A solution for Amazon deliveries

[Mike Amos]

Delivery drivers here try the same thing but at least hamazon can kick them. When I only find out about delivery after the (Fellon) fact and there is nothing there, hamazon have replaced it. Quickly.

[ntxdave]

@mike lucey said:

@ntxdave said:

Thanks Mike. I think the video is good. Would be neat if it also included an animation a a package being inserted and the back side expanding to hold the package.

I missed the video link and the support arm on the back of the door in the original post. I also missed the. Sorry for missing them. Would have prevented the dumb questions. Guess that is one of the problems as we age.

I took your advise dave and knocked out a short video showing an animation of the DoorShute in operation. Its on my YouTube Channel here,

Doorshute in Operation.mov
Youtube Video

Thanks Mike.

[Mike Lucey]

Charles, Mike ... Yep deliveries can be messy at the best of times if there is no body home and no parcel securing system. The solution I propose could go a long way in making things more simple. Maybe all entry doors should have an integrated parcel delivery system. Over most entry doors have a built-in letter box so it might be argued the ParcelShute is a logical progression

[Mike Amos]

The biggest issues I can see sit around security and thermal efficiency. People are going to be more and mode conscious of the cost of running a home and both of those are affected by interruption of the front door. Lookintg at another demographic, those living in buildings above a certain height, fire doors on the front access are now a legal requirement and you cannot make openings in those.

Having said that, yopu break even point will be lower and a freestannding anchored version for back gardens might make for a different market again. We have one of the fire doors on each of our flats here despite being two level buildings, slam doors which are a pain in the Arthur Harris.

I hope you make good sales, there will be good demand for similar products for a long time to come.

[Mike Lucey]

@mike amos said:

The biggest issues I can see sit around security and thermal efficiency. People are going to be more and mode conscious of the cost of running a home and both of those are affected by interruption of the front door. Looking at another demographic, those living in buildings above a certain height, fire doors on the front access are now a legal requirement and you cannot make openings in those.

Having said that, you break even point will be lower and a freestanding anchored version for back gardens might make for a different market again. We have one of the fire doors on each of our flats here despite being two level buildings, slam doors which are a pain in the Arthur Harris.

I hope you make good sales, there will be good demand for similar products for a long time to come.

Thanks Mike,

You raise some very good points that I had not considered, particularly in relation to Fire Doors. However, most internal fire doors are timber construction. I imagine it would be possible to design around any problems with the input of a Fire Safety Engineer. A friend of mine specialises in this area, I will bounce the question and see what he suggests.

The DoorShute is an all stainless steel construction and that in itself, I imagine, would go a long way in fire proofing. It would also be possible to insert brushes at the joints / sliding surfaces as is the case for ordinary fire doors at the closing points, door / jamb / frame.

In the case of apartments I imagine there would be space available on the ground floor for parcel storage. I also imagine new builds would plan for this space as demand would be there.

The unit I have designed is primarily aimed at average house, town houses etc.

[Box]

An issue you may have missed is the restriction of access when a parcel has been delivered. If, as you have shown earlier, the door cannot open with a parcel in the chute because it will hit the wall, you will run into problems. You can't stop to open the chute and retrieve the package while trying to escape the fire/flood etc. It could even be an issue with entering the building in an emergency, whether it be fire/rescue services needing to gain access or even an unaccompanied person feeling threatened and needing to get inside their door quickly.
Perhaps a version that fits in a window opening like those awful aircon units for restricted access situations, or even a wall mount that sits flush next to the door and pulls out to create a box.

[Mike Lucey]

@box said:

An issue you may have missed is the restriction of access when a parcel has been delivered. If, as you have shown earlier, the door cannot open with a parcel in the chute because it will hit the wall, you will run into problems. You can't stop to open the chute and retrieve the package while trying to escape the fire/flood etc. It could even be an issue with entering the building in an emergency, whether it be fire/rescue services needing to gain access or even an unaccompanied person feeling threatened and needing to get inside their door quickly.
Perhaps a version that fits in a window opening like those awful aircon units for restricted access situations, or even a wall mount that sits flush next to the door and pulls out to create a box.

Hi Box, You are perfectly right about the possible situations you raise. An option for part of the window is well worth thinking about.

[Mike Lucey]

Thank Box for raising the issue of fire escape with regard to the DoorShute. I have been working on the issue and think that I may have come up with solution.

I have revised the outer door design slightly, particularly the bottom swing pin holder which is on the DoorShute frame. I have now set this up so that the pin can be dislodged and move forward when pressed sufficiently hard enough.

So, if a fire fighter knocks the door open by breaking the lock and pushes it back so that it hits a wall the DoorShute will collapse, pushing the the contents of the box (if any) towards the front door of the box and the front door in turn will 'pop out' of its holding which is situated at the bottom of the DoorShute frame. The top combination lock stay has also been modified to allow the front door to swing out from the top. With this set up any parcel can quickly removed allowing easy access to the property.

