초록 ▼

A litter bin includes a lid hingeably connected to a container. Opposite the hinge, a latch selectively secures the lid to the container. The latch includes a pivotably mounted latch member that has a center of gravity offset from its pivot point. The latch member also includes a catch portion that

A litter bin includes a lid hingeably connected to a container. Opposite the hinge, a latch selectively secures the lid to the container. The latch includes a pivotably mounted latch member that has a center of gravity offset from its pivot point. The latch member also includes a catch portion that moves between a locked position and an unlocked position upon pivoting of the latch member. Because the center of gravity of the latch member is offset from the pivot point, tilting the litter bin causes pivoting of the latch member, thereby moving the catch portion from the locked position to the unlocked position.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A litter bin comprising: a container having a wall defining an interior and an opening to the interior,a lid for selectively covering the opening;a hinge connecting the lid to the container; anda latch system opposite from the hinge and enclosed within the lid and the container for selectively se

1. A litter bin comprising: a container having a wall defining an interior and an opening to the interior,a lid for selectively covering the opening;a hinge connecting the lid to the container; anda latch system opposite from the hinge and enclosed within the lid and the container for selectively securing the lid to the container, the latch system comprising: a latch member pivotable about a pivot point from a first position to a second position in a second rotational direction and pivotable from the second position to the first position in a first rotational direction, the latch member including: a catch portion having an inclined leading surface adjacent a shoulder, the catch portion impeding movement of the lid away from the container when the latch member is in the first position and the catch portion permitting movement of the lid away from the container when the latch member is in the second position, the latch member movable by gravity in the second rotation direction to the second position by tilting the litter bin, the latch member mounted to one of the container and the lid,a leg portion extending from the pivot point, the leg portion contacting a first stop when the latch member is pivoted in the first rotational direction, the first stop limiting pivoting of the latch member in the first rotational direction; andan abutment contacting a second stop when the latch member is pivoted in the second rotational direction, the second stop limiting pivoting of the latch member in the second rotational direction; and,a latch receiver mounted on the other of the container and the lid, the latch receiver including a pair of arms defining a recess and a pin extending between the arms, the latch receiver contacting the inclined leading surface of the catch portion to move the latch member in the second rotational direction to the second position when the lid is moved into a closed position on the container;wherein the latch member is urged in the first rotational direction when the latch member is in the first position and when impeding movement of the lid during an attempt to open the lid. 2. The litter bin of claim 1 wherein the catch portion is received in the latch receiver when the latch member is in the first position. 3. The litter bin of claim 1 wherein the catch portion of the latch member rotates in the first rotational direction when impeding movement of the lid. 4. The litter bin of claim 1, the latch member having a center of gravity spaced from the pivot point. 5. The litter bin of claim 4 wherein the center of gravity of the latch member is spaced away from the catch portion. 6. The litter bin of claim 1, wherein the latch member pivots to the first position when the litter bin is in an upright position. 7. The litter bin of claim 6 wherein the latch member pivots to the second position when the litter bin is in a tilted position being tilted away from the upright position. 8. A litter bin comprising: a container having a wall defining an upper opening to an interior of the container at a top of the wall;a lid for selectively covering the opening;a hinge connecting the lid to the container;a latch system enclosed within the lid and the container opposite from the hinge for selectively locking the lid to the container over the opening, the latch system comprising: a latch member having a center of gravity spaced beneath a pivot point and a catch portion movable in a first rotational direction to a first position from a second position and in a second rotational direction from the first position to the second position, the catch portion pivotable about the pivot point in the second rotational direction by tilting the litter bin from an upright orientation to a tilted orientation, the pivot point being closer to the top of the wall than the catch portion when the latch member is in the first position, the catch portion is urged in a first rotational direction when impending movement of the lid; anda latch receiver movable relative to the latch member, the latch receiver receiving the catch portion when the latch member is in the first position, the latch member mounted on one of the container and the lid, the latch receiver mounted on the other of the container and the lid, the latch receiver including: a pair of arms defining a recess, the catch portion received in the recess in the first position, the catch portion impeding movement of the lid away from the container when the catch portion is in the first position and permitting movement of the lid away from the container when the catch portion is in the second position; and,a stop pin extending between the pair of arms, the stop pin contacting the catch portion to impede opening the lid when the latch member is in the first position. 9. The litter bin of claim 8, wherein the catch portion includes an inclined leading surface adjacent a shoulder, the latch receiver including a stop contacting the shoulder when the catch portion is in the first position. 10. The litter bin of claim 9 wherein the stop of the latch receiver contacts the inclined surface of the catch portion to move the latch member from the first position to the second position when the lid is moved into a closed position on the container. 11. A litter bin comprising: a container having a wall defining an interior and an opening to the interior at the top of the wall;a lid for selectively covering the opening; anda latch system enclosed within the lid and the container for selectively connecting the lid to the container, the latch includes: a latch member and a latch receiver, the latch member mounted on one of the container and the lid, the latch receiver mounted on the other of the container and the lid, the latch member pivotable between a first position and a second position, the latch member pivotable from the second position to the first position in a first rotational direction and from the first position to the second position in a second rotational direction, the latch member including:a catch portion that is positioned in a first direction from a stop on the latch receiver to contact the stop and to impede movement of the lid away from the container when the latch member is in the first position, the catch portion permitting movement of the lid away from the container when the latch member is in the second position, the latch member pivotable about a pivot point higher than the stop by gravity in the second rotational direction to the second position by tilting the litter bin, the pivot point being offset from the catch portion such that lifting the lid when the latch member is in the first position urges the latch member in the first rotational direction; anda leg portion extending downward from the pivot point when the latch member is in the first position, the leg portion contacting the container to limit rotation of the latch member in the first rotational direction upon attempting to lift the lid when the latch member is in the first position, the leg portion extending generally perpendicularly relative to the catch portion, a large recess defined between the leg portion and the catch portion.