U.S. patent application number 12/387620 was filed with the patent office on 2010-11-11 for rural mailbox flexible support.
Invention is credited to Logan H. Do.
Application Number | 20100282832 12/387620 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43061779 |
Filed Date | 2010-11-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100282832 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Do; Logan H. |
November 11, 2010 |
Rural mailbox flexible support
Abstract
A rural mailbox used for temporarily mails storage having a
flexible support system or a flexi-modular that absorbs and reduces
lateral impact through its spring system/mechanism by allowing the
support arm to deflect and soften the magnitude of shock impact.
The flexible support system or flexi-modular is a horizontal member
of the mailbox post and can be utilized or mounted on any
traditional mailbox vertical member or post that made of woods or
hard plastics. The flexible support system or flexi-modular
includes a base, a leaf spring, a horizontal support member and a
pivot bolt assembly. The base is a main interface to the vertical
post, as well as other sub-components of the flexi-modular. It is
integrated with two extended lugs that hold the horizontal member
through the pivot bolt and allow it to swing in plane to the left
or right of the mailbox. The leaf or coil spring is attached to the
base by fasteners, and its duty is to reposition the horizontal
member after every impact, also acts like a load damper, which
minimizes or absorbs impact and help to prolong the mailbox and its
post support through many more winters. More importantly, the
flexi-modular maintains a classy and traditional appearance of the
rural mailbox assembly.
Inventors: |
Do; Logan H.; (Canton,
CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Logan H. Do
3 Drake Lane
Canton
CT
06019
US
|
Family ID: |
43061779 |
Appl. No.: |
12/387620 |
Filed: |
May 5, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
232/39 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 29/1216
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
232/39 |
International
Class: |
A47G 29/122 20060101
A47G029/122 |
Claims
1. A flexible rural mailbox support system or flexi-modular
assembly that is capable to absorb lateral/side impact and prolong
service life for the mailbox and its support post, comprising: a. A
base 01 of the flexi-modular depicted in an exploded view of FIG. 3
that has a flat mounting surface, several mounting holes and
integral lugs which are normal to the mounting surface. The lugs
also have mounting thru holes that are co-axis with the lug outer
radius. b. A horizontal support member 02 of the flexi-modular
depicted in an exploded view of FIG. 3, is hollow and has double
chamfers at mounted end and a mounting pilot hole thru surfaces. c.
A load absorber spring 03 of the flexi-modular depicted in an
exploded view of FIG. 3, is a leaf spring style that has a flat
surface and two mounting holes at center where the flat surface
interfaces with the base 01. Both ends of the spring 03 have a
curvature surface that designed for smooth rubbing contact with the
inner surfaces of the horizontal support member 02. The spring 03
can be made from standard spring materials such ferrous or
non-ferrous materials as well as high flexural strength plastics.
d. A pivot bolt of the flexi-modular assembly depicted in FIG. 3
has two washers, 4b and a nut, 4c. The bolt 4a has a longer shank
where it interfaces with the base 01 and the horizontal support
member 02. The bolt assembly 4a, 4b & 4c can be made of metal
or plastic materials. However, this pivot bolt is a substitutable
component. It can be used by other long bolts such a cutter-pin
style. e. Two counter-sunk fasteners that hold the spring 03 to the
base 01.
2. The rural mailbox flexible support system or flexi-modular
assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said flexi-modular assembly
having a shock absorber spring that is flexible and absorbs lateral
forces/impacts that a plow-truck generates during its snow cleaning
operation.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] In general, a conventional rural mailbox assembly has a
vertical post and a horizontal member that support the mailbox in a
fixed position. Or an integrated plastic molded mailbox that has an
integral post and mailbox as one entity. The mailbox is bolted to
the horizontal support member by fasteners.
[0002] However, a conventional rural mailbox post is fairly
disadvantage because it is fixed relatively to the ground;
therefore, the mailbox and the support post are often being damaged
by the snow plow-trucks during the snow cleaning operation;
however, this generally happens in the winter time and snowy
region.
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,150 to R. J. Herschel discloses a
self-righting mailbox support having a tubular vertical element
with an incorporated coil spring assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,783
to A. Alvarez discloses a flexible mailbox stand comprised of two
sections joined by a spring assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 7,032,811 to K.
Paulic and D. Atrkhmovich disclose a rotatable mailbox with
flexible support that has a rod assembly and a support plate
positioned on the ground, between the rod and the plate is a coil
spring that supports the rod assembly and the mailbox. U.S. Pat.
No. 4,792,088 to R. Bonnell discloses a mailbox supported by a
ground engaging post having a spring stem for absorbing shock such
as impact from a vehicle.
[0004] While these inventions may be suitable for the particular
purpose employed, or general use, they would not be as suitable for
the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.
[0005] Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an effective and
durability enhancement support system for the mailbox, which is
flexible and absorbs horizontal forces/impacts that a plow-truck
generates during its snow cleaning operation. During plowing, the
truck creates a continuous flow of snow powders, which mass and
velocity form a momentum force that pushes against the mailbox and
its support post several times for each winter. The flexible
support system will help to protect the post as well as the mailbox
to be damaged by the said forces described above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] A flexible mailbox support system or flexi-modular of the
present invention is to provide durability enhancement or
improvement to the conventional mailbox that is not capable to
absorb impact that may damage the mailbox as well as its support
post.
