BACKGROUND

(a) Field

[0001] The subject matter disclosed generally relates to devices for containers for transporting and delivering merchandise. More particularly, the subject matter disclosed relates to the operation of bay doors for such containers.

(b) Related Prior Art

[0002] In existing trailers comprising multiple lateral bay doors, the bay doors must be hand operated. Such trailers are, for example, used for delivery of crates of beverages. During delivery rounds, bay doors must be manually opened and closed multiple times. Manual operation of such bay door is often the cause of unnecessary fatigue and injuries among delivery personnel.

[0003] There is therefore a need for improved systems for operating the opening and closure of bay doors on multi-door trailers.

SUMMARY

[0004] According to an embodiment, there is provided a door opening system for a merchandise container comprising a plurality of bay doors, the door opening system comprising: a wheel in frictional contact with a bay door of the plurality of bay doors; and a motor connected in driving arrangement with the wheel; wherein the motor drives the wheel to rotate and thereby to control a movement of the bay door of the plurality of bay doors between a closed position and an open position.

[0005] According to an aspect, the wheel comprises a plurality of wheels, wherein each wheel is in frictional contact with a respective one of the plurality of bay doors.

[0006] According to an aspect, the door opening system, further comprises a door axle on which each one of the plurality of wheels is fixed, wherein the door axle is in driving arrangement with the motor and extends a length which covers at least a portion of two bay doors of the plurality of bay doors.

[0007] According to an aspect, the door opening system further comprises: a driving axle which is an output from the motor; a driving sprocket fixed to the driving axle; a driven sprocket fixed to the door axle; and a main driving chain connecting the driving sprocket to the driven sprocket; wherein the motor drives the driving axle to rotate the door axle and thus to rotate the wheel.

[0008] According to an aspect, the door opening system further comprises: a dividing wall between neighbor bay doors; and a bearing assembly mounted to the dividing wall, wherein the door axle extends through the bearing assembly and hence through the dividing wall.

[0009] According to an aspect, the door opening system further comprises: a door axle on which the wheel is fixed, the door axle in driving arrangement with the motor to cause the door axle to rotate and hence to rotate the wheel; a fixture mounted to the bay door; and a reel and line assembly fixed to the door axle, wherein the reel and line assembly is attached to the fixture, whereby upon rotation of the door axle, the reel and line assembly will rotate and pull the bay door from the closed position to the open position.

[0010] According to an aspect, the wheel comprises two wheels associated to each bay door of the plurality of bay doors.

[0011] According to an aspect, the reel and line assembly comprises a cable or a strap attached to the fixture.

[0012] According to an aspect, the wheel comprises an axis of rotation and is compressible allowing for variation in a distance of the axis of rotation to the bay door while keeping the wheel in frictional contact with the bay door.

[0013] According to an aspect, the wheel comprises two wheels to control the movement of the bay door of the plurality of bay doors. [0014] According to an aspect, the door opening system, further comprises a cable or a strap which is attached to the bay door and which is in driving engagement with the motor, whereby, upon activating the motor, the cable or strap pulls up on the bay door to move it from the closed position to the open position.

[0015] According to an aspect, the door opening system further comprises a position detection system comprising a door-mounted position detection component and a body-mounted position detection component, wherein when the door-mounted position detection component is in close proximity to the body- mounted position detection component, a signal indicative of a monitored position being reached is triggered.

[0016] According to an embodiment, there is provided a merchandise container comprising: a body having a longitudinal axis, the body comprising: a side wall; and a plurality of bays in the side wall; a plurality of bay doors adapted to controllably close the plurality of bays that comprises neighbor bay doors, wherein the body comprises a dividing wall extending between the neighbor bay doors; and a door opening system comprising: a wheel in frictional contact with a bay door of the plurality of bay doors; and a motor connected in driving arrangement with the wheel; wherein the motor drives the wheel to rotate and thereby to control a movement of the bay door of the plurality of bay doors between a closed position and an open position.

[0017] According to an aspect, the merchandise container further comprises a door axle on which the wheel is fixed, wherein the door axle is in driving arrangement with the motor and extends a length which covers at least a portion of two bay doors of the plurality of bay doors.

[0018] According to an aspect, the merchandise container further comprises: a driving axle which is an output from the motor; a driving sprocket fixed to the driving axle; a driven sprocket fixed to the door axle; and a main driving chain connecting the driving sprocket to the driven sprocket; wherein the motor drives the driving axle to rotate the door axle and thus to rotate the wheel.

[0019] According to an aspect, the merchandise container further comprises: a dividing wall between neighbor bay doors; and a bearing assembly mounted to the dividing wall, wherein the door axle extends through the bearing assembly and hence through the dividing wall.

