US 2014/0190982 A1Published application

Container lid latch

AssigneeSpeed Eco Products and Systems Ltd.

InventorPaul G. Speed

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Abstract

The present invention is a latching mechanism and a container employing that latching mechanism, where the container has a lid that is attached to the rear of the container and can be rotated upward from the front. The latch includes an arm that attaches to the walls of the container with a protrusion extending above and abutting a portion of the top of the lid to latch it in place. The latch includes an arm abutment attached to the container above the arm attachment point so that when inward force is applied to the container below the arm, the arm rotates about the arm abutment causing the protrusion to no longer abut the lid, so that the lid can be opened. Such pressure may be applied by lifting arms attached to a garbage truck.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A lid latch for attachment to a container, the container having a lid and a body, the body comprising a base portion and walls defining an interior region for receiving and retaining material, the body having opposed rear and front sides and a vertical central axis, the walls having an upper edge defining an opening to the interior region, the lid being rotatably attached to the rear portion of the body so that it can be rotated from a closed position, in which the opening is sealed by the lid, to an open position to expose the opening, the lid having an upper surface, the lid latch comprising:

(a) an arm having a lower end for attachment to an outer portion of the walls at an arm attachment point that is horizontally spaced apart from the rear portion of the walls;
(b) an arm abutment made from substantially rigid material and attached to an outer portion of the walls above the arm attachment point, the arm abutment having an outer surface abutting a portion of the arm at a horizontal distance from the central axis that is greater than the horizontal distance of the arm attachment point from the central axis;
and
(c) a protrusion attached to the arm extending from the arm above the abutment and extending towards the vertical axis sufficiently far so that, when the lid is in the closed position and the body is not subjected to external forces, a portion of the protrusion is above and abuts a portion of the upper surface of the lid, preventing the lid from being moved into an open position,
wherein the walls are flexible so that they may be brought closer to the vertical axis by applying external force inward towards the vertical axis below the attachment point, thereby causing the arm attachment point to move closer to the vertical axis by more than the abutment outer surface, causing the arm to rotate about the abutment, which acts as a fulcrum, resulting in the protrusion moving further from the vertical axis so that no portion of the protrusion is above the top surface of the lid and the lid may then be opened.

2 more elements

A lid latch for attachment to a container, the container having a lid and a body, the body defining an interior region with an opening for receiving and retaining material, the body having a vertical central axis, the lid being rotatably attached to the body at a lid attachment portion of the body so that the lid can be rotated from a closed position, in which the opening is sealed by the lid, to an open position to expose the opening, the lid latch comprising:

(a) an arm having a lower end for attachment to an outer portion of the body at an arm attachment point that is horizontally spaced apart from the lid attachment portion;
(b) an arm abutment made from substantially rigid material and attached to an outer portion of the body above the arm attachment point, the arm abutment abutting a portion of the arm above the arm attachment point;
and
(c) a protrusion attached to the arm extending from the arm at a point above the abutment and extending towards the vertical axis sufficiently far so that, when the lid is in the closed position and the body is not subjected to external forces, a portion of the protrusion is above and abuts a portion of the lid, preventing the lid from being moved into an open position,
wherein the body is flexible so that by applying external force to the body inward towards the vertical axis below the attachment point, the arm attachment point moves closer to the vertical axis by more than the abutment moves, causing the arm to rotate about the abutment, which acts as a fulcrum, resulting in the protrusion moving further from the vertical axis so that no portion of the protrusion is above the lid and the lid may then be, opened.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/150,470Filed 8 Jan 2014
Priority: 9 Jan 2013
Published: 10 Jul 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

B65F 1/1615
Lids or covers: with means for locking, fastening or permanently closing thereof
B65D 45/22
Pivoted: resilient
B65D 55/12
Locking devices; Means for discouraging or indicating unauthorised opening or removal of closure: devices or means with relatively-moving parts…
B65D 43/265
Mechanisms for opening or closing, e.g. pedal-operated: consisting of levers pivoting perpendicularly to container axis, e.g. butterfly levers

Family

Application61/750,589Us provisional application · filed 9 Jan 2013
US 9,169,065 B2Related patent
US 2014/0190982 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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