Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02901593 2015-08-26
GRAVITY-ACTUATED LATCH MECHANISM
Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to latch mechanisms for containers.
More
specifically, the present invention relates to a gravity-actuated latch
mechanism for selectively
restricting access to a container.
Background of the Invention
Food and food-containing refuse generated by humans often attract the
attention of
animals. Animals have a keen sense of smell and can easily detect food which
has been
discarded in containers left outdoors such as refuse bins and storage lockers.
Once food has
been discovered in such areas, the animals often return to these outdoor
containers in the hope of
finding additional food.
Animals in pursuit of a readily available source of food are problematic to
human
populated areas. For example, animals sometimes enter homes, garages, or even
vehicles in
search of food where they inflict significant property damage. Furthermore,
animals entering
human inhabited areas can become injured or killed by moving vehicles,
electrical lines, and
other human accoutrements. Still further, these animals can lose their
wariness towards humans,
making them a potential threat to humans. Thus, to protect people, property,
and the animals
themselves, it is desirable to inhibit animals from accessing containers in
which refuse and food
are stored.
Various attempts have been made to prevent animals from getting into outdoor
refuse
containers and food storage lockers. For example, refuse containers are
sometimes stored inside
sturdy locked buildings, in roofed chain link enclosures, and so forth.
Unfortunately, food refuse
in an enclosure still gives off orders that attract wildlife. Thus, it is
critical that such an
enclosure be locked and that the enclosure is sufficiently sturdy to dissuade
a clever and
persistent intruder.
In addition, or alternatively, refuse containers may be outfitted with a latch
system to
prevent an animal from opening the container. Some latch systems can be
problematic, however,
because they can be difficult for a user to manipulate. Furthermore, some
latch systems typically
require the user to unlatch and subsequently re-engage the latch after use. If
the latch is not re-
1
CA 02901593 2015-08-26
engaged the container is not protected from animal access. Additionally, some
latch systems can
still be opened by animals, such as raccoons, through luck, persistence, or
cleverness, or by bears
through force or turning the refuse containers completely upside-down.
Another approach is to build the container using heavy, reinforcing components
designed to inhibit animals from physically damaging the container in order to
gain access.
These reinforcing components can make the container undesirably heavy and
unwieldy to move.
In addition, these heavy, reinforcing components can cause premature damage,
such as failure of
the container hinges after repeated use. Furthermore, such reinforced
containers may be
unnecessary in regions having only small animals, such as raccoons, squirrels,
and the like that
are unable to physically damage a conventional container.
In an effort to control costs associated with refuse collection, many
municipalities are
implementing "fully-automated collection" techniques. Fully-automated
collection involves the
use of a truck with an automated, mechanical gripping arm to lift a specially-
designed container
from the curbside, dump the container contents into the truck, and return the
container to the
curbside. Such a system typically requires only one person to operate because
the truck driver
controls the gripping arm from the cab of the truck. In contrast, traditional
collection systems
require one or two laborers and a driver to collect refuse.
Fully-automated collection relies on the cooperation of the residents to place
the
refuse containers in the proper location and position for collection. Unless
the resident places the
refuse container in the proper location at the moment that the truck
approaches, a container
without a latch system is vulnerable to animals while the container awaits
refuse collection.
Additionally, the container is vulnerable to weather conditions, such as high
winds, that can
potentially knock over the container causing the refuse to at least partially
dump out. A
container with a latch system is also problematic because when the container
is placed in the
proper location, it must be unlatched so that the contents of the container
will be successfully
emptied. Accordingly, a container with a disengaged latch system is also
vulnerable to animals
while the container awaits refuse collection. Alternatively, the refuse
vehicle operator may exit
the truck to disengage the latch system. However, such a procedure is
undesirably inconvenient
and time consuming. A container using heavy, reinforcing components may be
difficult for a
resident to place in the proper location and may not conform with the size,
shape, and weight
requirements needed to safely function with the automated, mechanical arm.
2
CA 02901593 2015-08-26
Accordingly, what is needed is a latch mechanism for restricting access to a
container
that is easy to use, mechanically robust, cost effective, and is compatible
with fully-automated
collection systems.
