Patent ID: 8943751
Filing Date: 2015-02-03
Classification: B64D,E05F,E05Y,F03G,F16F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A lift assist mechanism for providing a lift assist to a movable component that can move between lowered and raised positions relative to a fixed structure, comprising: a lift assist spring having a first end and a second end, said lift assist spring being compressed when the movable component is in the lowered position and uncompressed when the movable component is in the raised position; a spring shaft having a first end connected to and extending from said second end of said lift assist spring, and a second end; an elongated track defined in one of the movable component and the fixed structure, said elongated track having first and second ends, and wherein one of said first end of the lift assist spring and said second end of the spring shaft is movably engaged with said track for movement between said first and second ends of said elongated track; and a spring lock connected to said second end of said lift assist spring, said spring lock having a latched configuration and an unlatched configuration, said spring lock being configured to restrain movement of the spring shaft in said latched configuration when a lift assist of the movable component is not required and to release the spring shaft in said unlatched configuration when a lift assist of the movable component is required, said spring lock including a locking pawl configured to releasably engage said spring shaft, a solenoid connected to said locking pawl and configured to cause said locking pawl to latch and restrain movement of the spring shaft when a lift assist of the movable component is not required and to cause said locking pawl to unlatch and release said spring shaft for movement of the spring shaft when the lift assist is required, and a spring shaft collar disposed on the spring shaft, said spring shaft collar being loaded against the locking pawl engaged with the spring shaft to prevent the solenoid from unlatching said mechanism when the movable component is in the raised position and a lift assist of the movable component is not required, and the spring shaft collar being pushed away from the locking pawl by the lift assist spring when the movable component is in the lowered position and a lift assist of the movable component is required, allowing the locking pawl to be disengaged from the spring shaft by the solenoid.