Lockable container and locking mechanism for same

Abstract

This invention relates to a lockable container having a locking mechanism that secures a lid of the container to a receptacle of the container. The receptacle comprises a base, a top with a main receptacle opening, and a side wall extending around and between the base and top and having a recess suitable to receive a padlock and having a locking mechanism aperture smaller than the padlock. The lid is mountable to the receptacle and configured to cover at least a portion of the receptacle opening when in a closed position. The locking mechanism comprises a lock engagement member attached to the bottom of the lid such that when the lid is in the closed position, at least a portion of the lock engagement member extends through the locking mechanism aperture and into the recess, and is securable in place with the padlock located in the recess.

1 . A lockable container comprising: 
 a) a receptacle comprising a base, a top with a main receptacle opening, and a side wall extending around and between the base and top and having a recess suitable to receive a padlock and having a locking mechanism aperture smaller than the padlock;    b) at least one lid mountable to the receptacle and configured to cover at least a portion of the receptacle opening when in a closed position; and,    c) a locking mechanism comprising a lock engagement member attached to the lid such that when the lid is in the closed position, at least a portion of the lock engagement member extends through the locking mechanism aperture and into the recess, and is securable in place with the padlock located in the recess.    
   
   
       2 . The lockable container of  claim 1  wherein the locking mechanism aperture is located in a top wall of the recess and the lock engagement member extends downwards and through the aperture when the lid is in the closed position.  
   
   
       3 . The lockable container of  claim 1  wherein the lock engagement member comprises a lid reinforcement portion that extends across and is attached to the lid, and a receiving cup engagement portion that extends generally perpendicularly from the lid reinforcement portion such that when the lid is closed, the receiving cup engagement portion extends downwards into the receiving cup.  
   
   
       4 . The lockable container of  claim 1  wherein the lockable container comprises a pair of lids mounted side-by-side and a pair of locking mechanisms each attached to a respective lid, each locking mechanism further comprising a locking mechanism connector that are in sufficient proximity to each other when the lids are closed that the respective locking mechanism connectors can connect together, thereby connecting the two locking mechanisms and lids together.  
   
   
       5 . The lockable container of  claim 1  wherein the recess is a receiving cup having a wall that defines the recess opening, and the locking mechanism aperture is located on the receiving cup wall generally facing the receptacle opening.  
   
   
       6 . The lockable container of  claim 1  wherein the receiving cup comprises a plurality of walls including a top wall, and the locking mechanism aperture is located in the top wall.  
   
   
       7 . The lockable container of  claim 6  wherein the top wall tapers downwardly inwards.  
   
   
       8 . The lockable container of  claim 6  wherein the receiving cup further comprises a bottom wall that tapers upwardly inwards.  
   
   
       9 . The locking mechanism for a container having receptacle with a base, a top with a main receptacle opening, and a side wall extending around and between the base and top and having a padlock aperture, and a lid mountable to the receptacle and configured to cover at least a portion of the receptacle opening when in a closed position, the locking mechanism comprising: 
 a) a padlock receiving cup having a cup wall defining a main padlock opening and a locking mechanism aperture in the cup wall, the receiving cup being mountable to the inside of the receptacle side wall with the padlock opening cooperating with the receptacle padlock aperture and the locking mechanism aperture generally facing the receptacle opening; and    b) a lock engagement member having an attachment end t hat is attachable to the container lid such that when the lid is in the closed position and the padlock housing is mounted to the receptacle, at least a portion of the lock engagement member extends through the locking mechanism aperture and into the receiving cup, and is securable in place with a padlock located in the receiving cup.    
   
   
       10 . The locking mechanism of  claim 9  wherein the receiving cup comprises a plurality of walls including a top wall, and the locking mechanism aperture is located in the top wall.  
   
   
       11 . The locking mechanism of  claim 10  wherein the top wall tapers downwardly inwards.  
   
   
       12 . The locking mechanism of  claim 10  wherein the receiving cup further comprises a bottom wall that tapers upwardly inwards.  
   
   
       13 . The locking mechanism of  claim 9  wherein the lock engagement member comprises a lid reinforcement portion that is extendible across and attachable to the lid, and a receiving cup engagement portion that extends generally perpendicularly from the lid reinforcement portion such that when the lock engagement member is attached to a closed lid, the receiving cup engagement portion extends downwards into the receiving cup.  
   
   
       14 . The locking mechanism of  claim 9  wherein the container has a pair of lids mounted side-by-side and the locking mechanism further comprises a locking mechanism connector that can couple to a locking mechanism connector of another locking mechanism when the two locking mechanisms are attached in sufficient proximity to each other on respective lids of the container, thereby connecting the pair of lids together.  
   
   
       15 . A locking mechanism for a container having receptacle with a base, a top with a main receptacle opening, and a side wall extending around and between the base and top, and a lid mountable to the receptacle and configured to cover at least a portion of the receptacle opening when in a closed position, the locking mechanism comprising: 
 a) a receptacle lock engagement member having a padlock engagement portion and being attachable to the front side wall of the receptacle;    b) a lid lock engagement member having a padlock engagement portion and being attachable to the lid such that when the lid is closed, the padlock engagement portions of both receptacle and lid lock engagement members are in sufficient proximity to each other to both engage a padlock thereby securing the lock engagement members together; and    c) padlock receiving cup having a cup wall defining a main padlock opening, the receiving cup being mountable to the lid such that when the lid is closed, the receiving cup covers the lock engagement members and a padlock through the padlock opening, such that access to the padlock is impeded.    
   
   
       16 . A lockable container comprising: 
 a) a container having a receptacle with a base, a top with a main receptacle opening, and a side wall extending around and between the base and top, and a lid mountable to the receptacle and configured to cover at least a portion of the receptacle opening when in a closed position;    b) the locking mechanism comprising: 
 i. a receptacle lock engagement member having a padlock engagement portion and being attachable to the front side wall of the receptacle;  
 ii. a lid lock engagement member having a padlock engagement portion and being attachable to the lid such that when the lid is closed, the padlock engagement portion of both receptacle and lid lock engagement members are: in sufficient proximity to each other to both engage a padlock thereby securing the lock engagement members together; and  
 iii. padlock receiving cup having a cup wall defining a main padlock opening, the receiving cup being mountable to the lid such that when the lid is closed, the receiving cup covers the lock engagement members and a padlock through the padlock opening, such that access to the padlock is impeded.