Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SECURE LATCH
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
Field of the Disclosure
[00011 The disclosure generally relates to a latch for a storage container
and, more
specifically, relates to a latch which is resistant to accidental
dislodgement.
Related Tecbnology
100021 Storage containers often include a lid that is attached to the storage
container via
a hinge along one side. This traditional arrangement allows the lid to be
opened exposing
a storage space of the container. Often, latches or other securing devices are
placed on the
lid to secure the lid to the storage device when the lid is closed. By their
nature, these
securing devices are attached to the outside of the lid and storage container
so that a user
may manipulate the securing device as required. These securing devices are
exposed to the
environment and, because they are attached to the outside of the lid and
storage container,
may be easily bumped or jarred loose.
[00031 Attempts have been made to design a securing device that is not
susceptible to
being inadvertently dislodged. Often, these securing devices require extensive
manipulation by a user, in the form of multiple movements, in order to unlock.
For
example, a traditional latch may include a lever and a loop of wire attached
to the lever
disposed on the storage container. Additionally, a pedestal may be disposed on
the lid for
engagement with the wire loop. After the wire loop is engaged with the
pedestal, the lever
is used to provide tension on the loop and eventually locks the loop in an
over-center
locking arrangement. Thus, this type of latch is complicated and relatively
expensive to
manufacture. Additionally, because this type of latch projects from the
surface of the
storage container it is easily damaged and is usually the first point of
impact when the
storage container is being moved.
[0004) Other types of improved securing devices include living hinges and
locking pins.
The living hinge-type securing devices are also generally disposed on the
outer surfaces of
the storage container, and are thus often damaged by impacts. Locking pin-type
securing
devices are also disposed on the outside surfaces of the storage container and
can be
damaged by impacts. Further, the locking pins are separate pieces that must be
precisely
aligned to secure the lid to the storage container, and because they ar~e not
attached to the
storage container, such locking pins are.easily lost.
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SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0005] A secure latch is disclosed, including a lid having a panel and a
plurality of walls
extending from the edges of the panel forming a skirt, the skirt having a cut
out portion. A
latch handle is pivotably mounted to an underside of the lid proximate the cut
out portion.
The latch handle is at least partially shielded from accidental contact by the
skirt. The
latch handle is accessible through the cut out portion and the skirt partially
surrounds the
latch handle, the latch handle being recessed from a plane of the skirt.
100061 Further details of the file holder of the present disclosure may be
appreciated
with reference to the several views of the drawings, as well as the following
detailed
description of the preferred embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00071 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage container and a lid.
[000$] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the storage container and the
lid of
FIG. 1, including a secure latch.
10009] FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the lid and latch of FIG. 2.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the storage container and lid of FIG. 2
with the lid
in a closed and secured position.
100111 FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the storage container and iid of FIG. 2
in a closed
and secured position.
(0012] FIG. 6 is a side plan view of the storage container and lid of FIG. 2
in a closed,
but unsecured position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
.(0013] The lid and latch described herein minimize accidental dislodgement
when the
lid is in a closed and secured position on a storage container. Pivot points
of the latch are
attached to an inner surface of the lid, thus protecting the pivot points from
unwanted
impacts which may disengage the latch, causing the lid to open. Furthermore,
the latch is
recessed from a plane of a skirt projecting from the lid, thus protecting the
latch from side
impacts as well. This feature is especially useful for storage containers that
are frequently
transported and/or often exposed to impacts, for example storage containers
for hunting or
fishing supplies, home organization, tools and art supplies, among others.
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[00141 FIG. I illustrates a storage container 10 and a lid 12 constructed in
accordance
with the teachings of the disclosure. The container 10 is box-like in shape
having a base
panel 14, and a pair of opposed side walls 16 that extend from side edges of
the base panel
14. Further, a rear wall 18 extends from a rear edge of the base panel 12 and
a front wall
20 extends from a front edge of the base panel 12. The front wall 20, rear
wall 18, side
walls 16 and base panel 14 define a storage space 22.
[00151 The storage container 10 may include a lip 24 that extends outward from
the
exposed edges of the front, back and side walls 20, 18, 16. The lip 24
provides a contact
surface for the lid 12 along an upper edge 26 of the lip 24. The lip 24
further serves to
strengthen the exposed edges of the front, back and side walls 20, 18, 16.
Additionally, a
lower edge 28 of the lip 24 provides a latch grasping surface, which will be
discussed
further hereinafter. The front wall 20 may include an optional recessed
portion 30.
Similarly, the rear wall 18 may include an optional recessed portion 32.
100161 Additionally, the front and rear walls 20, 18 may optionally diverge
slightly
away from one another as the front and rear walls 20, 18 extend from the base
panel 14.
Likewise, the side walls 16 may optionally diverge slightly away from one
another as the
side walls 16 extend from the base panel 14. The divergence between the front
and rear
walls 20, 18, and the divergence between the side walls 16, may provide a
nesting
capability for the storage containers 10. Nesting storage containers 10 may be
particularly
useful in shipping, stocking, and display of the storage containers 10.
