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US 7,946,249 B2Granted
Nectar feeder with float and valve
AssigneeAspects, Inc.
InventorsBarry D. Colvin, David Guay, Rolf Richter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is a nectar feeder for birds. The nectar feeder has a container for storing nectar feed. A base tray is attached to the container and connected in fluid communication with the container. A float is positioned between the container and the base tray. A ball is positioned on the float. The ball regulates the fluid communication between the container and the base tray. In operation, the nectar feed flows through the container and into the base tray until the float rises to a level where the ball prevents fluid from flowing into the base tray.
Claims18
A nectar feeder, comprising:
- a container for storing nectar feed having a top end and a bottom end, an exit port defined on the bottom end thereof;
- a base tray threadably attached to the container and connected in fluid communication with the container, the base tray having at least one vertical member depending upwardly from the base tray, the at least one vertical member having a height greater or equal to the height of the base tray and being non-circular in cross-section;
- a float positioned between the container and the base tray, the float defining a non-circular float aperture therethrough for slidably engaging an outer periphery of said at least one vertical member, the float being keyed to the at least one vertical member to prevent independent lateral movement and rotation of the float in any direction;
- a stopper carried entirely and integrally formed within the float, said stopper respectively positioned below the exit port;
- and
- whereby the nectar feed flows through the container and into the base tray until the float rises to a level where the stopper temporarily engages the exit port to prevent fluid from flowing into the base tray;
- the stopper being maintained in vertical alignment with the exit port.
4 more elements
A nectar feeder, comprising:
- a container for containing nectar feed having a top end and a bottom end, an exit port defined in the bottom end thereof, a lower periphery of the container having at least one thread;
- a base tray having at least one vertical member extending from the base tray, the vertical member has a top, middle, and bottom portion, the bottom portion attached to the top surface of the base tray, the middle portion of the member defining a shape for receiving the bottom end of the container, the top portion of the member includes a partial thread which threadably engages the thread on the lower periphery of the container;
- a float positioned between the container and the base tray, the float defining a float hole for slidably engaging the vertical member, the float containing a stopper respectively positioned below the exit port, the float being keyed to the at least one vertical member to prevent independent lateral movement and rotation of the float in any direction;
- and
- whereby the nectar feed flows through the exit port and into the base tray until the float rises to a level where the stopper sealingly engages the exit port to prevent nectar feed from flowing through the exit port;
- the stopper being maintained in vertical alignment with the exit port.
3 more elements
A nectar feeder, comprising:
- a container for containing nectar feed having a top end and a bottom end, an exit port defined in the bottom end thereof;
- a base tray attached about the bottom end of the container, the base tray having at least one vertical member depending upwardly from the base tray;
- the at least one vertical member being non-circular in cross-section;
- a float positioned between the container and the base tray, the float defining a non-circular float aperture therethrough for slidably engaging an outer periphery of said at least one vertical member, the float keyed to the at least one vertical member to prevent independent lateral movement and rotation of the float in any direction, the float containing a stopper respectively positioned below the exit port;
- and
- whereby the nectar feed flows through the exit port and into the base tray until the float rises to a level where the stopper sealingly engages the exit port to prevent nectar feed from flowing through the exit port;
- the stopper being maintained in vertical alignment with the exit port.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.