Countertop Door Hardware fosters integration through balance.
Share:
Press Release Summary:
Lift-A-SYST counterbalance enables hospitality establishments to utilize extra space and functionality a countertop door or flip-up counter provides. Capable of balancing countertop doors at any position within 95° range of motion, this supplemental hardware component offsets weight of countertop door via torsion applied to rods during upward/downward motion. There are 6 sizes available to accommodate door lengths from 21-39 in. and weights from 22-72 lb.
Original Press Release:
New Device Balances Countertop Doors, Easily and Affordably
Lift-A-SYST counterbalance offers a solution for hinged countertop doors in hospitality venues
Nokomis, FL - There is a classic bar scene in an old episode of Only Fools and Horses, a British television sitcom, where a character falls through a bar pass-through trying to impress two women sitting nearby. A passing waiter opens the countertop door of the pass-through only moments before the man leans back to rest his elbow on what used to be the counter, but is now thin air.
Considered particularly unpopular with restaurant and hotel owners, countertop doors, or "flip-up counters", have been consistently removed or "designed out" of most hospitality establishments over the last decade. Until now.
"This is a problem that we have dealt with for years," explains Joe Avotins, AIA. "When I worked as the Director of Design and Construction for both Houston's and McCormicks & Schmick's we were always trying to figure out how to deal with the countertop door dilemma. We wanted the space the counter offered, but didn't want to deal with the safety issues. Using a Lift-A-SYST counterbalance is a great way for hospitality establishments to utilize the extra space and functionality a countertop door provides."
This is due to a small, but smart invention by engineers at CounterBalance Corporation, a manufacturer of torsion spring systems made for lifting lids and covers. The product, called a Lift-A-SYST counterbalance, functions as an additional hardware component that balances countertop doors at any position within a 95 degree range of motion. The counterbalance works by using flexible rods which store mechanical energy when twisted. The torsion is applied to the rods as the countertop door moves in an upward or downward motion. The torsion neutralizes the weight of the countertop making it virtually weightless while in motion.
"The Lift-A-SYST counterbalance offsets the weight of the countertop door. The door goes where you move it and stays there," said Lou Mintzer, Vice president of Sales and Marketing at CounterBalance Corporation. "Before, the countertop door would actually fall down, which can be very scary when the door weighs 60 or 70 pounds."
The Lift-A-SYST counterbalance is available in six different sizes to accommodate different countertop door lengths and weights. The counterbalance can accommodate ranges between 21 and 39 inches, and weights from 22 to 72 pounds. The Lift-A-SYST counterbalance was created for ease of use and installation, hence the do-it-yourself installation kit that comes with your purchase. CounterBalance Corporation also offers a custom product line for countertop doors called the Counter-A-SYST® counterbalance.
"The great thing about the Lift-A-SYST is that it can be added to already functioning countertop doors, said Mintzer. "It only takes about an hour to install and have it properly functioning. It's a simple process, and definitely worth the investment. A couple of the large restaurant chains we visited are considering redesigning their bars so they can add a countertop door back in. The Lift-A-SYST gives bartenders and wait staff the option of using prime workspace in the restaurant or bar."
About CounterBalance Corporation
CounterBalance Corporation is an original equipment manufacturer of modular torsion spring systems used to lift lids, covers, hatches, countertops and electro-mechanical equipment. Counterbalances are used in diagnostic equipment, industrial and commercial applications, corporate offices, restaurants and hotels, foodservice equipment, military vehicles and educational institutions. CounterBalance Corporation provides complete design, application and prototyping services to assist in the development of its products. CounterBalance also offers various product series to meet the needs of most applications. For additional information about products and services, please visit www.cbal.com.