[0017] The lid 12 includes a lid panel 34 optionally having one or more
openings
therein. A skirt 36 extends from a perimeter of the lid panel 34. The skirt 36
may include
a first tier 38 and a second tier 40 separated by a buttress 42. The buttress
42 abuts the
upper lip edge 26 of the storage container 10 when the lid 12 is mounted on
the storage
container 10 and in a closed position. The first tier 38 includes an arch 44
along one side
that is sized and shaped to partially receive a latch, which will be further
discussed
hereinafler. The lid 12 also includes a handle 46 hingedly connected to the
lid 12. The
handle 46 in FIG. i is shown in a stored position in which the handle 46
registers with a
rear portion of the buttress 42.
100181 FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the storage container 10,
lid 12
and secure latch 48. The handle 46 generally includes three members. Two
generally "C"
shaped attachment members 50 and a tubular connecting member 52. The tubular
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connecting member 52 may be constructed of different lengths to create
different sized
handles 46 for use with different sized lids 12. The "C" shaped attachment
members 50
may be common to many different sized lids 12, thus saving manufacturing
costs.
[0019] The lid 12 includes a tray 54 and an aperture 56. The tray 54 and
aperture 56 are
secured by a dual action two panel cover 58. The cover 58 includes first and
second panels
60, 62 that are hingedly connected to a center support 64 of the lid 12. The
first and
second panels 60, 62 may be moved independently of one another. The first
pane162
covers the aperture 56, and the second panel 62 covers the tray 54.
Furthermore, both the
first and second panels 60, 62 may be opened while the lid 12 is in a closed
and secured
position, thus allowing a user to access the storage space 22 of the tray 54
while the lid 12
and storage container 10 are supported by the handle 46.
[00201 The latch 48 includes a handle portion 66 and an attachment portion 68.
The
attachment portion includes two posts 70 extending laterally therefrom for
attaching the
latch 48 to the underside of the lid 12. The handle portion 66 may terminate
in a generally
curved edge 72. The curved edge 72 engages the lower lip edge 28 when the lid
12 is in
the closed and secured position. Further, the latch 48 pivots outward, away
from the lower
lip edge 28 when the latch 28 is released, so that the lid 12 can be opened.
[00211 FIG. 3 shows an underside of the lid 12. The latch 48 is hingedly
attached to the
underside of the lid 12 at two receivers 74. The underside connection of the
latch 48 to the
lid 12 protects the connection from environmental factors, such as impacts,
that could jar
or otherwise dislodge the latch 48 as in conventional securing devices. The
latch 48 is
attached to the lid 12 in the vicinity of the arch 44. Thus, the handle
portion 66 of the latch
48 is accessible through the arch 44, while the first tier 38 of the skirt 36
overlaps the
attachment portion 68 of the latch 48. This configuration further protects the
latch 48 from
accidental dislodgement or damage due to impacts while still allowing a user
access to the
handle portion 66 of the latch 48 for manipulating the latch 48 between a
secured position
and an unsecured position.
[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates the lid 12 and latch 48 in a closed and secured
position on the
storage container 10. The attachment portion 68 of the latch 48 is shown in
phantom. The
attachment portion 68 of the latch 48 is shielded by the first tier 38 of the
skirt 36 in the
vicinity of the arch 44. Thus, the receivers 74 and the posts 70 are protected
by the skirt
36. The handle portion 66 of the latch is accessible through the arch 44,
thereby reducing
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the probability that the latch 48 will be dislodged through accidental
contact. Additionally,
the front recess 30 of the bin 10 provides additional clearance for
manipulating the latch
48. The front recess 30 is optional, and the latch 48 could be configured to
secure a bin 10
that lacks the front recess 30.
100231 FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the lid 12 and latch 48 in a closed and
secured
position on the storage container 10. The attachment portion 68 and posts 70
of the latch
48 are shown in phantom. The skirt 36 extends outward, beyond the handle
portion 66 of
the latch, to protect the latch 48 from side impacts. This side shielding
further reduces the
probability that the latch 48 will be accidentally dislodged. Furthermore, the
curved edge
72 of the latch 48 engages a lower edge 28 of the lip 24, thereby securing the
lid 12 in the
closed position.
[0024] FIG. 6 is a side plan view of the lid 12 and latch 48 in a closed and
unsecured
position on the storage container 10. Again, the attachment portion 68 and the
posts 70 are
shown in phantom. In this figure, the latch 48 is shown released and the lid
12 is in a
closed, but unsecured position. The curved edge 72 of the latch is disengaged
from the
lower bin lip 76 allowing the lid 12 to be capable of being rotated about the
opposing hinge
to an open position. The latch 48 may be pivoted about the receivers 74 and
posts 70 so
that the handle portion 66 protrudes outward, beyond the skirt 36.
100251 While the disclosed embodiments are generally manufactured from molded
plastic, the storage container can alternately be r-onstructed from virtually
any suitable
material. For example, the storage container may be constructed from
polystyrene,
polypropylene, polycarbonate, engineering grade plastic, ABS, TPE,
thermoplastics, metal,
wood, organic materials, leather, glass, andlor any combination thereof.
[00261 Although certain securable storage containers have been described
herein in
accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, the scope of the
appended claims
is not limited thereto. On the contrary, the claims cover all embodiments of
the teachings
of this disclosure that fairly fall within the scope of permissible
equivalents.
