Water or utility meter box lid suitable for multiple types of latch mechanisms

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for a lid for covering a utility or meter box. The water or utility meter box lid is particularly suitable for having installed thereon multiple different types of latch mechanisms, e.g., worm latches, spring-loaded latches, and the like. The lid includes a top side, a bottom side, and a through-hole extending from the top side to the bottom side into which a selected latch type may be installed. The bottom surface of the lid has a surface for rotatably engaging a latch portion of a latch mechanism, and may also include at least one opening such as a cavity or retainer, that engages an end of a spring, allowing a user to select and install, into a single type of lid, either one of a worm latch or a spring-loaded latch.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lid for covering a utility or meter box, the lid configured to accommodate either of a selected one of a worm latch or a spring-loaded latch, the lid comprising:
 a top side;   a bottom side; and   a region capable of receiving the selected one of the worm latch or the spring-loaded latch, the latch-housing region including:   a through-hole extending from the top side to the bottom side;   the bottom side including a bottom surface that defines an opening configured to accommodate a spring of the spring-loaded latch.   
     
     
         2 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the opening is a spring retainer hole in the bottom surface of the lid, the spring retainer hole configured to receive an end of the spring. 
     
     
         3 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein
 the bottom surface has a lip coaxial with the through-hole, the lip extending downwardly from the bottom surface,   the lip having a bottom lip surface spaced apart from the bottom surface so as to define a cavity between the bottom lip surface and the bottom surface.   
     
     
         4 . The lid of  claim 3 , wherein the cavity is configured to accommodate at least a portion of a spring. 
     
     
         5 . The lid of  claim 3 , wherein the bottom lip surface is configured to rotatably engage a latching portion of the selected one of the worm latch or the spring-loaded latch. 
     
     
         6 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom side includes a plurality of ribs having a web configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The lid of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of ribs includes a rib having a rib wall, the rib wall at least partially defining the cavity, the rib wall configured to engage at least a portion of a spring of a spring-loaded latch. 
     
     
         8 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the top side has a recess that is coaxial with the through-hole. 
     
     
         9 . The lid of  claim 8 , wherein the recess is configured to receive an engagement portion of the worm latch or the spring-loaded latch, the engagement portion being accessible to a user from the top side of the lid to move the latch mechanism between an unlatched position and a latched position. 
     
     
         10 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the through-hole defines an axis generally perpendicular to the top side, the through-hole configured to house the selected one of either the worm latch or the spring-loaded latch, such that:
 when the through-hole houses a worm latch, the worm latch rotates around a worm-latch axis that is coaxial with the through-hole axis, and   when the through-hole houses a spring-loaded latch, the spring-loaded latch rotates around a spring-loaded latch axis that is also coaxial with the through-hole axis.   
     
     
         11 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the lid includes at least one customizable feature molded therein via an interchangeable tooling insert. 
     
     
         12 . The lid of  claim 11 , wherein the customizable features includes at least one of a writing, a logo, or a strengthening rib. 
     
     
         13 . The lid of  claim 1 , wherein the interchangeable tooling insert is configured to change a shape, size or position of at least one of the latch through-hole, a cavity for receiving a spring latch or a spring retainer hole. 
     
     
         14 . A lid for covering a utility or meter box, the lid comprising:
 a top side;   a bottom side;   a through-hole extending from the top side to the bottom side;   the top side having a recess at one end of the through-hole;   the bottom side defining a bottom surface that has a lip that extends downwardly from the bottom surface,   the lip having a bottom lip surface spaced apart from the bottom surface so as to define a cavity between the bottom lip surface and the bottom surface.   
     
     
         15 . The lid of  claim 14 , wherein the through-hole is configured to receive a selected one of a worm latch or a spring-loaded latch. 
     
     
         16 . The lid of  claim 15 , wherein the bottom lip surface is configured to rotatably engage a latching portion of the selected one of the worm latch or the spring-loaded latch. 
     
     
         17 . The lid of  claim 15 , wherein the cavity is configured to accommodate at least a portion of a spring if the selected latch is a spring-loaded latch. 
     
     
         18 . The lid of  claim 14 , wherein the bottom side includes a plurality of ribs having a web configuration. 
     
