Secure collection box for mail pieces

• US 7,182,246 B1
• Filed: 05/10/2006
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Sievel, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller; William L.
• Application Number:
  US11/431,327
• Time in Patent Office: 293 Days
• Field of Search: 232/45, 232/44, 232/47, 232/43.1, D99 29- 32, 220/211, 220/345.1, 220/350, 312/297
• US Class Current: 232/45
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/22 having rotatable or reciprocable parts
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00193 Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00209 Mailbox, i.e. container for outgoing mail

Abstract

A drop box for storing mail pieces includes an enclosure, and an articulated door which runs on tracks. The door is selectively positioned in a horizontal course. When the door is in the horizontal course, a mail piece may be inserted through an opening in the enclosure and placed on the door. The door is then withdrawn from the horizontal course to allow the mail piece to drop into a lower portion of the enclosure. When the door has been withdrawn from the horizontal course, it closes the opening in the enclosure.

Claims

1. A drop box for storing mail pieces, comprising:

an enclosure;

a first door-guiding track at a first interior side of the enclosure;

a second door-guiding track at a second interior side of the enclosure, said second interior side opposite said first interior side; and

an articulated door positioned to run in said tracks along a path defined by said tracks, the door composed of a first elongate segment and a sequence of additional parallel elongate segments each hingedly joined to a respective preceding one of the segments, said path including a substantially horizontal course and a substantially vertical course, the door movable along said tracks between said horizontal course and said vertical course, said door defining at least a portion of a floor of an upper portion of said enclosure when in said horizontal course, said door closing an opening in said enclosure when in said vertical course, said door positioned, when in said horizontal course, to receive a mail piece inserted through said opening, said door operative to drop said mail piece from said upper portion of said enclosure to a lower portion of said enclosure upon the door being moved from said horizontal course to said vertical course.

2. The drop box according to claim 1, wherein said door is in a first position when in said horizontal course and in a second position when in said vertical course, said drop box further comprising means for biasing said door from said second position toward said first position.

3. The drop box according to claim 1, wherein said door is in a first position when in said horizontal course and in a second position when in said vertical course, said drop box further comprising a motor coupled to said door to move said door between said first and second positions.

4. A drop box for storing mail pieces, comprising:

an enclosure;

a first door-guiding track at a first interior side of the enclosure;

a second door-guiding track at a second interior side of the enclosure, said second interior side opposite said first interior side; and

an articulated door positioned to run in said tracks along a path defined by said tracks, the door composed of a first elongate segment and a sequence of additional parallel elongate segments each hingedly joined to a respective preceding one of the segments, said path including a front vertical course, a top horizontal course, a rear vertical course spaced behind the front vertical course, and a bottom horizontal course spaced below said top horizontal course, the door movable along said tracks between a first position and a second position, said door occupying said bottom horizontal course, said rear vertical course and said top horizontal course when said door is in said first position, said door occupying said front vertical course, said top horizontal course and said rear vertical course when said door is in said second position, said door positioned to define at least a portion of a floor of an upper portion of said enclosure when said door is in said first position;

said door positioned to receive, at said bottom horizontal course, a mail piece inserted into said upper portion of said enclosure via an opening in said enclosure when said door is in said first position;

said door operative to drop said mail piece from said upper portion of said enclosure to a lower portion of said enclosure upon the door being moved from said first position to said second position;

said door closing said opening in said enclosure when said door is in said second position.

5. The drop box according to claim 4, further comprising:

means for biasing said door from said second position toward said first position.

6. The drop box according to claim 4, further comprising:

a motor coupled to said door to move said door between said first and second positions.