Door release mechanism for a container system

Abstract

There is provided a door release mechanism for use with a container having at least one door moveable between a closed position and an open position. There is also provided a container system for holding and dispensing a material. The container system comprises a container body for holding material, the container body comprising at least one opening. The container system comprises at least one door moveable between a closed position in which the at least one door occludes the at least one opening, and an open position. The container system comprises the door release mechanism, which is coupled to the container body. The door release mechanism comprises at least one sliding member being moveable between a first position and a second position, in which the sliding member can be retained, and door connecting member connecting the sliding member to the moveable door.

1 . A door release mechanism for a container having at least one door moveable between a closed position and an open position, the door release mechanism comprising
 at least one door connecting member; and   at least one sliding member moveable between a first position and a second position;   wherein the at least one sliding member is retainable in the second position;   wherein the at least one door connecting member is configured to connect the at least one sliding member to at least one door of a container,   wherein, in the first position of the at least one sliding member, the at least one door connecting member is configured to be substantially taut so that the at least one door of a container is retained in a closed position, and   wherein, upon retention of the at least one sliding member in the second position, the at least one door connecting member is configured to be substantially slack so that the at least one door of a container is moveable to an open position upon lifting of the container.   
     
     
         2 . A container system comprising:
 a container body for holding material, the container body comprising at least one opening;   at least one door moveable between a closed position in which the at least one door occludes the at least one opening, and an open position;   a door release mechanism, the door release mechanism being coupled to the container body, and comprising:   at least one sliding member being moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein the at least one sliding member is retainable in the second position; and   at least one door connecting member, the at least one door connecting member connecting the at least one sliding member to the at least one door;   and   a lifting assembly for engagement with a lifting apparatus, the lifting assembly being coupled to the at least one sliding member,   wherein, in the first position of the at least one sliding member, the at least one door connecting member is configured to be substantially taut so that the at least one door is retained in the closed position, and   wherein, upon retention of the at least one sliding member in the second position, the at least one door connecting member is configured to be substantially slack so that the at least one door is moveable to an open position upon lifting of the container system.   
     
     
         3 . The door release mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one door connecting member is configured to be substantially taut so that the at least one door is retained in an open position. 
     
     
         4 . The door release mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the door release mechanism comprises at least one retaining mechanism for retaining a corresponding at least one sliding member in its second position. 
     
     
         5 . The door release mechanism according to  claim 4 , wherein, when the at least one sliding member is retained in its second position by the at least one retaining mechanism, the at least one door connecting member changes between being substantially slack when the at least one door in a closed position and substantially taut when the at least one door is in an open position. 
     
     
         6 . The door release mechanism according to  claim 4 , wherein, when the at least one door is in an open position and the at least one door connecting member is substantially taut, the at least one door is moveable to a closed position upon a disengagement of the at least one retaining mechanism from the sliding member and lifting of the container system. 
     
     
         7 . The door release mechanism according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one retaining mechanism comprises a retaining member actuatable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, wherein in the locked configuration the retaining member engages with the at least one sliding member so that the at least one sliding member is retained in its second position, and wherein in the unlocked configuration the retaining member disengages from the at least one sliding member so that the at least one sliding member is moveable to its first position. 
     
     
         8 . The door release mechanism according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one retaining mechanism comprises an actuator for adjusting a corresponding retaining member between its locked configuration and its unlocked configuration, optionally, wherein the actuator is a remotely-operated actuator. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The door release mechanism according to  claim 7 , wherein the retaining member comprises a hook pivotable between said locked configuration and said unlocked configuration. 
     
     
         11 . The door release mechanism according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one sliding member comprises a retaining pin for engaging with the at least one retaining mechanism. 
     
     
         12 . The container system according to  claim 2 , wherein the container system comprises at least one door damper, the at least one door damper being coupled at a first end to the container body and at a second end to a corresponding at least one door, wherein the at least one door damper for dampening the movement of the at least one door from an open position to a closed position. 
     
     
         13 . The door release mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the door release mechanism comprises at least one casing for housing a corresponding sliding member, wherein the sliding member is slideable within the casing between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         14 . The door release mechanism according to  claim 13 , wherein the door release mechanism comprises at least one retaining mechanism for retaining a corresponding at least one sliding member in its second position, and wherein the or each retaining mechanism is housed within said at least one casing. 
     
     
         15 . The door release mechanism according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least one casing comprises a slot extending between a first end and a second end, wherein the at least one sliding member is slideable relative to the slot. 
     
     
         16 . The door release mechanism according to  claim 15 , wherein the or each sliding member comprises a first protruding member extending from a first end of the sliding member and a second protruding member extending from a second end of the sliding member, wherein the first and second protruding members are arranged to slide within the slot and respectively stop the sliding member at its first and second positions. 
     
     
         17 . The door release mechanism according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one door connecting member is coupled to the second protruding member. 
     
     
         18 . The container system according to  claim 2 , wherein the door release mechanism comprises two sliding members, the sliding members being located on opposing sides of the container body. 
     
     
         19 . The container according to  claim 18 , wherein the lifting assembly comprises two lifting members and a lifting beam for engagement with a lifting apparatus, wherein each lifting member is connected at a first end to a respective end portion of the lifting beam and at a second end to one of the sliding members, optionally, wherein a distance between the lifting beam and the container body reduces when the sliding members move from their respective first positions to their respective second positions. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The container system according to  claim 2 , comprising at least two doors, the at least two doors being rotatable about respective first and second hinges between a closed position, in which the at least two doors collectively occlude the at least one opening of the container body, and an open position. 
     
     
         22 . The door release mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one door connecting member comprises a chain or a rope.