Patent ID: 8408607
Filing Date: 2013-04-02
Classification: B65F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An animal-resistant container comprising: a body having an interior volume and an opening for input of refuse into said interior volume; a lid covering said opening; a latch mechanism secured in said body, said latch mechanism comprising a hook element, said hook element including a hook end and a base end, said base end having a bumper; a latch receptacle secured in said lid, said hook end of said latch mechanism being engaged with said latch receptacle to secure said lid to said body; and a tilt detector coupled with said latch mechanism for detecting movement of said body away from an upright position, said tilt detector comprising a housing and a ball, said hook element being aligned with a longitudinal dimension of said housing, said housing having an arcuate channel extending approximately transverse to said longitudinal dimension of said housing, said ball being configured to roll in said arcuate channel in response to a position of said body, wherein said ball is in a centered position in said arcuate channel when said body is in an upright position to enable release of said latch mechanism from said latch receptacle, and when said body is tilted away from said upright position, said ball rolls in said arcuate channel to an uncentered position such that said bumper pivots into said arcuate channel, said bumper being positioned in said arcuate channel to prevent return of said ball to said centered position and thereby prevent release of said latch mechanism from said latch receptacle.