Mail notification device

Abstract

The present invention discloses a novel device for notifying mailbox owners when their mailbox's door has been opened. The device includes a shaft slidably received in a housing which may be mounted to the mailbox. The shaft is based on a triggered position by a biasing means. The device is set by pressing the shaft against the biasing means and retaining the shaft in this position with a latch which may be mounted to the mailbox door and is operatively engaged with the shaft to overcome the force of the biasing means. When the mailbox door is opened, the latch retreats from the shaft allowing the biasing means to elevate the shaft so that the user can see it. In this way the user is notified of mail delivery or pickup.

1 . A device for detecting an opened mailbox door, comprising: 
 a housing having first and second housing ends, the housing being positionably attached to the body of an associated mailbox;    the housing having an opening that extends there through from the first housing end to the second housing end;    a shaft slidably received within the opening of the housing, the shaft having first and second shaft ends    a first stop member located along the shaft, the first stop member adapted to prevent the first shaft end from falling past the second housing end;    a biasing means positioned along the shaft for biasing the shaft in a first position within the opening of the housing; and,    a latch having a first latch end and a second latch end, the first latch end being positionably attached to the door of the associated mailbox, and the second latch end being releasably, operatively communicated with the shaft to retain the shaft in a second position when the device is set with the shaft in the second position.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the first stop member is located at the first shaft end and is adapted to prevent the first shaft end from falling past the first housing end; and 
 wherein the biasing means is spring.    
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the spring is located about the shaft between the first stop member and the first housing end; and 
 wherein the diameter of the spring is larger than the diameter of the opening in the housing at at least one point along the opening.    
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein in the first position the first shaft end is elevated above the associated mailbox and wherein in the second position, the first shaft end is lower than in the first position.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 4  wherein one or more of the first stop member and the shaft is a color selected from the group consisting of yellow, pink, orange, red, and green.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 4  wherein the shaft is adapted to releasably receive the second latch end when the device is set with shaft in the second position.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the shaft includes a notch adapted to releasably receive the second latch end when the device is set with shaft in the second position.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 a second stop member located at the second shaft end, the second stop member adapted to releasably communicate with the second latch end when the device is set with the shaft in the second position.    
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 a magnetically attractive catch located adjacent the second latch end, the magnetically attractive catch adapted to releasably communicate with the shaft when the device is set with the shaft in the second position.    
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the first stop member includes a light.  
   
   
       11 . A device for detecting an opened mailbox door, comprising: 
 a flag, the flag comprising; 
 a flag shaft having first and second ends, and  
 a signal located at the first flag shaft end;  
   the second flag shaft end being rotatably attached to the body of an associated mailbox; and    a cable having first and second ends, wherein the first end of the cable is attached to a door of the associated mailbox and the second end of the cable is attached to the flag shaft at a point between the first and second flag shaft ends and wherein the cable has a length that is sufficient to cause the flag to be pulled from a first position to a second position when the door of the associated mailbox is opened.    
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11  wherein the second position is a substantially vertical position.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 12  wherein the signal is a color selected from the group consisting of yellow, pink, orange, red, and green.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 12  wherein the signal is a light.  
   
   
       15 . A method for detecting an opened mailbox door comprising the steps of: 
 providing a housing having first and second housing ends and an opening that extends there through from the first housing end to the second housing end,    affixing the housing to the body of an associated mailbox;    providing a shaft slidably received within the opening in the housing, the shaft having first and second shaft ends;    providing a first stop member located along the shaft, the first stop member adapted to prevent the first shaft end from falling past the second housing end;    providing a biasing means positioned along the shaft for biasing the shaft in a first, position, which is an elevated position;    providing a latch having a first latch end and a second latch end,    affixing the first latch end to the door of the associated mailbox,    placing the shaft in a second position, which is opposed to the bias imposed by the biasing means;    positioning the second latch end to be releasably, operatively communicated with the shaft to retain the shaft in the second position; and    releasing the second latch end from communication with the shaft when the door of the associated mailbox is opened.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of positioning the second latch end to be releasably, operatively communicated with the shaft to retain the shaft in the second position, involves the step of: 
 providing a notch in the shaft adapted to releasably receive the second latch end; and    positioning the second latch end within the notch.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of positioning the second latch end to be releasably, operatively communicated with the shaft to retain the shaft in the second position, involves the step of: 
 providing a magnet adjacent one of the second latch end and the second shaft end;    providing a magnetically attractive catch on the other of the second latch end and the second shaft end; and    aligning the magnet with the magnetically attractive catch.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the magnetically attractive catch is a second magnet  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of positioning the second latch end to be releasably, operatively communicated with the shaft to retain the shaft in the second position, involves the step of: 
 providing a second stop member located at the second shaft end, the second stop member adapted to releasably communicate with the second latch end.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein in the step of providing a biasing means positioned along the shaft for biasing the shaft in a first, position, the biasing means is a spring.