base to the end of the bottle with the opening while holding the bottle in this inverted position. Often, such bird feeders have tops and/or hangers that are shaped such that the user is unable to utilize a flat surface to stabilize the bird feeder during this process, thereby increasing the incidence of spillage and further exacerbating these challenges. Further, bird feeders attempting to address these challenges often sacrifice appearance and quality of design, which is an important feature to users.
It is with these observations in mind, among others, that various aspects of the present disclosure were conceived and developed.
Implementations described and claimed herein address the foregoing problems by providing apparatuses and methods for facilitating filling and cleaning of bird feeders that are aesthetically pleasing and adaptable for attracting different types of birds. In one implementation, a bird feeder includes a proximal edge extending around a central line and defining a plane. An outer surface and an inner surface each extends distally from the plane. The inner surface is connected to the outer surface by the proximal edge. An opening is formed by the proximal edge and positioned on the plane. A hanger is disposed distal to and not intersecting the plane, and the hanger assembly has a hanging portion positioned on the central line.
In another implementation, a bird feeder includes a reservoir configured to hold bird nectar. The reservoir has a mouth disposed opposite a planar surface, and the mouth is configured to dispense the nectar from the reservoir into a basin assembly. A hanger assembly has a reservoir engaging portion configured to engage a connecting portion of the reservoir near the planar surface, such that a first connector engaged to a second connector are disposed distal to the planar surface. The hanger is configured to pivot to a folded position with the hanger not protruding past the planar surface.
Other implementations are also described and recited herein. Further, while multiple implementations are disclosed, still other implementations of the presently disclosed technology will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative implementations of the presently disclosed technology. As will be realized, the presently disclosed technology is capable of modifications in various aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the presently disclosed technology. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not limiting.
Aspects of the present disclosure involve apparatuses and methods for facilitating filling and cleaning of bird feeders that are aesthetically pleasing and adaptable for attracting different types of birds. In one aspect, a bird feeder adapted to hold and dispense nectar is provided. The nectar bird feeder includes a bottle, a hanger assembly, and a basin assembly. To facilitate filling and cleaning, the bottle includes a wide mouth opening at a first end of the bottle and a substantially planar surface at an opposite end of the bottle. The hanger assembly is configured to engage the bottle at the end of the bottle having the planar surface, such that the nectar bird feeder is invertable for filing or cleaning by placing either the planar surface of the bottle or a portion of the hanger assembly on a surface, such as a table, to stabilize the bottle. The hanger of the hanger assembly is configured to move such that it does not obstruct the placement of the inverted bird feeder on the surface (e.g., a table). The nectar bird feeder may include various features that may be adapted to attract various nectar feeding birds, for example: hummingbirds, orioles, or the like.
In some aspects, the nectar bird feeder has a decorative, antique appearance with a glass bottle and metal accent finishing to provide an attractive, upscale appearance that is appealing to users. The bottles may be a variety of colors with different engravings or other decorative features. For example, the bird feeders may have features similar to those shown in U.S. Design Patent Application 29/438,289, entitled “Bottle for a Wild Bird Feeder” and filed on Nov. 28, 2012, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
As can be understood from
In one implementation, the reservoir 102 is a bottle that may be made from a variety of materials, including but not limited to glass, metal, ceramics, plastics, or the like, and include one or more decorative features. To increase aesthetic appeal, the reservoir 102 may be made from glass that includes different decorative features, such as color, engraving, or other designs.
In one implementation, the reservoir 102 includes an elongated portion 108, a connecting portion 110, a substantially planar surface 112, and a mouth 114 that may be tapered to accept nectar with minimum spillage. The reservoir 102 may be a variety of shapes and sizes. For example, the elongated portion 108 may be longer along a longitudinal length of the reservoir 102 between the planar surface 112 and the mouth 114 relative a width and depth of the elongated portion 108. Further, the width of the elongated portion 108 may be longer relative to the depth of the elongated portion 108. These example features of the elongated portion 108, together with features of the mouth 114 and the planar surface 112, may create an overall flask-shaped appearance of the reservoir 102. However, other shapes are contemplated, including, without limitation, generally cylindrical, conical, cubical, contoured, angular, or the like. Further, the reservoir 102 may be adapted to hold various capacities of nectar. For example, the reservoir 102 may be adapted to hold approximately 10-25 oz. of nectar. However, other sizes are contemplated that maximize the capacity of nectar without sacrificing the ability to hang the nectar bird feeder 100 in various locations.
In one implementation, the hanger assembly 104 includes a reservoir engaging portion 116 and a hanger 122. The hanger assembly 104 may be made from a variety of materials, including but not limited to metal, glass, ceramics, plastics, or the like, and include one or more decorative features. To increase aesthetic appeal, the hanger assembly 104 may be made from a metal having decorative features, such as color (e.g., pewter), engravings, designs, or the like.
The reservoir engaging portion 116 may be sized and shaped to mirror the size and shape of the reservoir 102, and the hanger 122 may be sized and shaped to adequately hold the nectar bird feeder 100 when suspended. In one implementation, the reservoir engaging portion 116 has a first connector 118 adapted to receive a second connector 120 of the hanger 122. The connectors 118 and 120 may be any engaging feature (e.g, hooks, slots, pegs, ears, and/or the like) that permits the reservoir engaging portion 116 to attach to the hanger 122 in a manner that allows the hanger 122 to pivot, slide, or otherwise move relative to the reservoir engaging portion 116. In one implementation, the hanger 122 includes a hanging portion 124 that permits the hanger 122 to securely attach to an item, such as a tree limb, hook, or the like.