[0020] According to an embodiment, there is provided a door opening system for a merchandise container comprising a bay door, the door opening system comprising: a wheel in frictional contact with the bay door; and a motor connected in driving arrangement with the wheel; wherein the motor drives the wheel to rotate and thereby to control a movement of the bay door between a closed position and an open position.

[0021] According to an aspect, the door opening system further comprises: a driving axle on which the wheel is fixed, the driving axle in driving arrangement with the motor to cause the driving axle to rotate and hence to rotate the wheel; a fixture mounted to the bay door; and a reel and line assembly fixed to the driving axle, wherein the reel and line assembly is attached to the fixture, whereby upon rotation of the driving axle, the reel and line assembly will rotate and pull the bay door from the closed position to the open position.

[0022] According to an aspect, the wheel comprises two wheels associated to the bay door.

[0023] According to at least one aspect, the wheel includes a compressible inner spoke, the inner spoke having an helicoidal shape thereof.

[0024] According to an aspect, the wheel is compressible allowing for variation in a distance of an axis of rotation to the bay door while keeping the wheel in frictional contact with the bay door. [0025] According to an embodiment, there is provided a wheel adapted to exert movement to a bay door through frictional contact, the wheel has a hub, a rim, and deformable spokes extending helicoidally between the hub and the rim.

[0026] According to an embodiment, there is provided a pair of wheel adapted to contact a bay door next to the bay door slidable railing to help slide the bay door in the railing.

[0027] Features and advantages of the subject matter hereof will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of selected embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying figures. As will be realized, the subject matter disclosed and claimed is capable of modifications in various respects, all without departing from the scope of the claims. Accordingly, the drawings and the description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive and the full scope of the subject matter is set forth in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Further features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings, in which:

[0029] Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of a merchandise container comprising a series of bays closed by bay doors on shown the side wall of the merchandise container in accordance with an embodiment;

[0030] Fig. 2 is an internal view of a merchandise container and components of the door opening system comprising with a motor mounted to the ceiling of the merchandise container in accordance with an embodiment;

[0031] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of components of a position detecting system in accordance with an embodiment; [0032] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the components of a position detecting system in a mounting configuration according to an embodiment, with the door illustrated in an intermediary position;

[0033] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of components of the door opening system comprising the intermediate axle mounted to an internal part of the body of the merchandise container;

[0034] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the components of the door opening system comprising the intermediate axle and a door axle;

[0035] Fig. 7 and 8 are perspective views of components of the door opening system comprising the motor, the driving axle, the intermediate axle and a door axle;

[0036] Fig. 9 is a side perspective view of the merchandise container to which are mounted bay doors and a door opening system in accordance with an embodiment;

[0037] Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the merchandise container to which are mounted the bay doors and a door opening system in accordance with another embodiment;

[0038] Fig. 11 is a close-up perspective view of the system for pulling up the bay doors of in accordance with the embodiment of Fig. 10;

[0039] Fig. 12 is a top perspective schematic of a door opening system mounted to a merchandise container, with the top of the merchandise container removed from the view;

[0040] Fig. 13 is a schematic of the electric circuit of the door opening system in accordance with an embodiment;

[0041] Fig. 14 is a perspective view of components of the door opening system comprising the motor, the driving axle, the door axle and wheels according to another embodiment; [0042] Figs. 15A and 15B are perspective views of a small axle and a wheel in accordance with an embodiment. The wheel has been compressed on Fig. 15B;

[0043] Figs. 16A and 16B, are perspective views of a wheel mounted on a wheel sleeve, in accordance with an embodiment;

[0044] Fig. 17 is a front view of a closed bay door of the door opening system shown in Fig. 14;

[0045] Fig. 18 is a perspective view of the upper part of the door opening system shown in Fig. 14;

[0046] Figs. 19A and 19B are perspective view of two neighbor bay doors and the door opening system mounted on the dividing wall, according to an embodiment;

[0047] Fig. 20 is a perspective view of an assembly comprising a wheel, a wheel sleeve, a small axle and a sleeve according to an embodiment;

[0048] Figs. 21 A and 21 B are perspective view of a reel and line assembly, according to an embodiment; and

[0049] Fig. 22 and 23 are perspective views of two halves of a case for a reel and line assembly before the two havles being joined around the reel and line assembly.

