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A lockable lift assist assembly includes a piston assembly moveable between an extended position and a retracted position. A valve assembly is coupled in movement together with the piston assembly. The valve assembly is configured to selectively alter a flow of a hydraulic fluid through a fluid comm

A lockable lift assist assembly includes a piston assembly moveable between an extended position and a retracted position. A valve assembly is coupled in movement together with the piston assembly. The valve assembly is configured to selectively alter a flow of a hydraulic fluid through a fluid communication path established within the valve assembly to control movement of the piston assembly.

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1. A lockable lift assist assembly, comprising: a piston assembly moveable between an extended position and a retracted position;a valve assembly coupled in movement together with the piston assembly, wherein the valve assembly is configured to selectively alter a flow of a hydraulic fluid through a

1. A lockable lift assist assembly, comprising: a piston assembly moveable between an extended position and a retracted position;a valve assembly coupled in movement together with the piston assembly, wherein the valve assembly is configured to selectively alter a flow of a hydraulic fluid through a fluid communication path established within the valve assembly to control movement of the piston assembly;a valve pin of the valve assembly that is moveable to a first position that restricts the flow through the fluid communication path and to a second position that provides a greater flow through the fluid communication path; andan outer tube and an inner tube, the outer tube configured to receive at least a portion of the piston assembly, the inner tube received within the outer tube and configured to hold the hydraulic fluid and the valve assembly, the inner tube establishing a groove that is configured to communicate hydraulic fluid around the valve assembly when the valve pin is in the first position. 2. The lockable lift assist assembly of claim 1, wherein the piston assembly moves between the extended position and the retracted position relative to the outer tube. 3. The lockable lift assist assembly of claim 1, wherein the hydraulic fluid damps movement of the valve assembly to damp movement of the piston assembly. 4. The lockable lift assist assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve assembly limits movement of the piston assembly when the valve pin is in the first position. 5. The lockable lift assist assembly of claim 1, including a spring configured to bias the valve pin toward the first position. 6. The lockable lift assist assembly of claim 1, including a release mechanism assembly configured to initiate movement of the valve pin from the first position to the second position. 7. The lockable lift assist assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve assembly is configured to move axially within the inner tube a first distance, and the groove extends axially along the inner tube a second distance that is less than the first distance. 8. The lockable lift assist assembly of claim 1, including a coil spring to move the piston assembly between the extended position and the retracted position. 9. A method for operating a lockable lift-assist mechanism, comprising: moving a valve assembly together with a piston assembly between a retracted position to an extended position;communicating a flow of hydraulic fluid through the valve assembly to damp the moving; andrestricting the flow of hydraulic fluid through the valve assembly to limit the moving; andbypassing a second flow of hydraulic fluid around the valve assembly during some of the moving to prevent the valve assembly from limiting the moving. 10. The method of claim 9, including actuating a release mechanism to stop the restricting and reinitiate the moving. 11. The method of claim 9, including preventing the restricting during some of the moving to prevent the valve assembly from limiting the moving. 12. The method of claim 9, including biasing the valve assembly toward a position that restricts the flow of hydraulic fluid. 13. The method of claim 9, wherein the restricting comprises preventing the flow of hydraulic fluid through the valve assembly. 14. The method of claim 9, including a spring for moving the valve assembly with the piston assembly between the retracted position and the extended position. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the spring is a mechanical spring.