Patent Publication Number: US-11028544-B2

Title: Indestructible mailbox post

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/696,550, filed Jul. 11, 2018, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to mailboxes, and more particularly to posts for mounting a mailbox in the ground. 
     Many home and property owners have the displeasure of having to replace their mailbox posts. In some instances, the placement of the mailbox near the driveway often leads to damage due to the movement of vehicles in and out of the driveway. In other instances, particularly in Northern regions, their placement near the street, so that postal carriers can deliver the mail presents an additional hazard. When snow is plowed from the streets, the mounds of snow driven by the plow may also be forced against the mailbox post. In some cases, the post is driven off its vertical orientation. In other cases, the post is snapped due to the forces involved. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for a mailbox post that is not damaged when acted on by an external force. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a mailbox post for supporting a mailbox in an upright orientation above a ground surface is disclosed. The mailbox post includes an upper length supporting the mailbox and a lower length for securement in the ground surface. A spring element is interposed between the upper length and the lower length proximal to the ground surface when the post is secured in the ground, such that the upper post is flexibly coupled to the lower post. 
     In some embodiments, a hollow opening is defined in an end of each of the upper length and the lower length. A coupling sleeve is received within the hollow opening. A spring stub has a first end and a second end. The first end is dimensioned to be received within the coupling sleeve. The second end is dimensioned to be received within an end of the spring element. The coupling sleeve has an inner diameter that is dimensioned to receive a first end of a spring stub therein. A fastener extends through each of the coupling sleeve, the spring stub, and the post. 
     The second end of the spring stub has an outer diameter that is dimensioned to be received within an inner diameter of the spring element. The second ends of opposed spring stubs terminate in a spaced apart relation defining a flex gap within the spring element. The flex gap is dimensioned to permit the spring element to flex about a vertical axis of the spring element. Preferably, the flex gap is dimensioned so that the spring element is configured to flex by at least as 90 degrees. 
     In some embodiments, a clamp bracket having a cross piece and distending legs at opposite ends of the clamp bracket. The distending legs are preferably spaced apart to extend around adjacent winds of the spring element. More preferably, the distending legs have a length corresponding to a diameter of the winds of the spring element. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the indestructible mailbox post in use. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the indestructible mailbox post. 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the indestructible mailbox post. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the indestructible mailbox post taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view indicated by the line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Broadly, embodiments of the present invention provide an indestructible mailbox post that flexibly supports a mailbox via a spring element. The spring element allows an upper length of the post to pivot about a lower post element when-a force acts upon the upper length of the post. By way of non-limiting example, the force may be a vehicle backing into the post, or a pile of snow that is plowed against the post. 
     As seen in reference to the drawings of  FIGS. 1-5 , the indestructible mailbox post  10  includes a post  12  to support a mailbox in an upright orientation above a ground surface  11 . The post  12  includes an upper length and a lower length with a spring  18  interposed between the upper length and the lower length proximal to the ground surface. The post  12  may be formed from a solid or hollow structural material, such as wood, steel, PVC, or composites. 
     The post  12  has a hollow opening in each of the upper length and the lower length that is adapted to receive a coupling sleeve  14  therein. The coupling sleeve  14  has an inner diameter that is dimensioned to receive a first end of a spring stub  16  therein. The coupling sleeve  14  and spring stub  16  are secured to the post  12  via a fastener  22 , such as a bolt, rivet, pin, or screw that extends through each of the coupling sleeve  14 , the spring stub  16  and the post  12 . 
     A second end of the spring stub  16  has an outer diameter that is dimensioned to be received within an inner diameter of the spring stub  18 . The second ends of opposed spring stubs  16  terminate in a spaced apart relation defining a flex gap within the spring element  18  that is dimensioned to permit the spring element  18  to flex about a vertical axis of the spring element  18 , preferably by at least as 90 degrees. 
     The second ends of the spring stub  16  are secured to the spring element  18  via a clamp bracket  20  and a fastener  22 . The clamp bracket  20  has a cross piece and distending legs at opposite ends of the clamp bracket  20 . The distending legs are spaced apart to extend around adjacent winds of the spring element  18 . The distending legs have a length corresponding to a diameter of the winds of the spring element  18  so that the winds are clamped to the second ends of the spring stub  16 . 
     In use, the lower post  12  is buried in the ground surface  11  and may be secured in the ground  11  with a concrete or other material. The lower post is buried to a depth such that the spring element  18  is positioned proximal, preferably slightly above the ground surface  11 . With the upper post  12  coupled to the lower post  12  via the spring element  18  the upper post  12  is free to flex about the spring element  18  when acted upon by a force to preclude breakage of the post  12 . 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.