Vented Package Lockbox

Abstract

A vented package lockbox for securely storing delivered packages includes a housing forming an inner cavity. The housing has a plurality of vent apertures and a plurality of mounting apertures. The plurality of mounting apertures is configured to receive a plurality of fasteners to fix the housing to a porch or a stoop. A lid is coupled to the housing to cover and alternatively uncover the open top side. A lock is coupled to the housing and is electively engageable with the lid to maintain the lid in a closed position until unlocked. An emergency release is coupled to the lid and is in operational communication with the lock to unlock the lid from the inner cavity in case a child gets locked within the housing.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

[0003] Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM.

[0004] Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

[0005] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

(2) Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.

[0006] The disclosure and prior art relates to lockboxes and more particularly pertains to a new lockbox for securely storing delivered packages.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a housing having a front side separated from a back side, a left side separated from a right side, and a bottom side separated from an open top side forming an inner cavity. The housing has a plurality of vent apertures extending through the left side and the right side, and a plurality of mounting apertures extending through the bottom side to the inner cavity. The plurality of mounting apertures is configured to receive a plurality of fasteners to fix the housing to a porch or a stoop. A lid is coupled to the housing to cover and alternatively uncover the open top side. A lock is coupled to the housing and is electively engageable with the lid to maintain the lid in a closed position until unlocked. An emergency release is coupled to the lid and is in operational communication with the lock to unlock the lid from the inner cavity in case a child gets locked within the housing.

[0008] 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.

[0009] There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

[0010] 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.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0011] 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:

[0012] FIG. 1 is an isometric in-use view of a vented package lockbox according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure along line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new lockbox embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

[0018] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the vented package lockbox 10 generally comprises a housing 12 having a front side 14 separated from a back side 16, a left side 18 separated from a right side 20, and a bottom side 22 separated from an open top side 24 forming an inner cavity 26. The housing 12 has a plurality of vent apertures 28 and a plurality of mounting apertures 30. The plurality of vent apertures 28 may comprise three vent apertures extending through the left side 18 and three apertures extending through the right side 20. The plurality of mounting apertures 30 extends through the bottom side 22 to the inner cavity 26 and may be linearly aligned. The plurality of mounting apertures 30 is configured to receive a plurality of fasteners 32 to fix the housing 12 to a porch or a stoop 34.

[0019] A plurality of screens 36 may be coupled to the plurality of vent apertures 30. A plurality of vent covers 38 is coupled to the housing 12 and extends away from the housing and has an open bottom 39 to allow airflow to the plurality of vent apertures 30. Each of the plurality of vent covers 38 may have a rounded profile. The plurality of screens 36 and the plurality of vent covers 38 prevent access to the inner cavity 26 of the housing. A lid 40 covers and alternatively uncovers the open top side 24 of the housing. A hinge 42 is coupled a rear edge 43 of the lid and to the back side 16 of the housing adjacent the open top side 24. The hinge 42 allows the lid 40 to swing from a closed position 44 to an alternate open position 46. A hydraulic lift arm 48 may be coupled to the housing 12 and the lid 40 to assist the movement between the closed position 44 and the alternate open position 46, as well as to maintain the alternate open position 46. A lock 50 is coupled to the housing 12 and comprises a latch 52, a handle 54, and a keyhole 56. The latch 52 selectively engages the lid 40 in the closed position 44. The handle 54 releases the latch 52 to free the lid 40 to move to the alternate open position 46. The keyhole 56 receives a key to enable the handle 54 which is otherwise locked to prevent the lid 40 from opening. An emergency release 58 is coupled to the lid 40 and comprises a pull cable 60 and a handgrip 62. The handgrip 62 may be phosphorescent and triangular. The emergency release 58 is in operational communication with the lock 50 to release the latch 52 and unlock the lid 40 from the inner cavity 26 in case a child gets locked within the housing 12.

[0020] In use, a delivery man places the packages within the inner cavity 26 and moves the lid 40 to the closed position 44. The owner of the home then uses the key to unlock the handle 54 and free the lid 40 to retrieve the packages.

