阅读说明：本技术 一种集装箱 (Container ) 是由 厄尔·芬顿·戈达德 于 2015-11-05 设计创作，主要内容包括：集装箱(10),具有包括两个盖板(20t)和(20f)的盖结构(18)。第一盖板(20t)形成顶壁(14)的至少一部分。第二盖板20f形成侧壁(16d)中的一个的至少一部分。当集装箱(10)处于竖立状态时,盖结构(18)可以具有：闭合构造、顶部装载构造和前部装载构造之一并且在其之间移动。前部装载构造有两种变体。在第一前部装载构造中,第一盖板(20t)和第二盖板(20f)保持彼此连接并且移动,使得它们处于基本的面对面关系。在第二前部装载构造中,第二盖板(20f)枢转以位于第一盖板(20t)的顶部上。(A container (10) has a lid structure (18) including two lid panels (20 t, 20 f). The first cover plate (20 t) forms at least a portion of the top wall (14). The second cover plate 20f forms at least a portion of one of the side walls (16 d). The cover structure (18) may have, when the container (10) is in an upright condition: one of a closed configuration, a top loading configuration and a front loading configuration and moving therebetween. There are two variations of the front loading configuration. In the first front loading configuration, the first cover plate (20 t) and the second cover plate (20 f) remain connected to each other and move such that they are in a substantially face-to-face relationship. In the second front loading configuration, the second cover plate (20 f) pivots to lie on top of the first cover plate (20 t).)

1. A container (10) comprising:

a bottom wall (12), a plurality of side walls (16 a, 16b, 16c, 16d) and a top wall (14), the walls being coupled together to enable the container to be reconfigured between a lying condition in which the panels overlie one another and an erected condition in which the walls form an enclosed storage space, while the walls remain coupled together; and

a cover structure (18) comprising at least two cover plates, wherein a first cover plate (20 t) forms at least a part of the top wall (14) and a second cover plate (20 f) forms at least a part of one side wall (16 d);

characterized in that the first cover plate (20 t) is pivotably coupled to the other side wall (16 b) and detachably coupled to the second cover plate (20 f); the cover structure (18) has: a top loading configuration in which the first cover panel (20 t) is separated from the second cover panel (20 f) and pivoted to a position enabling top loading of the container when the container is in an upright condition, with the second cover panel (20 f) forming at least part of the one side wall (16 d); a front loading configuration in which the first and second cover panels (20 t, 20 f) are connected to each other and are movable relative to each other such that when the container is in an erected condition, an edge of the second cover panel (20 f) adjacent the bottom wall (12) is raised from and disposed above the bottom wall (12) to enable front loading of the container (10); and a closed configuration in which the first and second cover panels (20 t, 20 f) serve as respective portions of the top wall (14) and one of the side walls (16 d) to form, with the bottom wall (12) and the other side wall, an enclosed storage space.

2. The container (10) of claim 1, wherein the lid structure (18) includes a hinge mechanism (96), the hinge mechanism (96) including at least one member (98), the at least one member (98) being movable between an engaged position, in which the at least one member (98) couples the first and second lids (20 t, 20 f) together and serves as a pivot axis for pivotal movement of the first and second lids relative to each other, and a disengaged position, in which the second lid (20 f) is separable from the first lid (20 t).

3. The container (10) of claim 2, wherein the hinge mechanism (96) is retained by one or both of the cover panels (20 t, 20 f) when in the engaged position and when in the disengaged position.

4. The container (10) of claim 2, wherein the at least one member comprises at least two members (98, 98), wherein (a) the at least two members (98, 98) are retained by one of the first cover panel (20 t) and the second cover panel (20 f); or (b) a first one of the at least two members (98) is retained by the first cover plate (20 t) and a second one of the at least two members (98) is retained by the second cover plate (20 f).

5. The container (10) according to any one of claims 2-4, wherein the at least one member comprises at least one pin slidably mounted within one of the cover plates.

6. The container (10) according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the cover structure (18) is arranged to have two front loading configurations, the configurations being a first front loading configuration, wherein when the cover structure is in the closed configuration, both the first cover panel (20 t) and the second cover panel (20 f) are moved to a position offset from their positions; and a second front loading configuration, wherein only the second cover plate (20 f) is moved to a position offset from its position when the cover structure (18) is in the closed configuration.

7. The container (10) of claim 6, wherein the cover structure (18) is arranged such that the second cover panel (20 f) can lie flat on the first cover panel (20 t) when in the second front loading configuration.

8. The container (10) according to any one of claims 1-4, comprising a detachable partition (140) configured to engage with the interior of both side walls (16 a, 16 b) when the container is in an upright condition and divide the storage space into a plurality of sub-spaces.

9. The container (10) of claim 8, wherein the collapsible separator (140) is self-supporting when engaged with the two side walls (20 t, 20 f).

10. The container (10) according to any one of claims 1-4, comprising at least one recess for accommodating a respective electronically readable tag.

11. A container (10) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, including a latch system (110), the latch system (110) being arranged to lock the container in an erect condition to prevent unauthorised access to an enclosed space.

12. The container (10) of claim 11, wherein the latching system (110) comprises a plurality of latch mechanisms (112, 200) secured to respective associated walls of the container, each latch mechanism (112, 200) having a latched state in which the latch mechanism (112, 200) latches two associated walls together and an unlatched state enabling the associated walls to move relative to each other.

13. The container (10) of claim 12, wherein the latching system (110) includes a plurality of safety locks, each capable of engaging a respective latching mechanism (112, 200) to prevent unauthorized changes from the latched state to the unlatched state.

14. The container (10) according to claim 12 or 13, wherein each latching mechanism (200) comprises:

a lever (212) that is pivotally movable about a lever axis (214);

a latch member (218) pivotally coupled to the lever (212) about a latch axis (220), the latch member (218) being movable by pivoting of the lever (212) about the lever axis (214) to reach and engage a catch (224);

wherein the lever (212) and the latch member (218) are biased to pivot in the same direction about their respective axes (214, 220).

15. The container (10) according to claim 12 or 13, wherein each latching mechanism (200) comprises a lever (212) coupled to pivot about a lever axis (214);

a latch member (218) pivotally coupled to the lever (212) about a latch axis (220);

the lever (212) and the latch member (218) are both biased to pivot in a first direction (D1);

a lever (212) and a latch member (218) are arranged to be movable between a release position and a latch position, wherein when in the latch position the lever (212) is pivoted about a lever axis (214) in a second direction (D2) opposite to the first direction (D1) and is capable of engaging a catch (224), and wherein when in the release position the latch member (218) overlies the lever (212);

the lever (212) and the latch member (218) are further arranged such that when in the latched position, a force is applied on the lever (212) to pivot the lever (212) through a first angle in the second direction (D2), the latch member (218) is displaced from the catch (224), with the force subsequently released, both the lever (212) and the latch member (218) being biased to pivot in the first direction (D1) to a released position.

Technical Field

The present specification discloses a container. The disclosed container can be used for the same purpose as and replace conventional wooden pallets and medium bulk containers.

Background

Pallets are used for the storage and/or transport of goods and other substances. Pallets are often made of wood, although plastic pallets are becoming more common. Once the goods are loaded onto the pallet, the pallet can be lifted and moved a short distance by a forklift. Pallets can be transported over large distances by loading onto or into road or rail vehicles, marine vessels or aircraft. It is known to wrap a loaded pallet in a plastic film in order to assist in holding goods on the pallet.

