Storage chest with integral handle in reinforced lid

Abstract

The storage chest of the present invention comprises: a box portion having opposed front and rear walls, a pair of opposed side walls; and a floor attached to the front, rear and side walls to form a storage cavity; and a lid pivotally interconnected with the rear wall. The lid includes: a generally planar top panel; and a front panel merging with and extending generally perpendicularly to the top panel. The front panel includes a recess formed by a horizontally disposed face and a vertically disposed face positioned below and merging with the horizontally disposed face. The top panel and front panel are integrally formed from a unitary member of substantially constant thickness. The lid is moveable between a closed position, in which the top panel is generally horizontally disposed above the floor and the lid contacts at least one of the front, rear and side walls and prevents access to the storage cavity from above, and the front panel is positioned generally above the front wall, and an open position, in which the top panel takes a non-horizontal position, the front panel is positioned rearwardly of the front wall, and the lid allows access to the storage cavity from above. In this configuration, the recess in the front panel of the lid serves as a grasping handle for the lid, thereby eliminating the additional handle piece included in prior art lids.