Modular Locking Unit with Common Drive for Parcel Mailbox Doors
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of parcels due to e-commerce poses challenges in delivery, particularly for employed individuals who are often not home during delivery times, as existing solutions require users to visit collection stations or manage multiple key systems for parcel and letter compartments.
Innovation Solution
A modular locking unit for parcel mailboxes with a common drive element that allows for separate or simultaneous unlocking of doors, using a rotatable axle with adjustable rod parts and snap-action closures, enabling secure and convenient access to both parcels and letters without needing to open the letter compartment during parcel delivery or retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate locks are provided for parcel compartment door and letter mailbox door, then secure access to both compartments is achieved, but the user must keep two different key systems available
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate locking mechanisms into a single integrated locking unit with a common drive element. The locking unit includes a first locking element module for the parcel compartment door and a second locking element module for the letter mailbox door, both actuated by the same drive mechanism. This allows the user to access either compartment using a single key system while maintaining separate secure access control.
Solution Approach 2:
The common drive element serves multiple functions: it can unlock only the parcel compartment door when rotated to a first position, unlock only the letter mailbox door when rotated to a second position, and unlock both doors when rotated to a third position. This multi-functional capability eliminates the need for separate key systems while maintaining secure access control for each compartment.
2Ease of operation
If the letter mailbox door must be opened to deliver parcels, then access to the parcel compartment is achieved, but the letter compartment security is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The locking unit is segmented into two independent locking element modules: a first locking element module for the parcel compartment door and a second locking element module for the letter mailbox door. Each module can be actuated independently through the common drive element, allowing the parcel compartment to be accessed without opening the letter mailbox door, thus maintaining letter compartment security while enabling convenient parcel delivery.
3Ease of operation
If a common drive element controls all doors, then the number of key systems is reduced, but selective access control becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The common drive element is designed with dynamic positioning capability, allowing it to be rotated to different angular positions to achieve different unlocking configurations. The drive element can be positioned at a first angle to unlock only the parcel compartment, at a second angle to unlock only the letter mailbox, and at a third angle to unlock both doors. This dynamic control mechanism manages the complexity through intuitive rotational positions while maintaining selective access control.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a housing with at least two doors for locking respective housing openings, comprising: a locking unit, which, for each of the doors, has a respective locking-element module with at least one locking body and with a locking drive for actuating the locking body, wherein the locking drive for the locking-element modules has a common drive element, which can be moved and moves the locking body/bodies for just one of the doors into an unlocking setting and, in a second adjustment position, moves the locking bodies for all of the doors into an unlocking setting; or locking units, wherein one or more respective locking units can be activated for unlocking the associated door of the at least two doors of the housing, and respective locking units can be activated for unlocking all of the associated doors of the at least two doors of the housing.