Abstract:
A mailbox configured to allow visual inspection of the contents thereof prior to opening the mailbox device. The mailbox device can include one or more see-through portions and/or components thereof.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention is directed to a mailbox device. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a mailbox device configured to allow a user to inspect the interior or contents of the mailbox prior to opening thereof.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    There exists a wide variety of mail boxes that are currently manufactured and sold. Most of these mailboxes are configured to mount or be supported on top of a post anchored in the ground. The current mailboxes are typically made of metal or plastic material.  
           [0003]    The current mailboxes have a front door that flips downwardly to insert or retrieve mail. Currently, these mailboxes are made of materials that are opaque, and do not allow a user to look inside the mailbox or inspect the contents thereof prior to opening the door. Further, whether the mail has been delivered or the mailbox has been tampered with cannot be discerned until the current mailboxes are opened and a user looks inside.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    An object of the present invention is to provide an improved mailbox.  
           [0005]    A second object of the present invention is to provide a mailbox configured to allow a user to visually inspect the contents or interior of the mailbox prior to opening.  
           [0006]    A third object of the present invention is to provide a mailbox device provided with a window in at least one of a door portion or container portion of the mailbox device.  
           [0007]    A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a mailbox device according to the present invention having a see-through portion or window.  
           [0008]    A fifth object of the present invention is to provide a mailbox having at least one portion or component made of a see-through material.  
           [0009]    A sixth object of the present invention is to provide a mailbox device having a door portion made of a see-through material connected to a container portion.  
           [0010]    A seventh object of the present invention is to provide a mailbox device having a container portion and door portion both made of see-through material.  
           [0011]    The present invention is directed to a mailbox device configured to allow a user to inspect the inside of the mailbox prior to opening thereof. For example, a person can see whether or not mail has been delivered by visual inspection, even from a distance, and/or can visually inspect the contents of the mailbox prior to opening the mailbox. This feature is important with respect to safety and security of a person opening a tampered mailbox containing a prank, dangerous material (e.g. explosive, cutting device, gun) or otherwise booby-trapped by someone else.  
           [0012]    A preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide a see-through door portion of the mailbox. For example, the door portion can be provided with a window cut through or molded in the door portion. The window can be opened or covered with a see-through material, such as a plastic sheet or a molded window. In another preferred embodiment, a portion of the door portion or the entire door portion is made of a see-through plastic material (e.g. made by injection molding). In another preferred embodiment, one or more portions of the container portion of the mailbox is made of see-through material to provide a see-through window or the entire container portion is made of see-through material to allow visual inspection from all sides. In a further preferred embodiment, the front door and the rear panel of the container portion are both made of see-through plastic material so that you can see through both the front and the back of the mailbox so that there exists adequate natural light to view the inside thereof. Optionally, the mailbox can be provided with one or more interior light sources to illuminate or partially illuminate the interior of the mailbox to enhance visual inspection thereof prior to opening. For example, a solar powered device mounted on the mailbox or post of the mailbox in combination with a battery pack powers one or more lights mounted within the mailbox device.  
           [0013]    The present invention is directed to new construction of mailboxes, and/or alterations to existing mailboxes. For example, a conventional opaque door can be replaced with a see-through plastic door installed by removing the existing rivets or fasteners and swapping out the opaque door with the see-through door. In other versions, an existing mailbox can be drilled with a hole saw and plastic insert windows can be glued or snap fit into the openings to allow visual inspection of the interior thereof.  
           [0014]    In a particularly preferred embodiment, the entire mailbox is made of a see-through plastic material such as plastic. For example, the plastic material can be clear or not clear but translucent to allow visualization of the shape and sizes of the contents of the mailbox. For example, a clear plastic mailbox can be lightly frosted (e.g. by shot penning or sandblasting) to allow some visual access to the interior of the mailbox prior to opening while adding some texture and/or color to visually enhance the look of the mailbox. Alternatively, paint or some other finish product can be sputtered onto a clear mailbox again to add texture and/or color to visually enhance the mailbox. Even further, the clear mailbox can be slightly tinted to allow visual inspection of the contents thereof while also adding aesthetic beauty. In a preferred embodiment, the mailbox is tinted so that you cannot see into the mailbox until a light switch is turned to on illuminate the interior of the mailbox then allowing a user to visually inspect the mailbox prior to opening thereof. In another embodiment, a liquid crystal type coating or layer is incorporated or applied to the plastic material that can be electrically activated to act as a light shutter to selectively view or make opaque the plastic material to allow visual inspection in one mode and preventing visual inspection in another mode. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mailbox according to the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the mailbox according to the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of a further embodiment of the mailbox according to the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the mailbox according to the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the mailbox according to the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional of a sixth embodiment of the mailbox according to the present invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 7 is a perspective of a seventh embodiment of the mailbox according to the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of a replaceable door portion for a plastic type mailbox.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of a replacement type door portion for a metal type mailbox.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of a replacement door portion shown in FIG. 9. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0025]    An embodiment of the mailbox device  10  according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0026]    The mailbox  10  includes a container portion  12  and a door portion  14 . The door portion  14  is pivotally connected to the container portion  12  by a set of fasteners or rivets  16 . The door portion  14  is provided with a latch portion  18   a  cooperating with a latch portion  18   b  connected to the container portion  12 .  
