Cabinet With Accessory In Top Panel And With Top Panel Lift Mechanism

Abstract

A cabinet has an accessory, such as a flat panel television screen, mounted to the inner surface of the top panel. The top panel is pivotally mounted to the body of the cabinet. A lifting mechanism attached between the top panel and another part of the cabinet entirely lifts the top panel or provides assistance to open the top panel.

1 . A furniture piece comprised of a body having:
 a) a top opening defining a cavity therein;   b) a top panel over the opening and pivotally attached to the body, wherein the top panel has an inner surface and, wherein the top panel is pivotal from a closed position covering the opening to an open position uncovering the opening;   c) wherein the inner surface of the top panel is adapted to receive a generally flat accessory such that in the closed position the accessory is hidden and in the open position the accessory is in full view; and   d) a lifting mechanism to assist in lifting the top panel from the closed position to the open position, wherein the lifting mechanism is sized to accommodate the weight of both the top panel and the accessory.   
   
   
       2 . The furniture piece according to  claim 1 , wherein the body is further comprised of side panels to define a cabinet having a cavity therein. 
   
   
       3 . The furniture piece according to  claim 1 , wherein the body is a table and the top panel is a portion of the top of the table. 
   
   
       4 . The furniture piece according to  claim 1 , wherein the top panel is pivotally attached to the body through a hinge. 
   
   
       5 . The furniture piece according to  claim 1 , wherein the accessory is a flat screen monitor. 
   
   
       6 . The furniture piece according to  claim 5 , wherein the flat screen monitor consisting of one from the group of an LCD screen and a plasma screen. 
   
   
       7 . The furniture piece according to  claim 1 , wherein the accessory is a mirror. 
   
   
       8 . The furniture piece according to  claim 1 , further including a lifting mechanism to assist in moving the top panel between the closed position and the open position. 
   
   
       9 . The furniture piece according to  claim 8 , wherein the lifting mechanism is comprised of at least one biasing member attached at one end to the top panel and at the other end to the body. 
   
   
       10 . The furniture piece according to  claim 9 , wherein the biasing member is preloaded to a degree that the external force required to lift the top panel from the closed position is minimized. 
   
   
       11 . The furniture piece according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one biasing member is a spring. 
   
   
       12 . The furniture piece according to  claim 11 , wherein the spring is preloaded when the top panel is in the closed position. 
   
   
       13 . The furniture piece according to  claim 11 , wherein the spring is a gas spring including a spring and a dampener. 
   
   
       14 . The furniture piece according to  claim 9 , further including a resisting member to resist the lift member force at the upper travel of the top panel and to reduce the velocity of the top panel as it opens. 
   
   
       15 . The furniture piece according to  claim 14 , wherein the resisting member is attached between the top panel and the body in parallel with the biasing member. 
   
   
       16 . The furniture piece according to  claim 14 , wherein the resisting member is attached between the top panel and the body in series with the biasing member. 
   
   
       17 . The furniture piece according to  claim 14 , wherein the resisting member is comprised of a spring positioned to oppose the biasing member when the top panel approached the open position. 
   
   
       18 . The furniture piece according to  claim 17 , wherein the resisting member is further comprised of a sliding adjustment to adjust the point at which the biasing member is opposed by the resisting member. 
   
   
       19 . The furniture piece according to  claim 1 , wherein the lifting mechanism is comprised of a motor to move the top panel between the closed position and the opened position. 
   
   
       20 . The furniture piece according to  claim 19 , wherein the lifting mechanism further includes a first threaded member and a mating second threaded member, wherein each threaded member is threadingly engaged with the other and attached to one of the body and the top panel, wherein the threaded members are rotatively driven relative to one another by the motor to provide a translational motion for pivotally moving the top panel. 
   
   
       21 . The furniture piece according to  claim 19 , further including a receiver attached to the motor and a remote transmitter for remote operation of the motor.