Patent Publication Number: US-2023153747-A1

Title: Delivery Lockbox Assembly

Description:
(c) STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
    
    
     (b) CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     (d) THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     (e) INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     (g) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The disclosure relates to lockbox devices and more particularly pertains to a new lockbox device for securing a parcel delivery. The device includes a lock box which has a recess integrated into the lock box for accommodate a foundation of a building. In this way the lock box can be integrated into an exterior wall of the building for receiving a parcel delivery. The lock box includes a front entry that is positioned outside the building for receiving the delivery and a rear entry that is positioned inside the building to facilitate an occupant of the building to retrieve the parcel. 
     (2) DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART INCLUDING INFORMATION DISCLOSED UNDER 37 CFR 1.97 AND 1.98 
     The prior art relates to lockbox devices including a variety of lock box devices that are positionable adjacent to an entry of a building for receiving a parcel delivery. In each instance the lock box devices include a variety of electro-mechanical locking means which can be unlocked with a pre-determined access code. In several instances the lock box devices are in electronic communication with an extrinsic communication network. In no instance does the prior art disclose a lock box with a recess for accommodating a foundation of a building along with a front entry and a rear entry. 
     (h) BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a lock box which has a recess to accommodate a foundation of a building. The lock box has a front entry which is positioned outside of the building to facilitate a parcel to be delivered into the lock box. The lock box has a back entry which is positioned within the building thereby facilitating the back entry to be accessible to an occupant of the building for retrieving the parcel. A locking unit is integrated into the front entry inhibit the parcel from is removed from the lock box by an unauthorized person. the locking unit has an access unit is integrated into the locking unit wherein the access unit is configured to be manipulated by the delivery person. The locking unit is in remote communication with a personal electronic device to alert the occupant that the parcel has been delivered into the lock box. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure 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. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       (i) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure 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 perspective view of a delivery lockbox assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a front phantom view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a left side phantom view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a back view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  7    is a schematic view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  8    is a cut-away in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     (j) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS.  1  through  8    thereof, a new lockbox device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS.  1  through  8   , the delivery lockbox assembly  10  generally comprises a lock box  12  that has a recess  14  integrated into a front side  16  of the lock box  12  to accommodate a foundation  18  of a building  20 . The building  20  may be a garage of a house or other type of building that would commonly receive a parcel delivery. The lock box  12  has a front entry  22  and the front entry  22  is positioned outside of the building  20  thereby facilitating a delivery person  24  to deliver a parcel  26  into the lock box  12 . The lock box  12  has a back entry  28  and the back entry  28  is positioned within the building  20 . In this way the back entry  28  is accessible to an occupant  30  of the building  20  for retrieving the parcel  26 . 
     The lock box  12  has a top wall  32 , a bottom wall  34  and an outer wall  36  extending between the top wall  32  and the bottom wall  34 , and the outer wall  36  has a front side  38  and a back side  40 . The front side  38  has a first portion  42  extending downwardly from the top wall  32  and the front side  38  has a second portion  44  extending between the first portion  42  and the bottom wall  34 . The second portion  44  is spaced rearwardly from the first portion  42  such that the second portion  44  defines the recess  14 . Moreover, the second portion  44  rests against a vertical wall  46  of the foundation  18 . The front side  38  has a third portion  48  extending between the first portion  42  and the second portion  44  such that the third portion  48  defines an upper threshold  50  of the recess  14 . Furthermore, the third portion  48  rests on a top surface  52  of the foundation  18  and the first portion  42  extends through an exterior wall  53  of the building  20 . The third portion  48  is positioned closer to the bottom wall  34  than the top wall  32 . 
     The front entry  22  extends through the front side  38  to access an interior of the lock box  12 . The front entry  22  is positioned outside of the building  20  thereby facilitating the front entry  22  to be accessible to the delivery person  24 . The back entry  28  extends through the back side  40  to access the interior of the lock box  12 . In this way the back entry  28  is accessible to the occupant  30  of the building  20 . A plurality of feet  54  is each coupled to the bottom wall  34  of the lock box  12  such that each of the feet  54  rests on a support surface. Additionally, each of the feet  54  is aligned with a respective one of four corners  56  of the bottom wall  34  of the lock box  12 . 
