# US 10,501,247 B2 · Container and locking mechanism thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,501,247 B2 - Document ID: US10501247B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/543,811 - Filed: 2016-01-14 - Published: 2018-03-29 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2015-01-14 - Assignees: Shanghai Hongyan Returnable Transit Packagings Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Shanghai Hongyan Returnable Transit Packagings Co., Ltd - Inventors: Yuanli Jian; Kai Gong; Bangping Xie - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501247B2 ## CPC - B65D 55/02: Locking devices; Means for discouraging or indicating unauthorised opening or removal of closure - B65D 19/18: made wholly or mainly of plastics material - B65D 19/38: Details or accessories - B65D 45/16: Clips, hooks, or clamps {which are removable, or which remain connected either with the closure or with the container when the container is open}, e.g. C-shaped (U-shaped or bifurcated members B65D45/04) - B65D 45/18: of snap-over type - B65D 90/54: Gates or closures - B65D 2519/00711: removable lid or covers - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES ## Abstract A locking mechanism for locking an upper cover of a container to a side plate of the container, the container comprising a base, the upper cover and the side plate, the upper cover being provided with an edge guard; the locking mechanism comprises a lock hole formed on the exterior of at least one of the side plate and a groove formed on the upper cover; an end of the locking element is mounted in the groove; the other end of the locking element is provided with a lock; the lock passes through the edge guard and extends into the locking hole in a direction perpendicular to a direction of the side plate to securely lock the upper cover to the side plate; the driving element is mounted in the groove and used to return element is mounted in the groove and used to return the mechanism, transportation and storage cost are reduced, and labor of operators is saved. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A locking mechanism for locking an upper cover of a container to side plates of a container, which comprises a base, the upper cover and the side plates, the upper cover is provided with an edge guard, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking element, a driving element, a return element, a lock hole formed on an exterior of at least one of the side plates and a groove formed on the upper cover, wherein one end of the locking element is mounted in the groove, and the other end of the locking element is provided with a locking head, which passes through the edge guard and extends into the locking hole in a direction perpendicular to the side plates so as to securely lock the upper cover to the side plates, and the driving element is mounted in the groove and used to drive the locking element to be unlocked, and the return element is mounted in the groove and used to return the driving element after being unlocked. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the upper cover is further provided with a locking element hole, through which the locking element connects to the driving element, and one end of the return element bears against the side wall of the groove of the upper cover, and the other end cooperates with the driving element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the driving element is provided with a top pillar; the locking element is composed of a first portion and a second portion, which are integrally connected and perpendicular to each other, a top pillar receiving hole for accommodating the top pillar is provided on the first portion, and a locking head is provided on a side of the second portion facing to the side plate; and the upper cover is provided with a locking element hole, and the first portion of the locking element passes through the locking element hole and is partially located in the groove. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the upper cover has an upwardly projecting portion, and the locking mechanism is provided on the side plates and the upper cover corresponding to the projecting portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a locking head hole is provided at a position of the edge guard corresponding to the locking head hole, wherein the locking head passes through the locking hole and extends into the lock hole of the side plate when it is required to lock the upper cover to the side plates, so as to lock the upper cover to the side plates. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the driving element is provided with an anti-theft slot, and the upper cover structure is provided with an anti-theft hole, and the locking mechanism is further provided with an anti-theft element, and the anti-theft element is partially mounted in the anti-theft groove, and partially mounted in the anti-theft hole. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein one end of the driving element is rotatably connected to the bottom of the groove, and the other end of the driving element cooperates with the locking element so that rotation of the driving element will drive the locking element to be unlocked. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The locking mechanism according to claim 7, wherein one of the driving element and the groove is provided with a shaft, and the other one of the driving element and the groove is correspondingly provided with a shaft hole, when the driving element is mounted in the groove, the shaft hole cooperates with the shaft, so as to drive the driving element to be rotated around the shaft and thus to be unlocked. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The locking mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the other end of the driving element is provided with a top pillar, and the locking element is provided with a top pillar receiving hole, and when the driving element is mounted in the groove, the top pillar is accommodated in the top pillar receiving hole, so as to connect the driving element and the locking element, and the return element is a resilient piece integrally formed on the side wall of the driving element toward outside of the container. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A container comprising a base, an upper cover and side plates, the upper cover is provided with an edge guard, and an upwardly projecting protrusion is provided on the upper surface of the upper cover, wherein the locking mechanism of claim 1 is provided on the side plates and the upper cover corresponding to the projecting portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The container according to claim 10, wherein two locking mechanisms are respectively provided on opposite sides of the container.