Patent ID: 8578524

Claim:
A spa cover lifter for lifting a spa cover, the spa cover comprising a first section and a second section pivotably coupled to the first section at a hinge interface, the spa cover lifter comprising: a first frame member coupled to the first section of the spa cover; a second frame member coupled to the second section of the spa cover, wherein the first frame member and the second frame member are pivotably coupled at about the hinge interface; a drive system; a first cable extending from the drive system to the first frame member; and a torsion spring positioned at about the interface between the first frame member and the second frame member, wherein the torsion spring is configured to release a torque tending to rotate the first section off of a spa about the interface until the first section is rotated off of the spa by a predetermined angle, and wherein the torsion spring is also configured to store a torque tending to rotate the second section onto the spa about the hinge interface when the first section is rotated off of the spa by more than a second predetermined angle.