Package receptacle assembly integrated into an exterior feature of a home
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mailboxes and existing solutions fail to securely and aesthetically accommodate packages delivered to homes, particularly due to size constraints, exposure to weather, and theft risks, especially with the rise of online shopping and unmanned aerial vehicle deliveries.
Innovation Solution
A package receptacle assembly integrated into a home's column, featuring a hidden compartment with a door, chutes for UAV delivery, and a locking assembly, along with a video assembly for monitoring, which secures packages from weather and theft while maintaining home aesthetics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If packages are left on the front porch or near the front door, then delivery is simple and accessible, but packages are exposed to theft and weather damage
Solution Approach 1:
The package receptacle is nested within an existing exterior column of the home, utilizing the column's internal hollow space. This nesting approach provides secure, weather-protected storage without adding external structures that would be visible to thieves or affect the home's exterior aesthetics.
Solution Approach 2:
A chute system acts as an intermediary between the roof area and the hidden receptacle compartment. Packages can be delivered through the chute from above, eliminating the need for ground-level access to the storage compartment while keeping the receptacle hidden within the column.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a mailbox is used for package delivery, then existing mail infrastructure is utilized, but packages cannot fit due to size constraints
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using horizontal mail slots in the front door, the invention utilizes the vertical dimension by creating a receptacle within the column that extends from the roof area down to the porch level. This vertical orientation provides significantly more volume while maintaining integration with the home's existing structure.
3Reliability
If a visible package receptacle is installed, then package storage is secure and accessible, but home aesthetics are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The package receptacle is nested within an existing exterior column of the home, utilizing the column's internal hollow space. This nesting approach provides secure, weather-protected storage without adding external structures that would be visible to thieves or affect the home's exterior aesthetics.
4Reliability
If remote lockers or distribution centers are used for package delivery, then package theft is prevented, but travel and time are required for retrieval
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service package retrieval through automated notification and remote locking mechanisms. When a package is delivered, the system automatically notifies the homeowner, who can then retrieve the package at their convenience using a keypad or remote control, eliminating the need for travel to distant locations.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a package receptacle assembly that is integrated into a column of a home. The compartment in some embodiments has a door that is positioned in a front wall of the compartment so that the door is positioned between the rear wall of the compartment and a front door of a home, which obscures the door from view. The door in some arrangements has a locking assembly, which is configured to send out notification and provide remote control of the locking assembly in various iterations of the present invention. Some embodiments have a chute that extends through the column and between the compartment and the roof to allow delivery of a package onto the roof and through the column to the compartment, such as by way of a UAV. Other embodiments include a chute that extends from the compartment to the home.