Brief Description of the Drawings
A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by
referring
to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the
Figures, wherein
like reference numbers refer to similar items throughout the Figures, the
Figures are not
necessarily drawn to scale, and:
FIG. 1 shows a side view of a gravity-actuated latch mechanism in accordance
with
an embodiment;
FIG. 2 shows a top view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism;
FIG. 3 shows a front view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism;
FIG. 4 shows a front perspective view of gravity-actuated latch mechanism;
FIG. 5 shows a side view of a first side of the gravity-actuated latch
mechanism at an
initially tilted position;
FIG. 6 shows a side view of a second side of the gravity-actuated latch
mechanism
tilted at a greater angle than that shown in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 shows a front view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism when it has
been
tilted;
FIG. 8 shows a perspective front view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism
in an
unlatched configuration;
FIG. 9 shows an enlarged partial view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism
shown
in FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 shows a perspective front view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism
in a
manual release configuration;
FIG. 11 shows a back perspective view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism
in
accordance with an alternative embodiment;
FIG. 12 shows a side view of a gravity-actuated latch mechanism in accordance
with
an embodiment;
FIG. 13 shows a top view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism;
3
CA 02901593 2015-08-26
FIG. 14A shows a front view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism;
FIG. 14B shows a front perspective view of the gravity-actuated latch
mechanism;
FIG. 15A shows a front view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism at a
tilted
position;
FIG. 15B shows a perspective view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism at a
tilted
position;
FIG. 16A shows a front view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism in an
inverted
position;
FIG. 16B shows a perspective view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism in
an
inverted position;
FIG. 17A shows a front view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism in normal
dump cycle;
FIG. 17B shows a perspective view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism in
normal dump cycle;
FIG. 18A shows a front view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism in a
return
position after a normal dump cycle;
FIG. 18B shows a perspective view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism in a
return position after a normal dump cycle; and
FIG. 19 shows a back perspective view of a gravity-actuated latch mechanism.
Detailed Description
Embodiments of the invention entail a gravity-actuated latch mechanism that
may be
utilized in conjunction with an enclosure, such as a container with a lid. The
latch mechanism
may be implemented with a refuse container, lock box, or any other container
that may receive
and hold items such as food, garbage, trash, recyclable items, and so forth.
More particularly,
the latch mechanism is configured to inhibit smaller animals such as raccoons,
squirrels, dogs,
and the like, from accessing the contents of the container. Furthermore, the
latch mechanism is
configured to resist unlatching in the instance that the container is tipped
over by, for example,
the wind or an animal. The latch mechanism automatically engages so that a
user need not
deliberately re-engage the latch after placing refuse in the container.
Furthermore, the latch
mechanism can be unlatched by an automated, mechanical arm of a refuse truck
so that the
4
CA 02901593 2015-08-26
contents of the container can be emptied during automated collection. Although
the gravity-
actuated latch mechanism is directed towards inhibiting access of animals to a
refuse container
used for automated collection, embodiments of the invention may be applied to
inhibiting access
of animals in general to containers. Additionally, the latch mechanism may be
implemented to
allow controlled access to a multitude of container designs, cupboards, gates,
and the like.
Referring to FIGs. 1-4, FIG. 1 shows a side view of a gravity-actuated latch
mechanism 20 in accordance with an embodiment. FIG. 2 shows a top view of
gravity-actuated
latch mechanism 20. FIG. 3 shows a front view of gravity-actuated latch
mechanism 20, and
FIG. 4 shows a front perspective view of gravity-actuated latch mechanism 20.
In FIGs. 3 and 4,
a front panel of latch mechanism 20 has been removed to better visualize the
internal
components (discussed below) of latch mechanism 20.
In an embodiment, latch mechanism 20 includes a latch body 22 and a strike 24.
In
general, latch body 22 is adapted to be secured to an inside front wall 28 of
a container 26 with a
top edge of latch body being mounted flush with the top edge of front wall 28.
Strike 24 is
adapted to be fastened to a lid 30 that closes, or covers, an opening into
container 26. For
purposes of illustration, a portion of container 26 with lid 30 is shown in
FIG. 1. A bi-directional
curved arrow 32 shows a direction of movement of lid 30 relative to front wall
28 of container
26. That is, a hinged member (not shown) interconnects lid 30 with a back wall
(not shown) of
container 26 to enable movement of lid 30 relative to container 26.
In an embodiment, an alignment post 34 extending outwardly from latch body 22
is
directed through an opening 36 extending through front wall 28. Another
fastener (not shown)
may extend through another opening (not shown) in front wall 28 and secure to,
for example, a
threaded opening (not shown) in latch body 22. Those skilled in the art will
recognize that a
variety of fasteners and fastening techniques may be implemented to secure
latch body 22 to
front wall 28 of container 26. Similarly, strike 24 may be fastened to lid 30
utilizing a variety of
fasteners and fastening techniques known to those skilled in the art.
Latch body 22 functions cooperatively with strike 24 so that lid 30 is secured
to front
wall 28 of container 26 to inhibit intrusion into container 26, as will be
discussed in greater detail
below. In addition, latch mechanism 20 can be readily actuated by a gravity
effect when the
gripping arm of an automated collection refuse pickup vehicle picks up and
tilts container 26 to
disengage strike 24 from latch body 22, as will also be discussed in greater
detail below.