[0050] It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 , 2, 10 and 13, a door opening system 100 is adapted to open and close doors of a merchandise container 20. The merchandise container 20 may be either box truck with a merchandise container or a hauled merchandise container. In accordance with an embodiment, doors are bay doors 52. In accordance with a further embodiment, doors are side-by-side disposed bay doors 52, a.k.a. neighbor bay doors closing side-by-side neighbor bays 50. According to an embodiment, the merchandise container 20 comprises a floor 39, a roof 32 and side walls 36, as a front wall 31 and a rear wall 33, each comprising an interior face (27) and an exterior face (29). According to an embodiment, the merchandise container 20 has a longitudinal axis defined by the normal moving or hauling direction of the merchandise container 20, with a plurality of side-by-side bay doors 52 being disposed along a side of the merchandise container 20 with respect of the longitudinal axis of the merchandise container 20. Thus, the bay doors 52 are used to close bays 50, a.k.a. openings, on a side wall 36 of the merchandise container 20

[0052] The door opening system 100 of the merchandise container 20 comprises a motor 102, namely an electric motor, driven by a vehicle-mounted power source 30 (Fig. 13). According to another embodiment, the vehicle-mounted power source 30 is a vehicle battery (not shown) of a box truck comprising a powertrain 25 such as an internal combustion engine, or according to another embodiment (not shown), the battery (i.e. , power source 30) of a merchandise container-hauling vehicle.

[0053] According to an embodiment (depicted on Fig. 2), the motor 102 is mounted to the roof 32 of the merchandise container 20. According to an embodiment (depicted on Fig. 12), the motor is mounted to the dividing wall 38 extending inwardly between two neighbor bays 50. According to a further embodiment (not shown), the motor 102 is mounted to the interior of one of the front wall 31 and the rear wall 33.

[0054] According to an embodiment (schematically shown in Fig. 13), the power transmitted to the motor 102 is transmitted from the power source 30 through the electrical circuit 35 of the merchandise container 20 and through a control circuit 40 that controls when the motor 102 is powered, based on the state of the vehicle (e.g., running, stopped with the powertrain 25 of the vehicle in an idle mode, the electric circuit switched to an auxiliary-running state with the powertrain 25 shut off, and the whole vehicle shut off).

[0055] The control circuit 40 may further comprise indicators 42 such as visual indicators 44 (e.g., lights) indicating the state of the bay doors 52 (e.g., open, close, in operation) to the operator of the vehicle, for instance in the cabin of the vehicle. The control circuit 40 may further comprise interlock circuits 46 preventing operations (e.g., the merchandise container 20 from advancing) when a particular state (e.g., bay doors 52 being open) is detected. The control circuit 40 further comprises controls 48, such as switches or push buttons, operable by the operator to activate the motor 102 to open or close the bays 50 as further described, with the location and number of controls 48 depending on the design and intent of the merchandise container 20. According to an embodiment, control 48 is a remote control for operating the bay doors 52 at a distance. The control circuit 40 further comprises a position detection system 140 comprising one or more position detection components to detect position(s) of the bay doors 52 as will be explained below. The position detection system 140 will be further discussed below.

[0056] Referring additionally to Figs. 7 and 9, particularly in combination with Fig. 12, there is shown the motor 102 which comprises a gear box with a driving axle 104 to which is mounted a driving sprocket 106. A main driving chain 108 is mounted on the driving sprocket 106, and on a driven sprocket 116 to which is secured an intermediate axle 114. The driving chain 108, via the driven sprocket 116, drives the intermediate axle 114.

[0057] The intermediate axle 114 extends along an axis parallel to the side wall 36 and the roof 32 of the merchandise container 20, and thus the general plane of the bay doors 52. The length of the intermediate axle 114 extends about at least part of all of the bay doors 52. Typically, the intermediate axle 114 is mounted about the top of the bay doors 52, optimizing the clearance associated with the bays 50. [0058] Individual driving sprockets 118 are secured to the intermediate axle 114 and each of the driving sprockets 118 drives one of the counter balance 134 as discussed below. On each of the counter balances 134 is secured a driven sprocket 128 which is driven by the corresponding driving sprocket 118 via individual door driving chains 130. The individual door driving chains 130 hence each engage a driven sprocket 128 and a corresponding driving sprocket 118.

[0059] Accordingly, the power from the motor 102 is transmitted to all the counter balances 134 by the main driving chain 108, which drives the intermediate axle 114, driving the individual door driving chains 130 which in turn controls the operation of each of the bay doors 52 to open and close at the same time. Hence a single intermediate axle 114 is used to drive a plurality of counter balances 134.

[0060] According to an embodiment, bay doors 52 linked to the same motor 102 will always open and close at the same time. However, one must note that a merchandise container 20 may be equipped with a plurality of motors 102 and bay doors 52, for example bay doors 52 on each side of the merchandise container 20, with a motor 102 controlling the opening and closing of the bay doors 52 located on a first side of the merchandise container 20, and a second motor 102 controlling the opening and closing of the bay doors 52 located on a second side of the merchandise container 20.

