US20220167772A1 - Parcel box - Google Patents
Parcel box Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20220167772A1 US20220167772A1 US17/651,240 US202217651240A US2022167772A1 US 20220167772 A1 US20220167772 A1 US 20220167772A1 US 202217651240 A US202217651240 A US 202217651240A US 2022167772 A1 US2022167772 A1 US 2022167772A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- lid
- parcel box
- side walls
- parcel
- edge
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000004576 sand Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 2
- 241001465754 Metazoa Species 0.000 description 2
- 230000009194 climbing Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000009191 jumping Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
- A47G29/00—Supports, holders, or containers for household use, not provided for in groups A47G1/00-A47G27/00 or A47G33/00
- A47G29/14—Deposit receptacles for food, e.g. breakfast, milk, or large parcels; Similar receptacles for food or large parcels with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles, i.e. food or large parcels
- A47G29/20—Deposit receptacles for food, e.g. breakfast, milk, or large parcels; Similar receptacles for food or large parcels with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles, i.e. food or large parcels with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
- A47G29/00—Supports, holders, or containers for household use, not provided for in groups A47G1/00-A47G27/00 or A47G33/00
- A47G29/14—Deposit receptacles for food, e.g. breakfast, milk, or large parcels; Similar receptacles for food or large parcels with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles, i.e. food or large parcels
- A47G29/141—Deposit receptacles for food, e.g. breakfast, milk, or large parcels; Similar receptacles for food or large parcels with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles, i.e. food or large parcels comprising electronically controlled locking means
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
- A47G29/00—Supports, holders, or containers for household use, not provided for in groups A47G1/00-A47G27/00 or A47G33/00
- A47G29/14—Deposit receptacles for food, e.g. breakfast, milk, or large parcels; Similar receptacles for food or large parcels with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles, i.e. food or large parcels
- A47G29/20—Deposit receptacles for food, e.g. breakfast, milk, or large parcels; Similar receptacles for food or large parcels with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles, i.e. food or large parcels with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles
- A47G29/22—Deposit receptacles for food, e.g. breakfast, milk, or large parcels; Similar receptacles for food or large parcels with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles, i.e. food or large parcels with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles having rotatable or reciprocable parts
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
- A47G29/00—Supports, holders, or containers for household use, not provided for in groups A47G1/00-A47G27/00 or A47G33/00
- A47G29/14—Deposit receptacles for food, e.g. breakfast, milk, or large parcels; Similar receptacles for food or large parcels with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles, i.e. food or large parcels
- A47G29/141—Deposit receptacles for food, e.g. breakfast, milk, or large parcels; Similar receptacles for food or large parcels with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles, i.e. food or large parcels comprising electronically controlled locking means
- A47G2029/145—Deposit receptacles for food, e.g. breakfast, milk, or large parcels; Similar receptacles for food or large parcels with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles, i.e. food or large parcels comprising electronically controlled locking means the receptacle comprising means for identifying a deposit; Deposits carrying identification means, e.g. a bar code
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a parcel box. More particularly, the present invention relates to a parcel box having a mechanism for driving a lid of the parcel box to close when a parcel is placed into a container of the parcel box.
- Parcel boxes are used to receive parcels delivered by deliverymen. However, deliverymen are generally not familiar with the parcel boxes, and it is inconvenient for the deliverymen to manually close the lid of the parcel box after placing the parcel therein.
- a parcel box includes a container, a lid, and a lid-closing module.
- the container has four side walls and a bottom plate. Each of the side walls has a top edge and a bottom edge.
- the bottom plate is connected to the bottom edges of the side walls, and the four top edges of the side walls define an opening.
- the bottom edges of the side walls are connected to the bottom plate.
- the bottom plate and the side walls define a space.
- the lid has an edge pivotally connected to the top edge of one of the side walls, and is configured to cover the opening at a closed position, and uncover the opening at an open position.
- the lid-closing module is connected to the lid and includes a contacting part in the space. When the contacting part is pushed toward the bottom plate, the lid-closing module drives the lid to the closed position.
- the lid of the parcel box can be driven to close.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a parcel box according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, in which a lid is at a closed position;
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the parcel box of FIG. 1 , in which the lid is at an open position;
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a parcel box according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, in which a lid is at an open position;
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a parcel box according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, in which a lid is at an open position;
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a parcel box according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, in which a lid is at an open position.
- the present disclosure relates to a parcel box having a mechanism for closing a lid of the parcel box.
- the mechanism can drive the lid of the parcel box to close when a parcel is placed into the parcel box.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a parcel box 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, in which a lid 120 is at a closed position.
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the parcel box of FIG. 1 , in which the lid 120 is at an open position.
- the parcel box 100 has a container 110 , the lid 120 , and a lid-closing module 130 .
- the container 110 has four side walls 111 and a bottom plate 112 .
- Each of the side walls 111 has a top edge 113 and a bottom edge 114 , and the four top edges 113 of the side walls 111 define an opening O.
- the bottom edges 114 of the side walls 111 are connected to the bottom plate 112 .
- the bottom plate 112 and the side walls 111 define a space S.
- a parcel (or an object) can be placed into the space S of the container 110 through the opening O.
