GB2515016A

GB2515016A - Delivery safe

Info

Publication number: GB2515016A
Application number: GB1310251.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Kingham Heller
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-06-10
Filing date: 2013-06-10
Publication date: 2014-12-17
Also published as: GB201310251D0

Abstract

A secure delivery box such as a mail box comprising a deposit compartment 3 situated above a secure storage compartment 4 and separated by means of a retractable sliding sheet, each compartment comprises a door. The deposit compartment comprises a door 5 interlinked to the sliding sheet 2 such that when the deposit door is open the sheet is fixed in its dividing position and when the sheet is protruding from the box the deposit door cannot be opened. The secure compartment door 6 features an independent locking mechanism and allows the retrieval of the delivered goods. The interlocking arrangement may comprise a detent fixed with the delivery door and engaging the slider. The secure deposit compartment may feature a letter box 24 which may be located in the outer end of the slider.

Description

DELIVERY SAFE

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a delivery safe, and more particularly a delivery safe which enables parcels, groceries or other items to be delivered safely and securely when nobody is available to receive them.

BACKGROUND

In recent years there has been an enormous growth in internet shopping. People who live busy lives often find it very convenient to purchase items using a computer or mobile phone, but the weak point in the whole process is that somebody usually has to be available to receive the item when it is delivered. Anticipated delivery times and dates are often inaccurate, particularly in remote locations, meaning that somebody might have to stay in for several days until the delivery eventually arrives.

For security reasons delivery companies are reluctant to leave items without a signature even if a relatively safe place can be provided. It would be no advantage to simply provide a lockable box to receive the item since all the delivery people would have to be given access via a key or access code, and as soon as more than one person has access the delivery is no longer guaranteed to be secure.

Due to environmental and cost considerations there is a tendency to keep wrapping and packaging to a minimum so that items being delivered often come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. A further consideration is that space is restricted outside many premises so that an unattended delivery box would need to be relatively compact.

The present invention seeks to provide a new and inventive form of delivery safe which is capable or receiving more than one delivery without compromising security, which can be used by delivery people without a special key or access code, which is capable of receiving odd-shaped items, and which is of relatively compact and simple construction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention proposes a delivery safe which includes a housing provided with: -a delivery compartment having a delivery door which can be opened by anyone to place items into the delivery compartment; -a storage compartment having a lockable access door and which is located beneath the delivery compartment; -a slider which, in a retracted position, separates the delivery compartment from the storage compartment to prevent the storage compartment from being accessed via the delivery compartment, the slider being mounted such that it can be slidably moved out of the housing to a projecting position allowing items within the delivery compartment to drop into the storage compartment; and -an interlock arrangement which prevents the delivery door from being opened unless the slider is in the retracted position.

The invention also provides a delivery safe having an interlock arrangement which comprises a detent fixed with a delivery door which engages a slider when the slider moves towards the extended position to hold the delivery door closed.

The invention also provides a delivery safe having an interlock arrangement which comprises a detent fixed with a delivery door which engages a slider when the delivery door is open to prevent the slider from being moved to the projecting position.

The invention also provides a delivery safe having an interlock arrangement which comprises a detent fixed with a delivery door which engages a front face of the slider when the delivery door is open, to fully return the slider to the retracted position.

The invention also provides a delivery safe having a delivery door which is pivoted to move about a hinge axis which extends generally parallel to a slider and transverse to the direction of its sliding movement.

The invention also provides a delivery safe having a letter slot formed in an outer end of a slider through which letters can be delivered directly into a storage compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description and the accompanying drawings referred to therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to illustrate how the invention may be put into practice. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a general view of a delivery safe in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a front-rear cross section through part of the delivery safe showing a front portion of the slider; Figure 3 is another a front-rear cross section through part of the delivery safe showing the slider in its extended position; Figure 4 shows the delivery safe with its delivery door in the closed position; Figure 5 shows the delivery door fully opened; and Figure 6 shows the slider being pulled out while the delivery door is closed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The delivery safe to be described can be secured to a wall, built into a wall, mounted on a post secured into the ground or bolted down to a floor, etc. Referring firstly to Fig. 1, the delivery safe includes a housing 1 formed of metal, wood, plastic or other suitably strong material. The housing is internally divided by a slider 2 into an upper delivery compartment 3 and a lower storage compartment 4 located beneath the delivery compartment 3.

Access to the delivery compartment 3 is obtained via a delivery door 5 which can be opened by anyone to place items into the upper compartment. The storage compartment 4 has a lockable access door 6 which can only be opened by someone with a

suitable key.

The slider 2 is shown in its normal retracted position, which is also seen in the sectional view of Fig. 2. The slider comprises a top panel 20 with opposing depending side walls 21 together with front and rear walls 22 and 23, and is configured to prevent the lower storage compartment 4 from being accessed via the upper delivery compartment 3 when in the slider is in its retracted position. The front wall 22 is positioned between the doors 5 and 6 at the front of the delivery safe and contains a letter slot 24 which, as in Fig. 1 only, may be covered by a hinged flap 27 for weather protection. A handle 25 projects forwardly from the lower margin of the front wall 22, the front edge of which may be downwardly-curved, as shown, to direct rain water away from the lower access door 6 and provide a means of pulling the slider forward. The slider 2 is mounted on a pair of telescopic rails 26 located between respective side panels 21 and the housing 1 such that the slider can be slidingly moved out of the housing in the direction of arrow A to occupy a projecting position, shown in Fig. 3. Withdrawing the slider to the projecting position thus allows any items within the delivery compartment 3 to drop into the storage compartment 4.