CA 02901593 2015-08-26
Referring more particularly to FIGs. 3 and 4, multiple components of latch
mechanism 20 reside within a housing 38 of latch body 22, with strike 24
extending out of the
top of housing 38. The components of latch mechanism generally include a catch
40, a lever 42,
a disc member 44 housed in a cavity 45, a manual open actuator 46, and a latch
actuation ball 48
housed in an elongated passage 50 within housing 38.
Catch 40 includes a first end 52 and a second end 54. A hook 56 is located at
first
end 52 of catch 40 and is adapted to engage with strike 24. A mating surface
58 is located at
second end 54 of catch 40 and is adapted to at least partially engage with
lever 42 (discussed
below). When actuated, catch 40 is adapted to selectively pivot, or rotate,
about a pivot axis 60
to release hook 56 from engagement with strike 24. Lever 42 includes a pivot
body 64 and a
lever arm 66 extending from pivot body 64. Lever 42 is adapted to selectively
pivot, or rotate,
about another pivot axis 68. Lever arm 66 extends through a slot 70 in a wall
72 enclosing
elongated passage 50 so that a distal end 74 of lever arm 66 resides in
elongated passage 50.
FIGs. 3 and 4 show latch mechanism 20 in a latched configuration 76. More
particularly, latch actuation ball 48 resides at the bottom of elongated
passage 50 in a reservoir
portion 78 of passage 50 when latch mechanism 20 is upright due to the effect
of gravity. Distal
end 74 of lever arm 66 is oriented approximately horizontal so that a latching
surface 80
extending outwardly from pivot body 64 of lever 42 abuts, latches to, or
otherwise engages with
mating surface 58 at second end 54 of catch 40. The engagement between
latching surface 80 of
lever 42 and mating surface 58 of catch 40 largely prevents catch 40 from
pivoting about pivot
point 60 so that hook 56 remains engaged with strike 24.
Disc member 44 is implemented as an adjunct to the engagement capability
between
latching surface 80 of lever 42 and mating surface 58 of catch 40. In
particular, when latch
mechanism 20 is in latched configuration 76, disc member 44 within cavity 45
is located within a
notch 82 (visible in FIG. 7) formed in pivot body 64. The engagement of disc
member 44 with
notch 82 further prevents lever 42 from rotating or pivoting about pivot axis
68, and thereby
preventing catch 40 from pivoting about pivot point 60.
The combined locking mechanisms of latching surface 80 of lever 42 with mating
surface 58 of catch 40, and the further inclusion of disc member 44 engaged
with pivot body of
lever 42 via notch 82 enables the locked retention of lid 30 to container 26.
Furthermore, should
container 26 be knocked over by wind or by an animal, or should container 26
be subjected to
6
CA 02901593 2015-08-26
vibratory stimulus, the combined locking mechanisms are largely capable of
retaining lid 30
locked to container 26.
FIG. 5 shows a side view of a first side of the gravity-actuated latch
mechanism 20 at
an initially tilted position 84. Latch mechanism 20 is illustrated with a
portion of housing 38
removed so as to better visualize some of the internal components of mechanism
20. Referring
briefly to FIG. 3, the portion of housing 38 removed in FIG. 5 is at the right
side of the
illustration of FIG. 3.
With continued reference to FIG. 5, container 26 (shown in ghost form), with
the
attached latch mechanism 20, has been picked up by a refuse truck (not shown)
and is beginning
to be tipped in order to empty container 26. It should be recalled that latch
mechanism 20 is
mounted to inside front wall 28 of container 26, i.e., the inside of container
26 at the front from
which the refuse truck picks up container 26. Accordingly, the refuse truck
would be located on
the left side of latch mechanism 20 in accordance with FIG. 5. At a tilt of,
for example,
approximately forty-five degrees, disc member 44 rolls from it rest position
86 engaged with
notch 82 (FIG. 7) in pivot body 64 of lever 42 within cavity 45 to a
disengaged position 88. Rest
position 86 is represented in ghost form by a circle having a white perimeter.
Cavity 45 includes a cavity region 90 displaced forward from lever 42, i.e.,
displaced
toward front wall 28 of container 26. Disengaged position 88 of disc member 44
occurs when
disc member 44 rolls into cavity region 90. Cavity 45 may be slot shaped
having a width that is
only slightly wider than disc member 44 so that disc member 44 is largely
prevented from
tipping or tilting within cavity region 90. Accordingly, in order to unlock
latch mechanism 20,
disc member 44 must first roll out of notch 82.
Now referring to FIG. 6, FIG. 6 shows a side view of a second side of gravity-
actuated latch mechanism 20 tilted at a greater angle than that shown in FIG.