     
         19 . The lid of  claim 15 , wherein the bottom side includes a rib having a rib wall, the rib wall at least partially defining the cavity, the rib wall configured to engage at least a portion of a spring if the selected latch is a spring-loaded latch. 
     
     
         20 . A lid for covering a utility or meter box, the lid comprising:
 a top side;   a bottom side; and   a through-hole extending from the top side to the bottom side and defining an axis generally perpendicular to the top side, the through-hole configured to house either a worm latch or a spring-loaded latch, such that:   when the through-hole houses a worm latch, the worm latch rotates around a worm-latch axis that is coaxial with the through-hole axis, and   when the through-hole houses a spring-loaded latch, the spring-loaded latch rotates around a spring-loaded latch axis that is also coaxial with the through-hole axis.   
     
     
         21 . The lid of  claim 20 , wherein the top side has a recess coaxial with the through-hole. 
     
     
         22 . The lid of  claim 20 , wherein the recess in configured to receive an engagement portion of the worm latch or the spring-loaded latch, the engagement portion being accessible to a user from the top surface of the lid to move the latch mechanism between an unlatched position and a latched position. 
     
     
         23 . The lid of  claim 20 , wherein the bottom side defines a bottom surface and has a lip that extends downwardly from the bottom surface, the lip having a bottom lip surface spaced apart from the bottom surface so as to define a cavity between the bottom lip surface and the bottom surface. 
     
     
         24 . The lid of  claim 23 , wherein the bottom lip surface is configured to rotatably engage a latching portion of the worm latch or the spring-loaded latch. 
     
     
         25 . The lid of  claim 23 , wherein the cavity is configured to accommodate at least a portion of a spring of the spring-loaded latch. 
     
     
         26 . A lid for covering a utility or meter box, the lid configured to accommodate either of a selected one of a worm latch or a spring-loaded latch, the lid comprising:
 a top side;   a bottom side, the bottom side including a plurality of ribs having a web configuration, the web configuration including:   a plurality of rib rings,   a plurality of chordal ribs that intersect the rib rings.   
     
     
         27 . The lid of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of rib rings include an outer rib ring, both ends of each one of the plurality of chordal ribs intersecting the outer rib ring. 
     
     
         28 . The lid of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of rib rings include an inner rib ring with which the plurality of chordal ribs intersect. 
     
     
         29 . The lid of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of chordal ribs include at least one pair of chordal ribs that are parallel to each other. 
     
     
         30 . The lid of  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of chordal ribs include at least one pair of chordal ribs that are perpendicular to each other. 
     
     
         31 . The lid of  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of chordal ribs include at least one pair of chordal ribs that are at a 45 degree angle relative to each other. 
     
     
         32 . The lid of  claim 26 , wherein the bottom-most edge of the plurality of chordal ribs define a generally flat plane. 
     
     
         33 . The lid of  claim 26 , wherein the bottom-most edge of the plurality of chordal ribs define a curved plane. 
     
     
         34 . A method of assembling a lid for covering a utility or meter box, the method comprising:
 storing a plurality of lids, each lid having a top side, a bottom side, and a through-hole extending from the top side to the bottom side;   storing at least one worm latch, the worm latch configured to be installed through the through-hole;   storing at least one spring-loaded latch, the spring-loaded latch configured to be installed through the through-hole;   selecting a lid from the plurality of lids;   selecting a latch from the at least one worm latch or the at least one spring-loaded latch;   installing the selected latch through the through-hole of the selected lid.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the selected latch includes an engagement portion accessible to a user from the top side of the lid for moving the selected latch between an unlatched position and a latched position. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the selected latch also including a latching portion below a bottom surface on the bottom side of the lid, the latching portion configured to secure the lid to the utility or meter box when the latching portion is in the latched position. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the bottom surface defines an opening configured to accommodate a spring of the spring-loaded latch. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the opening is a spring retainer hole in the bottom surface of the lid, the spring retainer hole configured to receive an end of the spring. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the bottom surface has a lip coaxial with the through-hole, the lip extending downwardly from the bottom surface, the lip having a bottom lip surface spaced apart from the bottom surface so as to define a cavity between the bottom lip surface and the bottom surface, the cavity for receiving at least a portion of the spring.