Patent ID: 7249705
Filing Date: 2007-07-31
Classification: A47G

Abstract:
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.