Container with hinged cover

Abstract

A container has a container base and a container encloser. The container encloser includes a base ring, a hinged cover and a latch mechanism. The latch mechanism includes a stationary catch portion and a deflectable latch portion. The deflectable latch portion is sufficiently deflectable to allow the finger of a user to deflect the deflectable latch portion away from the stationary catch portion so that the hinged cover can be moved from a closed position to an open position.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A container comprising (i) a container base with a bottom wall, one or more side walls and an access opening, and (ii) a container encloser, the container encloser comprising: 
 (a) a base ring attached around the access opening of the container base;    (b) a hinged cover attached to the base ring by a hinge such that the hinged cover can alternatively be moved between a closed position wherein the access opening is covered by the hinged cover and an open position wherein the access opening is not covered by the hinged cover; and    (c) a latch mechanism having a stationary catch portion and a deflectable latch portion, one of the two portions being disposed on the base ring and the other of the two portions being disposed on the hinged cover such that, when the hinged cover is in the closed position, the deflectable latch portion is retained by the catch portion and the hinged cover is thereby held firmly by the base ring in the closed position, the deflectable latch portion being sufficiently deflectable to allow the finger of a user to deflect the deflectable latch portion away from the stationary catch portion so that the hinged cover can be moved from the closed position to the open position.    
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the hinged cover is made of a plastic.  
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the deflectable latch portion is disposed on the base ring.  
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the deflectable latch portion is provided by a deflectable portion of the base ring disposed between a pair of opposed vertical slits.  
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the materials of the latch mechanism and the configuration and dimensions of the deflectable latch portion and the stationary catch portion are chosen such that, when the hinge cover is moved from the open position to the closed position, the engagement of the deflectable latch portion with the stationary catch portion emits an audible click.  
     
     
         6 . A container comprising (i) a container base with a bottom wall, one or more side walls and an access opening, and (ii) a plastic container encloser, the container encloser comprising: 
 (a) a base ring attached around the access opening of the container base;    (b) a hinged cover attached to the base ring by a hinge such that the hinged cover can alternatively be moved between a closed position wherein the access opening is covered by the hinged cover and an open position wherein the access opening is not covered by the hinged cover; and    (c) a latch mechanism having a stationary catch portion and a deflectable latch portion, the deflectable latch portion being disposed on the base ring and the catch portion being disposed on the hinged cover such that when the hinged cover is in the closed position, the deflectable latch portion is retained by the catch portion and the hinged cover is thereby held firmly by the base ring in the closed position, the deflectable latch portion being provided by a deflectable portion of the base ring disposed between a pair of opposed vertical slits, the deflectable latch portion being sufficiently deflectable to allow the finger of a user to deflect the deflectable latch portion away from the stationary catch portion so that the hinged cover can be moved from the closed position to the open position.    
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6  wherein the materials of the latch mechanism and the configuration and dimensions of the deflectable latch portion and the stationary catch portion are chosen such that, when the hinge cover is moved from the open position to the closed position, the engagement of the deflectable latch portion with the stationary catch portion emits an audible click.