Patent Publication Number: US-9848724-B1

Title: Unique and functional mailbox support

Description:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY 
     The disclosed technology relates to a unique and functional mailbox support that has unlimited opportunity for individuality of expression while having excellent accessibility and ease of use. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY 
     Many people have curbside mailboxes. Curbside mailboxes are one of the few ways to get mail delivered to a home or business. In some areas of the United States, the US Post office has a policy of not bringing the mail directly to the recipient&#39;s dwelling. Therefore a curbside mailbox is the only way to receive mail in those areas. A new mail box support which provides a way to express one&#39;s self and one&#39;s interests would be very useful. In addition, this mailbox support has optimal accessibility, ease of use, long-term durability, and ease of manufacture. The disclosed mailbox support system is in compliance with all US Postal Service rules, such as height above the ground and distance to road. This mailbox support system also offers unlimited opportunity for self-expression with curb appeal for a home or business. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY 
     The disclosed technology described herein addresses an unfulfilled need in the prior art by providing a silhouette shape of choice as part of a mailbox support system that is durable and is easy to use and manufacture. 
     The disclosed technology combines simplicity of construction with unlimited design or silhouette shape options. Regardless of the design, the silhouette shape has a lateral dimension that is as much as 250 times its depth dimension, creating a dramatically unique support system. 
     The disclosed mailbox support system can also aid visitors in confirming that they have reached the correct destination. Businesses have the option to use a shape that makes their business easily identifiable. For example, an auto mechanic could choose a wrench, while a dentist could choose to use a toothbrush, and so on. 
     In one objective of the disclosed invention, a device for mailbox support system comprises a solid silhouette shaped profile and a plurality of stakes attached to the bottom side of said silhouette shaped profile. A bracket is attached on the upper most part of the silhouette shaped profile and a mailbox mounted to said bracket. The solid silhouette shaped profile has a lateral dimension that is up to 250 times its depth dimensions. 
     In embodiments of the disclosed technology, a mailbox support system has a silhouette of a figure, such as a human figure having a thickness less than or equal to 1/224th of its height and a first leg region and a second leg region. A “human figure” is defined as a shape recognizable by an ordinary observer as being that of a human profile, side view, shadow, or silhouette. A “figure” is defined similar to the definition for “human figure” except that the “figure” is any recognizable object, such as one in real-size to the silhouette. The height thereof is the distance perpendicular to the ground on which the silhouette is there-above to a bottom of the mailbox. Thickness refers to a direction of the silhouette which is most narrow and is generally parallel to the ground on which the silhouette stands there-above. The “leg regions” are those which are representative of legs and/or those which are split into two regions between the ground and a body or torso region. The body or torso region is a region of the silhouette which is unbroken and solid between leg regions beneath and a neck or head region above. The neck region is a region which is narrower than the body region and head region and situated there-between the neck/head and leg region. The head region is a top most region which is connected, on a top side thereof, to a mailbox. A mailbox is defined as a mostly, fully, or closed box with sides defining an inner region designed to receive mail. 
     Each first leg region and said second leg region is attached to a stake; the stake is configured to extend below ground, in embodiments of the disclosed technology. A stake is an elongated and rigid device to which the silhouette is attached; the stake has a pointed end designed for being driven into a malleable surface such as the ground. A mailbox having a lower side centered over the silhouette (centered along at least one axis, such as the y-axis) and at least partially situated over a space between the first leg region and the second leg region is used in embodiments of the disclosed technology. 
     The mailbox, and by extension, each of the items described herein, have various sides. A front side of the device, and especially the mailbox, is a side thereof which is meant to face towards a street or which has a door which opens and closes to receive or remove mail. In embodiments of the disclosed technology, the mailbox itself is the front-most portion of the device as a whole (the mailbox being closer to a street than the support structure underneath the mailbox). Likewise, the silhouette has a front side which is on this same side relative to the mailbox, and is, in embodiments, the direction in which the silhouette is facing. A first leg region extends less far in a frontal direction than the mailbox, in some embodiments. In others, a second leg region extends further in a rear direction than the mailbox. 