When the pallet carries goods or materials that form a flat surface and have load-bearing properties, it is possible to stack the pallets loaded one on top of the other. This helps to reduce overall shipping costs because it enables vehicles, such as pallet top trucks, to carry more loaded pallets than would otherwise be possible. However, this is not possible when, for example, the pallet is loaded with irregularly shaped machinery or other articles, or otherwise may not be suitable for carrying the load of an otherwise stacked pallet.

Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC) are industrial containers used for transporting bulk liquids and particulate materials. One common form of IBC consists of a container made of a plastics material (e.g. polyethylene) contained within a rigid open frame. The IBC may be loaded onto a pallet. A relatively common problem is that IBCs are susceptible to accidental penetration by forklifts. In addition, when the hazardous material is transported, there is often some residual hazardous material after the IBC has been emptied. Therefore, empty IBCs must still be transported on the same requirements as full IBCs.

The above reference to background art does not constitute an admission that the described art forms part of the common general knowledge of a person skilled in the art. Furthermore, the above description of the prior art is not intended to limit the application of the container disclosed herein.

Detailed Description

The present disclosure relates to containers and particularly, although by no means exclusively, to containers for storing and transporting goods, materials and commodities. To provide context, the container may conveniently, but not necessarily, be configured to have the same size footprint as a standard wooden pallet and/or IBC.

The disclosed container more particularly relates to a container having a lid structure that enables front loading or top loading. The disclosed container is also reconfigurable between an upright position (in which the walls of the container form an enclosed storage space) and a flat position.

The disclosed container may include a liquid-tight bladder. The bladder may be formed of a material that may collapse or flatten. This causes the bladder to be removed from the storage space and flatten out when emptied. The container itself can then be folded to lie flat. By forming the walls of the container as solid walls, the risk of puncture of the capsule is greatly reduced.

Also disclosed is a latch mechanism that may be used with or otherwise incorporated into the disclosed container to selectively lock the panels/walls of the container, for example to control access to the container contents. However, the latching mechanism may also be used separately from, and is not limited to use with, the disclosed container.

In one aspect, a shipping container is disclosed, comprising:

a bottom wall, a plurality of side walls and a top wall, the walls being coupled together to enable the container to be reconfigured between a flat-laid condition and an erected condition while the walls remain coupled together, wherein when in the erected condition, the walls form an enclosed storage space; and

a lid structure comprising at least two lid panels, wherein a first lid panel forms at least a portion of the top wall and a second lid panel forms at least a portion of one side wall;

the first cover plate is pivotably coupled to the other side wall and detachably coupled to the second cover plate; the cover structure having a top loading configuration in which the first cover panel is separable from the second cover panel and is pivotable to a position enabling top loading of the container when the container is in an erected condition, the second cover panel forming at least part of one side wall; a front loading configuration in which the first and second cover panels are connected to one another and are movable relative to one another to enable front loading of the container, and a closed configuration in which the first and second cover panels serve as respective portions of a top wall and one side wall to form an enclosed storage space.

In one embodiment, the cover structure includes a hinge mechanism including at least one member movable between an engaged position connecting the first cover plate and the second cover plate together and serving as a pivot axis to enable pivotal movement of the first cover plate and the second cover plate relative to each other and a disengaged position enabling detachment of the second cover plate from the first cover plate.

In one embodiment, the hinge mechanism is retained by one or both cover plates when in the engaged and disengaged positions.

In one embodiment, the at least one member comprises at least two members, wherein the at least two members are retained by one of the first cover plate and the second cover plate.

In one embodiment, the at least one member comprises at least two members, wherein a first of the at least two members is retained by the first cover plate and a second of the at least two members is retained by the second cover plate.

In one embodiment, the at least one member includes at least one pin slidably mounted within one of the cover plates.

In one embodiment, the first cover panel forms a top wall.

In one embodiment, the second cover plate forms a sidewall.

In one embodiment, each of the other side walls is formed by a respective wall panel, and each of the remaining wall panels is pivotably coupled to the base.

In one embodiment, the cover structure is arranged to have two front loading configurations, the configurations being a first front loading configuration in which both the first and second cover plates are moved to a position offset from their positions when the cover structure is in the closed configuration; and a second front loading configuration in which only the second cover panel is moved to a position offset from its position when the cover structure is in the closed configuration.

In one embodiment, the cover structure is arranged such that the second cover plate can lie flat on the first cover plate when in the first front loading configuration.

In one embodiment, the bottom wall comprises a strapped pallet.

In one embodiment, the container includes a locking system arranged to lock the container in an erect condition to prevent unauthorised access to the enclosed space.

In one embodiment, the locking system comprises a plurality of locking mechanisms secured to respective associated walls of the container, each locking mechanism having a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein the locking mechanisms lock two associated walls together and the unlocked state moves the associated walls relative to each other.

In one embodiment, the locking system includes a plurality of security locks, each security lock capable of engaging a respective locking mechanism to prevent unauthorized changes from the locked state to the unlocked state.

In one embodiment, each locking mechanism includes a draw bolt.

In one embodiment, the container includes an impermeable liquid bladder disposed within the storage space, the bladder having at least a sealable opening.

In one embodiment, the at least one sealable opening is an access opening, wherein the access opening is accessible when the lid structure is in the closed configuration.

In one embodiment, the at least one sealable opening is an access opening, wherein the access opening is accessible when the lid structure is in the top loading configuration.

In one embodiment, the container includes a removable divider configured to engage the inside of the two side walls when the container is in an upright position and to divide the storage space into a plurality of sub-spaces.

In one embodiment, the removable divider is self-supporting when engaged with the two sidewalls.

In one embodiment, the removable divider includes at least two plates pivotally coupled together.

In one embodiment, each of the two sidewalls is configured to engage the removable divider at a plurality of spaced apart locations.

In one embodiment, each of the two walls is provided with a plurality of spaced apart channels for receiving respective ends of the removable divider.

In one embodiment, the container includes at least one recess for receiving a corresponding electronically readable tag.

In one embodiment, the shipping container includes at least one electronically readable tag received within a corresponding recess.

In a second aspect, a latch mechanism is disclosed, comprising:

a lever pivotally movable about a lever axis;

a latch member pivotally coupled to a lever about a latch axis, the latch member being pivotally movable by the lever about the lever axis to reach and engage a catch;

wherein the lever and the latch member are biased to pivot in the same direction about their respective axes.

In one embodiment, the latch mechanism comprises a lever spring arranged to bias the lever to pivot in the first direction and a latch spring arranged to bias the latch member to pivot in the first direction.

In one embodiment, a latch spring acts between the lever and the latch member.

In one embodiment, the lever spring acts between the lever and the base to which the lever is pivotably coupled.

In one embodiment, the lever spring and the latch spring act independently of each other.

In one embodiment, the latch member is coupled to the lever in a manner that enables adjustment of the distance between the lever axis and the latch axis.

In one embodiment, the latch mechanism comprises a locking device arranged to lock the lever against pivotal movement to an extent such that the latch member can be released from the engaged catch.

In one embodiment, the locking device comprises a lug and an opening in the lever, the lug and the opening being juxtaposed such that when the lever is in the first state, the lug is extendable through the opening, and the lug is configured to receive the releasable locking device.

