U.S. patent application number 10/839275 was filed with the patent office on 2005-11-10 for e-z out mail tray.
Invention is credited to Priest, Robert C..
Application Number | 20050247770 10/839275 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35238561 |
Filed Date | 2005-11-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050247770 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Priest, Robert C. |
November 10, 2005 |
E-Z out mail tray
Abstract
This invention is a simple, inexpensive, damage resistant,
compact tray for use in rural type mailboxes to facilitate an
improved, safer and easier manner in posting and receiving mail. It
is designed with five major additions to the arts of existing mail
tray patents: 1. The nature of this invention is specifically
designed for mass production to result in an inexpensive tray
available to peoples of all income brackets. 2. It is also designed
for damage control keeping incoming and outgoing mail free from
damage, with emphasis on water damage. 3. It is designed to allow
mail receipiants ease of access when approaching in an automobile.
4. Multiple materials may be used in its construction, all working
equally well. 5. All of the necessary arts found in the various
inventions of this nature have been consolidated in this
invention.
Inventors: |
Priest, Robert C.;
(Greenville, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Robert C. Priest
1445 Private Road 4129
Greenville
TX
75401
US
|
Family ID: |
35238561 |
Appl. No.: |
10/839275 |
Filed: |
May 5, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
232/20 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 29/12097
20170801 |
Class at
Publication: |
232/020 |
International
Class: |
A47G 029/12 |
Claims
1. I claim the E Z Out Mail Tray to be specifically designed for
mass production, thus lending itself to the multitude of rural
mailbox users, (over thirty three million mailboxes in the U.S.
alone) and makes the cost to the consumer economically acceptable,
five dollars ($5.00) or less at present day cost of production.
2. I claim damage control to be of primary concern since rural
mailboxes are notoriously bad about leaking rainwater in the door,
allowing water to run through the mailbox causing mail inside to
become soaked and damaged; runners, or rails, which hold the tray
off the floor of the mailbox keeps mail dry.
3. I claim the E Z Out Mail Tray will be available to fit the three
regular size mailboxes authorized by the Postal Department and a
two piece kit, which is adaptable to fit any odd size mailboxes,
will be available.
4. I claim the E Z Out Mail Tray is designed to make an easy and
simple adaptation to the mailbox and being ready to use, merely
place it in the mailbox, no attaching or adaptations necessary.
5. I claim the E Z Out Mail Tray allows one to pull the tray
partially or entirely from the mailbox and into the car, if
desired, since it is not attached to the mailbox, allowing sorting
and checking of mail and offers a surface for any writing that
needs be done, eliminating the problem of no place to write while
sitting in a car.
6. I claim the E Z Out Mail Tray allows the driver more distance
from the mailbox since it is not necessary to reach inside the box
to retrieve the mail, the pull hole in the front of the tray allows
retrieving the mail by only being close enough to reach the door of
the mailbox.
7. I claim the E Z Out Mail Tray avoids the hazard of coming into
contact with varmints that might be in the box such as: scorpions,
spiders, snakes, birds, ants, and other uninvited guests; putting
your hand inside such an enclosure, where visual sight is hampered
can be very dangerous.
8. I claim the E Z Out Mail Tray has an almost unlimited life span
of use since there are no springs, wheels, or other attachments to
become worn or to malfunction.
9. I claim the E Z Out Mail Tray is adaptable to be constructed
from many types of material which will enhance mass production,
moldable rubber compounds, (which is the desirable material), wood,
light metal, and plastics to name a few.
10. I claim the E Z Out Mail Tray to be unique in design through
the medium of simplicity, combining and improving the necessary
functions indicated in prior art and meets needs not here to fore
incorporated.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The need for a more economical, more efficient, more simple
and easier to use mail tray comes loud and clear from the millions
who use rural type mailboxes and this is the background and cause
of this invention.
[0002] There is existing at this date, Apr. 6, 2004, over
thirty-three million such mail boxes (33,314,305), in the United
States alone, one of these is mine and a quick calculation using an
estimated mail recipient checking mail twenty-five times a month
reveals visits to rural mail boxes in the United States to be over
six hundred and sixty million per month.
[0003] Prior art incorporated in mailbox inserts, which are known
and documented, individually, fail to include all of the problems
involved with the handling of mail in and out of rural mailboxes.
U.S. Pat. Nos., 4,714,192, Harlow, 4,753,385, Phipps, 4,896,827,
Economou. 5,271,55. Mayer.
[0004] This invention, named, E Z Out Mail Tray, incorporates and
solves all of the prior arts necessary problems and includes those
which have here to fore been omitted, such as, simplicity,
durability, damage control, economical, available simple two part
kit for adjustment to fit odd size mailboxes and others.
[0005] This invention, named, E Z Out Mail Tray, will solve the
problems that exist regarding rural mail boxes and rural mail boxes
where used for city delivery, and being a very simple and easy to
use tray, will through mass production, be made economically
available for those in any income bracket.
[0006] This invention, named E Z Out Mail Tray, will give damage
control, including solving the problem of mail becoming wet when
mail boxes leak, usually through door, by lifting the tray off the
mail box floor.
[0007] The endeavor of the E Z Out Mail Tray is to supply at an
economical cost a mail tray that would be available to all,
regardless of income bracket, and solve these problems:
[0008] 1. Economy--Mass production is a necessity to reach the
economic goal desired. Simple in design with no moving parts, no
box like features, no wheels, springs, hinges, latches, etc, which
require maintenance.
