Automated cargo door opener

1. A cargo enclosure, comprising:

a plurality of walls defining an interior and an exterior of the cargo enclosure;

a cargo door movable between a fully open position and a fully closed position;

a set of tracks supporting the cargo door for movement between the fully open position and the fully closed position;

a door torsion assembly disposed in the cargo enclosure and configured to apply torque to the cargo door to facilitate movement of the cargo door from the fully closed position to the fully open position; and

a door operator assembly configured to raise and lower the cargo door, the door operator assembly comprising:

a power and control unit mounted on the exterior of the cargo enclosure, the power and control unit comprising:

a motor in communication with a power source, the motor comprising an output configured to be operatively connected to the door torsion assembly;

a coupler configured to operatively connect the output of the motor to the door torsion assembly, the coupler extending through one of the plurality of walls of the cargo enclosure to engage the door torsion assembly;

a control circuit configured to relay electrical power from the power source to the motor; and

a unit enclosure configured to house the motor on the exterior of the cargo enclosure;

wherein the torsion assembly is configured to be aligned with the coupler.

2. The cargo enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the door operator assembly further comprises an operating switch disposed on the exterior of the cargo enclosure, the operating switch being in communication with the power source and the control circuit and configured to be actuated to activate the motor to raise or lower the cargo door.

3. The cargo enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the power and control unit further comprises a manual release mechanism configured to actuate the coupler to operatively connect and disconnect the output of the motor and the door torsion assembly.

4. The cargo enclosure according to claim 3 , wherein the manual release mechanism is disposed in the unit enclosure between the output of the motor and the coupler.

5. The cargo enclosure according to claim 3 , wherein the manual release mechanism comprises a lever and a spring retained by a spring plate, the spring being configured to bias the output of the motor and the coupler to engage the door torsion assembly.

6. The cargo enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the unit enclosure comprises a mounting plate fastened to the exterior of the cargo enclosure and a cover removeably fastened to the mounting plate.

7. The cargo enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the door operator assembly further comprises lower and upper limit switches in communication with the power and control unit and a door indicator positioned on the cargo door, wherein the lower and upper limit switches are configured to detect a position of the cargo door and to deactivate the motor as the door approaches the fully open position or the fully closed position.

8. The cargo enclosure according to claim 7 , wherein the lower and upper limit switches comprise magnetic limit switches, and the door indicator comprises a magnetic sensor or plate.

9. The cargo enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the door operator assembly further comprises a pusher assembly disposed in the interior of the cargo enclosure adjacent to an upper end of at least one of the tracks, the pusher assembly comprising a spring-loaded plunger configured to engage an end of the cargo door when the cargo door is in the fully open position.

10. The cargo enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the cargo enclosure is configured to be mounted on a vehicle chassis, and the power source is configured to be a vehicle power source.