WO2003065854A1

WO2003065854A1 - Electronic controlling mailbox for multi-residences

Info

Publication number: WO2003065854A1
Application number: PCT/KR2002/002501
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chun-Dal Kwon
Original assignee: Chun-Dal Kwon
Priority date: 2002-02-05
Filing date: 2002-12-30
Publication date: 2003-08-14
Also published as: AU2002359999A1; KR20030066894A; KR100455462B1

Abstract

An electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households, which has a closed structure, increases security and convenience, and reduces an installation space, is provided. The electronically-controlled mailbox includes a plurality of entrance openings (2) arranged at predetermined intervals in horizontal and vertical directions; a plurality of receiving boxes (8), which slant backward behind the respective entrance openings (2) and overlap each other in the vertical direction; a discharge unit, which is operated by electricity to discharge mail from each receiving box; a passage (9), through which mail discharged from each receiving box drops down; an exit opening (3), which receives the dropping mail so as to allow a user to take out the mail; and a control panel (6), which allows a password to be set for each of the receiving boxes (8) and allows a password to be input to operate the discharge unit of a receiving box.

Description

ELECTRONIC CONTROLLING MAILBOX FOR MULTI-RESIDENCES

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a mailbox for multiple households, and more particularly, to an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households, which has a closed structure, increases security and convenience by using electronic control technology, and reduces an installation space.

Background Art

A mailbox for multiple households is installed at an entrance of a public building, such as an apartment building, a condominium, a business building, or a self-contained unit, so that mail is placed in a common mailbox and tenants check the mailbox and take out their mail. Such a mailbox for multiple households provides convenience to a mail carrier since the carrier does not have to visit every household one by one, and also protects the privacy of tenants since it decreases the number of outsiders visiting the households. However, as well as tenants, curious children and other outsiders frequently come and go in the entrance of a building, and it is difficult to closely watch lots of people coming and going. Accordingly, a mailbox which can safely keep mail from theft or damage and prevent wrong delivery of mail is required. Preferably, it is necessary to reduce an installation space for a mailbox and improve an appearance of a mailbox, in terms of the fine interior of a building.

In a conventional mailbox for multiple households, receiving boxes for individual households are stacked or sectioned in horizontal and vertical directions. Each receiving box includes an entrance opening and a door, which has a lock that can be locked or unlocked only by a unique key. However, even if the door of a receiving box is locked, mail can be taken out of the receiving box using the hands or other tools through the entrance opening, so the conventional mailbox does not protect the mail from being stolen. In addition, it is inconvenient for tenants to carry mailbox keys and be cautious not to loose them. Due to this inconvenience, keys are rarely used. In the meantime, as the number of households in a building increases, an installation space of the conventional mailbox also increases. In particular, since an installation height is restricted, the size of each receiving box decreases as the number of households increases. In this situation, mail may dangle from a receiving box, which spoils the fine interior of a building and increases the danger of theft.

In order to overcome these problems, Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-3266 discloses a mailbox in which a receiving box for each household includes a body and a cover, which are separated from each other and can be combined using bolts, and a plurality of receiving boxes are connected with a plurality of bolts, thereby facilitating assembly, installation, and replacement of broken parts.

Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0215010 discloses a mailbox having an image display apparatus and a monitoring camera thereabove, which perform an advertisement function and a monitoring function for crime prevention, thereby increasing security. In addition, a sensor and an indicator lamp are used so as to allow users to easily recognize existence or nonexistence of mail, thereby providing convenience to a tenant.

Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0198750 discloses a mailbox, in which a door of a receiving box for each household automatically opens due to an elasticity of a torsion spring when a lock is released, thereby providing convenience. Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1998-026202 discloses a method, by which the existence or nonexistence of mail in a receiving box of a mailbox can be checked using a home automation system.

However, the above-described conventional mailboxes for multiple households still have security problems such as theft and damage of mail. In the conventional mailbox, a receiving box for each household has a simple rectangular shape and an entrance opening, through which mail can be easily taken out. In addition, a door of the receiving box can be easily unlocked even if it is locked and is usually left open because it is inconvenient for a user to use a key. In the meantime, a structure of the conventional mailbox, in which simple rectangular boxes are sectioned or stacked, cannot decrease an installation space and has a limitation in improving appearance and safety.

