阅读说明：本技术 容器和闩锁系统 (Container and latch system ) 是由 罗伊·约瑟夫·赛德尔斯 史蒂夫·查尔斯·尼科尔斯 凯尔·埃利松 安迪·邦德胡斯 托比亚斯·霍 于 2018-06-12 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种容器,所述容器具有底座和封盖。所述封盖可以围绕铰链从闭合构型旋转至打开构型,并且可以经由一个或多个闩锁组件来固定。所述闩锁组件可以包括闩锁主体、锁定构件、偏置构件和致动构件。所述容器的附加特征可以包括把手和强度提高特征。所述底座和所述封盖还可以以各种附件的附接点为特征。(The present invention provides 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 latch assemblies. The latch assembly may include a latch body, a locking member, a biasing member, and an actuating member. Additional features of the container may include a handle and strength enhancement features. The base and the cover may also feature attachment points for various accessories.)

1. A container, comprising:

a base, the base comprising:

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;

a bottom portion connected to a first end of the sidewall structure and configured to support the container on a surface; and

an opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure opposite the first end, the opening configured to allow access to an interior void of the container formed by the sidewall structure and the bottom portion;

a latch retainer extending from the sidewall structure, the latch retainer having an upper surface, an inner surface, and a lower surface;

a lid that pivots between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the lid having a shape that corresponds to a shape of the base and being configured to cover the opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure when the container is in the closed configuration; and

a hinge configured to connect the lid to the base and about which the lid is rotatable from the closed configuration to the open configuration; and

a latch assembly having a locked position and an unlocked position, the latch assembly comprising:

a latch body pivotally engaged with the lid, the latch body having at least one engagement lug;

a locking member engaged with the latch body, the locking member being movable between at least a downward position and an upward position, the locking member being configured to lock the lid in the closed configuration when the locking member is in the downward position and to unlock the lid when the locking member is in the upward position;

a biasing member engaged with the latch body and the locking member, the biasing member biasing the locking member in a downward position; and

an actuation member pivotally engaged with the latch body and engaged with the locking member, the actuation member configured to move the locking member from the downward position to the upward position.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the base includes a plurality of tabs positioned along an inner surface of the interior void.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein each tab of the plurality of tabs comprises an upper support surface and an opening.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein the opening of each tab has an elongated shape.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein the upper support surface is located in an upper region of the interior void of the base.

6. The container of claim 2, wherein the plurality of tabs are positioned at a height that is greater than fifty percent of a height of the interior void.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein a pair of rails is positioned on at least an inner surface of at least one sidewall.

8. The container of claim 7, wherein the pair of tracks are positioned on at least an inner surface of at least two sidewalls.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the lid comprises a plurality of clips positioned along an inner surface of the lid, wherein each clip comprises an engagement member and an elongated opening.

10. The container of claim 2, wherein the lid comprises a plurality of clips positioned along an inner surface of the lid, wherein each clip comprises an engagement member and an elongated opening, and wherein the elongated opening of each tab of the plurality of tabs has substantially the same width as the elongated opening of each clip.

11. The container of claim 1, further comprising a gasket disposed in a recess formed in at least one of the base and the lid.

12. The container of claim 1, further comprising a channel integrally formed with an outer surface of the base, wherein the channel extends around the entire outer surface of the base.

13. A latch assembly having a latched position and an unlatched position, the latch assembly comprising:

a latch retainer having an upper surface, an inner surface, and a lower surface;

a latch body having at least one engagement lug;

a locking member slidably engaged with the latch body, the locking member being slidable between at least a downward position and an upward position, the latch assembly being configured to be in the locked position when the locking member is in the downward position, and the latch assembly being configured to be in the unlocked position when the locking member is in the upward position;

a spring engaged with the latch body and the locking member, the spring biasing the locking member in a downward position; and

an actuating member pivotally engaged with the latch body and engaged with the locking member, the actuating member configured to move the locking member from the downward position to the upward position;

wherein the latch assembly is movable from the unlocked position to the locked position only when the locking member is in the upward position;

wherein the at least one engagement lug of the latch body engages the lower surface of the latch keeper when the latch assembly is in the locked position; and

wherein the hook of the locking member engages the upper surface of the latch keeper when the latch assembly is in the latched position.

14. The latch assembly of claim 13, wherein the latch keeper further comprises a support rib extending from an inner surface of the latch keeper.

15. The latch assembly of claim 14, wherein the support rib is centrally located relative to the upper surface of the latch keeper.

16. The latch assembly of claim 15, wherein the locking member includes at least two hooks.

17. The latch assembly of claim 16, wherein the support rib is located between the at least two hooks of the locking member when the latch assembly is in the latched position.

Background

There are various types of containers and latching systems. The container may be used for food, beverages, and other materials or items. A latching system exists to lock the container in the closed configuration. However, conventional container and latch systems are generally not very durable and may not be easy to use. For example, the container may not be strong enough to hold certain items, and may not be strong enough to hold the items on top of the container. In addition, some latching systems that the user does not want to engage may be engaged, and in other cases, these latching systems may not provide adequate locking for the container. In such an arrangement, these and other drawbacks may render the container and/or the latching system almost useless.

Disclosure of Invention

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This 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.

According to one aspect, a container is disclosed. The container may include: a molded base, the molded base comprising: a sidewall structure having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a third side extending between an edge of the first side and an edge of the second side, and a fourth side opposite the third side, the sidewall structure having a first end and a second end; a bottom portion connected to the first end of the sidewall structure and configured to support the container on a surface; and an opening formed at a second end of the sidewall structure opposite the first end, the opening configured to allow access to an interior void of the container formed by the sidewall structure and the bottom portion. The base may also include a latch retainer extending from the sidewall structure, wherein the latch retainer has an upper surface, an inner surface, and a lower surface. The container may further include a lid that pivots between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the lid has a shape that corresponds to the shape of the base and is configured to cover the opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure when the container is in the closed configuration. The hinge may be configured to connect the lid to the base, wherein the lid is rotatable about the hinge from a closed configuration to an open configuration. The container may also include a latch assembly, wherein the latch assembly has a locked position and an unlocked position.

The latch assembly may include a latch body pivotably engaged with the cover, and wherein the latch body has at least one engagement lug. The latch assembly may further include a locking member slidably engaged with the latch body, wherein the locking member is slidable between at least a downward position and an upward position. The locking member may be configured to lock the lid in the closed configuration when the locking member is in the downward position and configured to unlock the lid when the locking member is in the upward position. In addition, the latch assembly further includes: a biasing member engaged with the latch body and the locking member, wherein the biasing member biases the locking member in a downward position; and an actuating member pivotally engaged with the latch body and engaged with the locking member, the actuating member configured to move the locking member from the downward position to the upward position. The latch assembly is movable from the unlocked position to the locked position only when the locking member is in the upward position. Another aspect of the latch assembly is that the at least one engagement lug of the latch body can be engaged to a lower surface of the latch keeper when the latch assembly is in the latched position; and the hook of the locking member may engage an upper surface of the latch keeper when the latch assembly is in the latched position.

Other aspects of the present disclosure may relate to rotating a lid of a container from a closed configuration to an open configuration may include rotating the lid 90 degrees from the closed configuration. Additionally, the latch keeper can further include a support rib extending from an outer surface of the base to an inner surface of the latch keeper, wherein the support rib can be centrally located with respect to the upper surface of the latch keeper. The locking member may further comprise at least two hooks such that when the latch assembly is in the locked position, the support rib is located between the at least two hooks of the locking member. The base may further include at least one ramp surface adjacent the latch keeper such that the ramp surface extends downwardly at an angle away from the interface surface of the base. The at least one ramp surface forms an angle between 30 degrees and 60 degrees with respect to the interface surface of the base. The gasket may be disposed in a recess formed in at least one of the base and the cover. As another feature, the base may further comprise a handle on each side of the container, wherein each handle is integrally formed with the base. The handle may have a curved profile below the outer surface of the handle, and wherein the curved profile is formed by a plurality of ribs extending from one of the sides of the sidewall structure to the inner surface of the handle.

