Abstract:
A mailbox post assembly and kit for insertion into the ground and for supporting a mailbox, in which an elongate, hollow post has cooperating openings for transversely receiving a hollow beam, decorative inserts are mounted on the post and beam to give the appearance of a brace, and during transportation or storage, the hollow beam and the decorative inserts fit inside of the hollow post.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    This invention relates to mailbox post assemblies in general, and in particular to one which is easily assembled and which can be stored compactly in unassembled form.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Mailbox post assemblies are used to support mailboxes in front of almost every house. These mailbox post assemblies are typically made from wood, metal or plastic. A typical mailbox post assembly is large, bulky, heavy, somewhat expensive, and prone to rotting. The post is usually made out of a nominally four inch by four inch square length of wood, the bottom of which is sunk into the ground. A similar horizontal wood beam is attached to the post asymmetrically near the top of the post. Often, a diagonal wood brace extends from the post to the beam in order to stiffen the structure. In recent years, similar-looking plastic mailbox post assemblies have been introduced which are lighter, often less expensive, and more resistant to rotting.  
           [0003]    However, these typical wood mailbox post assemblies and plastic mailbox post assemblies continue to share common shortcomings. First, if typical mailbox post assemblies are shipped in pre-assembled form, then they are somewhat bulky to ship, bulky to store, and easily damaged during shipment or storage. Second, if typical mailbox post assemblies are shipped in unassembled form, then they are still relatively bulky to ship, bulky to store, and require some separate packaging to carry the fasteners that will be used to join the post and the beam.  
           [0004]    Thus, there is an unfulfilled need for a mailbox post assembly which can be assembled easily and which can be stored compactly in unassembled form.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Briefly described, in a first preferred form the present invention comprises a mailbox post assembly for insertion into the ground and for supporting a mailbox. The mailbox post assembly includes an elongate, hollow post that has a pair of cooperating openings formed therein and positioned generally toward one end of the post. The cooperating openings are positioned on opposite sides of the post from one another. The mailbox post assembly also includes an elongate, transverse beam sized and configured to be received in the cooperating openings of the post for extending therethrough. The beam and the post are both sized and shaped to allow the beam to be fitted within the hollow post in a nested arrangement for transportation prior to installation.  
           [0006]    Preferably, the mailbox post assembly also includes at least one decorative element for mounting to the post and/or the beam. The decorative element preferably is sized and configured allow it to be fitted within the hollow post for transportation prior to installation. Preferably, the post and the beam are rectangular. Most preferably, the post and the beam are square. Also, preferably the decorative element comprises two decorative elements which, when mounted, provide the appearance of a supporting brace extending from the underside of the beam to an adjacent side of the upright post. Preferably, the post and the beam have similar cross-sectional shapes, but the external dimensions of the beam are smaller than internal dimensions of the hollow post to allow the beam to be slid within the post in a nested arrangement for shipment and storage prior to sale to a consumer.  
           [0007]    In another preferred form, the present invention comprises a mailbox post kit for subsequent assembly and installation. The kit comprises an elongate hollow post having a pair of cooperating openings formed therein positioned generally near one end of the post. The cooperating openings are positioned on opposite sides of the post from one another. An elongate transverse beam is sized and configured to be received in the cooperating openings for extending therethrough. However, in the kit, the beam is fitted within the interior of the hollow post in a nested arrangement for transportation, storage, and sale prior to installation by a user or purchaser.  
           [0008]    Preferably, the mailbox post kit includes at least one decorative element for mounting to the post or the beam and also is fitted within the hollow post for transportation, storage, and sale prior to installation.  
           [0009]    Preferably, in both the assembly and kit described above, the post and the beam have matching geometric shapes of slightly different sizes to allow one to be slid within the other. For example, they can both be square, rectangular, oval, or circular. Alternatively, they can have different shapes provided that the external dimensions of the beam are smaller than the internal dimensions of the post (or that the external dimensions of the post are smaller than the internal dimensions of the beam) to allow the one to be nestably slid within the interior of the other. As an example, it is possible to provide a square upright post having elliptical opposed openings and a transverse beam which is elliptical and matched in shape to the openings formed in the post.  
           [0010]    The mailbox post assembly and the mailbox post kit according to the present invention have the advantage of allowing the unassembled collection of parts to be transported, displayed and shipped very compactly and efficiently. This is so because all of the parts that stick out from the assembled post can be slid into the post for shipment, storage, and sale. This allows the entire package to be stacked extremely efficiently owing to the regular shape of the upright post. In this regard, the post having a rectangular or square shape has a slight advantage over other shapes in that it allows the packaged unassembled parts to be stored very tightly one against another in a store or in a container.  