Disclosure of the Invention The present invention provides an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households, which has a closed structure and discharges mail after electronically identifying a user by using an electronic control technology, thereby increasing security and convenience. The present invention also provides an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households, which reduces an installation space by reducing an entire volume, without reducing a size of a receiving box for each household.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households, including a plurality of entrance openings, through which mail is put in the electronically-controlled mailbox, the entrance openings being arranged at intervals on a front side of the electronically-controlled mailbox in a vertical direction or horizontal and vertical directions; a plurality of receiving boxes, each of which is positioned behind each entrance opening and has a receiving inlet through which mail is received therein; a discharge unit, which operates to discharge mail from each receiving box; a passage, through which each piece of mail discharged by the discharge unit drops down; an exit opening, which is formed at a front bottom portion so as to receive the mail dropping through the passage and communicates with the outside so as to allow a user to take out the mail; and a control unit, which controls a password to be set for each of the receiving boxes and when a password is input, selects and controls the discharge unit of a receiving box corresponding to the input password to be driven. Preferably, the electronically-controlled mailbox further includes a sensing unit, which senses mail received in each receiving box; and an indicator lamp, which is turned on or off so as to inform whether mail exists in each receiving box. Here, the control unit controls the indicator lamp based on a signal generated by the sensing unit.

The receiving boxes slant backward and overlap each other in the vertical direction. The discharge unit includes a discharge outlet, which is formed at a bottom end of each receiving box to face the passage; a cover, which closes or opens the discharge outlet; and an actuator, which is electrically driven so as to open or close the cover. Accordingly, each receiving box is manufactured to be large enough to receive standard-size mail, and an entire volume of a mailbox is also reduced since the receiving boxes overlap each other in a slanted state.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-section of an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households according to the present invention, and illustrates a structure in which receiving boxes are stacked. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a receiving box included in an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-section of an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households according to the present invention in a state, in which mail is put into a receiving box through an entrance opening.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section of an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households according to the present invention, taken along the line V-V shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a plane view of a discharge unit of a receiving box included in an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-section of an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households according to the present invention, taken along the line VII-VII shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an arrangement on a control panel of an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households according to the present invention. FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a control circuit of an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a control of an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households according to the present invention. FIG. 1 1 is a flowchart of a control of an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households in a discharge mode, according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a control of an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households in a password change mode, according to the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. As shown in FIG. 1 , an electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households according to the present invention includes a plurality of entrance openings 2, which are arranged on a front side of a body 1 having a rectangular shape at predetermined intervals in horizontal and vertical directions; and an exit opening 3, which communicates with the outside at a bottom portion of the body 1. A window indicator 4 is installed beside each entrance opening 2 so as to indicate the existence or nonexistence of mail using, for example, light. A name plate 5 is attached right below each entrance opening 2 in order to write a serial number of each house. A control panel 6 is provided at a center of the front side of the body 1. Through the control panel 6, a password can be set for each household and mail can be discharged only when a user is identified by a password.

In FIG. 1 , the entrance openings 2 are arranged in horizontal and vertical directions. However, it is apparent that the entrance openings 2 can be arranged only in the vertical direction so that more entrance openings 2 are easily installed, or can be structured on a semi-assembly where broken parts can be replaced.

Referring to FIG. 2, each entrance opening 2 is formed by partially cutting the front side of the body 1 along two vertical lines on the left and right and a line connecting bottom ends of the two vertical lines and bending a portion defined by the cut lines to slant inward so as to form an opening. The bent portion is referred to as a guide 7, which guides mail from the outside to a receiving box 8 (see FIG. 4). Receiving boxes 8 corresponding to the respective entrance openings 2 slant backward and overlap each other in the vertical direction. A passage 9 is provided between a rear side of the body 1 and rear ends of the receiving boxes 8 so as to guide mail dropping from the receiving boxes 8 to the exit opening 3. A screen 10 is installed between horizontally adjacent receiving boxes 8. The screen 10 is not indispensable but facilitates installation of the receiving boxes 8 and serves to maintain a distance between the front and rear sides of the body 1.