[0007] The present invention is about durability improvement or
enhancement, and more particularly to a stand alone rural mailbox
support system in the snowy region that is fixed relative to the
ground, where is high probability of mailbox and its support system
being damaged by plowing trucks during snow plowing operation.
[0008] The primary aspect of this present invention is to provide a
flexible support system or flexi-modular for a rural mailbox
assembly that comprises several components that can be produced in
details and manually assembled together (see figures for details).
The flexible support system or flexi-modular has three major
components; a mounting base, a horizontal support member and a leaf
or coil spring and several fasteners. The objective of this present
invention also includes a philosophy of retaining the mailbox
support appearance classy as a traditional.
[0009] A fully assembled and installed flexible mailbox support
system or flexi-modular comprises a base, which is a main interface
to the vertical post, as well as other sub-components of the
flexi-modular. A leaf or coil spring is attached to the base by
fastener, where the spring works like a shock absorber or a load
damper; more importantly, it returns the horizontal support member
to a center position every time after impact. The base has two
integral extended mounting lugs that hold the horizontal member
through its mounting holes and retained by a pivot bolt assembly.
The horizontal support member has a single degree-of-freedom (DOF)
mount system, which is only allowed to swing laterally in plane to
the left or right of the mailbox. The flexible mailbox support
system or flexi-modular can be mounted to a solid wood or an
extruded plastic post
[0010] A preferable bill-of-material (BoM) for the flexi-modular
consists of a base 01, which can be made from a durable plastic
molded process or hogged-out from a plastic or corrosion resistant
steel block; a horizontal support member 02, can be made from an
extruded hollow durable plastic post (or fence post); and the
spring 03, can be made from a corrosion resistant spring material.
Lastly, the pivot bolt assembly 04 and other fasteners are
preferably made from corrosion resistant and can be purchased
off-the-shelve from local hardware stores.
[0011] The various features and advantages of this invention will
become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following
detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed
description can be briefly described as follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a general perspective of a rural mailbox
assembly with a flexi-modular support and the vertical post. As
shown in figure is a complete assembly of the mailbox and support
post in an isometric view.
[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates a general perspective of a flexi-modular
assembly. As shown in figure is an isometric view of a flexible
support system or flexi-modular assembly.
[0014] FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of FIG. 2 or an exploded
view of a flexi-modular assembly.
[0015] FIG. 4 illustrates a FRONT and TOP views of the mailbox and
its support post assembly. The TOP view shows a broken-section-view
of B-B. FIG. 4 also includes VIEW A, which is a detailed as well as
larger scaled view of section view B-B.
[0016] FIG. 5 illustrates a FRONT and TOP views of the mailbox and
its support post assembly. The FRONT view shows a
broken-section-view of A-A. FIG. 5 also includes VIEW B, which is a
detailed as well as larger scaled view of section view A-A.
[0017] FIG. 6 illustrates a TOP view of the mailbox and its support
post assembly. The figure shows section B-B and the flexi-modular
is in a default position.
[0018] FIG. 7 illustrates a TOP view of the mailbox and its support
post assembly. The figure shows section B-B and the flexi-modular
is in an instant-deflected position.
[0019] FIG. 8 illustrates a general perspective of a flexi-modular
assembly with long mounting bolt type of fasteners and doublers
that work with hollow plastic vertical post.
[0020] FIG. 9 illustrates a general perspective of a flexi-modular
assembly with short mounting screw type of fasteners that work with
solid wood vertical post.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] The representative embodiment of the present invention will
be described referencing to FIG. 1 thru FIG. 9. The mailbox
flexible support system or flexi-modular assembly as shown are in
accordance with the invention according to FIG. 1 thru 9, comprises
of a base 01 that made of plastic molded component, a horizontal
support member 02 that made of extruded plastic post, a leaf or
coil spring 03 that made from a standard or corrosion resistant
spring materials, four standard corrosion resistant bolt assemblies
4(a, b, c) and two standard corrosion resistant fasteners 05 that
fasten the spring 03 to the base 01. The said fasteners can be
purchased from off-the-shelf from local hardware stores.
[0022] The base 01, referenced to FIG. 3, has a flat surface that
interfaces with the vertical post. It is also a main component that
holds the horizontal support member 02 and the damper spring 03.
The base 01 can be produced by casting/molding using durable
plastic material or hogged-out from a block of corrosion resistant
materials such Stainless Steel or Plastic.
[0023] The horizontal support member 02, referenced to FIG. 3, has
double chamfers at the attached end, and these are needed for
physical operational clearances. There is also a mounting hole that
drilled thru surfaces, top and bottom at the same end. The
horizontal support member 02, is constrained in the flexi-modular
assembly by a long pivot bolt 4a. It can be simply produced by
using extruded plastic fence post, cut to size then complete
machining of features. It can also be produced by other method such
plastic molding to avoid machining cost.
[0024] The spring or shock absorber 03, referenced to FIG. 3, that
can be made of standard ferrous or non-ferrous spring materials in
either form, leaf or coil spring. The spring is mainly designed to
absorb horizontal forces/impacts and reposition the mailbox to the
default position after impact.
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