In one embodiment, the latch mechanism includes a bracket, wherein the bracket includes a base.

In a third aspect, a latch mechanism is disclosed, comprising:

the bracket is provided with a plurality of brackets,

a lever coupled to the carriage for pivotal movement about a lever axis;

a latch member pivotally coupled to the lever about a latch axis;

wherein the lever and the latch member are biased to pivot about their respective axes in a direction toward the bracket.

In a fourth aspect, a latch mechanism is disclosed, comprising:

a lever coupled to a pivot about a lever axis;

a latch member pivotally coupled to the lever about a latch axis;

the lever and the latch member are both biased to pivot in a first direction;

a lever and a latch member arranged to be movable between a release position and a latch position, wherein when in the latch position the lever pivots about the lever axis in a second direction opposite the first direction and is capable of engaging the catch, and wherein when in the release position the latch member overlies the lever;

the lever and the latch member are further arranged such that when in the latched position, the latch member is displaced from the catch upon application of a force on the lever to pivot the lever through a first angle in the second direction, wherein subsequent to release of the force, both the lever and the latch member are biased to pivot in the first direction to a release position.

Drawings

Although any other form may fall within the scope of the container described in the detailed description, specific embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1a is a schematic view of an embodiment of the disclosed container when in an upright state and its lid structure in a closed configuration;

FIG. 1b is a schematic view of the disclosed container of FIG. 1a in a lay-flat condition;

FIG. 1c is a schematic view of the disclosed shipping container with the lid structure in a top loading configuration;

FIG. 1d is a schematic view of the disclosed shipping container with the lid structure in a front loading configuration;

FIG. 2a is a top perspective view of the bottom wall of the shipping container shown in FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 2b is a bottom perspective view of the bottom wall shown in FIG. 2 a;

FIG. 2c is a top view of the bottom wall shown in FIG. 2 a;

FIG. 2d is a front view of the bottom wall shown in FIG. 2 a;

FIG. 2e is a bottom view of the bottom wall shown in FIG. 2 a;

FIG. 2f is a cross-sectional view of the bottom wall shown in FIG. 2 a;

FIG. 3a is a front view of one side wall of the shipping container shown in FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 3b is a rear view of the side wall shown in FIG. 3 a;

FIG. 3c is a cross-sectional view of the sidewall shown in FIG. 3 a;

FIG. 4a is a front isometric view of the rear wall of the container shown in FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 4b is a rear isometric view of the rear wall shown in FIG. 4 a;

FIG. 5a is a front isometric view of the front wall of the container shown in FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 5b is a rear isometric view of the front wall shown in FIG. 5 a;

FIG. 6a is a top perspective view of the top wall of the shipping container shown in FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 6b is a bottom perspective view of the top wall shown in FIG. 6 a;

FIG. 7a is a schematic view of the container as shown in FIG. 1d, but showing the location of the hinge mechanism incorporated in the container;

FIG. 7b is an enlarged view of the hinge mechanism in the engaged state;

FIG. 7c is an enlarged view of the hinge mechanism in a disengaged state;

FIG. 8a is a view of the container in a closed state, and an enlarged detail of the first embodiment of the latch mechanism incorporated in the container when in an unlocked state;

FIG. 8b is a view of the container, and an enlarged detail of the latch mechanism incorporated in the container when in the locked condition;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a container suitable for transporting and storing liquids or fine particles;

FIG. 10a is a schematic view of a container incorporating a removable partition, the partition being in a ready to use configuration;

FIG. 10b is a schematic view of a container with the divider of FIG. 10a in the process of being installed into the container;

figure 11a is a schematic view of another embodiment of a container when in an upright condition and its lid structure in a front loading configuration;

FIG. 11b is a schematic view of the shipping container shown in FIG. 11a with the lid structure in a closed configuration;

FIG. 12a is an exploded perspective view of the components of a second embodiment of a latch mechanism ("second latch mechanism");

FIG. 12b is a side view of the component shown in FIG. 12 a;

FIG. 13a is a perspective view of a second latch mechanism in a released position;

FIG. 13b is a top view of the second latch mechanism in a released position;

FIG. 13c is a side view of the second latch mechanism in a released position;

FIG. 14a is a perspective view of a second latch mechanism in a locked position;

FIG. 14b is a top view of the second latch mechanism in a locked position;

FIG. 14c is a side view of the second latch mechanism in a locked position;

FIG. 15a is a top view of the second latch mechanism showing details of the lever spring incorporated in the latch mechanism;

FIG. 15b is a side view showing details of the lever spring;

FIG. 16a is a top view showing details of a latch spring incorporated in the second latch mechanism;

FIG. 16b is a side view of the second latch mechanism showing the latch spring;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a second latch mechanism highlighting the spring path of the lever spring and latch spring shown in FIGS. 15a-16 b;

FIG. 18a is a perspective view of the second latch mechanism in a first intermediate position between the released position and the locked position;

FIG. 18b is a top view of the second latch mechanism shown in FIG. 18 a;

FIG. 18c is a side view of the second latch mechanism shown in FIG. 18 a;

FIG. 19a is a perspective view of the second latch mechanism in a second intermediate position moved from the release position to the locked position;

FIG. 19b is a top view of the second latch mechanism shown in FIG. 19 a; and

fig. 19c is a side view of the second latch mechanism shown in fig. 19 a.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1a-1d depict embodiments of the disclosed shipping container 10 in various configurations. The container 10 in this embodiment includes a bottom wall 12, a top wall 14, and four side walls 16a-16d (hereinafter referred to generally as "side walls 16").

When the container 10 is in the erected condition shown in figure 1a, the bottom wall 12, top wall 14 and side walls 16 form an enclosed storage space.

In this embodiment, side walls 16a, 16b, and 16c are coupled to bottom wall 12, and top wall 14 is coupled to side wall 16b and side wall 16 d. By this coupling, the container 10 can be reconfigured into a flat condition as shown in fig. 1b, in which the respective walls overlap each other and the bottom wall 12. Thus, the container 10 can be reconfigured between the erected condition shown in fig. 1a and the laid flat condition shown in fig. 1b by simply pivoting or folding the various walls relative to the other walls. In both configurations, all of the walls 12, 14 and 16 remain joined together.

The container 10 has a cover structure 18 comprising two cover panels 20t and 20 f. The first cover plate 20t forms a portion of the top wall 14. In fact, in this embodiment, the first cover plate 20t constitutes the entire top wall 14. The second cover plate 20f forms at least a portion of one of the side walls 16 d. More specifically, in this particular embodiment, the second cover plate 20f constitutes the entire side wall 16 d. Thus, in this embodiment, the first cover 20t is identical to the top wall 14 and the second cover 20f is identical to the side wall 16 d. Thus, the cover structure 18 may also be considered to include the top wall 14 and the side wall 16 d.

The first cover plate 20t is pivotably coupled to the side wall 16 b. Further, the first cover plate 20t is detachably coupled to the second cover plate 20 f. The first cover plate 20t can be separated from the second cover plate 20f by detachable coupling.