Other aspects of the present disclosure may relate to a container comprising: a base, the base comprising: 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; a bottom portion connected to the first end of the sidewall structure and configured to support the container on a surface; and an opening formed at a second end of the sidewall structure opposite the first end, the opening configured to allow access to an interior void of the container formed by the sidewall structure and the bottom portion. The base may also include a latch retainer extending from the sidewall structure, the latch retainer having an upper surface, an inner surface, and a lower surface. The container may further include a lid that pivots between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the lid having a shape corresponding to the shape of the base and being configured to cover the opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure when the container is in the closed configuration. A hinge may be configured to connect the lid to the base, and the lid may be rotatable about the hinge from a closed configuration to an open configuration, and the latch assembly has a locked position and an unlocked position. The latch assembly may include: a latch body pivotably engaged with the cover, wherein the latch body has at least one engagement lug; a locking member engaged with the latch body, wherein the locking member is movable between a downward position and an upward position. The locking member may be configured to lock the lid in the closed configuration when the locking member is in the downward position and configured to unlock the lid when the locking member is in the upward position. The latch assembly may further have: a biasing member engaged with the latch body and the locking member, wherein the biasing member biases the locking member in a downward position; and an actuating member pivotally engaged with the latch body and engaged with the locking member, wherein the actuating member is configured to move the locking member from the downward position to the upward position.

Additional aspects of the present disclosure may relate to a base portion of a container including a plurality of tabs positioned along an inner surface of an interior void. Each of the plurality of tabs may extend from one of the inner surfaces and include an upper support surface and an opening, wherein the opening of each tab has an elongated shape. The upper support surface may be located in an upper region of the interior void of the base or at a height greater than fifty percent of the height of the interior void. Additionally, the base may include a pair of rails positioned on at least an inner surface of at least one of the sidewalls, wherein the pair of rails is positioned on at least an inner surface of at least two of the sidewalls. Similarly, the cover can include a plurality of clips positioned along an inner surface of the cover, wherein each clip includes an engagement member and an elongated opening, wherein the elongated opening of each tab of the plurality of tabs can have substantially the same width as the elongated opening of each clip. The container may further have: a gasket disposed in a recess formed in at least one of the base and the cover; and a channel integrally formed with the outer surface of the base, wherein the channel extends around the entire outer surface of the base.

Still other aspects of the present disclosure may relate to a container comprising: a base having: 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; a bottom portion connected to the first end of the sidewall structure and configured to support the container on a surface; and an opening formed at a second end of the sidewall structure opposite the first end, wherein the opening allows access to an interior void of the container formed by the sidewall structure and the bottom portion. The container may further include a lid that pivots between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the lid having a shape corresponding to the shape of the base and being configured to cover the opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure when the container is in the closed configuration. The container may further include a latch assembly having a latched position and an unlatched position, wherein the latch assembly includes a latch body pivotally engaged with the lid, a locking member engaged with the latch body, wherein the locking member is movable between downward and upward positions. The locking member is configured to lock the lid in the closed configuration when the locking member is in the downward position and is configured to unlock the lid when the locking member is in the upward position. An actuating member may be pivotally engaged with the latch body and also engaged with the locking member, wherein the actuating member moves the locking member from the downward position to the upward position.

Other aspects of the containers described in this disclosure may include a latch assembly having a biasing member engaged with a latch body and a locking member, wherein the biasing member biases the locking member in a downward position. The locking member is slidable between a downward position and an upward position, wherein the latch assembly is movable from the unlocked position to the locked position only when the locking member is in the upward position. The latch body may include an inner surface and at least one engagement lug, wherein the base includes a latch retainer including an upper surface, an inner surface, and a lower surface. The at least one engagement lug of the latch body may engage a lower surface of the latch keeper when the latch assembly is in the latched position, and wherein a lower surface of the hook of the locking member engages an upper surface of the latch keeper when the latch assembly is in the latched position.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This 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.

Brief description of the drawings

The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:

fig. 1A is a top perspective view of a container according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 1B is a top perspective view of the container of fig. 1A with the lid in an open position according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 2A is a bottom perspective view of the container of fig. 1A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 2B is a side cross-sectional view of the container of fig. 1A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 3 is a top perspective view of a base portion of the container of fig. 1A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 4A is a bottom perspective view of a portion of a base portion of the container of fig. 1A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 4B is a top perspective view of a handle of the container of fig. 1A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 4C is a top perspective view of a portion of a handle according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 4D is a side cross-sectional view of a portion of a handle and a container according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 5A is a top perspective view of a portion of a closure of the container of fig. 1A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 5B is a top perspective view of a portion of a base portion of the container of fig. 1A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 6A is a bottom rear perspective view of a latch assembly according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 6B is a top rear perspective view of a latch assembly according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 7A is a top front perspective view of a latch assembly according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 7B is a bottom front perspective view of a latch assembly according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 8 is a rear perspective view of a latch assembly according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 9 is a side cross-sectional view of a latch assembly according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 10A-10D illustrate side cross-sectional views of a latch assembly moving from a locked position to an unlocked position according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 11A-11C illustrate side cross-sectional views of the latch assembly of fig. 10A-10D moving from an unlatched position to a latched position according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 12A-12C illustrate side cross-sectional views of a latch assembly moving from a locked position to an unlocked position according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 13A-13C illustrate side cross-sectional views of the latch assembly of fig. 13A-13C moving from an unlatched position to a latched position according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 14 is a top perspective view of a container according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 15 is a side cross-sectional view of the container of fig. 14, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 16A is a side cross-sectional view of the container of fig. 14, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 16B is an enlarged view of a portion of the container shown in fig. 16A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 17A illustrates a top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the container of fig. 1 with the lid in a closed position, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 17B illustrates a top perspective view of the container of fig. 17A with the lid in an open position according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 18A illustrates a front view of the container of fig. 17A with the lid in a closed position, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 18B illustrates a rear view of the container of fig. 17A with the lid in a closed position according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 18C illustrates a top view of the container of fig. 17A with the lid in a closed position according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 18D illustrates a bottom view of the container of fig. 17A with the lid in a closed position according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 18E illustrates a left side view of the container of fig. 17A with the lid in a closed position according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 18F illustrates a right side view of the container of fig. 17A with the lid in a closed position according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 19A illustrates a top view of a base portion of the container of fig. 17A with a lid removed according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 19B illustrates an enlarged view of a base portion of the container shown in fig. 19A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 20A illustrates a bottom rear perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a latch assembly according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 20B illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the latch assembly of fig. 20A in a latched position in accordance with one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 20C illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the latch assembly of fig. 20A in a latched position in accordance with one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 21 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of the latch assembly of fig. 20A in an unlatched position according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 22A illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the container of fig. 17A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 22B illustrates an enlarged side cross-sectional view through the handle of the container of fig. 17A in accordance with one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 22C illustrates a partial view of a bottom perspective view of a handle of the container of fig. 17A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 23A illustrates a partial top perspective view of a base portion of the container of fig. 17A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 23B illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of the partial top perspective view of fig. 23A showing a base portion of the container of fig. 17A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 24A illustrates a top perspective view of an interior of a closure of the container of fig. 17A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 24B illustrates an enlarged view of the top perspective view of fig. 24A showing a portion of the closure of the container of fig. 17A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 25 illustrates a side view of the container of fig. 17A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 26A-26D illustrate top perspective views of the container of fig. 17A in an open position with various accessories installed in accordance with one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 27A illustrates a top perspective view of an accessory of the container of fig. 17A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Fig. 27B and 27C are side cross-sectional views of the accessory of fig. 27A, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Moreover, it should be understood that the drawings may represent proportions of different elements of a single embodiment; however, the disclosed embodiments are not limited to this particular ratio.

