IP Library Granted Patent US 11,478,099
Granted Patent B1
US 11,478,099 · App. 16/906,047 · Granted Oct 25, 2022

Smart-home enabled package receipt furniture

Inventors: Elizabeth Sylvia Bates (New Orleans, LA); Michael Lee Wong (New Orleans, LA); Douglas Hardy Miller (New Orleans, LA); Jeremy Bates (Sonoma, CA)
Assignee: Midge Inc.
A47G29/141A47B83/00A47G29/28A47G2029/142A47G2029/145A47G2029/147A47G2029/149
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,478,099
App. No.
16/906,047
Granted
Oct 25, 2022
Kind
B1
Abstract

The disclosed invention includes a dwelling fixture. The dwelling fixture includes a compartment configured to contain packages delivered to the dwelling, an interior door to access the compartment from the interior of the dwelling, and an exterior door to access the compartment from the exterior of the dwelling. The interior door and/or exterior door includes a locking mechanism to secure the compartment. The dwelling fixture is easily and securely installable through the walls of the dwelling. The exterior door is flush with the exterior of the dwelling and aesthetically integrated with trim that adapts to any exterior finish.

Claims (11)

1. A package receipt furniture unit for installation in a building, comprising:

an exterior piece and an interior piece securable together through a wall of the building, the interior piece having a bottom wall securable to a sill of the building,

wherein the exterior piece comprises an exterior door providing access to an interior compartment whose bottom wall is the bottom wall of the interior piece, wherein the exterior door comprises trim proximal to an exterior wall finish, and the exterior piece further comprises an exterior keypad, and

wherein the interior piece comprises the interior compartment with bottom wall securable to the sill of the building, the interior compartment protruding into the building from a base of an upper wall of the interior piece flush with an interior wall of the building, and the interior compartment having an interior door; and

an electronic control unit operably coupled to a local code database, an interior door lock mechanism on the interior door, an exterior door lock mechanism on the exterior door, the exterior keypad, and an interior keypad, and wherein the electronic control unit is operable to validate an access code from the exterior or the interior keypad against the local code database, and to operate the exterior door lock mechanism or the interior door lock mechanism, respectively, if the access code is validated.

2. The package receipt furniture unit of claim 1 wherein the exterior piece further comprises a mail slot, and the upper wall of the interior piece further comprises a mail catch connected to the mail slot by a mail chute, wherein the mail catch is located below the mail slot so as to receive mail dropped into the mail slot.

3. The package receipt furniture unit of claim 2 wherein the mail slot is located on the exterior keypad.

4. The package receipt furniture unit of claim 1 wherein the exterior door is comprised of a face frame having at least two connectors extending orthogonally from said face frame for insertion into at least two receivers contiguous with the interior compartment of the interior piece, and wherein the trim of the exterior door is securable to the face frame by an adjustment bolt for accommodating any exterior wall finish.

5. The package receipt furniture unit of claim 4 wherein the exterior piece further comprises a mail slot, and the upper wall of the interior piece further comprises a mail catch connected to the mail slot by a mail chute, wherein the mail catch is located below the mail slot so as to receive mail dropped into the mail slot.

6. The package receipt furniture unit of claim 5 wherein the mail slot is located on the exterior keypad.

7. The package receipt furniture unit of claim 1 wherein the interior piece forms a hall tree, and the interior compartment forms a bench of the hall tree.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 19, 2020
From: BATES, ELIZABETH SYLVIA; WONG, MICHAEL LEE; MILLER, DOUGLAS HARDY; BATES, JEREMY
To: MIDGE INC.
Reel/Frame 052986/0440 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 62863718 · Jun 19, 2019
Cited By (4)
US 12,256,859 US 12,369,737 US 12,421,027 US 12,446,719