Secure Parcel Mailbox With Ramp and Anti-Reach Closing Member
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mailboxes are unable to securely store larger parcels due to size limitations, leading to inconvenient delivery practices and increased costs for both consumers and delivery services.
Innovation Solution
A mail receptacle with a pivoting door, a ramp, and a closing member that directs mail into a storage area while preventing unauthorized access, allowing for secure storage of both conventional mail and larger parcels by using a ramp to guide items into the storage area and a closing member to block access when the door is closed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If the mailbox slot is made large enough to receive larger parcels, then the storage capacity is improved, but the security is worsened because the opening becomes vulnerable to unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The opening mechanism is segmented into multiple components: a door member for access control and a closing member that automatically seals the opening. This segmentation allows the opening to be large when needed for depositing mail while automatically securing itself to maintain security.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing member is positioned and configured to automatically close the opening immediately after mail is deposited. This preliminary action of pre-positioning the closing member ensures that security is restored automatically without requiring manual intervention, resolving the contradiction between easy access and security.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to prevent unauthorized access, then the security is improved, but the device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The closing member is designed to automatically close and secure the opening without requiring any locking mechanism or manual intervention. The system serves itself by using the closing member's automatic movement to seal the opening, thereby maintaining security while avoiding the complexity of locks, keys, or electronic security systems.
3Ease of operation
If the opening is kept open for easy access, then the ease of operation is improved, but the security is worsened due to exposure to theft and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The opening mechanism operates periodically: it opens when mail needs to be deposited and automatically closes afterward. This periodic action allows easy access during the brief opening period while maintaining security during the closed period, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing member acts as an intermediary between the open and closed states. It automatically transitions the opening from an accessible state to a secured state, mediating between the need for ease of operation and the requirement for security without requiring manual control.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional mail slots are used, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the adaptability is worsened because they cannot receive larger parcels
Solution Approach 1:
The mailbox is designed with a universal opening mechanism that can accommodate both traditional letters and larger parcels. The door member and closing member configuration allows the same structure to handle various mail types, making the mailbox multi-functional without requiring different designs for different mail sizes.
Data Source
AI summary
A receptacle for receiving and securely storing mail includes a body defining an opening through which mail is received and a storage area into which mail is stored. A door is pivotably mounted within the opening and configured to close the opening in a closed position and to pivot away from the body to facilitate access to the opening in an opened position. A ramp is mounted within the body and configured to receive and direct mail into the storage area. A closing member is pivotably mounted within the body and linked to the door, such that movement of the door from the closed position to the opened position causes the closing member to pivot towards the ramp to substantially prevent access to the storage area from the opening when the door is in an open position.