Rotatable Drum Parcel Receptacle for Restricted Post-Deposit Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing delivery receptacles lack effective mechanisms to restrict access to deposited parcels after they are placed inside, making them vulnerable to theft or vandalism.
Innovation Solution
A delivery receptacle design featuring a rotatable drum mechanism within a housing, where the drum rotates between loading and unloading positions, with a linking mechanism that ensures the drum moves in the opposite direction of the delivery door, creating a secure pathway to a storage compartment, and additional features like locking devices and sensors for enhanced security and functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple open receptacle is used, then ease of access is improved, but security against theft and vandalism deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle is divided into multiple compartments (first compartment for deposited items, second compartment for retrieved items) separated by a partition wall with a transfer opening. This segmentation allows public access for depositing items while restricting access to the secure compartment, resolving the contradiction between ease of access and security.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable drum mechanism is nested within the housing, containing both compartments within a single secure structure. The drum rotates to align different compartments with the deposit opening at different times, allowing public deposit access while maintaining overall security through the enclosed nested design.
2Reliability
If a rotatable drum mechanism is added to restrict access, then security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable drum is equipped with an automatic sensor-detecting mechanism that senses when an item has been deposited and automatically rotates the drum to the appropriate position. This self-service automation reduces the need for manual operation and complex control systems, achieving enhanced security without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex manual locking mechanisms with a sensor-based automatic detection and rotation system. The sensor detects item deposition and triggers automatic drum rotation, substituting mechanical key-lock systems with a simpler sensor-actuator mechanism that achieves the same security function with less complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple compartments and automatic rotation are implemented, then functionality is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable drum serves multiple functions: it acts as a separator between public and secure compartments, provides automatic item transfer, and controls access timing. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanisms for each function, thereby reducing overall manufacturing cost despite enhanced functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The drum mechanism is designed to be reset and reused continuously - after rotating to deliver an item, it automatically returns to its initial position ready for the next deposit. This reusable cyclic operation eliminates the need for disposable components or complex reset mechanisms, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining versatile functionality.
Data Source
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AI summary
A delivery receptacle for receiving objects, such as parcels, has a housing having an input opening, a delivery door rotatably coupled to the housing for opening and closing the input opening, and a drum rotatably coupled to the housing and having a drum access opening accessible through the input opening. The delivery door is mechanically coupled to the drum such that rotation of the delivery door in a first rotational direction causes rotation of the drum in the opposite rotational direction. The delivery door is rotatable between an open position in which the drum is oriented with the drum access opening aligned with the input opening such that a parcel can be inserted into the drum, and a closed position in which the drum is oriented with the drum access opening aligned with a drop area such that a parcel will exit the drum and enter the drop area.