DELIVERY RECEPTACLE

• US 20160060008A1
• Filed: 05/05/2014
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Architectural Mailboxes, LLC
• Original Assignee: Architectural Mailboxes, LLC
• Inventors: Farentinos, Christopher Andrew, Troyer-Farentinos, Vanessa Felicia, Steele, Craig Ronald, Paje, Raffy Michael Arce
• Granted Patent: US 9,327,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/146 the receptacle comprising identification means, e.g. a bar code
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/141 comprising electronically controlled locking means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/16 hinged for upward or downward movement cigar or cigarette receptacles A24F15/00; suitcases, ètuis A45C; casings for cosmetic substances with hinged covers A45D40/22; toolboxes B25H3/02; hinges of door or similar type E05D ; boxes for switchboards with hinged covers H02B1/066
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/22 Devices for holding in closed position, e.g. clips
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/14 Applications of locks, e.g. of permutation or key-controlled locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0048 Circuits, feeding, monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0072 Operation
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 37/0031 Locks with both permutation and key actuation E05B17/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 49/002 Keys with mechanical characteristics, e.g. notches, perforations, opaque marks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7107 And alternately mechanically actuated by a key, dial, etc.

Abstract

A delivery receptacle for receiving objects (such as parcels, mail or other deliveries) deposited into the receptacle at residences or other building and locations, and securing the objects within the receptacle from unauthorized access. The receptacle has an input opening and a lid which can be moved between an open position which provides access to the input opening and a closed position which covers the input opening. The receptacle has a locking mechanism which may configured for any one of a plurality of operating modes, including a single-delivery mode which does not require an access code to the lid automatically locks after the delivery and a multi-delivery mode which requires the entry of a security code into a code-operated device to unlock the lid, open the lid, place the delivery into the receptacle, and close the lid which automatically locks closed.

Claims

1. A delivery receptacle for receiving and securing an object, comprising:

a housing having an input opening and a storage area adjoining the input opening;

a lid hingedly attached to the housing allowing the lid to be moved between a closed position in which the lid covers the input opening and an open position in which the lid is substantially completely out of the way of the input opening allowing access the storage area through the input opening;

a locking mechanism having a latch, an actuation device operably coupled to the latch and a controller operably coupled to the actuation device and configured to control the actuation device, the locking mechanism having a locked state in which the actuation device positions the latch in a locked position to lock the lid when the lid is in the closed position and an unlocked state in which the actuation device positions the latch in an unlocked position allowing the lid to be moved from the closed position to the open position, the controller including a code-operated device configured to receive a code which causes the controller to adjust the locking mechanism from the locked state to the unlocked state; and

wherein the locking mechanism is configured to have at least two of the following three operating modes, including;

a first mode in which the locking mechanism is in the unlocked state with the lid in the closed position thereby allowing the lid to be opened, and upon one of (i) opening the lid or (ii) opening and closing the lid, the controller adjusts the locking mechanism from the unlocked state to the locked state such that when the lid is closed the lid is locked in the closed position, and thereafter, entering the code into the code-operated device causes the controller to adjust the locking mechanism from the locked state to the unlocked state allowing the lid to be re-opened;

a second mode in which the locking mechanism is in the locked state and the locking mechanism cannot be adjusted from the locked state to the unlocked state by entering the code into the code-operated device; and

a third mode in which the controller adjusts the locking mechanism into the unlocked state, and the lid can be opened and closed and opened again without entering the code into the code-operated device;

a utility compartment within the housing in which at least one of a mode switch for selecting one of the three operating modes, a programming button for putting the controller into a programming mode, and a battery is located within the utility compartment, the utility compartment having an access door;

a key lock disposed in the housing, the key lock configured to be operated by a key and having a latch mechanism such that rotating a key in the key lock rotates the key lock and latch mechanism between a key locked position in which the latch mechanism does not affect the locking mechanism and a key unlocked position in which the latch mechanism adjusts the locking mechanism to the unlocked position, the key lock having a door locking device which is rotated by rotating a key in the key lock, and wherein when the key lock is in the key locked position the door locking device is in a door locked position which locks the access door in a closed position preventing access into the utility compartment and when the key lock is in the key unlocked position the door locking device is in a door unlocked position which unlocks the access door allowing the door to be opened thereby allowing access into the utility compartment.