- the lid 120 has an edge 121 pivotally connected to the top edge 113 of one of the side walls 111 . Through pivotal motion, the lid 120 can move between a closed position as shown in FIG. 1 and an open position as shown in FIG. 2 . When the lid 120 is at the closed position, the lid 120 covers the opening O. When the lid 120 is at the open position, the lid 120 does not cover the opening O.
- the lid-closing module 130 is connected to the lid 120 , and has a contacting part 131 and at least one flexible connector 132 .
- the contacting part 131 is a contact plate to be pressed by a parcel.
- the contact plate 131 has a first edge 133 and a second edge 134 opposite to the first edge 133 .
- the first edge 133 of the contact plate 131 is pivotally connected to the bottom plate 112 .
- the second edge 134 of the contact plate 131 is connected to the flexible connector 132 .
- the flexible connector 132 has a first end 135 and a second end 136 opposite to each other.
- the first end 135 of the flexible connector 132 is, as mentioned, connected to the contact plate 131 , and the second end 136 of the flexible connector 132 is connected to the lid 120 .
- the contact plate 131 When a parcel is placed into the space S of the container 110 , the contact plate 131 bears the weight of the parcel and is pushed downward. Specifically, the first edge 133 of the contact plate 131 is fixed to the bottom plate 112 , and the second edge 134 of the contact plate 131 pivots to the bottom plate 112 and moves downward. As a result, the contact plate 131 can pull the flexible connector 132 downward. The magnitude of motion due to rotation is greater the farther away from the pivot. In other words, the distance travelled by the contact plate 131 in the downward motion increases from the first edge 133 , which is pivotally connected to the bottom plate 112 , to the second edge 134 .
- the first end 135 of the flexible connector 132 is connected to the second edge 134 of the contact plate 131 , or a position proximal to the second edge 134 of the contact plate 131 .
- the flexible connector 132 As the flexible connector 132 is pulled downward by the contact plate 131 , the flexible connector 132 pulls the lid 120 downward from the open position to the closed position at the same time. Thereby, the lid 120 is closed on the opening O without manual operation by a user.
- the weight of a parcel placed into the space S of the container 110 drives the lid-closing module 130 to close the lid 120 on the opening O.
- the first end 135 and the second end 136 of the flexible connector 132 can be detachable.
- the flexible connector 132 can be detached from the lid 120 and/or the contact plate 131 , such that the lid-closing module 130 overall is disengaged from the lid 120 .
- the lid-closing module 130 does not drive the lid 120 to the closed position even when the contact plate 131 is pushed downward by a parcel.
- the parcel box 100 can be adjusted by a user to have a lid-closing module 130 or not, according to the need.
- the container 110 of the parcel box 100 further has a signage 122 disposed on a bottom surface of the lid 120 .
- the bottom surface of the lid 120 and the signage 122 thereon face toward users (e.g., deliverymen) standing in front of the container 110 .
- the signage 122 includes a word such as “parcel,” “package,” “drop,” “here,” or combinations thereof, such as “drop parcel” or “drop here.”
- the lid 120 is at the closed position, the bottom surface of the lid 120 and the signage 122 thereon face toward the space S of the container 110 and are not visible from the outside of the container 110
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a parcel box 100 a according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, in which the lid 120 of the parcel box 100 a is at an open position.
- the parcel box 100 a includes the container 110 , the lid 120 , and a lid-closing module 130 a .
- the difference between this embodiment and the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is that the contacting part 131 a of the lid-closing module 130 a is a contact net, and the lid-closing module 130 a includes two flexible connectors 132 a connected to the bottom plate 112 .
- the two flexible connectors 132 a respectively have a first end 135 a and a second end 136 a , in which the first end 135 a is connected to the bottom plate 112 , and the second end 136 a is connected to the lid 120 . Furthermore, the contact net 131 a is connected to and arranged between the two flexible connectors 132 a , and is stretched by the two flexible connectors 132 a.
- the contact net 131 a when a parcel is placed into the space S of the container 110 , the contact net 131 a bears the weight of the parcel and is pushed downward. The downward motion of the contact net 131 a pulls the flexible connectors 132 a downward. In order to obstruct the opening O as little as possible when the lid 120 is at the open position, the second ends 136 a of the flexible connectors 132 a can be connected to the lid 120 at a position proximal to the edge 121 of the lid 120 that is pivotally connected to the side wall 111 of the container 110 . Thus, the contact net 131 a spanning between the flexible connectors 132 a is closer to the side wall 111 connected to the lid 120 , and blocks a smaller portion of the opening O.
- the first ends 135 a of the flexible connectors 132 a can be connected to the bottom plate 112 at a position farther away from the side wall 111 connected to the lid 120 .
- the contact net 131 a spanning between the flexible connectors 132 a also substantially spans from the side wall 111 connected to the lid 120 across to the opposite side wall 111 , and has a greater area for engaging a parcel placed into the container 110 .
- the second ends 136 a of the flexible connectors 132 a pull the lid 120 downward from the open position to the closed position. Thereby, the lid 120 is closed on the opening O without manual operation by a user.
