Waste Container Latch Assembly Animal Prying Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Waste containers often attract animals, and existing lids with latches are not effective in preventing access, leading to potential damage when lifted by collection trucks.
Innovation Solution
A waste container design featuring a hingeably secured lid with a rotatable latch assembly, including a disc-shaped lower latch portion and a hook mechanism, along with an outer rib to prevent animals from prying under the lid, ensuring the lid remains secure and durable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a latch mechanism is added to secure the lid, then the lid security is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The latch assembly is divided into separate functional components: a latch portion with a latch member on the lid, and a corresponding hook portion on the container body. This segmentation allows each component to be simple in design while collectively providing secure latching functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch mechanism is designed to be self-latching through the interaction between the latch member and hook portion. When the lid is closed, the latch member automatically engages with the hook portion, providing secure closure without requiring additional actuators or complex control mechanisms.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the lid is made more secure with latches, then animal access prevention is improved, but the container may be damaged when lifted by collection trucks
Solution Approach 1:
The latch mechanism is designed to be easily disengaged or overridden during the lifting and dumping process by collection trucks. The latch member can be manually released or automatically disengages when subjected to the forces of lifting, preventing damage to the container while maintaining security during normal use.
3Device complexity
If a simple latch mechanism is used, then device complexity is reduced, but animals can still pry under the lid
Solution Approach 1:
The latch member is designed with a vertical dimension that allows it to extend downward beyond the plane of the lid when engaged. This creates a physical barrier in the vertical dimension that prevents animals from prying under the lid, while the horizontal dimension remains simple with minimal moving parts.
Data Source
AI summary
A waste container includes a body having a base and a side wall extending upward from the base to define a container interior. A lid is hingeably secured to an upper portion of the side wall. A latch assembly selectively secures the lid to the side wall, the latch assembly including a rotatable latch portion having a latch member selectively interlocking with a hook portion.