[0021] 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.

[0022] 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.

Claims

1. A vented package lockbox comprising: a housing having a front side separated from a back side, a left side separated from a right side, and a bottom side separated from an open top side forming an inner cavity, the housing having a plurality of vent apertures extending through the left side and the right side, and a plurality of mounting apertures extending through the bottom side to the inner cavity, the plurality of mounting apertures being configured to receive a plurality of fasteners to fix the housing to a porch or a stoop; a lid coupled to the housing, the lid covering and alternatively uncovering the open top side; a lock coupled to the housing, the lock being selectively engageable with the lid to maintain the lid in a closed position until unlocked; and an emergency release coupled to the lid, the emergency release being in operational communication with the lock to unlock the lid from the inner cavity in case a child gets locked within the housing.

2. The vented package lockbox of claim 1 further comprising a hinge coupled to the housing and the lid, the hinge being coupled to a rear edge of the lid and to the back side of the housing adjacent the open top side, the hinge allowing the lid to swing from the closed position to an alternate open position.

3. The vented package lockbox of claim 1 further comprising a hydraulic lift arm coupled to the housing and the lid, the hydraulic lift arm assisting the movement between the closed position and the alternate open position as well as maintaining the alternate open position.

4. The vented package lockbox of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of screens coupled to the plurality of vent apertures.

5. The vented package lockbox of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of vent covers coupled to the housing, the plurality of vent covers extending away from the housing and having an open bottom to allow airflow to the plurality of vent apertures.

6. The vented package lockbox of claim 5 further comprising each of the plurality of vent covers having a rounded profile.

7. The vented package lockbox of claim 1 further comprising the plurality of vent apertures comprising three vent apertures extending through the left side and three apertures extending through the right side.

8. The vented package lockbox of claim 1 further comprising the lock comprising a latch, a handle, and a keyhole, the latch selectively engaging the lid in the closed position, the handle releasing the latch to free the lid, and the keyhole receiving a key to enable the handle, the emergency release also releasing the latch.

9. The vented package lockbox of claim 1 further comprising the emergency release comprising a pull cable and a handgrip.

10. The vented package lockbox of claim 9 further comprising the handgrip being phosphorescent.

11. The vented package lockbox of claim 1 further comprising the plurality of mounting apertures being linearly aligned.

12. A vented package lockbox comprising: a housing having a front side separated from a back side, a left side separated from a right side, and a bottom side separated from an open top side forming an inner cavity, the housing having a plurality of vent apertures and a plurality of mounting apertures, the plurality of vent apertures comprising three vent apertures extending through the left side and three apertures extending through the right side to the inner cavity, the plurality of mounting apertures extending through the bottom side to the inner cavity and being linearly aligned, the plurality of mounting apertures being configured to receive a plurality of fasteners to fix the housing to a porch or a stoop; a plurality of screens coupled to the plurality of vent apertures; a plurality of vent covers coupled to the housing, the plurality of vent covers extending away from the housing and having an open bottom to allow airflow to the plurality of vent apertures, each of the plurality of vent covers having a rounded profile; a lid having a rear edge, the lid covering and alternatively uncovering the open top side of the housing; a hinge coupled to the housing and the lid, the hinge being coupled to the rear edge and to the back side of the housing adjacent the open top side, the hinge allowing the lid to swing from a closed position to an alternate open position; a hydraulic lift arm coupled to the housing and the lid, the hydraulic lift arm assisting the movement between the closed position and the alternate open position as well as maintaining the alternate open position; a lock coupled to the housing, the lock comprising a latch, a handle, and a keyhole, the latch selectively engaging the lid in the closed position, the handle releasing the latch to free the lid, and the keyhole receiving a key to enable the handle; and an emergency release coupled to the lid, the emergency release comprising a pull cable and a handgrip, the handgrip being phosphorescent, the emergency release being in operational communication with the lock to release the latch and unlock the lid from the inner cavity in case a child gets locked within the housing.