[0061] According to yet another embodiment, a merchandise container 20 is equipped with multiple motors 102 on a same side to operate multiple bay doors 52. According to such an embodiment, each of the motors 102 may control one or a plurality of bay doors 52.

[0062] According to an embodiment, the driving axle 104 is a short driving shaft extending from the motor 102. The intermediate axle 114 is a single-piece shaft extending over about the length of the merchandise container 20. In fact, the intermediate axle 114, regardless being made of a single piece or multiples pieces combined as a rigid assembly, must be long enough to cover the distance between the driven sprockets 128 of the bay doors 52 that must be opened concurrently.

[0063] The intermediate axle 114 is mounted to the body of the merchandise container 20 about its extremity in-between two bay doors 52. The intermediate axle 114 is mounted to the body 22, specifically the dividing wall 38 extending between the two neighbor bays 50, through bearing assemblies 112 (shown in Fig. 5). According to an embodiment, the door axles 124 are mounted to the body 22 of the merchandise container 20 along a common axis. According to an embodiment, the bearing assemblies 112 are mounted to the dividing wall 38.

[0064] According to an embodiment, the counter balance 134 comprises an inner axle 152 and an outer casing 154. The inner axle 152 is rigidly mounted to the body, about the door guiding rails 56 of a bay door 52, independent from another counter balance 134. The outer casing 154 is mounted to the inner axle 152 to freely spin around the inner axle 152, with or without a biasing means mounted thereto the inner axle 152 and the outer casing 154. To each of the bay 50, a counter balance 134 is associated a driving sprocket 118 and a driven sprocket 128 transmitting the same rotation movement from the intermediate axle 114 to all of the door axles 124 connected to the same motor.

[0065] An operator may disconnect the bays doors 52 from the motor 102 to manually operate the bay doors 52. The driving sprocket 118 is releasably attached to a linking ring 115 fixedly mounted to the intermediate axle 114, resulting in a releasable sprocket / releasable axle combination. A pin 117 releasably links the driving sprocket 118 to the linking ring 115, resulting in the driving sprocket 118 rotating with the intermediate axle 114 when the pin 117 is in place, and rotating freely relative to the intermediate axle 114 when removed. A cotter pin 119 mounted to the pin 117 secures the pin 117 in place when the pin 117 passes through the driving sprocket 118 and secures the linking ring 115. According to an embodiment, the linking ring 115 is secured to the intermediate axle 114 using a radial screw 113 mounted to the linking ring 115 and contacting the surface of the intermediate axle 114. Alternatively, the linking ring 115 is secured to the intermediate axle 114 using a clamping solution. The linking ring 115 could also be secured to the intermediate axle 114 by welding.

[0066] According to an embodiment, the driving sprocket 106 and the driving axle 104 are mounted as a releasable sprocket / releasable axle combination.

[0067] The rotation axes of the driving axle 104, the intermediate axle 114 and the counter balances 134 are parallel to each other. Such a configuration allows the transmission of movement through driving chains 108, 130.

[0068] According to an embodiment, the driving sprocket 106, the driven sprocket 116 and the driving chain 108 joining the driving sprocket 106 to the driven sprocket 116 define a main driving combination. According to an embodiment, an alternative main driving combination comprises one of plurality of gears, or pulleys and a strap joining the pulleys.

[0069] According to an embodiment, a driving sprocket 118, a driven sprocket 128 aligned with the driving sprocket 118 and the driving chain 130 joining the driving sprocket 118 to the driven sprocket 128 define a door-driving combination, with each door-driving combination driving a distinct bay door 52. According to an embodiment, an alternative main door-combination comprises one of plurality of gears, or pulleys and a strap joining the pulleys.

[0070] Referring now additionally to Figs. 5, 6, 8 and 12. The bay doors 52 of the bays 50 are operated by sliding them upward and inward to open them. Guiding rails 56, mounted to the body 22 of the merchandise container 20 about the sides of the bay doors 52, guide the displacement of the bay door 52, through rollers 58 extending from the sides of the bay doors 52 and being guided within the guiding rails 56 when the bay doors 52 open or close. Over each of the bay doors 52, when in a closed position, is the door axle 124 mounted to the body 22 of the merchandise container 20, with the bay door 52 being linked to the door axle 124 through a foot cable 60 attached to a foot fixture 62 located about the bottom of the inner face of the bay door 52.

[0071] According to other embodiments, door connection means different from the above foot cable 60 may be used to connect the door axles 124 to the bay doors 52, with the door connection means being used to at least one of pull the bay doors 52 upward or push the bay doors 52 downward. Finally, based on embodiments, the door connection means may involve a rigid connection communicating displacement of the one of the bay doors 52 and the door connection means to the other regardless of the movement direction.

