ANTI-THEFT PACKAGE RECEIVING DEVICE FOR ARRANGEMENT ON A BARRIER HAVING AN OPENING

Abstract

 In the field of prevention of theft of packages, an anti-theft package receiving device (10) for arrangement on a barrier (11) having an opening is provided. The anti-theft package receiving device (10) comprises a front panel (15), a middle panel (16), a back panel (17) and a linkage between the middle panel (16) and the back panel (17). Each of the panels is movable between an opening closure position for closing the opening in the barrier (11) and an opening exposure position for at least enabling exposure of the opening. The linkage between the middle panel (16) and the back panel (17) is of such a nature that the back panel (17) is put from the opening exposure position to the opening closure position when the middle panel (16) is put from the opening closure position to the opening exposure position, and vice versa.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to an anti-theft package receiving device for arrangement on a barrier such as a door of a dwelling or an office. The anti-theft package receiving device functions to guarantee secure delivery of packages from one side of the barrier to the other side of the barrier, through an opening in the barrier.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Online shopping increased significantly over the last couple of years, resulting in large volumes of packages being delivered at homes and businesses. However, couriers often try to deliver packages when recipients are not present. When packages cannot be delivered, the packages can be returned and delivered another day, left at the neighbors, brought to a pick-up location or left in front of the door. This can be annoying, time-consuming and costly for multiple constituents in the supply chain. In addition, packages left in front of the door or a pick-up location are vulnerable to theft or damage.

[0003] Furthermore, the COVID crisis resulted in lockdown measures in many countries throughout the world. As a result, online shopping increased and a need originated for package delivery without human handover to ensure safe physical distance.

[0004] Therefore, a need exists for an anti-theft package receiving device to enable guaranteed and timely delivery of packages at dwellings or offices.

[0005] Package-receiving devices and systems and methods for facilitating package delivery or pick-up are already known in the art. Many of the known solutions incorporate a system with electronics and software applications, increasing the complexity and costs of the respective system and/or method. Furthermore, the systems can be vulnerable to power failure and hacking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The anti-theft package receiving device of the invention comprises a number of panels, namely a front panel, a middle panel and a back panel. The anti-theft package receiving device is configured to be put to different conditions, such that when the device is actually arranged on a barrier in which an opening is present, the opening in the barrier is covered by either the front panel, the middle panel or the back panel of the anti-theft package receiving device, depending on the condition of the device. The fact is that in use with such a barrier, the front panel is coupled to the barrier and can be moved from a vertical position to an angled position to form an aperture for receiving a package. The middle panel is attached to the barrier and covers the opening in the barrier when the front panel is in an angled position. With the front panel in an angled position, the middle panel can also move to an angled position. The back panel is slidably attached to the barrier and moves upwards to an opening closure position to cover the opening in the barrier or moves downwards to a position exposing the opening. A linkage is present between the middle panel and the back panel. The linkage lifts the back panel when the middle panel moves upwards to an angled position and lowers the back panel when the middle panel moves downwards to a vertical position. The linkage comprises several gear wheels to control the speed of the movement of the back panel. A package can slide through the barrier by moving the front panel to an angled position, moving the middle panel upwards to an angled position, placing the package in the aperture and then moving the middle panel downwards to a vertical position. By moving the middle panel to a vertical position, the back panel also moves downwards and the package can slide over the back panel through the opening in the barrier.

[0007] An advantage of the invention is that secure package delivery can be realized to a dwelling or an office without a complex system with electronics and software applications. In this respect, it is noted that package-receiving devices for arrangement on doors that do not incorporate a system with electronics and software applications are already known in the art. For example, U.S. Patent No. 10,711,516 B2 entitled "Door and Package Receiving Assembly Combination" discloses a door having an opening extending therethrough, wherein the opening is covered by a front panel or a back panel. A linkage is attached to the front panel and the back panel, so that the back panel is lifted to a closed position when the front panel moves to an angled (open) position and vice versa. No complex system with electronics or software applications is used for this package receiving device. This is an advantage of the known device, but the design of the known device is still open to improvement, as will become apparent from the following.