5. Latch
mechanism 20 is illustrated with a portion of housing 38 of latch body 22
removed so as to better
visualize some of the internal components of mechanism 20. Referring briefly
to FIG. 3, the
portion of housing 38 removed in FIG. 5 is at the left side of the
illustration of FIG. 3.
Accordingly, the refuse truck would be located on the right side of latch
mechanism 20 in
accordance with FIG. 6.
With continued reference to FIG. 6, FIG. 6 shows container 26 (in ghost form)
with
latch mechanism 20 tilted to an unlock position 92. At a tilt of, for example,
approximately
7
CA 02901593 2015-08-26
fifteen degrees beyond, or below, horizontal, latch actuation ball 48 begins
to roll within
elongated passage 50 due to the effect of gravity and contacts distal end 74
of lever arm 66
residing in passage 50. That is, the refuse truck continues to move container
26 through a dump
cycle creating a steeper angle so that latch actuation ball 48 is able to
apply more weight to distal
end 74 of lever arm 66 to positively move lever arm 66 to its stop.
It should be observed that a lower inner wall 94 of elongated passage 50 is
approximately flat, i.e., without curves, depressions, or pockets. The
approximately flat shape of
lower inner wall 94 enables latch actuation ball 48 to easily roll in passage
50 when container 26
with latch mechanism 20 is tilted by the refuse truck. Additionally, an upper
inner wall 96
includes a shoulder section 98 that forms a pocket 100 within elongated
passage 50. Pocket 100
faces the back and sides (see also FIGs. 3 and 7) of container 26 when
container 26 is in an
upright position. Accordingly, if container 26 falls backward and/or on one of
its sides, ball 48 is
more likely to roll into and reside in pocket 100 instead of rolling in
passage 50 to strike distal
end 74 of lever arm 66. Thus, lid (FIG. 1) is more likely to remain locked to
container 26 in the
event that container 26 is blown over by wind or knocked over by an animal.
FIG. 7 shows a front view of gravity-actuated latch mechanism 20 when it has
been
tilted. FIG. 7 generally shows latch mechanism 20 in an upright position for
simplicity of
illustration. However, the location of ball 48 within elongated passage 50
results when latch
mechanism 20 is tilted to unlock position 92 shown in FIG. 6. That is, the
components of latch
mechanism 20 are shown as they would appear approaching an upside down
position of
container 26 (FIG. 1) at the midpoint of a dump cycle.
In unlock position 92, disc member 44 has rolled within cavity 50 out of
engagement
with notch 82 of pivot body 64 of lever 42. More particularly, disc member 44
has rolled toward
the front of container 26 to clear notch 82 in pivot body 64. Lever 42 is now
free to pivot about
its pivot axis 68 because of the weight of latch actuation ball 48 against
that portion of lever arm
66 residing in elongated passage 50.
Referring now to FIGs. 8-9, FIG. 8 shows a perspective front view of gravity-
actuated
latch mechanism 20 in an unlatched configuration 98, and FIG. 9 shows an
enlarged partial view
of gravity-actuated latch mechanism 20 in unlatched configuration 98 shown in
FIG. 8. With
lever 42 moved to its stop position, catch 40 is now free to rotate about its
pivot axis 60 so that
8
CA 02901593 2015-08-26
hook 56 releases from strike 24. Accordingly, lid 30 (FIG. 1) which is secured
to strike 24 is
allowed to open from its own weight and/or the pressure of refuse against lid
30.
With particular reference to the enlarged partial view shown in FIG. 9, in
unlatched
configuration 98, latching surface 80 of lever 42 has moved down and out of
position to allow
mating surface 58 of catch 40 to move past it so as to release strike 24 (FIG.
8). However, when
catch 40 rotates, a ledge 100 formed at second end 54 of catch 40 engages a
corresponding
surface 102 on pivot body 64 of lever 42. This engagement allows catch 40 and
lever 42 to reset
in the reverse order when container 26 (FIG. 1) is placed back into an upright
position in order to
prevent jamming and to be ready for the next cycle of moving to unlatched
configuration 98. For
example, when container 26 is returned to its upright position by the refuse
truck, latch actuation
ball 48 will return to the bottom of elongated passage 50 and strike 24 will
hit catch 40 as lid 30
closes. Thus, catch 40 will pivot about pivot point 60 so that hook 56 engages
with strike 24.
Concurrently, lever 42 will pivot about pivot point 68 due to the engagement
of ledge 100
formed at second end 54 of catch 40 with corresponding surface 102 on pivot
body 64 of lever
42. When lever 42 pivots to its original position, disc member 44 will roll
into engagement with
notch 82 so that latch mechanism 20 is again placed in latched configuration
76 (FIG. 3).
