초록 ▼

A gas spring is connected between a cabinet and a lift-top lid and releasably holds the lid upwardly in a fully open position with respect to the cabinet. Gravity automatically pivots a safety latch into latching relation with the cylinder of the gas spring as the lid approaches its fully open posit

A gas spring is connected between a cabinet and a lift-top lid and releasably holds the lid upwardly in a fully open position with respect to the cabinet. Gravity automatically pivots a safety latch into latching relation with the cylinder of the gas spring as the lid approaches its fully open position. If the gas spring loses pressure, the latch operably engages the cylinder to mechanically hold the lid in its fully open position and to prevent the lid from falling toward its closed position.

대표청구항 ▼

A cabinet having a top lid hinged thereto to swing upwardly to a fully open position and downwardly to a fully closed position, a gas spring connected between said cabinet and said lid and normally operable to releasably hold said lid upwardly in said fully open position, said gas spring comprising

A cabinet having a top lid hinged thereto to swing upwardly to a fully open position and downwardly to a fully closed position, a gas spring connected between said cabinet and said lid and normally operable to releasably hold said lid upwardly in said fully open position, said gas spring comprising a cylinder member and a rod member slidable within said cylinder member, said members extending relative to one another during movement of said lid toward said open position and retracting relative to one another during movement of said lid toward said closed position, said cylinder member containing fluid which is pressurized during retraction of said members relative to one another thereby to resist movement of said lid toward said closed position, a latch, means supporting said latch for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, said latch having an engagement and resting idly on one of said members when said lid is in said closed position, said engagement end having an inverted U-shaped cross section with depending legs of said engagement end being spaced a distance greater than the width of said one member such that no portion of said engagement end extends under said one member in a manner that would restrict free upward movement of said engagement end relative to said one member upon pivoting of said latch, said latch engagement end being downwardly moveable under the force of gravity into latching relation with said one member as said members extend relative to one another as said lid approaches said fully open position to prevent retraction of said members relative to each other to thereby positively hold said lid upwardly, and said latch being freely pivotable about said horizontal axis for raising said engagement end upwardly relative to said one member to permit retraction of said members and downward movement of said lid to said closed position.