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EP-4419442-B1 - CONTAINER AND LATCHING SYSTEM

EP4419442B1EP 4419442 B1EP4419442 B1EP 4419442B1EP-4419442-B1

Inventors

  • BULLOCK, DUSTIN R.
  • DARLING, COLIN
  • BLANCHARD, WALTER T.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20221111

Claims (15)

  1. A container comprising: a base (110)including: a sidewall structure (112) having at least a first side (114) and a second side (116) opposite the first side, the sidewall structure having a first end (122) and a second end (124) opposite the first end; a bottom portion (126) connected to the first end of the sidewall structure and configured to support the container on a surface; and a base opening (130) formed at the second end of the sidewall structure, the base opening being configured to allow access to an interior void (132) of the container formed by the sidewall structure and the bottom portion; a lid (150) pivotally connected to the base, wherein the lid is configured to rotate between an open configuration that allows access to the base opening and a closed configuration that prevents access to the base opening; and a latch assembly (200) having a locked position and an unlocked position, the latch assembly comprises: a latch body (210) pivotally connected to the lid; characterized in that the latch assembly further comprises: a latch button (230) slidably connected with the latch body, the latch button having a latch button-locking member (232); a latch-locking arm (250) pivotally connected to the latch body, the latch-locking arm having an arm-locking member (252); a latch button biasing member (280) that exerts a linear force on the latch button; a latch-locking arm biasing member (282) that exerts a rotational force on the latch-locking arm; and in that when the latch assembly is moved to the locked position, the latch-locking arm engages the base and rotates against the rotational force and the latch button moves against the linear force until the latch button-locking member engages the arm-locking member.
  2. The container of claim 1, wherein the latch button-locking member (232) engages the arm-locking member (252) when the latch-locking arm (250) is in a substantially vertical position.
  3. The container of claim 1, wherein the latch-locking arm biasing member (282) is a torsional spring.
  4. The container of claim 1, wherein the arm-locking member (252) includes a first locking surface (256) and a curved upper surface (258) extending from an upper edge (260) of the first locking surface.
  5. The container of claim 1, wherein the arm-locking member (252) is substantially centered along the latch-locking arm (250).
  6. The container of claim 1, wherein the latch-locking arm (250) has a pair of engaging members (254) arranged on each side of the arm-locking member (252), and wherein each engaging member of the pair of engaging members is spaced from the arm-locking member.
  7. The container of claim 6, wherein each engaging member of the pair of engaging members (254) of the latch-locking arm (250) has an end with a curved surface (266) that engages a receiver (144) positioned under a lip (146) that extends along the first side of the base (110).
  8. The container of claim 1, wherein an interlocking pawl (288) is rotatably attached to the latch body (210) located closer to an upper edge (212) of the latch body than a lower edge (214) of the latch body.
  9. The container of claim 8, wherein the interlocking pawl (288) includes a central member (290) with an aperture (292) extending through the base, a first protrusion (294) extending outward from the central member, and a second protrusion (296) extending outward from the central member opposite the first protrusion.
  10. The container of claim 9, wherein the first protrusion (294) of the interlocking pawl (288) is configured to contact the latch button (230) when the latch assembly (200) is in the unlocked position to prevent the latch button from moving upwards.
  11. The container of claim 10, wherein the second protrusion (296) of the interlocking pawl (288) has a curved outer surface that contacts the lid (150) when the latch assembly is in the unlocked position to prevent the latch assembly (200) from locking before the lid is in the closed configuration.
  12. The container of claim 10, the latch assembly (200) further comprising a third biasing member (298) arranged to exert a second rotational force on the interlocking pawl (288).
  13. The container of claim 1, further comprising a divider (178) that extends across a lid opening (170) of the lid (150), wherein the divider is pivotally connected to the lid.
  14. The container of claim 13, wherein the divider (178) is connected to the lid (150) with a hinge (181) and is selectively secured to the lid on a side opposite the hinge to prevent rotational movement of the divider.
  15. The container of claim 14, wherein the divider (178) is releasably secured with a snap fit, optionally, wherein the divider includes a plurality of elongated openings (184).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of, and priority to, U.S. Patent Application No. 17/530,053 filed on November 18, 2021. FIELD This disclosure relates to portable containers with latching systems. BACKGROUND Various types of containers and latching systems exist. Containers may be used for food, beverages, and other materials or items. Latching systems exist to lock the containers in a closed configuration. However, conventional containers and latching systems are often not very durable and may not be easy to use. For instance, containers may not be strong enough to hold certain items and may not be strong enough to hold items on top of the container. Additionally, some latching systems may engage when a user does not want the system engaged and in other cases may not provide a sufficient lock between for the container. In such arrangements these and other deficiencies may render the container and/or latching system virtually useless. US 2018/354687 A1 discloses a container having a base and a lid. The lid may be rotatable about a hinge from a closed configuration to an open configuration and may be secured, via one or more latching assemblies. The latching assembly may comprise a latch body, a locking member, a biasing member, and an activating member. BRIEF SUMMARY This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. The Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. One aspect of the disclosure relates to a container comprising: (a) a base that includes (1) a sidewall structure having at least a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the sidewall structure having a first end and a second end opposite the first end; (2) a bottom portion connected to the first end of the sidewall structure and configured to support the container on a surface; and (3) a base opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure, where the base opening is configured to allow access to an interior void of the container formed by the sidewall structure and the bottom portion; and (b) a lid pivotally connected to the base and having a shape corresponding to a shape of the base, where the lid is configured to rotate between an open configuration that allows access to the base opening and a closed configuration that prevents access to the base opening; and (c) a latch assembly having a locked position and an unlocked position. The latch assembly comprises: (a) a latch body pivotally connected to the lid; (b) a latch button slidably connected with the latch body, the latch button having a latch button-locking member; (c) a latch-locking arm pivotally connected to the latch body, where the latch-locking arm has an latch arm-locking member; (d) a latch button biasing member that exerts a linear force on the latch button; and (e) a latch-locking arm biasing member that exerts a rotational force on the latch-locking arm. To move the latch assembly to a locked position, the latch-locking arm engages the base and rotates against the rotational force of the latch-locking arm biasing member, and the latch button moves against the linear force of the latch button biasing member until the latch button-locking member engages the arm-locking member. Additionally, the latch button-locking member may engage the arm-locking member when the latch-locking arm is in a substantially vertical position. In the exemplary embodiment, the latch-locking arm biasing member is a torsional spring. The latch arm-locking member may include a first locking surface and a curved upper surface extending from an upper edge of the first locking surface, where the latch arm-locking member may be substantially centered along the latch-locking arm. The latch-locking arm may have a pair of engaging members arranged on each side of the arm-locking member, and each engaging member of the pair of engaging members may be spaced from the arm-locking member. In addition, each engaging member of the pair of engaging members of the latch-locking arm may have an end with a curved surface that engages a receiver positioned under a lip that extends along the first side of the base. The latch assembly may also include an interlocking pawl that is rotatably attached to the latch body and located closer to an upper edge of the latch body than a lower edge of the latch body. The interlocking pawl may include a central member with an aperture extending through the base, a first protrusion extending outward from the central member, and a second protrusion extending outward from the central member opposite the first protrusion. The first protrusion of the interlocking pawl may contact the latch button when the latch assembly is in the unlocked position to prevent the latch button from moving upwards. And