Claims
- 1. A method of biasing a cover member of a furniture unit; said method comprising steps of:attaching a biasing element to the cover member at a first attachment point; attaching said biasing element to an anchorage member at a second attachment point, the anchorage member being operably coupled to the furniture unit; and translatingly moving one of said first and second attachment points from a first position to a second position as said cover member is moved from an open position to a closed position and translatingly moving said one of said first and second attachment points from said second position to said first position as said cover member is moved from the closed position to the open position, the step of translatingly moving from the first position to the second position and also from the second position to the first position being relatively sudden and having the effect of changing an effective length of a torque arm defined by the biasing element, said biasing element biasing said cover member with a first biasing force when said one attachment point is in the second position to positively close the cover member, and said biasing element biasing said cover member with a second biasing force when said one attachment point is in the first position to positively open the cover member, wherein said anchorage member is a T-shaped member, and wherein the step of attaching the biasing element to the anchorage member includes attaching the biasing element to a stem of the T-shaped member.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the T-shaped member has two arms that extend from the stem and that align with a direction of movement as the biasing element is shifted.
- 3. A method of biasing a cover member of a furniture unit; said method comprising steps of:attaching a biasing element to the cover member at a first attachment point; attaching said biasing element to an anchorage member at a second attachment point, the anchorage member being operably coupled to the furniture unit; and translatingly moving one of said first and second attachment points from a first position to a second position as said cover member is moved from an open position to a closed position and translatingly moving said one of said first and second attachment points from said second position to said first position as said cover member is moved from the closed position to the open position, the step of translatingly moving from the first position to the second position and also from the second position to the first position being relatively sudden and having the effect of changing an effective length of a torque arm defined by the biasing element, said biasing element biasing said cover member with a first biasing force when said one attachment point is in the second position to positively close the cover member, and said biasing element baising said cover member with a second biasing force when said one attachment point is in the first position to positively open the cover member, wherein moving the cover member between the open position and the closed position changes an angle at which the biasing element exerts a force on said anchorage member, whereby as the cover member is moved, said anchorage member is translated relative to said furniture unit and said second attachment point is moved between said first position and said second position.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the biasing member defines a torque arm, and the step of translatingly moving one of said first and second attachment points results in a length change of the torque arm.
- 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first and second biasing forces are different torques.
- 6. A method of biasing a cover member of a furniture unit; said method comprising steps of:attaching a biasing element to the cover member at a first attachment point; attaching said biasing element to an anchorage member at a second attachment point, the anchorage member being operably coupled to the furniture unit; and translatingly moving one of said first and second attachment points from a first position to a second position as said cover member is moved from an open position to a closed position and translatingly moving said one of said first and second attachment points from said second position to said first position as said cover member is moved from the closed position to the open position, the step of translatingly moving from the first position to the second position and also from the second position to the first position being relatively sudden and having the effect of changing an effective length of a torque arm defined by the biasing element, said biasing element biasing said cover member with a first biasing force when said one attachment point is in the second position to positively close the cover member, and said biasing element biasing said cover member with a second biasing force when said one attachment point is in the first position to positively open the cover member, wherein said cover member is pivoted through an angular range of motion between said closed position and said open position and said second attachment point is disposed in said first position when said cover member is disposed within about one third of said angular range of motion nearest said open position and said second attachment point is disposed in said second position when said cover member is disposed within about one third of said angular range of motion nearest said closed position.
- 7. The method defined in claim 6, wherein the anchorage member shifts during a middle portion of a path of movement of the cover member.
- 8. A method of biasing a cover member of a furniture unit; said method comprising steps of:attaching a biasing element to the cover member at a first attachment point; attaching said biasing element to an anchorage member at a second attachment point, the anchorage member being operably coupled to the furniture unit; and translatingly moving one of said first and second attachment points from a first position to a second position as said cover member is moved from an open position to a closed position and translatingly moving said one of said first and second attachment points from said second position to said first position as said cover member is moved from the closed position to the open position, the step of translatingly moving from the first position to the second position and also from the second position to the first position being relatively sudden and having the effect of changing an effective length of a torque arm defined by the biasing element, said biasing element biasing said cover member with a first biasing force when said one attachment point is in the second position to positively close the cover member, and said biasing element biasing said cover member with a second biasing force when said one attachment point is in the first position to positively open the cover member, wherein the biasing member includes a linearly extensible spring, and the anchorage member is configured to move in a direction generally perpendicular relative to a longitudinal direction defined by the linearly extensible spring.
- 9. A method comprising steps of:providing a biasing element operably attached between a binder bin and a cover member, with the biasing element providing a continuous counter-balancing force to the cover member both when opening and closing the cover member on a front of the binder bin, the biasing element including an anchorage member; opening the cover member, with the biasing element providing the counter-balancing force; suddenly shifting the anchorage member as the cover member reaches a near-open position so that the counter-balancing force changes substantially to more positively move the cover member from the near-open position to a full-open position; closing the cover member, with the biasing element providing the counter-balancing force; and suddenly shifting the anchorage member as the cover member reaches a near-closed position so that the balancing force changes substantially to more positively move the cover member from the near-closed position to a full-closed position.
- 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the anchorage member is a T-shaped member.
- 11. The method of claim 10, including operably attaching the anchorage member to the binder bin.
- 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the biasing element defines a torque arm, and wherein the steps of suddenly shifting both result in a length change of the torque arm.
- 13. The method of claim 9, wherein the two steps of suddenly shifting occur at different points when opening and closing the cover member.
- 14. The method of claim 9, wherein the biasing element includes a linearly extensible spring, and the anchorage member is configured to move in a direction generally perpendicular relative to the longitudinal direction defined by the extensible spring.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a divisional of commonly assigned, co-pending, co-invented application Ser. No. 09/723,997, filed Nov. 28, 2000, entitled LIFT MECHANISM FOR STORAGE BIN DOOR now U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,860.
US Referenced Citations (18)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
430783 |
Aug 1967 |
CH |
1121697 |
Aug 1956 |
FR |
40-6090827 |
Apr 1994 |
JP |