Apparatus for Protecting Mailboxes from Snowplow Damage |
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申请号 | US12412528 | 申请日 | 2009-03-27 | 公开(公告)号 | US20100243977A1 | 公开(公告)日 | 2010-09-30 |
申请人 | Alanson J. Middlebrook, JR.; | 发明人 | Alanson J. Middlebrook, JR.; | ||||
摘要 | An apparatus comprises a panel supported by a rigid frame, one or more pivoting arms, one or more front legs, and one or more back legs. The one or more pivoting arms are pivotally attached to the frame. Each of the one or more front legs is telescopically coupled to the frame such that each of the one or more front legs can be independently extended from and retracted into the frame. Finally, each of the one or more back legs is telescopically coupled to a respective one of the one or more pivoting arms such that each of the one or more back legs can be independently extended from and retracted into a respective one of the one or more pivoting arms. | ||||||
权利要求 | What is claimed is: |
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说明书全文 | The present invention relates generally to apparatus for protecting mailboxes, and, more particularly, to apparatus for protecting mailboxes from the debris (e.g., snow and ice) propelled by snowplows. A snowplow typically clears a roadway by using a large blade to push snow and ice towards the side of the roadway. Unfortunately, because of their positioning on the sides of roadways, mailboxes are frequently hit by this debris when a snowplow passes. This debris, which frequently includes rocks and sand in addition to snow and ice, can easily bury a mailbox or, worse yet, destroy it entirely. Information relevant to attempts to address this problem can be found in, for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,962,460 to Pratt; 7,364,066 to Wilson; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,080,773 to Tepley; as well as in US Patent Publication No. 2008/0314967 to Black. However, these references utilize costly protective mechanisms, require the use of specialized mailboxes, require the use of permanent fixtures, and/or do not sufficiently protect a mailbox. As a result, there is a need for apparatus for protecting conventional mailboxes that are inexpensive to manufacture, effective, and easy to set up. In addition, these apparatus should also be easy to remove and store during those seasons when they are not needed. Embodiments of the present invention address the above-identified need by providing novel apparatus for protecting mailboxes from snowplow damage. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, an apparatus comprises a panel supported by a rigid frame, one or more pivoting arms, one or more front legs, and one or more back legs. The one or more pivoting arms are pivotally attached to the frame. Each of the one or more front legs is telescopically coupled to the frame such that each of the one or more front legs can be independently extended from and retracted into the frame. Finally, each of the one or more back legs is telescopically coupled to a respective one of the one or more pivoting arms such that each of the one or more back legs can be independently extended from and retracted into a respective one of the one or more pivoting arms. In accordance with one of the above-identified embodiments of the invention, an apparatus comprises a steel tubular frame that supports a rectangular wire mesh panel. Two telescopically adjustable front legs and two pivoting arms in combination with their own telescopically adjustable back legs allow the wire mesh panel to be erected so that it stands vertically with respect to the roadside. Placing the apparatus proximate to a mailbox protects the mailbox from damage from debris propelled by snowplows by retarding the debris and/or breaking it up. Advantageously, the apparatus is inexpensive to manufacture, effective in protecting the mailbox, and easy to set up. In addition, it is easily removed and stored during those seasons when it is not needed These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: The present invention will be described with reference to illustrative embodiments. For this reason, numerous modifications can be made to these embodiments and the results will still come within the scope of the invention. No limitations with respect to the specific embodiments described herein are intended or should be inferred. The apparatus 100 is designed to be erected proximate to a mailbox 145 as shown in The United States Postal Service regulations currently require that the bottom of a roadside mailbox be 44 to 48 inches above the surface of its street. As a result, it is beneficial to have the top of the wire mesh panel 130 stand somewhat higher than this. The apparatus 100 may, for example, be adapted so that the top of the wire mesh panel is adjustable to stand between about 54 inches and about 62 inches above the ground 150. Good protection can also be achieved by having the wire mesh panel have a width of about 24 inches. Nevertheless, these dimensions are merely illustrative and an apparatus with other dimensions would also come within the scope of the invention. In terms of materials, the frame 105, the pivoting arms 135, the front legs 155, and the back legs 160 each preferably comprise square tubular steel. Steel provides strength and is cost effective, while the tubular construction both reduces weight and facilitates the telescopic adjustability of the legs discussed above. The wire mesh panel 130 preferably also comprises steel and may, just as an example, have a square mesh size of about 1 inch by 1 inch. Such a wire mesh panel is capable of retarding and/or breaking up snow, ice, rocks, and sand propelled by a snow plow. Notably, a wire mesh panel is preferred over a solid panel. A wire mesh panel only absorbs a portion of the energy of the debris that impinges on it, but provides enough of a barrier to prevent the debris from burying or damaging the mailbox 145. A solid panel, in contrast, must absorb all the energy of the debris that impinges on it and thereby must be substantially heavier and stronger. In addition, a solid panel is prone to the accumulation of debris at the face of the panel and may be susceptible to damage from strong winds. Optionally, the apparatus may be adorned with reflectors and/or other markings to increase its conspicuity. For ease of setting up and taking down the apparatus 100, the front screws 165 and the back screws 170 preferably comprise thumb screws that can be easily tightened and loosened by hand without the use of tools. They might, for example, comprise shoulder-type thumb screws. In addition, for storage purposes, the front legs 155 and the back legs 160 may be fully retracted into the frame 105 and pivoting arms 135, respectively, and the pivoting arms rotated so that they sit parallel to the side members 115 of the frame 105 (i.e., the pivoting arms may be folded flat). Doing so makes the apparatus quite compact for convenient storage during the warmer months. It should again be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to be illustrative only. Other embodiments can use different types and arrangements of elements, different materials, and different dimensions for implementing the described functionality. These numerous alternative embodiments within the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to one skilled in the art. Moreover, all the features disclosed herein may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent, or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. |