- the weight of a parcel placed into the space S of the container 110 drives the lid-closing module 130 a to close the lid 120 on the opening O.
- the contact net 131 a can be detachable. When not expecting delivery, the contact net 131 a can be detached from the flexible connectors 132 a , such that the lid-closing module 130 a overall is not driven by a parcel placed into the container 110 . In this state, the lid-closing module 130 a does not drive the lid 120 to the closed position even when a parcel is placed into the space S of the container 110 . Thus, the parcel box 100 a can be adjusted by a user to have a lid-closing module 130 a or not, according to the need.
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a parcel box 100 b according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, in which the lid 120 of the parcel box 100 b is at an open position.
- the parcel box 100 b includes the container 110 , the lid 120 , and a lid-closing module 130 b .
- the difference between this embodiment and the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is that the contacting part 131 b of the lid-closing module 130 b is a contact plate that is directly connected to the lid 120 .
- the contact plate 131 b is connected to the lid 120 at a position proximal to the edge 121 of the lid 120 that is pivotally connected to the side wall 111 of the container 110 .
- the contact plate 131 b covers at least a portion of the opening O when the lid 120 is at the open position.
- the contact plate 131 b is fixed to the lid 120 , and thus an angle between the contact plate 131 b and the lid 120 is fixed.
- the contact plate 131 b and the lid 120 are simultaneously pivoted on the top edge 113 of the side wall 111 .
- an angle between the lid 1200 and the contact plate 131 b is substantially ninety degrees, such that the contact plate 131 b can be substantially parallel and proximal to the side wall 111 of the container 110 when the lid 120 is in plane with the opening O of the container 110 at the closed position.
- the parcel box 100 b further has a self-locking lock 160 .
- the self-locking lock 160 includes two coupling parts 161 , 162 respectively located on the lid 120 and one of the side walls 111 .
- the two coupling parts 161 , 162 are configured to self-lock, or automatically engage, when they are pressed against each other.
- the self-locking lock 160 can be unlocked by a key.
- the self-locking lock 160 can be unlocked by an electronic unit by inputting a digital code on the self-locking lock 160 or at a remote device.
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a parcel box 100 c according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, in which the lid 120 of the parcel box 100 c is at an open position.
- the parcel box 100 c includes the container 110 , the lid 120 , a motion sensor 172 , and a motorized unit 174 .
- the container 110 and the lid 120 of the parcel box 100 are similar to those described above.
- the motion sensor 172 is configured to sense a motion of an object placed into the space S of the container 110 .
- the motion sensor 172 is electrically connected to the motorized unit 174 .
- the motorized unit 174 drives the lid 120 to cover the opening O when the motion sensor 172 senses motion of an object placed into the space S of the container 110 .
- the motorized unit 174 may have an extendable holder 175 connected to the lid 120 .
- the parcel box 100 c further has protruding plates 115 .
- Each of the protruding plates 115 is connected to one of the side walls 111 not connected to the lid 120 .
- each of the protruding plates 115 extends from the top edge 113 of the respective side wall 111 , in a direction up and away from the opening O.
- the protruding plates 115 prevent animals such as pets or wild creatures from jumping or climbing into the container 110 , and accidentally closing the lid 120 . It is to be noted that the protruding plates 115 shown in FIG. 5 can be applied to any one of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 .
- the protruding plates 115 When the protruding plates 115 are connected to the side walls 111 of the containers 110 , 110 a , and 110 b of FIGS. 1 to 4 , the protruding plates 115 can prevent animals from jumping or climbing into the containers 110 , 110 a , and 110 b of FIGS. 1 to 4 , and accidentally triggering the lid-closing modules 130 , 130 a , and 130 b of FIGS. 1 to 4 to close the lid 120 .
- the container 110 of the parcel box 100 c further has at least one hole 116 configured to be passed through by a bolt.
- the hole 116 can be formed at the bottom plate 112 , or any of the side walls 111 .
- a bolt can be used to secure and fix the parcel box 100 c to a wall or the ground, and can be disengaged only from inside the container 110 .
- the lid 120 In order to disengage the bolt, the lid 120 must be open. When the lid 120 is closed on the opening O and locked, a person cannot move the parcel box 100 c without first unlocking and opening the lid 120 .
- the hole 116 shown in FIG. 5 can be applied to any one of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 .
- a bolt can pass through the hole 116 to secure and fix the parcel boxes 100 , 100 a , and 100 b to a wall or the ground, and can be disengaged only from inside the containers 110 , 110 a , and 110 b.
- the container 110 of the parcel box 100 c further has a weight unit 190 disposed in the space S of the container 110 .
- the weight unit 190 is heavy such that the parcel box 100 c becomes difficult to move.
- the weight unit 190 can be filled with sand, water, or a combination thereof.
- the bottom plate 112 includes the weight unit 190 . It is to be noted that the weight unit 190 shown in FIG. 5 can be applied to any one of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 .
- the container 110 of the parcel box 100 c further has a slot 117 formed on one of the side walls 111 .
- a height of the slot 117 is less than three centimeters, such that letters, envelopes, postcards, and the like can pass there-through, but bigger parcels and a human hand cannot.