The cover structure 18 may have one of several different configurations when the container 10 is in the erected condition. These configurations include the closed configuration shown in FIG. 1a, the top loading configuration shown in FIG. 1c, and the front loading configuration shown in FIG. 1 d. As will be explained with reference to the second embodiment, the front loading configuration shown in fig. 1d may be one of two different front loading configurations. In the second front loading configuration, the second cover plate 20f is pivoted to lie on top of the first cover plate 20t, the first cover plate 20t remaining stationary, parallel to and covering the bottom wall 12.

In the closed configuration shown in fig. 1a, the cover structure 18 is arranged such that the first and second cover panels 20t, 20f constitute the top wall 14 and the side walls 16d and together with the remaining walls of the container 10 form an enclosed storage space.

When the cover structure 18 is in the top loading configuration shown in fig. 1c, the first cover plate 20 t: separated from the second cover plate 20 f; and then pivoted to a position enabling top loading of the container 10. In this state, the second lid 20f forms a part of the side wall 16d, and practically the whole, and remains disposed between the side walls 16a and 16 c.

In the top loading configuration shown in FIG. 1c, the first cover 20t is shown almost directly above the side wall 16 b. However, the first cover plate 20t is not normally held in this position. Instead, this may be a transition position back to the closed configuration or rest position shown in fig. 1a, in which the cover panel 20t is swung further so as to be in face-to-face relationship with the side wall 16b on the outside of the container 10.

Fig. 1d shows the cover structure 18 in a first of two possible front loading configurations. In the first front loading configuration, the first and second cover plates 20t, 20f remain connected to each other. In addition, the cover panels 20t and 20f may be moved, and in so doing pivoted relative to each other, to open the container 10 and enable front loading of cargo or material onto the bottom wall 12. More specifically, both the first cover panel 20t and the second cover panel 20f are moved from their respective closed configuration positions such that they are in a substantially face-to-face relationship, with the second cover panel 20f resting on the top edges of the side panels 16a and 16 c.

Fig. 2a-2f show the bottom wall 12 of the container 10. The bottom wall 12 is configured to receive components of a lifting device, such as the forks of a forklift. This enables the container 10 to be lifted from below the bottom wall 12. This is conveniently accomplished by providing bottom wall 12 with a plurality of spaced apart legs 22. In this case, the bottom wall 12 has nine legs 22 arranged in a three by three matrix as best shown in fig. 2 b. This arrangement of the legs 22 forms a first pair of channels 24a and a second pair of channels 24b (hereinafter referred to generally as "channels 24"). Each respective pair of channels 24 is capable of receiving a fork of a forklift. Furthermore, each pair of channels opens onto opposite sides of the container 10; and a pair of channels 24a is perpendicular to the pair of channels 24 b. Thus, the base 12, and thus the container 10, may be lifted by a forklift of another lifting device that is driven or moved towards the container 10 in a direction towards either of the four side walls 16.

The bottom wall 12 is further configured to form a bundled pallet. This is accomplished by configuring bottom wall 12 to form liquid-containing vessel 26. Thus, any liquid that spills or otherwise leaks from any items loaded onto bottom wall 12 is able to flow into and be contained within container 26.

The receptacle 26 is defined between four walls 28a-28d (hereinafter "walls 28") of the base 12. In order of height, wall 28c is the lowest, followed by walls 28d and 28a having the same height, and then the highest wall 28b of walls 28. Each wall 28a, 28b and 28c is formed with an integral hinge portion 30. The hinge portions 30 are in the form of spaced raised tubular structures. As will be explained in more detail later, the hinge portion 30 cooperates with complementary hinge portions on the side walls 16a, 16b and 16c to form a hinge connecting the corresponding side wall to the bottom wall 12 and also enabling relative pivotal movement.

Wall 28d has no hinged portion. But rather forms a lip or wall that defines the forward extent of the container 26 and also acts as a stop for the second closure 20f (side wall 16 d).

The tortuous passage 32 forms part of the liquid collection volume or space of the container 26. The channels 32 are curved between alternating and spaced ribs 34 and 36 formed in the interior of the base plate 12. The meandering channel 32 is depicted in the form of a dot in fig. 2 c. The ribs 34 and 36 have respective flats 38 and 40. These surfaces have the same height as each other. Thus, ribs 34 and 36 together form a support surface on bottom wall 12.

A drain opening 42 is formed in the bottom wall 12 and opens into the intermediate leg 22 adjacent the wall 28 d. The drain opening 42 communicates with the curved passage 32 via an internal conduit 44 (see fig. 2 f). A switch or other valve (not shown) may be coupled to the drain opening 42 to control the draining of the reservoir 26.

Various recesses and pockets are formed in bottom wall 12 for different purposes. A set of recesses 46 (see fig. 2a and 2b) are provided for placing or otherwise accommodating identification tags, such as RFID tags. A respective second recess 48 is formed in each leg 22 at the opposite end of wall 28 d. The recess 48 houses the portion of a latch mechanism (described later) that can be used to lock the container 10 in a closed configuration. Pockets 49 are also provided in bottom wall 12 along wall 28d on either side of center leg 22.

Fig. 3a-3c depict an embodiment of the sidewall 16 c. In this embodiment, the side wall 16c is in the form of a single plate. The sidewall 16c has an inner surface 50 and an outer surface 52. The surface 52 is located on the outside of the container 10 when the container 10 is in an upright position. The inner surface 50 is formed with a plurality of laterally extending, spaced apart channels 54. A plurality of recesses 56 are formed in the inner surface 50. A hinge portion 58 is formed along one edge of the plate 16 c. The hinge portions 58 are in the form of spaced tubular structures. In the container 10, the hinge portions 58 are interleaved with the respective hinge portions 30 along the wall 28 c. A pivot pin or shaft (not shown) may then be passed through the interleaved hinge portions 30 and 58 to form a hinged coupling between wall 16c and bottom wall 12.

An upper lip 59 and opposing side lips 60 and 62 extend around the side wall 16 c. With reference to the container 10 in the erected condition, the lip 59 extends along the upper edge of the wall 16 c; lip 60 extends along the side edge of side wall 16c adjacent side wall 16 d; and lip 62 extends along the opposite side edge of side wall 16c adjacent side wall 16 b. The lip 59 is formed with a cut out 64. A plurality of recesses 66 are formed along the lip 62.

The outer surface 52 is formed with a plurality of longitudinally extending channels 68. A central diamond-shaped recess 70 is also formed centrally in the outer surface 52. The recess 70 may house a logo, which may, for example, contain a warning or a description of the contents or intended contents of the container 10. In addition, a cut edge (cutaways)69 is provided on the side wall 16c to enable lifting/pivoting of the side wall 16c from the flat state to the upright state.

A latch recess 71 is formed in the outer surface 52. The latch recesses 71 are aligned with the corresponding recesses 56 on the inner surface 50.

The side wall 16a has a configuration that is a mirror image of the side wall 16 c.

Fig. 4a and 4b show the side wall 16 b. In this embodiment, the side wall 16b may be considered to form a rear side wall or more simply a rear wall of the container. In order to more easily distinguish the side wall 16b from the side walls 16a and 16c, the side wall 16b will also be referred to as a rear wall 16 b.

The rear wall 16b generally has the same configuration as the walls 16a and 16c having an inner surface 50 and an outer surface 52. The inner surface has a plurality of laterally extending spaced apart channels 54; and the outer surface has a plurality of longitudinal channels 68. A hinge portion 58 similar to the side walls 16a and 16b is provided along one edge of the rear wall 16 b.

However, the rear wall 16b differs from the side walls 16a and 16c as follows. The rear wall 16b forms a hinge portion 72 along an upper edge 73 opposite the hinge portion 58. Another difference in the rear wall 16b is the provision of opposing side lips 74 which extend perpendicularly relative to the plane of the inner and outer surfaces 50, 52 thereof. The lip 74 forms a raised dimple 76 on the inside of the container 10 when in the erected condition. The dimples 76 are located within the recesses 66 formed in the walls 16a and 16 c. A rectangular depression 75 is also formed in the inner surface 50. The recess 75 can accommodate a visible logo when the cover structure 18 is in the front loading configuration.

Fig. 5a and 5b show one possible configuration of the side wall 16 d. Sidewall 16d has a hybrid configuration compared to sidewalls 16a/16c and sidewall 16 b. In this embodiment, the side wall 16d may be considered to form a front side wall or more simply a front wall of the container 10. To more easily distinguish the side wall 16d from the side walls 16a and 16c, the side wall 16d is also referred to as a front wall 16 d.

The front wall 16d is in the form of a single plate having an inner surface 50 with transverse channels 54 and an outer surface 52 with longitudinal channels 68. The lower edge of the front wall 16d is formed with a pair of spaced apart lugs 80. The lugs 80 are received within the pockets 49 when the container 10 is in the erected condition and the cover structure 18 is in the closed configuration. The front wall inner surface 50 is also provided with four recesses 56 and the outer surface 52 is provided with corresponding aligned recesses 71.

The front wall 16d has a plurality of spaced apart hinge portions 58 along the edge opposite the lugs 80. The two remaining edges of the front wall 16d are formed with lips 84, the lips 84 extending in a plane transverse to the inner and outer surfaces 50, 52 thereof. The lip 84 is configured such that when the lid structure 18 is in the closed configuration, the lip 84 covers the lip 60 on the side walls 16a and 16 c.

Fig. 6a and 6b show one configuration of the top wall 14. The top wall is formed as a single plate. The top wall 14 has an inner surface 50 with a transverse channel 54 and an outer surface 52 with a longitudinal channel 68. The top wall 14 is also provided with four recesses 56 on the inner surface 50 and corresponding aligned recesses 91 on the outer surface 52.

One edge of the top wall 14 is formed with a plurality of spaced apart hinge portions 82. The hinge portions 82 are in the form of unitary tubular structures that are received between the hinge portions 72 on the rear wall 16 b. The opposite edges of the top wall 14 are formed with a plurality of hinge portions 88, the hinge portions 88 being spaced apart by recesses 89. The hinge portion 88 is in the form of a hollow structure. In the fully assembled container 10, the hinged portion 88 is interleaved with the hinged portion 58 on the front wall 16d to form a hinged coupling. The hinge portion 58 is received in the recess 89.

Each of the two remaining edges of the top wall 14 is formed with a respective channel 90. The channel 90 is located inside the inner surface 50 but opens at one end to the edge having the hinge portion 82. The channel 90 receives the upper lips 59 of the side walls 16a and 16c when the container 10 is in the erected condition and the cover structure 18 is in the closed configuration.

The outer surface 52 is also formed with a recess 91, the recess 91 being configured and positioned to receive the leg 22 of another container 10. This helps to stack the containers on top of each other and makes the cube composed of: transportation vehicles, such as trucks and trains; and a shipping container.

Walls 16a, 16b and 16c are permanently attached to bottom wall 12 by respective pivot pins. A pivot pin connects the hinged portions 30 and 58 of the walls 28a and 16 a. The other pivot pin connects the hinged portions 30 and 58 of walls 28b and 16 b. Another pivot pin connects the hinged portions 30 and 58 of walls 28c and 16 c.

Another pivot pin connects the hinge portion 72 of the rear wall 16b to the hinge portion 82 of the top wall 14.

Fig. 7a, 7b and 7c show a hinge mechanism 96 for removably connecting the top wall 14 to the front wall 16 d. As previously described, the combination of the top wall 14 and the front wall 16d forms the lid structure 18. Further, in this embodiment, the top wall 14 and the front wall 16d also constitute a first cover 20t and a second cover 20f, respectively.

The hinge mechanism 96 is movable between an engaged position, shown in fig. 7b, in which the first and second cover plates 20t, 20f are pivotably coupled together, and a disengaged position, shown in fig. 7c, in which the first and second cover plates 20t, 20f are disengaged from one another. When the hinge mechanism 96 is in the engaged position, the first cover plate 20t and the second cover plate 20f can pivot relative to each other.

When the hinge mechanism 96 is in the engaged position, the cover structure 18 can be moved to the front loading configuration shown in fig. 1d and 7 a. In this front loading configuration, both cover panels 20t and 20f are moved from their respective positions (or relative to their positions) when the cover structure 18 is in the closed configuration shown in fig. 1 a. This front loading configuration enables loading from the front of the container. In addition, the top of the container 10 is opened to allow easy access to the rear of the storage space.

The hinge mechanism 96 includes two members in the form of bolts 98. In fig. 7b and 7c, only one of the bolts 98 is shown. The second of the bolts is disposed at the opposite corner of the plates 20t and 20 f.

As can be seen in fig. 7b, when the hinge mechanism 96 is in the engaged position, the bolt 98 extends partially within the hinge portions 88 and 58 of the first and second cover plates 20t and 20f, respectively. However, when the hinge mechanism 96 is in the disengaged position shown in fig. 7c, the bolt 98 is located within the hinge portion 88 and is fully withdrawn from the hinge portion 58. This enables the second cover plate 20f to be physically separated or separated from the cover plate 20 t.

A lever 100 is attached to bolt 98 and extends through a slot formed in cover plate 20t (i.e., top wall 14). A handle or knob 102 is attached to the end of lever 100 opposite bolt 98. A friction washer between knob 102 and lever 100 creates a friction force that holds bolt 98 in place when no external force is applied.

In use, a user will be able to exert a force on knob 102, overcoming the friction of the washer, to slide bolt 98 to engage or disengage hinge mechanism 96 as desired.

Fig. 1c shows the container 10 with the hinge mechanism 96 in the disengaged position and the lid structure 18 in the top loading configuration. In this configuration, second cover 20 t/front wall 16d is coupled to side walls 16a and 16 c. Thus, in this configuration, the container 10 is in the form of an open-top box.

The container 10 also includes a latch system 110 (see fig. 8a and 8b) arranged to lock the container 10 in an erect condition to prevent unauthorised access to the enclosed storage space. The latching system 110 includes a plurality of latching mechanisms 112 secured to the respective associated walls 12, 14 and 16. Each latch mechanism 112 has a latched state in which the latch mechanism latches two associated walls together, and an unlatched state causes the associated walls to move relative to each other.

Each latch mechanism 112 has a catch 114, a lever 120, and a latch member 118. A snap in the form of a plate having a hook at one end is attached to one wall and a latch body 116 including a lever 120 and a latch member 118 are attached to the adjacent wall. The latch member 118 is pivotally connected to a lever 120, which lever 120 in turn is pivotally connected to a bracket attached to the associated wall.

Fig. 8a and 8b show the latch mechanism 112 in a disengaged state, in which the latch body 116 is disengaged from the catch 114. In particular, the latch member 118 is spaced apart from the catch 114.

When the latch mechanism 112 is in the engaged or locked state, the latch body 116 engages the catch 114. Further, the latch member 118 engages the catch 114 and the lever 120 pivots downward to be substantially flush with the associated side wall 16 c. When the latch mechanism 112 is in the locked state, the eye 122 extends through a central region of the lever 120. A safety lock, such as a padlock, may engage the eye 122 to prevent the lever 120 from pivoting upward. This effectively locks the latch mechanism 112 to prevent unauthorized access to the storage space.

Each catch 114 and latch body 116 is disposed within a respective recess 71 formed on the outer surface 52 of the respective wall. In addition, to enhance the attachment of the latching system 110 to the container 10, metal fastening plates (not shown) are also provided within the respective recesses 56 formed on the inner surfaces 52 of the respective walls. Bolts (not shown) secure the snaps 114 and the latch bodies 116 to the securing plate in the recesses 56. The recesses 56 and 71 are configured to snugly fit the corresponding portions of the latch mechanism and in a manner to underlie the exposed surface of the outer surface 52. This helps to prevent tampering with the latch member.

In this particular embodiment, the latching system 110 is formed with ten latching mechanisms 112. Two latch mechanisms 112 operate between the top wall 14 and the side walls 16 a; two latch mechanisms 112 act between the side walls 16a and the front wall 16 d; two latch mechanisms 112 act between the bottom wall 12 and the front wall 16 d; two latch mechanisms 112 act between the top wall 14 and the side walls 16 c; and two latch mechanisms 112 act between the side walls 16c and the front wall 16 d.

In addition to providing a degree of security to the contents of the container, the latching system 110 also provides increased structural strength to the container 10. This is most evident when all of the latch mechanisms 112 are in a locked state (regardless of whether a padlock is fitted to the eye 122) and the container 10 is accidentally dropped or knocked by the vehicle. The latch mechanism 112 will tend to hold the walls in a fixed spatial relationship.

To enable the container 10 to be used with liquids or particulate matter, the container 10 may incorporate a bladder 130 as shown in FIG. 9. The bladder 130 is formed of a shape that substantially conforms to the inner surfaces of the walls 12, 14 and 16 of the container 10 when the container is in the erected condition and the cover structure 18 is in the closed configuration. Bladder 130 has an inlet 132 with a removable cover (not shown). The access opening 132 is accessible when the cover structure is in the top loading configuration.

Bladder 130 is made of a liquid impermeable material. Additionally, the material from which bladder 130 is made may be flexible and/or pliable. In this manner, when container 130 has been emptied of its contents, bladder 130 may flatten to occupy a volume substantially equal to its footprint multiplied by about four times the thickness of the material from which bladder 130 is made. In this state, the inlet 132 can of course be closed with its lid. Thus, any residue within bladder 130 remains within the flattened bladder. However, the container 10 can now also be moved to a collapsed or lying position as shown in fig. 1 b. Thus, once the container 10 with the bladder 130 has been emptied, it can be folded into a relatively small volume, thereby greatly reducing further transportation or transit costs.

Fig. 10a and 10b show a removable partition 140 that may be incorporated into an embodiment of the container 10. The partition 140 is configured to engage the inner surfaces 50 of the two side plates 16a and 16 c. Furthermore, the partitions 140 are self-supporting within the container 10 to divide the storage space into a plurality of sub-spaces.

The divider 140 includes two plates 142 and 144, the two plates 142 and 144 being pivotably coupled together by a pivot pin 146. The opposite ends 148 and 150 of the divider 140 are configured to be located within the channel 54 on the inner surface 50. Furthermore, the plate 142 is provided with a flange 152 extending beyond the pivot pin 146, and the plate 142 is arranged to abut against the plate 144 when the two plates 142 and 144 are substantially parallel. Thus, the flange 152 serves to hold the divider 140 in a substantially horizontal plane, as shown in fig. 10 b. In this manner, the divider 140 is self-supporting within the container 10.

Each wall 12, 14 and 16 is made as a single plate. In some embodiments, the plates may be made of plastic or composite materials using various known manufacturing techniques, including blow molding, injection molding, and rotor molding. Different types of plastic materials of different thicknesses may be used depending on the particular use of the container 10. Non-limiting examples of materials from which walls 12, 14, and 16 may be fabricated include: various types of polypropylene, such as HDPE, MDPE, LDPE; composite materials such as glass or carbon fiber composite materials; and aluminum.

The container 10 is well suited for use as a universal isolation pallet. In one embodiment, the container 10 may have a width of about 1,150mm, a depth of about 960mm, and a height of about 1,160 mm. In one embodiment, the load carrying capacity of a container having the above dimensions may be on the order of one ton. This corresponds to, for example, about sixty-five standard automotive lead-acid batteries.

To place the container 10 from the erected condition to the laid condition, the cover structure 18 is opened and moved to the front loading configuration shown in figure 1d and then rotated back through 180 ° so that the cover structure 18 is located face to face with the rear wall 16 b. Next, the side plate 16c is turned inward by 90 ° to cover the bottom wall 12. The opposite side wall 16a is now turned 90 ° inwardly to lie on top of the side wall 16 c. Next, the rear wall 16b is pivoted forward through 90 ° together with the folded cover structure 18 so as to be located on top of the side walls 16 a.

In the case where the partition 140 is installed in the container 10, the partition 140 will be removed before the container 10 is folded into a flat state. In some embodiments, the bottom wall 12 may be configured such that the divider 140 is received within the container 26 prior to folding the walls 16 and 14 to place the container 10 in a flat condition. In such an embodiment, the divider 140 is thus held within a flat-lying container without having to be handled separately.

Although a specific embodiment of the container 10 has been described, it should be understood that the container 10 may be embodied in many other forms.

For example, in one form or variation, the first cover panel may be formed as only a portion of the top wall 14. Referring to fig. 1a, this may be achieved, for example, by forming the top wall 14 as two separate pieces permanently hinged together along axis AA. Thus, for example, the top 14 would be formed as a top wall portion 14 'and a first cover plate 20 t'. In this arrangement, the front loading configuration of the cover structure 18 is the same as that shown in figure 1 d. However, the container may now have two different top loading configurations. In both top loading configurations, the entire top wall 14 is separated from the front wall 16 by using the hinge mechanism 96 as described above. However, after such separation:

the entire top wall 14 can be pivoted through 270 ° to open the top of the entire container 10;

or

The first cover part 20t 'is pivotable through 180 ° about the axis AA so as to be located on top of the top wall part 14'. Now, half of the top area of the container 10 is open.

Further, with reference to fig. 11a and 11b, two different front loading configurations are possible with slight modifications to the hinge means connecting the cover plates 20t and 20 f.

In fig. 11a and 11b, each of the cover plates 20t and 20f is formed with a hinge portion 58. However, the hinge portions 58 are not staggered with respect to each other, but are arranged side by side. Two links 160 extend between hinge portions 58 on cover plates 20t and 20 f. The cover plates 20t and 20f can then be separated in the same manner as described above in conjunction with a hinge mechanism similar to hinge mechanism 96.

