Device for detecting and signalling or indicating status as regards contents in a container, and in particular a letterbox

• US 6,433,684 B1
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Euro-Tech As
• Original Assignee: Euro-Tech As
• Inventors: Lie, Bjørn
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US09/747,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20020067262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 340/569, 340/815.4, 340/815.45, 340/815.46, 340/815.49, 340/815.5, 340/815.52, 340/815.79, 340/500, 340/524, 340/545.3, 340/545.6, 340/555, 340/556, 340/557
• US Class Current: 340/569
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/1226 comprising electrical parts
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/1229 activated by the letter flap
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/1214 including a receiver located remotely from the letter-box and a transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/1225 Signalling devices

Abstract

A device for detecting and signalling or indicating status as regards contents in a container, and in particular a letterbox, comprising a detector for registering a change of state in the letterbox, which registration is transmitted to and activates a preferably remote display or the like in order to produce on the display a visual and/or audible message which signals that contents have been deposited in said letterbox. The detector is arranged in a preferably integrated mounting unit made in the form of an approximately U-shaped holder that accommodates a circuit board containing electronic components, a light transmitter, a light receiver, and wires and power supply, which unit is placed on the bottom of a container, preferably a letterbox, in such manner that the two upright legs of said holder rest against respective opposite walls of said letterbox. A detector and transmitter unit and a receiver-display unit are also described.

Claims

1. A device for detecting and signalling or indicating status as regards contents in a container, and in particular a letterbox, comprising a detector for registering a change of state in the letterbox, which registration is transmitted to and activates a remote display in order to produce on the display a visual and/or audible message which signals that contents have been deposited in the letterbox, wherein the detector is arranged in an integrated mounting unit made in the form of a U-shaped holder that accommodates a circuit board containing electronic components, a light transmitter, a light receiver, and wires and a power supply which unit is placed on or at the bottom of a container, a letterbox, in such a manner that said two upright legs of said holder rest against respective opposite walls of said letterbox, and where light from said transmitter is transmitted through the inner space of said letterbox to said light receiver.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein there are provided guide strips on said wall to facilitate the positioning of said unit, and the legs of said holder are elastic to ensure that said unit is held securely in place, and where there may also be provided holes in said holder to enable it be secured to said letterbox by means of fasteners.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said holder is made so as to form an integral part of the walls of said letterbox.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said holder is made of an appropriate plastic material or another suitable material and is shaped so as to be hollow.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein one of said upright legs accommodates a circuit board containing said components, and said light receiver.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein said light transmitter is housed in the other upright leg.

7. A device according to claim 4, wherein both said light transmitter and said light receiver are housed in the same leg and that a reflector is placed in the opposite leg.

8. A device according to claim 4, wherein the upper end region of one or both legs is shaped with a bevel edge.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein there is arranged a cover in the bottom of said holder, detachably fastened to said holder, by snap fastening to the bottom edge portions of said holder, and which together with said holder forms a compartment for wires, and where there may also be arranged drainage holes in the bottom of the letterbox.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein the transverse portion of the holder is made so as to be telescopic.

11. A device or unit according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter component of the detector is an IR diode and the receiver component is an IR phototransistor.

12. A detector-transmitter unit for use in a device for detecting and signalling or indicating status as regards contents in a container, and in particular a letterbox, comprising a detector for registering a change of state in said letterbox, which registration is transmitted to and activates a remote display in order to produce on said display a visual and/or audible message which signals that contents have been deposited in said letterbox, which detector comprises a light emitting diode and a photodiode, or optionally an electronic sensor (inductive/capacitive), an ultrasonic sensor, a mechanical or electromagnetic switch means etc., wherein there is provided an oscillator, a timer to control the timing and a power source, an amplifier, a multivibrator or flip-flop having a first input and a second input and a code circuit having address code inputs and a high-frequency transmitter module, wherein said timer activates and pulses said detector-transmitter component for about 20 milliseconds with a period of about 40 seconds, and if said letterbox or container is empty, a detector-receiver component receives pulses from said transmitter component and the response thereto is relayed in the form of electrical signals to said amplifier;

and if contents are introduced into said letterbox, the connection between said transmitter component and said receiver component is broken with the result that said amplifier is without a signal, and wherein the output from the amplifier is connected to said second input on the multivibrator whose first input is connected to said timer causes said multivibrator to be synchronized at the end of the activation time of said transmitter component, and the logical state of said flip-flop thus becomes a signal which indicates whether there are contents in said letterbox or not, the activation time and the period being implemented by a circuit with the oscillator at fixed frequency and counter elements which, depending on the number of elements and their connection, indicate the time intervals, and where the voltage from said oscillator is used to operate the power source of said transmitter component, and the information from said flip-flop is passed to said code circuit which codes this information together with an address signal in the form of a serial telegram that controls said high-frequency transmitter which transmits the address and data or information telegram immediately after the activation time for said transmitter component when the contents of said letterbox has been detected.

13. A device or unit according to claim 12, wherein the transmitter component of the detector is an IR diode and the receiver component is an IR phototransistor.

14. A receiver-display unit for use in a device for detecting and signalling or indicating status as regards contents in a container, and in particular a letterbox, comprising a detector for registering a change of state in said letterbox, which registration is transmitted to and activates a remote display in order to produce on said display a visual and/or audible message which signals that contents have been deposited in said letterbox, which detector comprises a light-emitting diode and a photodiode, or optionally an electronic sensor (inductive/capacitive), and ultrasonic sensor, a mechanical or electromagnetic switch means etc., wherein said receiver-display unit comprises a high-frequency receiver, a decoder, a monostable multivibrator or flip-flop and a display, where said display comprises a visual and/or audible signal means, and where said telegram on reaching said receiver is passed to said decoder that ascertains whether said telegram contains a valid receiver address and determines the logical state of the data or information;

if the information indicates that there are contents in said letterbox, an appropriate signalling means on said display is activated.

15. A unit as disclosed in claim 14, wherein the signalling means is a light diode that lights up for about 100 milliseconds with a period of about 2 seconds, so that the power supply for said receiver and display unit can be provided by a battery as there is only power consumption of any significance when said diode lights up.

16. A unit disclosed in claim 14, wherein said high-frequency receiver is controlled by said monostable multivibrator or flip-flop which is triggered by said decoder circuit, and there is used a logic which means that if said transmitter sends a telegram in the period and if said monostable flip-flop on the receiver side activates said high-frequency receiver a few seconds before the period of the transmitter side begins, said receiver will always be active when the next telegram arrives and said receiver will be inactive the rest of the time and thus consumes no power, so that the useful life of said battery is prolonged considerably, the synchronization of the period in the transmitter and said monostable flip-flop being implemented by said flip-flop being triggered by a valid telegram.

17. A device or unit according to claim 14, wherein the transmitter component of the detector is an IR diode and the receiver component is an IR phototransistor.