- the parcel box 100 c can continue to accept delivery of smaller mails such as letter, envelopes and postcards even when the lid 120 is closed and locked.
- the slot 117 shown in FIG. 5 can be applied to any one of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 .
- the container 110 of the parcel box 100 c further has a GPS tracker 180 disposed in the space S of the container 110 .
- the GPS tracker 180 is disposed on an inner surface of one of the side walls 111 .
- the GPS 180 tracker can be used to track the location of the parcel box 100 c , which can be useful when the parcel box 100 c is stolen. It is to be noted that the GPS tracker 180 shown in FIG. 5 can be applied to any one of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 .
- the lid-closing module is a hands-free closure mechanism that automatically closes the lid on the parcel box when a user (e.g. deliveryman) or an unmanned flying drone simply drops a parcel into the parcel box from a space above the parcel box.
- a self-locking lock may be provided such that the parcel box is automatically locked when the lid is closed thereupon.
Abstract
A parcel box includes a container, a lid, and a lid-closing module. The container has four side walls and a bottom plate. The four side walls respectively have a top edge and a bottom edge. The bottom plate is connected to the bottom edges of the side walls. The top edges of the side walls define an opening. The side walls and the bottom plate define a space. The lid has an edge pivotally connected to the top edge of one of the side walls, and configured to cover the opening at a closed position, and uncover the opening at an open position. The lid-closing module is connected to the lid and includes a contacting part in the space. When the contacting part is pushed toward the bottom plate, the lid-closing module drives the lid to the closed position.
Description
- The present application is a Divisional Application of the U.S. application Ser. No. 16/515,806, filed Jul. 18, 2019, which is herein incorporated by reference in their entireties.
- The present invention relates to a parcel box. More particularly, the present invention relates to a parcel box having a mechanism for driving a lid of the parcel box to close when a parcel is placed into a container of the parcel box.
- Parcels left on porches or at front doors by deliverymen are often left unattended, and are vulnerable to theft and damage. Parcel boxes are used to receive parcels delivered by deliverymen. However, deliverymen are generally not familiar with the parcel boxes, and it is inconvenient for the deliverymen to manually close the lid of the parcel box after placing the parcel therein.
- According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a parcel box includes a container, a lid, and a lid-closing module. The container has four side walls and a bottom plate. Each of the side walls has a top edge and a bottom edge. The bottom plate is connected to the bottom edges of the side walls, and the four top edges of the side walls define an opening. The bottom edges of the side walls are connected to the bottom plate. The bottom plate and the side walls define a space. The lid has an edge pivotally connected to the top edge of one of the side walls, and is configured to cover the opening at a closed position, and uncover the opening at an open position. The lid-closing module is connected to the lid and includes a contacting part in the space. When the contacting part is pushed toward the bottom plate, the lid-closing module drives the lid to the closed position.
- In the aforementioned embodiments of the present disclosure, because the parcel box has the lid-closing module or the combination of the motion sensor and the motorized unit, the lid of the parcel box can be driven to close.
- These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims.
- It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are by examples, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
- The invention can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of the embodiment, with reference made to the accompanying drawings as follows:
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a parcel box according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, in which a lid is at a closed position; -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the parcel box ofFIG. 1 , in which the lid is at an open position; -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a parcel box according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, in which a lid is at an open position; -
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a parcel box according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, in which a lid is at an open position; and -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a parcel box according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, in which a lid is at an open position. - Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.
- The present disclosure relates to a parcel box having a mechanism for closing a lid of the parcel box. In particular, the mechanism can drive the lid of the parcel box to close when a parcel is placed into the parcel box.