The first front loading configuration, which may be through the hinge assembly of fig. 11b, is the same as that shown in fig. 1 d. However, in the second front loading configuration shown in fig. 11a, the front wall 16 d/second cover panel 20f is pivoted through 270 ° to lie on top of the first cover panel 20t and parallel to the bottom wall 12. The second front loading configuration enables additional containers 10 to be stacked on top of the open lid structure 18. The lid structure of the stacked containers may be moved to a first front loading configuration shown in figure 1d or a second front loading configuration shown in figure 11 a. Now, two containers 10 can be stacked on top of each other and both can be front-loaded.

In a further modification of the embodiment shown in fig. 11a and 11b, a tab 80a may be formed on the slider 99 for sliding in and out of the pocket 49. In addition, a recessed handle 101 may be formed in the front plate 16 d. With these modifications and referring to fig. 11b, the front panel 16d can now be completely removed by releasing the hinge mechanism and sliding the slide tab 99 upward to disengage the tab 80a from the pocket 49. Assuming that the latch 110 associated with the plate 16d is disengaged, the user can now simply pull out the front plate 16d using the handle 101. The result is a container that will look like that shown in fig. 11a, but without the plate 16d on top of the plate 14.

Further, the bottom wall 12 is shown provided with a plurality of channels 24 formed by a matrix of spaced apart legs 22 to facilitate lifting of the container 10 with a forklift. However, this function may be equally achieved by modifying the bottom wall 12 in such a way that the passages 24 are replaced with hollow box portions for accommodating the forks of a forklift.

In yet another variation of the arrangement of bladder 130 shown with reference to fig. 9, top wall 14/cover 20t may be formed with a removable wall portion covering inlet 132. In this manner, the pouch 130 may be accessed without opening the container 10. In this variation, the removable lid may also be provided with a latching mechanism to prevent unauthorized access to bladder 130.

Further, the hinge mechanism 96 may be configured in many different ways to produce the same effect. In a very simple alternative, a single elongated shaft may be used to pass through the hinge portions 58 and 98 to form the pivotal coupling between the top wall 14 and the front wall 16 d. A fixed stop may be provided at one end of the shaft and a removable stop at the other end, such as a nut, split pin or cotter pin at the opposite end. This can be disassembled so that the shaft can be removed, thereby separating the top wall 14 and the front wall 16d, as with the disengagement of the first and second cover plates 20t, 20f from each other.

The construction of the cover structure 18 enables the container 10 to comprise a portion of a material handling system. The system will include one or more containers 10 and a plurality of additional front walls 16 d/second lids 20 f. In this system, the second cover panel 20f that makes up the front wall of the container may have visual indicia that represent the particular type of material contained in the container 10 or that is to be contained in the container 10. For example, the indicia may be the color of the panel 20 f. The colors are spread out on this example:

blue can be used to denote general and non-hazardous materials that do not require special handling regimes

Yellow may be used to indicate used lead acid battery

Red can be used to indicate used hybrid dry cell

Green can be used to represent an oil filter

Orange can be used to denote used aerosol cans

Gray can be used to indicate waste liquor

In this embodiment, the remaining walls/panels that make up the container 10 may also be of the same color. The color may be, for example, the same color used to represent general waste (i.e., blue in this example). Thus, a materials handling company may have, for example, ten containers 10 with blue second lids 20t, and, for example, twenty additional second lids 20t, each four colors being yellow, red, green, orange, and gray. The company may simply swap the second cover sheet for a cover sheet having a color suitable for the material being transported or placed into the container 10.

Furthermore, each of the side walls and the top wall may also be provided with sign retaining means such that the sign can be replaceably attached to the wall. In a simple embodiment this may be two spaced apart rails fixed to the wall by rivets and in which the sign can slide.

In another variation, the latch mechanism 112 shown in FIGS. 8a and 8b may be replaced with a more complex latch mechanism 200 shown in FIGS. 12a-19 c.

Fig. 12a and 12b show the component parts of an embodiment of the disclosed latch mechanism 200. The latch mechanism 200 includes a lever 212 that is pivotally movable about a lever axis 214. The lever axis 214 coincides with the central axis of the coupling pin 216. The latch mechanism 200 also includes a latch member 218, the latch member 218 pivotally coupled to the lever 212 about a latch axis 220. The latch axis 220 coincides with the central axis of the coupling pin 222. As will be explained in more detail below, the latch member 218 may be moved by pivoting the lever 212 about the lever axis 214 so that the latch member 218 may engage the catch 224.

The lever 212 and the latch member 218 are biased to pivot about their respective axes 214 and 220 in the same direction D1. This bias is provided by a lever spring 226 and a latch spring 228. In this particular embodiment, the latch mechanism 200 also includes a bracket 300 that includes a base 232. The lever 212 is connected to the base 232 by a pin 216. The latch member 218 is coupled to the lever 212 by a coupling pin 222. The coupling pin 222 has opposite ends that are located in corresponding slots 234 on opposite side walls 248 of the lever 212. Coupling of latch member 218 to lever 212 is accomplished by a screw 236, which screw 236 passes through a hole 238 in a depending lug 240 of lever 212. The screw 236 also engages a threaded hole 242 formed in the coupling pin 222. Thus, rotation of the screw 236 causes the coupling pin 222 to slide along the slot 234.

Looking in more detail at the components of the latch mechanism 200, it can be seen that the lever 212 has an upper plate portion 244 formed with an opening 246. Side walls 248 extend downwardly from opposite edges of the plate 244. The groove 234 is formed in the sidewall 248. The side wall 248 includes a planar protrusion 250 with a corresponding aperture 252 formed therein.

The latch member 218 is formed with a transverse bar 254 extending between arms 256. The arms 256 extend side-by-side and are generally parallel to each other. An aperture 258 is formed proximate to and within the end of each arm 256 distal from the rod 254.

The coupling pin 222 has a central cylindrical portion 260. Extending axially from opposite sides of the portion 260 is a reduced diameter portion 262. Portion 262 rides in groove 234. Extending axially from the portion 262 is a correspondingly reduced diameter stub 264. The posts 264 extend through the apertures 258 and, to maintain the coupling of the pins 222 with the latch member 218, once the posts 264 have passed through the apertures 258, their respective free ends are pressed outwardly to form flanges 266 having a diameter greater than the apertures 258.

The bracket 300 is provided with a plurality of holes 270. The apertures 270 may receive fasteners (not shown) for attaching the bracket 300 to an article. The bracket 300 includes or incorporates a base 232. The base 232 is in the form of two upstanding lugs 272, each upstanding lug 272 also being provided with an aperture 274. The bracket 300 is also provided with an upstanding lug 276 formed with a hole 278.

The lever 212 is attached to the bracket 300 and in particular to the base 232 remote from the pin 216 through the holes 252 and 274. During assembly, the opposite ends of the pins 216 flare outwardly to form respective flanges 280. The flange 280 has a diameter greater than the diameter of the bores 252 and 274. When the lever 212 covers the bracket 300, the lug 276 is positioned through the opening 246 (as shown, for example, in fig. 13a, 14a, and 17).

The lever spring 226 includes two coils 282 separated by an integral U-shaped tongue 284. Each loop 282 is also formed within an integral hook arm 286. The path of the lever spring 226 is described in detail in fig. 15a, 15b and 17. As can be seen from these figures, coil 282 is positioned around pin 216. The tongue 284 is located below the underside of the plate portion 244 of the lever 212 and presses against the underside of the plate portion 244 of the lever 212. The hook arm 286 hooks around the lug 272. The spring 226 is used to bias the lever 212 in the first direction D1 (shown in fig. 18c and 19 c). The direction D1 is a direction toward the bracket 300.

