Abstract:
An open ended container with locking lid can provide a number of features. The lid and the container have cooperating threads. The lid has also has a locking mechanism connected to the lid, such as from a downwardly extending wall. The container has an opening, in some embodiments accessible from above, such as with downwardly and possibly linearly biased engagement members of the locking mechanism. In fact, some embodiments have one or more openings as a portion of satellite ring.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/814,537 filed Jun. 14, 2010. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a container with lid combination in which the lid could be placed in a locked configuration or an unlocked configuration wherein when in the locked configuration, the lid cannot be rotated relative to the container in an opening direction but when in an unlocked configuration, the lid can be so rotated. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Locking lid and container configuration have been the subject of many efforts. In addition to the applicant&#39;s earlier efforts, many of which have been patented, others such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,902,620, 6,176,381, 5,544,768 and others show various locking configurations in which the locking mechanism is secured to the container and engages teeth on the lid. Additionally, some techniques have been employed for providing a tamper indicator and is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,926,165. All these prior art designs are various ways of achieving the various objectives, however, the applicant believes that there is still room for improvement in the art of containers with locking lids. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of at least some embodiments of the present invention to provide an improved container and locking lid assembly. 
     It is another object of at least some embodiments of the present invention to provide a locking lid assembly with the lid and container having a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration wherein when transitioning from the locked to the unlocked configuration, a locking member is upwardly and possibly linearly displaced upwardly relative to openings, such as may be provided within a satellite ring about the container. 
     It is another object of at least some embodiments of the present invention to provide a locking mechanism operably coupled to a lid, wherein the locking mechanism engages at least one of possibly a plurality of openings connected to the container to provide a new locking system. 
     Accordingly, in accordance with a presently preferred embodiment of the preferred invention a locking lid and container system provides a container having radially outwardly directed threads or thread segments towards an upper end of the container having the opening into the interior of the container. The lid has cooperating threads and/or thread segments which allow the lid to be screwed onto the container. 
     The lid has a locking mechanism which is preferably oriented to engage at least one, if not one or more of possibly a plurality of openings, connected to the container below the threads or thread segments connected to the container. In fact, in the preferred embodiment, the openings are formed in a satellite ring which often at least substantially circumnavigates or circumscribes the container. 
     The locking mechanism preferably provides at least one, if not a plurality of engagement members, which are biased into a locking configuration downwardly. A release or operator is preferably connected to the engagement member(s) allowing the engagement members to be upwardly displaced to provide the unlocked configuration. In many embodiments, the engagement member(s) are disposed on a slide and are linearly displaced intermediate the locked and unlocked configurations. The stops are preferably located at specific locations around the container, and in some embodiments, could be located all along the container. 
     Since the engagement members are biased into the locking configuration, as the lid is tightened relative to the container, the engagement member(s) pass over and/or by the openings which preferably deflect the engagement member(s) upwardly when tightened, but prevent opposite turning with the engagement member(s) downwardly extending relative to the openings which may, or may not, be like teeth having an angled surface to facilitate the upward motion of the engagement member(s) upon tightening. Some designs have openings with steep edges which are not angled surfaces to preferentially facilitate upward motion of the engagement member(s) upon tightening. Some of these designs may also preferentially facilitate upward motion of the engagement member(s) upon tightening. A ratcheting sound may be provided as the lid and container enter the locked configuration. A tamper indicator could be provided for at least some embodiments as well. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The particular features and advantages of the invention as well as other objects will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front plan view of a lid and container system of a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a detailed view of Detail A shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3A  is a top plan view of the container shown in  FIG. 1  with the lid removed; 
         FIG. 3B  is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment container as could be used with the lid shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a front plan view of the container shown in  FIGS. 1-3A  with the lid removed; 
         FIG. 5  is a back plan view of the container shown in  FIGS. 1-3A  and  4  with a tamper indicator installed; 
         FIG. 6  is a back plan view of the container shown in  FIGS. 1-3A  and  4  prior to installing the tamper indicator; and 
         FIG. 7  is a front plan view of detail B shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A container  10  and lid  12  provide an assembly. The lid  12  has the capability of locking relative to the container  10 . The lid  12  has a downwardly extending wall  14  with inwardly directed threads  16 . The inwardly directed threads  16  are illustrated as thread segments  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24 , but could be a single continuous thread in other embodiments. By providing multiple lower segments  20 , 24  someone installing the lid  12  relative to the container  10  may not be required to twist as far in order to have threads  16  engage outwardly directed threads of container  10  such as threads  26  shown in  FIG. 4  which may similarly, or dissimilarly provided in the form of thread segments  28 , 30 , 32 , 34 . 
     The multiple sets of upper segments  28 , 32  can provide similar capabilities, and when provided together with lower segments  20 , 24 , a synergistic effect can be provided whereby a user can turn the lid in a first direction such as direction  36  to cooperate to tighten the lid  12  relative to the container  10  a minimal amount before at least some of threads  16  engage threads  26  as would be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. Of course a single set of threads  26  could be employed in some embodiments. Also, although upper threads  28 ,  30  are anticipated to be initially engaged in the illustrated embodiment, if the gaps  38 , 40  are wide enough, lower thread portions  20 , 24  could initially engage lower portions  30 , 34  or other portions at least in some embodiments. It will be understood that the threads  16 , 26  cooperate to secure the lid  12  relative to the container  10  in a closed configuration. 