3. The delivery receptacle of claim 1, wherein in the key unlocked position the key lock allows access to at least one of the mode switch for selecting one of the three operating modes and the programming button for putting the controller into the programming mode, and in the key locked position the key lock prevents access to at least one of a mode switch for selecting one of the three operating modes and a programming button for putting the controller into a programming mode.

5. The delivery receptacle of claim 1, wherein the latch mechanism, in the key unlocked position, adjusts the locking mechanism to the unlocked state by forcing the latch to the unlocked position.

6. The delivery receptacle of claim 1, wherein the key lock and latch mechanism have a force locked position in which the latch mechanism adjusts the locking mechanism to the locked position and prevents the locking mechanism from being adjusted to the unlocked position by the controller.

7. The delivery receptacle of claim 1, further comprising:

a lid position sensor coupled to the controller and configured to signal the controller whether the lid is in the closed position or the open position.

8. The delivery receptacle of claim 1, wherein the actuation device comprises an electric motor mechanically coupled to the latch, and the motor is configured to move the latch between the locked position and the unlocked position in response to electrical signals controlled by the controller.

9. The delivery receptacle of claim 1, wherein the actuation device comprises an electric motor having a gear reducer, and the electric motor is coupled to the latch via a motor linkage such that rotation of the gear reduced output shaft of the motor moves the motor linkage thereby moving the latch between the locked position and the unlocked position.

10. The delivery receptacle of claim 1, wherein the actuation device comprises:

an electric solenoid actuator mechanically coupled to the latch, and the solenoid actuator is configured to move the latch from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to electrical signals controlled by the controller, and

a spring coupled to the latch and configured to push the latch from the unlocked position to the locked position when the solenoid actuator is de-actuated.

11. The delivery receptacle of claim 10, further comprising:

a latch locking device configured for adjustment between a retaining position for retaining the latch in the unlocked position, and a release position in which the latch locking device releases the latch from the unlocked position allowing the latch to move to the locked position, and the delivery receptacle is configured such that opening the lid causes the latch locking device to adjust from the retaining position to the release position.

12. The delivery receptacle of claim 11, wherein the latch locking device comprises a push button configured to adjust the latch locking device into the retaining position upon pushing the push button.

2. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

13. A delivery receptacle for receiving and securing an object, comprising:

a housing having an input opening and a storage area adjoining the input opening;

a lid hingedly attached to the housing allowing the lid to be moved between a closed position in which the lid covers the input opening and an open position in which the lid is substantially completely out of the way of the input opening allowing access the storage area through the input opening;

a utility compartment within the housing in which at least one of a programming button for putting the controller into a programming mode, and a battery is located within the utility compartment, the utility compartment having an access door;

a locking mechanism having a latch, an actuation device operably coupled to the latch and a controller operably coupled to the actuation device and configured to control the actuation device, the locking mechanism having a locked state in which the actuation device positions the latch in a locked position to lock the lid when the lid is in the closed position and an unlocked state in which the actuation device positions the latch in an unlocked position allowing the lid to be moved from the closed position to the open position, the controller including a code-operated device configured to receive a code which causes the controller to adjust the locking mechanism from the locked state to the unlocked state;

wherein the locking mechanism is configured to operate in a first mode in which the locking mechanism is in the unlocked state with the lid in the closed position thereby allowing the lid to be opened, and upon one of (i) opening the lid or (ii) opening and closing the lid, the controller adjusts the locking mechanism from the unlocked state to the locked state such that when the lid is closed the lid is locked in the closed position, and thereafter, entering the code into the code-operated device causes the controller to adjust the locking mechanism from the locked state to the unlocked state allowing the lid to be re-opened; and

a manually operated override lock disposed in the housing, the override lock configured to be operated manually and having a latch adjusting mechanism such that manually operating the lock adjusts the latch adjusting mechanism between an override locked position in which the latch adjusting mechanism does not affect the locking mechanism and an override unlocked position in which the latch adjusting mechanism adjusts the locking mechanism to the unlocked position, the override lock having a door locking device which is adjusted when the override lock is operated, and wherein when the override lock is in the override locked position the door locking device is in a door locked position which locks the access door in a closed position preventing access into the utility compartment and when the override lock is in the override unlocked position the door locking device is in a door unlocked position which unlocks the access door allowing the door to be opened thereby allowing access into the utility compartment.

14. The delivery receptacle of claim 13, wherein in the override unlocked position the override lock allows access to a programming button for putting the controller into a programming mode, and in the override locked position the override lock prevents access to a programming button for putting the controller into a programming mode.

16. The delivery receptacle of claim 14, wherein the latch adjusting mechanism, in the override unlocked position, adjusts the locking mechanism to the unlocked state by forcing the latch to the unlocked position.

17. The delivery receptacle of claim 13, further comprising:

a lid position sensor coupled to the controller and configured to signal the controller whether the lid is in the closed position or the open position.

18. The delivery receptacle of claim 13, wherein the actuation device comprises an electric motor mechanically coupled to the latch, and the motor is configured to move the latch between the locked position and the unlocked position in response to electrical signals controlled by the controller.

19. The delivery receptacle of claim 13, wherein the actuation device comprises an electric motor having a gear reducer, and the electric motor is coupled to the latch via a motor linkage such that rotation of the gear reduced output shaft of the motor moves the motor linkage thereby moving the latch between the locked position and the unlocked position.

20. The delivery receptacle of claim 13, wherein the actuation device comprises:

an electric solenoid actuator mechanically coupled to the latch, and the solenoid actuator is configured to move the latch from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to electrical signals controlled by the controller, and

a spring coupled to the latch and configured to push the latch from the unlocked position to the locked position when the solenoid actuator is de-actuated.

15. (canceled)

21. A delivery receptacle for receiving and securing an object, comprising:

a housing having an input opening and a storage area adjoining the input opening;

a lid hingedly attached to the housing allowing the lid to be moved between a closed position in which the lid covers the input opening and an open position in which the lid is substantially completely out of the way of the input opening allowing access the storage area through the input opening;

a locking mechanism having a latch, an actuation device operably coupled to the latch and a controller operably coupled to the actuation device and configured to control the actuation device, the locking mechanism having a locked state in which the actuation device positions the latch in a locked position to lock the lid when the lid is in the closed position and an unlocked state in which the actuation device positions the latch in an unlocked position allowing the lid to be moved from the closed position to the open position, the controller including a code-operated device configured to receive a code which causes the controller to adjust the locking mechanism from the locked state to the unlocked state;

wherein the locking mechanism is configured to operate in a first mode in which the locking mechanism is in the unlocked state with the lid in the closed position thereby allowing the lid to be opened, and upon one of (i) opening the lid or (ii) opening and closing the lid, the controller adjusts the locking mechanism from the unlocked state to the locked state such that when the lid is closed the lid is locked in the closed position, and thereafter, entering the code into the code-operated device causes the controller to adjust the locking mechanism from the locked state to the unlocked state allowing the lid to be re-opened;

a utility compartment within the housing in which at least one of a mode switch for selecting one of the three operating modes, a programming button for putting the controller into a programming mode, and a battery is located within the utility compartment, the utility compartment having an access door;

a key lock disposed in the housing, the key lock configured to be operated by a key and having a latch mechanism such that rotating a key in the key lock rotates the key lock and latch mechanism between a key locked position in which the latch mechanism does not affect the locking mechanism and a key unlocked position in which the latch mechanism adjusts the locking mechanism to the unlocked position, the key lock having a door locking device which is rotated by rotating a key in the key lock, and wherein when the key lock is in the key locked position the door locking device is in a door locked position which locks the access door in a closed position preventing access into the utility compartment and when the key lock is in the key unlocked position the door locking device is in a door unlocked position which unlocks the access door allowing the door to be opened thereby allowing access into the utility compartment; and

a lid position sensor coupled to the controller and configured to signal the controller whether the lid is in the closed position or the open position.

22. The delivery receptacle of claim 21, wherein the actuation device comprises an electric motor mechanically coupled to the latch, and the motor is configured to move the latch between the locked position and the unlocked position in response to electrical signals controlled by the controller.

23. The delivery receptacle of claim 21, wherein the actuation device comprises an electric motor having a gear reducer, and the electric motor is coupled to the latch via a motor linkage such that rotation of the gear reduced output shaft of the motor moves the motor linkage thereby moving the latch between the locked position and the unlocked position.

24. The delivery receptacle of claim 21, wherein the actuation device comprises:

an electric solenoid actuator mechanically coupled to the latch, and the solenoid actuator is configured to move the latch from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to electrical signals controlled by the controller, and

a spring coupled to the latch and configured to push the latch from the unlocked position to the locked position when the solenoid actuator is de-actuated.