Patent ID: 7000826

Claim:
In combination, a one piece integrally molded plastic tray, and a mailbox having a front door, the combination comprising: the tray having a rectangular profiled bottom surrounded by three elevated sides and an open front end for mail insertion and removal, the sides defining a left side, right side, and rear side; the sides including at the top thereof a continuous flanged edge for rigidity; the tray removably located inside the mailbox and sized such that there is clearance between the rear side of the tray and the rear of the mailbox when the mailbox door is closed; the tray has three equally raised ribs on the bottom and two triangular rear bottom corners for rigidity; the tray has approximately a ½″ radius around the inside periphery joining the three sides to the bottom and blending into the triangular corners thereby allowing the tray to be manufactured from a thin sheet of plastic while providing sufficient rigidity; the front of the tray bottom including a raised lip defining a handle; and a ⅛″ thick soft rubber pad adhesively attached to the handle to prevent the users' fingers from slipping from the handle when extending the tray from the mailbox to retrieve the mail.