Remotely operable mailbox system and associated method

• US 7,938,314 B1
• Filed: 08/14/2009
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helen Benesh
• Original Assignee: Helen Benesh
• Inventors: Benesh, Helen
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller; William L.
• Application Number:
  US12/541,238
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 232/45, 232/44, 232/17, 232 34- 36, 232/29, 232/33, 232/38, 220/211, 220/528, 206/514, 49/31, 340/545.6, 340/569, 340/5.61, 340/5.64, 340/5.73
• US Class Current: 232/45
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/1226 comprising electrical parts
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/1214 including a receiver located remotely from the letter-box and a transmitter

Abstract

A wireless outdoor mailbox actuating system preferable includes a lockable outdoor mailbox having a housing, a plurality of operating components dynamically attached to the housing and a mechanism for synchronously toggling the operating components between first and second associated positions respectively. The front door of the mailbox has an elongated slot that is large enough to receive for example, a DVD and a collection of mail. A remote controller is communicatively linked to a receiver and to a main controller to remotely activate the front door actuating mechanism, tray displacing mechanism and flag raising mechanism, respectively. Selected ones of such mechanisms may be synchronously linked together to allow a user to retrieve mailbox contents without the need to reach into the mailbox. The system additionally provides an effective and secure means of preventing unauthorized access to private mail inside the mailbox.

Claims

1. A wireless outdoor mailbox actuating system for effectively deterring mail and identity theft, said wireless outdoor mailbox actuating system comprising:

a lockable outdoor mailbox including

a housing, and

a plurality of operating components dynamically attached to said housing; and

wireless means for synchronously toggling said plurality of operating components between first and second associated positions respectively;

wherein a first operating component of said plurality of operating components is freely biased between said first and said second associated positions while said second operating component remains seated inside said housing;

wherein a second operating component of said plurality of operating components is freely reciprocated along said first and second associated positions while said first operating component remains at said second associated position;

wherein a third operating component of said plurality of operating components is independently biased between said first and second associated positions regardless of whether said first and second operating components are disposed at said first or second associated positions respectively.

2. The wireless mailbox actuating system of claim 1, wherein said wireless synchronously toggling means comprises:

a remote controller for generating and transmitting an instruction signal upon receiving a user input;

a receiver situated inside said outdoor mailbox and being in wireless communication with said remote controller; and

a main controller electrically coupled directly to said receiver, said main controller generating and transmitting an operating signal upon receiving said instruction signal from said remote controller;

wherein said operating signal is communicated to said first, second and third operating components respectively.

3. The wireless mailbox actuating system of claim 2, wherein said first operating component comprises:

a front door pivotally mated to said housing; and

a front door actuating mechanism connected to said front door;

wherein said first and second positions of said front door are defined at horizontal and vertical positions respectively.

4. The wireless mailbox actuating system of claim 3, wherein said front door actuating mechanism comprises:

a lock coupled to said front door and said housing respectively, said lock being disengaged from said housing when said front door is pivoted to said horizontal position.

5. The wireless mailbox actuating system of claim 4, wherein said second operating component comprises:

a tray including first and second pivotally mated tray members oriented along an end-to-end pattern defined parallel to a longitudinal length of said housing; and

a tray displacing mechanism connected to said tray;

wherein said first and second positions of said tray are defined interior and exterior of said housing respectively.

6. The wireless mailbox actuating system of claim 5, wherein said tray displacing mechanism comprises:

a first set of linear guide tracks formed along a bottom surface of said first and second tray members respectively;

a first set of gears rotatably engaged with said first set of linear guide tracks respectively; and

a first motor electrically mated to said first set of gears;

wherein said first motor is responsive to said operating signal of said main controller and thereby causes said first set of gears to rotate along said first set of guide tracks such that each of said first and second tray members are linearly reciprocated between said first and second associated positions respectively.

7. The wireless mailbox actuating system of claim 6, wherein said tray displacing mechanism further comprises:

first and second sensors positioned at said first tray member and said lock respectively;

a second guide track connected to said lock; and

a second gear rotatably mated to said second guide track;

wherein said first sensor is communicatively linked to said second sensor such that said second sensor notifies said main controller to activate said second motor after said first sensor drops below said second sensor while traveling away from said housing;

wherein said second gear rotates and thereby linearly displaces said lock away from said housing while said second sensor is disposed below said first sensor;

wherein said first tray member is pivotally urged upward to a horizontal position from a vertical position and thereby linearly retracts back into said housing upon rotational movement of said first set of gears respectively.

8. The wireless mailbox actuating system of claim 7, wherein said third operating component comprises:

a flag; and

a flag raising mechanism connected to said flag;

wherein said first and second associated positions of said flag are defined at horizontal and vertical positions respectively.

9. The wireless mailbox actuating system of claim 8, wherein said flag raising mechanism comprises:

a rotating driven gear monolithically formed at a distal end of said flag;

a rotating drive gear interconnected to said driven gear; and

a motor communicatively coupled to said main controller and said drive gear respectively;

wherein said drive gear is caused to rotate along clockwise and counter clockwise rotational directions and thereby causes said driven gear to rotate along counter clockwise and clockwise directions respectively;

wherein said flag is pivoted between said horizontal and vertical positions as said driven gear is rotated respectively.

