Abstract:
A terrorist-resistant mailbox with at least certain components which are substantially transparent or translucent. Such components facilitate the visualization of contents of the mailbox without requiring that the mailbox actually be opened, and thereby risk injury to a postal customer or postal worker by opening a mailbox in which resides a harmful product or parcel.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to mailboxes.  
           [0003]    2. Background Information  
           [0004]    However regrettable it may be to observe where we, as a world society have arrived, one cannot ignore the fact that the threat of the death or severe injury at the hands of terrorists, be they domestic or foreign, has become a fact of daily life. Within months of the filing of the patent application, an individual randomly mailed pipe bombs, via the U.S. Postal Service, to unsuspecting recipients. Before that, the “Unibomber” sent explosives through the mail.  
           [0005]    At the filing of this patent application, the United States is involved in its war against terrorism. Known terrorist organizations have vowed to attack U.S. citizens “in ways in which you least expect.” In light of past events, including be mailing of anthrax-laced letters, it is certainly reasonable to assume that terrorists or “copy-cat victimizers” will again send dangerous articles through the mail.  
           [0006]    While no single measure or will prevent injury as relates to items sent through the mail, simply being able to visualize the contents of an un-opened mailbox can substantially reduce the likelihood of such injury, particularly as might relate to an explosive device. This is true both with respect to postal customers and postal workers—injury can occur both to a recipient upon opening a mailbox to retrieve mail as well as to an unsuspecting postal worker who opens a mailbox with an explosive or other harmful device already in-place.  
           [0007]    If a postal customer or postal worker is able to see the contents of a mailbox before opening it, they can determine, for example, if only envelopes are present, or if any suspicious-looking packages await. While it may not be impossible to make an explosive device which fits in a small envelope, only the most sophisticated of terrorists would likely be able to make such a device. Therefore, being able to see that the mailbox contains only envelopes on any given occasion will reduce the likelihood of harm to all individuals associated with a mailbox.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved mailbox.  
           [0009]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved mailbox, the contents of which are visible to an observer without opening the mailbox.  
           [0010]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved mailbox with transparent or translucent components for facilitating the viewing of contents without requiring access to the interior of the mailbox.  
           [0011]    Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved mailbox with features for improving the visualization of the contents thereof, particularly at night.  
           [0012]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved mailbox which is resistant to attempts by terrorists to harm postal recipients.  
           [0013]    In satisfaction of these and related objects, the present invention provides an improved mailbox with at least certain components which are substantially transparent or, translucent. Such components facilitate the visualization of the contents within the mailbox, without actually opening the mailbox. Various embodiments of the present invention are possible because of the wide variety of mailbox configurations as may be desirable for functionality and/or aesthetic reasons. However, any embodiment of the present invention will involve at least certain components (the door member in one case) which are transparent or translucent. Such a transparent or translucent member allows the user to look into the mailbox and visually examine its contents before actually opening the mailbox. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the mailbox of the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the mailbox of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]    Referring to FIG. 1, the terrorist-resistant mailbox of the present invention is identified generally by the reference numeral  10 . As is commonly known, mailboxes can assume a number of different configurations. A mailbox of a configuration other than that shown in the accompanying drawings, or described in this detailed description of the preferred embodiment will, nevertheless, fall within the scope of the present invention and the appended claims so long as at least a portion of such alternative configuration involves a substantially transparent, or at least translucent portion of the mailbox&#39;s enclosure such that the contents thereof are visible without opening the mailbox.  
         [0017]    Notwithstanding the foregoing, and in view of postal regulations which relates to proper mailbox configuration and dimensions, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to be now described.  
         [0018]    Referring to FIG. 1, mailbox  10  includes a base member  12  to which is ordinarily attached in conventional manner a post or other support member (not shown in the drawings). Base member  12  may, but need not be transparent as with other hereafter referenced components, because items within mailbox  10  will ordinarily be adequately viewable from perspectives other than that provided by a view of base member  12 .  