[0008] First, only relatively small packages can slide through the opening of the door. Because the front panel can only be moved in an angle of 75°, moving the front panel towards the back panel quickly reduces the space between the two panels while exposing an opening in the door. Larger packages will likely get stuck between the front panel and the back panel when the front panel is moved to the vertical (closed) position and the back panel is not lifted high enough.

[0009] Second, the known device cannot fully inhibit theft of packages. The front panel can be moved in a position to expose an opening in the door with the same size that was used for sliding the package through the door. Since the opening in the door is close to the floor of the dwelling or the office, the package adjacent to the back of the door may be reached through the opening. Thus a package might be removed from the dwelling or the office, via the same opening in which it was passed through the door earlier. Furthermore, the sides along the lower panel are open. This might provide a better angle for reaching packages adjacent to the back of the door.

[0010] The invention provides a different design with three movable panels, i.e. the front panel, the middle panel and the back panel mentioned in the foregoing. Advantageously, a linkage is made between the middle panel and the back panel and comprises several gear wheels to control the speed of the movement of the back panel in relation to the movement of the middle panel. The advantage of this design and the linkage is that an opening in a barrier on which the anti-theft package receiving device of the invention is arranged is always covered by either the front panel, the middle panel or the back panel. This enables secure delivery of packages and mitigates the risk of theft.

[0011] Another advantage of the design of the invention is that larger packages can be received through a barrier. The middle panel is movable in a wide angle, and the linkage can optimize the speed of the back panel in relation to the movement of the middle panel. This creates more space for larger packages to slide through the barrier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to the drawings, in which equal or similar parts are indicated by the same reference signs, and in which:

FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 shows a front side of a door and an anti-theft package receiving device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention arranged on the door, for different conditions of the device;

FIG. 5 shows a back side of the door and the anti-theft package receiving device;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the anti-theft package receiving device taken along line 40-40 in FIG. 5, in which an inner frame of the device can be seen;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the anti-theft package receiving device taken along line 50-50 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 also is a cross-sectional view of the anti-theft package receiving device taken along line 50-50 in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the figures: FIGs 1 through 8. A door 11 is shown, which is of generally conventional design, having a front side 12 and a back side 13. The door 11 has an opening 14 extending through the front side 12 and the back side 13. Further, an anti-theft package receiving device 10 is shown, which comprises a front panel 15, a middle panel 16 and a back panel 17, wherein each of said panels 15, 16 and 17 is coupled to the door 11. The opening 14 in the door 11 is covered by the front panel 15, the middle panel 16 or the back panel 17, depending on a condition of the anti-theft package receiving device 10, as will now be explained.

[0014] The front panel 15 is coupled to the door 11 via two triangular components 18 on both the right side and the left side. Hinges can be used to attach the triangular components 18 to each other, the front panel 15 and an inner frame 30 of the anti-theft package receiving device 10 located within the door 11. FIG. 4 depicts the movement of the front panel 15. When the front panel 15 is in a vertical (closed) position, the triangular components 18 are folded towards the middle of the door 11. When the front panel 15 moves towards an angled (open) position, the triangular components 18 unfold towards the sides of the door 11. The front panel 15 is also coupled to the door 11 via a lower round bar 19 attached to the bottom of the front panel 15, wherein a central axis of the bar 19 constitutes a hinge axis of the front panel 15, i.e. a bottom hinge axis A_b in the anti-theft package receiving device 10 as indicated in FIG. 3. The lower round bar 19 is coupled to the door 11 via a small hole 20 on the right side and the left side of the inner frame 30. The hole 20 is a bit bigger compared to the diameter of the lower round bar 19, which allows the bar 19 to move a bit towards the front side 12 and the back side 13 of the door 11. FIG. 7 depicts the movement of the lower round bar 19. When the front panel 15 moves to an angled position, the lower round bar 19 moves towards the back side 13 of the door 11. When the front panel 15 moves to a closed position, the lower round bar 19 moves towards the front side 12 of the door 11. This small movement of the lower round bar 19 allows the triangular components 18 to fold inside the door 11 and the front panel 15 to be closed in a vertical position. FIG. 1 depicts the door 11 with the front panel 15 in vertical position. A sliding lock, spring lock, or something similar can be used to keep the front panel 15 in vertical position.

