Patent Publication Number: US-2009218465-A1

Title: Delivery device configured to be hung from a door

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/032,232, filed Feb. 28, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure generally relates to a device for delivering an article to an intended recipient, and more specifically to a device capable of being hung from a door and configured to hold one or more items to be delivered to the intended recipient. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     It is often desirable to deliver items to someone at their door without disturbing the person when the items are delivered. As an example, many lodging facilities, such as hotels and motels, wish to provide complimentary items to their guests by leaving items at the guests&#39; doors. The items may be left on the floor near the door for the person to retrieve when the person exits through the door. However, leaving items on the floor can be problematic for many reasons. Accordingly, there remains a need for a device able to effectively deliver items to an intended recipient. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     In certain embodiments, a delivery device comprises a base member configured to hang from a door knob, the base member having a front surface and a back surface. The base member includes an upper hanging portion and a lower carrying portion. The upper hanging portion is configured to hang from the stem of a doorknob. The device further includes a holder engaged with and extending out from the front surface. The holder is positioned at the lower carrying portion. Additionally, the holder is substantially rigid and is configured to hold an article intended for a recipient, the holder defining a top opening for insertion and removal of the article. 
     In certain other embodiments, a delivery device comprises a base member configured to hang from a door knob, the base member having a front surface and a back surface. The base member includes an upper hanging portion and a lower carrying portion. The upper hanging portion is configured to hang from the stem of a doorknob. The device further includes a greeting card engaged with and openable with respect to the front surface at the lower carrying portion. Additionally, the device includes a holder engaged with and extending out from the back surface. The holder is configured to hold an article intended for a recipient, the holder defining a top opening for insertion and removal of the article. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates. 
     The present disclosure is directed to a delivery device capable of being hung from a doorknob, or otherwise hung from a door, and configured to hold one or more items which a user desires to leave for an intended recipient who may access the door. In certain embodiments, the device includes a substantially rigid holder configured to hold the item(s). In certain embodiments, the holder may be open at the top to allow for easy insertion and removal of the item(s) positioned within the holder. Additionally, in certain embodiments, the device may include an upper hook to wrap around the doorknob to hang the device and the delivery item(s) from the doorknob. 
     Turning to the illustrations of the present disclosure,  FIGS. 1-2  generally show a delivery device  10  capable of holding one or more items and hanging from a doorknob  14 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , device  10  may be used to carry or hold a soft drink can  12 , the illustrated example being Coca-Cola® brand soft drink. As another example, device  10  may hold a bottle of water for delivery to an intended recipient. In addition to beverages, delivery device  10  could be used to carry a variety of possible items, such as printed materials including fliers or tickets, food items including candy or sandwiches, and/or clothing items such as accessories or rolled-up t-shirts, to name just a few non-limiting examples. Delivery device  10  can carry other items as desired by a user to be left for someone at their door—the multitude of possible examples being too many to list. Additionally, device  10  may carry multiples of the same item, or may hold different items within the device to be delivered to an intended recipient. 
     Device  10  includes a base member  16  having an upper hanging portion  20  to hang the device on someone&#39;s door and a lower carrying portion  22  to hold the item(s) to be left for the person at their door. In the illustrated embodiment, hanging portion  20  is an upwardly extending hook configured to loop around the stem of a doorknob so that the device hangs from the doorknob for convenient retrieval by the intended recipient. However, device  10  can be configured to hang from a door in a variety of other possible manners. As an example, the hanging portion can be an elastic circular or ring-shaped portion rather than hook-shaped, configured to stretch over the larger handle portion of a doorknob and hang from the stem. As another example, the hanging portion of the device can be a thin card-shaped piece configured to be received in a card reader slot of a door having a card reader access mechanism. As yet another example, the hanging portion can be comprised of two separate arm pieces configured to mate together around the stem of the doorknob, such as through the use of hook and loop fasteners, a tab-in-slot type of arrangement, or be tied together. In even another example, the hanging portion can be configured as a doorknob cover which wraps around to cover the larger handle portion of the doorknob and includes an elastic perimeter to at least slightly close around the stem of the doorknob. 
     Base member  16  of device  10  includes a front surface  25  and a back surface  27 . In the illustrated embodiment, lower carrying portion  22  includes a holder  23  extending out from front surface  25 , with the holder being configured to hold the items to be delivered. It should be appreciated that use of the terms “front surface” and “back surface” is not meant to be limiting in any way, and the device can be positioned so that either of the surfaces faces toward the door or outward from the door. 
