Bird Feeder Moveable Shield Adjusting Tray Gap

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bird feeders fail to effectively exclude larger, undesirable bird species such as pigeons and starlings, which consume excessive feed and are not considered attractive, from feeding.

Innovation Solution

A bird feeder design featuring a seed container, cover, seed tray, and a moveable shield that can be adjusted to restrict access based on bird size, allowing only certain-sized birds to access the seed tray by controlling the distance between the shield and the tray.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a fixed shield is used to exclude large birds, then large undesirable birds are prevented from feeding, but smaller desirable birds may also be blocked depending on shield position

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexclusion of large undesirable birdsVSAvoidadjustment for different bird sizes

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The shield is made movable along the seed container wall, allowing the distance between the shield and seed tray to be adjusted dynamically. This enables the feeder to adapt to different bird sizes by repositioning the shield, resolving the contradiction between excluding large birds and allowing small birds access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The distance parameter between the shield and seed tray is made variable through the movable shield mechanism. By changing this distance parameter, the feeder can selectively allow or prevent access for different bird sizes, achieving both exclusion of large birds and accommodation of small birds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of substance

If the shield is positioned close to the seed tray to exclude large birds, then feed consumption by undesirable birds is reduced, but access for small desirable birds is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefeed consumption by undesirable birdsVSAvoidaccess for desirable birds

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The movable shield allows the distance to be optimized for each feeding session - positioned close to the tray when large bird exclusion is the priority, and moved away when small bird access is needed, thus dynamically balancing feed protection with bird access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The shield is divided into multiple segments or sections that can be independently positioned, allowing selective adjustment of the shield-tray distance to control access for different bird sizes while maintaining feed protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If a moveable shield is introduced to control bird size access, then selective feeding is enabled, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol of bird size accessVSAvoidshield mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shield mechanism uses simple movable components along the seed container wall rather than complex automated systems. This provides the necessary adaptability for size-selective feeding while keeping the device structure relatively simple and easy to maintain.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9265237B2Bird feeder with moveable shield

Publication Date: 2016.02.23 BROME BIRD CARE

AI summary

A bird feeder which comprises a seed container, a cover, a seed tray below the seed container to receive seeds therefrom, and a shield which is secured to the seed container, the shield being spaced above said seed tray a distance sized to restrict access of certain sized birds to the seed tray.