MAIL BOXES

• US 20140346221A1
• Filed: 05/23/2014
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Linda J. Pendergast
• Original Assignee: Linda J. Pendergast
• Inventors: Pendergast, Linda J.
• Application Number:
  US14/286,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20140346221A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 232/34
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/12 Mail or newspaper receptacles, e.g. letter-boxes; Openings in doors or the like for delivering mail or newspapers A47G29/14 takes precedence ; for desktop use B42F7/10; chutes for mail in buildings B65G11/04
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/12095 comprising a chute and a separate outlet door
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/1212 comprising electrical parts

Abstract

The invention is an improved mailbox in which a sectional roll-up type door, in addition to enhancing the aesthetic appeal, facilitates access to the mail box contents, can be used in a weather-resistant way at the side or rear to avoid standing in traffic, and can also be used as a platform for insulation, solar collection, displays, lighting and various types of sensing of conditions at the interior of the mailbox such as the presence or absence of mail. The sectional door moves along parallel tracks that are mounted in the interior of the box.

Claims

1. ) An improved mailbox, comprising:

a) a housing that defines a mail receiving portion and a mail retrieval portion wherein;

i) the mail receiving portion is selected from the group consisting of an upright doorway, a slot, a chute, a drawer, a hopper and a rotating drum; and

ii) the mail retrieval portion is an upright doorway selected from the group consisting of the mail receiving doorway and a non-receiving doorway;

b) a sectional roll-up type door, wherein;

i) the door comprises sections that are pivotably attached to one another in a serial fashion;

ii) the door comprises track-riding means that are affixed at opposite lateral edges of the door;

iii) when closed, the door fills the mail retrieval doorway; and

iv) when open, the door is suspended in the interior of the housing; and

c) two parallel tracks that are mounted on opposite sides of the housing'"'"'s interior, each track comprising a closure zone and a non-closure zone;

wherein the track-riding means of the sectional door are movably constrained within the parallel tracks thereby allowing the sectional door to be rolled up or down, wherein the door is fully closed when completely aligned with the parallel tracks'"'"' respective closure zones and fully open completely aligned with the parallel tracks'"'"' respective non-closure zones.

2. ) The mailbox of claim 1, wherein:

a) the sectional door further comprises a first portion of a lock;

b) the housing comprises a second portion of a lock;

c) when the sectional door is closed, the first and second portions of the lock are juxtaposed in an orientation from which they are interlockable by engaging the lock from the exterior of the housing.

3. ) The mailbox of claim 1, wherein one or more sections of the sectional door further defines a slot for receipt of inserted mail.

4. ) The mailbox of claim 1, wherein:

a) the mailbox is a curbside mail box having a front that faces a road;

b) the mail receiving portion is located at the front of the mailbox;

c) the mail retrieval portion is a non-receiving doorway located at a side or back of the mailbox; and

d) the sectional door, when closed, fills the mail retrieval doorway.

5. ) The mailbox of claim 1, wherein the sectional door comprises thermally insulating portions.

6. ) The mailbox of claim 1, wherein an exterior surface of a section of the sectional door comprises a feature that is selected from the group consisting of:

a solar panel that is exposed to ambient daylight or artificial light, when present, when the sectional door is in a partially or fully closed state; and

a status display that indicates a change in condition in the interior of the box.

7. ) The mailbox of claim 1, wherein an interior surface of the sectional door comprises a feature that is selected from the group consisting of a motion sensor, a pressure sensor, a clear path sensor, a temperature sensor, a moisture sensor, a lock sensor, and a lighting source.

8. ) The mailbox of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an overhang that extends at least one of the mail receiving portion and mail retrieval portion.

9. ) The mailbox of claim 1, wherein the track riding means are selected from the group consisting of rollers, gliders, pins and rails.

10. ) The mailbox of claim 1, further comprising a delivery indication flag drat is pivotally or slidably mounted on one side of the exterior of the housing.

