Container with a handle and a latch system

Abstract

A container having a base and a lid is provided. The lid is rotatable about a hinge from a closed configuration to an open configuration and can be secured by one or more latch assemblies. The latch assembly can include a latch body, a locking member, a biasing member, and an actuating member. The lid can have a handle having a storage position and a carrying position, and the handle can be maintained within the storage position until actuated with a first force greater than a threshold force to move the handle from the storage position to the carrying position. Similarly, the handle can be maintained in the carrying position when in the carrying position until actuated with a second force greater than a threshold force to move the handle from the carrying position to the storage position.

Description

Description of Related Applications

[0001] This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 835,849, filed on June 8, 2022, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all non-limiting purposes.

Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to containers, latch systems, and handle assemblies.

Background Art

[0003] There are various types of containers and latch systems. Containers may be used for food, beverages, and other materials and items. There are latch systems for locking containers in a closed configuration. However, conventional containers and latch systems are often not very durable and can be difficult to use. For example, a container may not have sufficient strength to hold a particular item, or may not have sufficient strength to hold an item on top of the container. Further, some latch systems may operate when the user does not desire the system to operate, and in other cases may not provide a sufficient locking interval for the container. Some containers may also include handles to assist the user in carrying or moving the container. These handles need to be easily graspable and / or movable to an easily graspable position when needed. In such configurations, due to these and other deficiencies, the container and / or latch system may effectively become useless.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] This summary is provided to introduce a simplified selection of concepts that are further described in the following 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.

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a container having: (1) a base portion including (a) a sidewall structure having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and having a first end and a second end; (b) a bottom portion connected to the first end of the sidewall structure; and (c) an opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure opposite the first end, the opening being configured to provide access to an interior space of the container formed by the sidewall structure and the bottom portion; and (2) a lid connected to the base portion, the lid having an open configuration and a closed configuration. The lid is configured to cover the opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure when the container is in the closed configuration and to provide access to the opening when the container is in the open configuration. The lid can include a handle assembly including a handle, the handle having a storage position in which the handle is substantially parallel to the upper surface of the lid and a carrying position in which the handle is substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the lid. The handle can be maintained within the storage position until actuated by a first force greater than a threshold force to move the handle from the storage position to the carrying position, and when the handle is in the carrying position, the handle can be maintained in the carrying position until actuated by a second force greater than a threshold force to move the handle from the carrying position to the storage position. The handle can be embedded within a cavity formed in the upper surface of the lid, the cavity including a pair of fixtures extending from an outer surface of the cavity, and the handle being connected to the pair of fixtures. In some examples, the pair of fixtures can also be connected to the back surface of the cavity. The handle can include a gripping portion and a pair of legs, each leg having a fixed end connected to an end of the gripping portion and a free end opposite the fixed end, and a pocket being near the free end. The handle can be embedded within a cavity formed in the upper surface of the lid, and the pocket of each leg can receive a biasing member and a plunger, the plunger having a recess at a first end for receiving the biasing member and a first plurality of engagement members at a second end opposite the first end. The cavity can include a pair of sides, each side of the pair of sides including a receiving portion configured to receive a detent member including a second plurality of engagement members.The first plurality of engagement members can engage with the second plurality of engagement members to maintain the handle in either the storage position or the carrying position. The biasing member can apply a third force to the plunger to engage the plunger with the detent member. The first plurality of engagement members can include a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of recesses, and each protrusion is connected to an adjacent recess by an inclined surface between each protrusion and each recess.

[0006] Other aspects of the present disclosure relate to a container comprising: (1) a base portion including: (a) a sidewall structure having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and having a first end and a second end; (b) a bottom portion connected to the first end of the sidewall structure; and (c) an opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure opposite the first end, the opening being configured to provide access to an interior space of the container formed by the sidewall structure and the bottom portion; and (2) a lid pivotally connected to the base portion by a hinge, the lid having an open configuration and a closed configuration. The lid is configured to cover the opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure when the container is in the closed configuration and to provide access to the opening when the container is in the open configuration. The container can also include a latch assembly pivotally connected to the lid opposite the hinge, the latch assembly having a locked position and an unlocked position, the latch assembly including a latch body pivotally connected to the lid and an actuating member pivotally connected to the latch body, the actuating member being configured to move the latch assembly from the locked position to the unlocked position when rotated relative to the latch body. Additionally, the base portion can include a first raised portion adjacent to the latch assembly and a second raised portion adjacent to the hinge. The container can also include a first latch guard connected to the first raised portion, the first latch guard including a first arm extending from the first raised portion and a first cross member located at a first predetermined distance below the latch assembly, the first cross member serving as a first fixed handle. Additionally, the container can include a second latch guard connected to the second raised portion, the second latch guard including a second arm extending from the second raised portion and a second cross member located at a second predetermined distance below the hinge, the second cross member serving as a second fixed handle. The first cross member can have a concave lower surface, the concave lower surface including a plurality of ribs. The lid can include a movable handle assembly including a plunger including a handle and a biasing member, the handle including a gripping portion and a pair of legs. Each leg of the pair of legs can include a pocket for receiving the plunger.The handle has a storage position and a carrying position such that the handle is maintained in the storage position until it is actuated by a first force greater than a threshold force to move the handle from the storage position to the carrying position. Similarly, when the handle is in the carrying position, the handle can be maintained in the carrying position until it is actuated by a second force greater than a threshold force to move the handle from the carrying position to the storage position. Each leg of the pair of legs can be attached to a fixture extending from the outer face of the lid. The handle can be embedded in a cavity on the upper surface of the lid, and the cavity includes a side face having a receiving portion. The receiving portion can receive a detent member including a second plurality of engaging members. The plunger can include a first plurality of engaging members that engage the second plurality of engaging members to maintain the handle in either the storage position or the carrying position.

[0007] Further additional aspects of the present disclosure can relate to a container comprising: (1) a base portion having (a) a sidewall structure having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and having a first end and a second end; (b) a bottom portion connected to the first end of the sidewall structure; and (c) an opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure opposite the first end, the opening being made to provide access to the interior space of the container formed by the sidewall structure and the bottom portion; (2) a lid connected to the base portion, the lid having an open configuration and a closed configuration; and (3) a latch assembly pivotally connected to the lid, the latch assembly having a locked position and an unlocked position. The lid can be made to cover the opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure when the container is in the closed configuration and to provide access to the opening when the container is in the open configuration. The lid can include a handle, a plunger including a biasing member, and a handle assembly including a detent member, the handle including a gripping portion and a pair of legs. Each leg of the pair of legs can include a pocket for receiving the biasing member and the plunger, and the handle has a stowed position and a carrying position. The detent member can be positioned within a receiving portion of the lid, and the detent member can engage the plunger to maintain the handle in the stowed position until actuated by a first force greater than a threshold force to move the handle from the stowed position to the carrying position. Additionally, when the handle is in the carrying position, the detent member can engage the plunger to maintain the handle in the carrying position until actuated by a second force greater than a threshold force to move the handle from the carrying position to the stowed position. Each leg of the pair of legs can be connected to a fixture extending from an outer face of the lid. In some examples, the container can include a latch guard having a pair of arms and a cross-member, the cross-member being positioned at a predetermined distance below the latch assembly and serving as a first fixed handle.

[0008] Still other aspects of the present disclosure can relate to a container having (1) a base portion including (a) a sidewall structure having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and having a first end and a second end; (b) a bottom portion connected to the first end of the sidewall structure; and (c) an opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure opposite the first end, the opening being configured to provide access to an interior space of the container formed by the sidewall structure and the bottom portion; (2) a lid pivotally connected to the base portion by a hinge, the lid having an open configuration and a closed configuration; and (3) a latch assembly pivotally connected to the lid opposite the hinge, the latch assembly having a locked position and an unlocked position. The lid can be configured to cover the opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure when the container is in the closed configuration and to provide access to the opening when the container is in the open configuration. The latch assembly can include a latch body pivotally connected to the lid, an actuating member pivotally connected to the latch body, and a lock button connected to the latch body. The lock button can have a locked state that prevents the latch assembly from moving to the unlocked position and an unlocked state that allows the latch assembly to move to the unlocked position. The actuating member can be rotated relative to the latch body to move the latch assembly from the locked position to the unlocked position. The latch assembly can require both the actuating member and the lock button to engage to move the latch assembly from the locked position to the unlocked position. When the lock button is in the locked state, a movable locking member of the latch assembly can be prevented from moving relative to the latch body. The lock button can be connected to a key member received in a slot of the movable locking member. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The present invention is not limited to the accompanying drawings, which are presented by way of example and in which like reference numerals indicate like elements.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Furthermore, it should be understood that the drawings may represent the scales of different components of one embodiment. However, the disclosed embodiments are not limited to that particular scale.

[0011] In the following description of various exemplary structures in accordance with the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which are shown by way of illustration various exemplary devices, systems, and environments in which aspects of the present invention may be implemented. It is to be understood that other specific arrangements of components, exemplary devices, systems, and environments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, terms such as "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "side", "rear", etc. may be used herein to describe various exemplary features and elements of the present invention, but these terms are used herein for convenience based, for example, on the exemplary orientation shown in the drawings or the typical orientation during use. "Substantially parallel" can be used to indicate that a first line, segment, plane, edge, surface, etc. is substantially (within 5% in this example) equidistant from another line, plane, edge, surface, etc. over at least 50% of the length of the first line, segment, plane, edge, surface, etc. "Substantially perpendicular" can be used to indicate that a first line, segment, plane, edge, surface, etc. is substantially (within 5% in this example) 90 degrees from another line, plane, edge, surface, etc. over at least 50% of the length of the first line, segment, plane, edge, surface, etc. Further, the term "plurality" as used herein indicates any number greater than one, up to and including an infinite number, either discrete or in connection, as appropriate. No part of this specification should be construed as requiring a particular three-dimensional orientation of the structure in order to fall within the scope of the present invention. Also, it should be appreciated that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0012] Generally, aspects of the present invention relate to a container, a latch assembly, and a handle assembly. According to various aspects and embodiments, the containers, latch assemblies, and handle assemblies described herein can be formed from one or more of various materials such as metals (including alloys), polymers, and composites, and can be formed into one of various shapes without departing from the scope of the present invention. It should be understood that the container, latch assembly, and handle assembly may include components manufactured from several different materials. Further, the components can be formed by various forming methods. For example, metal components can be formed by forging, casting, die casting, stamping, machining, and / or other known techniques. Further, polymer components such as elastomers can be manufactured by various polymer processing techniques such as injection molding and casting techniques, and / or other known techniques.

[0013] The various drawings of the present application illustrate examples of containers, latch assemblies, and handle assemblies according to the present invention. When the same reference numeral appears in multiple drawings, the reference numeral is used consistently herein and refers to the same or similar parts throughout the drawings.

[0014] Figures 1-2B show perspective views of the container 100. In one example, the insulated container 100 may include a base portion 110 and, in some examples, a lid 140 that can be connected thereto or, in some examples, removably connected thereto non-destructively. The base portion 110 may be a structure that forms a space for accommodating an article, as will be discussed in sufficient detail herein. In some examples, the base portion 110 may be cube-shaped or substantially cube-shaped. In other examples, the base portion 110 may be frustum-shaped or substantially frustum-shaped (e.g., pentagonal prism, hexagonal prism, heptagonal prism, etc.). In yet other examples, the base portion 110 may be substantially cylindrical or may have a substantially trapezoidal cross-section. Without departing from the present invention, various other shapes may be used.

[0015] The base portion 110 can include a sidewall structure 112 having a first side 114, a second side 116 opposite the first side 114, a third side 118 extending between an edge of the first side and an edge of the second side, and a fourth side 120 opposite the third side 118. The sidewall structure 112 can also have a first end 122 and a second end 124. The sidewall structure 112 can also include a bottom portion 126 connected to the first end 122 of the sidewall structure 112 and configured to support a container on a surface such as a table, the ground, a vehicle floor, etc. In some examples, the bottom portion 126 can also and / or alternatively include one or more legs capable of supporting the container 100 on a surface such as a table, the ground, a vehicle floor, etc. The legs may be integrally formed with the base portion 110 or attached to the base portion 110 after the base portion 110 is formed.

[0016] The base portion 110 further includes a second end 124 that defines an opening 128 (shown in FIGS. 2A-2B). The opening 128 is configured to provide access to an internal space 130 of the container 100 formed by the sidewall structure 112 and the bottom portion 126. In some examples, the space 130 can hold items such as a small item container 199 as shown in FIG. 2A.

[0017] The container 100 can include a lid 140. The lid 140 is pivotable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. In some embodiments, the step of rotating the lid from the closed configuration to the open configuration includes 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 128 can be covered by the lid 140 when the container is in use (e.g., when the container is in the closed configuration). In some arrangements, the lid 140 can be connected to the base portion 110 in the closed configuration using a press fit. Additionally or alternatively, other fixing systems or devices may be used to fix the lid 140 to the base portion 110 as discussed in sufficient detail herein.

[0018] In some examples, the lid 140 can be hingedly attached (either removably or permanently) to the base portion 110 at the hinge 132 and rotated about the hinge 132. The hinge 132 can be one of various types of hinges, including a continuous piano hinge, a double hinge, a ball joint hinge, a living hinge, etc. These and various other hinge configurations are discussed in sufficient detail herein. The hinge 132 can open the lid 140 and rotate it away from the base portion 110 so as to provide access to the space 130 defined by the base portion 110 (e.g., through the opening 128). That is, the hinge 132 can facilitate rotation of the lid 140 from a closed configuration of the container (e.g., when the lid is in a fixed position covering the space 130 formed by the base portion 110 as shown in FIG. 1) to an open configuration (e.g., when the lid does not cover the space 130 formed by the base portion 110 as shown in FIGS. 2A - 2B), and vice versa.

[0019] In addition, in some arrangements, the container 100 can include a gasket 134 or other seal. The gasket 134 can be disposed on either the lid 140 or the base portion 110 and can serve to seal the lid 140 and the base portion 110 when the lid 140 is in the closed configuration. In one example, the container 100 can be manufactured to be dust - proof when tested for 8 hours and / or waterproof when tested for 30 minutes at 1 meter underwater. In some embodiments, the container 100 can achieve an IP67 (defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission) rating that specifies that there is no dust ingress, i.e., it is completely protected from dust, when tested for 8 hours, and that no harmful amount of water can ingress when the enclosure is immersed in water (up to 1 m) under certain conditions of pressure and time. The IP67 dust test is for an 8 - hour period and the enclosure is tested in a vacuum. The IP67 water test is for a 30 - minute period and the enclosure is tested with either the bottom of the enclosure 1000 mm below the water surface or the highest point 1500 mm below the water surface, whichever is deeper.

[0020] In some examples, the gasket 134 can be formed on at least one of the base portion 110 and the lid 140 and can be received in a recess that extends along the outer periphery of at least one of the base portion 110 or the lid 140. Further, in some examples, the container 100 can be on the opposite side of the base portion 110 or the lid 140 and can include a raised portion that extends along the outer periphery of the base portion 110 or the lid 140. The gasket 134 can be disposed between the recess and the raised portion. The gasket 134 can serve to maintain a seal between the interior of the container 100 and the external environment and, in some examples, can serve to maintain the temperature of an article contained within the container 100. In some examples, the gasket 134 can be a conventional gasket having a substantially circular cross-section. In some examples, the gasket 134 can have a different cross-sectional shape, such as a donut or ring shape, an elliptical shape, a Y-shape, a U-shape, or other shapes known to those skilled in the art. In other arrangements, the gasket 134 can include strategically placed cutouts that can reduce or eliminate the need for a vent (e.g., a vent to prevent the lid from locking).

[0021] The container 100 can be made to contain, store, transport, etc. articles including food, beverages, or any other item. In addition or alternatively, the container 100 can be made to store materials in a solid or gaseous state, or a combination thereof, without departing from the scope of the disclosure described herein.

[0022] The container 100 with the base portion 110 and the lid 140 can be formed from various materials such as one or more types of metals, alloys, polymers, ceramics, or fiber-reinforced materials. In some examples, the base portion 110 and the lid 140 can be formed from a polymer material such as polyethylene that is molded to form both the base portion 110 and the lid 140. In some arrangements, the outer shells of the base portion 110 and the lid 140 are formed using injection molding or rotomolding / rotational molding methods (not shown) as would be understood by those skilled in the art. However, without departing from the present invention, the container 100 may be formed using various other types of molding methods or other manufacturing methods (e.g., stamping, casting, forging, etc.).

[0023] In some arrangements, the container 100 can include a movable handle assembly 160 on the lid 140 that can move the handle 162 to a storage or carrying position and hold it in either the storage or carrying position until actuated by a user. With the handle 162, a user can easily lift and / or carry the container 100 using only one hand to grasp the handle 162. The handle 162 can be pivotally attached to the lid 140 and disposed within a concave cavity 142 positioned on the upper surface 143 of the lid 140. The handle 162 can have a storage position where the handle is substantially parallel to the upper surface 143 of the lid 140 as shown in FIG. 3, and a carrying position where the handle is substantially perpendicular to the upper surface 143 of the lid 140 as shown in FIG. 4. The handle assembly 160 can include components that can maintain the handle 162 within the storage position until actuated by an upward or rotational force from a user greater than a threshold force to move the handle 162 from the storage position to the carrying or upright position. In addition, the handle assembly 160 can maintain the handle 162 in the carrying position until actuated by a downward or rotational force from a user greater than a threshold force to move the handle from the carrying position to the storage position.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 5-10, the handle assembly 160 can include a handle 162 including a gripping portion 164 and a pair of legs 166, a plunger 168, a biasing member 170, a detent member 172, and a pin 174. The plunger 168 and the detent member 172 can engage with each other as shown in FIG. 10 to prevent the handle 162 from making unwanted movements. For example, the plunger 168 can include a plurality of engaging members 176 that engage with a corresponding plurality of engaging members 178 on the detent member 172. The plurality of engaging members 176, 178 can include a plurality of protrusions, a plurality of recesses, and inclined surfaces between each protrusion and each recess. Specifically, each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions on the plunger 168 and the detent member 172 can be received within a corresponding recess of the plurality of recesses on the plunger 168 and the detent member 172. The inclined surfaces between each protrusion and each recess cause the engaging members to contact and slide relative to each other when an upward or downward force greater than a threshold force is applied to the handle 162 by a user, so that the plunger 168 and the detent member 172 can rotate relative to each other. The protrusions and recesses can be arranged in an alternating pattern such that each protrusion is adjacent to a recess by an inclined surface extending between the bottom surface of the recess and the top surface of the protrusion. The interaction of the engaging members 176, 178 of the plunger 168 and the detent member 172 resists any movement of the handle 162 caused by any accidental movement or force applied to the container (e.g., the container is turned upside down or tipped over). The biasing member 170 can provide a vertical force that keeps the engaging members 176, 178 engaged with each other and prevents any accidental movement of the plunger 168 relative to the detent member 172. The biasing member 170 can be a compression spring or other member that applies a linear force to keep the plunger 168 engaged with the detent member 172, as is known to those skilled in the art. In other words, the handle 162 will remain in either the stowed position or the carrying position until a force greater than the threshold force is directly applied to the handle 162. The threshold force can be determined by the force applied by the biasing member 170 and the depth of the recesses and the angle of the inclined surfaces on the engaging members 176, 178.The threshold force can be large enough such that when the container 100 is turned upside down or shaken upside down, the handle 162 does not move from the stowed position to the deployed position. Similarly, the threshold force can be large enough such that when the container 100 is in the upright position and shaken from side to side, the handle does not move from the deployed position to the stowed position. Alternatively, the plurality of engagement members 176, 178 can be corresponding sets of teeth that engage with each other. As another alternative example, instead of the engagement members 176, 178, the plunger 168 and the detent member 172 can include engagement surfaces that frictionally engage with each other, where the biasing member 170 applies a force that creates friction between these engagement surfaces to create the threshold force.

[0025] Each leg portion 166 can have a fixed end 180 connected to each end of the gripping portion 164 and a free end 182 opposite the fixed end 180. A pocket 184 for receiving the biasing member 170 and the plunger 168 can be arranged near the free end 182 of each leg portion 166. In one example, the pocket 184 can be arranged on the outer surface of each leg portion 166. Each plunger 168 can include a recess 187 for receiving the biasing member 170 at a first end 186 and a plurality of engaging members 176 at a second end 188 opposite the first end 186. The plunger 168 can also include an anti-rotation member 190 that can contact a corresponding anti-rotation member 192 within the pocket 184. The anti-rotation members 190, 192 can be a boss and a corresponding recess, and the recess or the boss can be arranged either on the plunger 168 or within the pocket 184. The pocket 184 can also include an opening 185 that extends through the remaining portion of the leg portion 166 to the bottom surface of the pocket 184. In addition, the plunger 168 can include an opening 169 that extends through the plunger 168. In some examples, the pocket 184 for receiving the plunger 168 and the biasing member 170 can be arranged on the inner surface of each leg portion 166. Optionally, the biasing member 170 can be integrally formed as part of the plunger 168 such that the plunger 168 and the biasing member 170 are made as a single component to provide a spring force for continuously engaging the plunger 168 with the retaining member 172.

[0026] The concave cavity 142 of the lid 140 can be arranged to fix the handle 162. The concave cavity 142 can include a pair of side surfaces 144 each having a receiving portion 146 for fixing the detent member 172. Each receiving portion 146 can also include an anti-rotation member (not shown) that can contact a corresponding anti-rotation member 173 located on the detent member 172. These anti-rotation members can be bosses and corresponding recesses, and the recess or boss can be arranged either on the detent member 172 or within the receiving portion 146. The receiving portion 146 can be an opening in each side surface 144 and / or can include an insert arranged within the receiving portion 146 to assist in fixing the detent member 172. The concave cavity 142 can also include an outer surface 152, a back surface 154, and a pair of fixtures 156 extending from the outer surface of the cavity 142. The pair of fixtures 156 can be spaced inwardly from each of the side surfaces 144. The handle 162 can be connected to the pair of fixtures 156. In some examples, the pair of fixtures 156 can also extend from and be connected to the back surface 154. Each fixture 156 can include an opening 157, and the openings 157 of each fixture 156 can be aligned along the longitudinal axis. Alternatively, in an example where the plunger 168 is positioned within a pocket 184 arranged on the inner surface of each leg 166, the detent member 172 can be received within the opening 157 of each fixture 156 to engage the plunger 168. In some examples, the concave cavity 142 can include an engaging member integrally formed with the side surface 144, and thus these integrally formed engaging members interact with the engaging member 176 of the plunger 168 without using a separate detent member 172. As another option, instead of the biasing member 170 applying a force to the plunger 168, the biasing member 170 can be arranged within the receiving portion 146 and / or adjacent to the detent member 172 to directly apply a force to the detent member 172 to engage the detent member 172 with the plunger 168.

[0027] Figures 7-9 illustrate the process of attaching the handle assembly 160 to the lid 140. As shown in Figure 7, each detent member 172 can be attached to the receiving portion 146 of the side surface 144, and the rotation prevention member of the receiving portion engages with the rotation prevention member 173 of the detent member 172. In addition, the biasing member 170 and the plunger 168 can be attached to the pocket 184 of each leg portion 166 with the biasing member 170 at least partially received within the recess 187 of the plunger 168. The biasing member 170 can contact the bottom surface of the pocket 184. The rotation prevention member 190 of the plunger 168 can engage with the rotation prevention member 192 of the pocket 184. Once the biasing member 170 and the plunger 168 are attached to each leg portion 166 of the handle 162, the handle 162 can be positioned such that the opening 157 of the fixture 156 aligns with the opening 185 of each leg portion 166 and the opening 175 of the detent member 172. Next, the pin 174 is inserted through the opening 157 of each fixture 156, the opening 175 of the detent member 172, and the opening 185 of each leg portion 166 to rotatably connect the handle 162 to the lid 140. The pin 174 can be frictionally fitted to the detent member 172 and permanently fixed to the lid 140 or within the receiving portion 146 of the side surface 144. In some examples, the pin 174 can be releasably connected to the lid 140 using a screw connection or other connection methods known to those skilled in the art.

[0028] In some arrangements, the container 100 can also include one or more latch assemblies 200. The latch assembly 200 can have a locked position and an unlocked position and can be configured to lock the lid 140 when the lid 140 is in the closed configuration. The latch assembly 200 can include one or more portions that are integrally formed with or otherwise attached to the container 100. As shown in FIGS. 2A-2B, the container 100 can include a latch keeper 210. The latch keeper 210 extends from the sidewall structure 112 and may form a pocket within the container 100. This pocket of the latch keeper has a shape configured to receive a portion of the locking member 230, as discussed in more detail below. As described in more detail below, the latch assembly 200 can engage the latch keeper 210 to lock the lid 140 to the base portion 110 when the container 100 is in the closed configuration. The latch assembly 200 may be similar to the latch assemblies described in the respective specifications of U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 006344, filed Jun. 12, 2018, and U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 123746, filed Dec. 16, 2020, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0029] Container 100 can also include various features for improving the strength and / or functionality of the container 100. For example, the container can include various raised portions where specific portions of the base portion 110 and / or the lid 140 extend further outward than other portions of the base portion 110 and / or the lid 140. The container 100 can also include a raised portion 136 that surrounds the latch assembly 200 and the hinge 132. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the raised portion 136 may be present on one or both of the base portion 110 or the lid 140. Each of the raised portions 136 can be made as tall as or taller than the height of the latch assembly 200 and the hinge 132, thus preventing the latch assembly 200 and / or the hinge 132 from protruding outward beyond the raised portion 136 of the container 100. This protects the latch assembly 200 and / or the hinge 132 and can reduce the risk of these components being damaged during use.

[0030] Referring now more specifically to the latch assembly 200, as best shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B. The latch assembly 200 can include a plurality of components including a latch body 202, a locking member 230, a biasing member 250, and an actuating member 270. As described above, the latch assembly 200 can include a locked position and an unlocked position. The latch body 202 can be pivotally engaged with the lid 140. The latch body 202 can be pivotally engaged with the lid 140 using a hinge 204, although any suitable pivotal engagement can be used. The latch body 202 can have an inner surface 206 and an outer surface 208. The outer surface 208 may be curved and may generally follow the curvature of the sidewall structure 112 of the container 100. The inner surface 206 may also be curved and may include a number of different features. One example of a feature that can be included in the latch body 202 can be one or more engagement lugs 212. The engagement lugs 212 can engage with the base portion 110, or the latch keeper 210, and can assist in compressing the lid 140 against the base portion 110 of the container 100.

[0031] The latch body 202 can also engage with the lock member 230. As shown in FIG. 11B, the lock member 230 can engage slidably with the latch body 202 such that the lock member 230 can move between an upper position and a lower position along a substantially linear path. The lock member 230 can be configured to lock the lid 140 in a closed configuration when the lock member 230 is in the lower position and to release the lock of the lid 140 when the lock member 230 is in the upper position.

[0032] As mainly shown in FIG. 11B, the lock member 230 can engage movably with one or more guide members 232 such that the lock member 230 can slide up and down the guide member 232. In one embodiment, the lock member 230 can include an opening that passes through the lock member 230 and through which the guide member 232 can pass. The guide member 232 can be a cylindrical rod, but any suitable shape that allows the lock member 230 to move up and down can be used. As shown in FIG. 11B, the latch assembly 200 can also include at least one biasing member 250 engaged with the latch body 202 and the lock member 230. The biasing member 250 can be configured to bias the lock member 230 to the lower position. The biasing member 250 can be a compression spring as shown in FIG. 11B, but in alternative embodiments, any suitable device for biasing the lock member 230 to the lower position can be used.

[0033] The lock member 230 can include a base portion 240 and a hook portion 242 extending inwardly from the base portion 240. When the latch assembly 200 is in the locked position, the hook portion 242 of the lock member 230 can engage with the latch keeper 210. Further, when the latch assembly 200 is in the locked position, the upper surface of the engaging lug 212 can engage with the lower surface of the latch keeper 210.

[0034] The latch body 202 can also be pivotally engaged with the actuating member 270. The actuating member 270 can also engage with the locking member 230 and can be made to move the locking member 230 from a lower position to an upper position. The actuating member 270 can be pivotally engaged with the latch body 202 by a hinge 272 extending through the latch body 202 and the actuating member 270. The actuating member 270 can include a gripping portion 274, an actuating barrel 276, and one or more arms 278 connecting the gripping portion 274 and the actuating barrel 276. The gripping portion 274 can be spaced a distance from the sidewall structure 112 of the container 100. This distance allows a user to insert a finger between the sidewall structure 112 and the gripping portion 274 and grasp the back surface 280 of the gripping portion 274. The actuating barrel 276 of the actuating member 270 can engage with the locking member 230. The actuating barrel 276 can include at least one raised portion 282. To release the lock of the latch assembly 200, the user can pull the gripping portion 274 of the actuating member 270 forward, rotate at least one raised portion 282 of the actuating barrel 276, and lift the locking member 230. This movement releases the lock of the latch assembly 200 and allows the lid 140 to be moved from a closed configuration to an open configuration.

[0035] Referring now to FIGS. 12A - 12C, a procedure for moving an embodiment of the latch assembly 200 from a locked position to an unlocked position is shown by vertical cross-sectional views of the latch assembly 200 and a portion of the base portion 110 and the lid 140. FIG. 12A shows the latch assembly 200 in the locked position, FIG. 12B shows the latch assembly 200 being released, and FIG. 12C shows the latch assembly 200 in the unlocked position. As shown in FIG. 12A, in the locked position, the lower surface of the hook portion 242 engages the upper surface of the latch keeper 210, the inward-facing surface of the hook portion 242 engages the inner surface of the latch keeper 210, and the engagement lug 212 engages the lower surface of the latch keeper 210.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 12B, the latch assembly 200 can be moved to the release position by rotating the actuating member 270 as indicated by arrow 290. This rotation can be accomplished by the user pulling the back surface 280 forward. As shown in FIG. 12B, when the actuating barrel 276 rotates, at least one raised portion 282 engages the locking member 230 and lifts it. As shown in FIG. 12C, the latch assembly 200 is in the release position. When the locking member 230 is lifted above the latch keeper 210, the latch assembly 200 is unlocked and the latch body 202 including the locking member 230 and the actuating member 270 can rotate forward as indicated by arrow 294.

[0037] Referring now to FIGS. 13A - 13C, a procedure for moving the latch assembly 200 from the release position to the locked position is shown by a vertical cross - sectional view of the latch assembly 200 and a portion of the base 110 and the lid 140. FIG. 13A shows the latch assembly 200 in the release position, FIG. 13B shows the latched latch assembly 200, and FIG. 13C shows the latch assembly 200 in the locked position.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 13A and also indicated by arrow 296, in one embodiment, the user can return the latch assembly 200 to the locked position by pushing on the latch body 202. As shown in FIG. 13B, when the latch body 202 is pushed inward, the locking member 230 can contact the latch keeper 210, thereby lifting the locking member 230 upward as indicated by arrow 298. In other examples, in addition to pushing the latch body 202 inward, the user must pull the actuating member 270 outward to move the latch assembly 200 to the locked position. In such examples, it is convenient for the latch assembly 200 to be movable from the release position to the locked position only when the locking member 230 is moved to an upper position by the actuating member 270. This can reduce the possibility of accidentally locking the container 100.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 13C, once the hook portion 242 is moved behind the latch keeper 210, the biasing member 250 can push the locking member 230 downward. As shown in FIG. 13C, the latch assembly 200 is in the locked position, the lower surface of the hook portion 242 engages with the upper surface of the latch keeper 210, the inward-facing surface of the hook portion 242 engages with the inner surface of the latch keeper 210, and the engagement lug 212 engages with the lower surface of the latch keeper 210. The latch assembly 200 is positioned such that when in the closed position, the lid 140 abuts against the base portion 110 of the container 100, and thus the container 100 can be closed, secured, and / or sealed.

[0040] The latch assembly 200, including the latch body 202, the locking member 230, and the actuating member 270, may be formed separately, or may be formed of a material such as a plastic material or another suitable material that can be formed or molded into the desired shape. The latch assembly 200 can be made of a size, thickness, and structural material sufficient to withstand the repeated cycles of stress when the latch engages / releases with the latch keeper 210 over time. The containers described herein include various features that provide durability and wear resistance while ensuring easy and efficient manufacture of the containers.

[0041] To avoid inadvertent unlocking of the latch assembly 200, the container 100 or the latch assembly 200 can include various different concepts for preventing accidental unlocking of the latch assembly 200. These concepts are shown in FIGS. 14A - 18C.

[0042] Figures 14A - 14C show a latch guard 300 located below the latch assembly 200. The latch guard 300 can be fixedly connected to the raised portions 136 disposed on one or both sides of the latch assembly 200 as shown in FIGS. 14A - 14B. The latch guard 300 can include a pair of arms 302 and a cross member 304 connected between the pair of arms 302. The arms 302 may be connected to the container 100 within a recess located within the raised portion 136 or may be attached to the surface of the raised portion 136.

[0043] The cross member 304 can have an upper surface 306 and a lower surface 308. The upper surface 306 is disposed at a predetermined interval below the actuating member 270 of the latch assembly 200. This interval allows a user to reach a hand between the actuating member 270 and the upper surface 306 and then pull the actuating member 270 with that hand to unlock the latch assembly 200 in the manner described above. In addition, the cross member 304 can function as a fixed handle that allows a user to lift the container 100 without the risk of unlocking the latch assembly 200. The upper surface 306 can have an inclined or curved shape such that the distance from the latch assembly 200 is greater near the front edge 310 than near the rear edge of the cross member. Further, the lower surface 308 can have a concave shape. The concave lower surface 308 can also include a plurality of ribs that help make it easier for a user to grip. The cross member 304 can have a width greater than the width of the latch assembly 200, which is defined as the horizontal distance along the length of the cross member 304. In addition, as shown in FIG. 14C, the container 100 can have a second latch guard 300 disposed under the hinge 132 on the side of the container 100 opposite the latch assembly 200. Similarly, the latch guard 300 below the hinge 132 can be connected to the raised portions 136 on both sides of the hinge 132 and can be disposed at a predetermined interval below the hinge 132. By disposing the latch guards 300 on opposite sides of each other, a user can easily lift the container 100 without the risk of tilting the container 100 or accidentally unlocking the container 100.

[0044] Figures 15A - 15B show a latch guard 400, which is another device that can protect against accidental release of the lock of the latch assembly 200. The latch guard 400 can be disposed below the latch assembly 200. The latch guard 400 can be pivotally connected to raised portions 136 disposed on one or both sides of the latch assembly 200. The latch guard 400 can include a pair of mandrels 402 and a cross member 404 connected between the pair of mandrels 402. The mandrels 402 can be aligned along an axis so that the latch guard 400 can rotate about the axis. The mandrels 402 can be connected to the container 100 in a lower region of the raised portion 136 where the axis is located below the lowermost surface of the latch assembly 200. The latch guard 400 has a restricted position, as shown in Figure 15A, that prevents a user from accessing the actuating member 270 of the latch assembly 200, and an accessible position, as shown in Figure 15B, where the latch guard 400 is rotated downward away from the latch assembly 200, allowing the user to access the actuating member 270 and unlock the latch assembly 200. A biasing member (not shown) can apply a force to the latch guard 400 to bias the latch guard 400 to the restricted position, preventing the lock of the latch assembly 200 from being accidentally released.

[0045] The cross member 404 can have an upper surface 406 and a lower surface 410. The upper surface 406 can include an inclined portion that slopes downward toward the front edge 408 such that the distance from the latch assembly 200 is greater near the front edge 408 than near the trailing edge of the cross member 404. The greater distance provides additional clearance for a user to grasp and operate the latch assembly 200. Further, the lower surface 410 can have a concave shape. The concave lower surface 410 can also include a plurality of ribs 412 that aid a user in gripping. The cross member 404 can have a width that is greater than the width of the latch assembly 200, which is defined as a horizontal distance along the length of the cross member 404. In some examples, the container 100 can have a second latch guard 400 disposed under the hinge 132 on the side of the container 100 opposite the latch assembly 200. Similarly, the latch guard 400 below the hinge 132 can be connected to the raised portions 136 on both sides of the hinge 132. The latch guard 400 on one side of the hinge 132 can be rotatably connected or fixedly connected without rotation. By disposing the latch guards 400 on opposite sides of each other, a user can easily lift the container 100 without fear of tilting the container 100 or accidentally releasing the lock of the container 100.

[0046] The latch guards 300, 400 can be formed from a polymer material or a metal material. Further, the latch guards 300, 400 can be formed by various forming methods. For example, a metal component can be formed by forging, casting, die casting, stamping, machining, and / or other known techniques. Further, a polymer component can be manufactured by polymer processing techniques such as various molding (e.g., injection molding) and casting techniques and / or other known techniques.

[0047] As another alternative to the latch guard described above, FIGS. 16A - 16D show an improved latch assembly 500. For the exemplary latch assembly 500 of FIGS. 16A - 16D, features are referred to using the same reference numbers under the "5xx" series of reference numbers rather than the "2xx" as used in the latch assembly 200 of the container 100 of FIGS. 1 - 15B. Thus, certain features of the latch assembly 500 already described above with respect to the latch assembly 200 of the container 100 of FIGS. 1 - 15B may not be described in as much detail or may not be described at all. The latch assembly 500 can include a lock button 511 disposed on the outer surface 508 of the latch body 502 as shown in FIG. 16A, as well as all of the other components of the latch assembly 200. The lock button 511 can have a locked state that prevents the lock member 530 from moving relative to the latch body 502 and prevents the latch assembly 500 from moving to the released position, and a released state that allows the lock member 530 to move relative to the latch body 502 when the lock button 511 is depressed and allows the latch assembly 500 to move to the released position.

[0048] The lock button 511 can be connected to a key member 513 that engages with a lock member 530 of the latch assembly 500. The lock button 511 may be connected to a key member 513 that extends inwardly from the lock button 511 through the latch body 502 toward the lock member 530. The key member 513 is received in a slot 515 of the lock member 530. The key member 513 can generally have an elongated body member 517 and an enlarged end portion 519. The end portion 519 is located inside the lock member 530 and can be received in a recess 521 that intersects the slot 515. In some examples, the elongated body member 517 and the end portion 519 may have a cylindrical shape or a geometric cross-sectional shape such as a circular, square, hexagonal, or other geometric shape. A biasing member (not shown) can apply a force to the lock button 511 to bias the lock button 511 to a locked state and prevent an unexpected release of the lock of the latch assembly 500. When the lock button 511 is in the locked state, the end portion 519 is fixed within the recess 521 as shown in FIG. 16B to prevent the lock member 530 from moving relative to the latch body 502, thereby, in turn, preventing the latch assembly 500 from inadvertently moving to the release position. To move the latch assembly 500 from the locked position to the release position, as shown in FIG. 16C, the user must depress the lock button 511, causing the enlarged end portion 519 to move out of the recess 521. Once the enlarged end portion 519 is free from the recess 521, the elongated body member 517 can move slidably within the slot 515 as shown in FIG. 16D, such that when the user pulls on the actuating member 570, the lock member 530 can be moved from the locked position to the release position. Thus, to move the latch assembly 500 from the locked position to the release position, the user must engage both the lock button 511 and the actuating member 570 (i.e., the user must both depress the lock button 511 and pull on the actuating member 570). This dual action helps prevent the latch assembly 500 from inadvertently moving to the release position.

[0049] As another alternative to the latch guard described above, FIGS. 17A - 17D show an improved latch assembly 600. For the exemplary latch assembly 600 of FIGS. 17A - 17D, features are referenced using like reference numbers under the "6xx" series rather than the "2xx" as used in the latch assembly 200 of the container 100 of FIGS. 1 - 15B. Thus, certain features of the latch assembly 600 that have already been described above with respect to the latch assembly 200 of the container 100 of FIGS. 1 - 15B may not be described in as much detail or may not be described at all. The latch assembly 600 can include a lock button 611 disposed on the outer surface 068 of the latch body 602, as shown in FIG. 17A, and all of the other components of the latch assembly 200. FIGS. 17A - 17D show the latch assembly 600 with some components removed to illustrate the interaction between the lock member 630 and the lock button 611. The lock button 611 can have a locked state that prevents the lock member 630 from moving relative to the latch body 602 and prevents the latch assembly 600 from moving to the released position, and a released state that allows the lock member 630 to move relative to the latch body 602 and allows the latch assembly 600 to move to the released position. The lock button 611 can be pivotally coupled to the latch body 602 such that when one side of the lock button 611 is in the locked state, a portion of the lock button 611 is below the outer surface 608 and a portion of the lock button 611 is above the outer surface 608. FIG. 17A shows the lock button 611 in the locked state, with the upper portion of the lock button 611 below the outer surface 608 and the lower portion of the lock button 611 above the outer surface 608. FIG. 17C shows the lock button 611 in the released state, with the upper portion of the lock button 611 and the lower portion of the lock button 611 substantially aligned with the outer surface 608 of the latch body 602. The illustrated example shows the lock button 611 pivotally attached to the latch body 602 at a central position by a horizontally oriented axis, but the position and orientation of the pivot of the lock button 611 can be arranged at different positions and orientations without departing from the present invention.

[0050] The lock button 611 can have an extension 613 that protrudes inward from the lock button 611 (i.e., in a direction away from the outer surface 608 of the latch body 602). The extension 613 can extend from the upper portion of the lock button 611. In some examples, the extension 613 can form a hook shape to better engage with the locking member 630. When the lock button 611 is in the locked state, the extension 613 can contact the upper surface of the locking member 630 as shown in FIG. 17B to prevent the locking member 630 from moving relative to the latch body 602. A biasing member (not shown) can apply a force to the lock button 611 to bias the lock button 611 to the locked state and prevent the lock of the latch assembly 600 from being unexpectedly released. By preventing the movement of the locking member 630 relative to the latch body 602, the lock of the latch assembly 600 will not be unexpectedly released even if the actuating member 670 is pulled. When the lock button 611 is moved to the released state, as shown in FIG. 17D, the extension 613 is no longer in contact with the locking member 630, whereby the locking member 630 can move slidably relative to the latch body 602. By making the locking member 630 movable relative to the latch body 602, when the user pulls the actuating member 670, the latch assembly 600 can move to the released position. Thus, to move the latch assembly 600 from the locked position to the released position, as shown in FIG. 17C, the user must push down on the lower portion of the lock button 611, whereby the extension 613 is moved from a state of contacting the locking member 630. As shown in FIG. 17D, when the extension 613 is released from contact with the locking member 630, the locking member 630 can move slidably along the latch body 602, and when the user pulls the actuating member 670, the latch assembly 600 can be moved from the locked position to the released position. Thus, to move the latch assembly 600 from the locked position to the released position, the user must perform both pushing down on a part of the lock button 611 and pulling the actuating member 670. This dual operation helps prevent the latch assembly 600 from being unexpectedly moved to the released position.

[0051] As another alternative to the latch guard options described above, FIGS. 18A - 18C show an improved latch assembly 700. For the exemplary latch assembly 700 of FIGS. 18A - 18C, features are referred to using like reference numbers under a "7xx" series of reference numbers rather than the "2xx" as used in the latch assembly 200 of the container 100 of FIGS. 1 - 15B. Thus, certain features of the latch assembly 700 that have already been described above with respect to the latch assembly 200 of the container 100 of FIGS. 1 - 15B may not be described in as much detail or may not be described at all. The latch assembly 700 can include a lock lever 711 pivotally coupled to an actuating member 770 and all of the other components of the latch assembly 200. FIGS. 18A - 18C show the latch assembly 700 with some components removed to illustrate the interaction between the actuating member 770 and the lock lever 711. The lock lever 711 can have a locked state that prevents movement of the actuating member 770 and an unlocked state that allows the actuating member 770 to move. When the actuating member 770 becomes rotatable relative to the latch body 702, the latch assembly 700 can be moved to the unlocked position. FIG. 18A shows the lock lever 711 in the locked state where the lock lever 711 is preventing rotation of the actuating member 770, and FIG. 18B shows the lock lever 711 in the unlocked state where the lock lever 711 is rotated with the actuating member 770. To move the latch assembly 700 to the unlocked position, the user must pull both the actuating member 700 and the lock lever 711 such that the lock lever 711 allows the latch assembly 700 to be moved to the unlocked position. FIG. 18C shows the lock lever 711 in the unlocked state with the actuating member 770 rotated to the unlocked position.

[0052] The lock lever 711 can include a stop surface 713 that engages a corresponding stop surface 771 on the actuating member 770 when the lock lever 711 is in the locked state. The stop surface 713 of the lock lever 711 can rotate away from the stop surface 771 of the actuating member 770 when the lock lever 711 is pulled by a user. When the stop surface 713 moves away from the stop surface 771, the actuating member 770 is free to rotate relative to the latch body 702. In some examples, the stop surfaces 713, 771 can include a plurality of stop surfaces 713, 771. A biasing member (not shown) can apply a force to the lock lever 711 to bias the lock lever 711 into the locked state and prevent the stop surfaces 713, 771 from disengaging from each other and unexpectedly releasing the lock of the latch assembly 700. Due to this movement of the actuating member 770, the latch assembly 700 can move to the released position. Thus, to move the latch assembly 700 from the locked position to the released position, as shown in FIG. 18C, the user must rotate both the lock lever 711 and the actuating member 700. This dual operation helps prevent the latch assembly 700 from being unexpectedly moved to the released position.

[0053] The present disclosure is disclosed above with reference to various examples and the accompanying drawings. However, the purpose provided by the present disclosure is to provide examples of various features and concepts related to the present disclosure, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous changes and modifications can be made to the examples described above without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Description of the reference numerals

[0054] 100 Container 110 Base portion 112 Side wall structure 114 First side 116 Second side 118 Third side 120 Fourth side 122 First end 124 Second end 126 Bottom portion 128 openings 130 internal space 136 raised portion 140 lid 142 recessed cavity 156 fixture 157 opening 160 movable handle assembly 162 handle 166 leg 168 plunger 170, 250 biasing member 172 detent member 176, 178 engaging member 180 fixed end 182 free end 184 pocket 190, 192 anti-rotation member 199 small item container 200, 500, 600, 700 latch assembly 202, 502, 602, 702 latch body 204, 272 hinge 206 inner surface 208, 508, 608 outer surface 210 latch keeper 212 engaging lug 230, 530, 630 locking member 240 base portion 242 hook portion 270, 570, 770 actuating member 274 gripping portion 276 actuating barrel 280 back surface 300, 400 latch guard 302 arm 304, 404 cross member 306 upper surface of cross member 308 lower surface of cross member 402 mandrel 511, 611 lock button 513 key member 515 slot 711 lock lever 713, 771 stop surface

Claims

1. In the container, A foundation part, a sidewall structure having 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; an opening formed in a second end of the sidewall structure opposite the first end, the opening being adapted to provide access to an interior space of the container defined by the sidewall structure and the bottom portion; A base part including, a lid connected to the base portion and having an open configuration and a closed configuration, the lid configured to cover an opening formed in the second end of the sidewall structure when the container is in a closed configuration and to provide access to the opening when the container is in an open configuration; Equipped with the lid includes a handle assembly including a handle having a storage position in which the handle is generally parallel to a top surface of the lid and a transport position in which the handle is generally perpendicular to a top surface of the lid; the handle is maintained in the stowed position until actuated with a first force greater than a threshold force to move the handle from the stowed position to the transport position; When the handle is in the transport position, the handle is maintained in the transport position until actuated with a second force greater than the threshold force to move the handle from the transport position to the storage position.

2. 2. The container of claim 1, wherein the handle is recessed within a cavity formed in an upper surface of the lid, the cavity including a pair of fittings extending from an outwardly facing surface of the cavity, the handle being connected to the pair of fittings.

3. 3. The container of claim 2, wherein said pair of fittings also connect to a rear surface of said cavity.

4. The handle includes a gripping portion and a pair of legs, each leg having a fixed end connected to an end of the gripping portion and a free end opposite the fixed end, a pocket being located near the free end, the container according to claim 1.

5. The handle is embedded in a cavity formed in the upper surface of the lid, The pocket of each leg receives a biasing member and a plunger, the plunger including a recess at a first end for receiving the biasing member and a plurality of first engaging members at a second end opposite the first end, the container according to claim 4.

6. The cavity includes a pair of side surfaces, each side surface of the pair including a receiving portion, The receiving portion receives a detent member including a plurality of second engaging members, the container according to claim 5.

7. The plurality of first engaging members engage with the plurality of second engaging members to maintain the handle in either the storage position or the carrying position, the container according to claim 6.

8. The biasing member applies a third force to the plunger to engage the plunger with the detent member, the container according to claim 7.

9. The plurality of first engaging members include a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of recesses, each protrusion being connected to an adjacent recess by an inclined surface between each protrusion and each recess, the container according to claim 5.

10. In a container, A base portion, Having a first side surface and a second side surface opposite the first side surface, a side wall structure having a first end and a second end, A bottom portion connected to the first end of the side wall structure, An opening formed at the second end of the side wall structure opposite the first end, the opening being made to provide access to an internal space of the container formed by the side wall structure and the bottom portion, Including a base portion, A lid pivotally connected to the base portion by a hinge and having an open form and a closed form, covering an opening formed at a second end of the side wall structure when the container is in the closed form, and being made to access the opening when the container is in the open form, and A latch assembly pivotally connected to the lid opposite the hinge, the latch assembly having a locked position and a released position, the latch assembly including a latch body pivotally connected to the lid and an actuating member pivotally connected to the latch body, the actuating member moving the latch assembly from the locked position to the released position when rotated relative to the latch body, the latch assembly, comprising, The base portion includes a first raised portion adjacent to the latch assembly and a second raised portion adjacent to the hinge, A first latch guard is connected to the first raised portion, the first latch guard including a first arm extending from the first raised portion and a first cross member located at a first predetermined distance below the latch assembly, the first cross member serving as a first fixed handle, a container.

11. A second latch guard is connected to the second raised portion, the second latch guard including a second arm extending from the second raised portion and a second cross member located at a second predetermined distance below the hinge, the second cross member serving as a second fixed handle, the container according to claim 10.

12. The container according to claim 10, wherein the first cross member has a concave lower surface.

13. The container according to claim 12, wherein the concave lower surface includes a plurality of ribs.

14. The lid includes a movable handle assembly including a plunger including a handle and a biasing member, the handle including a gripping portion and a pair of legs, each leg of the pair of legs including a pocket for receiving the plunger, The handle has a storage position and a transport position such that the handle is maintained at the storage position until it is actuated by a first force greater than a threshold force to move the handle from the storage position to the transport position, and the handle is maintained at the transport position until it is actuated by a second force greater than the threshold force to move the handle from the transport position to the storage position when the handle is at the transport position. The container according to claim 10.

15. The container according to claim 14, wherein each of the pair of legs is attached to a fixture extending from the outer face of the lid.

16. The container according to claim 14, wherein the handle is embedded in a cavity on the upper surface of the lid, the cavity includes a side surface having a receiving portion, and the receiving portion receives a detent member including a second plurality of engaging members.

17. The container according to claim 16, wherein the plunger includes a first plurality of engaging members that engage with the second plurality of engaging members to maintain the handle in either the storage position or the transport position.

18. In a container, A base portion, Having a sidewall structure having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and having a first end and a second end, A bottom portion connected to the first end of the sidewall structure, An opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure opposite the first end, the opening being configured to provide access to the internal space of the container formed by the sidewall structure and the bottom portion, The base portion including A lid connected to the base portion and having an open form and a closed form, the lid covering the opening formed at the second end of the sidewall structure when the container is in the closed form and being configured to provide access to the opening when the container is in the open form, and A latch assembly pivotally connected to the lid, the latch assembly having a locked position and an unlocked position. comprising, the lid includes a handle, a plunger including a biasing member, and a handle assembly including a detent member, the handle includes a gripping portion and a pair of legs, each leg of the pair of legs includes a pocket for receiving the biasing member and the plunger, the handle has a storage position and a carrying position, the detent member is positioned within a receiving portion of the lid, the detent member engages the plunger to maintain the handle in the storage position until actuated by a first force greater than a threshold force to move the handle from the storage position to the carrying position, the detent member engages the plunger to maintain the handle in the carrying position until actuated by a second force greater than the threshold force to move the handle from the carrying position to the storage position, a container. **Claim 19** The container according to claim 18, wherein each leg of the pair of legs is connected to a fixture extending from an outer surface of the lid. **Claim 20** The container according to claim 18, further comprising a latch guard having a pair of arms and a cross member, the cross member being positioned at a predetermined distance below the latch assembly and serving as a first fixed handle. **Claim 21** In a container, a base portion, having a first side surface and a second side surface opposite the first side surface, a side wall structure having a first end and a second end, a bottom portion connected to the first end of the side wall structure, an opening formed at the second end of the side wall structure opposite the first end, the opening being made to provide access to an internal space of the container formed by the side wall structure and the bottom portion, a base portion including, A lid pivotally connected to the base portion by a hinge and having an open form and a closed form, the lid covering an opening formed at a second end of the side wall structure when the container is in the closed form and being made accessible to the opening when the container is in the open form, and A latch assembly pivotally connected to the lid opposite the hinge and having a locked position and a released position, the latch assembly including a latch body pivotally connected to the lid, an actuating member pivotally connected to the latch body, and a lock button connected to the latch body, Comprising The lock button has a locked state that prevents the latch assembly from moving to the released position and a released state that allows the latch assembly to move to the released position, When the actuating member is rotated relative to the latch body, the actuating member moves the latch assembly from the locked position to the released position, A container in which both the actuating member and the lock button engage to move the latch assembly from the locked position to the released position.

22. The container according to claim 21, wherein when the lock button is in the locked state, a movable locking member of the latch assembly is prevented from moving relative to the latch body.

23. The container according to claim 22, wherein the lock button is connected to a key member received in a slot of the movable locking member.

Images