Patent Publication Number: US-6662997-B1

Title: Mail receptacle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a mail receptacle for use in connection with parcels. The mail receptacle has particular utility for providing expanding capacity to accommodate mail. The mail receptacle also has particular utility for providing a substantially flexible, rotatable mail receptacle. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Mail receptacles for receiving mail delivered to the home are known in the prior art. Generally, these devices fall into two broad categories, wall mounted receptacles and post mounted receptacles. Each of the devices currently comprising the above categories suffers from at least one disadvantage. One disadvantage of both types of typical mailboxes is their inability to receive large or odd-shaped packages. A disadvantage of post-mounted mailboxes is that they are prone to damage as they are frequently hit, either inadvertently by vehicles or deliberately by pranksters. The typical post-mounted mailbox with rigid, unyielding construction is therefore subject to breaking upon impact. Another disadvantage of a typical post-mounted mailbox is that a user may be in harms way to either place or receive mail. Because post-mounted mailboxes must facilitate mail delivery, they frequently open to the street. Therefore, a user of a typical post-mounted mailbox stands in the street to access their mail. Thus improvements to devices for receiving mail are needed. Improved mail receptacles are desirable. A mail receptacle with an expanding mail-holding capacity would be desirable. Furthermore, a post-mounted mail receptacle that could withstand a blow without breaking would be desirable, as would a mail receptacle that could be emptied without standing in front of it. 
     Mail receptacles designed to withstand a side impact are known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,989 to Guthrie to discloses a mailbox mounting device that returns to its original position after side impact. However, Guthrie &#39;989 does not disclose a mail receptacle having a flexible construction. Nor does Guthrie &#39;989 disclose a mail receptacle having an expandable construction. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,343 to Morton discloses a mailbox mounting device. Likewise, Morton &#39;343 does not disclose a mail receptacle having a flexible construction, nor does Morton &#39;343 disclose a mail receptacle having an expandable construction. 
     Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,286 to Paschal discloses a rotatable mailbox mounting assembly. Again, Paschal &#39;286 does not disclose a mail receptacle having a flexible construction, nor does Paschal &#39;286 disclose a mail receptacle having an expandable construction. U.S. Pat. No. 3,407,997 to Wood et al. describes a rotatable mailbox. Yet, Wood et al. &#39;997 does not disclose a mail receptacle having a flexible construction, nor does Wood et al. &#39;997 disclose a mail receptacle having an expandable construction. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,640,153 to Kolstad describes a wall mounted expandable mail chute. However, Kolstad &#39;153 may not be adapted to be, for example, a post-mounted mailbox, as Kolstad &#39;153 requires the described mail chute to be incorporated into a wall. Furthermore, Kolstad &#39;153 does not disclose a mail receptacle having a flexible construction. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,960 to Belisle describes a mailbox security bag. Although Belisle &#39;960 describes a mailbag that may hold packages, Belisle &#39;960 does not disclose a somewhat rigid mail receptacle having a flexible construction. Further, Belisle &#39;960 does not disclose a rotatable mail receptacle. 
     Lastly, U.S. Design Patent No. 443,971 to Carr et al. appears to describe a mailbox having an elaborate hummingbird design. Carr does not appear to describe a mail receptacle having an expandable construction, a flexible construction, or a rotatable construction. 
     While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a mail receptacle having a somewhat rigid yet flexible construction. Moreover, the above-mentioned patents make no provision for a mail receptacle having an expandable construction and a rotatable construction. 
     Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved mail receptacle that is constructed such that it resists breaking upon impact. Further, a need exists for a mail receptacle having an expandable construction, such that large or odd-sized packages could be accommodated. Still further, a need exists for a mail receptacle having a rotatable construction. 
     In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills these needs. In this respect, the mail receptacle according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides a mail receptacle primarily developed for the purposes of withstanding impacts without breaking, and providing very large mail holding capacity. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of mail receptacles now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved mail receptacle, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved mail receptacle which has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a mail receptacle which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a substantially impact proof mail receptacle. To attain this, the mail receptacle has a mail container mounted upon a substantially flexible post. The post may be constructed of any suitable material, such as, for example, rubber. In an embodiment, the mail container is mounted to the post such that the mail container will rotate about the post upon impact. In an embodiment, the mail container includes a large pouch that may hold a large volume of mail and/or a parcel. The pouch may be held in a pouch box when not in use. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 
     In an embodiment, the mail container may have a pouch box that is integral with the mail container. Alternately, the pouch box may be separately affixed to the mail container. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached. 
     Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved mail receptacle that has all of the advantages of the prior art mail receptacles and none of the disadvantages. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide new and improved mail receptacles that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved mail receptacle that has a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such mail receptacle economically available to the buying public. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new mail receptacle that provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
    
    
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the mail receptacle of the present invention. In this view, the pouch is inside the pouch box. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of the mail receptacle of the present invention. In this view, the pouch is outside the pouch box. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of an embodiment of the mail receptacle of the present invention. The cross-section is taken on line  3  of FIG.  2 . In this view, the pouch is outside the pouch box. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of an embodiment of the mail receptacle of the present invention. The cross-section is taken on line  4  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-section view of an embodiment of the mail receptacle of the present invention. The cross-section is taken on line  5  of FIG.  4 . 