Detailed Description

In the following description of various example structures in accordance with the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration various example devices, systems, and environments in which aspects of the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other specific arrangements of parts, example devices, systems, and environments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention herein. Additionally, while "top," "bottom," "front," "back," "side," "back," and the like may be used in this specification to describe various example features and elements of the invention, these terms are used herein for convenience, e.g., based on the example orientations shown in the figures or orientations during conventional use. Additionally, as used herein, the term "plurality" means any number greater than one, arbitrarily or additively, up to an infinite number, as desired. Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a specific three dimensional orientation of structures without departing from the scope of the invention. Additionally, the reader is advised that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

In general, aspects of the invention relate to containers and latch assemblies for containers. According to various aspects and embodiments, the container and latch assemblies described herein may be formed from one or more of a variety of materials, such as metals (including metal alloys), polymers, and composites, and may be formed in one of a variety of configurations, without departing from the scope of the invention. It should be understood that the container and latch assembly may comprise components made of several different materials. In addition, these components may be formed by various forming methods. For example, the metal component may be formed by forging, molding, casting, stamping, machining, and/or other known techniques. Additionally, polymeric components such as elastomers may be manufactured by polymer processing techniques, such as various molding and casting techniques, and/or other known techniques.

The various figures in this application illustrate examples of container and latch assemblies according to the present invention. When the same reference number appears in multiple figures, that reference number is used consistently in this specification and the figures refer to the same or similar parts throughout.

Fig. 1A, 1B, and 2A depict perspective views of the container 2. In one example, the container 2 can include a base portion 4 and a lid 5, which can be coupled, in some examples, or removably coupled, in some examples, non-destructively. The base portion 4 may be a structure that forms a void for receiving an item, as will be discussed more fully herein. In some examples, the base portion 4 may be cuboidal or substantially cuboidal in shape. In other examples, the base portion 4 may be prismatic or substantially prismatic in shape (e.g., pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, etc.). In other examples, the base portion 4 may be substantially cylindrical in shape or may have a substantially trapezoidal cross-section. Various other shapes may be used without departing from the invention.

The base portion 4 may include a sidewall structure 6 having a first side 8, a second side 10 opposite the first side, a third side 12 extending between an edge of the first side and an edge of the second side, and a fourth side 14 opposite the third side. The sidewall structure 6 may also have a first end 16 and a second end 18. The sidewall structure 6 may also include a bottom portion 20 connected to the first end 16 of the sidewall structure 6 and configured to support the container on a surface such as a work bench, the ground, a vehicle cargo bed, or the like. In some embodiments, the bottom portion 20 may also and/or alternatively include one or more feet 22 that may support the container 2 on a surface such as a work bench, the ground, a vehicle cargo bed, or the like. The feet 22 may be integrally formed with the base plate 4 or may be attached to the base plate 4 after the base plate has been formed.

The base portion 4 also includes a second end 18 that defines an opening 19 (shown in fig. 3). The opening 19 is configured to allow access to an interior void 21 of the container 2 formed by the sidewall structure 6 and the bottom portion 20.

The container 2 may include a closure 5. The lid 5 is pivotable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. In some embodiments, rotating the lid from the closed configuration to the open configuration comprises rotating the lid about 90 ° from the closed configuration, or about 180 ° from the closed configuration, or about 270 ° from the closed configuration. As shown in fig. 1, the opening 19 may be covered by the closure 5 when the container is in use (e.g., when the container is in a closed configuration). In some arrangements, the lid 5 may be connected to the base 4 using a press fit when in the closed configuration. Additionally or alternatively, other securing systems or devices may be used to secure the cover 5 to the base 4, as will be discussed more fully herein.

In some examples, the lid 5 may be hinged such that it is connected (removably or permanently) to the base 4 at a hinge 37 and may rotate about the hinge 37. The hinge 37 may be one of various types of hinges, including a continuous piano hinge, a double hinge, a ball joint hinge, a living hinge, and the like. These and various other hinge arrangements may be more fully discussed herein. The hinge 37 may enable the cover 5 to be opened and rotated away from the base portion 4 to allow access to the void defined by the base portion 4 (e.g., via the opening 19). That is, the hinge 37 may facilitate rotation of the lid 5 from the closed configuration of the container (e.g., when the lid is in place covering the void 21 formed by the base 4, as shown in fig. 1A) to the open configuration (e.g., when the lid is not covering the void 21 formed by the base 4, as shown in fig. 1B), and vice versa.

Additionally, in some arrangements, the container 2 may include a gasket 30 or other sealing device. The gasket 30 may be disposed in the lid 5 or the base 4 and may help seal the lid 5 and the base 4 when the lid 5 is in the closed configuration. For example, in one embodiment, the container 2 may be manufactured such that it is dust tight when tested for 8 hours, and/or waterproof when tested for 30 minutes under water at a depth of 1 meter. In some embodiments, the container 2 may be able to reach an IP67 rating (as specified by the international electrotechnical commission) which specifies no or complete protection from dust ingress at 8 hours of testing, and no harmful amounts of water ingress when the package is immersed in water under defined pressure and time conditions (up to 1m in water). The time for the IP67 dust test was 8 hours, and the package was tested in vacuum. The water test time of the IP67 is 30 minutes, and when the package is tested, the lowest point of the package is 1000 mm below the water surface, or the highest point of the package is 150 mm below the water surface (based on the deeper point)

In some examples, (and as best shown in fig. 10A-11C), the gasket 30 may be disposed in a recess 32 formed in at least one of the base 4 and the lid 5 and extending around a perimeter of at least one of the base 4 or the lid 5. Additionally, in some examples, the container 2 may include a ridge 34 that is opposite the base 4 or lid 5 and extends around the perimeter of the base 4 or lid 5. The gasket 30 may be disposed between the recess 32 and the ridge 34. The gasket 30 may help maintain a seal between the interior of the container 2 and the external environment, and in some instances may help maintain the temperature of the articles contained within the container 2. One example gasket arrangement is shown in fig. 10A-11C, although this and various other gasket arrangements may be used with any of the containers described herein.

As shown, the gasket 30 is disposed in a recess or channel 32 in the lid 5. Alternatively, the gasket 30 may be disposed in a recess or channel formed in the base 4. A ridge 34 having a shape corresponding to the recess 32 may contact the gasket 30 and compress the gasket 30 when the lid 5 is in the closed configuration and help seal the lid 5 and the base 4 when in the closed configuration. In some examples, the gasket 30 may be a conventional gasket having a substantially circular cross-section. In other arrangements, the gasket 30 may include strategically placed cutouts that may reduce or eliminate the need for vents (e.g., vents to prevent locking of the closure).