[0009] 2 Damage control--Rural mail boxes more often than not will
leak rainwater after a little use. Rails/slides on bottom of tray
elevate tray off mailbox floor.
[0010] 3 Eliminate problems of handicapped, elderly, and crippled
of reaching the mail inside mailboxes.
[0011] 4 Eliminate the necessity of leaning out of window,
unbuckling seat belt, and/or opening door.
[0012] 5 Eliminate driving so close to mailbox.
[0013] 6. Eliminate damage to car and mailbox.
[0014] 7. Eliminate danger of engaging scorpions, spiders, snakes,
bats, ants, and other unwelcome visitors to the mailbox.
[0015] 8. Durability is accomplished by being of one piece, molded
or built in a solid form, with no attachments. A two piece kit will
be available to allow adjustment for odd size mailboxes.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0016] To accomplish the endeavors mentioned in the forgoing
background of the invention and the claims hereto made, much
investigating and information gathering from manufacturers and
prior patents was accomplished.
[0017] The focus of the invention was to be able to produce a slide
tray for rural mail boxes that encompassed all of the information
gathered with the primary goal of supplying a tray that would be
economically available to all people of all income brackets.
[0018] In our information assembled it was also noted that we found
no indication of protecting mail once it was in the mailbox. Being
aware of the damage mail often receives during wet weather we
deemed it necessary to afford this protection by lifting the tray
from the floor of the mailbox.
[0019] We also noted no importance to the fact that a tray,
properly constructed, would allow the mail recipient to stop their
car farther from the mailbox, thus avoiding damage to mail box and
car. This is a very important factor; especially as pertains to the
elderly whose driving skills may have waned.
[0020] The conclusion of our investigating and information
gathering was clear, we must have a very simply constructed tray
with no wheels, springs, or other appendages because the ideal way
of manufacture is the molding process using a variety of rubber
byproducts and soft compounds.
[0021] This invention will solve many problems that exist regarding
rural mail with a simple, economical, enduring attachment.
[0022] This invention will be known as: E Z Out Mail Tray.
BRIEF DISCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE INVENTION
[0023] FIG. 1A--An oblique sketch indicating the five (5) pieces
used when constructed of wood. Dimensions indicated for each piece
will, when assembled, fit the #1 type rural mailbox approved by the
U.S. Postal Department. Oppositonal sizes available to fit other
mailboxes. Names are indicated for each part.
[0024] FIG. 2A--End view from front showing lift of base plate off
mailbox floor.
[0025] FIG. 3A--End view from rear showing lift of base plate from
Mailbox floor.
[0026] FIG. 4A--Side view showing base plate, mail stop, sidewall
retainers, slide/rail.
[0027] FIG. 5A--Side photo giving a comparison of size and ease of
application.
[0028] FIG. 6A--Photo view of two piece kit adjustable to fit any
size mailbox. Cutting the overall length to fit the mailbox and
attaching bumper side with glue, staples, sprigs, or nails is all
that is necessary.
[0029] FIG. 7A--Mail tray partially removed from mailbox.
[0030] FIG. 8A--Shows mail tray lifted off mailbox floor.
[0031] FIG. 9A--Bottom view of mail tray.
[0032] FIG. 10A--Top view of mail tray.
[0033] FIG. 11A--Shows closeness necessary to drive to mailbox
without mail tray, with side mirror one inch from mailbox, it is
necessary to lean out of the window, unbuckle the seat belt, or
open the door, to reach inside the mailbox.
[0034] FIG. 12A--Shows when driving fourteen inches from the
mailbox, the mail can still be retrieved with mail tray without
leaning from the car and not necessary to reach inside the mailbox.
Avoids damage to car and mailbox.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0035] This invention is designed in simple configuration to
facilitate mass production from various materials, to present a
useful product that will be economically priced to the consumer,
and include design for damage control.
[0036] The simple configuration submitted allows production from
several materials, some of which are: moldable rubber compounds,
wood, light metal, and plastic. The desired material is moldable
rubber compounds.
[0037] The process of manufacture using rubber compounds consists
of molds, which can be formed or purchased from mold making
companies. The operation of manufacture after securing the mold is
simply pouring the liquid into the mold and let it harden. This is
a process that is well known in the molding business.
[0038] Using the above method is desired as assembly lines and
delicate handwork is avoided and is necessary to reach the goal of
economically available to all income classes of people.
[0039] This processes alone separates this invention from prior
products of this nature.
[0040] Damage control is a major factor in the rural mailbox
delivery system. The above design has rails/slides on the under
part of the trav to lift the trav off the mailbox floor to
eliminate water damage which is the major culprit to the damage of
mail.
[0041] This is a part of the design of this invention, which our
search fails to find in other arts.
[0042] The durability of life of the invention is secured by its
simplicity; it contains all the necessary needs of mail service
contained in other arts, without attachments that wear out,
malfunction, and breakage.
[0043] Another advantage of this invention is the availability of a
flat table like surface that can be retrieved from the mailbox and
into the car where sorting and even writing can be done. This can
be done because of the compactness and simplicity of the mail trav.
The art of other such inventions prohibits this feature. Our search
of the arts of other such inventions reveals no mention of the
ability to retrieve mail while being at a greater distance from the
mailbox. It is critical that this ability is available for the
reasons listed in claims numbers six (6) and seven (7).
* * * * *