[0072] According to an embodiment, the guiding rails 56 extend from the bottom of the bays 50 (about the floor 39 of the merchandise container 20) to the top of the bays 50 (depicted about the roof 32) and extend further to free completely the bays 50 when the bay doors 52 are in an open position. According to an embodiment, the guiding rails 56 extend inwardly from the about the top of the bays 50 about and parallel to the roof 32. The intermediate axle 114 and the door axles 124 extend parallel to the roof 32 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the merchandise container 20 under the guiding rails 56. Thus, the guiding rails 56 extend between the axles (114, 124) and the roof 32.

[0073] According to an embodiment, the counter balance 134 comprises biasing means (not shown, operating within the mounting of the door axles 124) biasing the bay doors 52 toward an open position. When the bay doors 52 are opening, the door axles 124 spin, winding up the foot cables 60 of each of the bay doors 52 around the corresponding counter balance 134. When the bay doors 52 are closing, the biasing means produces a force over the bay doors 52 toward the open position while the weight of the bay doors 52 overbalancing the force of the counter balances 134 resulting in downward movement of the bay doors 52 and the cable 60 being kept under tension. During the closing phase, the motor 102 allows the driving chain 108 to turn and thus the bay doors 52 to return to a closed position. [0074] Now referring to Figs. 10 and 11 , another embodiment comprises a strap 70 acting in a similar fashion as the foot cable 60 described before. The strap 70 is attached at one extremity to the bay door 52 and at the other extremity to the counter balance 134 to pull the bay door 52 up as the strap 70 winds up around the counter balance 134.

[0075] Referring now additionally to Figs. 3 and 4. The bays 50 comprise a position detection system 140 which is part of the control circuit 40. The position detection system 140 comprises a detectable door-mounted position detection component 142 and body-mounted position detection component comprising of a body-mounted detector 144. When the door-mounted position detection component 142 is in the vicinity of the body-mounted detector 144, the body- mounted detector 144 detects the presence of the door-mounted position detection component 142 and sends a signal to the control circuit 40 indicative of the proximity of the door-mounted position detection component 142 to the body- mounted detector 144 that is indicative of a position of the bay door 52, triggering the motor 102 to stop. Such a position detection system 140 is used for detecting at least one of the bay doors 52 having reached an open position and / or at least one of the bay doors 52 having reached a closed position.

[0076] The electrical system of the door opening system 100 further comprises electric (not shown) part of the control circuit 40. The electric relays are electrically connected to a body-mounted detector 144, to switches (not shown) and to the motor 102.

[0077] According to one embodiment, at least one of the body-mounted detector 144 and the detectable door-mounted position detection component 142 is present twice, mounted at different positions. Accordingly, when the first combination of detectable door-mounted position detection component 142 and body-mounted detector 144 is aligned (i.e. , they are in close proximity or approaching each other), the position detection system 140 associates that state with a first terminal door position (open or closed); and when the second combination of detectable door-mounted position detection component 142 and body-mounted detector 144 is aligned, the position detection system 140 associates that state with the other terminal door position (the other of open or closed).

[0078] According to a specific embodiment, two (2) body-mounted detectors 144 are mounted to the body 22 about the guide rails 56 detect the positions of the bay doors 52, with a signal from the first one of the body-mounted detectors 144 indicating an open position and a signal from the second one of the body-mounted detectors 144 indicating a closed position of the bay doors 52. According to an embodiment, the body-mounted detectors 144 detect changes in a magnetic flux due to the approach of the detectable door-mounted position detection component 142 to detect alignment of the detectable door-mounted position detection component 142 with the body-mounted detector 144.

[0079] According to other embodiments, other technologies may be used as a position detection system 140 is a similar fashion, such as end-of-course detectors which upon contact from a surface (a part of the body 22 of the merchandise container 20 if mounted to a bay door 52, or a part of the bay door 52 if mounted to the body 22 of the merchandise container 20), or optical devices which detect presence of objects in a monitored zone.

[0080] According to an embodiment, a biasing means (not shown) is mounted to at least one of the bay doors 52 providing compensation for the weight of the bay doors. The use of the biasing means being designed to minimize the power required by the motor 102 The weight of the bay doors 52 is sufficient to return the bay doors 52 to the closed position.

[0081] According to an embodiment, a single biasing means (similar to counter balances 134) operates over all of the bay doors 52 interconnected through a common intermediate axle 114. The force applied by the biasing means is thus communicated to the other bay doors 52 via the intermediate axle 114 powered by the same motor 102.

[0082] According to an embodiment, the door opening system 100 operates without the presence of a counter balance 134.

