Modular equipment case
AssigneeEnvironmental Container Systems, Inc., d/b/a ECS Composites
InventorDennis M. Becklin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A container includes a sealing system coupled to an interior surface of the container's lid or cover. The sealing system includes a rotatable latch that, when rotated, cooperates with a number of gears to and a cam assembly formed in the lid to actuate a number of arms or links. In one embodiment, some of the arms extend approximately radially from a driven gear and operate to move an engagement member of the sealing assembly into contact with a complementary engagement member coupled to a base portion of the container. This engagement, in turn, compresses a seal or gasket located between the lid portion and the base portion of the container.
Claims20
An equipment container comprising:
- a base portion forming a containment space to receive equipment;
- a molded lid portion coupleable to the base portion, the molded lid portion having a plurality of guide channels and a cam assembly;
- and
- a sealing system located proximate an interior surface of the molded lid portion, the sealing system comprising:
- a rotatable latch coupled to a drive gear;
- a driven gear engaging the drive gear;
- a linkage assembly having first links pivotally coupled to the driven gear and second links each having first end portions pivotally coupled to the respective first links and second end portions received by the respective guide channels, the linkage assembly further having movable internal latch mechanisms coupled to the second end portions of the second links, the movable internal latch mechanisms operable to sealingly compress a seal located between the base portion and the molded lid portion with a desired amount of rotation applied to the rotatable latch.
A sealing system for a container having a lid portion and a base portion comprising:
- a rotatable latch coupled to a drive gear;
- a driven gear engaged with the drive gear;
- a linkage assembly having first links pivotally coupled to the driven gear and second links each having first end portions pivotally coupled to the respective first links and second end portions coupled to an engagement system that operates to seal the container, the engagement system having deformable tangs coupled to a lid portion of the container and configured to respectively engage brackets coupled to a base portion of the container.
A method for sealing a container, the method comprising:
- moving a latch mechanism into a rotatable position;
- rotating the latch mechanism in a first rotational direction, the latch mechanism coupled to a drive gear;
- moving a linkage assembly through rotation of the drive gear, the linkage assembly having a primary arm and a secondary arm;
- moving a deformable tang into engagement with a fixed bracket, the deformable tang coupled to a first portion of the container and the fixed bracket coupled to a second portion of the container;
- and
- compressing a seal located at an interface of the first portion the second portion of the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.