Bird Feeder Movable Housing Spring Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bird feeders are ineffective in preventing access by squirrels and other animals from all directions, leading to seed waste and potential feeder damage, as prior designs are either inadequate or overly complex and costly.
Innovation Solution
A bird feeder design featuring an inner and outer housing with a movable reservoir cover system, biased by a compression spring, allowing the feeder to automatically close when a predetermined force is applied from any direction, ensuring access to the seed is restricted.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If moveable covers are used to close feed ports in response to weight, then squirrel resistance is improved, but the feeder cannot resist attacks from above and requires complex mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The feeder is divided into an inner housing containing the seed reservoir and an outer housing that acts as a protective shell. The outer housing includes a top cover, side walls with feed ports, and a base, creating segmented zones that work together to block squirrel access from multiple directions while maintaining simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The outer housing is moveably mounted to enclose the inner housing, with the outer housing acting as a protective shell that can shift position. When squirrels apply force to the outer housing, it moves to close the feed ports, preventing access without requiring complex internal mechanisms
2Reliability
If closing mechanisms are added to prevent animal access, then squirrel resistance is improved, but the mechanisms occupy excessive space and are difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The feeder employs a self-actuating mechanism where the outer housing automatically moves in response to squirrel force application. The feed ports are closed by the natural movement of the outer housing itself, eliminating the need for separate closing mechanisms that would require maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using active mechanisms to open feed ports, the design uses a passive approach where the outer housing naturally closes the ports when moved by squirrel force. The default state allows access, and the protective action is triggered by the intruder's own force
3Reliability
If the outer housing is made stationary to prevent access, then squirrel resistance is improved, but bird access to feed is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The outer housing is designed to be moveably mounted rather than fixed, allowing it to shift position in response to applied force. This dynamic capability enables the housing to close feed ports when squirrels apply force while remaining open during normal bird feeding, automatically adapting to different usage conditions
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 design effectively prevents access from all angles, reducing seed waste and feeder damage while maintaining a cost-effective and easy-to-maintain structure.
Implementation Method 1
A compression spring is operatively connected between the inner base and the outer base for biasing the outer housing into the first position relative to the inner housing, wherein the application of a predetermined force on the outer housing is operative to bias the outer housing into the second position against an elastic return force of the compression spring
Data Source
AI summary
A bird feeder comprises an inner housing including a seed reservoir having at least one feed port defined therethrough, and an inner base supporting the seed reservoir. An outer housing of the feeder is moveably mounted to the inner housing, and includes a reservoir cover arranged over the seed reservoir and defining at least one feed opening. A top cover of the outer housing receives a portion of the inner housing, and an outer base of the outer housing supports the reservoir cover. The outer housing is moveable relative to the inner housing between a first position and a second position. A compression spring is operatively connected between the inner base and the outer base for biasing the outer housing into the first position relative to the inner housing.