As can be seen in Fig.s 2 and 3, the lower edge of the delivery door S is pivoted to move about a hinge axis 50 which extends generally parallel to the slider 2 and transverse to the direction of sliding movement A. The bottom edge of the door S is provided with a forwardly-projecting detent 51, the upper face of which slopes downwardly to direct rainwater away from the slider 2.

The detent 51 provides an interlock arrangement which prevents the delivery door 5 from being opened unless the slider is in the retracted position (Fig. 2) wherein the door 5 is free to pivot in the direction of arrow B until the detent contacts the front of the slider 2. If the slider is protruding slightly the detent 51 will engage the front of the slider to push it back into the fully retracted position as the door 5 is opened. The detent engages the slider when the delivery door is open to prevent the slider from being moved to the projecting position. When in the horizontal position determined by the engagement of the detent 51 with the front of the slider 2, the door S acts as a kind of temporary shelf to support items during placement into the delivery compartment 3. Items can thus be placed into the delivery compartment 3, while access to the lower compartment 4 is prevented by the slider 2. When the door 5 is closed the slider may be moved towards the extended position (Fig. 3) allowing delivered items within the delivery compartment 3 to drop into the storage compartment 4, but now the detent 51 engages the top panel 20 of the slider 2 to prevent the delivery door 5 from being opened. When the items have entered the delivery compartment the slider can be returned to the retracted position whereupon the delivery door can again be opened to inspect the interior of the compartment 3 and ensure that no items remain in the compartment. The door 5 and slider 2 can be operated in a similar manner to receive any further deliveries, if required.

To provide additional security a unique code such as "He//er 61590" may be marked on the inside of the door 5 which the delivery company can record in place of a signature. The code may be changed from time to time to ensure that the record of delivery is current. Although nothing is as good as a signature to prove receipt of a delivery, the use of such a code at least confirms that the delivery has been made to the correct address. A swipe card system would involve batteries which need to be changed from time to time and the reader would need to be waterproofed against atmospheric moisture. A bar code is possible, but this too would need to be changed on a regular basis.

Small items such as letters may be delivered directly into the storage compartment through the letter slot 24, as indicated by arrow C (Fig. 2).

The slider 2 therefore provides a compact, simple and reliable way of ensuring that items can be placed into the locked lower compartment 4, where they can only be accessed via the locked door 6. The slider may carry instructions for use such as "Pull for secure delivery". The slider 2 is simple to operate and has a low risk of jamming even if the items are oddly-shaped.

The configuration of the door 5 and detent 51. is thus an important aspect of the invention. The door prevents access to the lower compartment 4 at all times, but also acts as part of the letter box shielding it from rain. The door S acts as a combined shelf and stop, holding the slider in the fully retracted position when the door is opened. Fig. 4 shows the doors in the closed position, Fig. shows the door fully opened, acting as a shelf and stop for the slider, and Fig. 6 shows the slider 2 being pulled out while the door 5 is held closed.

The form of delivery safe which has been described avoids the use of springs and catches which, over time, may become unreliable.

The interlock arrangement using the detent 51 is simple and effective with a low risk of failure, although it will be appreciated that other forms of interlock may be used if desired. For example, a spring loaded catch may hold the delivery door 5, which is released when the slider is fully retracted, and a second spring loaded catch may hold the slider 2 in the retracted position, released only when the door 5 is closed. The important thing is that it should not be possible to extend the slider and open the delivery door at the same time.

The delivery safe can accept deliveries outside normal working hours when traffic movements are lower, which may be more convenient and cost effective for the delivery companies.

A particular delivery safe may securely receive items up the the maximum specified dimensions, and the delivery safes can be manufactured in different sizes to meet different user requirements.

It will also be appreciated that the lockable access door 6 could be mounted in the rear face or any other accessible face of the housing.

Whilst the above description places emphasis on the areas which are believed to be new and addresses specific problems which have been identified, it is intended that the features disclosed herein may be used in any combination which is capable of providing a new and useful advance in the art.

Claims

-10 -CLAIMS1. A delivery safe which includes a housing provided with: -a delivery compartment having a delivery door which can be opened by anyone to place items into the delivery compartment; -a storage compartment having a lockable access door and which is located beneath the delivery compartment -a slider which, in a retracted position, separates the delivery compartment from the storage compartment to prevent the storage compartment from being accessed via the delivery compartment, the slider being mounted such that it can be slidably moved out of the housing to a projecting position allowing items within the delivery compartment to drop into the storage compartment; and -an interlock arrangement which prevents the delivery door from being opened unless the slider is in the retracted position.
2. A delivery safe according to Claim 1 in which the interlock arrangement comprises a detent fixed with the delivery door which engages the slider when the slider moves towards the extended position to hold the delivery door closed.
3. A delivery safe according to Claim 2 in which the detent engages the slider when the delivery door is open to prevent the slider from being moved to the projecting position.
4. A delivery safe according to Claim 2 in which the detent -11 -engages a front face of the slider when the delivery door is open, to fully return the slider to the retracted position.
5. A delivery safe according to any preceding claim in which the delivery door is pivoted to move about a hinge axis which extends generally parallel to the slider and transverse to the direction of its sliding movement.
6. A delivery safe according to any preceding claim in which the housing incorporates a letter slot through which letters can be delivered directly into the storage compartment.
7. A delivery safe according to Claim 6 in which the letter slot is formed in an outer end of the slider.
8. A delivery safe substantially as described with reference to the drawings.