Deposit and collection receptacles – Letter boxes – Signals
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-28
2004-03-23
Miller, William L. (Department: 3677)
Deposit and collection receptacles
Letter boxes
Signals
C116S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06708875
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to generally to curbside mailboxes and specifically to automatic indicator flags for mailboxes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Curbside mailboxes and newspaper boxes generally do not offer to their owners any convenient way to determine whether or not the mailboxes have any mail within them. The traditional flag which is lifted or lowered requires the cooperation of the delivery person and is often aligned parallel to the line of sight from the resident's home to the mailbox, making it harder to spot. As a result, various inventions have been patented which offer devices aimed at automatically registering the presence of mail or newspapers in the curbside box.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,629 B1 issued Nov. 20, 2001 to Anderson for “SIGNAL DEVICE FOR MAILBOX” teaches a signal device that is secured between the body and door of the mailbox, falling forward when the mailbox door is opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,4482 issued Dec. 5, 2000 to Perry for “MAIL DELIVERY SIGNAL KIT AND METHOD OF USE” teaches a magnet retrofitted to a mailbox door, and a flag system which falls away from the magnet when the door is opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,671 issued May 23, 2000 to Stepleton for “ROADSIDE MAILBOX DELIVERY SIGNAL” teaches a flag inclined by gravity to rise but prevented from doing so by a tip which is trapped between the body and door of the mailbox. When the mailbox door is opened, the tip is released and the flag pivots upright.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,759 issued Feb. 14, 1995 to Barnes for “DELIVERY SIGN FOR A RURAL MAILBOX” teaches a Venetian blind attached to a pendulous weight: when the mailbox door is opened, the weight falls forward, opening the venetian blind to reveal a message indicating that mail has arrived.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,295 issued Feb. 8, 1994 to Steinfeldt for “MAILBOX DELIVERY SIGNAL DEVICE” teaches a signal ball attached to a tether. The ball rests upon a shelf projecting from the door of the mailbox, when the door is opened, the ball falls off and hangs suspended by the tether.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,783 issued Sep. 4, 1990 to Chambers for “MAILBOX SIGNAL DEVICE” teaches a flag secured in a detent or rest in the door. When the door is opened, the flag falls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,180 issued Oct. 31, 1989 to Shull for “MAILBOX SIGNALLING APPARATUS” teaches a base for supporting a mailbox. When the door of the mailbox opens, a plate in the base is pushed towards the rear of the mailbox and actuating means release two flags to fall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,953 issued Apr. 18, 1989 to Poloha for “MAILBOX GRAVITY SIGNALLING APPARATUS” teaches a tethered flag having a ring or hole which fits over a support arm on the mailbox door. When the door is opened, the flag slides off of the arm and hangs below the box.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,997 issued Nov. 8, 1988 to Cotton, Jr. for “MAIL DELIVERY SIGNAL DEVICE” teaches a flag similar to that of the '783 patent in that it rests wedged between the door and body of the mailbox when the door is closed, falling free when the door is opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,286 issued Nov. 24, 1987 to Norris for “MAIL-CALL SIGNAL DEVICE” teaches a name plate and signal plate. The name plate is hinged at its top edge to the door of the mailbox and at its bottom edge to the top edge of the signal plate. The signal plate rests folded up behind the name plate until the door is opened, at which point the signal plate falls forward, freeing the signal plate to fall free therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,390 issued Apr. 7, 1987 to Martin for “MAILBOX SIGNAL DEVICE” teaches a flag hinged at its base edge and attached to the door of the mailbox. The flag rests approximately vertically (possibly held by a loose clip at the top edge) and falls free when the door is opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,335 issued Jan. 8, 1985 to Davis for “MAILBOX SIGNALING DEVICE” teaches a flag which is released by the delivery person prior to opening the mailbox door.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,542 issued May 10, 1983 to Farris for “MAIL SIGNAL APPARATUS” teaches a flag hinged at its lower edge to the door and held at its upper side by a latch or weight. When the door is opened, the weight swings free, releasing the flag to also swing freely.
Finally, Canadian Patent 849,923 issued Aug. 25, 1970 to Duffey for “AUTOMATIC MAIL SIGNAL FOR MAIL BOXES” teaches a flag hinged to sit parallel to the bottom surface of the box. A friction joint holds the flag in this position until the door of the mailbox is opened and the flag is forced against the bottom of the mailbox and then into a new angular relationship with the door. When the door is closed, the flag remains in the new position in relationship to the door.
With the exception of the Barnes '759 patent, each of the references cited above leaves the mechanism of the flag exposed to the elements, in which location it is easy for the mechanism to become ice encrusted or snowbound, causing the mechanism to not work. In addition, these devices allow the flag/signal device to become coated with snow and thus considerably less visible. Certain of these devices additionally only present easy viewing conditions from one side or the other.
The Barnes '759 patent requires a window which is angled to the vertical (the space behind the window being necessary for the pendulous weight) and thus presents another surface which may easily become ice or snow encrusted. In that event, the device might work perfectly but still not be easily visible. In addition, the device of the '759 patent is only visible from a single direction, the front of the mailbox. While some “rural” style (curbside or roadside) boxes are positioned across a street from the owner's viewing position, many are in front of the viewing position (typically house or drive) and thus may not benefit from the device of the '759 patent under any circumstances. The mechanical complexity of the '759 is also a disadvantage of production and use.
It would be beneficial to provide an improved automatic mail box flag visible from either side of a mailbox yet protected from the elements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
General Summary
The present invention provides an improved mail box signal having a case and a slide mounted within the case. The case has a detent and the slide a conforming catch such that when the case is vertical, the slide may be held suspended substantially or entirely within the case. The case is mounted upon the door of a curbside mailbox and when the door is opened, the case is rotated to the horizontal. In the horizontal position, the catch falls free from the detent, freeing the slide to drop substantially or entirely free from the case under the influence of gravity. In the preferred embodiment, the slide may drop vertically “straight” out of the open bottom of the case. In alternative embodiments, the slide may pivot either in a track, or about a pivot, or by other means, and thus fall partially out one side of the case, or out of the case on both one side and the bottom.
The invention may be easily retrofitted to existing curbside mailboxes, however, it may with equal facility be incorporated into new mailboxes as well.
In an alternative embodiment, the slide may have brightly colored flags on one or both sides, so as to improve visibility thereof.
In another embodiment, the case may have a clear pane having a flag behind it, such that when the slide is positioned within the case the interior flag is obscured, but when the slide falls, the interior flag is displayed.
In yet another embodiment, the interior flag or the flags on the slide may be insignia such as the US flag, sports team insignia, trademarks or service marks, advertising for consumer products and so on.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, the case and/or stop may have a second stop located at the bottom of the case in order to prevent the slide from falling entirely free of the case: the slide will halt with a top portion of the slide still within the case. In another aspect, the invention may provide a pull or handle on the slide to allow easy manipu
Barber Craig W.
Barber Legal
Miller William L.
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