Spring loaded frame for a flatscreen

[Zakk]

Any idea how I would go about fashioning a metal frame that would pop straight up out of a cabinet?  I'm doing a jukebox in an old cabinet http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=59021.0 and I thought it would be neat if the monitor comes up out of the unit when you lift the lid. Like push on it and it pops up, then push it down and it sits flush...if that makes sense.  Air lift shocks?  I think I could weld up a rail frame, but it would have to slide nice, so it would probably be easier to use a prefab bearing rail, but any idea on the mechanism?  This could even be used for compact countertop machines, where the screen is hidden until it's ready for use.

Or maybe a motor!  Ohhhh.  That could be neat.  A motor on a gear.  Now if only I knew a dang thing about motors.  Any genius insights on this?  I hate when I can't see a solution to something. 

[gamenut]

OOOHHHH YEAH!

You could use a 110volt-12volt coverter.
The kind you get from radio shack. so you can use something like a car radio,or a cb radio, or the like in your home.
Well, get one of those and hook it up to a car window mech. You know, the electric motor that will roll a car window up and down. Hook up your monitor to that and all the sudden you have a button that will raise and lower your monitor out of the juke. You could  do it verticaly(out the top) or horizontaly(out through where the bezel would be).
Your choice!

Don't want to go electric?
Use the sliders off of a drawer in your kitchen. Or get some new ones from home depot.
You could reach up from the "coin door" or what ever up push it out!


Gamenut

[leapinlew]

I wanted to do something like this in my bedroom for the television. I couldn't believe the prices for these setups. Then they wanted about 5k, I see them now for less, but still way too expensive.

http://www.tmoto.com/styles/prod-2.htm

While searching on google, I had the most luck using "Automated TV lift" as a search term.

[Zakk]

I think this coould work with the car window lift!  I mean why not?  $5K is just crazy.  I don't know as if it would take that much work either, once you had the parts....hmmmmmmmm.

[NickG]

  You have so many possible solutions for this, it seems a matter of preference.  Also guess it depends on cost/and other means.
   If your going to the salvage yard for a car window lift, another thing you could look for are those automated  seatbelt mechanisms.  Some of them just use a ribbed plastic belt and motor.
 There are a few different types of electric motors you could use for this.  Many come with limit switch leads and remote switch leads.  I have worked with a few types of electric  motors at my job and I can probably help if you decide on motors.  Sounds like a decent cheap option
The pneumatic cylinder idea sounds really nice for the large console stereo.  You would need a way to maintain and in most cases regulate the air compression, though.  Running a motorized air compressor in a sound oriented device sounds kind of point-defeating, but you would not have to run it all the time.  Alternatively you could employ a (relatively silent) pump action with the lid instead.  The lid could be attached to some cylinders at one side or both in such a way that the action of opening or closing the lid compresses enough air into the system  to actuate the cylinder that lifts the monitor.  You have many control options for this such as directly transferring the mechanical action: where in opening the lid directly forces the monitor along with it, or delaying the action: by utilizing additional check valves and an electronic valves, or reversing the action:  where closing the lid  would pump the air in, check valves would store the air in the system and a switch activated...man, my second pot of coffee wore off sorry...later...     

[Kremmit]

Model rocket motors, dude.

[crashwg]

Power antennas are useful depending on the weight.

[NickG]

maybe you could mount a wired remote control car's wheel(s) to the moving surface. the forward and reverse could be wired in with limit switches and a "go" switch of some sort.  The tricky part is finding one that holds the stator in place; something with "brakes" to hold the screen in position while it is not being driven up or down.  Perhaps this could be done with the steering mech and a lever.   For serious.