FIG. 10 shows a perspective front view of gravity-actuated latch mechanism 20
in a
manual release configuration 104. It is typically necessary for a user to have
the ability to unlock
latch mechanism 20 in order to place refuse into container 26 (FIG. 1). In
order to open lid 30
(FIG. 1) manually, manual open actuator 46 is manipulated by the user. In an
embodiment, the
user could manually pull a knob (not shown) of manual open actuator 46
outwardly from an
exterior of container 26 and then rotate manual open actuator 46 in a
clockwise direction. The
two action, pull and turn capability of manual open actuator 46 makes it
difficult for a clever and
persistent animal, such as a raccoon, to figure out how to manually unlock
latch mechanism 20.
A spring element 106 of manual open actuator 46 has a spring end 108 in
communication with disc member 44. When the knob of manual open actuator 46 is
pulled
outwardly, disc member 44 moves forward and out of engagement with notch 82 in
pivot body
64 so that lever 42 can be rotated. Rotating manual open actuator 46 in a
clockwise direction
causes a wing feature 110 of actuator 46 to push upwardly on lever arm 66
causing lever 42 to
pivot so that distal end 74 of lever arm 66 moves upwardly in elongated
passage 50 to its stop
position. With lever 42 moved to its stop position, catch 40 is now free to
rotate so that hook 56
9
CA 02901593 2015-08-26
releases from strike 24, as discussed above. Accordingly, lid 30 (FIG. 1)
which is secured to
strike 24 can be opened by the user in order to place material inside of
container 26. Closing lid
30 resets latch mechanism 20, as discussed in connection with FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 shows a back perspective view of a gravity-actuated latch mechanism
112 in
accordance with an alternative embodiment. Gravity-actuated latch mechanism 20
of FIG. 1-10
has a flat bottom. Such a flat bottom may be required for use in containers
that have an inwardly
extending ledge formed to facilitate pickup by a refuse truck. In general, the
flat bottom of latch
mechanism 20 may reside in close proximity to the inwardly extending ledge.
This internal
ledge serves as a shed to deflect waste smoothly as container 26 is being
dumped.
However, when such a ledge is not present, a housing 114 of latch mechanism
112
may be suitably shaped to have a shed 116, or sloped region, as part of
housing 114 that serves to
deflect waste smoothly as container 26 (FIG. 1) is being dumped. Additionally,
or alternatively,
latch mechanism 112 may include suitably formed rib structures 118 formed on
housing 114.
Rib structures 118 may be formed over and around outwardly projecting features
of latch
mechanism 112 to protect the features and to deflect waste as container 26 is
being dumped.
Referring to FIGs. 12-14B, FIG. 12 shows a side view of a gravity-actuated
latch
mechanism 20 in accordance with an embodiment. FIG. 13 shows a top view of
gravity-actuated
latch mechanism 20. FIG. 14A shows a front view of gravity-actuated latch
mechanism 20, and
FIG. 14B shows a front perspective view of gravity-actuated latch mechanism
20. In FIGs. 14A
and 14B, a rear housing of latch mechanism 20 has been removed to better
visualize the internal
components (discussed below) of latch mechanism 20.
In an embodiment, latch mechanism 20 includes a latch body 22 and a strike 24.
In
general, latch body 22 is adapted to be secured to an inside front wall 28 of
a container 26 with a
top edge of latch body being mounted flush with the top edge of front wall 28.
Strike 24 is
adapted to be fastened to a lid 30 that closes, or covers, an opening into
container 26. For
purposes of illustration, a portion of container 26 with lid 30 is shown in
FIG. 12. A bi-
directional curved arrow 32 shows a direction of movement of lid 30 relative
to front wall 28 of
container 26. That is, a hinged member (not shown) interconnects lid 30 with a
back wall (not
shown) of container 26 to enable movement of lid 30 relative to container 26.
In an embodiment, a fastener (not shown) may extend through another opening
(not
shown) in front wall 28 and secure to, for example, a threaded opening (not
shown) in latch body
CA 02901593 2015-08-26
22. Those skilled in the art will recognize that a variety of fasteners and
fastening techniques
may be implemented to secure latch body 22 to front wall 28 of container 26.
Similarly, strike
24 may be fastened to lid 30 utilizing a variety of fasteners and fastening
techniques known to
those skilled in the art. Additionally, the latch mechanism 20 is drip proof.
Latch body 22 functions cooperatively with strike 24 so that lid 30 is secured
to front
wall 28 of container 26 to inhibit intrusion into container 26, as will be
discussed in greater detail
below. In addition, latch mechanism 20 can be readily actuated by a gravity
effect when the
gripping arm of an automated collection refuse pickup vehicle picks up and
tilts container 26 to
disengage strike 24 from latch body 22, as will also be discussed in greater
detail below.
