BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a locking container lid for a container, such as a refuse container, which is structured and operative to restrict access to the contents of the container.

Description of the Prior Art

Containers, which are commonly understood to be receptacles or enclosures for holding one or many items in storage, have been used since prehistoric times and remain ubiquitous in human societies. While all containers generally provide an enclosed space that can be used to contain, store, and/or transport things, it is common for containers to be classified by what items they are intended to contain or store. And along the same lines, based on the intended use, a particular classification of container may include certain design adaptations that make it more suitable for such a use.

For example, a container may be classified as a household refuse container (or waste containers, trash cans, or garbage cans) if its intended use is to temporarily hold and store household waste. And household refuse containers commonly include certain aspects that allow them to securely hold waste items to prevent unauthorized access to the contents and to facilitate periodic emptying of waste items therein. Indeed, the design of household refuse containers with removable lids and one or more handling mechanisms is generally well established.

Nonetheless, a problem that still exists with household refuse containers, or any other container that needs to selectively prevent unauthorized access to its contents by way of a removable lid, is that such removable lids are often so easy to dislodge or remove that they fail to prevent such access. For example, it is common in many areas for rodents and other animals to simply lift or remove lids to dig into refuse containers that are stored outdoors. Thus, there remains a need for a locking container lid that can be used with an accompanying refuse container (or another type container) and prevent unauthorized access. It would be desirable if such a locking container lid included an actuating handle that operates in a momentary fashion to disengage the locking mechanism of the container lid. It would be additionally desirable for such a locking container with actuating handle to include an alignment system in the actuating handle that operates to disable the actuating handle when the container lid is not upright in order to ensure the container lid cannot be removed unless the lid and container is in a standing, upright position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure provides for a locking container lid with actuating handle, comprising: a container lid configured to be positioned on top of an accompanying container; a locking mechanism integral with the container lid, wherein the locking mechanism includes at least one locking member that is biased to a locked position and moveable between the locked position and an unlocked position; an actuating system which is integral with the container lid and includes at least a handle that is biased to a handle locked position and moveable between the handle locked position and a handle unlocked position through an application of mechanical force, wherein the actuating system is integral with the locking mechanism such that moving the handle to the handle unlocked position causes the at least one locking member to move to the unlocked position; and wherein when the container lid and locking mechanism are configured such that when the container lid is placed on top of the accompanying container with the at least one locking member in the unlocked position and then the at least one locking member is allowed to move to the locked position, the at least one locking member engages the accompanying container in a manner that secures the container lid to the accompanying container.

Embodiments of the present disclosure may further include an alignment system integral with the actuating system, wherein the alignment system selectively prevents the handle from moving to the handle unlocked position.

It is an object of this invention to provide a locking container lid that can be used with an accompanying refuse container (or another type container) and prevent unauthorized access.

It is another object of this invention to provide a locking container lid that includes an actuating handle that operates in a momentary fashion to disengage the locking mechanism of the container lid.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a locking container lid with an actuating handle that includes an alignment system in the actuating handle that operates to disable the actuating handle when the container lid is not upright.

These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art.

