Top-fill hummingbird feeder with float valve base closure mechanism

Abstract

A top-fill hummingbird feeder is provided having a liquid container with a liquid flow opening at a lower end and a removable cap at an upper end, a feeding basin positioned below the liquid container, and a valve or sealing mechanism associated with the liquid flow opening and the feeding basin. The feeding basin includes an upwardly extending cylindrical well that receives the lower end of the liquid container, and the valve or sealing mechanism includes a float valve associated with the well. The feeding basin is filled by gravity feed of the liquid in the container through the liquid flow opening when the sealing mechanism is open. When the feeding basin reaches a full position, the liquid nectar raises the float valve which, in turn, acts to close the liquid flow opening.

1 . A top-fill hummingbird feeder comprising:
 a liquid container with a liquid flow opening at a lower end and a removable cap at an upper end;   a feeding basin positioned below the liquid container; and   a sealing mechanism associated with the liquid flow opening of the liquid container and the feeding basin, said sealing mechanism including a float valve which, when the float valve is in a first position, said liquid flow opening is opened allowing fluid to flow from said container into said basin and, when the float valve is in a second position, said liquid flow opening is closed to prevent fluid flow from said container into said basin.   
     
     
         2 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said float valve includes a float, a seal, and a lever arm connected to said float, said lever arm engaged with and moving said seal in at least one direction in response to substantially vertical movement of said float. 
     
     
         3 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said lever arm moves said seal up and down to place said float valve in said first and second positions, respectively. 
     
     
         4 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said lever arm moves said seal upwardly to place said float valve in said first position. 
     
     
         5 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said sealing mechanism includes an upwardly extending cylindrical well that receives the lower end of the liquid container, said lever arm being pivotally mounted in a central area thereof to said well and having a first end positioned under said seal and a second end pivotally connected to said float such that upward movement of said float results in downward movement of said first end, and downward movement of said float results in upward movement of said first end. 
     
     
         6 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein said seal includes a plug mounted on a post, said lever arm being coupled to a lower end of said post to move said plug and post together, said plug having an inverted truncated conical shape that engages a complementary sloped inner surface of said well to close said liquid flow opening in said second position. 
     
     
         7 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein said seal includes a sealing plate having a hole therein and a plug that extends through said hole and with respect to which said plug is vertically movable. 
     
     
         8 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said plug includes a post and an enlarged head, said post having an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of said hole so as to pass therethrough, said enlarged head having an outer diameter greater than said hole inner diameter, fluid that passes from said container into said feeding basin when said float valve is in the first position passing around said plug and through said hole. 
     
     
         9 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said enlarged head has a lower surface that sealingly engages with an upper surface of said sealing plate to close said hole when said float valve is in said second position. 
     
     
         10 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein said head lower surface is spaced above said sealing plate upper surface when said float valve is in said first position, allowing fluid to enter said hole. 
     
     
         11 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said float valve includes a float and a plug, with substantially vertical movement of said float causing substantially vertical movement of said plug. 
     
     
         12 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said float and said plug are coupled to one another and move upwardly and downwardly together in response to changing fluid level in said feeding basin. 
     
     
         13 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said float is coupled to a lever arm having a first end that is positioned to move said plug upwardly when said float moves downwardly. 
     
     
         14 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said first end of said lever arm is coupled to said plug to move said plug both upwardly and downwardly in response to downward and upward movement of said float, respectively. 
     
     
         15 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said cap has a vent hole to subject liquid in said liquid container to atmospheric pressure during use of said feeder. 
     
     
         16 . A top-fill hummingbird feeder comprising:
 a liquid container with a liquid flow opening at a lower end and a removable cap at an upper end through which said liquid container is filled with liquid nectar;   a feeding basin positioned below the liquid flow opening of said liquid container to receive said liquid nectar passing through said liquid flow opening; and   a sealing mechanism associated with the liquid container and the feeding basin, said sealing mechanism including an upwardly extending generally cylindrical well in said feeding basin that receives the lower end of said liquid container, and a float valve including a plug operative with said well to open and close said liquid flow opening by moving vertically between two positions and a float that moves upwardly and downwardly in response to changing fluid level in said feeding basin, said float controlling at least one direction of movement of said plug.   
     
     
         17 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said float is coupled to an arm that is pivotally mounted to said well with a first end of said arm positioned below said plug such that downward movement of said float brings said first arm end upwardly into engagement with said plug to move said plug upwardly to open said liquid flow opening. 
     
     
         18 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein said sealing mechanism further includes a sealing plate positioned generally horizontally in said container lower end and having a hole therein that defines said liquid flow opening, said plug having a first portion extending through said hole that has an outer diameter smaller than said hole so as to be vertically movable therein, and an enlarged second portion that is larger than said hole positioned above an upper surface of the sealing plate. 
     
     
         19 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said plug is vertically movable between an upper position and a lower position relative to said plate, said second enlarged portion having a lower surface that sealingly engages with the upper surface of said sealing plate to close said hole when said plug is in said lower position, said plug moving to said lower position in response to fluid pressure in said container and gravity once the first arm is disengaged from the plug by upward movement of the float. 
     
     
         20 . The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said cap has a vent hole to subject liquid in said liquid container to atmospheric pressure during use of said feeder.