[0015] The middle panel 16 is coupled to the door 11 via an upper round bar 21 at the top of the panel 16, wherein a central axis of the bar 21 constitutes a hinge axis of the middle panel 16, i.e. a top hinge axis A_t in the anti-theft package receiving device 10 as indicated in FIG. 3. The upper round bar 21 is coupled to the door 11 via a small hole on the right side and the left side of the inner frame 30. This is best viewed in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. The middle panel 16 is in the middle of the inner frame 30 and can only move to an angled position at the front side 12 of the door 11.

[0016] The back panel 17 is slidably attached at the back side 13 of the inner frame 30. The back panel 17 is downwardly movable to a position exposing the opening 14 in the door 11 or upwardly movable to an opening closure position to cover the opening 14. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the back panel 17 can move up and down within vertical guides 22 to keep the back panel 17 attached to the door 11.

[0017] A linkage 23 is made between the middle panel 16 and the back panel 17. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the linkage 23 lifts the back panel 17 when the middle panel 16 moves upwards to an angled position. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the linkage 23 lowers the back panel 17 when the middle panel 16 moves downwards to a vertical position. A package 32 can slide through the door 11 by moving the front panel 15 to an angled position, moving the middle panel 16 upwards to an angled position, placing the package 32 in the aperture 33 thus obtained and moving the middle panel 16 downwards to a vertical position. By moving the middle panel 16 downwards to a vertical position, the back panel 17 also moves downwards and the package 32 can slide through the opening 14 of the door 11.

[0018] The linkage 23 may comprise several gear wheels and chains or gear racks. The gear wheels may comprise two upper gear wheels 24 attached to the left side and the right side of the upper round bar 21 coupled to the middle panel 16. The upper gear wheels 24 are attached to the upper round bar 21 at the outside of the inner frame 30 and are interlocking with smaller first middle gear wheels 25 coupled to the outside of the inner frame 30. The first middle gear wheels 25 are also interlocking with second middle gearwheels 26 coupled to the outside of the inner frame 30. The second middle gears wheels 26 are connected to larger lower gear wheels 27 on the inside of the inner frame 30. The lower gear wheels 27 may be interlocking with a chain or gear rack 28, which is attached to the upper side of the back panel 17.

[0019] More specifically, and best illustrated by FIG. 7, when the middle panel 16 moves upwards to an angled position, the upper gear wheels 24 move counterclockwise, the first middle gear wheels 25 interlocked with the upper gear wheels 24 move clockwise, the second middle gear wheels 26 interlocked with the first middle gear wheels 25 move counterclockwise and the lower gear wheels 27 then also move counterclockwise. The chains or gear racks 28 interlocked with the lower gear wheels 27 move upwards, moving the back panel 17 upwards.

[0020] With the anti-theft package receiving device 10 in use, a package courier can open the front panel 15 by moving the panel 15 to an angled position. A handle 29 may be attached to the front panel 15. When the front panel 15 is in an angled position, the courier can reach and grab the middle panel 16 and move the middle panel 16 upwards to an angled position. The middle panel 16 may comprise a notch or small hole to enable the courier to easily grasp and hold the panel 16. When the middle panel 16 moves upwards to an angled position, the back panel 17 moves upwards and covers the opening 14 in the door 11. The courier can place the package 32 in the aperture 33 when the middle panel 16 is moved upwards in an angled position, so that the package 32 slides down the front panel 15 and abuts the back panel 17. When moving the middle panel 16 back to a vertical position, the back panel 17 moves downwards and the package 32 can slide over the back panel 17 through the opening 14 of the door 11. This is illustrated in FIG. 8. A firm and smooth piece 31 of fabric or leather, or something similar, may be attached to the back panel 17 and the inner frame 30. When the back panel 17 moves to an angled position, the piece 31 of fabric or leather is stretched and creates a chute for sliding the packages 32 through the opening 14. After the package 32 is delivered at the dwelling or office, the front panel 15 can be moved back to a vertical position. A sliding lock, spring lock, or something similar may be used to keep the front panel 15 in vertical position.