[0083] The same principle applies to the position detection system 140. Since one bay door 52, of a series of bay doors 52, interconnected through a common intermediate axle 114 may not move independently from other bay doors 52, a single (or main) position detection system 140 operating on a single bay door 52 may be used to provide information on the state of all of the bay doors 52.

[0084] According to an embodiment, the biasing means applies a force that combines with the weight of the bay doors 52 to ease closing the bay doors 52. Accordingly, the motor 102 operates in three (3) modes: a) an opening mode. In this mode, the motor 102 pulls the driving chain 108 so that the bay doors 52 move upwardly toward an open position; b) an idle mode. In this mode, the motor 102 maintains the driving chain in the current position. Thus, the motor maintains the bay doors 52 in their position, preventing the movement of the bay doors 52 resulting from exterior forces; and c) a neutral mode. In this mode, the motor 102 allows movement of the driving chain 108 resulting from exterior forces. Since the gravitational forces applied on the bay doors 52 are toward a closed position, the bay doors 52 in this mode tend to move towards the closed position. Once the bay doors 52 are detected as being closed, the motor 102 resets to the idle mode.

[0085] According to an embodiment, one or more additional detectable door-mounted position detection components 142 are mounted relative the bay doors 52 to provide information on incoherent states of the bay doors 52, such as different signals from one body-mounted detector 144 being in conflict with the signal from another body-mounted detector 144. Such incoherence of the signals may be due, for instance, to a driving chain being broken resulting in a bay door 52 being closed or stuck in mid-course while the others being open.

[0086] Now referring to Fig. 14, there is shown another embodiment of a door opening system. The door opening system 100B comprises a wheel 80B in frictional contact with a, e.g., lateral bay door 52. The door opening system 100B further comprises a reel 71 B having a diameter substantially about the operating diameter of the wheel 80B, and a strap 70B attached to a fixture 76B (shown on Fig. 17) located about the bottom of the inner face of the bay door 52. The diameter of the reel 71 B being substantially the same as the diameter of the wheel 80B to attain a strap 70B rolling/unrolling speed analogous to the tangential speed of the wheel 80B. The door opening system 100B further comprises a motor 102 that is in driving arrangement with the wheel 80B and the reel 71 B. The motor 102 drives one or more wheels 80B and the reel 71 B to control the movement of the bay door 52 between a closed position and an open position.

[0087] Still referring to Fig. 14, the motor 102 comprises a gear box (not numbered) which has, as the output of the motor 102, a driving axle 104B to which is mounted a driving sprocket 106B. A driving chain 108B is mounted on the driving sprocket 106B, and on a driven sprocket 116B to which is secured a small axle 115B. As shown on Figs. 14, 19A, 19B and 20, a first wheel 80B is fixed on the small axle 115B, thereby defining the initial wheel. A sleeve 117B with bolts 118B is used to fix the small axle 115B to a second axle 119B. Thus, the resulting assembly forms a door axle 114B, which comprises the small axle 115B, the sleeve 117B, the bolts 118B and the second axle 119B. Therefore, the driving chain 108B, via the driven sprocket 116B, drives the door axle 114B. The sleeve 117B must be properly positioned and secured to eliminate any misalignment.

[0088] According to an embodiment, as shown on Figs. 19A and 19B, the small axle 115B passes through the dividing wall 38. Awheel 80B is fixed on each side of the small axle 115B and thus on each side of the dividing wall 38, each wheel 80B being in contact with a different bay door 52. A second axle 119B can thus be fixed on each side of the small axle 115B using a sleeve 117B with bolts 118B. The motor 102 therefore drives at least both doors via the small axle 115B.

[0089] According to an embodiment, the door axle 114B can be composed of more than two axles, secured with sleeves 117B and bolts 118B.

[0090] As with door axle 114 (shown on Fig. 2), the door axle 114B extends along an axis parallel to the side wall 36 and the roof 32 of the merchandise container 20, and thus the general plane of the bay doors 52. The length of the door axle 114B extends about at least part of all of the bay doors 52. Typically, the door axle 114B is mounted about the top of the bay doors 52, optimizing the clearance associated with the bays 50.

[0091] According to an embodiment, the door axle 114B is a multi-piece shaft extending over about the length of the merchandise container 20. In fact, the door axle 114B, regardless being made of a single piece or multiples pieces combined as a rigid assembly, must be long enough to cover the distance between the driven sprocket 116B and at least a portion of (if not the entirety of) the farthest one of the bay doors 52 that must be opened concurrently.

[0092] As with door axle 114 (shown on Fig. 2), the door axle 114B is mounted to the body of the merchandise container 20 about its extremity in- between two bay doors 52. The door axle 114B is mounted to the body 22, specifically to the dividing wall 38 extending between the two neighbor bays 50, through bearing assemblies 112B (shown in Fig. 14). According to an embodiment, the bearing assemblies 112B are mounted to the dividing wall 38.