Referring more particularly to F IGs. 14A and 14B, multiple components of
latch
mechanism 20 reside within a housing 38 of latch body 22. The components of
latch mechanism
20 generally include a catch 40, a lever 42, a secondary lock actuation member
44 housed in a
first elongate passage 45, a manual open actuator 46, and a latch actuation
member 48 housed in
an elongated passage 50 within housing 38. It will be understood that as
shown, the secondary
lock actuation member 44 is a secondary lock actuation ball 44 and the latch
actuation member
48 is a lock actuation ball 48. Further the secondary lock actuation member 44
and the latch
actuation member 48 may be any shape.
Catch 40 includes a first end 52 and a second end 54. A hook 56 is rotatably
coupled
to first end 52 of catch 40 and is adapted to engage with strike 24. A mating
surface 58 is
located at second end 54 of catch 40 and is adapted to at least partially
engage with lever 42
(discussed below). When actuated, catch 40 is adapted to selectively pivot, or
rotate, about a
pivot axis 60 to release hook 56 from engagement with strike 24. Lever 42
includes a pivot body
64 and a lever arm 66 extending from pivot body 64. Lever 42 is adapted to
selectively pivot, or
rotate, about another pivot axis 68. Lever arm 66 extends through a slot 70 in
a wall 72
enclosing elongated passage 50 so that a distal end 74 of lever arm 66 resides
in elongated
passage 50.
Pivot body 64 includes a counterweight 65. Counterweight 65 balances the
weight of
lever arm 66, wherein the weight of counterweight 65 may be slightly less
than, equal to, or
slightly greater than the weight of lever arm 66 and still keep latch
mechanism 20 from opening
with a knock over of refuse container 26. It is understood that a return
spring may compensate
for minor imbalances in lever arm 64 with counterweight 65. Because of
counterweight 65,
11
CA 02901593 2015-08-26
when refuse container 26 is knocked over, the resulting force towards the top
of refuse container
26 does not cause the lever arm 66 to move towards the top of latch body 22,
which would open
it. The center of gravity of lever 42 is approximately at the center of
rotation of pivot axis 68.
Counterweight 65 also very slightly impedes the opening of latch mechanism 20
during a dump
cycle but the weight of latch actuation ball 48 makes the amount of resistance
from
counterweight 65 irrelevant.
FIGs. 14A and 14B show latch mechanism 20 in a latched configuration. More
particularly, latch actuation ball 48 resides at the bottom of elongated
passage 50 in a reservoir
portion 78 of passage 50 when latch mechanism 20 is upright due to the effect
of gravity. Distal
end 74 of lever arm 66 is oriented approximately horizontal so that a latching
surface 80
extending outwardly from pivot body 64 of lever 42 abuts, latches to, or
otherwise engages with
mating surface 58 at second end 54 of catch 40. The engagement between
latching surface 80 of
lever 42 and mating surface 58 of catch 40 largely prevents catch 40 from
pivoting about pivot
point 60 so that hook 56 remains engaged with strike 24.
Secondary lock actuation member 44 is implemented as part of a secondary lock
mechanism 120. Secondary lock mechanism 120 includes a secondary lock lever
arm 121
having a first end 122 and a second end 123. A pivot axis 124 is located at
second end 123 of
secondary lock lever arm 121. Secondary lock mechanism 120 further includes a
dampening
device 130 operatively coupled to secondary lock lever arm 121 at connection
128. Secondary
lock mechanism 120 also includes a plunger 132 that travels through an
elongate passage 136.
Plunger 132 includes a first end 131 and a second end 133. Plunger 132 also
includes a
protrusion 134 located at second end 133. Protrusion 134 engages an aperture
126 of secondary
lock lever arm 121 to operatively coupled plunger 132 to secondary lock lever
arm 121. The
elongate aperture 126 may have an elongate shape in order to translate
rotational movement of
secondary lock lever arm 121 about pivot axis 124 to a linear movement of
plunger 132 through
an elongate passage 136. Elongate passage 136 extends into elongate passage
50.
In the upright position as shown in FIGs. 14A and 14B, secondary lock
actuation
member 44 engages first end 122 of secondary lock lever arm 121 to prevent
rotation of
secondary lock lever arm 121. A spring is operatively coupled to secondary
lock lever arm 121
and biases it to rotate and the weight of secondary lock actuation member 44
creates a force
stronger than the force of the spring and therefore prevents rotation of
secondary lock lever arm
12
CA 02901593 2015-08-26
121. It will be understood that secondary lock mechanism 120 may be used in
situations where
large animals, such as bears, that can turn refuse container 26 upside down.
