Lockable media storage box with lock and key

• US 20030000860A1
• Filed: 09/04/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autronic Plastics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dennis D. Belden Jr, James M. Byrne, Michael S. Jaeb, Nicholas M. Sedon, Ronald K. Burdett
• Inventors: Belden, Dennis D. Jr., Sedon, Nicholas M., Jaeb, Michael S., Burdett, Ronald K., Byrne, James M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,601,702 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/387.11
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/0062 with destructive disengagement
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0023 Containers, boxes, cases or the like, e.g. for compact discs or video-cassettes, specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0058 for essentially box-shaped devices
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/0233 Containers for a single cassette
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/0427 comprising centre hole locking means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/807 Tamper proof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5004 For antitheft signaling device on protected article
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5031 Receptacle

Abstract

A lockable media storage box and lock and key combination includes a box having a base and a lid hingedly connected to the base and movable between opened and closed positions. A lock is attached to the box that prevents the box from being opened until the lock is removed with a key or until the lock is destroyed.

Claims

1. A media storage container and lock for locking the storage container;

the combination comprising;

a storage container having a base and a lid connected to the base with a hinge;

the base and lid cooperating to define a lock reception cavity; and

a lock being removably and re-attachably disposed in the lock reception cavity; and

a pair of spaced dovetailed lugs projecting from one of the container and the lock;

the other of the container and the lock having a pair of dovetailed slots that receive the lugs when the lock is disposed in the lock reception cavity.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the base has a bottom wall, a front wall, and a pair of sidewalls;

the bottom wall of the base having a front edge disposed opposite of the hinge;

wherein the lid has an upper wall, a front wall, and a pair of sidewalls; and

the lock reception cavity being defined intermediate the bottom wall and the upper wall.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the front wall of the base is disposed inwardly of the front edge of the bottom wall.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein the lock is disposed against the front wall of the base.

5. The combination of claim 3, further comprising ribs connected to front wall of the base and extending between the bottom wall and the upper wall when lid is closed;

dovetailed lugs projecting into the lock reception cavity from the ribs.

6. The combination of claim 2, wherein the front wall of the base is disposed between the lock and the front wall of the lid when the lock is disposed in the lock reception cavity.

7. A key for unlocking a lock from a media storage container;

the key comprising;

a base;

at least one key pin projecting from the base;

the key pin having a length;

a movable portion having an opening aligned with the key pin;

the movable portion being movable between resting and depressed positions;

a substantial portion of the length of each key pin projecting through the movable portion when the movable portion is in the depressed; and

a substantial portion of the length of the key pin being behind the movable portion when the movable portion is in the resting position.

8. The key of claim 7, further comprising a spring biasing the movable portion toward the resting position.

9. The key of claim 7, further comprising a locking device adapted to lock the movable portion in the resting position so that the key cannot be used to open a lock.

10. The key of claim 7, wherein the movable portion includes a recessed tray adapted to receive the lock.

11. A media storage container and lock for locking the storage container;

the combination comprising;

a media storage container having a base and a lid;

the lid connected to the base with a hinge and movable between open and closed positions;

the base having a base front wall disposed opposite from the hinge;

the lid having a lid front wall disposed opposite from the hinge;

the lid front wall and base front wall being overlapped when the lid is in the closed position such that one of the front walls is disposed inwardly of the other front wall;

the front walls defining locking finger openings that are aligned when the lid is in the closed position;

a lock selectively attachable to the container;

the lock being in a locked position when attached to the container;

the lock including a first hooked locking finger;

the first hooked locking finger being disposed in the aligned locking finger holes of the front walls when the lock is in the locked position; and

the first hooked locking finger preventing the lid from opening and preventing the lock from being removed from the locked position.

12. The combination of claim 11, wherein the inwardly disposed front wall defines a lock cavity;

a portion of the hooked locking finger disposed in the lock cavity when the lock is in the locked position.

13. The combination of claim 11, wherein the lock includes a second hooked locking finger that faces in the opposite direction than the first hooked locking finger.

14. The combination of claim 11, wherein the lock includes a pair of guide pins;

the first hooked locking finger being disposed intermediate the pair of guide pins.

15. The combination of claim 14, wherein each front wall defines a pair of locking holes that are aligned when the lid is in the closed position;

the locking finger holes being disposed intermediate the locking holes;

the guide pins being disposed in the locking holes to cooperate with the first hooked locking finger to prevent the lid from opening when the lock is in the locked position.

17. The combination of claim 16, further comprising a latch connected to the base spaced from the corner wall;

the front wall of the base and the latch defining a channel that receives the lid when the lid is in the closed position.

18. The combination of claim 17, wherein the lock member is disposed intermediate the latch and the corner wall when the lock is in the locked position.

19. The combination of claim 18, wherein the lock member is adjacent the base corner when the lock is in the locked position.

16. A media storage container and lock for locking the storage container;

the combination comprising;

a media storage container having a base and a lid;

the lid connected to the base with a hinge and movable between open and closed positions;

the base having a base front wall disposed opposite from the hinge;

the base having base sidewalls connected to the base front wall to define base corners;

the lid having a lid front wall disposed opposite from the hinge;

the lid having lid sidewalls connected to the lid front wall to define lid corners;

the lid front wall and base front wall being overlapped when the lid is in the closed position such that the lid front wall is disposed inwardly of the base front wall;

the front walls defining openings that are aligned when the lid is in the closed position;

a lock selectively attachable to the container;

the lock being in a locked position when attached to the container;

the lock including a first lock member;

the first lock member being disposed in the aligned openings of the front walls when the lock is in the locked position; and

the base including corner walls spaced from the base corners;

the base corners and the corner walls defining a channel that receives the lid corners when the lid is in the closed position.