         [0019]    Attached to, or integrally molded, as a part of base member  12  is side wall member  14 . Side wall member  14  of the preferred embodiment is a unitary structure formed into a substantially semi-circular configuration as shown in FIG. 1. Such a configuration is, of course, consistent with U.S. Postal Service mailbox regulations. Of course, side wall member  14  may, in other embodiments, included separate wall and top elements (such as is, for example, that depicted in FIG. 2).  
         [0020]    In any event, whether side wall member  14  is a single, unitary structure, or comprised of multiple components, at least a portion of side wall member  14  may, in addition to other components to be discussed hereafter, be made transparent, or at least translucent. In such an instance, a sufficient portion of the side wall member  14  is to be transparent or translucent as to enable an observer to determine the contents of the mailbox  10  without opening it. If side wall member  14 , or a portion thereof, is transparent or translucent, it may be essentially colorless, or may be tinted as for aesthetic or visibility purposes.  
         [0021]    A rear wall enclosure  16  (depicted in the dotted line format in FIG. 1) is attached to, or integrally molded as an extension of side wall member  14 . Rear wall enclosure  16  is, in the preferred embodiment, transparent or translucent. However alternative embodiments may involve a rear wall enclosure  16  which is not transparent or translucent, if the maker believes that adequate visibility is provided by a transparent or translucent side wall member  14 , or other transparent or translucent members as may be present in alternative embodiments. In any configuration, rear wall enclosure  16 , or a comparable member adapted to serve the same function in the context of a different configuration than that shown herein, will be sized and shaped to fully occlude any opening which would otherwise be defined by the rearward margins of base member  12  and side wall member  14 .  
         [0022]    Referring still to FIG. 1, a reversibly closeable access member  18  (alternatively, perhaps, known as a “door”, “hatch”, or “lid”) is to be attached to one of the front margins of base member  12  or of side wall member  14  as is appropriate to the particular configuration of a mailbox according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the present invention involves reversibly closeable access member  18  being attached to base member  12 , with such attachment being by conventional hinge means (not separately shown in the drawings). As with rear wall enclosure  16 , reversibly closeable access member  18  will, in the preferred embodiment, be sized and shaped to fully occlude the opening into the interior of mailbox  10  as is defined by the front margins of base member  12  and side wall member  14 . In any preferred embodiment of the present invention, reversibly closeable access member  18  will be transparent, or at least translucent, for facilitating the visualizing of contents of mailbox  10 . However, if all, or a portion of side wall member  14  provides such visibility, such may be substituted for transparency or translucency of reversibly closeable access member  18 .  
         [0023]    While dimensions are shown in FIG. 1, such are merely indications of dimensions which satisfy applicable postal regulations, and/or not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.  
         [0024]    While not necessarily part of the present invention, satisfaction of applicable postal regulations may include an adjustable flag member  20 .  
         [0025]    Those portions of mailbox  10  as are selected to be transparent or, at least, translucent can be fabricated from a number of materials. Such elements of the preferred embodiment of the present invention are fabricated from LEXAN plastic material, but other forms of transparent or translucent materials may be substituted in alternative embodiments. Such materials may, for example, include fiberglass, “plexiglass”, or (although not necessarily recommended) even tempered safety glass.  
         [0026]    Certain embodiments of the present invention allow for certain enhancements to the functionality of mailbox  10 . For example, in the event that side wall member  14  is not made transparent or translucent, and reversibly closeable access member  18  is so configured, nighttime visibility of contents of mailbox  10  may be substantially enhanced by lining interior surfaces of side wall member  14  with a reflective material, such as that available from the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. under the SCOTCHBRIGHT brand. This enhancement will substantially improve the ability of an observer to visualize the contents of mailbox  10  at night, either through the effective amplification or reflection of ambient light, or of light from a flashlight, etc., all without opening mailbox  10 .  
         [0027]    Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limited sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of the inventions will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon the reference to the description of the invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications that fall within the scope of the invention.