     A portal in a top side of the silhouette separates two spaced-apart regions which connect to the mailbox. In other embodiments, the top side of the silhouette is rounded and connects to the bottom side of the mailbox. “Top” and “bottom” are terms relative to the ground and describe the manner in which the elements of the disclosed technology are generally arranged, with the mailbox at the “top” (furthest away from the ground) and stakes at the “bottom” (closest to, or passing through the ground). 
     A center of gravity of the combination of the mailbox and silhouette is between the first leg region and the second leg region in the space created between the legs, in some embodiments. 
     Another way of describing the present technology, is as a mailbox with a flat bottom side which extends between a front side and back side thereof, the front side having a hinged door. A silhouette base (devices supporting the mailbox) is less than ⅕th of the width of the mailbox and situated under the mailbox in embodiments of the disclosed technology. A connection mechanism (glue, nail, screw, bracket, combination thereof) connects the mailbox into a top side of the silhouette. Either the front side of the silhouette or the back side of the silhouette, or both, extend further to a respective front or back side than the mailbox in some embodiments. At least two stakes attached to a bottom side of the silhouette attach the silhouette to or through the ground. There is a spaced apart region between the two or more stakes where the silhouette splits into two parts, and each part of the two parts separately attaches the silhouette to the ground in some embodiments. 
     The silhouette has various regions in some embodiments, including, from top to a bottom, some or all of a head region, a neck region, a body region, and leg regions. An arm region or arm regions extend from and connect only to the body region in some embodiments. Such arm regions are defined by having a narrow contiguous portion with the body region and open space between the arm region or arm regions and the mailbox. The arm regions can also extend further to the back or front of the mailbox, while the body region is entirely or mostly under the mailbox. 
     In accordance with these and other objectives, which will become apparent hereinafter, the disclosed technology will now be described with particular reference to the drawings. 
     Any described element or item can be “substantially” or “fully” as described. Substantially refers to more than 95% so, and fully is within a statistical margin of error of 100% as described. The term “and/or” includes either element and both elements joined by the term. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the mailbox support system of the disclosed technology prior to placement in the ground. 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the mailbox support system of the disclosed technology. 
         FIG. 3  shows a fragment view of the mailbox support system&#39;s stake type brackets after placement in the ground. 
         FIG. 4  shows a fragment view of the mailbox support system&#39;s bottom attachment to stake type brackets of the disclosed technology. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of one mailbox support silhouette shape with a mailbox attached of the disclosed technology. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another mailbox support silhouette shape with a mailbox attached of the disclosed technology. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a third mailbox support silhouette shape with a mailbox attached of the disclosed technology. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a fourth mailbox support silhouette shape with a mailbox attached of the disclosed technology. 
         FIG. 9  shows a front view of a mailbox support with mailbox. 
     
    
    
     A better understanding of the disclosed technology will be obtained from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the drawings and the attached claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY 
     A mailbox with silhouette support is disclosed. The silhouette has a flat front and a back side which are staked into the ground at two-spaced apart places. The spaced apart places are, in some embodiments, further split by a portal there-between forming a “leg” on either side of the silhouette. The legs connect at a body region, in some embodiments, with a head region there-above. The head region supports and is directly connected (including via a bracket or connector) to a mailbox which is situated above the silhouette, at least in part. 
     The ensuing detailed description provides preferred exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosed technology. Rather, the ensuing detailed description of the preferred exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing the preferred exemplary embodiments of the technology. Various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed technology, as set forth in the appended claims. 