With particular reference to fig. 12a, 16b and 17, the latch spring 228 is formed with two coils 288, the two coils 288 being spaced apart by an integral link 290. The end of each coil 288 remote from the link 290 is provided with a respective hook finger 292. In the assembled latch 200, the coil 288 resides on the corresponding portion 262 of the pin 222, while the link 290 extends laterally through the lever 212 below the side wall 248. The hook fingers 292 hook the arms 256 of the latch member 218. The latch spring 228 is configured to bias the latch member 218 to also pivot in the direction D1. With the above structure, the latch spring 228 acts between the latch member 218 and the lever 212.

Applying the force to pivot the lever 212 in the direction D2 opposite the direction D1 will increase the tension in the lever spring 226. However, this will not affect the tension in the latch spring 228. In this manner, the lever spring 226 and the latch spring 228 function independently of each other. Pivoting of the latch member 218 in the direction D2 relative to the lever 212 will increase the tension in the latch spring 228. This action may also create a moment about axis 214 and increase some of the tension in lever spring 226 due to the relationship between the respective pivot axes 214 and 220.

The screw 236 may be rotated in the opposite direction to traverse the pin 222 along the slot 234, thereby allowing the position of the latch member 218 to be varied relative to the lever 212. This also translates into an adjustment of the distance between the respective pivot axes 214 and 220.

Referring back to fig. 12a, the catch 224 includes a plate 296, the plate 296 being bent or crimped at one end to form a hook 298. A plurality of holes 299 are formed in the plate 296 to receive fasteners (not shown) for securing the buckle 224 to a second item (not shown).

Fig. 13a-13c show the latch mechanism 200 in a released or unlocked position. In the release position:

the lever 212 is biased against and over the bracket 300 by the lever spring 226;

the latch member 218 is biased against and overlies the lever 212 by the latch spring 228; and

the lug 276 extends through the opening 246 in the lever 212.

The lever spring 226 and the latch spring 228 are preloaded such that when the latch mechanism 200 is in the release position, the two springs are under tension, biasing the lever 212 and the latch member 218 in the direction D1. As a result, regardless of the orientation of the article to which the latch mechanism 200 is attached, the latch member 218 abuts the lever 212 and the lever 212 abuts the bracket 300. This prevents the latch member 218 and/or the lever 212 from freely swinging about the respective axis. This is a practical benefit because neither the lever 212 nor the latch can be swung out and potentially accidentally bumped by a person to cause injury or the impact of a piece of equipment, resulting in damage or breakage. Also in the release position, the lever member 218 is disengaged and spaced from the catch 224. Thus, the respective items to which the bracket 300 and the catch 224 are attached may move relative to each other.

Fig. 14a-14c show the latch mechanism 200 in an engaged or locked position. In this position:

the latch member 218 is engaged with the catch 224, and more specifically, the rod 254 is received within the curved portion of the hook 298;

the lever 212 is biased against the bracket 300 by the lever spring 226; the lugs 276 protrude through the openings 246 and the holes 278 are also exposed above the lever 212.

The latch spring 228 is at its maximum tension and applies a moment to the lever 212 about its pivot axis 214 in the direction D2. However, this does not cause the lever 212 to pivot in this direction away from the bracket 300. In particular, the spring 226 is arranged to have a bias that overcomes the torque exerted by the latch spring 228 when the latch mechanism 200 is in the locked position. Further, the effect of the torque applied by the latch spring 228 is reduced below the pivot axis 214 by the location of the pivot axis 220.

The combination of the lug 276 and the opening 246 form a locking device such that the lever 212 can be locked against pivotal movement about its axis 214, at least to an extent that can cause the latch member 218 to disengage from the catch 224. This is accomplished, for example, by coupling a padlock or other type of security lock (not shown) to the ledge 276 through the aperture 278.

FIGS. 18a-18 c; and 19a-19c illustrate two sequential intermediate positions of the latch mechanism 200 moving from the release position to the latched position.

Starting with the latch mechanism 200 in the released position (as shown in fig. 13a-13 c), a force is applied to the lever 212, for example by a person's thumb, causing it to pivot about its pivot axis 214 in the direction D2. This is in the opposite direction of the bias applied by the lever spring 226. The latch member 218 is carried by the lever 212 so as to clear the catch 224, and in particular the hook 298. From the position shown in fig. 18c, the user can either: (a) continuing to pivot the lever 212 in the direction D2 so that the rod 254 will be located proximate the catch 224 and near the position P1; or (b) separately pivoting the latch member 218 about its pivot axis 220 away from the lever 212 such that the lever 254 is adjacent the catch 224 about the position P1. In either case, it will be appreciated that the latch mechanism 200 is not at this stage of the engaged position when the rod 254 is spaced from the hook 298 and is not received within the hook 298.

To effectively engage and place the latch mechanism 200 in the latched position, the force applied to the lever 212 is steadily reduced or may be fully released while holding the latch member 218 against the catch 224. This will result in translation of the latch member 218 and in particular the rod 254 toward and engaging the hook 298. This position is shown in fig. 19a-19 c. If the user has not released the lever 212, they can now do so and rely on the bias of the lever spring 226 and the over-center action of the latch mechanism 200 to pivot the lever 212 to the bracket 300 in the direction D1. It should also be appreciated that this pivoting motion has the effect of linearly displacing the rod 254 and, thus, pulling the catch 224 toward the base 232 and the bracket 300. The degree of this pulling force can be adjusted by rotating the screw 236. This adjustment will typically be made before the latch mechanism 200 is moved to the latched position.

In use, adjustment may be made by trial and error moving the latch mechanism to the intermediate position shown in fig. 19a-19c, and sensing the degree of force required to push the lever 212 in direction D1 against the bracket 300 and extend the lug 276 through the opening 246. The spacing between the axes 214 and 220 is adjusted to a degree approximately equal to the length of the slot 234 minus the reduced diameter portion 262.

According to this adjustment, the lever 212 may be returned only by the action of the lever spring 226. However, to tightly connect the latch member 218 to the catch 224, it is contemplated that the adjustment will be such that the lever will pivot to a position above the bracket 300 solely by the action of the lever spring 226. To place the lever 212 against the bracket 300, a force needs to be applied to snap the lever down onto the bracket 300. This also provides the pulling effect of the catch 224 towards the bracket 300.

To disengage the latch mechanism 200 (i.e., move it from the locked position to the released position), the user need only pivot the lever 212 in the direction D2 through an angle sufficient to slide the rod 254 out of the hook 298. At this point, the bias of the latch spring 228 will automatically pivot the latch member 218 in the direction D1. The user may simultaneously release the force on the lever 212, which will cause the lever spring 226 to pivot the lever 212 and the latch member 218 in the direction D1. The lever 212 and latch member thus return to the release position shown in fig. 13a-13 c.

The latch mechanism 200 may be embodied in other forms. For example, the seat 232 may be integrally formed (i.e., molded or as part) with the respective wall 16 much like the hinge portion 58 to provide an anchor point for the lever 212 that may be coupled via the coupling pin 216. Similarly, the catch 224, and more particularly the hook 298, may be molded into the other wall 16 of the container 10.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description, unless the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" are used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features to the container as disclosed herein.