         [0027]    The container portion  12  is made of sheet metal or plastic sheet material or plastic injection molded material. The container portion  12  can be configured or made to be see-through, partially see-through or opaque. For example, the container portion  12  is made of tinted plastic see-through material (e.g. acrylic) or can be partially see-through (e.g. made of partially or fully clarified polyethylene or polypropylene). The door portion  14  is preferably made of a clear and colorless plastic material (e.g. formed from a sheet or injection molded), so as to allow good visual inspection of the interior of the mailbox device  10 . The mailbox device  10  is shown mounted on top of a post  20  set in the ground G.  
         [0028]    Another embodiment of the mailbox device  100  according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 2.  
         [0029]    In this embodiment both the front door portion  114  and rear portion  115  of the container portion  112  are configured to be see-through. For example, the front door portion  114  and rear portion  115  are made of clear see-through plastic material formed from a sheet or injection molded.  
         [0030]    A third embodiment of the mailbox device  200  according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 3.  
         [0031]    In this embodiment, the door portion  214  is provided with a through opening  222  to define a window, and a window pane  224  is fitted within the window  222 . The window pane  224  can be provided with grill works  226  to provide visual enhancement and potentially reinforcement to the window pane  224 . The window pane  224  can be made of glass or plastic clear see-through material.  
         [0032]    A fourth embodiment of the mailbox device  300  according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 4.  
         [0033]    The mailbox  300  is provided with a plurality of separate round windows  324 . Specifically one window  324  is provided in the door portion  314  and two sets of windows  324  are provided on each side of the container portion  312  (two windows are not shown). The round windows  324  configured to be adhered and/or snap fit into round through holes made through the door portion  314  and container portion  312 . The windows  324  can be applied to existing mailboxes by cutting round through holes with a hole saw, and then installing the windows  324  in the through holes.  
         [0034]    A fifth embodiment of the mailbox device  400  according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 5.  
         [0035]    The mailbox device  400  is provided with a door portion  414  having a round top window  424  as shown, and the container portion  412  is provided with a pair of side bow windows  426  and a pair of skylights  428  to allow light to enter the mailbox device  400  from above. This configuration provides a “greenhouse” type lighting effect so that a user can visually inspect the contents of the mailbox  400  from all sides with good visibility and light.  
         [0036]    A sixth embodiment of the mailbox device  500  according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 6.  
         [0037]    The mailbox device  500  includes a see-through door portion  514  and a see-through rear panel  515  of the container portion  512 . A solar panel  530  is mounted on the post  520  by a mounting bracket  532 . An on/off switch  534  is provided on the post  520 . Alternatively, the on/off switch  534  can be mounted on the container portion  512  or door portion  514  of the mailbox device  500 .  
         [0038]    A set of three (3) separate incandescent or fluorescent lamps  536  are mounted on the roof or ceiling of the container portion  512 . The solar panel  530  is electrically connected to the switch  534 , which in turn is connected by wires  538  to the lamps  536 . A battery backup unit  540  is wired to the solar panel  530  to allow charging thereof during the daylight hours.  
         [0039]    A seventh embodiment of the mailbox device  600  according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0040]    The mailbox device  600  includes a container portion  612  having side windows  642  (one on both sides) and an upper window or skylight  644 . The door portion  614  is provided with a window  646 . The windows  642 ,  644  and  646  make up almost the entire outer surfaces of the mailbox device  600  to provide excellent visual inspection of the contents of the mailbox  600  from all sides and angles. The mailbox device  600  can be provided with bottom windows, again to further increase the visual inspection of the contents thereof.  
         [0041]    A replacement door portion  714  for a plastic mailbox is shown in FIG. 8. The plastic door portion  714  is provided with a plastic window  724  and a pair of lugs  725  for pivotal connection with the existing container portion.  
         [0042]    A replacement door portion  814  for a metal type mailbox is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The door portion  184  is provided with a window  824  and a flange  827  for inserting into the opening of the metal mailbox once the metal door has been removed.