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of aparcel box 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, in which alid 120 is at a closed position.FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the parcel box ofFIG. 1 , in which thelid 120 is at an open position. Referring toFIG. 1 andFIG. 2 , theparcel box 100 has acontainer 110, thelid 120, and a lid-closing module 130. Thecontainer 110 has fourside walls 111 and abottom plate 112. Each of theside walls 111 has atop edge 113 and abottom edge 114, and the fourtop edges 113 of theside walls 111 define an opening O. Thebottom edges 114 of theside walls 111 are connected to thebottom plate 112. Thebottom plate 112 and theside walls 111 define a space S. A parcel (or an object) can be placed into the space S of thecontainer 110 through the opening O. - The
lid 120 has anedge 121 pivotally connected to thetop edge 113 of one of theside walls 111. Through pivotal motion, thelid 120 can move between a closed position as shown inFIG. 1 and an open position as shown inFIG. 2 . When thelid 120 is at the closed position, thelid 120 covers the opening O. When thelid 120 is at the open position, thelid 120 does not cover the opening O. - The lid-
closing module 130 is connected to thelid 120, and has a contactingpart 131 and at least oneflexible connector 132. In this embodiment, the contactingpart 131 is a contact plate to be pressed by a parcel. Thecontact plate 131 has afirst edge 133 and asecond edge 134 opposite to thefirst edge 133. Thefirst edge 133 of thecontact plate 131 is pivotally connected to thebottom plate 112. Thesecond edge 134 of thecontact plate 131 is connected to theflexible connector 132. Theflexible connector 132 has afirst end 135 and asecond end 136 opposite to each other. Thefirst end 135 of theflexible connector 132 is, as mentioned, connected to thecontact plate 131, and thesecond end 136 of theflexible connector 132 is connected to thelid 120. - When a parcel is placed into the space S of the
container 110, thecontact plate 131 bears the weight of the parcel and is pushed downward. Specifically, thefirst edge 133 of thecontact plate 131 is fixed to thebottom plate 112, and thesecond edge 134 of thecontact plate 131 pivots to thebottom plate 112 and moves downward. As a result, thecontact plate 131 can pull theflexible connector 132 downward. The magnitude of motion due to rotation is greater the farther away from the pivot. In other words, the distance travelled by thecontact plate 131 in the downward motion increases from thefirst edge 133, which is pivotally connected to thebottom plate 112, to thesecond edge 134. In order to increase the distance by which thecontact plate 131 pulls on theflexible connector 132, thefirst end 135 of theflexible connector 132 is connected to thesecond edge 134 of thecontact plate 131, or a position proximal to thesecond edge 134 of thecontact plate 131. - As the
flexible connector 132 is pulled downward by thecontact plate 131, theflexible connector 132 pulls thelid 120 downward from the open position to the closed position at the same time. Thereby, thelid 120 is closed on the opening O without manual operation by a user. The weight of a parcel placed into the space S of thecontainer 110 drives the lid-closing module 130 to close thelid 120 on the opening O. - The
first end 135 and thesecond end 136 of theflexible connector 132 can be detachable. When not expecting delivery, theflexible connector 132 can be detached from thelid 120 and/or thecontact plate 131, such that the lid-closing module 130 overall is disengaged from thelid 120. In this state, the lid-closing module 130 does not drive thelid 120 to the closed position even when thecontact plate 131 is pushed downward by a parcel. Thus, theparcel box 100 can be adjusted by a user to have a lid-closing module 130 or not, according to the need. - In some embodiments, the
container 110 of theparcel box 100 further has asignage 122 disposed on a bottom surface of thelid 120. When thelid 120 is at the open position, the bottom surface of thelid 120 and thesignage 122 thereon face toward users (e.g., deliverymen) standing in front of thecontainer 110. Thesignage 122 includes a word such as “parcel,” “package,” “drop,” “here,” or combinations thereof, such as “drop parcel” or “drop here.” When thelid 120 is at the closed position, the bottom surface of thelid 120 and thesignage 122 thereon face toward the space S of thecontainer 110 and are not visible from the outside of thecontainer 110 - It is to be noted that the connection relationships of the elements described above will not be repeated in the following description, and only aspects related to other types of lid-closing modules will be described.
-
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of aparcel box 100 a according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, in which thelid 120 of theparcel box 100 a is at an open position. Referring toFIG. 3 , theparcel box 100 a includes thecontainer 110, thelid 120, and a lid-closingmodule 130 a. The difference between this embodiment and the embodiment shown inFIG. 2 is that the contactingpart 131 a of the lid-closingmodule 130 a is a contact net, and the lid-closingmodule 130 a includes twoflexible connectors 132 a connected to thebottom plate 112. The twoflexible connectors 132 a respectively have afirst end 135 a and asecond end 136 a, in which thefirst end 135 a is connected to thebottom plate 112, and thesecond end 136 a is connected to thelid 120. Furthermore, the contact net 131 a is connected to and arranged between the twoflexible connectors 132 a, and is stretched by the twoflexible connectors 132 a. - In this embodiment, when a parcel is placed into the space S of the
container 110, the contact net 131 a bears the weight of the parcel and is pushed downward. The downward motion of the contact net 131 a pulls theflexible connectors 132 a downward. In order to obstruct the opening O as little as possible when thelid 120 is at the open position, the second ends 136 a of theflexible connectors 132 a can be connected to thelid 120 at a position proximal to theedge 121 of thelid 120 that is pivotally connected to theside wall 111 of thecontainer 110. Thus, the contact net 131 a spanning between theflexible connectors 132 a is closer to theside wall 111 connected to thelid 120, and blocks a smaller portion of the opening O. In order to engage a greater area of the contact net 131 a when a parcel is placed into the space S of thecontainer 110, the first ends 135 a of theflexible connectors 132 a can be connected to thebottom plate 112 at a position farther away from theside wall 111 connected to thelid 120. Thus, the contact net 131 a spanning between theflexible connectors 132 a also substantially spans from theside wall 111 connected to thelid 120 across to theopposite side wall 111, and has a greater area for engaging a parcel placed into thecontainer 110. - As the
flexible connectors 132 a are pulled downward by the contact net 131 a, the second ends 136 a of theflexible connectors 132 a pull thelid 120 downward from the open position to the closed position. Thereby, thelid 120 is closed on the opening O without manual operation by a user. The weight of a parcel placed into the space S of thecontainer 110 drives the lid-closingmodule 130 a to close thelid 120 on the opening O. - The contact net 131 a can be detachable. When not expecting delivery, the contact net 131 a can be detached from the
flexible connectors 132 a, such that the lid-closingmodule 130 a overall is not driven by a parcel placed into thecontainer 110. In this state, the lid-closingmodule 130 a does not drive thelid 120 to the closed position even when a parcel is placed into the space S of thecontainer 110. Thus, theparcel box 100 a can be adjusted by a user to have a lid-closingmodule 130 a or not, according to the need. -
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of aparcel box 100 b according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, in which thelid 120 of theparcel box 100 b is at an open position. Referring toFIG. 4 , theparcel box 100 b includes thecontainer 110, thelid 120, and a lid-closingmodule 130 b. The difference between this embodiment and the embodiment shown inFIG. 2 is that the contactingpart 131 b of the lid-closingmodule 130 b is a contact plate that is directly connected to thelid 120. - In order to engage a parcel placed into the
container 110 through the opening O, thecontact plate 131 b is connected to thelid 120 at a position proximal to theedge 121 of thelid 120 that is pivotally connected to theside wall 111 of thecontainer 110. Thecontact plate 131 b covers at least a portion of the opening O when thelid 120 is at the open position. In this embodiment, thecontact plate 131 b is fixed to thelid 120, and thus an angle between thecontact plate 131 b and thelid 120 is fixed. In other words, thecontact plate 131 b and thelid 120 are simultaneously pivoted on thetop edge 113 of theside wall 111. When a parcel is placed into the space S of thecontainer 110 through the opening O, thecontact plate 131 b bears the weight of the parcel and is pushed downward. The downward motion of thecontact plate 131 b pulls thelid 120 downward at the same time. Thereby, thelid 120 is closed on the opening O without manual operation by a user. The weight of a parcel placed into thecontainer 110 through the opening O drives the lid-closingmodule 130 b to close thelid 120 on the opening O. In some embodiments, an angle between the lid 1200 and thecontact plate 131 b is substantially ninety degrees, such that thecontact plate 131 b can be substantially parallel and proximal to theside wall 111 of thecontainer 110 when thelid 120 is in plane with the opening O of thecontainer 110 at the closed position. - In this embodiment, the
parcel box 100 b further has a self-lockinglock 160. The self-lockinglock 160 includes twocoupling parts lid 120 and one of theside walls 111. The twocoupling parts lock 160 can be unlocked by a key. In some embodiments, once locked, the self-lockinglock 160 can be unlocked by an electronic unit by inputting a digital code on the self-lockinglock 160 or at a remote device. -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of aparcel box 100 c according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, in which thelid 120 of theparcel box 100 c is at an open position. Referring toFIG. 5 , theparcel box 100 c includes thecontainer 110, thelid 120, amotion sensor 172, and amotorized unit 174. Thecontainer 110 and thelid 120 of theparcel box 100 are similar to those described above. Themotion sensor 172 is configured to sense a motion of an object placed into the space S of thecontainer 110. Themotion sensor 172 is electrically connected to themotorized unit 174. Themotorized unit 174 drives thelid 120 to cover the opening O when themotion sensor 172 senses motion of an object placed into the space S of thecontainer 110. For example, themotorized unit 174 may have anextendable holder 175 connected to thelid 120. - The
parcel box 100 c further has protrudingplates 115. Each of the protrudingplates 115 is connected to one of theside walls 111 not connected to thelid 120. Specifically, each of the protrudingplates 115 extends from thetop edge 113 of therespective side wall 111, in a direction up and away from the opening O. The protrudingplates 115 prevent animals such as pets or wild creatures from jumping or climbing into thecontainer 110, and accidentally closing thelid 120. It is to be noted that the protrudingplates 115 shown inFIG. 5 can be applied to any one of the embodiments shown inFIGS. 1 to 4 . When the protrudingplates 115 are connected to theside walls 111 of thecontainers 110, 110 a, and 110 b ofFIGS. 1 to 4 , the protrudingplates 115 can prevent animals from jumping or climbing into thecontainers 110, 110 a, and 110 b ofFIGS. 1 to 4 , and accidentally triggering the lid-closingmodules FIGS. 1 to 4 to close thelid 120. - In some embodiments, the
container 110 of theparcel box 100 c further has at least onehole 116 configured to be passed through by a bolt. Thehole 116 can be formed at thebottom plate 112, or any of theside walls 111. A bolt can be used to secure and fix theparcel box 100 c to a wall or the ground, and can be disengaged only from inside thecontainer 110. Thus, in order to disengage the bolt, thelid 120 must be open. When thelid 120 is closed on the opening O and locked, a person cannot move theparcel box 100 c without first unlocking and opening thelid 120. It is to be noted that thehole 116 shown inFIG. 5 can be applied to any one of the embodiments shown inFIGS. 1 to 4 . When each of thecontainers 110, 110 a, and 110 b ofFIGS. 1 to 4 further has thehole 116, a bolt can pass through thehole 116 to secure and fix theparcel boxes containers 110, 110 a, and 110 b. - In some embodiments, the
container 110 of theparcel box 100 c further has aweight unit 190 disposed in the space S of thecontainer 110. Theweight unit 190 is heavy such that theparcel box 100 c becomes difficult to move. Theweight unit 190 can be filled with sand, water, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, thebottom plate 112 includes theweight unit 190. It is to be noted that theweight unit 190 shown inFIG. 5 can be applied to any one of the embodiments shown inFIGS. 1 to 4 . - In some embodiments the
container 110 of theparcel box 100 c further has aslot 117 formed on one of theside walls 111. A height of theslot 117 is less than three centimeters, such that letters, envelopes, postcards, and the like can pass there-through, but bigger parcels and a human hand cannot. Thus, theparcel box 100 c can continue to accept delivery of smaller mails such as letter, envelopes and postcards even when thelid 120 is closed and locked. It is to be noted that theslot 117 shown inFIG. 5 can be applied to any one of the embodiments shown inFIGS. 1 to 4 . - In some embodiments the
container 110 of theparcel box 100 c further has aGPS tracker 180 disposed in the space S of thecontainer 110. Specifically, theGPS tracker 180 is disposed on an inner surface of one of theside walls 111. TheGPS 180 tracker can be used to track the location of theparcel box 100 c, which can be useful when theparcel box 100 c is stolen. It is to be noted that theGPS tracker 180 shown inFIG. 5 can be applied to any one of the embodiments shown inFIGS. 1 to 4 . - In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the lid-closing module is a hands-free closure mechanism that automatically closes the lid on the parcel box when a user (e.g. deliveryman) or an unmanned flying drone simply drops a parcel into the parcel box from a space above the parcel box. Furthermore, a self-locking lock may be provided such that the parcel box is automatically locked when the lid is closed thereupon. Thusly, by simply dropping a parcel into the parcel box from a space above the parcel box, and without performing any additional step, the lid can automatically close upon and be locked to the parcel box.
- Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.
- It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims.
Claims (18)
1. A parcel box comprising:
a container having four side walls and a bottom plate, wherein the four side walls respectively have a top edge and a bottom edge, the bottom plate is connected to the bottom edges of the side walls, the top edges of the side walls define an opening, and the side walls and the bottom plate define a space;
a lid having an edge pivotally connected to the top edge of one of the side walls, and configured to cover the opening at a closed position, and uncover the opening at an open position; and
a lid-closing module connected to the lid and comprising a contacting part in the space, wherein when the contacting part is pushed toward the bottom plate, the lid-closing module drives the lid to the closed position.
2. The parcel box of claim 1 , wherein the lid-closing module further comprises at least one flexible connector, the contacting part of the lid-closing module is a contact plate having a first edge and a second edge opposite to each other, the first edge of the contact plate is pivotally connected to the bottom plate, and the flexible connector has two opposite ends respectively connected to the contact plate and the lid.
3. The parcel box of claim 2 , wherein the flexible connecter is connected to the second edge of the contact plate.
4. The parcel box of claim 2 , wherein the flexible connector is detachably connected to the lid.
5. The parcel box of claim 2 , wherein the flexible connector is detachably connected to the contact plate.
6. The parcel box of claim 1 , wherein the lid-closing module further comprises two flexible connectors, each of the flexible connectors has two opposite ends respectively connected to the bottom plate and the lid, and the contacting part of the lid-closing module is a contact net between the two flexible connectors.
7. The parcel box of claim 6 , wherein the contact net is detachably connected to the two flexible connectors.
8. The parcel box of claim 1 , wherein the contacting part of the lid-closing module is a contact plate connected to the lid and proximal to the edge of the lid pivotally connected to the top edge of one of the side walls, and is configured to cover at least a portion of the opening when the lid is at the open position.
9. The parcel box of claim 8 wherein an angle between the lid and the contacting part is fixed, and substantially ninety degrees.
10. The parcel box of claim 1 , further comprising:
a self-locking lock having two coupling parts respectively located on the lid and one of the side walls.
11. The parcel box according to claim 10 , wherein the self-locking lock is configured to be unlocked by a key.
12. The parcel box of claim 10 , wherein the self-locking lock is configured to be unlocked by an electronic unit via inputting a digital code.
13. The parcel box of claim 1 , further comprising:
protruding plates, respectively connected to one of the three top edges of the three side walls not connected to the lid, wherein each of the protruding plates extends from the top edge of the respective side wall in a direction up and away from the opening.
14. The parcel box of claim 1 , wherein one of the bottom plate and the side walls has a hole configured to be passed through by a bolt.
15. The parcel box of claim 1 , wherein the bottom plate comprises a weight unit having sand, water, or a combination thereof therein.