The basin assembly 106 is adapted to permit one or more birds to access the nectar. The basin assembly 106 may be made from a variety of materials, including but not limited to metal, glass, ceramics, plastics, or the like, and include one or more decorative features. To increase aesthetic appeal, the basin assembly 106 may be made from a metal having decorative features, such as color (e.g., pewter), engravings, designs, or the like. In one implementation, the basin assembly 106 includes one or more perches 126, made from a durable integral metal or similar material, corresponding to one or more ports 128 through which a bird may access the nectar. The ports 128 may be removable or replaceable to attract different birds. For example, the ports 128 may be shaped like a flower to attract birds, such as hummingbirds, orioles, or the like, and may include an opening sized to accommodate the beak of the desired bird and prevent insects, such as bees, or animals from accessing the nectar. Orioles have bigger beaks than hummingbirds, so the opening may be larger to accommodate the oriole beak when attracting orioles. Similarly, the number of perches 126 and corresponding ports 128 included in the basin assembly 106 may vary depending on the type of bird attracted. For example, because orioles are larger birds, there may be fewer perches 126 and ports 128 included when attracting orioles than when attracting hummingbirds.
As can be understood from
To engage the hanger assembly 104, the mouth 114 may be inserted or threaded through an opening formed by the reservoir engaging portion 116 and the hanger 122 when placed in a folded position. The hanger assembly 104 is then slid longitudinally along the length of the elongated portion 108 until the reservoir engaging portion 116 engages the connecting portion 110 of the reservoir 102, as shown in
In one implementation, the reservoir engaging portion 116 engages the connecting portion 110 along the elongated portion 108 such that the reservoir engaging portion 116 does not protrude past the planar surface 112 of the reservoir 102. The hanger 122 may then be pivoted or otherwise moved into an upright position (e.g., shown in
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In one implementation, the bottom portion 138 includes an engaging member 144 for engaging the mouth 114. Stated differently, the engaging member 144 may include features to receive and engage the engagers 132, such as helical threads, of the surface 130 of the mouth 114 to close or occlude the reservoir 102. The engaging member 144 may include one or more openings 146 to controllably dispense nectar from the reservoir 102 into a basin 148. The nectar is dispensed using gravity to fill the basin 148 such that one or more birds may access the nectar held in the basin 148 through the one or more ports 126.
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In one implementation, the body 202 includes an outer surface 204 and an inner surface 206 each extending distally from the proximal edge 208 and connected to each other by the proximal edge 208. The outer surface 204 and the inner surface 206 may be sized and shaped to match the size and shape of the reservoir 102. For example, as shown in
The reservoir engaging portion 116 of the hanger assembly 104, as shown in
In one implementation, the hanger assembly 104 includes a moat portion 212 connected to the body 202 within the vessel, such that the moat portion 212 extends from the inner surface 206. The moat portion 212 includes a proximal surface 214 and a distal surface 216. The proximal surface 214 is configured to receive and hold a fluid, such as water, through an opening 218 formed by the proximal edge 208, to capture ants or other pests trying to obtain the nectar, and the distal surface 216 is configured to receive the planar surface 112 of the reservoir 102.
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The cap 300 may be sized and shaped to mirror the size and shape of the connecting portion 110 of the reservoir 102, and the hanger 122 may be sized and shaped to adequately hold the seed bird feeder 200 when suspended. In one implementation, the cap 214 includes the first connector 118 adapted to the second connector 120 of the hanger 220. The first and second connectors 118 and 120 may be any engaging feature that permits the cap 300 to attach to the hanger 122 in a manner that allows the hanger 220 to move between the upright and folded positions. For example, first and second connectors 118 and 120 may each be hooks having openings to engage one another in a manner that permits movement of the hanger 122. In one implementation, the hanger 122 includes the hanging portion 124 that permits the hanger 122 to securely attach to an item, such as a tree limb, hook, or the like.
Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the method can be rearranged while remaining within the disclosed subject matter. The accompanying method claims present elements of the various steps in a sample order and are not necessarily meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.
It is believed that the present disclosure and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components without departing from the disclosed subject matter or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form described is merely explanatory, and it is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
The above specification, examples, and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of example implementations of the invention. Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary implementations discussed without departing from the spirit and scope of the presently disclosed technology. For example, while the implementations described above refer to particular features, the scope of this disclosure also includes implementations having different combinations of features and implementations that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the presently disclosed technology is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations together with all equivalents thereof.
The present application is a continuation of and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/531,925 (the “'925 App”), entitled “Bird Feeder Hanger Assembly” and filed Nov. 3, 2014, which is a continuation of and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to U.S. Design Patent Application No. 29/480,509, entitled “Ant Moat for a Bird Feeder” and filed Jan. 27, 2014, now Pat. No. D729,989, issued May 19, 2015. Further, the '925 application claims benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/899,044, entitled “Bottle and Hanger for a Wild Bird Feeder” and filed on Nov. 1, 2013. Each of these applications is specifically incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61899044 | Nov 2013 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14531925 | Nov 2014 | US |
Child | 16279694 | US | |
Parent | 29480509 | Jan 2014 | US |
Child | 14531925 | US |