           [0011]    The present invention allows for very compact storage and transportation of the product prior to sale. It also provides a handy, easily-carried package to allow a purchaser or user to easily transport the mailbox post assembly from the store to the installation site.  
           [0012]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mailbox post assembly that can be transported easily and handily by an individual.  
           [0013]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a mailbox post assembly that can be compactly stored for shipment.  
           [0014]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a mailbox post assembly that can be assembled easily in the field.  
           [0015]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a mailbox post assembly that is durable in its construction, simple to manufacture, and economical to manufacture and purchase.  
           [0016]    These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of a mailbox post assembly according to a preferred form of the invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a right side elevation view of the mailbox post assembly of FIG. 1.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the mailbox post assembly of FIG. 1.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a left side elevation view of the mailbox post assembly of FIG. 1.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the mailbox post assembly of FIG. 1.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is a perspective, partially-exploded view of the mailbox post assembly of FIG. 1, with some elements removed for clarity of illustration, and shown as configured for transportation or storage.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the mailbox post assembly of FIG. 6. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0024]    Referring now in detail to the drawing figures, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the several views, FIGS.  1 - 5  show a mailbox post assembly  10  according to a preferred form of the invention. The mailbox post assembly  10  shown in FIGS.  1 - 5  is depicted in its assembled state, while FIGS. 6 and 7 depict the unassembled mailbox post (a kit) in a configuration for transportation and storage prior to assembly.  
         [0025]    Referring now again to FIGS.  1 - 5 , the mailbox post assembly  10  includes an elongate, upright hollow post  20  and an elongate, lateral transverse beam  30  as its major parts thereof. The mailbox post assembly  10  preferably is made from a weatherable plastic, such as PVC, or other suitable material. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various other materials can be used.  
         [0026]    The hollow upright post  20  preferably is dimensioned to mimic the appearance of a traditional wooden post and therefore would have a nominal four inch by four inch square cross-section (actually about 3½ by 3½, but commonly referred to as four by four). However, other shapes and dimensions can be employed. For example, the post  20  can have rectangular cross-section, rather than square-cross section. Also, the post  20  can be circular in cross-section or elliptical. Furthermore, the post  20  can be fluted if desired. The upright post  20  includes an upper end  21  and a lower end  23 . Preferably, the post  20  includes a top cap or finial  24  adjacent the upper end  21  to provide a finished look and to keep moisture, insects, dirt, and debris from collecting inside the hollow post  20 . The finial, as can be easily understood, can take a variety of shapes.  
         [0027]    The transverse beam  30  includes a first end  31  and a second end  33  opposite the first end  31 . The ends  31  and  33  are capped with end caps  34  and  36  to provide a finished look and to keep moisture, insects, dirt, and debris from collecting inside the hollow beam  30 . As shown, the end caps  34 ,  36  are beveled. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that other shapes can be employed. An upper surface  32  of the transverse beam  30  preferably is flat and receives a mailbox, which is not shown in the figures for simplicity. The mailbox can take a variety of shapes, sizes and appearances.  
         [0028]    The transverse beam  30 , as depicted in FIG. 1, preferably is square in cross-section. As with the upright post  20 , those skilled in the art will recognize that other shapes can be employed. However, a most pleasing visual effect is achieved by using matching or corresponding shapes, such as by having the upright post be square and the transverse beam also square. Alternatively, the upright post could be square and the transverse beam could be rectangular, round, or other shapes.  
         [0029]    The transverse beam  30  preferably is sized and dimensioned to be slightly smaller in its major dimensions (width and height) than the upright post  20 . In this way, the upright post  20  can be provided with openings that are sized to receive the lateral beam therethrough. Alternatively, one could construct the post and beam to have an opposite size relationship in that the post could be made to have the smaller dimensions and the beam could be provided with holes extending therethrough and allowing the post to extend up through the beam. However, this has the disadvantage of requiring additional bracing and/or fastening in order to secure the lateral beam  30  vertically and is not as attractive.  
         [0030]    Still referring to FIG. 1, the post assembly preferably includes a lower decorative element  42  secured to a front face of the upright post  20  just beneath the transverse beam  30 . A matching decorative element  44  is secured to an underside surface of the transverse beam  30  near the upright post  20 . Preferably, the decorative elements  42  and  44  are designed to cooperatively provide the appearance of a unitary brace or strut extending between the underside of the transverse beam  30  and the front face of the upright post  20 . Most preferably, the decorative elements  42  and  44  are identical to one another. Decorative elements  42  and  44  can be secured in place by adhesives, plastic, welding, clamps, screws, etc. Preferably, the means for attachment is visually unobtrusive. As will be explained in greater detail in connection with FIGS. 6 and 7, the decorative elements  42  and  44  are sized to be received within the interior of the transverse beam  30  when the unassembled elements are configured for shipping and storage prior to assembly.  
         [0031]    Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the post assembly is shown in its unassembled or kit form, in which it is compactly configured for transportation or storage prior to assembly. The hollow design of transverse beam  30  and the hollow post  20  allow all of the elements to fit inside of each other in a compact shipping configuration that minimizes overall volume and reduces the chance of damage to any elements. Also, this compact shipping configuration requires little or no additional packaging beyond shrink-wrapped cellophane. Additionally, the preferred square cross-section of the beam  30  and the post  20  yield a square cross-section shipping configuration where the relatively thin wall of the beam  30  and the relatively thin wall of the post  20  are combined to effectively form a strong double wall protection for the decorative elements during shipping.  
         [0032]    Examining FIG. 6 in detail, this is a perspective, partially-exploded view of a kit  100  for assembly into the mailbox post assembly  10  of FIG. 1, with some elements removed for clarity of illustration, and shown as configured for transportation or storage. FIG. 6 shows an opening  28  in the post  20  and a cooperating opening  29  on the opposite side of the post  20 . When assembled (as shown in FIG. 1), the beam  30  extends through these cooperating openings  28  and  29 .  
         [0033]    Still referring to FIG. 6, the kit  100  is shown to include the beam  30  and the post  20  with square cross-sections. In this compact configuration, the decorative elements  42  and  44  are shown tightly nested diagonally inside of the hollow transverse beam  30 . Similarly, the beam  30  is tightly nested snugly inside the hollow post  20 . For clarity, the end cap  34  of the beam  30  is shown spaced apart from the beam  30  and the post  20 .  
         [0034]    Further examining FIG. 6, those skilled in the art will recognize that this end cap  34 , can also fit diagonally within beam  30 . Additional elements that are not shown will also fit within the beam  30 . These additional elements include the other end cap  36  (not shown in this figure), and any fasteners (not shown) for fastening the decorative elements  42  and  44  to the post  20  and the beam  30 . Preferably, any related printed documentation, such as instructions for assembly and a warranty, will also be placed inside of beam  30 . Alternately, the end caps  34  and  36  could be mounted on the two ends of beam  30 , thus holding loose elements (decorative elements  42  and  44 , fasteners, and printed documents) within the beam.  
         [0035]    Those skilled in the art will recognize that other similar compact configurations can be provided. For example, a rectangular cross-section beam inside a rectangular cross-section post, or a circular beam inside a circular post. Alternately, the internal dimensions of the beam could be larger than the external dimensions of the post, and the post could be compactly configured within the beam in such a way as to protect the decorative finial  24 .  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the mailbox post kit  100  in the compact transportation configuration of FIG. 6. This cross-sectional view clearly shows the decorative element  42  diagonally nested within the beam  30 , which is in turn nested within post  20 .  
         [0037]    Continuing describing FIG. 7, those skilled in the art will immediately recognize the many advantages of this compact configuration of the post kit  100 . First, the overall volume is minimized, which reduces transportation and storage costs. Second, the tight internal fit of the elements means that little or no additional packaging materials will be required. Using little or no additional packaging materials reduces the overall material costs, as well as reducing transportation costs by reducing weight. Third, the tight internal fit of the elements adds structural strength. For example, the tight fit of the beam  30  inside of the post  20  effectively gives double wall protection to the decorative element  42 . Also, this double wall effect allows the beam  30  wall to help keep the post  20  wall protected somewhat. Fourth, the compact configuration is easy to carry during transportation. The compact configuration also is easy to stack for storage and display. Moreover, the compact configuration is convenient for the customer to handle during purchase, and to transport in a small vehicle.  
         [0038]    While the invention has been disclosed in preferred forms, those skilled in the art will recognize that other shapes can be used that are similarly pleasing to the eye in final assembled form, while retaining all or most of the advantages of the square cross-section shape chosen for the preferred form of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize further that many modifications, additions, and deletions can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.