Adjustable mounting bracket for mounting a mailbox

An adjustable mounting bracket for mounting a mailbox, the mounting bracket including a first side section configured to contact one side of the mailbox and having one or more first anchoring portions extending inwardly from the first side section to contact a supporting body, and a second side section configured to contact another side of the mailbox and having one or more second anchoring portions extending inwardly from the second side section to contact the supporting body, wherein the first and second anchoring portions are configured to contact the supporting body without overlapping.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present general inventive concept relates generally to a mounting bracket for mounting a mailbox, and, more particularly, to a mounting bracket having an adjustable width to accommodate a variety of mailbox sizes.

BACKGROUND

The mounting of a mailbox can be an onerous task, due to the variety of sizes and styles of mailboxes, along with the variety and sized of support structures on which to mount the mailboxes, sometimes resulting in less than optimal pairings. This may be especially so when replacing a mailbox while maintaining the existing base, such as a post, or in the reverse situation of changing the post for an existing mailbox. Rather than having a limited choice of mailbox due to the size of the post on which the mailbox would be mounted, the mailbox installer may instead desire a bracket that will allow more choices of mailbox styles and sizes to be installed on the existing post. Thus, there is a desire for a “universal” bracket that would allow a large variety of mailboxes to be installed on a variety of support structures.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present general inventive concept provides an adjustable bracket for mounting a mailbox, the bracket having separated sections which may be moved closer or further apart to receive different sized mailboxes or other such small structures.

The foregoing and/or other aspects and advantages of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by an adjustable mounting bracket for mounting a mailbox, the mounting bracket including a first side section configured to contact one side of the mailbox and having one or more first anchoring portions extending inwardly from the first side section to contact a supporting body, and a second side section configured to contact another side of the mailbox and having one or more second anchoring portions extending inwardly from the second side section to contact the supporting body, wherein the first and second anchoring portions are configured to contact the supporting body without overlapping.

The first and second anchoring portions may be configured to contact the supporting body in a substantially parallel pattern.

The first and second side sections may be respectively provided with one or more through holes to receive one or more coupling members to couple the first and second side sections to the mailbox.

The one or more through holes may be elongated grooves extending along the respective first and second side sections to receive the one or more coupling members at one or more points along the grooves.

The one or more through holes may be configured to be smaller than a circumference of a threaded pattern of a sheet metal screw.

The mounting bracket may further include one or more protrusions extending from one or more of the respective through holes to increase a width of the respective through holes.

The protrusions may extend inwardly from the first and/or second side sections.

The protrusions may extend outwardly from the first and/or second side sections.

The protrusions may extend both inwardly and outwardly from the first and/or second side sections.

The protrusions may extend continuously from the perimeter of the one or more respective through holes.

The protrusions may extend from one or more portions of the one or more respective through holes.

The first and second side sections may be configured to be thicker than a distance between threads of the sheet metal screw.

The first and second anchoring portions may be respectively provided with one or more through holes to receive one or more coupling members to couple the first and second anchoring portions to the supporting body.

The one or more through holes may be elongated grooves extending along the respective first and second anchoring portions to receive the one or more coupling members at one or more points along the grooves.

A desired width of the mounting bracket may be set by spacing the first and second side sections the desired width apart before coupling the first and/or second anchoring portions to the supporting body.

The first and second anchoring portions may be provided with respective corresponding indicia to be aligned to set one or more predetermined widths of the mounting bracket.

The first side section and first anchoring portions may have the same dimensions as the second side section and second anchoring portions.

The first and second anchoring portions may extend respectively from the first and second side sections substantially perpendicularly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and illustrations. The example embodiments are described herein in order to explain the present general inventive concept by referring to the figures.

The following detailed description is provided to assist the reader in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein. Accordingly, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein will be suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. The described progression of processing operations described are merely examples, however, and the sequence of operations is not limited to that set forth herein and may be changed as is known in the art, with the exception of operations necessarily occurring in a certain order. Also, description of well-known functions and constructions may be omitted for increased clarity and conciseness.

Various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, as described herein, provide an adjustable mounting bracket for mounting a mailbox wherein the mounting bracket includes two sections that may be moved closer together or further apart to accommodate different styles and/or widths of mailboxes to be installed thereon. Thus, the mounting bracket may be used with a variety of different mailboxes, and may be fixed to a variety of different bases upon which a user wishes to mount the mailbox.

While the example embodiments of the present general inventive concept discussed herein generally describe the mounting of mailboxes, it is noted that the adjustable mounting bracket may be used to mount a variety of small structures, such as birdhouses, etc., onto a supporting body, and therefore the use of the adjustable mounting bracket is not limited to mailboxes.

In various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, the mounting bracket may include a first side section configured to contact one side of the mailbox and having one or more first anchoring portions extending inwardly from the first side section to contact a supporting body, and a second side section configured to contact another side of the mailbox and having one or more second anchoring portions extending inwardly from the second side section to contact the supporting body, wherein the first and second anchoring portions are configured to contact the supporting body without overlapping. The desired width of the mounting bracket may be set by spacing the first and second side sections the desired width apart before coupling the first and/or second anchoring portions to the supporting body.

