Animal husbandry – Feeding device – Timer-controlled
Reexamination Certificate
2003-09-08
2004-07-06
Carone, Michael J. (Department: 3644)
Animal husbandry
Feeding device
Timer-controlled
C119S056100, C119S464000, C119S477000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06758163
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bird feeder for use in connection with the task of feeding birds for commercial and personal breeders and owners. The bird feeder has particular utility in connection with automatically feeding birds at timed intervals, thereby providing a convenience and savings in time for the bird owner or breeder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bird feeders are desirable for reducing the amount of time required to feed birds as well as the frequency of times the feedings need to be repeated. For many years a variety of bird feeders have been available to the consumer. Many feeders are constructed such that a gravity fed container with holes, slits, screens, or other openings allows access to the food supply. This type of feeder allows contamination of the food since the birds can dig in the readily accessible food. In addition, one or more birds may search out a preferred type of seed, digging through the rest of the feed to find this variety.
The use of automatic feeders is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,080 to Gregory R. Koepp discloses an automatic and timed birdfeeder. However, the Koepp '080 patent tends to dump all of the birdseed in a pile rather than spreading the feed out over a larger area for consumption by more birds, and additionally does not provide a means for easily relocating the device once it has been initially secured.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,997 to Arthur P. Ruth discloses an animal feeder that utilizes a storage bin with a chute that empties into a feeding bowl. However, the Ruth '997 patent makes no provision for electronic control of the feeder when the owner is not present; rather it relies on manual control of the motor each time the feeder is used. Additionally, the Ruth '997 device makes no provision for sealing off the hopper, allowing moisture, bugs, and other unwanted elements access to the feed. Thus, the freshness and integrity of the feed can not be preserved. Finally, the Ruth '997 patent makes no provision for easily relocating the device once it has been initially secured.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,535 to Neil W. Curwen discloses a dispensing apparatus that has a horizontal tumbler which receives and dispenses pet food into a tray at the bottom of the device. However, the Curwen '535 patent makes it necessary for a bird to enter an enclosed area to feed, which does not allow the bird to fly to freedom if threatened. Furthermore, the Curwen '535 device makes no provision for easily attaching the device to and detaching it from a bird cage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,862 to Robert L. Pitchford, Jr. discloses a timed automatic pet feed and water dispenser that uses a feed dispensing auger to provide feed to a dish or to mix the feed with water to produce a gravy blend to the dish. However, the addition of a water and feed mixer complicates the device and adds to the manufacturing cost, especially concerning birds since the feed must be kept dry. Additionally, the Pitchford, Jr. '862 patent makes no provision for easily attaching the device to and detaching it from a bird cage.
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 270,011 to Gary L. Gillard and Benjamin F. Gillard discloses the ornamental design for a bird feeder. However, the Gillard, et al. '862 patent makes no provision for electronically controlled automatic feeding.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,376,856 to Huston D. Crippen discloses an automatic stock feeder for delivering a measured quantity of feed to a bowl, trough, or the like. However, the Crippen '856 device is much larger than would be able to attach to a bird cage; thus it does not pertain to the present invention.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a bird feeder that is easily attached to and detached from a conventional birdcage and that allows preset electronic control of the amount of food allotted per feeding and the frequency of feedings. The Koepp '080 patent dumps the birdseed in a pile rather than spreading the feed out over a larger area for consumption by a larger number of birds. Neither the Gillard, et al. '862 nor the Ruth '997 patent provide a means for electronically controlled automatic feeding. Additionally, the Ruth '997 device can not guarantee the integrity of the stored feed since it makes no provision for sealing off the hopper from moisture, bugs, and other unwanted elements. The Curwen '535, Pitchford, Jr. '862, and Crippen '856 patents are not useful as bird feeders. The Curwen '535 device makes it necessary for a bird to enter an enclosed area to feed, which does not allow the bird to fly to freedom if threatened. The addition of a water and feed mixer is not useful for birds in the Pitchford, Jr. '862 device since the feed must be kept dry for birds, and the Crippen '856 device is much larger than would be able to attach to a bird cage. Finally, none of the aforementioned devices provides a means for attaching the feeder to a birdcage and then easily detaching it for repositioning. Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved bird feeder that is easily attached to and detached from a conventional birdcage and that allows preset electronic control of the amount of food allotted per feeding and the frequency of feedings. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the bird feeder according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of automatically feeding caged birds at timed intervals, thereby providing a convenience and savings in time for the bird owner or breeder.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of bird feeders now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved bird feeder, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved bird feeder which has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a bird feeder which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a rectangular housing with a central reservoir featuring a deployment means associated therewith formed of a mill vane having a remotely controlled motor means associated therewith, such that the housing includes a chute extensible therefrom, and wherein the housing is adapted for mounting to a wall or the side of a bird cage.
There have thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
The invention may also include a keypad and display unit which allows the user to preprogram the desired time intervals for feedings. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following
Carone Michael J.
Smith Kimberly S.
LandOfFree
Bird feeder does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Bird feeder, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Bird feeder will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3228844