     To aid in describing the disclosed technology, directional terms may be used in the specification and claims to describe portions of the present technology (e.g., upper, lower, left, right, etc.). These directional definitions are merely intended to assist in describing and claiming the disclosed technology and are not intended to limit the disclosed technology in any way. In addition, reference numerals that are introduced in the specification in association with a drawing figure may be repeated in one or more subsequent figures without additional description in the specification, in order to provide context for other features. 
     With reference now to the drawings, a device is shown for support of a curbside mailbox. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , reference number  100  refers generally to mailbox support system for attaching a standard curbside mailbox. The main silhouette shape  110  is a solid profile, which is also decorative. The silhouette shape  110  is any design. One option is to fabricate or cut out the design from a sheet stock of material. Alternatively, the design is molded or cast from a variety of materials, for example plastic, metal or composites. Some examples of design shapes are: an athlete; a dog; a guitar; a wrench or other readily identifiable shapes. 
     A bracket  120  is affixed to the uppermost point of the silhouette  110 , to be the support for a mailbox  160 , which is affixed as seen in  FIG. 5 . A plurality of stake type brackets  130  are bolted to the silhouette shape  110  to secure the silhouette shape  110  to the ground  140 . A power drill  170  is one method used to start the aperture in the ground  140  to ease the installation of the stake type brackets  130  into the ground  140 . The silhouette shape  110  would preferably be placed near a curb  150  (for purposes of this disclosure, defined as an actual curb or where a property meets the road). 
     The mailbox silhouette shape  110  can extend 41-45 inches from ground level  140 , since the US Postal Service requires mailboxes  160  to be mounted at that height. The width or lateral dimension of the silhouette shape  110  would vary by the shape chosen, but is typically half of the height. In one embodiment, the silhouette shape  110  is fabricated out of 3/16-inch thick steel plate, which is a fraction of the height. 
     Returning now more specifically to  FIG. 2  as well as  FIG. 6 , one sees that there is a portal  33  between a first leg  56  and second leg  58 . The legs have the brackets  130  which are also referred to as “stakes” in this disclosure. The stakes attach the legs to the ground  140 . Between the legs is a portal or space  33  which is where the center of gravity resides in some embodiments of the disclosed technology. The silhouette further has a thickness  22  which is less than 1/100th, 1/224th or 1/250th of the height thereof. The 1/224th amount is derived from the height of a mailbox according to United States postal regulations, and experiments showing that when viewed from the front, at this depth ratio, the sides are substantially or fully invisible to the viewer. The thickness is perpendicular to the height and parallel to the ground when the silhouette is standing. Note also that some versions of the silhouette have two arms  190  or  54 . Thus, the legs  56  and  58  are separated from each other and where they join together; this is the body of the silhouette  110 . A narrower top portion above the body is the head region  50 , designed to appear as a head to an ordinary observer. A neck region  52  separates the head and body regions in some embodiments, being narrower than both the head and body regions. 
       FIG. 4  shows the stake type brackets  130  being attached to the bottom side of the silhouette shape  110 . One attachment method is with bolts  135 .  FIG. 3  illustrates the stakes type brackets  130  after they are placed in the ground  140 . 
       FIG. 5 through 8  have the silhouette shape  110  supporting the mailbox  160  from underneath, which is the preferred placement of the mailbox  160 .  FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8  illustrate four of the many possible silhouette shapes  110  that are available to be used. 
     One method of making the silhouette shape  110  is to derive it from a tracing of a picture or a CNC transferring onto a sheet of material, then cutting out that same shape. Alternatively, another method of creating the silhouette shape  110  is by using a mold or casting of the shape. Thus, the silhouette shape  110  is unlimited in shapes that are available for use. The material used can be any material with sufficient strength to support a mailbox and provide long-term durability during exposure and use. For example, wood, plastic, composite plastics, carbon fiber or metal provide sufficient strength and durability. If the material used was metal, it is preferably coated with a plastic resin powder, which makes it very durable. 