FIGS. 1-2illustrate an adjustable mounting bracket according to an example embodiment of the present general inventive concept. The mounting bracket100ofFIGS. 1-2includes a first side section110to contact one side of the mailbox which will be attached to the mounting bracket100, and has two first anchoring portions120extending inwardly from the first side section110to be attached to a supporting body, such as a post, cantilever, etc. Although the embodiment illustrated in these drawings includes two of the anchoring portions120, more or less anchoring portions may be provided. A second side section130is also provided to contact another side of the mailbox, and has two second anchoring portions140extending inwardly from the second side section130. The first and second anchoring portions120,140will be located under the mailbox after the mailbox is attached to the mounting bracket100.

The configuration of the first and second side sections110,130determines the width of the mounting bracket. In other words, the first and second side sections110,130may be placed at various distances from one another to customize the width of the mounting bracket100to accommodate different sizes of mailboxes. As illustrated inFIG. 2, the first and second anchoring portions120,140may be configured so as to extend substantially perpendicularly from the respective first and second side sections110,130, and may be arranged in a substantially perpendicular fashion after being attached to the supporting body. However, various other example embodiments may provide anchoring portions in other configurations/arrangements.

As illustrated inFIGS. 1-2, the first and second side sections110,130are each provided with one or more through holes150to receive one or more coupling members to couple the first and second side sections110,130to the sides of the mailbox. The coupling members may be, for example, screws, or other similar attachment bodies. As illustrated in the example embodiments ofFIGS. 1-2, the through holes150may be provided as one or more elongated grooves extending along the first and second side sections110,130, such that the coupling members may be applied at various locations as desired or needed for the mailbox being mounted. For example, some mailboxes may come with pre-formed holes for attachment screws, and the groove-shaped through holes will allow a greater range of placement for the mailbox relative to the mounting bracket100. In other various example embodiments, the one or more through holes150may be provided to receive single coupling members at a fixed point.

Similarly, the first and second anchoring portions120,140may be provided with one or more through holes160to receive a coupling member to couple the first and second anchoring portions120,140to the supporting body upon which the mounting bracket100is fixed. Like the through holes150, the through holes160may be configured as elongated grooves extending along the respective first and second anchoring portions120,140to allow greater freedom in the placement of the coupling members received therein.

According to various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, the through holes150may be configured to be smaller in at least one radial direction than a circumference of a threaded pattern of a sheet metal screw, so that the threaded pattern interacts with the edge of the through holes150. In other words, the through holes150may be sufficiently small that the threaded pattern of the sheet metal screw will form a thread groove in the first and second side sections110,130themselves between the inner and outer edges of the through holes150. Similarly, in various example embodiments the first and second side sections110,130may be configured to be thicker than a distance between the threads of the sheet metal screw, to allow the sheet metal screw to form such a thread groove in the first and second side sections110,130to enhance the securing action of the sheet metal screw when attaching the mailbox to the mounting bracket100.

FIG. 3illustrates an example installation of the mounting bracket illustrated inFIGS. 1-2onto a supporting body. As illustrated inFIG. 3, before attaching the mailbox310to the mounting bracket100, the mounting bracket100may be attached to the supporting body320, which in this example is a cantilever attached to a mailbox post. The mounting bracket100may be attached to the supporting body by one or more wood screws330that are screwed through the through holes160of the respective first and second anchoring portions120,140. The illustrated wood screws330are merely one example of coupling members that may be used to attach the mounting bracket100to the supporting body320, and several other coupling members or combinations of different types of coupling members, including adhesives, may be employed. The first and second side sections110,130are placed according to the desired width of the mounting bracket100before anchoring the first and second anchoring portions120,140to the supporting body320.

FIG. 4illustrates the mounting of a mailbox onto the installed mounting bracket illustrated inFIG. 3. After the mounting bracket100is attached to the supporting body320, the mailbox310may be attached to the mounting bracket by one or more sheet metal screws410that are screwed through the through holes150of the respective first and second side sections110,130. The illustrated sheet metal screws410are merely one example of coupling members that may be used to attach the mailbox310to the respective first and second side sections110,130of the mounting bracket100, and several other coupling members or combinations of different types of coupling members, including adhesives, may be employed.

The mounting bracket of the present general inventive concept may be formed in a variety of different ways.FIG. 5illustrates a partially formed mounting bracket according to an embodiment of the present general inventive concept, in which two halves of the mounting bracket100, each half including a respective side section and anchoring portion, are formed from a single sheet of material, such as a sheet of metal. The through holes150,160may also be formed during the same process. In the example embodiment illustrated inFIG. 5, the two halves may be punched, cut, etc., from a sheet of metal, and then the respective side sections110,130and/or anchoring portions120,140are bent at a bend line510until the anchoring portions120,140are substantially perpendicular to the attached side sections110,130.

