Birdfeeder Guards for Excluding Large Birds

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bird feeders fail to effectively prevent larger birds, such as blue jays, from accessing birdseed while allowing smaller birds to feed without obstructing the view, as prior solutions obscure the birds' view or do not extend guards outwardly from the feeder to prevent larger birds from landing.

Innovation Solution

A bird feeder apparatus with a housing, base, hopper, and bird support, featuring a plurality of guards extending outwardly from the hopper to prevent larger birds from landing on the bird support, allowing smaller birds to access the seed while maintaining visibility and preventing larger birds from landing between the guards.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a protective enclosure is used to prevent large birds from accessing birdseed, then large birds are excluded, but the view of birds is obscured

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of large birds accessing birdseedVSAvoidview of birds

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective enclosure is segmented into multiple sections: an upper enclosed portion for storing birdseed and a lower open portion with perches, allowing small birds to access food while maintaining visibility. The guards are also segmented and positioned strategically to block large birds without creating a complete enclosure that would obscure the view.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the feeder have different levels of enclosure and visibility. The upper hopper area is enclosed to protect seed, while the lower feeding area remains open for viewing. The guards provide localized protection at critical landing zones without creating a complete visual barrier.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If guards extend outwardly from the hopper to prevent large birds from landing, then large birds are blocked, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of large birds landingVSAvoidstructure of guards

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guards are extracted as separate, removable components from the main feeder structure. This allows them to be installed and adjusted independently, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while still providing the necessary function of blocking large birds from landing on perches.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The guards are designed to be adjustable and repositionable, allowing users to modify their placement and angle to optimize bird exclusion while maintaining aesthetic appeal and functionality. This dynamic design provides flexibility without requiring a complex fixed structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20240349704A1Birdfeeder for feeding selected birds

Publication Date: 2024.10.24 GRIFFIN MICHAEL

AI summary

A birdfeeder apparatus for preventing large birds from accessing birdseed includes a housing which is configured for holding and dispensing birdseed. The housing includes a bird support configured to support desired birds. A plurality of guards is coupled to and extend outwardly away from the housing. A spacing between adjacent pairs of the plurality of guards has a size configured to obstruct undesired birds larger than the desired birds from landing on the bird support.