A bear-resistant pannier including an open top pannier preferably constructed of metal with a recessed cover for covering the open top. A spring loaded latch selectively secures the pannier.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a bear-resistant pannier having a latched cover which prevents a bear from opening the pannier.

Panniers are commonly used by horse packers to transport goods such as food items. In wilderness areas, bears in search for food often open a pannier in camp to reach the food items. This has created problems for persons using these panniers. As a result, the United States Forest Service requires back country campers to either use bear-resistant panniers or to rope the panniers in the air so that bears cannot reach the panniers.

The present invention is directed to a bear-resistant pannier which solves this problem by providing a spring-loaded latch which cannot be opened easily by bears.

Spring-loaded latches are known such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,118 to Ashford for a “Child Resistant Latch System.” The latch used with the present invention is designed to be used with a recessed cover and provides advantages over latches previously known.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

A bear-resistant pannier including an open top pannier preferably constructed of metal with a recessed cover for covering the open top. A spring loaded latch selectively secures the recessed cover to the pannier.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A bear-resistant pannier10is shown in FIG.1. The bear-resistant pannier10includes a pannier box structure having four sidewalls12,14,16and18, and a back wall20. A cover22, having a preselected thickness, is secured to sidewall16with a piano hinge24. The sidewall12is provided with an interior extending lip26. The lip26is positioned in spaced apart relation with respect to an outer edge of sidewall12corresponding to the thickness of the cover22. Similarly, the other sidewalls are provided with an interior extending lip26. With this arrangement, the cover22in the closed position is recessed within the sidewalls12,14,16and18.

In a preferred embodiment, the pannier10is constructed of metal such as aluminum.

A pair of latches28are provided on the cover22for securing the cover22against the lip26of sidewall12. The pannier10may also be provided with a shelf30, as shown in FIG.1.

A rear view of the pannier10is shown in FIG.2. The rear wall20is provided with a pair of mounting brackets32which can be used for strapping the pannier to a horse, for example.

The latch28is shown inFIGS. 3-6. The latch28includes a mounting plate34and a squared “U”-shaped housing36which includes a pair of opposed legs38and40joined together by bottom member42. The legs38and40are joined to the underside of mounting plate34as by welding. A post44is secured to an edge of leg38, as by welding, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4. Similarly, a post46is secured to an edge of leg40, as by welding, as shown in FIG.4. The posts44and46have the same length. A third post48is secured to an edge of leg40, as by welding, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4. The post48is of shorter length than posts44and46.

The mounting plate34is provided with an opening extending into the space defined by the “U”-shaped housing36. A rod50slidably extends through this hole in the mounting plate34. A handle ring52is secured to an end of rod50, as shown in FIG.3. A washer54is positioned on the rod50within the interior of the “U”-shaped housing36, and is welded thereto to prevent the rod50from being retracted through the corresponding hole in the mounting plate34. A coil spring56is coiled around rod50between the washer54and the bottom member42. The bottom member42is provided with a hole (not shown) aligned with the hole in mounting plate34. The rod50extends through this hole. A latch plate58is secured to an end of rod50, as by welding, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4.

Each mounting plate34of latch28is provided with a pair of holes62, as shown in FIG.5. The cover22of pannier10is provided with a corresponding set of holes (not shown). A pair of bolts and nuts60are used with the holes62and the corresponding holes in cover12to secure the mounting plate34of each latch28to the cover, as shown inFIGS. 1,7,8and9.

In using the latch according to the present invention, the latch may be in an unlatched position, as shown inFIG. 7, with the latch plate58nesting between posts46and48, as shown inFIGS. 4 and 7. The posts46and48prevent the latch plate58from rotating beyond the posts46and48. The cover22is then closed with the cover22resting on lip26of the pannier. A user grasps the handle ring52and pushes the rod50inwardly compressing the spring56, and then twists the rod50so that the latch plate58is positioned between the posts44and48, passing over the top of post48. The rod50is then released and the latch plate nests between posts44and48. The posts44and48prevent the latch plate58from rotating beyond the posts46and48. With the latch plate between posts46and48and the latch plate extending beneath the lip26, the latch is in the latched position, as shown in FIG.8. The latch plate prevents the cover22from pivoting outwardly away from sidewall12. The latch28, in the latched position, is shown inFIG. 8, and the pannier10with the latches in the latched position is shown in FIG.9.

With this latch mechanism, it is difficult, if not impossible, for a bear to open the pannier. For a person to open the pannier, the handle ring52is again grasped and the rod50pushed inwardly and the rod50rotated until the latch plate58is between the rods46and48, which is the open position. With the two latches in the open position, the cover22can be pivoted away from the sidewall12about the hinge24.

While the fundamental novel features of the invention have been shown and described, it should be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, all such modifications or variations are included in the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims: