Deposit and collection receptacles – Letter boxes – Frame construction
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-26
2001-10-30
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3628)
Deposit and collection receptacles
Letter boxes
Frame construction
C232S039000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308884
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to displays and flags. More particularly, the present invention relates to displays and flags that are supported by mailboxes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most individual homes have mailboxes. In some communities where mail is delivered by truck, the mailbox is a freestanding roadside mailboxes. Such mailboxes are placed along the side of the road to enable a mail carrier in a mail truck to deposit mail into the mailbox without having to leave the driver's seat of that mail truck. In other communities, where the mail is delivered by a walking mail carrier, mailboxes are commonly mounted to the house near the front door.
Over the years people have used their mailboxes as a venue for self-expression and art. Mailboxes have been shaped into thousands of different objects and have been decorated in countless different ways. In some instances, the mailbox itself is an insufficient medium of expression. Consequently, auxiliary attachments for mailboxes have been developed as a means of decorating the mailbox. Many such prior art devices include decorative removable covers for mailboxes that enable a person to change the decorations of their mailbox on a day-to-day basis. Such prior art systems are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,379 to LaRue, entitled, Mail Box Cover; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,595 to Johns, entitled Mailbox For Receiving Decorative Overlays. A problem associated with such prior art systems is that the decorative cover for the mailbox covers the exterior of the mailbox, thereby obscuring the mailbox and any display of address that may be printed on the mailbox.
The present invention is a new device and method of decorating a mailbox in a manner that enables a person to quickly and easily change the shown design. The present invention design enables a mailbox to be uniquely decorated with a flag display in a manner that does not obscure the mailbox or any feature that may be painted on the mailbox. The display flag can be decorative or may contain advertisements or other information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a system and method of attaching a flag display to a mailbox in a manner that enables the flag display to hang below the mailbox. The system includes a flag display that has a length equivalent to the sum of the combined lengths of the two sides of the mailbox and the front of the mailbox. The top edge of the flag display attaches to the exterior of the mailbox, near its base. The flag display attaches to the mailbox using hook and loop material or some other equivalent fastening means. The flag display hangs down from the base of the mailbox while maintaining the overall shape of the bottom of the mailbox. When applied to a roadside mailbox, the bottom of the flag display is weighted, tied and/or anchored to the mailbox post.
REFERENCES:
patent: 808764 (1906-01-01), Larsh
patent: 1495741 (1924-05-01), Higdon, Jr.
patent: 3602424 (1971-08-01), Raulston
patent: 4279380 (1981-07-01), Husted
patent: 4813595 (1989-03-01), Johns, Jr. et al.
patent: 4864962 (1989-09-01), Kuehl et al.
patent: 4895299 (1990-01-01), Okunami
patent: 4953783 (1990-09-01), Chambers
patent: 5000379 (1991-03-01), LaRue
patent: 5291849 (1994-03-01), Zeitler
patent: 5533464 (1996-07-01), Todd
patent: 5984172 (1999-11-01), Easterwood
Browne Lynne H.
LaMorte & Associates
Miller William L.
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