IP Library Granted Patent US 11,051,494
Granted Patent B2
US 11,051,494 · App. 15/705,022 · Granted Jul 6, 2021

Systems and methods for facilitating seed feeder filling

Inventors: Robert W. Donegan (Denver, CO); Bryan Krueger (Denver, CO); John Bruno (Parker, CO); Lindsey Nifong (Denver, CO); John Putz (Fountain City, WI); Stephen Combs (Denver, CO); Lynn Hunter (Parker, CO)
Assignee: CLASSIC BRANDS, LLC
A01K39/012A01K39/01B65B7/2842B65D43/163B65D43/24B65D51/242
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,051,494
App. No.
15/705,022
Granted
Jul 6, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A bird feeding system that can be filled after pressing a release button on a cap assembly connected to a body that includes a reservoir. The cap assembly may be opened to provide access to the reservoir. A lid of the cap assembly is released by depressing a first side of the release button. The lid is moved from a closed position to an open position using a bias of a spring assembly upon the release of the lid. The lid moves from the closed position to the open position along a rotation path created by a hinge at a second side. The lid is held in the open position by the spring bias, and the open position provides access to the reservoir through the cap opening. Birdseed is received through the cap opening into the reservoir.

Claims (26)

1. A method for easy filling a bird feeder, the method comprising:

receiving a depression of a release button on a cap assembly, the cap assembly having a cap base connected to a body at a proximal end using a mount, the body defining a reservoir of the bird feeder, the mount including a lid arm extending proximally along an inner surface of the cap base and releasably connecting a lid to the cap base at a first side in a closed position, the release button being disposed on the lid arm and extending through a releaser opening defined in the cap base, the depression of the release button displacing the lid arm inwardly into a cap opening and away from the cap base, the cap opening providing access to the reservoir;

a disconnecting the lid of the cap assembly from the first side of the cap base in response to the lid arm displacing inwardly upon the depression of the release button;

moving the lid from the closed position to an open position using a bias of a spring assembly upon the release of the lid, the lid moving from the closed position to the open position along a rotation path created by a hinge at a second side of the cap base, the lid held in the open position by the spring bias, the open position providing access to the reservoir through the cap opening; and

receiving birdseed through the cap opening into the reservoir when the lid is in the open position.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an external force against the lid, the external force moving the lid from the opening position to the closed position; and

connecting the lid at the first side of the cap base by engaging the lid arm of the mount, the lid arm holding the lid in the closed position.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lid includes a latch that releasably connects to the lid arm in the closed position.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the external force is created by at least a portion of a single hand.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cap assembly includes a roof extending outwardly transverse to a length of the body.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hinge includes a pin inserted through at least one lid protrusion and at least one cap base protrusion.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the body includes one or more access ports disposed along a length of the body and providing access to the reservoir.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein one or more perches are disposed relative to the one or more access ports.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the one or more perches includes a surface having a perch opening and a projection, the surface and the projection being continuous.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cap assembly is connected to an adjustable hanger.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the birdseed is received through the cap opening from a spout of a birdseed tote into the reservoir.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the birdseed tote includes a tote body having a neck shaped to direct the birdseed from a bottom of a tote interior into the reservoir through the spout when the tote body is oriented at an angle of ninety degrees or less relative to the cap opening.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the neck extends from front ends of a pair of opposing side walls, and the neck, the pair of opposing sidewalls, a back wall connecting back ends of the pair opposing sidewalls, and a distal surface connecting the distal ends of the pair of opposing sidewalls forms the tote body.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the tote body has a proximal edge extending along a plane, the neck including a neck surface extending along a contour from the distal surface to the spout, an axis line of the spout extending parallel to the plane of the proximal edge of the tote body, the neck surface directing the birdseed from the distal surface through an opening in the spout into the reservoir without an orientation of the plane extending past the angle of ninety degrees or less to the cap opening.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the distal surface is placed on a lid of second birdseed tote in a storage position.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the tote body is placed in an interior of a second tote body in a nested positon.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the birdseed tote includes a handle.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the depression of the release button is created by at least a portion of a first hand of a single user while the birdseed tote is held with the handle by a second hand of the single user.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cap base is secured to the mount using one or more side arms.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mount is connected to the body at the proximal end using a hanging rod.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: CLASSIC BRANDS, LLC
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 060329/0972 →
RELEASE OF PATENTS Recorded Apr 27, 2022
From: CIBC BANK USA
To: CLASSIC BRANDS, LLC
Reel/Frame 059807/0829 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 30, 2021
From: PUTZ, JOHN
To: CLASSIC BRANDS, LLC
Reel/Frame 056723/0262 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2019
From: MEDALLION CAPITAL, INC.
To: CLASSIC BRANDS, LLC
Reel/Frame 048741/0849 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 24, 2019
From: CLASSIC BRANDS, LLC
To: CIBC BANK USA
Reel/Frame 050454/0151 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 20, 2019
From: DONEGAN, ROBERT; KRUEGER, BRYAN; NIFONG, LINDSEY; COMBS, STEPHEN; BRUNO, JOHN; HUNTER, LYNN
To: CLASSIC BRANDS, LLC
Reel/Frame 048647/0265 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation In Part PCTUS2016023471 · Mar 21, 2016
Continuation In Part 29550881 · Jan 7, 2016
Provisional Application 62534006 · Jul 18, 2017
Provisional Application 62135618 · Mar 19, 2015
Related Publication 20180000052A1 · Jan 4, 2018