     The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures. 
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-5, preferred embodiments of the mail receptacle of the present invention are shown and generally designated by the reference numeral. 
     In FIG. 1, a new and improved mail receptacle is illustrated and will be described as follows. Mail receptacle  10  may initially comprise a typical main compartment  14  used to receive mail. Such a main compartment may include a substantially horizontal floor  40  having a length greater than or equal to its width. For example, the main compartment may be from six to eight inches wide by fifteen to eighteen inches long. Rising from the floor  40  and running along the length of the floor are two opposed substantially parallel sidewalls. That is, the lower portions of the sidewalls may be substantially perpendicular to the floor  40 , and therefore parallel to one another as they extend from the floor  40 . However, the sidewalls may arc together in such a manner as to form the top of the main compartment  14 . Consequently, the sidewalls may be constructed from a single continuous piece of material such as, for example, sheet metal. Or, the main compartment  14  may have a separate, arcuate roof that is arranged concave-down to meet the sidewalls, which sidewalls may remain substantially perpendicular to the floor and parallel to one another through their entire height. The main compartment has a door  32  which may be pivotally mounted to either the sidewalls or the main compartment floor  40 . Main compartment floor  40  may be flat, or it may have a corrugated configuration with the corrugations extending lengthwise of the mailbox. 
     Such a main compartment  14  may be affixed to a rotating mounting plate  18  which mounting plate  18  may then be mounted atop a post  12  and coupled to backing plate  24 . Post  12  may include a backing plate collar  30  to provide fastening means for the backing plate  24 , as described in further detail below. In an embodiment, post  12  is flexible. For example, post  12  may be made of rubber such that post  12  would resist breakage if hit by, for example, a car or snowplow. Alternately, post  12  could be made of a synthetic material that would be similarly resistant to breakage. As shown in outline in FIG. 1, post  12  is made of a material that could, upon impact, bend from a vertical position without breaking. Further, post  12  could be made from a material that would return to a vertical position unaided. Post  12  could be of a length such that the mailbox would be approximately fifty inches from the ground. 
     Mail receptacle  10  may include a pouch box  26 , such as that shown to the right of main mail compartment in FIG.  1 . Such pouch box  26  may be integral with the main compartment  14 , or it may be distinct from main compartment  14  yet affixed to main compartment  14 . Consequently, pouch box  26  may be of the same material as the mailbox, or it may be of another material. Suitable materials for both include, but are not limited to, metal, plastic, wood, or composite. Pouch box  26  may also include a pouch lid  28 , both of which described in further detail below. Pouch box  26  will be of a size and shape to house pouch  16 . 
     Turning to FIG. 2, a side view of an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In this side view, mail pouch  16  is shown in its in use position. That is, mail pouch  16  is removed from its pouch box  26 . In order to use mail pouch  16 , pouch box lid  28  is lifted, and mail pouch  16  is removed from pouch box  26 . The top of mail pouch  16  is opened and mail is placed within the pouch. Mail pouch  16  is of a size to accommodate mail that will not fit in main compartment  14 . Mail pouch  16  may have a length such that the bottom of the pouch remains well above the ground. Alternately, mail pouch  16  may be long enough to rest on the ground, thus accommodating very large packages. 
     In FIG. 2, mail pouch  16  is shown having a width approximately equivalent to or less than that of pouch box  26 . However, in use mail pouch  16  may be much wider than pouch box  26 . In fact mail pouch  16  may even be wider than main mail compartment  14 . Mail pouch  16  may include gathering means  34 , thus the top of the mail pouch  16  may be pulled together. Gathering means  34  may be elastic or a drawstring or any suitable means to hold the top of the pouch together. Additionally, gathering means  34  may incorporate some method to lock the top of the pouch together such that only the mailbox owner could open the pouch. Further, the mail pouch  16  could also include a pouch flap  36  which could come over the top of the mail pouch  16  and thus keep the pouch contents clean and dry. 
     Mail pouch  16  may be constructed of any suitable material that is flexible and that has sufficient strength to hold packages. In an embodiment, the mail pouch  16  may be constructed from nylon. However, other materials may be used such as plastic, canvas, silk, or cotton. In an embodiment, mail pouch  16  may be approximately 20 inches wide and 30 inches long. 
     However, alternate sizes may be desired. For example, if a large number of heavy packages are delivered to a particular address, it may be desired to have a very large mail pouch  16  designed to merely cover the packages as they sit on the ground adjacent the main mail compartment. That is, a very large mail pouch  16  may have a length significantly greater than the distance from the ground to the top of the pouch box  26 . 
