Patent ID: 8511502

Claim:
A litter bin comprising: a container having a wall defining an interior and an opening to the interior, a lid for selectively covering the opening; a hinge connecting the lid to the container; and a latch system opposite from the hinge and enclosed within the lid and the container for selectively securing the lid to the container, the latch system comprising: a latch member pivotable about a pivot point from a first position to a second position in a second rotational direction and pivotable from the second position to the first position in a first rotational direction, the latch member including: a catch portion having an inclined leading surface adjacent a shoulder, the catch portion impeding movement of the lid away from the container when the latch member is in the first position and the catch portion permitting movement of the lid away from the container when the latch member is in the second position, the latch member movable by gravity in the second rotation direction to the second position by tilting the litter bin, the latch member mounted to one of the container and the lid, a leg portion extending from the pivot point, the leg portion contacting a first stop when the latch member is pivoted in the first rotational direction, the first stop limiting pivoting of the latch member in the first rotational direction; and an abutment contacting a second stop when the latch member is pivoted in the second rotational direction, the second stop limiting pivoting of the latch member in the second rotational direction; and, a latch receiver mounted on the other of the container and the lid, the latch receiver including a pair of arms defining a recess and a pin extending between the arms, the latch receiver contacting the inclined leading surface of the catch portion to move the latch member in the second rotational direction to the second position when the lid is moved into a closed position on the container; wherein the latch member is urged in the first rotational direction when the latch member is in the first position and when impeding movement of the lid during an attempt to open the lid.