[0093] An operator may disconnect the bays doors 52 from the motor 102 to manually operate the bay doors 52.

[0094] According to an embodiment, a lock system (not shown) is installed to avoid any unwanted manual opening of the plurality of bay doors 52. The lock system is composed of a plurality of hydraulic or pneumatic pistons, each piston having the aim to block a specific bay door 52. When activated, the piston comes to stand above the corresponding closed bay door 52, avoiding the bay door to be opened. When the bay door is closed the corresponding wheel 80B can be placed in a way that an unwanted movement of the door can be restrained thanks to the wheel’s deformation.

[0095] According to an embodiment, the driving sprocket 106B and the driving axle 104B are mounted as a releasable sprocket / releasable axle combination.

[0096] The rotation axes of the driving axle 104B and the door axle 114B are parallel to each other. Such a configuration allows the transmission of movement through the driving chain 108B.

[0097] According to an embodiment, the driving sprocket 106B, the driven sprocket 116B and the driving chain 108B joining the driving sprocket 106B to the driven sprocket 116B define a main driving combination. According to an embodiment, an alternative main driving combination comprises one of plurality of gears, or pulleys and a strap joining the pulleys.

[0098] Over each of the bay door openings is the door axle 114B, with the bay door 52 being linked to the door axle 114B through a strap 70B attached to a fixture 76B located about the bottom of the inner face of the bay door 52. As shown on Fig. 17 (closed bay door), wheels 80B are also fixed on the door axle 114B. Each of the bay doors 52 is then in contact with one or more wheels 80B, the wheels 80B rotating with the bay doors 52, along with the strap 70B attached to the fixture 76B winding up or down the reel 71 B, during opening and closing phases and keeping the bay doors 52 in place during the idle phase. When the door 52 is in the closed position, the wheels 80B also act as the locking mechanism for the door 52 by applying pressure on the top thereof.

[0099] According to an embodiment and as shown on Figs. 21 A and 21 B, a reel and line assembly 72B is shown in greater detail. In this embodiment, the reel 71 B is fixed to the second axle 119B. Side gears 73B are placed on each side of the reel 71 B to lock or release the reel 71 B on the second axle 119B, allowing to adjust the tension on the strap 70B or to replace it. For each side gear 73B, a pin 74B is inserted through the reel 71 B from the opposite side of the reel 71 B and is placed between the teeth of the side gears, avoiding any rotation of the reel 71 B. A cotter pin 75B is then inserted in the end of the pin 74B to hold it in place.

[00100] According to other embodiments, the diameter of the wheels 80B must be slightly more than half the minimum distance between the center of the door axle 114B and the surface of corresponding bay door 52. This diameter must also depend on the flexibility of the wheels 80B, to avoid slipping of the wheels 80B on the bay doors 52.

[00101] According to an embodiment, the door axle 114B extends parallel to the roof 32 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the merchandise container 20 under the guiding rails 56. Thus, the guiding rails 56 extend between the axle 114B and the roof 32.

[00102] According to an embodiment, when the bay doors 52 are closing, the motor 102 drives the door axle 114B with the wheels 80B and the reel 71 B. The rotation of the wheel 80B, providing frictional contact with the bay doors 52, produces a force resulting in downward movement of the bay doors 52. Along with the rotation of the wheel 80B, the weight of the bay doors 52 is used to produce an additional force resulting in downward movement of the bay doors 52. The reel 71 B fixed on the door axle 114B and the strap 70B attached to the fixture 76B are then useful for ensuring that bay doors 52 will clause correctly, completely and safely. The rotation of the wheels 80B providing frictional contact with the bay doors 52, together with the weight of the bay doors 52 and the resistance of the strap 70B winding down on the reel 71 B, cause the bay doors 52 to move downward in the rails 56 under control.

[00103] According to an embodiment, when the bay doors 52 are opening, the door axle 114B spin, winding up the strap 70B on a reel 71 B of each of the bay doors 52, and rolling the corresponding wheels 80B on the bay doors 52, resulting in an upward movement.

[00104] According to an embodiment, the reel 71 B with the strap 70B form a reel and line assembly 72B. The reel and line assembly 72B also acts as a security system to prevent the bay door 52 from falling. In another embodiment, a reel and line assembly (not shown) comprises a reel and a cable (such as cable 60 on Fig. 6).

[00105] According to an embodiment depicted on Figs. 22 and 23, the reel and line assembly 72B, except the portion of the strap 70B exiting the case, is protected by a case (unassembled parts of the case depicted through Figs. 22 and 23) mounted around the reel and line assembly 72B. The case comprises two halves 77A and 77B that, when joined to each other, form a case that defines a room 79 able to house the reel 71 B; has an opening 78 through which the strap 70B travels as it unwind and rewind; and has side openings 69 for the second axle 119B to extend therethrough. According to a preferred realization, the halves 77A and 77B are joined using bolts and nuts or srews. According to other embodiments, the halves 77A and 77B are joined using an alternative solution, such as clipped to each other. According to an ambldiment, one of the halves 77A, 77B comprises a handle on its external face.

[00106] Now turning to Figs. 15A and 15B, there is a shown a more detailed view of the wheel 80B. It should be noted that wheel 80B is compressible. In Fig. 15A, wheel 80B is slightly compressed under its own weight while Fig. 15B shows wheel 80B substantially compressed under added pressure. The fact that wheel 80B is compressible provides some variation in the distance of the driving axle 114B from the interior of the bay door 52. The distance of the driving axle 114B from the interior of the bay door 52, aka average operating radius of the wheel 80B, must be less than the unstressed radius of wheel 80B in order to ensure that the wheel 80B is always in frictional contact with the bay door 52. The extra friction also increases the traction of the wheel and allows the wheel to conform to the shape of the bay door 52 as it moves.

[00107] It is worth noting that the helicoidal bendable spokes 86 (Figs. 16A- B) of the wheel 80B are preferably adapted for exerting force in a direction decreasing the radius of curvature of the spokes 86 when lowering the bay door 52 thus preventing jamming of the bay door 52 in the railing. Referring additionally to Fig. 18, the spokes 86 are directed downward on the bay door side; the wheel 80B being thus adapted to exert a downward force to the bay door 52, insuring that the bay door 52 will efficiently close regardless of the unlevel angle of the truck.

[00108] According to an embodiment, the wheel 80B is adapted to exert downward force to the bay door 52, while the reel and line assembly 72B (Fig. 14) is adapted to pull up the bay door 52 and retain the bay door 52 is case the wheel 80B slips over the surface of the bay door 52.

[00109] According to an embodiment and as shown on Fig. 15A, 15B, 16A, 16B, a wheel sleeve 81 B is fixed on the small axle 115B using headless bolts in corresponding threaded holes in the wheel sleeve 81 B on both sides of the wheel 80B. According to an embodiment, there are four headless bolts and threaded hole combination in the wheel sleeve 81 B on each side of the wheel 80B. The wheel 80B is mounted on the wheel sleeve 81 B and fixed thereon using glue. The end of the small axle 115B shown on Figs. 15A and 15B has been drilled to receive the bolt 118B to fix the small axle 115B to the sleeve 117B (as shown on Fig. 14).

[00110] According to an embodiment, and as shown on Fig. 19A and 19B, the small axle 115B passes through the dividing wall 38. For each bay door 52, a first wheel 80B is mounted on the small axle 115B which is located on each side of the dividing wall 38. Another wheel 80B is mounted on the second axle 119B. [00111] According to an embodiment and as shown on Fig. 18, sensors 90B allow to detect the position of the corresponding bay door 52. A sensor plate 91 B is also installed to protect these sensors 90B from any possible shocks.

[00112] Referring to the door opening system 100B of Fig. 14 in accordance with an embodiment, the motor 102 operates in three (3) modes: a) an opening mode. In this mode, the motor 102 pulls the driving chain 108B so that the bay doors 52 move upwardly toward an open position. Once the bay doors 52 are detected by the sensors 90B as being open, the motor 102 resets to the idle mode.; b) an idle mode. In this mode, the motor 102 maintains the driving chain in the current position. Thus, the motor 102 maintains the bay doors 52 in their position, preventing the movement of the bay doors 52 resulting from exterior forces; and c) a closing mode. In this mode, the motor 102 pulls the driving chain 108B so that the bay doors 52 move downwardly toward a closed position. Once the bay doors 52 are detected by the sensors 90B as being closed, the motor 102 resets to the idle mode.

[00113] According to another embodiment, the output of the motor 102 is the axle on which the wheels 80B are mounted.

[00114] Referring particularly to Figs. 16A-B, according to an embodiment the wheel 80B is made of silica or polyurethane. The wheel 80B has an outer unstressed diameter of its rim 82 of 7 inches. As shown on the Fig. 16B, the outer surface of the rim # of the wheel 80B comprises a texture to increase the adherence of the wheel 80B on the corresponding bay door 52. Bendable spokes 86 extend helicoidally between the hub 84 and the rim 82. The hub 84, the spokes 86 and the rim 82 preferably form a unibody.

[00115] While preferred embodiments have been described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made without departing from this disclosure. Such modifications are considered as possible variants comprised in the scope of the disclosure