     The mail pouch  16  is affixed to the main compartment. In an embodiment, the mail pouch  16  is affixed to the main compartment  14  via the pouch box  26 . The mail pouch  16  may be mounted to the pouch box  26  in a variety of ways, one of which is illustrated in FIG.  3 . Mail pouch  16  may be adhered to the front wall of the pouch box  26  as shown. Mail pouch  16  may be affixed to pouch box  26  using any one of various types of fastening means, not shown. For example, mail pouch  16  may be riveted to the pouch box  26 , or mail pouch  16  may be heat-molded into the pouch box  26 . Pouch flap  36  and mail pouch  16  may be of the same material. 
     In an embodiment, the back  50  of mail pouch  16  is mounted onto the front wall  52  of the pouch box  26  as shown in FIG.  3 . Alternately, the back  50  of mail pouch  16  may be mounted onto the back wall  48  of the pouch box  26 , the back wall  48  being that wall closest to or commensurate with the main compartment  14 . In such an embodiment, it is preferable that gathering means  34  pull the top of the mail pouch  16  together tightly such that pouch box lid  28  may perform the function of pouch flap  26 . For example, back  50  of mail pouch  16  could be affixed to the back  48  of pouch box  26  such that a portion of back  50  extends across the opening of pouch box  26  while mail pouch  16  is being filled. After filling, the top of the mail pouch  16  may be pulled closed using gathering means  34 . The pouch box lid  28  may then be closed and locked to the pouch box  26  using a locking mechanism (not shown). In this fashion, the mail pouch  16  could be secured while the pouch is full and suspended from the pouch box  26  because the pouch box lid  28  and pouch box  26  would be locked together. In an alternate embodiment, the back of pouch  50  may be mounted upon a sidewall of the main compartment  14  such that the entire pouch  16  could be placed within main compartment  14 . In this embodiment, the mail pouch  16  could be secured closed when a locking mechanism is provided to lock the main compartment door  32  to the mail compartment  14  while the pouch is full and suspended from the main compartment  14 . 
     Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a mail receptacle  10  that can rotate about its post  12 . Such a mail receptacle will eliminate the need to stand in a particular place to retrieve mail from the mailbox. Further, such a receptacle may not break when deliberately or accidentally struck. An embodiment of the mechanism to provide rotation is illustrated in FIG.  4  and will be described as follows. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on line four shown in FIG.  1 . Main compartment floor  40  is coupled to a rotating mounting plate  18 . Mounting plate  18  may be integral with the floor  40 , or it may be separately constructed and affixed to floor  40 . For example, mounting plate  18  may be bolted on to the floor  40 . Atop post  12  is backing plate  24  to which rotating mounting plate  18  is coupled via bolting means  44 . Bolting means  44  may extend through main compartment floor  40 . Bearings  42  are configured between rotating mounting plate  18  and backing plate  24 . Bearings  42  may be of any configuration that allows 360° rotations in either direction. The backing plate assembly may be coupled to post  12  via backing plate collar  30 . Main compartment  14  will rotate about post  12  either upon impact, or when rotated by hand. For example, it may be desirable to rotate the main compartment  14  in order to remove mail without standing in the street. Main compartment  14  may rotate 360° in either direction. 
     Not only does main compartment  14  rotate on bearings, main compartment  14  may also return to its original position by means of magnets. Negative magnet  20  is incorporated into the rotating mounting plate  18 . Positive magnet  22  is affixed to the post. These two magnets are arranged such that they are electrically coupled to each other when the main compartment  14  is facing in its desired mail-receiving orientation. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross section taken on line five shown in FIG.  4 . Illustrated is rotating mounting plate  18  having incorporated therein negative magnet  20  and positive magnets  48 . Negative magnet  20  may be considered an orientation-maintaining magnet, whereas positive magnets  48  may be considered orientation-correcting magnets. That is, when rotated such that the positive magnet  22  and the negative magnet  20  are not coupled, additional positive magnets  48  incorporated into the rotating mounting plate  18  influence the positive magnet  22 . That is, positive base magnet  22  acts to repel positive mounting plate magnets  48 , and vice versa. Consequently, when the main compartment  14  is not facing in its desired orientation, oppositional magnetic forces act to rotate the main compartment to its desired orientation. Further, attractive magnetic forces act to keep the main compartment in its desired orientation. Therefore, the configuration of magnets shown is by way of example only. For example, the number and/or positioning of positive magnets  48  may vary. Also, note that all polarities given are by way of example and may be reversed. 
     In use, it can now be understood that the mail receptacle described herein would provide a substantially unbreakable, expandable mail receptacle. While some preferred embodiments of the mail receptacle have been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. For example, the post could be made of any suitable, flexible material. Also, any suitably impermeable and strong material may be used as a pouch instead of the nylon construction described. And although a pouch box has been described, it should be appreciated that the mail pouch herein described may also be incorporated into a mail receptacle using other means. Furthermore, a wide variety of modifications may be made to the rotating mounting plate and corresponding mounting means without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.