     Threads  26  are shown located above, at least partially above a satellite ring  82 , Satellite ring  82  extends radially beyond surfaces  81  and  83  above and below the satellite ring  82  in a preferred embodiment. In fact satellite ring  82  may preferably also extend radially beyond threads  26  as well. 
     As the lid  12  is rotated in the first direction  36  relative to the container  10 , eventually, the locking mechanism  42  can engage one or more openings  44  as will be explained in more detail if the rotation is reversed to the second direction  74 . Openings  44  are shown as at least one, if not a plurality of openings  46 , 48  and  50  as shown in the presently preferred embodiment. Each opening  46 , 48  and  50  is shown having an steep first vertical surface  56  spaced from a second vertical surface  58  although some openings may take various other configurations. An angled leading surface  56  could be provided for some embodiments as well, but such a feature is not required for all embodiments. 
     Engagement member(s) such as member  64  has an angled leading surface  62  terminating at vertical surface  60  and can be provided as one or more teeth, such as is illustrated or otherwise. It is presently preferred that at least one of opening  44  has at least one vertical surfaces  58 , 60  which cooperate to lock the lid  12  relative to the container  10  in a locked configuration. It is also preferred, that at least one of opening(s)  44  and/or engagement member(s) have angled leading surfaces  62  and some may not have either or both of angled surfaces  56 , 62 . 
     The leading surfaces  56 , 62  if angled can deflect a biased engagement member upwardly when turning the lid  10  in the closing direction, illustrated as the first direction  36 . Furthermore, the leading surfaces  62  need not necessarily begin at a terminating point of a vertical surface such as vertical surfaces  58  or  60  or could be spaced apart about the opening(s)  44  as illustrated, but could in some embodiments. 
     The locking mechanism  42  may have a slide  66  which moves relative to a housing  68 . In the illustrated embodiment, the slide moves linearly along axis  70 , but other embodiments may function differently. Operator  72  is useful to move engagement member(s)  64  upwardly out of engagement with openings  44  to transition the lid  12  and container  10  combination from a locked to an unlocked configuration. Movement a predetermined distance upwardly along axis  70  moves the vertical surface  60  so that it clears one surface  58  of at least one of the opening  44  thereby allowing rotation, when attempted, in a second direction  74  which is opposite first direction  36 . Front surface  59  may be angled so that as it is preferably biased out of engagement as the lid is screwed into a locking configuration and it may click as it passes over openings  44 . 
     Spring  76  is shown in a preferred embodiment resiliently biasing the engagement member(s)  64  toward the stop(s)  44 . Various spring configurations are known in the art. The illustrated spring  76  is shown between the housing  68  and the slide  66  such as by entrapment  80 . Other connection systems can be utilized as are known in the art. The operator  72 , if provided, can overcome the bias of the spring  76  to upwardly displace the engagement member(s)  64  as desired by the user. Retainers  52 , 54  and  78 , 80  could have barbed ends  79  for some embodiments to keep the slide from excessive downward positioning once installed. The shafts  81  could pass through openings  83  in the housing  68  during normal operation. 
     The locking mechanism  42  is shown connected to the downwardly extending wall  14  of the lid  12 . The opening(s)  44  are shown extending into and/or through a satellite ring  82  which is illustrated below the threads  26  on the container  10 . The opening(s)  44  is shown engaged from above by at least one of the engagement member(s)  64 . Other connection systems can be utilized with other embodiments. 
     The opening(s)  44  are shown to extend radially at least as far as threads  26  in a preferred embodiment, if not radially therebeyond. Placement of the locking mechanism  42  relative to the wall  14  will have an impact on where the opening(s)  44  are located for proper engagement in the locked configuration. In the illustrated embodiment, at least a portion of the opening(s)  44  are located radially at a similar radius as the threads  26 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the locking mechanism  42  as it cooperates with the opening  44  does not provide tamper indication. However, a tamper indicator  200  shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  can be provided which spans at least a portion of cutout  75  preventing easy access to the locking mechanism  42  and once it is removed, it cannot easily be re-attached (and if it is reattached, it is relatively evident that it was previously removed). In this embodiment, if tamper indication is desired, tamper indicator  200  is shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Tamper indicator  200  can be connected to slide  66  or other location. Specifically slide  66  is provided with bores or receivers  90  which receive extensions  93  from back  92  of tamper indicator  200 . The extension  93  may be adhered into the receiver  90  or otherwise secured thereto in an effort to prevent undesired removal of the legs  92  relative to either of the lid  12  or container  10  so that once removed, reinstallation would be obvious and/or not possible. 
     In operation, the extensions  93  are designed to fail when subjected to force before other portions of the tamper indicator  200  would fail. Other tamper indicators  200  may function differently. 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  show possible constructions of containers.  FIG. 3A  shows four sets of openings  44  disposed about the satellite ring  82  of the container  10 . A series of openings  44  are separated by planar upper surface  102  between adjacent sets of openings  44 .  FIG. 3B  shows openings  44  at least substantially circumnavigating the satellite ring  82 . Other embodiments may not provide openings  44  on satellite rings, but instead locate one or more opening(s)  44  at various desired locations relative to the container  10 . 
     Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to the preferred embodiment of the invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.