BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a container for receiving deliveries. More specifically, the present invention relates to a container with a pair of doors providing access to the inside of the container, wherein one of the doors includes a lock that locks the door on closing, if an object is disposed within the container.

Various containers for receiving deliveries exist. For instance:

WO2017/197304 “Refrigerator compartment apparatus”, US2006/179724 “Delivery storage apparatus and system and method for the same”, US4,741 ,275 “Device for controlling accesses of the security chamber, US6,079,216 “Refrigerator for securely accepting deliveries and US9, 211,025 “Postal cube” generally describe containers for securely receiving deliveries and restricting access to delivered objects within the containers. A drawback of these arrangements is that they do not: sense the presence of an object within the container, and automatically lock the container door when an object is disposed within the container.

US2019/231106 “Delivery compartment” describes: sensing an object within the delivery compartment of a container, and consequently locking the compartment access door. However, this patent does not describe a mechanism to effect such sensing and locking.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a container for receiving deliveries, which container includes a mechanical mechanism for locking a container door in a closed condition when an object has been disposed within the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a container for receiving deliveries, which container includes: a housing that defines: a chamber; an inlet to the chamber; and an outlet to the chamber; a first door hingedly connected to the housing, to regulate access to the housing chamber via the inlet; a floor panel within the chamber and hingedly connected to the housing so as to be angularly displaceable relative to the housing between: a first condition towards which the floor panel is biased; and a second condition; and a lock for locking the first door in a closed condition, wherein the door inhibits access to the housing chamber via the inlet, which lock includes: a first component that is disposed on the first door; and a second component that is associated with the floor panel such that the second component moves in sympathy with the floor panel, wherein: the second component of the lock engages the first component of the lock to retain the first door in the closed condition when the floor panel is in the second condition; and the second component of the lock disengages the first component of the lock to permit movement of the first door from the closed condition towards an open condition wherein the first door permits access to the housing chamber via the inlet, when the floor panel is in the first condition, such that, in use, when: an object is disposed within the housing chamber, on the floor panel, the weight of the object causes the floor panel to angularly displace relative to the housing from the first to the second condition, thereby causing the second component of the lock to engage with the first component of the lock and lock the first door in the closed condition, when the first door is moved to the closed condition; and an object supported on the floor panel is removed from within the housing via the outlet, the floor panel biases from the second condition to the first condition, thereby causing the second component of the lock to disengage from the first component of the lock and unlock the first door to permit the first door to move towards the open condition.

Typically, the container further includes a second door hingedly connected to the housing, to regulate access to the housing chamber via the outlet.

Generally, the container further includes a transmitter for sending a signal to a remote device in response to: (i) an object being disposed within the housing chamber; (ii) the floor panel being rocked from the first condition to the second condition; or (iii) the second component of the lock engaging the first component of the lock.

Preferably, the floor panel is biased towards the first condition by arranging the hinged connection between the floor panel and the housing such that the axis of rotation of the floor panel is eccentric from the centre of gravity of the floor panel.

Alternatively, the floor panel is biased towards the first condition by biasing means.

The biasing means may include: a magnet on the floor panel or the housing; or a spring.

Optionally, the container may further include a catch comprising: a first catch component that is disposed on the first door; and a second catch component that is associated with the floor panel such that the second component moves in sympathy with the floor panel, wherein: the second catch component engages the first catch component to retain the floor panel in the second condition when: the floor panel is in the second condition; and the second door is in the closed condition; and movement of the door from the closed condition to the open condition causes the second catch component to disengage from the first catch component, thereby to permit movement of the floor panel from the second condition to the first condition.

Optionally, the second component of the lock is a portion of the door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a first perspective exploded view of a container for receiving deliveries according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the container in Figure 1 , with a first door in an open position, ready to receive an object;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the container in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the container in Figure 1 , with a first door in an open position, and an object disposed within the container;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the container in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the container in Figure 4, with the first door in a closed condition; and

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional side view of the container in Figure 4, with a second door in an open condition and the object removed from within the container. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to Figures 1 to 7, a container 10 for receiving deliveries (e.g. objects 12) includes a housing 14, a first door 16, a second door 18 and a floor panel 20.

The housing 10 is generally cuboid, defining opposed: front and rear faces; side faces; and top and bottom faces. The housing is hollow, defining: a chamber 22; an inlet 24 aperture to the chamber 22 defined by the front face of the housing; and an outlet 26 aperture to the chamber 22 defined by the rear face.

The first door 16 is hingedly secured to the housing 14 and regulates access to the housing 14 chamber 22 via the inlet 24. The first door 16 is movable between: (i) an open condition, in which the first door 16 does not cover the housing 14 chamber 22 inlet 24, permitting access to the housing 14 chamber 22 via the inlet 24; and (ii) a closed condition, in which the first door 16 substantially covers the housing 14 chamber 22 inlet 24, inhibiting access to the housing 14 chamber 22 via the inlet 24.

The second door 18 is similarly hingedly secured to the housing 14 and regulates access to the housing 14 chamber 22 via the outlet 26. The second door 18 is movable between: (i) an open condition, in which the second door 18 does not cover the housing 14 chamber 22 outlet 26, permitting access to the housing 14 chamber 22 via the outlet 26; and (ii) a closed condition, in which the second door 18 substantially covers the housing 14 chamber 22 outlet 26, inhibiting access to the housing 14 chamber 22 via the outlet 26.

The floor panel 20 is: (i) planar); (ii) disposed within the housing 14 chamber 22; (iii) hingedly connected to the housing 14; and (iv) angularly movable (i.e. tiltable) relative to the housing 14 between a first condition and a second condition. In other words, the floor panel 20 is able to rock between the first and second conditions, within the housing 14 chamber 22. Typically, the first condition presents a negative gradient from the first door 16 (i.e. an acute angle between the floor panel 20 and the first door 16), whereas the second condition presents a positive gradient towards the first door 16 (i.e. an obtuse angle between the floor panel 20 and the first door 16).

According to the preferred embodiment, the axis of rotation A-A of the floor panel 20 is eccentric from the centre of gravity of the floor panel 20, thereby biasing the floor panel 20 towards the first condition. Preferably, a weight 27 is attached to the floor panel 20 between the axis of rotation A-A of the floor panel 20 and the first door 16, to induce biasing of the floor panel 20 towards the first condition. The weight 27 ensures that the centre of gravity of the floor panel 20 is between the axis of rotation A-A of the floor panel 20 and the first door 16, despite the planar surface area presented by the floor panel 20 between the axis of rotation A-A of the floor panel 20 and the second door 18 being greater than the planar surface area presented by the floor panel 20 between the axis of rotation A-A of the floor panel 20 and the first door 16.

Although, the floor panel 20 is described as biased towards the first condition by the influence of gravity, such biasing may alternatively be exerted via a biasing means, e.g. a magnet on either the housing or the floor panel 20 (or both), or a spring.

A lock 28 retains the first door 16 in the closed condition. The lock 28 comprises: a first component 28a that is disposed on the first door 16; and a second component 28b that is associated with the floor panel 20, such that the second component 28b moves in sympathy with the floor panel 20.

When the floor panel 20 is in the second condition, the second component 28b of the lock engages the first component 28a of the lock to retain the first door 16 in the closed condition. And, when the floor panel 20 is in the first condition, the second component 28b of the lock disengages from the first component 28a of the lock to permit movement of the first door 16 from the closed condition towards the open condition.

The surface portion 30 of the second component 28b of the lock that engages the first component 28a of the lock as the first door 16 is moved to the closed condition is chamfered to enable the first component 28a of the lock to: ride and displace the second component 28b of the lock as the first door 16 is closed; and enable the first component 28a of the lock to pass the second component 28b of the lock. Once passed, the second component 28b of the lock reverses such displacement and engages the first component 28a of the lock to lock the first door 16 in the closed condition. Since the surface portion of the second component 28b of the lock that engages the first component 28a of the lock when the first door 16 is in the closed condition is not chamfered, the first component 28a of the lock cannot ride and displace the second component 28b of the lock, even if the first door 16 is forced from the closed condition towards the open condition. It will be appreciated that, although the chamfered portion has been described as being presented by the second component 28b of the lock, a chamfered or sloped surface could alternatively be presented by the first component 28a of the lock. Further alternatively, the second component 28b of the lock could ride and displace the first component 28a of the lock as the first door 16 is moved towards the closed condition.

Preferably, the container 10 is built into an external wall of a building or a boundary wall of a property, with the first door 16 being accessible to persons on the outside of the building / boundary wall; and the second door 18 being accessible only to persons within the building / boundary wall.