In some arrangements, the container 2 may include additional features, such as one or more handles 40. As shown, the handle may be disposed on one or more portions of the sidewall structure 6, including on opposing sides such as sides 12 and 14. As best shown in fig. 4A-4D, the handle 40 may be comprised of a first arm 42 and a second arm 44 connected by a gripping member 46. The handle 40 may be pivotable about a hinge 43 passing through a portion of the side wall structure 6 and through each of the first and second arms 42, 44. The handle 40 may also include features to reduce movement of the handle and possible rattle associated with the handle when not in use. As shown in fig. 4A-4D, one or both of the arms 42, 44 may include a raised portion 48 at the distal end of the arm. In some embodiments, raised portion 48 may be attached to resilient member 50. As best shown in fig. 4A and 4D, the container 2 may include a recess 52. When the handle 40 is not in use, the raised portion 48 may be configured to be located within the recess 52 of the side wall structure 6. This may reduce movement of the handle 40 when the handle is not in use. However, when the user moves the handle 40 for use, the resilient member 50 may retract and allow the user to rotate the handle outwardly.

In other examples, as shown in fig. 14-16B, and as will be discussed in more detail below, the handle 240 may be integrally formed with the base portion 204, and in some examples, the handle may generally be an undercut formed in a sidewall structure of the base portion 204. In some examples, the undercut forming the handle may comprise a recess extending along substantially all or a majority of the sidewall structure 6. This may facilitate manufacturing the base 204 with the handle 240 integrally formed. In some examples, the integrally formed handle 240 may be flush with the outer surface of the base 204 to reduce the risk of breakage.

In some arrangements, the container 2 may also include one or more latch assemblies 100. The latch assembly 100 may have a locked position and an unlocked position, and may be configured to lock the lid 5 when the lid 5 is in the closed configuration. The latch assembly 100 may include one or more portions that are integrally formed with or otherwise attached to the container 2. As shown in fig. 5B and 9, the container 2 may include a latch holder 70. The latch retainer 70 may extend from the side wall structure 6 and may form a pocket within the container 2. The pocket of the latch keeper 70 is shaped to receive a portion of the locking member 130, as will be discussed in more detail below. The latch keeper may have an upper surface 72, an inner surface 74, and a lower surface 76. As will be discussed in more detail below, the latch assembly 100 may engage the latch keeper 70 to lock the lid 5 to the base 4 when the container 2 is in the closed configuration.

The container 2 may also include various features for improving the strength and/or function of the container 2. For example, the container may include various raised portions, with some portions of the base 4 and/or lid 5 extending further outward than other portions of the base 4 and/or lid. As best shown in fig. 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B, the base 4 may include a J-shaped raised portion or wall 59 forming a channel 60, the raised wall 59 engaging the sidewall structure 6. The channel 60 may surround the entire periphery of the container 2. The channel 60 may also include a stiffening member 62 at various locations within the channel. The channel 60 formed by the J-shaped wall 59 may increase the strength of the container 2 or base 4. In some embodiments, such as shown in fig. 2B, the J-shaped wall 59 may allow the base 4 to be configured such that the inner surface 6A of the sidewall structure 6 is substantially smooth throughout the interior of the container 2. Thus, for example, substantially all or all of the inner surface 6A of the sidewall structure 6 (including one or all of the first side 8, the second side 10 opposite the first side, and the third side 12) may be substantially flat and/or smooth.

The container 2 may also include raised portions 64, 66 that surround the latch assembly 100 and the handle 40, respectively. As shown in fig. 4, raised portions 64, 66 may be present on one or both of the base 4 or cover 5. The raised portions 64, 66 may be raised to a height equal to or greater than the height of the latch assembly 100 and the handle 40, respectively, such that the latch assembly 100 and/or the handle 40 do not extend outwardly beyond the raised portions 64, 66 of the container 2. This may protect the latch assembly 100 and/or the handle 40 and reduce breakage of these components during use.

The container 2 may be configured to hold, store, carry, etc., items (including food, beverages, or any other items). Additionally or alternatively, the container 2 may be configured to store material in a solid or gaseous state, or a combination thereof, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure described herein.

The container 2 (which includes the base 4 and the lid 5) may be formed from a variety of materials, such as one or more metals, alloys, polymers, ceramics or fiber reinforced materials. In some examples, the base 4 and cover 5 may be formed from a plastic material, such as polyethylene, that is molded to form both the base 4 and cover 5 portions. In some arrangements, the outer shell of the base 4 and lid 5 portions are formed using an injection molding or rotational molding (roto-molding) process, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. However, various other types of molding or other manufacturing processes (e.g., stamping, casting, forging, etc.) may be used to form the container 2 without departing from the invention.

In some arrangements herein, the base 4 and cover 5 may comprise an outer surface or shell that surrounds and encloses a thermally insulating portion (not shown), thereby forming an insulated container. The housing may generally be formed from a variety of materials, such as one or more metals, alloys, polymers, ceramics, or fiber reinforced materials. In some examples, the housing may be formed from a plastic material, such as polyethylene, that is molded to form both the base 4 and the cover 5. In some examples, the thermal insulation portion (not shown) may be formed of an insulating material exhibiting low thermal conductivity. For example, the insulating portion may be formed (or filled) with a polymer foam such as a polyurethane foam. Additional or other insulating materials, including, for example, vacuum insulation panels, may be used without departing from the invention. In some arrangements, the housing of the base 4 and cover 5 portions may be formed using an injection molding or rotational molding process, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. However, various other types of molding or other manufacturing processes (e.g., stamping, casting, forging, etc.) may be used to form the container without departing from the invention.

More specifically, referring now to the latch assembly 100, as best shown in fig. 8 and 9, the latch assembly 100 may include a plurality of components including a latch body 102, a locking member 130, a biasing member 150, and an actuating member 170. As described above, the latch assembly 100 may include a locked position and an unlocked position.

The latch body 102 may be pivotally engaged with the lid 5. As shown in fig. 9, the latch body may be pivotally engaged with the lid 5 using a hinge 106, but any suitable pivotal engagement may be used. In some embodiments, hinge 106 may be removably engaged with container 2. The hinge 106 may allow a user to easily remove and replace the latch assembly 100 if it is damaged. The latch body 102 may include an inner surface 108 and an outer surface 110. The outer surface may be curved and may generally follow the curve of the sidewall structure 6 of the container 2. As discussed above, in some instances, the outer surface 110 of the latch body 102 may not extend outside of the outer edge of the sidewall structure 6 of the container 2. The inner surface 108 may also be curved and may also include a number of different features. One exemplary feature that may be included on the latch body 102 may be one or more engagement lugs 112. As will be discussed in more detail below, the engagement lugs 112 may engage the container base 4 or the latch keeper 70 and may assist in pressing the closure 5 against the base 4 of the container 2.

The latch body 102 may also be engaged with the locking member 130. As shown in fig. 8, the locking member 130 may be slidably engaged with the latch body 102 such that the locking member 130 may move between the upward and downward positions along a substantially linear path. The locking member 130 may be configured to lock the lid 5 in the closed configuration when the locking member 130 is in the downward position and to unlock the lid 5 when the locking member 130 is in the upward position.

As shown primarily in fig. 8, the locking member 130 may be movably engaged with one or more guide members 132 such that the locking member 130 may slide up and down the guide members 132. In one embodiment, the locking member 130 may include holes 134 through the locking member 130, and the guide member 132 may also pass through these holes. The guide member 132 may be engaged with the latch body 102 at a top end 136 and a bottom end 138. As shown in fig. 8, the guide member 132 is a cylindrical rod, but any suitable shape that allows the locking member 130 to move up and down may be used. For example, the shape of the guide member 132 may be prismatic or substantially prismatic (e.g., pentagonal prism, hexagonal prism, heptagonal prism, etc.). In other examples, the latch assembly 100 may include other devices suitable for allowing substantially linear movement between the locking member 130 and the latch body 102, including, for example, a track.

