An example cable tension device is provided. The cable tension device includes a bracket, an arm, and a spring. The arm is rotatably coupled to the bracket and comprises a roller bar to receive a cable of an overhead door. The spring is coupled to the arm. The spring is under a load to cause the arm to rotate away from the bracket to maintain a tension on the cable.

A counterbalance assembly for an appliance has a guide member with a rotatable pulley with a fixed radius and a cam affixed to one side of the pulley and having a varying radius. The cam and the pulley rotate about a pulley axis of rotation as a single unit. The counterbalance has a force applicator that applies a counterbalance force to one of the pulley or cam, and the counterbalance has a connector that couples the other of the pulley or cam to the door. The counterbalance force applies a varying counterbalance torque to the door that is a function of the ratio between the fixed radius and the varying radius over the pivotal range of the door.

A balance shoe for a block and tackle window balance system includes an enlarged head portion housing a locking system configured to receive at least a portion of a pivot bar and releasably engage a jamb track. An elongate tail portion configured to couple at least partially within a U-shaped channel of the window balance system. A front face, the front face of the elongate tail portion being adjacent to a base wall of the U-shaped channel when the elongate tail portion is coupled therein. The front face including an elongate channel configured to allow passage of the pivot bar from the elongate tail portion towards the locking system. The balance shoe also including at least one protrusion extending from the front face of the elongate tail portion and disposed at least partially within the elongate channel.

A balance shoe for a block and tackle window balance system includes an enlarged head portion housing a locking system configured to receive at least a portion of a pivot bar and releasably engage a jamb track. An elongate tail portion configured to couple at least partially within a U-shaped channel of the window balance system. A front face, the front face of the elongate tail portion being adjacent to a base wall of the U-shaped channel when the elongate tail portion is coupled therein. The front face including an elongate channel configured to allow passage of the pivot bar from the elongate tail portion towards the locking system. The balance shoe also including at least one protrusion extending from the front face of the elongate tail portion and disposed at least partially within the elongate channel.

A method of counterbalancing a dishwasher door pivotal about a range of rotation between an opened position and a closed position on a dishwasher cabinet. The method comprises applying a varying counterbalancing force to the dishwasher door throughout the range of rotation to effect at least two of true-hold, auto-close, or slow-open of the door.

A counterbalance assembly for an appliance has a guide member with a rotatable pulley with a fixed radius and a cam affixed to one side of the pulley and having a varying radius. The cam and the pulley rotate about a pulley axis of rotation as a single unit. The counterbalance has a force applicator that applies a counterbalance force to one of the pulley or cam, and the counterbalance has a connector that couples the other of the pulley or cam to the door. The counterbalance force applies a varying counterbalance torque to the door that is a function of the ratio between the fixed radius and the varying radius over the pivotal range of the door.

A tailgate opening assembly includes a tailgate that is hingedly coupled to a trailer. The tailgate is positionable between a closed position and an open position. A pair of biasing members is each coupled to the trailer. Each of the biasing members is biased into a compressed position and each of the biasing members is stretchable into a stretched position. A plurality of pulleys is each coupled to a respective one of the biasing members and the trailer. A pair of cables is each of the cables is routed through respective ones of the pulleys and the tailgate such that the tailgate is in mechanical communication with each of the biasing members. Each of the biasing members assists a user with opening and closing the tailgate.

A tailgate opening assembly includes a tailgate that is hingedly coupled to a trailer. The tailgate is positionable between a closed position and an open position. A pair of biasing members is each coupled to the trailer. Each of the biasing members is biased into a compressed position and each of the biasing members is stretchable into a stretched position. A plurality of pulleys is each coupled to a respective one of the biasing members and the trailer. A pair of cables is each of the cables is routed through respective ones of the pulleys and the tailgate such that the tailgate is in mechanical communication with each of the biasing members. Each of the biasing members assists a user with opening and closing the tailgate.

A method of counterbalancing a dishwasher door pivotal about a range of rotation between an opened position and a closed position on a dishwasher cabinet. The method comprises applying a varying counterbalancing force to the dishwasher door throughout the range of rotation to effect at least two of true-hold, auto-close, or slow-open of the door.

Disclosed are apparatus for a snap lock balance shoe and system to be incorporated in pivotable double hung windows. In one embodiment, the snap lock balance shoe includes a pair of retractable tabs that partially extend through openings within an inverted window balance.