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, said lift assist mechanism including 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, 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 lift mechanism being charaterized by: an elongated track defined in one of the movable component and the fixed structure, said elongated track having first and second ends (36, 38), 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 (36, 38) of said elongated track; wherein the spring lock comprises a latch motion dampening mechanism releasably connectable with said second end of said spring shaft, said latch motion dampening mechanism including a spring shaft collar on said second end of said spring shaft, an overcentering lock pawl releasably connectable with said spring shaft collar on said second end of said spring shaft, said overcentering lock pawl having a latched configuration and an unlatched configuration, a rocker arm having a first end and a second end, said rocker arm being rotatably mounted to said second end of said lift assist spring for movement between a first position and a second position, said second end of said rocker arm being disposed adjacent to said spring shaft collar on said second end of said spring shaft, a buffered return spring connected to said rocker arm, and an overcenter spring connected between said first end of said rocker arm and said overcentering lock pawl, whereby said buffered return spring biases said rocker arm and said overcenter spring to cause said overcentering lock pawl into engagement with said spring shaft collar on said spring shaft when said overcentering lock pawl is in said latched configuration, and said spring shaft collar biases said rocker and overcenter spring to cause said overcentering pawl to move out of engagement with said spring shaft collar on spring shaft when said overcentering lock pawl is in said unlatched configuration. an elongated track defined in one of the movable component and the fixed structure, said elongated track having first and second ends (36, 38), 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 (36, 38) of said elongated track; wherein the spring lock comprises a latch motion dampening mechanism releasably connectable with said second end of said spring shaft, said latch motion dampening mechanism including a spring shaft collar on said second end of said spring shaft, an overcentering lock pawl releasably connectable with said spring shaft collar on said second end of said spring shaft, said overcentering lock pawl having a latched configuration and an unlatched configuration, a rocker arm having a first end and a second end, said rocker arm being rotatably mounted to said second end of said lift assist spring for movement between a first position and a second position, said second end of said rocker arm being disposed adjacent to said spring shaft collar on said second end of said spring shaft, a buffered return spring connected to said rocker arm, and an overcenter spring connected between said first end of said rocker arm and said overcentering lock pawl, whereby said buffered return spring biases said rocker arm and said overcenter spring to cause said overcentering lock pawl into engagement with said spring shaft collar on said spring shaft when said overcentering lock pawl is in said latched configuration, and said spring shaft collar biases said rocker and overcenter spring to cause said overcentering pawl to move out of engagement with said spring shaft collar on spring shaft when said overcentering lock pawl is in said unlatched configuration.