A person escaping from the inside would be able to simply lift the inner door (which is not locked in) and remove the contents of the box in seconds so I think there would be no issue here.

I have managed to get the design registered with the UK Patent Office so its fingers crossed that things will run smoothly. If / when I receive a patent I have no idea what I will do with it but am hopeful that some door company will show interest.

[Box]

@mike lucey said:

A person escaping from the inside would be able to simply lift the inner door (which is not locked in) and remove the contents of the box in seconds so I think there would be no issue here.

I doubt this would get by most safety inspectors. Anything that can hamper access is frowned upon.
Suggesting that someone crawling on the floor gasping for air can simply open the box and remove the package would not be an acceptable solution in most cases.

[gullfo]

i'd probably done something a bit different - the opening is into the garage or other non-direct home access point - then a fixed size box which once the opening door is shut, a conveyor moves the package out and into the non-home room. video monitor warnings. etc. to try and prevent mischief. as a small edit - re-purpose some robotic vacuum/sweepers to perform the conveyance...

[Mike Lucey]

@box said:

@mike lucey said:

A person escaping from the inside would be able to simply lift the inner door (which is not locked in) and remove the contents of the box in seconds so I think there would be no issue here.

I doubt this would get by most safety inspectors. Anything that can hamper access is frowned upon.
Suggesting that someone crawling on the floor gasping for air can simply open the box and remove the package would not be an acceptable solution in most cases.

Box, I had to laugh at your comment (in good nature of course), "someone crawling on the floor gasping for air can simply open the box" ..... I hope I don't meet a Fire Safety Office as strict as you

Now, to continue the debate! I imagine that the poor sod crawling on the floor grasping for breath would also have little chance of even managing to pull himself up to actually open the Main Door in order to escape? As the lock opener is normally located 1.2M (on average) above ground he could easily do the business with the parcel removal on his elevation to the main door lock!

Maybe there might be a case for some kind of a safety escape button on the bottom of the main door or nearby that would automatically open the main door! Now there's a thought!

[Box]

Given almost a week to think and consider your product in relation to a single door environment.
And having consulted with quite a few of the security and safety authorities that I have worked with over the last 30 years, not to mention the average man and wife with a kid or two and a simple unbiased explanation of your expanding box(brilliant) and how you can easily open the box and remove the blockage...
none of them, not one, thought I was joking about the difficulty of getting out of a room when gasping for breath.
not one, none of them, thought it was a simple matter to open and remove the package while attempting to escape a burning building.
Your comment about the height of the doorhandle just left me speechless.

I have personally experienced this and have trained many people how to help people survive this sort of horror. Have you ever tried a fire evacuation simulation.
I seriously hope you have to convince a 'Fire Safety Office as strict as you' or you may find yourself living with the consequences.

[Mike Lucey]

@box said:

Given almost a week to think and consider your product in relation to a single door environment.
And having consulted with quite a few of the security and safety authorities that I have worked with over the last 30 years, not to mention the average man and wife with a kid or two and a simple unbiased explanation of your expanding box(brilliant) and how you can easily open the box and remove the blockage...
none of them, not one, thought I was joking about the difficulty of getting out of a room when gasping for breath.
not one, none of them, thought it was a simple matter to open and remove the package while attempting to escape a burning building.
Your comment about the height of the doorhandle just left me speechless.

I have personally experienced this and have trained many people how to help people survive this sort of horror. Have you ever tried a fire evacuation simulation.
I seriously hope you have to convince a 'Fire Safety Office as strict as you' or you may find yourself living with the consequences.

Hi Box,

Thanks for the reply and your thoughts. BTW, I am not trying to be flippant even if it sounds this way.

The point you raise in the case of a single door environment must be taken very seriously and I do take it so.

The ParcelShute should not be full while the property is occupied. If a parcel has been delivered while to occupant is out, they remove it on their return before entering the property. If the occupant is on the property when the parcel is being delivered the courier hand delivers it to them in the normal fashion and the ParcelShute is not used.

I appreciate your comments as they have been / are great food for thought. Through your observations / comments I have included the emergency release for the ParcelShute front door which I feel makes for an safety improvement. I am sure there would be other improvements to the ParcelShute as its developed.

I suppose the bottom line is that if a ParcelShute could in any way hinder property evacuation it should not be installed.

[Mike Lucey]

@gullfo said:

i'd probably done something a bit different - the opening is into the garage or other non-direct home access point - then a fixed size box which once the opening door is shut, a conveyor moves the package out and into the non-home room. video monitor warnings. etc. to try and prevent mischief. as a small edit - re-purpose some robotic vacuum/sweepers to perform the conveyance...

Thanks Gullfo for thee comment / suggestions. I take your point as regards installing the ParcelShute in a garage door of other position in the property walls.

My initial thinking was that it would be easier for the property owner to just upgrade toe front door and have a new front doo with a ParcelShute installed. However, I will give the options you mention some thought.