As shown in FIG. 3, each receiving box 8 includes an upper plate 11 , a lower plate 12, and a barrier 13, which is installed at one side within the receiving box 8 so as to dividing an inner space of the receiving box 8 into a receiving section 14 and a mechanism section 15. The receiving section 14 includes a receiving inlet 16 at the front side and a discharge outlet 17 at the rear side. An inlet cover 18 and an outlet cover 19 are installed at the receiving inlet 16 and the discharge outlet 17, respectively. The inlet cover 18 is rotatably supported by hinges 20 and 21 such that it moves inward and downward to be open, as shown in FIG. 5, and is normally closed by an elasticity of a torsion spring 22 installed at the hinge 20. The outlet cover 19 is rotatably supported by hinges 23 and 24 such that it moves outward and upward to open, as shown in FIG. 7, and pulled by a tension spring to be normally closed. The mechanism section 15 provides a space for installation of a micro switch 26, a solenoid plunger 27, a latch 28, and an indicator lamp 29, which are used for a sensing unit and a discharge unit, which will be described later.

FIG. 3 shows a structure suitable to be made of an iron plate material. However, other structures, which can be made of, for example, plastics, through injection molding, are also possible.

The sensing unit includes the inlet cover 18 and the micro switch 26. The micro switch 26 is a typical one and includes an electrical contact and a movable member turning ON or OFF the electrical contact. As shown in FIG. 5, the micro switch 26 includes a button 30, which protrudes from a body of the micro switch 26 and is pressed to move the movable member, and a lever 31 acting on the button 30. The lever 31 has a curved center, which protrudes into the receiving section 14 through an aperture 32 formed in the barrier 13 and moves when the inlet cover 18 is closed or opened.

The sensing unit can be implemented using a sensor, for example, an optical sensor or a load cell, which can sense mail, instead of a structure using a micro switch and a cover.

The discharge unit includes the outlet cover 19 and the solenoid plunger 27. The solenoid plunger 27 is surrounded by a coil member 33, which is magnetized by an electrical signal. The solenoid plunger 27 is moved toward the outlet cover 19 by an electronic thrust when the coil member 33 is magnetized by an electrical signal and is returned to the original position by a spring 34 when the electrical signal is interrupted. An extension 35 is provided at one side of the outlet cover 19 to spread toward the solenoid plunger 27. As shown in FIG. 7, when the solenoid plunger 27 pushes the extension 35, the outlet cover 19 is opened. When the solenoid plunger 27 returns to the original position, the outlet cover 19 is closed by the tension spring 25. The discharge unit can also be implemented using a motor as a driving source and a gear train or a cam instead of using a solenoid plunger and a gearing structure.

The latch 28 holds the outlet cover 19 so as to prevent the outlet cover 19 from opening when a weight of mail received in the receiving section 14 exceeds an elasticity of the tension spring 25. The latch 28 includes a housing 36 and a latch member 37. As shown in FIG. 6, the latch member 37 includes a hinge 38, a locking protrusion 39, and an unlocking protrusion 40. The latch member 37 is supported by a torsion spring 41 within the housing 36 such that the latch member 37 is subjected to an elastic force, which pushes the locking and unlocking protrusions 39 and 40 out of the housing 36. The locking protrusion 39 is inserted into a holding cut 42 formed in the extension 35 provided at the outlet cover 19 so as to maintain a locking state, thereby preventing the outlet cover 19 from being unintentionally opened. The unlocking protrusion 40 is pressed by the solenoid plunger 27 so as to release the locking state of the locking protrusion 39.

The indicator lamp 29 emits light through the window indicator 4 installed on the front side of the body 1 so as to indicate the existence or nonexistence of mail and is implemented by, for example, a light emitting diode (LED). The indicator lamp 29 is controlled by a control unit to be turned on when the micro switch 26 senses mail and turned off when mail is discharged by the operation of the solenoid plunger 27 of the discharge unit.

FIG. 8 shows the control panel 6 provided on the front side of the body 1. The control panel 6 is included in the control unit. The control panel 6 includes a key input pad 43, on which digit keys from 0 to 9 and function keys such as Cancel, Change, and Check are arranged; and a display panel 44 such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), which can display characters or graphics. The mode of use describing the operation of the control panel 6 is printed thereon. In addition, a voice output portion 45 is formed by making several holes in the control panel 6 so as to allow a user to hear a voice generated from a built-in speaker (not shown).

Two or more control panels can be installed in a mailbox for a large number of households in order to prevent simultaneous users from waiting for a long time.

