Theft preventative mailbox having remote unlocking activation mechanism

• US 7,249,705 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph Dudley
• Original Assignee: Joseph Dudley
• Inventors: Dudley, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller; William L.
• Application Number:
  US11/161,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20060113368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 232/47, 232/45, 232/17, 232/19, 340/568.1, 340/569, 340/5.6, 340/5.7, 340/5.73
• US Class Current: 232/47
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/141 comprising electronically controlled locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/22 having rotatable or reciprocable parts

Abstract

What is disclosed is a secure mailbox having at least a main compartment with a plurality of sides forming the enclosed main compartment, a front mailbox door hingedly coupled to the remainder of the main compartment, a locking and unlocking mechanism being adapted to lock the front mailbox door to the main compartment and an unlocking activation mechanism coupled to the locking and unlocking mechanism comprised of either a card key system, a FOB system or an RFID system.

Claims

1. A secure mailbox, comprising:

a main compartment having a plurality of sides forming an enclosed main compartment;

a front mailbox door hingedly connected to the remainder of said main compartment;

a locking and unlocking mechanism being adapted to lock the front mailbox door to said main compartment when the front mailbox door is in the closed position;

an unlocking activation mechanism coupled to the locking and unlocking mechanism adapted to unlock the front mailbox door;

said unlocking activation mechanism comprising a card key system;

wherein the card key system comprises at least one master card encoded with a plurality of unique identifiers and at least one subordinate card encoded with a subset of the unique identifiers; and

a card reader located proximate to the mailbox and coupled to the locking and unlocking mechanism, said card reader operable to unlock the front mailbox door upon receiving a signal from the master encoded card or subordinate card

a secure drop box compartment located below the main compartment;

at least one drop box door hingedly connected to the secure drop box compartment; and

the at least one drop box door adapted to lock when in a closed position; and

at least one trap door operable by a trap door mechanism;

the at least one trap door located between the main compartment and the secure drop box compartment;

the trap door mechanism operatively coupled to the card key system such that after a predetermined amount of time elapses after the card key system is activated, the at least one trap door is automatically opened from a default closed position.

2. The secure mailbox of claim 1, wherein the card key reader is one from the group consisting of a contact reader and a proximity reader.

3. The secure mailbox of claim 1, wherein the master card encoded with a plurality of unique identifiers is adapted to activate multiple unlocking mechanisms along a postal route.

4. The secure mailbox of claim 1, wherein said card reader is powered by a power source consisting of one from the group of AC power, rechargeable DC battery, non-rechargeable DC battery or DC solar.

5. A secure mailbox, comprising:

a main compartment having a plurality of sides forming an enclosed main compartment;

a front mailbox door hingedly connected to the remainder of said main compartment;

a locking and unlocking mechanism being adapted to lock the front mailbox door to said main compartment when the front mailbox door is in the closed position;

an unlocking activation mechanism coupled to the locking and unlocking mechanism adapted to unlock the front mailbox door; and

said unlocking activation mechanism comprising an FOB system, wherein the FOB system further comprises at least one master RF transmitter adapted to output one of a plurality of unique digital signals and at least one subordinate RF transmitter adapted to output a subset of such unique digital signals;

an RF receiver adapted to receive a subset of said unique digital signals;

said RF receiver located proximate to the mailbox and coupled to the locking and unlocking mechanism, said RF receiver operable to unlock the front mailbox door upon receiving a specific digital signal from the master RF transmitter or subordinate RF transmitter

a secure drop box compartment located below the main compartment;

at least one drop box door hingedly connected to the secure drop box compartment; and

the at least one drop box door adapted to lock when in a closed position; and

at least one trap door operable by a trap door mechanism;

the at least one trap door located between the main compartment and the secure drop box compartment;

the trap door mechanism operatively coupled to the FOB system such that after a predetermined amount of time elapses after the FOB system is activated, the at least one trap door is automatically opened from a default closed position.

6. The secure mailbox of claim 5, wherein the master FOB transmitter is operable to activate multiple unlocking mechanisms along a postal route.

7. The secure mailbox of claim 5, wherein said RF receiver is powered by a power source consisting of one from the group of AC power, DC battery or DC solar.

8. The secure mailbox of claim 5 wherein the master RF transmitter and subordinate RF transmitter are one from the group consisting of a wand and key FOB.

9. A secure mailbox, comprising:

a main compartment having a plurality of sides forming an enclosed main compartment;

a front mailbox door hingedly connected to the remainder of said main compartment;

a locking and unlocking mechanism being adapted to latch and lock the front mailbox door to said main compartment;

an unlocking activation mechanism coupled to the locking and unlocking mechanism adapted to unlock the front mailbox door; and

said unlocking activation mechanism comprising an RFID system, wherein the RFID system further comprises;

a least one remote master RF transceiver and at least one remote subordinate RF transceiver;

at least one RF module located proximate to said mailbox and coupled to the locking and unlocking mechanism;

said master RF transceiver and subordinate RF transceiver operable to interrogate the RF module;

said RF module adapted to return a unique digital identification;

the master RF transceiver operable to compare the unique digital identification to a set of identifications provided in a table;

the subordinate RF transceiver operable to compare the unique digital identification to a unique identification stored in the subordinate RF transceiver; and

said RF module operable to unlock the front mailbox door upon receiving a match acknowledgment signal from either the master RF transceiver or subordinate RF transceiver

a secure drop box compartment located below the main compartment;

at least one drop box door hingedly connected to the secure drop box compartment; and

the at least one drop box door adapted to lock when in a closed position; and

at least one trap door operable by a trap door mechanism;

the at least one trap door located between the main compartment and the secure drop box compartment;

the trap door mechanism operatively coupled to the RFID system such after a predetermined amount of time elapses after the RFID system is activated, the at least one trap door is automatically opened from a default closed position.

10. The secure mailbox of claim 9, wherein the master RF transceiver is operable to activate multiple unlocking mechanisms along a postal route.

11. The secure mailbox of claim 9, wherein said RF module is powered by a power source consisting of one from the group of AC power, DC battery, EM activation or DC solar.