The combined locking mechanisms of latching surface 80 of lever 42 with mating
surface 58 of catch 40, and the further inclusion of secondary lock mechanism
120 enables the
locked retention of lid 30 to container 26. Furthermore, should container 26
be knocked over by
wind or by an animal, or should container 26 be subjected to vibratory
stimulus, the combined
locking mechanisms are largely capable of retaining lid 30 locked to container
26.
FIGs. 15A and 15B show a respective side and perspective view of the gravity-
actuated latch mechanism 20 at a tilted position. FIGs. 16A and 16B show a
respective side and
perspective view of the gravity-actuated latch mechanism 20 at an inverted
position Latch
mechanism 20 is illustrated with a portion of housing 38 removed so as to
better visualize some
of the internal components of mechanism 20. Referring briefly to FIG. 12, the
portion of
housing 38 removed in FIGs. 15A and 15B is at the left side of the
illustration of FIG. 12.
With continued reference to FIGs. 15A and 15B, container 26 (not shown), with
the
attached latch mechanism 20, has been knocked over by wind or an animal. In
this condition,
secondary lock actuation ball 44 rolls along elongate passage 45. The spring
coupled to
secondary lock lever arm 121 rotates secondary lock lever arm 121 from the
position shown in
FIG. 14A to the position shown in FIG. 15A. Plunger 132 moves linearly within
elongate
passage 136 until first end 131 of plunger 132 extends into elongate passage
50. Dampening
device 130 controls the length time needed for secondary lock lever arm 121 to
rotate and
ultimately the time needed to move first end 131 of plunger 132 into elongate
passage 50.
With continued reference to FIGs. 16A and 16B, container 26 (not shown) with
the
attached latch mechanism 20, has been further pushed into an inverted position
by an animal. In
this condition, first end 131 of plunger 132 is extending into elongate
passage 50. In this
position, plunger 132 inhibits movement of latch actuation ball 48 through
elongate passage 50.
Because latch actuation ball 48 cannot move along elongate passage 50, lever
arm 66 is never
engaged by latch actuation ball 48 and cannot unlock latch mechanism 20 to
release strike 24. In
other words, the lid 30 remains in a locked position with regard to refuse
container 26.
When refuse can 26 (not shown) is returned to upright position, secondary lock
actuation ball 44 moves along elongate passage 45 and engages first end 122 of
secondary lock
lever arm 121 and rotates secondary lock lever arm 121 as gravity acts on
secondary lock
13
CA 02901593 2015-08-26
actuation ball 44. The rotation of secondary lock lever arm 121 into a
position shown in FIG.
14A results in linearly moving plunger 132 through elongate passage 136 and
removing first end
131 from within elongate passage 50.
FIGs. 17A and 17B show a respective side and perspective view of latch
mechanism
20 in normal dump cycle and FIGs. 18A and 18B show a respective side and
perspective view
latch mechanism in a return position after a normal dump cycle. Referring
briefly to FIG. 12, the
portion of housing 38 removed in FIGs. 17A-18B is at the left side of the
illustration of FIG. 12.
Accordingly, the refuse truck would be located on the right side of latch
mechanism 20 in
accordance with FIG. 12 or the back of FIG. 17A.
With continued reference to FIGs. 17A and 17B, refuse container 26 (not
shown),
with the attached latch mechanism 20, has been picked up by a refuse truck
(not shown) and is
tipped in order to empty container 26. It should be recalled that latch
mechanism 20 is mounted
to inside front wall 28 of container 26, i.e., the inside of container 26 at
the front from which the
refuse truck picks up container 26. In other embodiments, latch mechanism 20
may be mounted
on an outside wall, in a pocket and the like so long as latch mechanism 20 is
operable.
As refuse can 26 tilts from a refuse truck, latch mechanism 20 begins to tilt.
At a tilt
of, for example, approximately fifteen degrees beyond, or below, horizontal,
latch actuation ball
48 begins to roll within elongated passage 50 due to the effect of gravity and
contacts distal end
74 of lever arm 66 residing in passage 50. That is, the refuse truck continues
to move container
26 through a dump cycle creating a steeper angle so that latch actuation ball
48 is able to apply
more weight to distal end 74 of lever arm 66 to positively move lever arm 66
to its stop.
It should be observed that a lower inner wall (not shown) of elongated passage
50 is
approximately flat, i.e., without curves, depressions, or pockets. The
approximately flat shape of
lower inner wall enables latch actuation ball 48 to easily roll in passage 50
when container 26
with latch mechanism 20 is tilted by the refuse truck. Because of the timing
of a normal dump
cycle and the shape of lower inner wall, latch actuation ball 48 rolls in
elongate passage past the
location of where elongate passage 136 engages elongate passage 50. This is
accomplished
because dampening device 130 controls the time for secondary lock mechanism
120 to operate to
extend plunger 132 into elongate passage 50. It will be understood that
dampening device 130
can ensure that rotation of secondary lock lever arm 121 takes any
predetermined amount of
time. In some embodiments, the time is four seconds. In other embodiments, it
is more or less
14
CA 02901593 2015-08-26
than four seconds. Additionally, an upper inner wall includes a shoulder
section located on a
portion of the housing not shown that forms a pocket 100 within elongated
passage 50. Pocket
100 faces the back and sides of container 26 when container 26 is in an
upright position.
