Patent ID: 9169065
Filing Date: 2015-10-27
Classification: B65D,B65F

Abstract:
1. A lid latch assembly for use to latch the lid of 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 assembly comprising: (a) the walls of the container; (b) an arm having a lower end attached to outer portion of the walls at an arm attachment point that is horizontally spaced apart from the rear portion of the walls; (c) 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 (d) a protrusion attached to the arm extending from the arm above the arm 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 arm abutment outer surface, causing the arm to rotate about the arm 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.