11. ) The mailbox of claim 1, further comprising a handle affixed to an exterior portion of the sectional door.

12. ) The mailbox of claim 1, further comprising a door that is pivotably attached to the exterior of the housing, such that the door, when closed, covers a feature selected from the group consisting of a non-receiving doorway, a mail receiving doorway, a mail receiving slot, a mail receiving chute, a mail receiving drawer, a mail receiving hopper and a mail receiving rotatable drum.

13. ) The mailbox of claim 1, wherein:

a) the tracks define parallel complete convex arches from one side of the mail box to the other; and

b) the sectional door is insulated and sufficiently long that, when closed, the sectional door arches from one side to the other of the interior of the mail box and, when open, a portion of the sectional door is suspended below the opposite portion of the mail box.

14. ) The mailbox of claim 1, wherein the tracks define parallel concave arches, such that when the sectional door is open a portion of the sectional door rests near the bottom of the mail box.

15. ) The mailbox of claim 1, wherein:

a) the mail receiving portion is located at an upper front side of the mailbox;

b) the mail retrieval portion comprises a non-receiving doorway located at a lower portion of the front side of the mailbox; and

c) when closed, the sectional door fills the non-receiving doorway.

16. ) The mailbox of claim 1, wherein the mailbox is selected from the group consisting of a curbside mailbox mounted on a post, a mailbox in a community mail station, and a mailbox mounted on the wall of a building.

17. ) The mailbox of claim 1, wherein the housing, apart from its sectional door and mail retrieval portion, has a profile that falls within a United States Postal Service category that is selected from the group consisting of traditional, contemporary and locking mailboxes.

18. ) The mailbox of claim 1, wherein at least one of the housing and the sectional door is primarily comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, polymers, wood, glasses and ceramics.

19. ) An improved mailbox, comprising:

a) a housing that defines a mail receiving portion that is an upright doorway;

b) a sectional roll-up type door, wherein;

i) the door comprises sections that are pivotably attached to one another in a serial fashion;

ii) the door comprises track-riding means that are affixed at opposite lateral edges of the door;

iii) when closed, the door fills the mail retrieval doorway; and

iv) when open, the door is suspended in the interior of the housing;

c) two parallel tracks that are mounted on opposite sides of the housing'"'"'s interior, each track comprising a closure zone and a non-closure zone; and

d) a delivery indication flag that is pivotably or slidably mounted on one side of the exterior of the housing.

wherein the track-riding means of the sectional door are movably constrained within the parallel tracks thereby allowing the sectional door to be rolled up or down, wherein the door is fully closed when completely aligned with the parallel tracks'"'"' respective closure zones and fully open completely aligned with the parallel tracks'"'"' respective non-closure zones.

20. ) An improved mailbox, comprising:

a) a housing that defines a mail receiving portion and a mail retrieval portion wherein;

i) the mail receiving portion is located at a front side of the mailbox and is selected from the group consisting of an upright doorway, a slot, a chute, a drawer, a hopper, and a rotatable drum; and

ii) the mail retrieval portion is an upright non-receiving doorway located at a lateral or rear side of the mailbox;

b) a sectional roll-up type door, wherein;

i) the door comprises sections that are pivotably attached to one another in a serial fashion;

ii) the door comprises track-riding means that are affixed at opposite lateral edges of the door;

iii) when closed, the door fills the mail retrieval doorway; and

iv) when open, the door is suspended in the interior of the housing;

c) two parallel tracks that are mounted on opposite sides of the housing'"'"'s interior, each track comprising an upright zone and a non-upright zone; and

d) a delivery indication flag that is pivotably or slidably mounted on one side of the exterior of the housing;

wherein the track-riding means of the sectional door are movably constrained within the parallel tracks thereby allowing the sectional door to be rolled up or down, wherein the door is fully closed when completely aligned with the parallel tracks'"'"' respective closure zones and fully open completely aligned with the parallel tracks'"'"' respective non-closure zones.