     The illustrated holder  23  is substantially square-shaped defining an open top. In other embodiments, holder  23  may include a top flap or lid to access the interior of the holder and retrieve the item(s) positioned within the holder. It should be appreciated that holder  23  can be configured differently than as illustrated, including being rectangular, otherwise polygonal, circular, or elliptical in shape. Additionally, holder  23  may be sized smaller or larger than as illustrated to enable the device to hold larger or smaller sized items as desired. In certain embodiments, delivery device  10  is configured so that the top of holder  23  is positioned a sufficient distance from upper hanging portion  20  to facilitate relatively easy hanging of device  10  over a doorknob and also to enable a person to relatively easily retrieve the item(s) carried by device  10  while device  10  remains hanging from the doorknob. Further, the overall dimensions of delivery device  10  may be altered as desired and/or as would generally occur to one of ordinary skill in the art. 
     In certain embodiments, holder  23  is substantially and sufficiently rigid to hold an item such as the illustrated soft drink can  12 . In such cases, holder  23  is configured to remain substantially rigid and not conform to the shape of the item given its weight. Accordingly, holder  23  may be composed of a substantially rigid material, such as cardboard or cardstock as examples. In other embodiments, holder  23  may be composed of other paper or synthetic materials. Additionally, in some embodiments holder  23  may be integral with front surface  25 , creating a single, unitary piece. In other embodiments, holder  23  may be a separate discrete component attached to front surface  25  to create delivery device  10 . In such cases, holder  23  may be attached to front surface  25  in a variety of possible manners as would generally occur to one of ordinary skill in the art, such as through the use of adhesive materials and/or fasteners. 
     In certain embodiments, base member  16  of device  10  includes a substantially rigid front layer  24 . In certain embodiments, layer  24  is composed of a type of paper material. In other embodiments, layer  24  may be composed of a synthetic material. However, it should be appreciated that layer  24  can be composed of other appropriate materials, or combination of materials, as would occur to one skilled in the art. In a particular embodiment, layer  24  may be composed of a substantially rigid material, such as cardboard or cardstock as examples. 
     Optionally, device  10  may also include a backing layer  26  attached to layer  24  in a laminated arrangement. In certain embodiments, layer  26  may be composed of a foam material to provide rigidity to the device  10 . In such cases, a front surface of layer  24  defines front surface  25  of device  10  and a back surface of layer  26  defines back surface  27  of device  10 . In other embodiments, layer  24  is omitted and layer  26  defines both front surface  25  and back surface  27 . 
     In certain embodiments, front surface  25 , back surface  27  and/or holder  23  may be plain colored, with no illustrations, words or other indicia. In other embodiments, front surface  25 , back surface  27  and/or holder  23  may include imprinted indicia. As an example, one or more of the surfaces could include imprinted indicia in the form of advertising and/or indicia which serves to indicate the source of the item(s) left for the intended recipient. As another example, one or more of the surfaces could include imprinted indicia generally associated with the item(s) being delivered and/or an event of which the intended recipient is involved. As yet another example, one or more of the surfaces could include imprinted indicia associated with one or more holidays or special events. As an example,  FIGS. 1-2  show front surface  25  having indicia representing Coca-Cola® brand soft drinks, corresponding to the can  12  of Coca-Cola® brand soft drink being illustrated as the item to be delivered. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment holder  23  has indicia associated with the Olympics. Optionally, front surface  25 , back surface  27  and/or holder  23  may include an open writing space or area in which a user can write a message to the intended recipient or write other information as desired. 
       FIGS. 3-5  illustrate another example embodiment of a delivery device of to the present disclosure. As illustrated, delivery device  110  is capable of delivering a greeting card  112  to a recipient, as well as capable of holding one or more items (see  FIG. 5 ), and hanging from a doorknob  114 . The illustrated greeting card  112  is a birthday card, just to show one non-limiting example of the numerous possible greeting cards which could be embodied within device  110 . 
     Device  110  includes a base member  111  with an upper hanging portion  120  to hang the device on someone&#39;s door and a lower carrying portion  122  to carry or embody the greeting card and hold items to be left for the person at their door. In the illustrated embodiment, hanging portion  120  is an upwardly extending hook configured to loop around the stem of a doorknob, similar to hanging portion  20  described above. As such, the various possible embodiments and configuration of hanging portion  20  apply to hanging portion  120  as well and will be not be repeated for the sake of brevity. 