     A front door  58  is hingedly integrated into the lock box  12  and the front door  58  is aligned with the front entry  22  for opening and closing the front entry  22 . The front door  58  has a first lateral edge  60  and a second lateral edge  62 , and the first lateral edge  60  that is hingedly coupled to a first lateral side  64  of a bounding edge  66  of the front entry  22 . A back door  68  is hingedly integrated into the lock box  12  and the back door  68  is aligned with the back entry  28  for opening and closing the back entry  28 . The back door  68  has a first lateral edge  70  that is hingedly coupled to a first lateral side  72  of a bounding edge  74  of the back entry  28 . A handle  76  is integrated into the back door  68  and the handle  76  can be gripped by the occupant  30  thereby facilitating the occupant  30  to open and close the back door  68 . Moreover, the handle  76  is recessed into an exposed surface of the back door  68 . 
     A locking unit  78  is integrated into the front door  58  and the locking unit  78  engages the lock box  12  when the front door  58  is closed for inhibiting the front door  58  from being opened. The locking unit  78  inhibits the parcel  26  from being removed from the lock box  12  by an unauthorized person. The locking unit  78  has an access unit  80  which is integrated into the locking unit  78  such that the access unit  80  can be manipulated by the delivery person  24 . The locking unit  78  is actuated into an unlocked condition to facilitate the front door  58  to be opened when a pre-determined access code is entered into the access unit  80 . In this way the access unit  80  facilitates the delivery person  24  to deliver the parcel  26  into the lock box  12 . 
     The locking unit  78  is in remote communication with a personal electronic device  82 . The locking unit  78  broadcasts a delivery signal to the personal electronic device  82  when the front door  58  is opened. In this way the locking unit  78  alerts the occupant  30  that the parcel  26  has been delivered into the lock box  12 . The personal electronic device  82  may be a smart phone, a personal computer or other type of electronic device that has wireless communication capabilities. 
     The locking unit  78  comprises a housing  84  that has a back wall  86  and a front wall  88 , and the back wall  86  is coupled to a front surface  90  of the front door  58 . The locking unit  78  includes a control circuit  92  that is integrated into the housing  84 . The control circuit  92  receives an unlock input and the control circuit  92  includes an electronic memory  94  which stores the pre-determined access code. The locking unit  78  includes a lock  96  that is integrated into the front door  58  and the lock  96  is electrically coupled to the control circuit  92 . Additionally, the lock  96  is positioned adjacent to the second lateral edge  62 . The lock  96  is normally actuated into a locking condition having the lock  96  engaging the front side  38  of the outer wall  36  thereby inhibiting the front door  58  from being opened. Conversely, the lock  96  is actuated into an unlocked condition when the control circuit  92  receives the unlock input such that the lock  96  disengaging the front side  38  of the outer wall  36  thereby facilitating the front door  58  to be opened. The lock  96  may comprise an electro-mechanical lock or other type of mechanism that can mechanically engage and disengage the lock box  12 . 
     The locking unit  78  includes a transmitter  98  that is integrated into the housing  84  and the transmitter  98  is electrically coupled to the control circuit  92 . The transmitter  98  is in wireless communication with the personal electronic device  82 . Furthermore, the transmitter  98  broadcasts the delivery signal when the control circuit  92  receives the unlock input. The transmitter  98  may comprise a radio frequency transmitter or the like. The locking unit  78  includes a power supply  100  that is integrated into the housing  84 . The power supply  100  is electrically coupled to the control circuit  92  and the power supply  100  comprising at least one battery. 
     The access unit  80  comprises a keypad  102  that is integrated into the front wall  88  of the housing  84  such that the keypad  102  can be manipulated by the delivery person  24 . The keypad  102  is electrically coupled to the control circuit  92  and the control circuit  92  receives the unlock input when the pre-determined access code is entered into the keypad  102 . The access unit  80  includes a display  104  that is integrated into the front wall  88  of the housing  84  such that the display  104  is visible to the delivery person  24 . The display  104  is electrically coupled to the control circuit  92  and the display  104  displays indicia  106  comprising alphanumeric characters corresponding to alphanumeric characters entered with the keypad  102 . The display  104  may comprise a liquid crystal display or other type of electronic display. 
     The lock box  12  might include a refrigeration unit for cooling an interior of the lock box. In this way the lock box  12  can store a perishable food delivery. The lock box  12  may be integrated into the building  20  during construction of the building  20 . Conversely, the lock box  12  may be installed in the building  20  after the building  20  has been constructed. 
     In use, the pre-determined code is communicated to the delivery person  24  prior to the delivery person  24  delivering the parcel  26  to the building  20 . The delivery person  24  enters the pre-determined code with the keypad  102  and the lock  96  is actuated to disengage the lock box  12 . In the way the delivery person  24  can open the front door  58  to deliver the parcel  26  into the lock box  12 . Moreover, the transmitter  98  broadcasts the delivery signal to the personal electronic device  82  to notify the occupant  30  of the building  20  that the parcel  26  has been delivered. The delivery person  24  closes the front door  58  to secure the parcel  26  in the lock box  12 . In this way the occupant  30  of the building  20  can subsequently open the back door  68  to retrieve the parcel  26  from the lock box  12 . 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, 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 an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure 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 disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.