Lockable Lid for Container

Abstract

A removable lid adapted to lock to a tote. A combined lid, tote and tote liner is disclosed. The lid has a durable planar portion, a first end with a locking mechanism, which may engage the tote, and a second end having another lock or an undercut portion that slides on an end of the tote and secures to the tote. The lockable lids can be adapted to retrofit a tote or may be used with enhanced totes to complement the added security of the lid. The lid can have various locking mechanisms and a variety of other security features. In a preferred embodiment, a liner with tabs can be inserted in a base of a tote for added security. The lid may include an activation box for an enhanced security mode. Activation boxes in the lid may be used with a command box and a control center.

1 . A separate removable lid adapted to lock to a tote comprising:
 a durable planar portion,   a first end with a locking mechanism having a component that engages the tote,   a second end having an undercut portion that slides on an end of the tote and secures to a portion of the tote, and   a lip that extends below the top planar portion wherein a top portion of the tote can be covered and secured.   
     
     
         2 . The lid of  claim 1  wherein the locking mechanism is build into the lip on the first end. 
     
     
         3 . The lid of  claim 1  wherein the component that engages the tote is a locking bolt as part of a mechanical lock. 
     
     
         4 . The lid of  claim 3  wherein the locking bolt operates in conjunction with a keyed lock. 
     
     
         5 . The lid of  claim 3  wherein the locking bolt is used in conjunction with a key pad. 
     
     
         6 . The lid of  claim 1  wherein the component of the locking mechanism is a sliding fork-shaped pin with a button as part of the locking mechanism that can extend from the lid when unlocked, and the button can retract to be flush with an outer surface of the locking mechanism when locked. 
     
     
         7 . The lid of  claim 1  further comprising an activation box. 
     
     
         8 . The lid of  claim 7  wherein the activation box includes an active RFID inventory system that syncs at regular intervals. 
     
     
         9 . The lid of  claim 1  wherein the locking mechanism includes an IR wireless receiver and a coded transmitter. 
     
     
         10 . A tote security system including a stackable tote, the improvement comprising a reusable lid adapted to lock to the tote including:
 a durable substantially planar portion,   a lip that extends below the top planar portion to overlie a top portion of the tote;   a first end with a first locking mechanism substantially in the lip having a sliding component that engages the tote to hinder removal of the first end from the tote; and   a second end attachable to a portion of the tote.   
     
     
         11 . The tote security system of  claim 10  wherein the lid includes an activation box. 
     
     
         12 . The tote security system of  claim 10  wherein the second end has an undercut portion that slides on a distal end of the tote and secures to the top portion of the tote. 
     
     
         13 . The tote security system of  claim 12  wherein the second end is pivotable on the distal end of the tote when the first end is not secured to the tote. 
     
     
         14 . The tote security system of  claim 10  wherein the second end includes a second locking mechanism. 
     
     
         15 . The tote security system of  claim 10  wherein the tote is hardened with a durable security liner in a base portion of the tote. 
     
     
         16 . The tote security system of  claim 15  wherein the liner has tabs extending over a top edge of the tote and surrounding stacking protrusions on the tote to cooperate with the locking mechanism of the lid. 
     
     
         17 . The tote security system of  claim 10  further including an activation box with electronic security components. 
     
     
         18 . A tote security system comprising a tote and a lid adapted to lock to the tote, the lid having a durable planar portion having an aperture adjacent to a first end,
 the first end with a locking mechanism including a living hinge pivotable from the planar portion with a pivoting first end flap having a channel that aligns with the aperture in the planar portion; and   a security bolt that can pass through the aperture in the planar portion and the channel of the pivoting first end flap; wherein when inserted in the aperture and channel, the security bolt prevents the pivoting first end flap from pivoting along the living hinge.   
     
     
         19 . The tote security system of  claim 18  further comprising a cutting tool removably attachable to the lid, the cutting tool including a lever and a cutting device adapted to pass through a first end side window in the pivoting first end flap to cut through the security bolt. 
     
     
         20 . The tote security system of  claim 18  wherein the living hinge and the pivoting first end are molded into and as an integral part of the lid.