Animal-resistant resilient trash container and lid mechanism

Abstract

An animal-resistant system for a profiled plastic container has a lid hinged to the container and a latch mechanism having a plurality of radially extending latching pins supported by the lid. A rotary handle actuates the latching pins radially to engage pin receiving holes at the top edge of the container. The cam actuates the latching pins radially outward against biasing to engage the top edge and when the handle is rotated, the cam releases the latching pins to be biased inwardly to release the lid for opening to an open position. Collection equipment can engage lifting bars and remotely actuate the latch mechanism through a release linkage to the cam. An internal safety release can be incorporated into the cam to disable the cam and permit the latching pins to bias to the unlatched position.

1 . An animal-resistant container system comprising: 
 a container having a top edge and a lid hinged to the container, the lid being operable between a closed position to close the top edge of the container and an open position;    a latching mechanism comprising 
 a rotatable handle fit to the lid and accessible from outside the lid, and  
 two or more latching pins supported inside the lid, the latching pins extending radially and spaced circumferentially about the lid,  
 receiving holes positioned about the top edge of the container, and  
 wherein the latching pins are operatively connected to the handle for rotatable actuation between a radially extended position to engage the receiving holes in a latched position and a radially retracted position to disengage from the receiving holes in an unlatched position.  
   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the latching mechanism further comprises: 
 a cam co-rotatable with the handle and having a cam profile, and    wherein the latching pins have a proximal end biased radially inwardly to follow the cam profile between the unlatched and latched positions.    
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a handle shield positioned at least partially over the handle for restricting access to the handle.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the handle shield comprises at least a portion of a substantially hemispherical cap.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a flange about the top edge of the container so as to provide structural rigidity for preventing deformation thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a flange about the top edge of the container, the pin receiving holes being formed in the flange:  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a flange about the top edge of the container, the flange having an upstanding lip about an outer periphery, the lid fitting within the upstanding lip in the closed position.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the latching mechanism further comprises a handle lock to prevent rotation until the handle is pushed into the lid.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the container is a trash bin, further comprising: 
 a remote release for operating the latch mechanism with trash collection equipment, the remote release further comprising:    a lifting connection supported by the bin;    an actuator fit to the bin and accessible from outside the bin; and    a release linkage extending between the actuator and the latching mechanism wherein    the trash collection equipment engages the lifting connection and actuates the actuator to actuate the release linkage and operate the latching mechanism to the unlatched position.    
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the actuator is a rotatable bar fit to a sidewall of the bin.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the actuator is a button in a sidewall of the bin.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the button is fit to an inward recess in the sidewall.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a safety release actuable from within the container, the safety release comprising an override for operating the latching pins to the unlatched position.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a safety release actuable from within the container for actuating the latch mechanism between an operable and an inoperable position, wherein    in the operable position, the handle is operable to maintain the latching pins in the radially extended position to engage the bin in the latched position, and    in the inoperable position, the latching pins are operable independent of the handle and biased to the unlatched position.    
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 a cam co-rotatable with the handle and having a cam profile, wherein    in the operable position, the latching pins have a proximal end biased radially inwardly to follow the cam profile between the unlatched and latched positions, and    in the inoperable position the cam is displaced substantially perpendicularly out of planar alignment from the latching pins so that the latching pins can be biased radially inwardly to the unlatched position.    
   
   
       16 . A method for animal-proofing a container, the container having an top edge and a lid hinged to the container, the lid being operable between a closed position and an open position, the method comprising: 
 providing a latching mechanism having a rotatable handle fit to the lid which is accessible from outside the lid, and two or more latching pins supported inside the lid, the latching pins spaced circumferentially about the handle;    operating the latching mechanism by    operating the handle to the normally closed position for displacing the latching pins to a radially extended position to engage the container in a latched position with the lid in the closed position; and    actuating the handle for radially retracting the latch pins to disengage from the container in an unlatched position and enabling operation of the lid to the open position.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising: 
 biasing the latching pins radially inwardly and wherein    operating the latching mechanism further comprises    displacing the latching pins radially outwardly against the biasing to the latched position; and    actuating the handle to enable the biasing to radially retract the latch pins to the unlatched position.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein actuating of the handle further comprises: 
 biasing the latching pins against a cam wherein in the latched position, the latching pins are displaced against the biasing to the radially extended position; and    rotating the handle to rotate the cam to bias the latching pins to the radially retracted position to disengage from the container in the unlatched position.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein actuating of the handle further comprises: 
 locking the handle against rotation so that the latching pins are normally in the latched position; and    pressing the handle into the lid for unlocking the handle and enabling rotation of the handle.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the container is a trash bin handled with collection equipment, further comprising: 
 providing a remote release between an actuator and the latching mechanism;    lifting the bin with the collection equipment;    actuating the remote release for unlatching the latching mechanism; and    inverting the bin with the collection equipment to enable operation of the lid to the open position.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the remote release is actuated by the collection equipment.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising: 
 biasing the cam to an operable position for engaging the latching pins;    displacing the latching pins with the cam to the radially extended position; and    disabling the cam from inside the bin to an inoperable position for biasing the latching pins to the radially retracted position to disengage from the bin.