SELF REGULATING COUNTERBALANCE MECHANISM WITH FRICTION

摘要

A friction based counterbalance mechanism for coupling with a closure panel of a vehicle, the counterbalance mechanism including: a housing having a first pivot mount for connecting to one of a body of the vehicle and the closure panel; an extension member coupled to the housing and being extendable and retractable with respect to the housing, the extension member for connecting by a second pivot mount to the other of the body and the closure panel; a variable friction mechanism mounted in the housing having: a shaft having an axis; a washer positioned on the axis; a pinion with a friction body positioned on the shaft and adjacent to the washer, the pinion rotatable about the axis relative to the washer during rotation of the shaft to generate friction between the washer and the friction body; and a slider body positioned on the axis.