Bird Feeder Cable Reel for Adjustable Hanging Height
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of bird feeders face difficulties in determining the appropriate hanging height and length of weatherproof cords, requiring reliable knots and repeated adjustments for different feeder locations and heights, which can be inconvenient and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A bird feeder design featuring a concentrically constructed feed hopper with a cable reel that includes a locking mechanism and a spring-wound recoil system, allowing for adjustable and easy hanging, balancing, and repositioning without the need for tying knots, with a housing for aesthetic purposes and a dish-like member serving as a bird perch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-length weatherproof cord is used to hang the bird feeder, then the hanging height is stable and reliable, but the user cannot easily adjust the hanging height or reposition the feeder
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by replacing the fixed-length cord with a retractable cable reel mechanism that allows dynamic adjustment of cable length. The cable reel can extend to allow the feeder to hang at different heights and retract to manage the cable automatically, transforming a static hanging system into a dynamic one that adapts to user needs while maintaining neat cable management.
2Ease of operation
If a long weatherproof cord is used to allow height adjustment, then the hanging height is flexible, but the cord management becomes complicated and knots are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the self-service principle through the retractable cable reel mechanism that automatically manages the cable. When the feeder is moved or the cable is released, the spring-loaded reel automatically winds the cable back, eliminating the need for manual knot-tying and complex cord management. The system serves itself by automatically organizing the cable as it is used.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the cable reel is not centered, then the mounting is simple, but the bird feeder becomes unbalanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the balance issue by ensuring the cable reel is positioned centrally on the feeder housing, creating a symmetric arrangement. This central positioning ensures that the cable exits evenly from the center of the feeder, preventing any rotational imbalance or uneven weight distribution that would occur with off-center mounting, while still allowing for straightforward installation through standardized mounting holes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables users to easily hang and reposition bird feeders at desired heights and locations, reducing the complexity of cord management and allowing for experimentation with different settings while maintaining weatherproof integrity.
Implementation Method 1
the cable reel may be a spring wound reel adapted to recoil the cable with release of the locking mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A bird feeder provides a feed hopper constructed concentrically around a vertical central axis and having a plurality of feeding ports evenly distributed around the central axis, and a cable reel mounted to the feed hopper and adapted to store and provide a cable for supporting the bird feeder along the central axis.