Transparent hedgehog feeder with integrated cat barrier and rainwater collection system

Abstract

The invention concerns an innovative hedgehog feeder house, manufactured from UV-resistant and durable plastic, specially designed for long-term outdoor use. The feeder house features a transparent design that allows for observation of hedgehogs without disturbing them. Key features include effective cat deterrent, an integrated rainwater collection system, easy maintenance, and an educational and sustainable design. Cat deterrent is achieved through a curved access tube that prevents cats from reaching the hedgehog food. The rainwater collection system ensures that rainwater is drained via the roof to an external drinking trough, keeping the food dry so that rainwater can serve as drinking water. All parts, including a dishwasher-safe feeding bowl, are easy to clean, enabling hygienic use.Additionally, the transparent design promotes education and conservation by enabling the observation of hedgehogs without disturbing them. This concept combines hygiene, sustainability, and functionality to promote the well-being of hedgehogs and increase engagement with their habitat.

Description

PORT CONCERNING RESEARCH INTO THE STATE OF THE ART Patent application 1045007 1 1 classification of the subject : Investigated areas of technology : K5 / 00 A01K PC files: Scope of the investigation: -PATENTS; AbS-NPL Fully um of the investigated conclusions: Uninvestigated conclusions: January 2025 - Relevant literature 2 Citation of literature with indication, where necessary, of relevance to gory conclusion(s) of text passages or figures of particular importance X “Make a simple hedgehog feeder (feeding station) yourself”, [online], 1-5 May 18, 2023, [retrieved on January 20, 2026]. Retrieved from <https: / / weethetsnel.nl / instructie / 2645-Zelf-een-simpel-egel- Make a feed house / feeding station * photo below “8. An anti-cat tube at the feeding station make”; “11. Setting up the hedgehog feeder” * – – – X “Making a hedgehog feeder”, [online], November 11, 2022, 1-5 [retrieved on December 11, 2025]. Retrieved from <https: / / web.archive.org / web / 20221208201931 / https: / www.t uindingen.nl / blog / egels / egels-voederhuis> * entire article * – – – A “Wildlife World HH7 Hoglio Hogilow Hedgehog Home As 1 Featured On Autumn Watch”, [online], January 12, 2012, [retrieved on December 4, 2025]. Retrieved from <https: / / www.amazon.co.uk / dp / B006WL3MLU / ? tag=housebeautiful.co.uk-1&linkCode=ogi&th=1> * entire page * – – – – – Date on which the investigation was completed: The competent official: January 2026 Ing. K. Hagen Netherlands Patent Office part of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency See explanation on the next page. direction: welding areas of engineering: defined according to International Patent Classification (IPC). Generosity of the cited literature: p state of T being of particular importance in itself: literature on theory or not published in time the technical principle underlying the invention in conjunction with other cited literature E: patent literature published on or after the filing a state of the art of particular importance date of the present application and of which the submission date or the priority date is before the something of importance belonging to category X or Y submission date of the present application being state of the art D: mentioned in the application referring to an unrecorded state of affairs e technique L: literature mentioned for other reasons literature published between priority and &: member of the same patent family; corresponding literature submission date WRITTEN OPINION Patent application 1045007 Opening date: Priority date: December 2024 - 1 Applicant: classification of the subject : 1K5 / 00 Chantel Louise Neefjes The written opinion contains an explanation of the following sections: Part I Basis of the written opinion Part II Priority Part III Determination of novelty, inventiveness and industrial applicability not possible Part IV The application relates to more than one invention Part V Reasoned statement regarding novelty, inventiveness and industrial applicability Part VI Other cited documents Part VII Other defects Other comments Part VIII The competent official: Ing. K. Hagen Netherlands Patent Office part of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency Defined according to International Patent Classification (IPC). Written Opinion Patent application 1045007 Part I Basis of the written opinion The written opinion was prepared on the basis of the conclusions submitted on 24 January 2025. Part V