     Once a shape is transferred onto the material of choice, the silhouette  110  is cut out using any well-known means of cutting the material of choice. These cutting methods include but are not limited to: saw cutting; flame cutting; plasma cutting; laser cutting; water jet cutting; or die cutting. Attachment of the stake type brackets  130  to the bottom side of a silhouette  110  is accomplished by any well-known means of attachment. 
     The entire mailbox support system comprises three to four parts. First, there is the silhouette shape  110  of choice. Second, there is a top bracket  120  formed of sheet material and attached to the uppermost point of the mailbox. This bracket  120  is attached by any well-known means, but when metal is used, it can be welded to the silhouette shape  110 . The bracket  120  is the structure to which a mailbox  160  is affixed. 
     One or any plurality of stake type brackets  130  are used to place the silhouette. Stake type brackets  130 , are usually only one or two stakes, and are preferably angle iron stakes that are driven into the ground  140  and then attached to the bottom side of the silhouette  110 . The attachment of the stake type brackets  130  to the silhouette  110  is preferably by bolt  135  when the material is metal. 
     The mailbox support system  100  is designed to bend or break away if struck by a vehicle. This ability to bend or break away would prevent damage to the vehicle and its occupants. The ability to bend or break away is accomplished firstly because the material of this thickness has low yield strength and will easily break or bend when subjected to significant force. Materials such as mild steel, composite plastics, wood, or carbon fiber would all behave in this manner due to the low yield strength at the thickness of the disclosed technology. 
     Secondly, by securing the stake type brackets  130  to the silhouette  110  using low shear strength bolts  135  such as aluminum, the silhouette  110  will readily break away from the stake type brackets  130  since the low shear strength bolts  135  will not offer resistance to the force of impact. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 5  is a perspective view of one mailbox support silhouette shape with a mailbox attached of the disclosed technology. The mailbox  160  has a bottom side  166  attached to the top side of the silhouette, specifically, a head of the silhouette  110 . The head can have a rounded or flat top side which connects to the mailbox (meaning that the rounded or flat top side is abutted against a mailbox to which it is connected, or connected by way of a bracket  120  or another fastening mechanism which interposes between the top side and the mailbox). The mailbox has a front side door  162  with hinged opening as is known in the art of mailboxes, a rear side  164  opposite the front side, and an interior space for receiving mail. As shown, the silhouette is centered with reference to each (left and right) side of the mailbox in some embodiments, and is far thinner than the mailbox. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another mailbox support silhouette shape with a mailbox attached of the disclosed technology. The leg regions  56 / 58  join together at a particular horizontal plane, which is the upper most extent of the leg regions and lower most extent of the body region. The arm region  54  is open to the mailbox, defining its separation from the body where its width remains substantially or mostly the same until joining with the body. A bend in the arm region of about 70 to 110 degrees, or 90 degrees, signifies an “elbow” which may be the furthest back portion of an arm region. A front arm extends further front than the body, and a back arm extends further back than the body. Between an arm, or each arm, and the bottom side of the mailbox is an open space. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a fourth mailbox support silhouette shape with a mailbox attached of the disclosed technology. Here, the body has a wide “leg” and a narrow “leg” with a portal  33  there-between each leg. The top of the silhouette is spaced apart creating a further portal between the two attachment points of the silhouette to the mailbox  160 . 
       FIG. 9  shows a front view of a mailbox support with mailbox. From the front, looking straight at the front end  162  of the mailbox  120  one sees the thickness  22  of the silhouette/mailbox support  100  without seeing much (less than 5%) or any (when looking directly at the support) of the depth of the mailbox support. From this view, the mailbox support  100  can look like a pole of a mailbox, and thus, from the perspective of a mail carrier delivering mail, the press of delivering mail is identical to that of delivery to prior art mailboxes. 
     While the disclosed technology has been taught with specific reference to the above embodiments, a person having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and the scope of the disclosed technology. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. Combinations of any of the methods, systems, and devices described hereinabove are also contemplated and within the scope of the disclosed technology.