A control circuit installed within the control panel 6 includes a mail sensing unit 46, a key input unit 47, a storage unit, 48, a controller 49, a display driver 50, a voice signal driver 51 , a lamp driver 52, and a solenoid driver 53. Based on an electrical signal sent from the micro switch 26 installed in each receiving box, the mail sensing unit 46 provides unique information, such as a serial number of each household, regarding a receiving box corresponding to a position of an input terminal receiving the electrical signal and data indicating reception of mail to the control unit 49. The key input unit 47 inputs data generated by operating the key input pad 43 to the control unit 49. The storage unit 48 stores program data necessary for control and a password set by a user. Non-volatile memory is used for the storage unit 48 so as to prevent information, such as a password set by a user, from being erased even during a power failure. The control unit 49 can be implemented by a microcomputer, which is programmed to perform necessary controls and process data. The control unit 49 controls each driver according to a program based on the data received from the mail sensing unit 46 and the key input unit 47. The display driver 50 outputs display information such as an operating status and a guiding message in response to a command of the control unit 49 so as to drive the display panel 44. The voice signal driver 51 outputs a voice signal in response to a command of the control unit 49 so as to drive the speaker. The lamp driver 52 switches an electric power in response to a command of the control unit 49 so as to selectively turn on or off the indicator lamp 29 installed in each receiving box. The solenoid driver 53 selectively drives the solenoid plunger 27 installed in each receiving box in response to a command of the control unit 49.

The control unit 49 fundamentally performs a main control function shown in FIG. 10 and operates in a mail discharge mode, as show in FIG. 11 , and in a password change mode, as shown in FIG. 12, according to a user's key input.

Referring to FIG. 10, when electric power is initially supplied or supplied again after a power failure, the control unit 49 initializes a system (S1 ) and determines whether mail is received or the Check or Change key is input by a user in a standby state in real time (S2, S3, and S4). If it is determined that mail is received in a receiving box, an indicator lamp of the receiving box is turned on (S5). If it is determined that the Check key is input, the control unit 49 operates in the mail discharge mode (S6). If it is determined that the Change key is input, the control unit 49 operates in the password change mode (S7). Whether mail is received is determined based on data input from the mail sensing unit 46. The input data is analyzed so as to obtain a serial number of a house corresponding to the receiving box. Thereafter, the indicator lamp of the receiving box is selected and turned on. Accordingly, tenants can be informed of whether mail is delivered by checking the indicator lamp 29.

In the mail discharge mode (S6) selected by the Check key, as shown in FIG. 1 1 , a serial number input guiding message is output (S8), and then it is determined whether a serial number is input (S9). If it is determined that the serial number is input, a password input guiding message is output (S10). Thereafter, it is determined whether a password is input (S1 1 ). Subsequently, it is determined whether the input serial number matches the password (S12), and if so, mail in the receiving box corresponding to the serial number is discharged (S13). Next, the indicator lamp of the receiving box is turned off (S14), and the program ends. In addition, the program automatically ends when a user presses the Cancel key on the key input pad 43 during the input of the serial number or the password, when a predetermined time lapses after the serial number input guiding message is output (S15), or when a predetermined time lapses after the password input guiding message is output (S16). In the meantime, if the input serial number does not match the input password, an error message is output (S16) and then the program ends, thereby preventing mail from being stolen. The guiding messages are output through the display panel 44 in character format and through the speaker in voice format. Accordingly, a user can input a serial number and a password using the digit keys on the key input pad 43 according to the guiding messages. Here, if the Check key is designed to be pressed after the input of the serial number or the password, whether the serial number or the password is input can be easily determined. The input serial number and password are temporarily stored in memory within a microcomputer, i.e., the control unit 49. The input password is compared with a password stored in the storage unit 48 so as to determine whether the password is correct. A user can initially set a password in the password change mode under a state where, for example, passwords for all of households are set to the same value "0000". In addition, the user is allowed to change the password in the password change mode at any time so that other people's use of the password can be prevented. In order to discharge mail in the mail discharge mode, the solenoid plunger 27 is operated. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, immediately before the solenoid plunger 27 pushes the extension 35 provided at the outlet cover 19, the unlocking protrusion 40 of the latch member 37 is pressed by the solenoid plunger 27, so the locking state of the locking protrusion 39 is released. Continuously, the solenoid plunger 27 goes ahead to push the extension so as to open the outlet cover 19, as shown in FIG. 7. When the outlet cover 19 is opened, mail 54 kept in receiving section 14 within the receiving box 8 slides in the passage 9 through the open discharge outlet 17 to its own weight and drops in the exit opening 3 through the passage 9. Accordingly, tenants can take out mail through the exit opening 3.

