Patent ID: 8317277

Claim:
A system, in combination with a pull-out component and an associated housing, for assisting the opening and closing movement of the pull-out component relative to the housing with an integrated damping mechanism, said housing having a slide member coupled to an interior wall thereof, and said pull-out component being linearly slidable into and out of said housing, the system comprising: a first bracket coupled to said slide member of the housing; a second bracket coupled proximate a rear end of said pull-out component; a strut having a first end coupled to the first bracket and an opposing second end coupled to the second bracket, said strut comprising: an outer straight hollow member having opposing first and second ends; a first spring having opposing first and second ends and being housed within said straight hollow member; and a cylindrical piston having first, second, and third longitudinal portions, wherein the first longitudinal portion extends axially through the spring's second end, the second longitudinal portion extends axially outside of the spring's second end, and the third longitudinal portion extends from the second longitudinal portion in a direction opposite that of the first longitudinal portion so as to translate axially through said second end of the outer straight hollow member, said second longitudinal portion having a larger diameter than said first and third longitudinal portions; and a damping mechanism contained entirely within said strut and including a damper that counteracts the force exerted by the first spring on the cylindrical piston to dampen the movement of the pull-out component from a neutral region towards a fully-open position and from the neutral region towards a fully-closed position; wherein said housing is a cabinet, and said slide member is a cabinet slide member; wherein the first bracket includes a lower horizontal surface and a clevis pin extending vertically upwards from said lower horizontal surface; wherein the strut further includes a cabinet bracket clevis, said cabinet bracket clevis being coupled to said first end of the outer hollow member and being configured to pivotally engage said clevis pin; wherein the cabinet bracket clevis includes a substantially C-shaped coupling member and the first bracket's clevis pin is configured to snap into said cabinet bracket clevis; and wherein said first end of the first spring is disposed on a portion of said cabinet bracket clevis opposite said coupling member.