Accordingly, if container 26 falls backward and/or on one of its sides, ball
48 is more likely to
roll into and reside in pocket 100 instead of rolling in passage 50 to strike
distal end 74 of lever
arm 66. Thus, lid 30 (FIG. 12) is more likely to remain locked to container 26
in the event that
container 26 is blown over by wind or knocked over by an animal.
Referring further to FIGs. 17A and 17B, in the normal dump cycle; latch
mechanism
is moved into an unlatched configuration. In this condition, latching surface
80 of lever 42 has
moved down and out of position to allow mating surface 58 of catch 40 to move
past it so as to
release strike 24. This engagement allows catch 40 and lever 42 to reset in
the reverse order
when container 26 (FIG. 12) is placed back into an upright position in order
to prevent jamming
and to be ready for the next cycle of moving to unlatched configuration.
For example, and with reference to FIGs. 18A and 18B, when container 26 is
returned
to its upright position by the refuse truck, latch actuation ball 48 will
return to the bottom of
elongated passage 50 engaging first end 131 of plunger 132 and push plunger
132 in elongated
passage 136 while secondary lock actuation ball 44 engages first end 122 of
secondary lock lever
arm 121 to work in conjunction with latch actuation ball 48 to move secondary
lock mechanism
120 into position shown in FIG. 14A. Lever 42 will not return until strike 24
rotates hook 56 as
lid 30 closes.
It is typically necessary for a user to have the ability to unlock latch
mechanism 20 in
order to place refuse into container 26 (FIG. 12). In order to open lid 30
(FIG. 12) manually,
manual open actuator 46 is manipulated by the user by rotation of manual open
actuator 46. In
an embodiment, a manual open shaft 34 extending outwardly from latch body 22
may be directed
through an opening 36 extending through front wall 28. A user may rotate
manual open shaft 34
to then rotate manual open actuator 46 to engage lever arm 66 of lever 42 and
to rotate lever arm
66 to manually rotate latch mechanism 20 into an unlatched position. In
another embodiment,
the user could manually pull a knob (not shown) of manual open actuator 46
outwardly from an
exterior of container 26 and then rotate manual open actuator 46. The two
action, pull and turn
capability of manual open actuator 46 makes it difficult for a clever and
persistent animal, such
as a raccoon, to figure out how to manually unlock latch mechanism 20. The
rotation of manual
CA 02901593 2015-08-26
open actuator 46 engages lever arm 66 of lever 42 and rotates it, thereby
manually rotating latch
mechanism 20 into an unlatched position.
FIG. 19 shows a back perspective view of a gravity-actuated latch mechanism
112 in
accordance with an alternative embodiment. Gravity-actuated latch mechanism 20
of FIG. 12-
18B has a flat bottom. Such a flat bottom may be required for use in
containers that have an
inwardly extending ledge formed to facilitate pickup by a refuse truck. In
general, the flat
bottom of latch mechanism 20 may reside in close proximity to the inwardly
extending ledge.
This internal ledge serves as a shed to deflect waste smoothly as container 26
is being dumped.
However, when such a ledge is not present, a housing 114 of latch mechanism
112
may be suitably shaped to have a shed 116, or sloped region, as part of
housing 114 that serves to
deflect waste smoothly as container 26 (FIG. 12) is being dumped.
Embodiments described herein entail a gravity-actuated latch mechanism that
may be
utilized in conjunction with an enclosure, such as a container with a lid. The
latch mechanism
may be implemented with a refuse container, lock box, or any other container
that may receive
and hold items such as food, garbage, trash, recyclable items, and so forth.
More particularly,
the latch mechanism is configured to inhibit smaller animals such as raccoons,
squirrels, dogs,
and the like, from accessing the contents of the container. Furthermore, the
latch mechanism
includes a gravity-actuated lever and catch structural configuration that is
resists unlatching in
the instance that the container is tipped over by, for example, the wind or an
animal. The latch
mechanism automatically engages so that a user need not deliberately re-engage
the latch after
placing refuse in the container. Furthermore, the latch mechanism can be
unlatched by an
automated, mechanical arm of a refuse truck so that the contents of the
container can be emptied
during automated collection.
Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and
described in detail, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art
that various modifications
may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
16
