Mailbox support with lighted residence identification and alert signal apparatus

• US 7,382,252 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2006
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chet J. Brannon
• Original Assignee: Chet J. Brannon
• Inventors: Brannon, Chet J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US11/406,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20070241922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.14, 340/332, 340/691.1, 340/569, 340/331, 340/333, 340/328, 340/326, 340/286.01, 340/540, 340/539.1, 340/693.2, 340/543, 340/815.4, 405/66, 405/68, 405/41, 405/44, 405/64, 404/65, 232/17, 232/19, 232/34, 232/36, 232/35, 232/45, 362/154, 362/155, 362/251, 362/253, 362/249, 362/431
• US Class Current: 340/569
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/064 indicating houses needing emergency help, e.g. with a flashing light or sound

Abstract

An emergency signal apparatus for alerting police, medical service, neighbors and people passing by to emergency situations that may arise in or at a residence. The apparatus is designed for mounting on an upright post or column such as is commonly used for supporting rural mailboxes and includes a flashing strobe light and a siren which can be activated by operation of a manual switch in the residence or by operating a remote switch by a radio frequency emitter. The signal apparatus preferably includes illuminated house numbers, chimes within the residence and automatic dialing of the 911 emergency telephone number with a prerecorded message giving name, telephone number and address.

Claims

1. An emergency signal apparatus for a residence attachable to an upright support, comprising:

a housing at the top of said support including

a horizontal solar panel supplying electrical power on top of said housing,

a floor,

side walls forming a room including a pair of oppositely disposed side walls, and

a window in each of said oppositely disposed side walls,

downward extensions on said oppositely disposed side walls adapted for rigid connection to said support,

a strobe light supported by said housing,

a siren supported by said housing,

a low voltage battery in said housing for delivering low voltage electric power, said battery being connected in electrical charge receiving relation to said solar panel,

a first circuit connecting said strobe light and siren to said battery including

a radio frequency operated switch having on and off conditions of adjustment and a solenoid operated switch having open and closed positions of adjustment, said switches being in parallel relation to one another in said first circuit,

a source of high voltage electrical power,

a second electrical circuit interconnecting said high voltage electrical power and a part of said first circuit upstream of said radio frequency operated switch and said solenoid operated switch,

a transformer in said second circuit converting said high voltage electric power to said low voltage electrical power,

a first sensor operated switch in said second circuit between said transformer and the connection of said second circuit to said part of said first circuit,

a second sensor operated switch in said first circuit between said battery and the connection of said second circuit with said first circuit, and

a charge condition sensor connected in signal receiving relation with said battery and in signal delivery relation with said sensor operated switches, said sensor operated switches operating to connect said first circuit only to said battery when said sensor senses a predetermined high battery charge condition and operating to only connect said transformer to said first circuit when said sensor senses a predetermined low battery discharged condition.

2. The signal apparatus of claim 1 wherein said downward extensions of said oppositely disposed side walls each include a vertically elongated indentation having a pair of parallel grooves in their laterally opposite sides opening toward one another, and including

a plurality of quadrilateral shaped plastic plates positioned end to end and each having a pair of laterally spaced tongues extending into and guided by said grooves, respectively, said plates being translucent and each including an embedded LED light and a clearly visible number, said lights being connected to said first circuit.

3. The signal apparatus of claim 2 having a newspaper box extending horizontally from said downward extensions of said side walls, said newspaper box having laterally opposite walls each of which has a horizontally elongated indentation including top and bottom parallel grooves opening toward one another and further comprising a plurality of quadrilateral shaped plastic plates positioned end to end and each having a pair of upper and lower tongues extending into and guided by said grooves, respectively, said plates being translucent and each including a clearly visible number and an embedded LED light connected to said first circuit.

4. The signal apparatus of claim 1 having a newspaper box extending horizontally from said downward extensions of said side walls, said newspaper box having laterally opposite walls each with a horizontally elongated indentation including top and bottom parallel grooves opening toward one another and further comprising a plurality of quadrilateral shaped plastic plates positioned end to end and each having upper lower tongues extending into and guided by said grooves, respectively, said plates being translucent and each including a clearly visible number and a LED light connected to said first circuit.

5. The signal apparatus of claim 1 including chimes connected to a source of electricity by a circuit including a normally open radio frequency signal responsive switch and a timer switch connected in series, said timer switch automatically terminating power to said chimes upon a predetermined time period of operation.

6. The signal apparatus of claim 1 including a key pad with an emergency button which when pressed transmit a radio frequency signal closing said radio frequency operated switch.

7. The signal apparatus of claim 1 including a top light in said housing connected to said first circuit through a daylight sensitive switch which is automatically open during daylight and closed during darkness.

8. The signal apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first circuit includes a branch lead connected to said siren, said branch lead including a timer switch which automatically opens to disconnect power to said siren at the end of a predetermined time interval of its sounding operation thereby terminating its audible performance.

9. The signal apparatus of claim 1 including automatic telephone transmission of a prerecorded 911 message giving name, address and telephone number of the resident of said residence.