[0021] As best illustrated in FIG. 8, the opening 14 in the door 11 is covered at all times by either the middle panel 16 or the back panel 17 to prevent access to the dwelling as well as to inhibit the stealing of any mail or packages adjacent to the back side 13 of the door 11. The movement of the middle panel 16 and the back panel 17 are illustrated in FIG. 8 in five steps as indicated by the numbers in the grey circles.

[0022] It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the invention is not limited to the examples discussed in the foregoing, but that several amendments and modifications thereof are possible without deviating from the scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such amendments and modifications insofar they come within the scope of the claims or the equivalents thereof. While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the figures and the description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary only, and not restrictive. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. The figures are schematic, wherein details which are not required for understanding the invention may have been omitted, and not necessarily to scale.

[0023] Notable aspects of the invention as described in the foregoing are generally defined as follows.

[0024] The invention relates to an anti-theft package receiving device 10 for arrangement on a barrier 11 having an opening 14, comprising:

• a front panel 15 couplable to a front side 12 of the barrier 11 so as to be hingable about a hinge axis A_b between an opening closure position for closing the opening 14 in the barrier 11 and an opening exposure position for enabling exposure of the opening 14 and forming an aperture 33 for receiving a package 32;
• a middle panel 16 couplable to the front side 12 of the barrier 11 so as to be hingable about another hinge axis A_t between an opening closure position for closing the opening 14 in the barrier 11 and an opening exposure position for exposing the opening 14;
• a back panel 17 couplable to a back side 13 of the barrier 11 so as to be movable along the barrier 11 between an opening closure position for closing the opening 14 in the barrier 11 and an opening exposure position for exposing the opening 14; and
• a linkage 23 between the middle panel 16 and the back panel 17 configured to put the back panel 17 from the opening exposure position to the opening closure position when the middle panel 16 is put from the opening closure position to the opening exposure position, and to put the back panel 17 from the opening closure position to the opening exposure position when the middle panel 16 is put from the opening exposure position to the opening closure position.

[0025] It may particularly be so that the linkage 23 between the middle panel 16 and the back panel 17 is configured to lift the back panel 17 when the middle panel 16 is put from the opening closure position to the opening exposure position, and to lower the back panel 17 when the middle panel 16 is put from the opening exposure position to the opening closure position. Another aspect of the linkage 23 between the middle panel 16 and the back panel 17 is that the linkage 23 comprises several gear wheels 24, 25, 26, 27 to control a speed of movement of the back panel 17.

[0026] Advantageously, the front panel 15 is configured to cover the middle panel 16 when both the front panel 15 and the middle panel 16 are in the opening closure position.

[0027] In order to have closed sides of the aperture 33 that is formed when the front panel 15 is put to the opening exposure position, it is practical if the anti-theft package receiving device 10 further comprises two foldable intermediate pieces configured to couple sides of the front panel 15 to the barrier 11, wherein optionally each of the two foldable intermediate pieces comprises two triangular components 18 hingably coupled to each other.

[0028] The invention also relates to an assembly, comprising a barrier 11 having an opening 14, and an anti-theft package receiving device 10 arranged on the barrier 11, wherein:

• the anti-theft package receiving device 10 comprises a front panel 15, a middle panel 16, a back panel 17, and a linkage 23 between the middle panel 16 and the back panel 17;
• the front panel 15 is coupled to a front side 12 of the barrier 11 so as to be hingable about a hinge axis A_b between an opening closure position for closing the opening 14 in the barrier 11 and an opening exposure position for enabling exposure of the opening 14 and forming an aperture 33 for receiving a package 32;
• the middle panel 16 is coupled to the front side 12 of the barrier 11 so as to be hingable about another hinge axis A_t between an opening closure position for closing the opening 14 in the barrier 11 and an opening exposure position for exposing the opening 14;
• the back panel 17 is coupled to a back side 13 of the barrier 11 so as to be movable along the barrier 11 between an opening closure position for closing the opening 14 in the barrier 11 and an opening exposure position for exposing the opening 14; and
• the linkage 23 between the middle panel 16 and the back panel 17 is configured to put the back panel 17 from the opening exposure position to the opening closure position when the middle panel 16 is put from the opening closure position to the opening exposure position, and to put the back panel 17 from the opening closure position to the opening exposure position when the middle panel 16 is put from the opening exposure position to the opening closure position.

[0029] The aspects mentioned in the foregoing in respect of the anti-theft package receiving device 10 are equally applicable to the assembly, as follows:

• the linkage 23 between the middle panel 16 and the back panel 17 is configured to lift the back panel 17 when the middle panel 16 is put from the opening closure position to the opening exposure position, and to lower the back panel 17 when the middle panel 16 is put from the opening exposure position to the opening closure position;
• the linkage 23 between the middle panel 16 and the back panel 17 comprises several gearwheels 24, 25, 26, 27 to control a speed of movement of the back panel 17;
• the front panel 15 is arranged to cover the middle panel 16 when both the front panel 15 and the middle panel 16 are in the opening closure position; and
• the anti-theft package receiving device 10 further comprises two foldable intermediate pieces arranged to couple sides of the front panel 15 to the barrier 11, wherein optionally each of the two foldable intermediate pieces comprises two triangular components 18 hingably coupled to each other.

[0030] A further practical aspect that is applicable to the assembly is that the assembly comprises a mechanism 19, 20 configured to enable limited displacement of the hinge axis A_b about which the front panel 15 is hingeable relative to the barrier 11. In that way, the front panel 15 can be optimally positioned in both the opening closure position and the opening exposure position, wherein sufficient space can be present between the front panel 15 and the barrier 11 for storing the optional foldable intermediate pieces between them when the front panel is in the opening closure position.

[0031] Practical examples of the carrier 11 include a door and a wall.

[0032] Notable aspects of the invention are summarized as follows. In the field of prevention of theft of packages, an anti-theft package receiving device 10 for arrangement on a barrier 11 having an opening 14 is provided. The anti-theft package receiving device 10 comprises a front panel 15, a middle panel 16, a back panel 17 and a linkage 23 between the middle panel 16 and the back panel 17. Each of the panels 15, 16, 17 is movable between an opening closure position for closing the opening 14 in the barrier 11 and an opening exposure position for at least enabling exposure of the opening 14. The linkage 23 between the middle panel 16 and the back panel 17 is of such a nature that the back panel 17 is put from the opening exposure position to the opening closure position when the middle panel 16 is put from the opening closure position to the opening exposure position, and that the back panel 17 is put from the opening closure position to the opening exposure position when the middle panel 16 is put from the opening exposure position to the opening closure position. In this way, the anti-theft package receiving device 10 is configured such that an advantageous effect of hindering access from a front side 12 of the barrier 11 to a back side 13 of the barrier 11 in all possible conditions of the device 10 and still enabling passage of a package 32 from the front side 12 to the back side 13 is obtained.

Claims

1. An anti-theft package receiving device (10) for arrangement on a barrier (11) having an opening (14), comprising:

- a front panel (15) couplable to a front side (12) of the barrier (11) so as to be hingable about a hinge axis (A_b) between an opening closure position for closing the opening (14) in the barrier (11) and an opening exposure position for enabling exposure of the opening (14) and forming an aperture (33) for receiving a package (32);

- a middle panel (16) couplable to the front side (12) of the barrier (11) so as to be hingable about another hinge axis (At) between an opening closure position for closing the opening (14) in the barrier (11) and an opening exposure position for exposing the opening (14);

- a back panel (17) couplable to a back side (13) of the barrier (11) so as to be movable along the barrier (11) between an opening closure position for closing the opening (14) in the barrier (11) and an opening exposure position for exposing the opening (14); and

- a linkage (23) between the middle panel (16) and the back panel (17) configured to put the back panel (17) from the opening exposure position to the opening closure position when the middle panel (16) is put from the opening closure position to the opening exposure position, and to put the back panel (17) from the opening closure position to the opening exposure position when the middle panel (16) is put from the opening exposure position to the opening closure position.