Reasoned statement regarding novelty and inventiveness and industrial applicability Declaration Yourself Yes: conclusion(s) 1-5 No: conclusion(s) - ventivity Yes: conclusion(s) - No: conclusion(s) 1-5 Industrial applicability Yes: conclusion(s) 1-5 No: conclusion(s) - Literature and commentary the report concerning the state of the art study become the following publications names: 1: “Make a simple hedgehog feeder (feeding station) yourself”, [online], May 18, 2023, [retrieved on 20 January 2026]. Retrieved from <https: / / weethetsnel.nl / instructie / 2645-Zelf-een-simpel-egel- Make a feed house / feeding station 2: “Making a hedgehog feeder”, [online], November 11, 2022, [retrieved December 11, 2025]. Picked up from <https: / / web.archive.org / web / 20221208201931 / https: / www.tuindingen.nl / blog / hedgehogs / hedgehog-feeder> 3: “Wildlife World HH7 Hoglio Hogilow Hedgehog Home As Featured On Autumn Watch”, [online], January 12, 2012, [retrieved on December 4, 2025]. Retrieved from <https: / / www.amazon.co.uk / dp / B006WL3MLU / ?tag=housebeautiful.co.uk- 1&linkCode=ogi&th=1> current D1 Current D1 was last modified on 18 May 2023, and is therefore published before the submission date. the present application. reveals a hedgehog feeder house consisting of a transparent, easy-to-clean housing a plastic, with an integrated curved access tube and a removable roof / lid, see with name the photo under the heading “8. Making an anti-cat tube at the feeding station”. That the plastic UV- What is stable is not explicitly known from D1, and conclusion 1 is therefore new compared to D1. This Written Opinion Patent application 1045007 material selection, however, is one of the normal, obvious possibilities suitable for external use, and such a choice requires no inventive effort. Conclusion 1 is therefore not sensitive to D1 and general professional knowledge. additional characteristic measure of claim 2, that an external drinking water bowl is provided Why the hedgehog food stays dry is known from D1, see the heading “11. Setting up the hedgehog feeder”. Conclusion 2 differs from what is known from D1 in that the roof / lid is designed to drain rainwater. towards the external drinking bowl. since the drinking bowl known from D1 is provided externally, the drinking bowl will already somewhat be filled with rainwater the moment it rains. Assuming D1 as the nearest and of the technology, the differential measure has the effect that more rainwater will be collected birds in the external drinking bowl when it rains. The problem that, based on the the closest state of the art that needs to be solved in this regard is: how to ensure that more rainwater will be collected in the external drinking bowl when it rains. The Discharging rainwater into an external collection system is common knowledge, see for example the collecting rainwater from a roof into a rain barrel, and therefore it stands to reason to to design a lid to drain rainwater to the external drinking trough. Conclusion 2 is why not inventive with respect to D1 and general professional knowledge. Inclusions 3 and 5 relate only to possible material choices for ease of cleaning and suitability. or outdoor use, without specifying these materials. A suitable material choice for this is n of the normal obvious possibilities. Conclusions 3 and 5 are therefore not sensitive to D1 and general professional knowledge. Conclusion 4 relates only to a desired effect that is already achieved by the technical measures of Conclusion 1. Conclusion 4 therefore adds no technical measures. Conclusion is therefore not inventive with respect to D1 for the same reasons as conclusion 1. current D2 reveals a hedgehog feeder that is similar to the hedgehog feeder as known from D1. The same reasoning regarding all conclusions with respect to D1 therefore applies to view of D2. cument D3 current D3 shows a hedgehog house, which was first available on January 12, 2012, suitable or hibernation of the hedgehog, and is added only to illustrate the shape of the hedgehog house with an integrated curved access tube and a removable roof / lid. Written Opinion Patent application 1045007 Part VIII Other remarks the following remarks regarding the clarity of the conclusions, description and figures, with regard to the question whether the conclusions are workable, the following are made: The conclusions in the current application are all presented as independent conclusions. In the Based on the description, conclusions 2-5 appear to concern dependent measures. For the purpose of The research assumed that conclusions 2-5 are each dependent on independent Conclusion 1.