Mailbox notification system
First Claim
1. A mailbox system and for notifying a user when mail has arrived, said system comprising:
- a housing having a longitudinal axis and a substantially planar bottom surface extending parallel thereto, said housing being securable to a support stand and having oppositely spaced open end portions for receiving and dispensing mail therethrough, said housing including a plurality of latches disposed adjacent said end portions;
a plurality of doors connected to said housing and adjacent said end portions thereof, said plurality of doors having a plurality of upper lip portions extending substantially parallel to the axis and being slidably engageable between said housing and said plurality of latches respectively so that said plurality of doors can be maintained at a substantially stable closed position;
means for identifying when mail has been placed within said housing, said identifying means being disposed partially within and partially outside of a select portion of said housing and adjacent one said plurality of doors;
remote means for transmitting a signal to a user when said identifying means is activated, said remote means being operably connected with said identifying means; and
a plurality of power supply sources electrically coupled to said identifying and remote means respectively wherein said remote means comprises a mobile transceiver being hand-operable by an operator, and a stationary transceiver being disposed within said housing and operably coupled to said identifying means;
wherein said stationary transceiver generates and sends a signal to said mobile transceiver for identifying a current mode of said system, said mobile transceiver for generating and sending a responding signal to said stationary transceiver and for deactivating the current mode as desired by a user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system attachable to a mailbox for notifying a user when mail has arrived includes a housing securable to a support stand. The preferred embodiment includes opposed doors connected to each end of the housing and an identifying mechanism for determining when the mail has arrived. Such a mechanism includes a detector with a sensor and a light assembly. The detector sends a signal to the light assembly for activating a LED. The present invention further includes a remote mechanism for transmitting a signal when the identifying mechanism is activated. Such a remote mechanism includes a mobile transceiver and a stationary transceiver coupled to the detector and the light assembly. Power supply sources are coupled to the identifying and remote mechanisms. In an alternate embodiment, one of the doors can be become stationary for receiving the identifying and remote mechanisms thereat.
29 Citations
5 Claims
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1. A mailbox system and for notifying a user when mail has arrived, said system comprising:
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a housing having a longitudinal axis and a substantially planar bottom surface extending parallel thereto, said housing being securable to a support stand and having oppositely spaced open end portions for receiving and dispensing mail therethrough, said housing including a plurality of latches disposed adjacent said end portions; a plurality of doors connected to said housing and adjacent said end portions thereof, said plurality of doors having a plurality of upper lip portions extending substantially parallel to the axis and being slidably engageable between said housing and said plurality of latches respectively so that said plurality of doors can be maintained at a substantially stable closed position; means for identifying when mail has been placed within said housing, said identifying means being disposed partially within and partially outside of a select portion of said housing and adjacent one said plurality of doors; remote means for transmitting a signal to a user when said identifying means is activated, said remote means being operably connected with said identifying means; and a plurality of power supply sources electrically coupled to said identifying and remote means respectively wherein said remote means comprises a mobile transceiver being hand-operable by an operator, and a stationary transceiver being disposed within said housing and operably coupled to said identifying means;
wherein said stationary transceiver generates and sends a signal to said mobile transceiver for identifying a current mode of said system, said mobile transceiver for generating and sending a responding signal to said stationary transceiver and for deactivating the current mode as desired by a user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A mailbox system and for notifying a user when mail has arrived, said system comprising:
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a housing having a longitudinal axis and a substantially planar bottom surface extending parallel thereto, said housing being securable to a support stand and having oppositely spaced open end portions for receiving and dispensing mail therethrough, said housing including a plurality of latches disposed adjacent said end portions; a plurality of doors connected to said housing and adjacent said end portions thereof, said plurality of doors having a plurality of upper lip portions extending substantially parallel to the axis and being slidably engageable between said housing and said plurality of latches respectively so that said plurality of doors can be maintained at a substantially stable closed position; means for identifying when mail has been placed within said housing, said identifying means being disposed partially within and partially outside of a select portion of said housing and adjacent one said plurality of doors; remote means for transmitting a signal to a user when said identifying means is activated, said remote means being operably connected with said identifying means; and a plurality of power supply sources electrically coupled to said identifying and remote means respectively; wherein one said plurality of doors is disposed at a proximal end portion of said housing and another said plurality of doors is disposed at a distal end portion of said housing; said identifying means comprising a detector comprising a sensor having a line of sight directed towards said distal end portion of said housing, and a light assembly comprising a plurality of LEDs corresponding to a plurality of different modes, said light assembly being secured to said housing and substantially medially of said plurality of doors, wherein said detector generates and sends a signal to said light assembly for activating one said plurality of LEDs wherein said remote means comprises a mobile transceiver being hand-operable by an operator, and a stationary transceiver being disposed within said housing and operably coupled to said detector and said light assembly;
wherein said stationary transceiver generates and sends a signal to said mobile transceiver for identifying a current mode of said system, said mobile transceiver for generating and sending a responding signal to said stationary transceiver and for deactivating the current mode as desired by a user. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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Specification