As shown in fig. 8, the latch assembly 100 may further include at least one biasing member 150 that engages the latch body 102 and the locking member 130. As will be discussed in more detail below, the biasing member 150 is configured to bias the locking member 130 in a downward position. The biasing member 150 may be a compression spring, as shown in fig. 8, but may be any suitable means for biasing the locking member 130 in the downward position in alternative embodiments.

The locking member 130 may include a base portion 140 and a hook portion 142 extending inwardly from the base portion 140. Hook portion 142 may include a lower surface 144 and an inwardly facing surface 146. As shown in fig. 9, when the latch assembly 100 is in the latched position, a lower surface 144 of the hook 142 of the locking member 130 may engage the upper surface 72 of the latch keeper 70 and an inwardly facing surface 146 of the hook 142 may engage the inner surface 74 of the latch keeper 70. Additionally, when the latch assembly 100 is in the locked position, the upper surface of the engagement lug 112 may engage the lower surface 76 of the latch keeper 70.

The latch body 102 may also be pivotally engaged with the actuation member 170. The actuation member 170 may also be engaged with the locking member 130 and may be configured to move the locking member 130 from the downward position to the upward position. As shown in fig. 8 and 9, the actuating member 170 may be pivotally coupled to the latch body 102 by a hinge 172 that extends through the latch body 102 and the actuating member 170. The actuating member 170 may include a grip portion 174, an actuating barrel 176, and one or more arms 178 connecting the grip portion 174 and the actuating barrel 176. As shown in fig. 9, the gripping portion 174 is spaced a distance from the sidewall structure 6 of the container 2. This distance may allow a user to grasp the back surface 180 of the gripping portion 174 with their fingers between the sidewall structure 6 and the gripping portion 174. As shown in fig. 9, the actuation barrel 176 of the actuation member 170 may engage the locking member 130. The actuation cylinder 176 may include a raised portion 182. As will be discussed in more detail below, a user may pull forward on the grip portion 174 of the actuation member 170, thereby causing the boss portion 182 of the actuation barrel 176 to rotate and raise the locking member 130. This movement causes the latch assembly 100 to unlatch and allow the lid 5 to move from the closed configuration to the open configuration.

Referring now to fig. 10A-10D, a process for moving an embodiment of the latch assembly 100 from a locked position to an unlocked position is shown, along with a side cross-sectional view of the latch assembly 100 and portions of the base 4 and cover 5. Fig. 10A depicts the latch assembly 100 in the latched position. Fig. 10B depicts the latch assembly 100 being unlocked. Fig. 10C depicts the latch assembly 100 in the unlatched position. Fig. 10D depicts the latch assembly 100 in the unlatched position and illustrates the anti-rotation feature. As shown in fig. 10A, in the latched position, the lower surface 144 of the hook 142 engages the upper surface 72 of the latch keeper 70; the inwardly facing surface 146 of the hook 142 engages the inner surface 74 of the latch keeper 70; and the engagement lugs 112 engage the lower surface 76 of the latch keeper 70.

As shown in fig. 10B, the latch assembly 100 may be moved to the unlatched position by rotating the actuating member 170, as indicated by arrow 190. This rotation may be accomplished by the user pulling the back surface 180 forward. As shown in fig. 10B, as the actuation cylinder 176 rotates, the raised portion 182 engages the locking member 130 and raises the locking member 130. As shown in fig. 10C, the latch assembly 100 is in the unlatched position. As the locking member 130 is raised above the latch keeper 70, the latch assembly 100 unlocks and the latch body 102 (which includes the locking member 130 and the actuating member 170) may rotate forward as indicated by arrow 194.

Fig. 10D depicts the anti-rotation feature of the latch assembly 100 and the container 2. As shown in fig. 10D, the latch assembly 100 is in the unlatched position and has been rotated further outward from the position shown in fig. 10C. To limit rotation of the latch assembly 100, the latch body 102 can include a back surface 187 configured to engage the anti-rotation surface 7 of the lid once the user has rotated the latch assembly 100 a certain degree away from the latched position. For example, the back surface 187 can be configured to engage the anti-rotation surface 7 when the latch assembly 100 has been rotated by a user at least 20 degrees from the latched position, or at least 30 degrees from the latched position, or at least 45 degrees from the latched position, or at least 90 degrees from the latched position. Advantageously, the anti-rotation feature may also allow a user to open the container 2 using the latch assembly 100 as a handle.

Referring now to fig. 11A-11C, a process for moving the latch assembly 100 from the unlatched position to the latched position is shown, along with a side cross-sectional view of the latch assembly 100 and portions of the base 4 and cover 5. Fig. 11A depicts the latch assembly 100 in an unlocked position. Fig. 11B depicts the latch assembly 100 being locked. Fig. 11C depicts the latch assembly 100 in the latched position.

As shown in fig. 11A, and as indicated by arrow 196, in one embodiment, a user can return the latch assembly 100 to the locked position by depressing the latch body 102. As shown in fig. 11B, as the latch body 102 is pressed inward, the locking member 130 may contact the latch keeper 70, which may cause the locking member 130 to bulge upward as indicated by arrow 198. In other examples, in addition to pushing the latch body 102 inward, the user must also pull the actuating member 170 outward to move the latch assembly 100 to the locked position. In this embodiment, the latch assembly 100 is advantageously movable from the unlocked position to the locked position only when the actuating member 170 moves the locking member 130 in the upward position. This may reduce the likelihood of accidental locking of the container 2.

As shown in fig. 11C, once the hook 142 has moved behind the raised portion of the latch keeper 70, the biasing member 150 may urge the locking member 130 in a downward direction. As shown in fig. 11C, the latch assembly 100 is in the latched position and the lower surface 144 of the hook 142 is engaged with the upper surface 72 of the latch keeper 70; the inwardly facing surface 146 of the hook 142 engages the inner surface 74 of the latch keeper 70; and the engagement lugs 112 engage the lower surface 76 of the latch keeper 70. When in the closed position, the latch assembly 100 is positioned such that the lid 5 abuts the base 4 of the container 2, thereby closing, securing and/or sealing the container 2. Additionally, as the latch assembly moves from the unlocked position (fig. 11A) to the locked position (fig. 11C), the gasket 30 is compressed between the lid 5 and the base 4 of the container 2. Thus, when the latch assembly 100 is in the locked position, the washer 30 is compressed more than when the latch assembly 100 is in the unlocked position.

Fig. 12A-12C depict a process similar to the process for moving the embodiment of the latch assembly 100 from the locked position to the unlocked position shown in fig. 10A-10C. Fig. 13A-13C depict a process similar to the process for moving the embodiment of the latch assembly 100 from the locked position to the unlocked position shown in fig. 11A-11C. In some embodiments, such as shown in fig. 10A-11C, after the user rotates the actuating member 170 outward, the actuating member may automatically return to the downward position shown in fig. 10A. However, in other embodiments, the actuation member can only move to the downward position when the user manually pushes the actuation member 170 inward. Additionally, in some embodiments, the actuating member may extend further outward than the latch body 102 when the actuating member is in the downward position.

The latch assemblies 100 (which include the latch body 102, the locking member 130, and the actuating member 170) may each be formed separately and may be formed from a material such as a plastic material or another suitable material that may be formed or molded into a desired shape material. The latch assembly 100 may be made of sufficient size, thickness and material of construction to withstand repeated stress cycles as the latch engages/disengages with the latch keeper 70 over time. The containers described herein include various features that ensure that the containers are convenient and efficient to manufacture, while providing durability and wear resistance.

