Solar powered bird feeder

• US 7,168,392 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LakeSouth Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: World Factory Incorporated
• Inventors: Kuelbs, Gregory G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins; Timothy D.
• Application Number:
  US11/342,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20060118056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 119/452, 119/52.2, 119/57.8, 119/428, 119/429, 119/52.3, 119/57.9
• US Class Current: 119/452
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 39/00 Feeding or drinking appliances for poultry or other birds A01K31/005, A01K31/06, A01K31/17 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 39/012 filling automatically , e.g. by gravity from a reserve
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 39/014 Feed troughs; Feed throwers

Abstract

A bird feeder having a rechargeable electrical power source and a solar energy system that collects solar energy, converts it into electrical energy, and uses the electrical energy to recharge the rechargeable electrical power source is disclosed. The rechargeable electrical power source can be used to power a wide variety of electrical devices, such as microphones, radio receivers or transmitters, cameras, audio recording and playback devices, video recording and playback devices, loud speakers, lighting elements, timing devices, remote controls, motors, etc.

Claims

1. A bird feeder, comprising:

a canopy portion;

a perch portion suspended below the canopy portion;

a rechargeable electrical power source;

a solar energy system carried by said canopy portion and conductively coupled to the electrical charging system for collecting solar energy, converting the solar energy into electrical energy, and transferring the electrical energy to the electrical charging system; and

an LED lighting subsystem attached to said canopy portion and located above the perch portion, the LED lighting system being electrically coupled to said rechargeable electrical power source for receiving electrical energy therefrom and for illuminating at least a portion of said bird feeder so that said bird feeder is visible in low light conditions.

2. A bird feeder according to claim 1, further comprising:

a mechanical subsystem for releasably connecting together the canopy portion and the perch portion.

3. A bird feeder according to claim 1, further comprising:

an electrical charging system conductively couple to the rechargeable electrical power source for recharging the rechargeable electrical power source.

4. The bird feeder according to claim 1, further comprising:

a photoresistor conductively coupled to the rechargeable electrical power source for activating and deactivating the rechargeable electrical power source depending upon the amount of light hitting the photoresistor.

5. A bird feeder, comprising:

a canopy portion;

a non-conducting perch portion operably associated with said canopy such that said canopy portion is above and extends over substantially all of said perch portion when the bird feeder is positioned for use;

a rechargeable electrical power source;

a solar energy system conductively coupled to the electrical charging system for collecting solar energy, converting the solar energy into electrical energy, and transferring the electrical energy to the electrical charging system;

a photoresistor conductively coupled to the rechargeable electrical power source for activating and deactivating the rechargeable electrical power source depending upon the amount of light hitting the photoresistor; and

an LED electrical subsystem carried by said bird feeder and electrically coupled to said rechargeable electrical power source for receiving electrical energy therefrom and for illuminating said perch portion so that said perch portion is visible in low light conditions.

6. A bird feeder according to claim 5 wherein said solar energy system is carried by said canopy portion.

7. A bird feeder according to claim 5 further comprising:

an electrical charging system conductively coupled to the rechargeable electrical power source for recharging the rechargeable electrical power source.

8. A canopy for a bird feeder, comprising:

a rechargeable electrical power source;

an electrical charging system conductively coupled to the rechargeable electrical power source for recharging the rechargeable electrical power source;

a solar energy system conductively coupled to the electrical charging system for collecting solar energy, converting the solar energy into electrical energy, and transferring the electrical energy to the electrical charging system;

a photoresistor conductively coupled to the rechargeable electrical power source for activating and deactivating the rechargeable electrical power source depending upon the amount of light hitting the photoresistor; and

an electrical subsystem coupled to said rechargeable electrical power source for receiving electrical energy therefrom, including at least one LED light.

9. A canopy according to claim 8 further comprising:

a housing adapted to receive a food reservoir extending below the canopy.

10. A canopy according to claim 8 further comprising:

a mechanical subsystem for releasably connecting a food reservoir to the canopy.

11. A canopy according to claim 8 further comprising:

a mechanical subsystem for releasably connecting a perch to the canopy.

12. An electrical subsystem carried by a bird feeder comprising:

a rechargeable electrical power source;

an electrical charging system conductively coupled to the rechargeable electrical power source for recharging the rechargeable electrical power source;

a solar energy system conductively coupled to the electrical charging system for collecting solar energy, converting the solar energy into electrical energy, and transferring the electrical energy to the electrical charging system;

a photoresistor conductively coupled to the rechargeable electrical power source for activating and deactivating the rechargeable electrical power source depending upon the amount of light hitting the photoresistor; and

a decorative lighting system adapted to be attached at an upper portion of a bird feeder and coupled to said rechargeable electrical power source for receiving electrical energy therefrom as directed by the photoresistor in low light situations.

13. The electrical subsystem of claim 12 wherein the decorative lighting system further comprises:

an LED light positioned to decoratively illuminate a bird feeder.

14. The electrical subsystem of claim 12 wherein the decorative lighting system further comprises:

a plurality of LED lights arranged to decoratively illuminate a bird feeder.