     Base member  111  includes a front surface  125  and a back surface  127 . It should be appreciated that use of the terms “front surface” and “back surface” is not meant to be limiting in any way, and the device can be positioned so that either of the surfaces faces toward the door or outward from the door. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, lower portion  122  includes the greeting card  112  which covers a portion of front surface  125 . The illustrated greeting card  112  includes a pivot edge which is attached to base member  111  along a first edge occurring between surfaces  125  and  127 . In such embodiments, the greeting card  112  is able to pivot about its pivot edge to open and close the card. However, it should be appreciated that the greeting card can be carried by the base member and/or incorporated into the device  110  in a variety of other possible manners as would occur to one of ordinary skill in the art. Additionally, base member  111  may include a tab  115  to secure the greeting card  112  in the closed position, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . A user can release the tab  115  to open the greeting card  112  to the position shown in  FIG. 4 . The illustrated greeting card  112  includes imprinted indicia on both a front surface  112   a  (see  FIG. 3 ) and a back surface  112   b  (see  FIG. 4 ). However, it should be appreciated that the messages conveyed by the greeting card may displayed on only one of the front or back surface  112   a  or  112   b  and/or also on the front surface  125  of base member  111  if desired. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , delivery device  110  may optionally include a holder  123  extending out from back surface  127 , with the holder being configured to hold items to be delivered. Holder  123  can hold a variety of different items as desired by a user to be left for someone at their door—the multitude of possible examples being too many to list. Additionally, device  10  may carry multiples of the same item, or may hold different items within the device to be delivered to an intended recipient. In the illustrated embodiment, holder  123  carries a variety of nuts, just to show one non-limiting example. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, holder  123  is a sleeve or pocket configured to hold the items to be delivered. The illustrated pocket is defined by a back piece  128 , a front piece  130 , a top flap or lid  124  and a bottom flap  126 . It should be appreciated that use of the terms “front piece” and “back piece” is not meant to be limiting in anyway, and the device can be positioned so that either of the pieces faces toward the door or outward from the door. The holder  123  defines a top opening for lid  124  to selectively cover. Lid  124  may be relatively easily opened by the intended recipient to retrieve the delivered items positioned within the pocket. In other embodiments, top lid  124  is absent and the pocket continuously remains open at the top. Bottom flap  126 , as shown in the opened position in  FIG. 5 , may be folded up to at least partially enclose the interior of the pocket to hold the delivery items. 
     Although the illustrated embodiment shows a two-sided pocket with top and bottom flaps, it should be appreciated that various other configurations of the holder  123  are contemplated as would generally to one of ordinary skill in this art. As an example, the holder could embody a sack with an upper elastic rim, an upper drawstring, an upper tie mechanism, or another such appropriate closure mechanism. The holder may also be sized smaller or larger than as illustrated to enable the device to hold larger or smaller sized items as desired. Holder  23  may be substantially rigid in configuration so that the holder may remain substantially rigid and not conform to the shape of the item being held. In certain embodiments, delivery device  110  is configured so that the top of holder  123  is positioned a sufficient distance from upper hanging portion  120  to facilitate relatively easy hanging of device  110  over a doorknob and also to enable a person to relatively easily retrieve the items carried by device  110  while device  110  remains hanging from the doorknob. 
     In certain embodiments, back piece  128  and/or front piece  130  may be plain colored, with no illustrations, words or other indicia. In other embodiments, back piece  128  and/or front piece  130  may include imprinted indicia of some sort. Optionally, front piece  130  may include an open writing space or area in which a user can write a message to the intended recipient or write other information as desired. 
     In certain embodiments, delivery device  110  is composed of a paper material. In other embodiments, delivery device  110  may be composed of a synthetic material. However, it should be appreciated that the delivery device can be composed of other appropriate materials, or combination of materials, as would occur to one skilled in the art. Additionally, the portions and components of delivery device  110  may be integral portions of a single, unitary piece or may be separate pieces coupled together to form the delivery device. In other embodiments, the portions and components of delivery device  110  may be discrete, separate components attached to the base member. Further, the overall dimensions of delivery device  110  may be altered as desired and/or as would generally occur to one of ordinary skill in the art. 
     While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected.