Patent Application
20200138224
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The disclosure and prior art relates to securing devices and more particularly pertains to a new securing device for securing a delivered parcel in a box until an authorized user unlocks the box.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a box that is positionable on a horizontal support surface proximate an entrance to a building. The box has a delivery opening therein for receiving a delivered parcel. A door is hingedly coupled to the box and the door is aligned with the delivery opening for opening and closing the delivery opening. A locking unit is coupled to the box, and the locking unit is operationally coupled to the door. The locking unit is urgeable into a locked condition when the door is opened such that the locking unit locks the door when the door is subsequently closed. In this way the locking unit secures the delivered parcel in the box until an authorized user unlocks the locking unit.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A plurality of tabs 38 is each coupled to and extends laterally away from the box 12 and each of the tabs 38 rests on the support surface 14. Each of the tabs 38 has a fastener 40 extended therethrough that engages the support surface 14 for retaining the box 12 on the support surface 14. In this way the box 12 is inhibited from being stolen when the delivered parcel 18 is positioned in the box 12. Each of the tabs 38 is positioned on the outer wall 22 of the box 12 and is aligned with the bottom wall 20 of the box 12. Additionally, the tabs 38 are spaced apart from each other and are distributed around the box 12. A cushion 48 is positioned on the top surface 44 of the box 12 for sitting upon.
A door 50 is hingedly coupled to the box 12 and the door 50 is aligned with the delivery opening 16 for opening and closing the delivery opening 16. The door 50 is positioned on the front wall 24 of the outer wall 22 of the box 12 and the door 50 is aligned with the delivery opening 16. The door 50 has an inwardly facing surface 52 and an outwardly facing surface 54. A pair of grips 56 is each coupled to the outwardly facing surface 54 of the door 50 for gripping while opening and closing the door 50.
A locking unit 58 is coupled to the box 12 and the locking unit 58 is operationally coupled to the door 50. The locking unit 58 is urgeable into a locked condition when the door 50 is opened such that the locking unit 58 locks the door 50 when the door 50 is subsequently closed. In this way the locking unit 58 secures the delivered parcel 18 in the box 12 until an authorized user unlocks the locking unit 58. The locking unit 58 comprises a first lock 60 that is coupled to the top wall 22 of the box 12 and the first lock 60 extends through the top wall 22 of the box. The cushion conceals the first lock 60 when the cushion is positioned on the box 12.
The first lock 60 has a key hole 62 that is exposed with respect to the top wall 22. A key or the like is insertable into the key hole 62 for unlocking the locking unit 58. A second lock 66 is coupled to the inwardly facing surface 52 of the door 50. An armature 68 is movably coupled between the first 60 and second 66 locks. The armature 68 engages the second lock 66 when the locking unit 58 is urged into the locking position. In this way the door 50 is inhibited from being opened when the parcel 18 is placed in the box 12 and the lid 42 is closed. Additionally, the armature 68 disengages the second lock 66 when the key 64 is inserted into the key hole 62 for unlocking the locking unit 58.
In use, a delivery person opens the door 50 and positions the parcel 18 into the box 12 and the delivery person closes the door 50. Moreover, the locking unit 58 is urged into the locked condition when the door 50 is opened and subsequently closed. Thus, the door 50 is locked thereby securing the parcel 18 in the box 12. The authorized user inserts the key 64 into the first lock 60 for unlocking the first 60 and second 66 locks. Thus, the door 50 can be opened for retrieving the parcel 18 from the box 12. In this way the locking unit 58 is reset for subsequently locking the door 50 when the door 50 is opened and closed.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