In the password change mode (S7) selected by the Change key, as shown in FIG. 12, it is determined whether a serial number of a house is input (S19) after a serial number input guiding message is output (S18). If the serial number is input, a password input guiding message is output (S20). Next, it is determined whether a password is input (S21 ), and then it is determined whether the input serial number match the input password (S22). If a user is identified through the above procedure, a new password input guiding message is output (S23), and it is determined whether a new password is input (S24). If it is determined that the new password is input, a new password retype guiding message is output (S25). Next, it is determined whether the new password is retyped (S26). If it is determined that the new password is retyped, it is determined whether the retyped new password is the same as the previously input new password (S27). The retyping of the new password is required in order to prevent an input error. Next, the storage unit 48 is updated with the new password (S28). Next, a completion message reporting that the password was changed is output (S29), and the program ends. The program automatically ends when the user presses the Cancel key on the key input pad 43 during the input of the serial number or the password or when a predetermined time lapses after each of the guiding messages is output (S30, S31 , S33, and S35). In the meantime, if the input password is wrong or if the retyped new password is not the same as the previously input new password, an error message is output (S35), and the program ends, thereby preventing a password error from occurring due to user's mistakes.

Industrial Applicability

In addition to the above-described embodiments, a wired or wireless communication function is added to a control unit, which is connected to a home automation system of each household, so that delivery of mail is immediately reported to each household through the home automation system.

As described above, according to the present invention, a mailbox is combined with an electronic technology, thereby providing a closed, secure and convenient mailbox. Accordingly, the present invention is very effective in solving the problems of theft and damage of mail in a mailbox for multiple households, which is installed at an entrance of a building having a weak security environment. In addition, according to the present invention, since receiving boxes for individual households are installed to overlap each other in a vertical direction, each receiving box can be manufactured to have a sufficient size to prevent mail from protruding and entire volume of a mailbox can also be reduced. Accordingly, a mailbox according to the present invention reduces an installation space and improves the interior appearance of a building.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An electronically-controlled mailbox for multiple households, comprising: a plurality of entrance openings, through which mail is put in the electronically-controlled mailbox, the entrance openings being arranged at predetermined intervals on a front side of the electronically-controlled mailbox in a vertical direction or horizontal and vertical directions; a plurality of receiving boxes, each of which is positioned behind each entrance opening and has a receiving inlet through which mail is received therein; a discharge unit, which operates to discharge mail from each receiving box; a passage, through which the mail discharged by the discharge unit drops down; an exit opening, which is formed at a front bottom portion so as to receive the mail dropping through the passage and communicates with an outside so as to allow a user to take out the mail; and a control unit, which controls a password to be set for each of the receiving boxes and when a password is input, selects and controls the discharge unit of a receiving box corresponding to the input password to be driven.

2. The electronically-controlled mailbox of claim 1 , wherein each of the entrance openings comprises a guide, which guides the mail toward the receiving box.

3. The electronically-controlled mailbox of claim 1 , wherein the receiving boxes slant backward and overlap each other in the vertical direction, and the discharge unit comprises: a discharge outlet, which is formed at a bottom end of each receiving box to face the passage; a cover, which closes or opens the discharge outlet; and an actuator, which is driven by the control unit so as to operate the cover.

4. The electronically-controlled mailbox of claim 1 , further comprising a latch unit, which locks the cover not be unintentionally opened by a weight of the mail and releases the locking state when the actuator of the discharge unit operates.

5. The electronically-controlled mailbox of claim 1 or 3, further comprising: a sensing unit, which senses mail received in each receiving box; and an indicator lamp, which is turned on or off so as to inform whether mail exists in each receiving box, wherein the control unit controls the indicator lamp to be turned on based on a signal generated by the sensing unit and to be turned off after operation of the discharge unit.

6. The electronically-controlled mailbox of claim 5, wherein the control unit is programmed to turn on the indicator lamp corresponding to a receiving box, for which reception of mail is sensed by the sensing unit, to store a password set by a user, to operate the discharge unit after confirming the password, and to turn off the indicator lamp after the operation of the discharge unit.

7. The electronically-controlled mailbox of claim 5, wherein the sensing unit comprises: a cover, which rotates when mail is received in each receiving box; and a micro switch, which sends an electrical signal to the control unit in response to the rotation of the cover.