Optionally, a second lock (not shown) may be associated with the second door 18 to retain the second door 18 in the closed condition. The container 10 may also include a transmitter (not shown) for sending a signal to a remote device in response to: (i) an object 12 being disposed within the housing 14 chamber 22; (ii) the floor panel 20 being rocked from the first condition to the second condition; or (iii) the second component 28b of the lock engaging the first component 28a of the lock. Further optionally, the transmitter could transmit a code to the remote device, which code the recipient uses to unlock the second lock associated with the second door 18, and gain access to the object 12 within the housing 14 chamber 20.

Further optionally, the container 10 may include a UV light or a sanitising agent dispenser within the housing 14 chamber 22, which is triggered by closure of the first door 16 to sanitise objects 12 disposed on the floor panel 20.

Even further optionally, the container 10 could include a catch (not shown) that prevents the floor panel 20 from moving from the second condition to the first condition when the second door 18 is in a closed condition. The catch could comprise: a first catch component on the floor panel 20; and a second catch component on the second door 18, which first and second components engage each other only when the floor panel 20 is in the second condition and the second door 18 is closed, mechanically to prevent the floor panel 20 from moving from the second condition to the first condition. When the first catch component is engaged with the second catch component, opening of the second door 18 towards the open condition causes the first catch component to disengage from the second catch component, permitting the floor panel 20 to move from the second condition to the first condition upon removal of an object 12 from within the housing 14 chamber 22.

In use: • The container 10 starts off empty, i.e.: without any objects 12 within the housing 14 chamber 22; with the floor panel 20 in the first condition; with the first door 16 in the closed condition; and with the second component 28b of the lock not engaging the first component 28a of the lock.

• Turning to Figures 2 and 3, a person delivering an object 12 to the container 10 moves the first door 16 from the closed condition to the open condition; and deposits the object 12 within the housing 14 chamber 22 via the inlet 24, placing the object 12 on the floor panel 20 between the axis of rotation A-A of the floor panel 20 and the second door 18.

• Turning to Figures 4 and 5, since the object 12 is placed on the floor panel 20 on a side of the axis of rotation A-A of the floor panel 20 different to the side on which the floor panel is weighted (i.e. between the axis of rotation A-A of the floor panel 20 and the second door 18), the weight of the object overcomes the bias induced by the weight 27 and induces the floor panel 20 to rock from the first condition to the second condition.

• Turning to Figure 6, rocking of the floor panel 20 from the first condition to the second condition causes the second component 28b of the lock to move into an engaging position, wherein the second component 28b of the lock engages the first component 28a of the lock when the first door 16 is moved to the closed condition. Accordingly, when the person delivering the object 12 moves the first door 16 from the open condition to the closed condition, engagement of the first and second components 28a and 28b of the lock retain the first door 16 in the closed condition. With the first door 16 locked, the object 12 cannot be removed by unauthorised persons via the housing 14 chamber 22 inlet 24.

• Turning to Figure 7, a person receiving the delivered object 12 opens the second door 18 and removes the object 12 from within the housing 14 chamber 22 via the outlet 26. Removal of the object 12 from the floor panel 20 causes the floor panel to rock under the influence of gravity from the second condition to the first condition, which, in turn causes the second component 28b of the lock to disengage from the first component 28a of the lock, permitting the first door 16 to move from the closed condition to the open condition and receive another delivered object 12.

Although the first component 28a of the lock has been described as being disposed on the first door 16, it will be appreciated that the first component 28a of the lock could comprise a portion of the first door 16. For instance, in an alternative embodiment (not shown) where the first door is hinged to the housing along its operative top edge and opens inwards into the chamber: the first component 28a of the lock could comprise the edge of the first door 16 distal the hinged connection between the first door 16 and the housing 14, and the second component 28b of the lock could comprise a formation on (or part of) the floor panel 20 that: captures the first component 28a of the lock therein; or prevents movement of the first component of the lock therebeyond. In this embodiment, it will be appreciated that, when an object is placed on the floor panel and the first door is in the closed condition with the floor panel in the second condition, the edge of the floor panel proximate the first door is raised operatively above the edge of the first door distal the hinged connection between the first door and the housing, abutting the first door and preventing the first door from hingedly swinging into the chamber towards the open condition.

It will also be appreciated that operation of the container 10 lock 28 is purely mechanical, not requiring any electrical supply to: sense the presence of an object 12 within the container 14 chamber 22; and consequently lock the first door 16 in the closed condition.