Weatherproof storage tote

Abstract

The storage tote has a main body and a lid. The main body includes a bottom section, a plurality of sidewalls defining an open end, and a rim formed in the sidewalls adjacent the open end of the main body. The lid includes a base and a lip disposed adjacent the base, the lid adapted to cover the open end of the main body. The lip includes a plurality of latch receiving section, each of the latch receiving section includes at least one lock receiving section. A seal is disposed adjacent the lip of the lid and abuts the rim of the main body when the lid is covering the open end of the main body. The storage tote has at least one latch. The latch is connected to the main body of the storage tote and includes at least one locking mechanism.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A storage tote, comprising:
 a main body having a bottom section, a plurality of sidewalls extending from the bottom section defining an open end of the main body, and a rim extending from the plurality of sidewalls adjacent the open end of the main body;   a lid having a base, a lip disposed adjacent the base, and a plurality of latch receiving sections formed in the lip, the lip configured to selectively receive the rim of the main body to position the lid over the open end of the main body;   a plurality of latches, each latch rotatably connected to the main body and selectively engageable with one of the latch receiving sections of the lid, each latch including a detent configured to frictionally engage the one of the latch receiving sections of the lid; and   a seal disposed on the lip of the lid, the seal configured to abut the rim of the main body to form a substantially fluid tight seal between the rim and the lip when the lip receives the rim.   
     
     
         2 . The storage tote of  claim 1 , wherein the main body includes a handle. 
     
     
         3 . The storage tote of  claim 2 , wherein the handle is formed in the rim of the main body. 
     
     
         4 . The storage tote of  claim 1 , wherein the main body includes a plurality of latch connectors, each latch connector including a latch receiving component to facilitate rotatably connecting one of the latches to the main body. 
     
     
         5 . The storage tote of  claim 1 , wherein an opening is formed in the rim of the main body and an opening ridge is formed on an upper surface of the rim adjacent the opening. 
     
     
         6 . The storage tote of  claim 1 , wherein the lid includes a recessed area in an exterior surface of the lid. 
     
     
         7 . The storage tote of  claim 1 , wherein a protuberance is formed on the lip of the lid, the protuberance configured to be received by at least one of an opening formed in the rim of the main body and an opening ridge formed on an upper surface of the rim adjacent the opening. 
     
     
         8 . The storage tote of  claim 1 , wherein each of the latch receiving sections of the lid includes a lock receiving section configured to engage the detent of one of the latches. 
     
     
         9 . The storage tote of  claim 1 , wherein the lid includes a support ridge formed on an interior surface of the lip of the lid adjacent a corner section of the lid. 
     
     
         10 . The storage tote of  claim 1 , wherein the lid includes a support flange formed on an interior surface of the lip of the lid adjacent a side section of the lid configured to strengthen the lip. 
     
     
         11 . The storage tote of  claim 1 , wherein the lid includes an additional support component formed on an interior surface of the lip of the lid adjacent an outer peripheral edge of the lid configured to strengthen the lip. 
     
     
         12 . The storage tote of  claim 1 , wherein the lid includes a seal channel formed on an interior surface of the lip of the lid, the main body includes a ridge formed on an upper surface of the rim of the main body, where the seal, the seal channel, and the ridge cooperate to facilitate forming the substantially fluid tight seal between the rim and the lip when the lip receives the rim. 
     
     
         13 . The storage tote of  claim 1 , wherein each latch includes a connecting means rotatably coupled to a latch receiving component disposed on a latch connector formed on the main body of the storage tote. 
     
     
         14 . The storage tote of  claim 1 , wherein each latch includes a releasing ridge formed on a top surface of the latch configured to facilitate a user rotating the latch. 
     
     
         15 . The storage tote of  claim 1 , wherein each latch includes a latch support component formed on an inner surface of the latch configured to strengthen the latch. 
     
     
         16 . A storage tote, comprising: a main body, a lid, a plurality of latches, and a seal,
 the main body including;
 a bottom section, 
 a plurality of sidewalls extending from the bottom section defining an open end of the main body, 
 a rim extending from the plurality of sidewalls adjacent the open end of the main body, 
 a handle formed in the rim, and 
 a plurality of latch connectors, each latch connector including a latch receiving component to facilitate rotatably connecting one of the plurality of latches to the main body; 
   the lid including;
 a base, 
 a lip disposed adjacent the base, 
 a recessed area in an exterior surface of the lid, 
 a plurality of latch receiving sections formed in the lip, each of the latch receiving sections including a lock receiving section, 
 a seal channel formed on an interior surface of the lip, 
 the lip configured to selectively receive the rim of the main body to position the lid over the open end of the main body; 
   each latch including;
 a connecting means rotatably coupled to one of the latch receiving components of the plurality of latch connectors of the main body, 
 a detent configured to frictionally engage the lock receiving section of the one of the latch receiving sections of the lid; and 
 a releasing ridge formed on a top surface of the latch configured to facilitate a user rotating the latch with respect to the main body of the storage tote; and 
   the seal disposed in the seal channel of the lid and configured to abut the rim of the main body to form a substantially fluid tight seal between the rim and the lip when the lip receives the rim.   
     
     
         17 . The storage tote of  claim 16 , wherein an opening is formed in the rim of the main body and an opening ridge is formed on an upper surface of the rim adjacent the opening, and a protuberance is formed on an inner surface of the lip of the lid, the protuberance configured to be received by at least one of the opening and the opening ridge. 
     
     
         18 . The storage tote of  claim 16 , wherein the lid includes:
 a support ridge formed on the interior surface of the lip adjacent a corner section of the lid;   a support flange formed on the interior surface of the lip adjacent a side section of the lid; and   an additional support component formed on the interior surface of the lip adjacent an outer peripheral edge of the lid, the support ridge, the support flange, and the additional support component each configured to strengthen the lid.   
     
     
         19 . The storage tote of  claim 16 , wherein the seal is a continuous flexible seal forming a generally circle shape configured to be received in the seal channel of the lid and circumscribe the open end of the main body when the lip receives the rim. 
     
     
         20 . A method of using a storage tote, comprising:
 providing a storage tote including;
 a main body having a bottom section, a plurality of sidewalls extending from the bottom section defining an open end of the main body, and a rim extending from the plurality of sidewalls adjacent the open end of the main body; 
 a lid having a base, a lip disposed adjacent the base, and a plurality of latch receiving sections formed in the lip, the lip configured to selectively receive the rim of the main body to position the lid over the open end of the main body; 
 a plurality of latches, each latch rotatably connected to the main body and selectively engageable with one of the latch receiving sections of the lid, each latch including at least one detent configured to frictionally engage the one of the latch receiving sections of the lid; and 
 a seal disposed on the lip of the lid, the seal configured to abut the rim of the main body to form a substantially fluid tight seal between the rim and the lip when the lip receives the rim; 
   performing one of:
 coupling the lid to the main body by receiving the rim of the main body using the lip of the lid; 
 engaging one of the latches with one of the latch receiving sections of the lid; and 
 stacking the storage tote atop another one of the storage tote.