2. The anti-theft package receiving device (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the linkage (23) between the middle panel (16) and the back panel (17) is configured to lift the back panel (17) when the middle panel (16) is put from the opening closure position to the opening exposure position, and to lower the back panel (17) when the middle panel (16) is put from the opening exposure position to the opening closure position.

3. The anti-theft package receiving device (10) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the linkage (23) between the middle panel (16) and the back panel (17) comprises several gear wheels (24, 25, 26, 27) to control a speed of movement of the back panel (17).

4. The anti-theft package receiving device (10) as claimed in any of claims 1-3, wherein the front panel (15) is configured to cover the middle panel (16) when both the front panel (15) and the middle panel (16) are in the opening closure position.

5. The anti-theft package receiving device (10) as claimed in any of claims 1-4, further comprising two foldable intermediate pieces configured to couple sides of the front panel (15) to the barrier (11).

6. The anti-theft package receiving device (10) as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the two foldable intermediate pieces comprises two triangular components (18) hingably coupled to each other.

7. An assembly, comprising a barrier (11) having an opening (14), and an anti-theft package receiving device (10) arranged on the barrier (11), wherein:

- the anti-theft package receiving device (10) comprises a front panel (15), a middle panel (16), a back panel (17), and a linkage (23) between the middle panel (16) and the back panel (17);

- the front panel (15) is coupled to a front side (12) of the barrier (11) so as to be hingable about a hinge axis (A_b) between an opening closure position for closing the opening (14) in the barrier (11) and an opening exposure position for enabling exposure of the opening (14) and forming an aperture (33) for receiving a package (32);

- the middle panel (16) is coupled to the front side (12) of the barrier (11) so as to be hingable about another hinge axis (At) between an opening closure position for closing the opening (14) in the barrier (11) and an opening exposure position for exposing the opening (14);

- the back panel (17) is coupled to a back side (13) of the barrier (11) so as to be movable along the barrier (11) between an opening closure position for closing the opening (14) in the barrier (11) and an opening exposure position for exposing the opening (14); and

- the linkage (23) between the middle panel (16) and the back panel (17) is configured to put the back panel (17) from the opening exposure position to the opening closure position when the middle panel (16) is put from the opening closure position to the opening exposure position, and to put the back panel (17) from the opening closure position to the opening exposure position when the middle panel (16) is put from the opening exposure position to the opening closure position.

8. The assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the linkage (23) between the middle panel (16) and the back panel (17) is configured to lift the back panel (17) when the middle panel (16) is put from the opening closure position to the opening exposure position, and to lower the back panel (17) when the middle panel (16) is put from the opening exposure position to the opening closure position.

9. The assembly as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the linkage (23) between the middle panel (16) and the back panel (17) comprises several gear wheels (24, 25, 26, 27) to control a speed of movement of the back panel (17).

10. The assembly as claimed in any of claims 7-9, wherein the front panel (15) is arranged to cover the middle panel (16) when both the front panel (15) and the middle panel (16) are in the opening closure position.

11. The assembly as claimed in any of claims 7-10, wherein the anti-theft package receiving device (10) further comprises two foldable intermediate pieces arranged to couple sides of the front panel (15) to the barrier (11).

12. The assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of the two foldable intermediate pieces comprises two triangular components (18) hingably coupled to each other.

13. The assembly as claimed in any of claims 7-12, comprising a mechanism (19, 20) configured to enable limited displacement of the hinge axis (A_b) about which the front panel (15) is hingeable relative to the barrier (11).

14. The assembly as claimed in any of claims 7-13, wherein the barrier (11) is one of a door and a wall.

Drawing