Patent ID: 7510358

Claim:
A container securement assembly, the container securement assembly for securing a container to a support, the container having a lock-actuating opening, the lock-actuating opening having opposing head-engaging portions and an opening thickness, the container securement assembly comprising: a base adapted to be secured to the support, the base comprising a spring-receiving cavity, spring end-fixing means, a longitudinal base axis, and a superior base surface, the longitudinal base axis extending in parallel relation to the head-engaging portions; a shaft supported by the base, the shaft being rotatable about an axis of rotation extendable through the lock-actuating opening, the shaft comprising a head-receiving end and a transversely noncircular spring-receiving end, the spring-receiving end extending into the spring-receiving cavity and comprising spring-actuable end-receiving structure, the end-receiving structure extending transversely through the spring-receiving end; a head, the head comprising a longitudinal head axis and a sloped outer head surface, the longitudinal head axis being angled from the longitudinal base axis thereby forming an intermediate-axis angle, the intermediate-axis angle being no greater than 54 rotational degrees thereby forming a relaxed, locked, offset head position, the head being mounted to the head-receiving end in the offset head position, the sloped outer head surface being adapted to rotate through the lock-actuating opening under forceful contact with the head-engaging portions, the sloped outer head surface comprising an upper locking sloped surface and a lower unlocking sloped surface; a torsional spring element, the torsional spring element being received in the spring-receiving cavity and comprising a central shaft interface, the central shaft interface interfacing with the end-receiving structure, the torsional spring element thereby being actuable intermediate the spring-receiving end and the spring end-fixing means by container-provided forces as the head-engaging portions contact the head, the head-engaging portions for applying torque to the shaft via the head, the head being movable through the lock-actuating opening when in an actuated, unlocked, aligned head position, the intermediate-axis angle tending to 0 rotational degrees when the head moves through the lock-actuating opening, the head being immovable through the lock-actuating opening when in the offset head position, the intermediate-axis angle and the lower unlocking sloped surface being cooperable to effect a clearance dimension intermediate the head and the superior base surface, the clearance dimension being no less than about 1.6875 inches, the clearance dimension for accommodating container-borne matter, the container-borne matter being located in adjacency to the lock-actuating opening effecting a non-uniform opening thickness, the offset head position for preventing head movement through the lock-actuating opening for selectively securing the container to the support.