According to various example embodiments, the first and second side sections110,130may have substantially identical dimensions to simplify the production of the mounting bracket100. In other words, the first side section110and first anchoring portion120will have the same shape as the second side section130and second anchoring portion140, with the respective anchoring portions being configured so as not to overlap when the two halve are combined to form the mounting bracket100.

FIGS. 6-7illustrate an adjustable mounting bracket according to another example embodiment of the present general inventive concept. The mounting bracket100′ of the example embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 6-7includes first and second anchoring portions120,140that are not formed of a continuous material with the first and second side sections110,130, but rather are attached to the first and second side sections110,130by any of a number of attachment methods, such as welding and the like.

The example embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 6-7also includes corresponding indicia610which may be included on the first and second anchoring portions120,140to indicate predetermined widths available to the installer of the mounting bracket100′. The corresponding indicia610may be formed according to standard mailbox widths, such as 6″, 8″, and 11″. In more detail, as illustrated inFIGS. 6-7, the second anchoring portion140may be provided with markings of 6, 8, and 11, with corresponding line marks, that may be aligned with a line mark associated with the letter “A” (for alignment) on the first anchoring portion120in order to easily configure these predetermined widths when installing the mounting bracket100′. The corresponding indicia610illustrated inFIGS. 6-7are merely examples of possible indicia, and various other example embodiments may employ different sizes or markings. Additionally, according to various example embodiments, the corresponding indicia610may be provided in a variety of ways, such as being engraved on the respective anchoring portions, printed in paint or ink, and so on.

FIG. 8illustrates an adjustable mounting bracket according to yet another example embodiment of the present general inventive concept. In the example embodiment illustrated inFIG. 8, the first and second side sections110′,130′ are provided with protrusions810that extend respectively from each of the through holes150to effectively make the through holes150wider to accommodate screws with a larger area between threads than screws that may be used in the example embodiments previously described. Alternatively, the protrusions810may be provided to accommodate the same screws that may be used in the previously described example embodiment, but in an example embodiment in which the first and second side sections110′,130′ are configured to be thinner than those depicted in the previously described example embodiments. As depicted inFIG. 8, the first and second side sections110′,130′ are thinner than the first and side sections110,130illustrated inFIGS. 1-7. According to various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, the anchoring portions120′,140′ may also vary in width according the desired configuration. While the protrusions810illustrated inFIG. 8are illustrated as extending inwardly from the first and second side sections110′,130′, it is understood that the protrusions may be configured to extend outwardly from the first and second side sections110′,130′ in other various example embodiments, or may extend both inwardly and outwardly. Further, while the protrusions810illustrated inFIG. 8are configured to extend from the entire perimeter of the through holes150, in various other example embodiments the protrusions may be configured to be non-continuous and extend from only portions of the perimeter of the through holes150, such as, for example, only from a top and bottom portion of the through holes150. Additionally, various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept may include protrusions810of varying widths, and may include different widths extending from the same side sections. According to various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, the protrusions810may only be configured to extend from less than all of the through holes150, or may extend inwardly from one or more through holes150while extending outwardly from one or more other through holes150, etc. The protrusions810may be formed continuously with the first and second side sections110′,130′, or may be attached to the first and second side sections110′,130′ by any of a number of attachment methods, such as welding and the like.

It is noted that while particular different features are described and illustrated in regard toFIGS. 6-8, any or all of the example features illustrated inFIGS. 6-8may be included in the previously described example embodiments of the present general inventive concept.

According to various embodiments of the present general inventive concept, an adjustable mounting bracket for mounting a mailbox is provided, the mounting bracket including a first side section configured to contact one side of the mailbox and having one or more first anchoring portions extending inwardly from the first side section to contact a supporting body, and a second side section configured to contact another side of the mailbox and having one or more second anchoring portions extending inwardly from the second side section to contact the supporting body, wherein the first and second anchoring portions are configured to contact the supporting body without overlapping. The desired width of the mounting bracket may be set by spacing the first and second side sections the desired width apart before coupling the first and/or second anchoring portions to the supporting body.

It is noted that the simplified diagrams and drawings do not illustrate all the various connections and assemblies of the various components, however, those skilled in the art will understand how to implement such connections and assemblies, based on the illustrated components, figures, and descriptions provided herein, using sound engineering judgment.

Numerous variations, modifications, and additional embodiments are possible, and accordingly, all such variations, modifications, and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of the present general inventive concept. For example, regardless of the content of any portion of this application, unless clearly specified to the contrary, there is no requirement for the inclusion in any claim herein or of any application claiming priority hereto of any particular described or illustrated activity or element, any particular sequence of such activities, or any particular interrelationship of such elements. Moreover, any activity can be repeated, any activity can be performed by multiple entities, and/or any element can be duplicated.

While the present general inventive concept has been illustrated by description of several example embodiments, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the inventive concept to such descriptions and illustrations. Instead, the descriptions, drawings, and claims herein are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive, and additional embodiments will readily appear to those skilled in the art upon reading the above description and drawings.