Fig. 14-16B depict another example container 202 having a latch assembly 100, where like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements in the container 2, but include 200-series reference numerals. The container 202 is substantially similar to the container 2 and therefore similar aspects of the container 202 will not be discussed here. However, container 202 may be different from container 2. For example, the container 202 includes handles 240 that may be integrally formed with the base portion 204 in the sidewall structure of the base 4. As shown in fig. 14-16B, the integrally formed handle 240 may be formed from the J-shaped wall 259 and/or may include a portion of the J-shaped wall 259. Thus, the integrally formed handle 240 may include a portion of the channel 260 that extends around the perimeter of the container 202.

Fig. 17A-26D depict another example container 302 having a latch assembly 400 discussed below, where like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements in containers 2 and 202, but include 300-series reference numerals. Container 302 is substantially similar to containers 2 and 202, and therefore similar aspects of container 302 will not be discussed here. However, container 302 may be different from containers 2 and 202. For example, the container 302 includes handles 340 that may be integrally formed with the base portion 304 on each side 308, 310, 312, 314 of the sidewall structure 306 of the base 304. Additionally, the container 302 may include a plurality of attachment points for locating and supporting various accessories that may be connected to the container 302. These attachment points will be described in more detail below.

As shown in fig. 17B and 19A and 19B, the base 304 may include a latch retainer 370. The latch keeper 370 may extend from the sidewall structure 306 and may form a pocket within the base 304. The latch keeper 370 may be shaped to receive a portion of the locking member 430, as will be discussed in more detail below. The latch keeper 370 may have an upper surface 372, an inner surface 374, a rib 375, and a lower surface 376. The ribs 375 may extend from the sidewall structure 306 to a lower surface 376 of the latch keeper 370. Optionally, the ribs 375 may also be connected to the upper and lower surfaces 372, 376 or the inner surface 374 of the latch keeper 370. The rib 375 may be substantially centrally located along the latch keeper 370. The ribs 375 may add structural support to the latch keeper 370 to improve durability. As another option, the latch keeper 370 can include a plurality of ribs 375 that can be positioned on either side of the pocket formed by the latch keeper 370 to provide additional support for the latch keeper 370. As will be discussed in more detail below, the latch assembly 400 can engage the latch keeper 370 to lock the lid 305 to the base 304 when the container 302 is in the closed configuration.

In addition, the base 304 may include a plurality of ramps or tapered surfaces 371 on either side of the latch keeper 370. The ramp surface 371 may be angled downward from the interface surface 336 of the base 304, wherein the interface surface 336 may be substantially planar and may extend around at least three sides of the perimeter of the base 304. The interface surface 336 of the base 304 may contact the interface surface 335 of the lid 305 when the container 302 is in the closed position. The ramp surface 371 may be angled downward from the interface surface 336 at about 45 degrees, or in the range of 30 degrees and 60 degrees, or in the range of 20 degrees to 80 degrees. The ramp surface 371 may prevent the latch assembly 400 from catching on the base 304 when the container 302 is closed, and, as the lid 305 is closed, may also contact a lower portion of the latch assembly 400 to push the latch assembly 400 out of the base when the lid 305 is closed, as shown in fig. 21.

The base portion 304 may also include a plurality of engagement members 337 extending from an interface surface 336 of the base 304. The engagement member 337 may be positioned outside of the ridge 334. The engagement member 337 may extend into a recess or cavity 339 on the lid 305. The interaction between the engagement members 337 and the recesses 339 may provide additional structural support to enhance engagement between the lid 305 and the base 304 when the container 302 is in the closed position and when multiple containers are stacked or additional items are placed on top of the container 302. The base 304 may have any number of engagement members 337. For example, the exemplary embodiment shows four engagement members 337, but base 304 can include two engagement members, three engagement members, five engagement members, or more. The number of recesses 339 on the cover 305 can be equal to the number of engagement members 337, and can be located on the cover 305 at positions corresponding to each engagement member 337 of the base 304. In the exemplary embodiment, engagement member 337 has a substantially square cross-sectional shape, but may have any cross-sectional shape, such as a circle, triangle, or other polygon. The height of each engagement member 337 may be less than or equal to the width of the engagement member 337. Additionally, while the engagement members 337 and recesses 339 of the exemplary embodiment are located on the first side 308 of the container 302, the engagement members 337 and recesses 339 may also be located on any side and may have embodiments that position them on multiple sides.

As another feature, the base 304 can have a plurality of tabs 321 positioned along the inner surface 306A of the sidewall structure 306 of the base 304. For example, as shown in fig. 17B and 19A, a tab 321A may be located in each of the corners of the sidewall structure 306. In addition, tabs 321B and 321C may be positioned along the inner surfaces of first side 308 and second side 310. The tabs 321B and 321C may be positioned opposite each other as shown in fig. 19A such that they are aligned along the length of the first side 308. As shown in the exemplary embodiment of fig. 19A, the inner portion may include eight tabs 321, with tab 321A located in each of the corners and tabs 321B and 321C located along the inner surfaces of the sidewalls 308, 310. The tabs 321B and 321C may be generally centrally located such that at least one tab 321B, 321C may be positioned near the centerline of the container 302, but is preferably located on either side of the centerline. Alternatively, the plurality of tabs 321 may not be aligned with the tabs 321 on the opposing inner surface, but may have a staggered arrangement. The tab 321 may provide an attachment location for various accessories, as discussed further below.

Each tab 321 may extend from the inner surface 306A of the sidewall structure 306 and may include an upper support surface 323, an opening 324 extending through the upper support surface 323, and a pair of side surfaces on either end of the tab 321. The upper support surface 323 of each tab can provide an engagement surface to support various accessories inside the container 302, such as the tray 500 discussed further below. The upper support surfaces 323 of the plurality of tabs 321 can be substantially coplanar with one another to allow the support surfaces 323 to hold an accessory that can extend across the base 304 and can be supported by the plurality of tabs 321. The upper support surface 323 of the tab 321 may be located in an upper region of the inner surface 306A at a height greater than fifty percent of the height of the inner portion of the base portion. Alternatively, the upper support surface 323 of the tab 321 may be positioned at a height greater than sixty percent, or even seventy percent, of the height of the inner portion of the base portion. To minimally affect the interior space, each tab 321 may have a low profile such that each tab 321 may extend from the interior surface a distance of less than one inch, or less than 0.5 inch, or even less than 0.25 inch. In addition, the opening 324 may have any shape, but preferably may be elongated in shape. The openings 324 may provide attachment points for straps or other attachment devices to further support various accessories.

Alternatively, a pair of rails 326 may be positioned along at least two of the inner surfaces 306A of the sidewall structures 306. As shown in the exemplary embodiment, a pair of rails may be located on each of the inner surfaces of the first side 308 and the second side 310. Each of the pair of rails 326 may be centrally located such that they are aligned with the pair of rails 326 on the opposing inner surface. Each of the rails 326 may extend from an inner surface of the base 304 and may have a height that extends along a majority of the height of the inner portion. To minimally affect the interior space, each rail 326 may have a low profile such that each rail 326 may extend from the interior surface 306A distance of less than one inch, or less than 0.5 inch, or even less than 0.25 inch. The pair of rails 326 may support a removable dividing wall 510, which may also serve as a cutting plate for dividing the interior of the container into two sections to better organize the stored items. Each of the rails 326 may have a plurality of stoppers or protrusions to securely hold the partition wall 510, thereby preventing the partition wall from moving and restricting any vibration.