16. The parcel box of claim 1 , wherein one of the side walls has a slot having a height of less than three centimeters.
17. The parcel box of claim 1 , further comprising a GPS tracker on an inner surface of one of the side walls.
18. The parcel box of claim 1 , further comprising:
a signage disposed on a bottom surface of the lid, wherein the bottom surface of the lid faces toward the space when the lid is at the closed position, and the signage has a word comprising “parcel,” “package,” “drop,” “here” or combinations thereof.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US17/651,240 US20220167772A1 (en) | 2019-07-18 | 2022-02-15 | Parcel box |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US16/515,806 US11284732B2 (en) | 2019-07-18 | 2019-07-18 | Parcel box |
US17/651,240 US20220167772A1 (en) | 2019-07-18 | 2022-02-15 | Parcel box |
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US16/515,806 Division US11284732B2 (en) | 2019-07-18 | 2019-07-18 | Parcel box |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20220167772A1 true US20220167772A1 (en) | 2022-06-02 |
Family
ID=74180830
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US16/515,806 Active 2040-01-20 US11284732B2 (en) | 2019-07-18 | 2019-07-18 | Parcel box |
US17/651,240 Pending US20220167772A1 (en) | 2019-07-18 | 2022-02-15 | Parcel box |
Family Applications Before (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US16/515,806 Active 2040-01-20 US11284732B2 (en) | 2019-07-18 | 2019-07-18 | Parcel box |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (2) | US11284732B2 (en) |
Families Citing this family (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US11497335B2 (en) * | 2019-06-14 | 2022-11-15 | Rebecca Romanucci | Parcel safe remote vehicle alignment system |
US11583122B2 (en) * | 2019-07-30 | 2023-02-21 | Orlando Rogers | Secure package receptacle for receiving drone deliveries |
US11825972B2 (en) * | 2020-03-26 | 2023-11-28 | Roman Grijalva | Package receptacle |
US11571079B1 (en) * | 2021-08-29 | 2023-02-07 | Mirza Faizan | Package delivery box |
US20230284812A1 (en) * | 2022-03-14 | 2023-09-14 | Cameron Todd Gunn | Automated Mail and Key Storage Apparatus |
Family Cites Families (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CA2564393C (en) * | 2004-04-26 | 2013-03-12 | Armstrong's Intelligent Monitoring Ltd. | Container monitoring system |
US20170011605A1 (en) * | 2015-05-20 | 2017-01-12 | Package Guard, Inc | Package delivery notification and protection device, system and method |
TWI695240B (en) * | 2017-09-25 | 2020-06-01 | 仁寶電腦工業股份有限公司 | Sanitary equipment and control method thereof |
US20190167025A1 (en) * | 2017-12-01 | 2019-06-06 | CYPE Enterprises, LLC | Secure home interactive packaging system (s.h.i.p.s.) |
US10898021B2 (en) * | 2018-01-26 | 2021-01-26 | Ryan Rampton | Package container |
US10988310B2 (en) * | 2018-03-02 | 2021-04-27 | Catrice Reimon Moore | Trash receptacle |
US10743694B2 (en) * | 2018-05-17 | 2020-08-18 | Securum Capsa, Inc. | Package receiving locker |
US11459173B2 (en) * | 2018-09-06 | 2022-10-04 | Barenthal North America, Inc. | Foot activated waste bin |
US10925425B2 (en) * | 2018-09-12 | 2021-02-23 | Andre Lamont CHENIER | Secure outdoor storage and delivery container |
US11084654B2 (en) * | 2019-01-02 | 2021-08-10 | Forever Gifts, Inc. | Touchless receptacle with active fragrancing |
-
2019
- 2019-07-18 US US16/515,806 patent/US11284732B2/en active Active
-
2022
- 2022-02-15 US US17/651,240 patent/US20220167772A1/en active Pending
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US11284732B2 (en) | 2022-03-29 |
US20210015286A1 (en) | 2021-01-21 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US20220167772A1 (en) | Parcel box | |
US7743935B2 (en) | Lock box | |
US6895789B2 (en) | Lockable latch with catch for a safe | |
JP2021526433A (en) | Luggage receipt locker | |
US6604390B1 (en) | Device for securing an insulated chest to a stationary member | |
US10932602B2 (en) | Theft prevention package containers | |
US11191697B2 (en) | Storage container | |
WO2017084620A1 (en) | Frame and pallet coaming box | |
US7100816B2 (en) | Secure mail receptacle | |
US20140361570A1 (en) | Truck bed liner with integrated storage system | |
US20120187188A1 (en) | Ballot Tabulation Device with Internal Tote Bin | |
US20200268187A1 (en) | Vented Package Lockbox | |
AU732702B2 (en) | Handle for a door or a lid of electrical cabinets | |
CN207932219U (en) | A kind of shared express box with separation structure | |
US5333782A (en) | Mailbox | |
CN201325714Y (en) | Hard open top container provided with locking mechanism | |
JPH02252882A (en) | Equipment for receiving home delivered article | |
CN217602429U (en) | Safe with fingerprint identification function | |
CN213540157U (en) | Anti-theft device based on Internet of things | |
KR102515517B1 (en) | A Finger Print Certificating Type of a Door Lock Apparatus | |
JPH0571198U (en) | Delivery box | |
US1305865A (en) | Milk-bottle beceptacle | |
US20230397749A1 (en) | Lockable Package Delivery Box | |
JPH0584792U (en) | Door with parcel storage box | |
KR200150682Y1 (en) | Packing box for a gauge |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: DOCKETED NEW CASE - READY FOR EXAMINATION |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: NON FINAL ACTION MAILED |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: RESPONSE TO NON-FINAL OFFICE ACTION ENTERED AND FORWARDED TO EXAMINER |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: NON FINAL ACTION MAILED |