Removable Bird Feeder Tray With Auto-Sealing Food Hopper
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bird feeders contribute to the spread of diseases like trichomonosis, salmonella, and aspergillosis due to contamination from regurgitated food, and are difficult to clean effectively without wasting food.
Innovation Solution
A bird feeder design with a removable feeding tray that can be locked and unlocked via a mechanical mechanism, allowing for easy cleaning and minimizing contamination by separating the stored food from the feeding area, which can be treated with disinfectants or desiccation without waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If the feeder uses a large hopper to store food for many months, then food availability is improved, but cleaning difficulty increases and food waste occurs when cleaning is necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The feeder is divided into two separate components: a bulk hopper for long-term food storage and a removable feeding tray for actual bird feeding. This segmentation allows the bulk hopper to remain sealed and clean for months, while only the feeding tray needs periodic cleaning, resolving the contradiction between long storage duration and cleaning ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The feeding tray is extracted as a separate removable component from the bulk hopper. This allows the tray to be easily removed and cleaned independently without affecting the bulk food supply in the hopper, enabling frequent cleaning of the feeding area without wasting stored food.
2Extent of automation
If the feeder allows continuous food flow from hopper to tray, then feeding automation is improved, but disease spread risk increases due to contamination on the tray
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the bulk hopper from the feeding tray, the system maintains automated food flow while creating a distinct boundary between clean stored food and potentially contaminated feeding areas. The tray can be removed and disinfected separately, breaking the disease transmission cycle while preserving feeding automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable tray allows for periodic disposal of contaminated food and thorough cleaning/disinfection of the feeding surface. This periodic recovery and sanitization of the feeding area eliminates disease buildup while maintaining continuous automated feeding through the bulk hopper.
3Ease of operation
If the tray is made removable for cleaning, then cleaning ease is improved, but device complexity increases due to locking mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to automatically engage when the tray is placed on the hopper and automatically disengage when the tray is removed. This self-service locking system eliminates the need for manual locking operations, providing secure attachment during feeding while enabling easy removal for cleaning without adding operational complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A bird feeder (10) comprises a main body (12) including a food hopper (14), and a removable tray (20). The tray (20) may be removed from the main body (12), and when the tray (20) is removed apertures at the bottom of the main body (12) are automatically closed, sealing the main body (12) and preventing food from falling out. When the tray (20) is attached, the apertures are automatically opened. The tray (20) of the bird feeder (10) can therefore be removed very easily for cleaning. Another tray 20 may be provided for installation on the main body (12) while the first tray (20) is being cleaned. Cleaning may be for example by soaking in disinfectant for a few days, or drying out over a similar period. These treatments are effective to kill Trichomonas gallinae, thus limiting the spread of trichomonosis among garden birds, especially greenfinches.