Similar to the example container 302 discussed above, the embodiment of fig. 17-26D may have integrally formed handles 340 positioned along each of the sidewalls 308, 310, 312, 314. Each of the integrally formed handles 340 may be formed from a J-shaped wall 359 and/or may include a portion of the J-shaped wall 359. Thus, the integrally formed handle 340 may include a portion of the channel 360 that extends around the perimeter of the container 302. Thus, the example container 302 may include four handles 340. The handle 340 may be integrally formed with the base portion 304. In some examples, each handle 340 may be formed with an undercut and include a recess extending along substantially all or a majority of the sidewall structure 306. The integrally formed handle 340 may simplify the manufacturing process of the base 304. In some examples, the integrally formed handle may be flush with the outer surface of the base 304 to reduce the risk of breakage.

As shown in fig. 22A-22C, each handle 340 may have a curved interior profile 345 to provide an ergonomic and comfortable gripping surface for the user. The interior profile 345 of the handle may include a plurality of handle ribs 347 extending from the sidewall to the interior surface of the handle 340, wherein each handle rib 347 may have a curved profile such that the plurality of ribs 347 spaced apart from one another form the curved interior profile 345 of the handle 340. Each of the ribs 347 may have a spacing between the ribs 347 that is less than a width of each of the ribs 347. Alternatively, each of the ribs 347 may have a spacing between the ribs 347 equal to or greater than a width of each of the ribs 347.

Each handle 340 may have an opening 341 extending through a handle top surface 343 of the handle 340, wherein each opening 341 may be aligned with an opening 349 of the lid 305. Thus, with the opening 341 of the handle aligned with the opening 349 of the lid 305, a strap or similar device is allowed to be in position through the openings 341, 349 to anchor or tether the container 302. Each opening 341, 349 may have an elongated shape and may all have substantially the same length and width. Thus, these openings 341, 349 may provide the user with versatility regarding other operations, not just anchoring the container 302. To further assist in anchoring or securing the container 302, the lid 305 may have a recess or channel 351 aligned with the opening 349 to provide a guide surface for tethering the container 302. Alternatively, clips 520 may be inserted through openings 341 to provide additional locations to use hook and loop type fasteners to increase the variety of options to retain additional accessories, as shown in fig. 23A and 23B.

The lid 305 of the container 302 may also include a plurality of clips 315 positioned along the inner surface 309 of the lid 305. For example, as shown in fig. 24A, clip 315A may be centrally located on each of inner surfaces 325, while a pair of clips 315B and 315C may be evenly spaced along each of inner surfaces 327, 329. Each of the clips 315 may also extend onto or contact the lower interior surface 331 of the cover 305. The clips 315B and 315C may be aligned to be positioned opposite each other. As shown in the exemplary embodiment of fig. 17B and 24A, the cover 305 may include six clips 315, although the cover 305 may include any number of clips 315. Alternatively, the plurality of clips 315 may not be positioned opposite each other on the inner surface of the sidewall, but may have a staggered arrangement. The clip 315 may provide attachment locations for various accessories, such as a net or bungee cord net 515 or straps 516, including additional hitch points for securing any other items desired by the user.

Each clip 315 may extend from an inner surface of the cover 305 and may include an engagement member 317 and an opening 319 extending through the engagement member 317. The opening 319 may be elongated in shape, or alternatively may have any shape. Additionally, the opening 319 of the clip 315 may have a similar width as the opening 324 of the tab 321. These openings 319 may provide attachment points for straps or other attachment devices to further support various accessories, as shown in fig. 26B-26D.

As discussed above with respect to the closure 5, the closure 305 may include a recess 332 in which the gasket 330 may be seated, wherein the recess 332 extends around the perimeter of the closure 305. The recess 332 may be located within the interface surface 335 of the cover 305. The recess 332 may include a plurality of retaining members 333 extending from the sides of the recess 332, as shown in fig. 24B. The retaining member 333 may engage the washer 330 at a plurality of locations around the perimeter of the recess 332 to secure the washer 330 in the recess 332. Each retaining member 333 may include at least one tapered surface such that the thickness of the retaining member 333 near the top of the retaining member is closer to the open end of the recess 332 than the thickness of the central portion of the retaining member 333. Additionally, in some example embodiments, the container 302 may include a ridge 334 in the base 304 opposite a recess 332 of the lid 305 that extends around the perimeter of the base 304. The ridge 334 may be located on an interface surface 336 of the base 304. When the cover 305 engages the base 304, the gasket 330 may be disposed between the recess 332 and the ridge 334.

In some embodiments, the bottom portion 320 may also and/or alternatively include one or more feet 322 that may support the container 302 on a surface 1 such as a work bench, floor, vehicle cargo bed, or the like. The feet 322 may be formed separately from a non-slip material, such as rubber or an elastomer, and may be attached to the base 304 after formation. The height of the feet 322 may be considered a "low profile" that allows the container 304 to slide along one of its edges when the container 302 is tilted at an angle greater than 15 degrees relative to the surface 1 supporting the container 302, as shown in fig. 25. Alternatively, the legs 322 may be integrally formed with the base 304.

Fig. 20A-21 depict an example latch assembly 400, where like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements in the latch assembly 100, but include reference numerals in the 400 series. The latch assembly 400 is substantially similar to the latch assembly 100 and therefore similar aspects of the latch assembly 100 are not discussed herein. As shown in fig. 20A, the latch assembly 400 may include a plurality of components including a latch body 402, a locking member 430, a biasing member 450, and an actuating member 470. Similar to the latch assembly 100 discussed above, the latch assembly 400 may include a locked position and an unlocked position.

The locking member 430 may include a base portion 440 and a plurality of hooks 442 extending inwardly from the base portion 440. The plurality of hook portions 442 may be spaced apart from one another by a gap 441. Each hook 442 may each include a lower surface 444 and an inwardly facing surface 446. As shown in fig. 20B, when the latch assembly 400 is in the latched position, the lower surface 444 of each hook 442 may engage the upper surface 372 of the latch keeper 370, and the inward facing surface 446 of each hook 442 may engage the inner surface 374 of the latch keeper 370. Further, the ribs 375 of the latch keeper 370 may fit within the gaps 441 between each of the hooks 442, as shown in fig. 20C. Additionally, when the latch assembly 400 is in the locked position, an upper surface of the engagement ledge 412 may engage a lower surface 376 of the latch keeper 370.

The latch body 402 may include a plurality of ribs 413 along the inner surface 408 from an upper portion of the inner surface 408 toward the locking member 430. The ribs 413 may each have a contoured height such that the height of each rib 413 is lower in an upper region than a lower region as the rib extends toward the locking member 430. The ribs 413 help to strengthen the latch body 402 while reducing the overall weight of the latch assembly 400.

Similar to the latch assembly 100, the latch body 402 may also be pivotally engaged with the actuating member 470. Actuation member 470 may also be engaged with locking member 430 and may be configured to move locking member 430 from the downward position to the upward position. The actuating member 470 may be pivotally coupled to the latch body 402 by a hinge 472 that extends through the latch body 402 and the actuating member 470. The actuation member 470 may include a gripping portion 474, an actuation barrel 476, and one or more arms 478 connecting the gripping portion 474 and the actuation barrel 476, wherein the actuation barrel 476 may include a raised portion 482. The raised portion 482 and the actuating cylinder 476 may be joined together along a substantially flat contact surface 483. To adequately support the actuation cylinder 476, the inner surface 408 of the latch body 402 in this area may be substantially parallel to the contact surface 483 to support the contact surface 483 to help support the actuation cylinder 476 and prevent the actuation member 470 from rotating rearward beyond the outer surface 410 of the latch body 402. As another option, the grip portion 474 may include a ridge 475 that extends along at least a portion of the length of the grip portion 474 to further assist the user in gripping the grip portion 474 without slippage.