10. A wireless outdoor mailbox actuating system for effectively deterring mail and identity theft, said wireless outdoor mailbox actuating system comprising:

a lockable outdoor mailbox including

a housing, and

a plurality of operating components dynamically attached to said housing; and

wireless means for synchronously toggling said plurality of operating components between first and second associated positions respectively;

wherein a first operating component of said plurality of operating components is freely biased between said first and said second associated positions while said second operating component remains seated inside said housing;

wherein a second operating component of said plurality of operating components is freely reciprocated along said first and second associated positions while said first operating component remains at said second associated position;

wherein a third operating component of said plurality of operating components is independently biased between said first and second associated positions regardless of whether said first and second operating components are disposed at said first or second associated positions respectively;

wherein said first operating component is provided with an elongated slot for receiving mail therethrough and into said housing.

11. The wireless mailbox actuating system of claim 10, wherein said wireless synchronously toggling means comprises:

a remote controller for generating and transmitting an instruction signal upon receiving a user input;

a receiver situated inside said outdoor mailbox and being in wireless communication with said remote controller; and

a main controller electrically coupled directly to said receiver, said main controller generating and transmitting an operating signal upon receiving said instruction signal from said remote controller;

wherein said operating signal is communicated to said first, second and third operating components respectively.

12. The wireless mailbox actuating system of claim 11, wherein said first operating component comprises:

a front door pivotally mated to said housing; and

a front door actuating mechanism connected to said front door;

wherein said first and second positions of said front door are defined at horizontal and vertical positions respectively.

13. The wireless mailbox actuating system of claim 12, wherein said front door actuating mechanism comprises:

a lock coupled to said front door and said housing respectively, said lock being disengaged from said housing when said front door is pivoted to said horizontal position.

14. The wireless mailbox actuating system of claim 13, wherein said second operating component comprises:

a tray including first and second pivotally mated tray members oriented along an end-to-end pattern defined parallel to a longitudinal length of said housing; and

a tray displacing mechanism connected to said tray;

wherein said first and second positions of said tray are defined interior and exterior of said housing respectively.

15. The wireless mailbox actuating system of claim 14, wherein said tray displacing mechanism comprises:

a first set of linear guide tracks formed along a bottom surface of said first and second tray members respectively;

a first set of gears rotatably engaged with said first set of linear guide tracks respectively; and

a first motor electrically mated to said first set of gears;

wherein said first motor is responsive to said operating signal of said main controller and thereby causes said first set of gears to rotate along said first set of guide tracks such that each of said first and second tray members are linearly reciprocated between said first and second associated positions respectively.

16. The wireless mailbox actuating system of claim 15, wherein said tray displacing mechanism further comprises:

first and second sensors positioned at said first tray member and said lock respectively;

a second guide track connected to said lock; and

a second gear rotatably mated to said second guide track;

wherein said first sensor is communicatively linked to said second sensor such that said second sensor notifies said main controller to activate said second motor after said first sensor drops below said second sensor while traveling away from said housing;

wherein said second gear rotates and thereby linearly displaces said lock away from said housing while said second sensor is disposed below said first sensor;

wherein said first tray member is pivotally urged upward to a horizontal position from a vertical position and thereby linearly retracts back into said housing upon rotational movement of said first set of gears respectively.

17. The wireless mailbox actuating system of claim 16, wherein said third operating component comprises:

a flag; and

a flag raising mechanism connected to said flag;

wherein said first and second associated positions of said flag are defined at horizontal and vertical positions respectively.

18. The wireless mailbox actuating system of claim 17, wherein said flag raising mechanism comprises:

a rotating driven gear monolithically formed at a distal end of said flag;

a rotating drive gear interconnected to said driven gear; and

a motor communicatively coupled to said main controller and said drive gear respectively;

wherein said drive gear is caused to rotate along clockwise and counter clockwise rotational directions and thereby causes said driven gear to rotate along counter clockwise and clockwise directions respectively;

wherein said flag is pivoted between said horizontal and vertical positions as said driven gear is rotated respectively.

19. A method of utilizing a wireless outdoor mailbox actuating system and thereby effectively deterring mail and identity theft, said method comprising the chronological steps of:

providing a lockable outdoor mailbox including a housing and a plurality of operating components dynamically attached to said housing; and

providing a wireless means for synchronously toggling said operating components between first and second associated positions respectively by performing the following chronological steps

freely biasing a first operating component of said plurality of operating components between said first and said second associated positions while said second operating component remains seated inside said housing,

freely reciprocating a second operating component of said plurality of operating components along said first and second associated positions while said first operating component remains at said second associated position, and

independently biasing a third operating component of said plurality of operating components between said first and second associated positions regardless of whether said first and second operating components are disposed at said first or second associated positions respectively;

wherein said first operating component is provided with an elongated slot for receiving mail therethrough and into said housing.