As discussed above, the ramp surface 371 serves both to protect the latch assembly from jamming on the base 304 and to help position the latch assembly to properly engage the latch keeper 370.

Fig. 26A-26D illustrate a container 302 configured with various accessories, as described above. For example, fig. 26A shows an embodiment of a storage system comprising a container 302 and a mounted tray 500, wherein the tray 500 is supported by a plurality of tabs 321 and a dividing wall 510 mounted between a pair of rails 326. Fig. 26B shows the system shown in fig. 26A, where the tuck net 515 is attached to the clip 315 of the cover 305. Yet another embodiment of a storage system is shown in fig. 26C, where the container 302 includes two trays 500 supported by tabs 321 and a pair of utility straps 516 connected to clips 315 of the lid 305 to provide multiple locations for a user to attach and organize any desired items into the container 302. Figure 26D shows another option wherein the soft-sided storage bag 518 includes a plurality of zippered storage compartments. As discussed above, by providing multiple attachment points within the base and lid, the container 302 can be equipped with a variety of accessory options to provide a storage system to provide an organized storage solution for the user.

Fig. 27A to 27C show further details of the tray 500. The tray 500 may have a body 502 with a mounting surface 503 and a plurality of storage cavities 504. The storage cavity 504 may be of any size and may be configured to have any number of cavities 504. For example, the exemplary embodiment shown in fig. 27A-27C includes three cavities, with two cavities being smaller than the third cavity. As another feature of the tray 500, the tray 500 may include a movable handle 505. The handle 505 can be moved vertically from the deployed position shown in fig. 27B to the retracted or storage position shown in fig. 27C. In the extended position, the tray 500 may be easily lifted out of the container 302 by a user, while in the retracted position, the tray 500 has a lower height profile or storage space. The handle 505 may have a U-shaped tubular structure with two ends 506 that engage into openings 507 in the body 502 of the tray. Each end 506 of the tubular structure may have a tapered surface 508 that allows installation into the opening 507 and retaining surface 509 to prevent removal of the handle, and also provides a positive stop to limit vertical movement of the handle 505.

According to one aspect, a container is disclosed. The container may include: a molded base, the molded base comprising: a sidewall structure having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a third side extending between an edge of the first side and an edge of the second side, and a fourth side opposite the third side, the sidewall structure having a first end and a second end; a bottom portion connected to the first end of the sidewall structure and configured to support the container on a surface; and an opening formed at a second end of the sidewall structure opposite the first end, the opening configured to allow access to an interior void of the container formed by the sidewall structure and the bottom portion. The container may further include: a latch retainer extending from the sidewall structure, the latch retainer having an upper surface, an inner surface, and a lower surface; a lid that pivots between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the lid having a shape corresponding to the shape of the base and being configured to cover an opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure when the container is in the closed configuration; a hinge configured to connect the lid to the base and about which the lid is rotatable from a closed configuration to an open configuration. The container may further include: a latch assembly having a latched position and an unlatched position, the latch assembly comprising: a latch body pivotally engaged with the lid, the latch body having at least one engagement lug; a locking member slidably engaged with the latch body, the locking member being slidable between at least a downward position and an upward position, the locking member being configured to lock the lid in the closed configuration when the locking member is in the downward position and to unlock the lid when the locking member is in the upward position; a biasing member engaged with the latch body and the locking member, the biasing member biasing the locking member in a downward position; and an actuating member pivotally engaged with the latch body and engaged with the locking member, the actuating member configured to move the locking member from the downward position to the upward position. The latch assembly is movable from the unlocked position to the locked position only when the locking member is in the upward position. The at least one engagement lug of the latch body may engage a lower surface of the latch keeper when the latch assembly is in the latched position. When the latch assembly is in the latched position, a lower surface of the locking member engages an upper surface of the latch keeper.

Rotating the lid from the closed configuration to the open configuration may include rotating the lid 90 ° from the closed configuration. The container may include insulation within the sidewall structure. The container may include a second latch assembly. The container may include a gasket disposed in a recess formed in at least one of the base and the lid. The container may include a channel integrally formed with an outer surface of the base. The channel may extend around the entire outer periphery of the base. The container may also include at least one handle. The handle may include a first arm and a second arm, and each of the first arm and the second arm may include a raised portion at a distal end of the arm.

According to another aspect, a container is disclosed. The container may include: a base, the base comprising: 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; a bottom portion connected to the first end of the sidewall structure and configured to support the container on a surface; an opening formed at a second end of the sidewall structure opposite the first end, the opening configured to allow access to an interior void of a container formed by the sidewall structure and the bottom portion; and a latch retainer extending from the sidewall structure, the latch retainer having an upper surface, an inner surface, and a lower surface. The container may further include: a lid that pivots between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the lid having a shape corresponding to the shape of the base and being configured to cover an opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure when the container is in the closed configuration; a hinge configured to connect the lid to the base and about which the lid is rotatable from a closed configuration to an open configuration; and a latch assembly having a locked position and an unlocked position. The latch assembly may include: a latch body pivotally engaged with the lid, the latch body having at least one engagement lug; a locking member engaged with the latch body, the locking member being movable between at least a downward position and an upward position, the locking member being configured to lock the lid in the closed configuration when the locking member is in the downward position and to unlock the lid when the locking member is in the upward position; a biasing member engaged with the latch body and the locking member, the biasing member biasing the locking member in a downward position; and an actuating member pivotally engaged with the latch body and engaged with the locking member, the actuating member configured to move the locking member from the downward position to the upward position.

The locking member may be slidably engaged with the latch body, the locking member being slidable between a downward position and an upward position. The latch assembly is movable from the unlocked position to the locked position only when the locking member is in the upward position. At least one engagement lug of the latch body engages a lower surface of the latch keeper when the latch assembly is in the latched position. A lower surface of the locking member may engage an upper surface of the latch keeper when the latch assembly is in the locked position. The container may further include a gasket disposed in a recess formed in at least one of the base and the lid. The container may further include a channel integrally formed with the outer surface of the base, wherein the channel extends around the entire outer surface of the base. The container may further include at least one handle having a first arm and a second arm, and wherein each of the first arm and the second arm includes a raised portion at a distal end of the arm.

In accordance with another aspect, a latch assembly for a structure is disclosed. The structure may have an open configuration and a closed configuration, the structure comprising: a first portion movable relative to a second portion; a latch retainer engaged with the first portion. A latch assembly having a locked position and an unlocked position, the latch assembly may include: a latch body pivotally engaged with the second portion; a locking member engaged with the latch body, the locking member being movable between at least a downward position and an upward position, the locking member being configured to lock the lid in the closed configuration when the locking member is in the downward position and to unlock the lid when the locking member is in the upward position; and an actuating member pivotally engaged with the latch body and engaged with the locking member, the actuating member configured to move the locking member from the downward position to the upward position.

The latch assembly may further include a biasing member engaged with the latch body and the locking member, the biasing member biasing the locking member in a downward position. The locking member may be slidably engaged with the latch body, the locking member being slidable between a downward position and an upward position. The latch assembly is movable from the unlocked position to the locked position only when the locking member is in the upward position.

The latch body may include an inner surface, and the latch keeper may include an upper surface, an inner surface, and a lower surface. The at least one engagement lug of the latch body may engage a lower surface of the latch keeper when the latch assembly is in the latched position; and a lower surface of the hook portion of the locking member may engage an upper surface of the latch keeper when the latch assembly is in the latched position.

The invention is disclosed above and in the accompanying drawings with reference to a variety of examples. The purpose served by the disclosure, however, is to provide an example of the various features and concepts related to the invention, not to limit the scope of the disclosure. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that numerous variations and modifications may be made to the examples described above without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.