DE102019004269A1 - Force-controlled cable winch for training equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

Up until now, weight training has mainly been carried out with various dumbbells, training stations less with electronically controlled training equipment. You have to constantly change the weight plates with the former, with the latter, the drive motor had to be very large and therefore expensive. Training with movable dumbbells is also dangerous, as the weights can injure or, in the worst case, kill the person exercising due to decreased strength or training errors. The winch moves a pull rope with a handle with which the exercises are carried out. This pull rope can be deflected by means of pulleys so that different exercises can be carried out with the same winch unit. The tensile force of the pull rope is measured by force sensors of a control system and regulated according to a set target value. The device only moves as long as a safety button is pressed. The winch unit in connection with a training device enables various weight training exercises to be carried out safely without having to constantly change weight plates.

Description

• Eine Seilrolle zur Aufnahme des Zugseils, die durch einen je nach Trainingsanspruch ausgelegten Elektromotors, eventuell mit zwischengeschaltetem Getriebe, angetrieben wird. Diese Seilrollen-Antriebsmotor Einheit wird über Kraftsensoren, so genannte Wägezellen, mit dem Halterahmen des Trainingsgerätes verbunden, so dass die Messung dieses Kraftsensors bzw. -sensoren äquivalent zur ausgeübten Zugkraft ist. Die Messung wird von einer elektronischen Regelreinheit, PID Regler, ausgewertet, und der Elektromotor damit immer auf eine voreingestellte Zugkraft geregelt. Die Voreinstellung der Regelung erfolgt mittels portabler oder stationärer Computer.

Main claim: The invention relates to a force-controlled cable winch for training equipment according to the preamble of claim 1, which has:

• A rope pulley to take up the pull rope, which is driven by an electric motor designed depending on the training requirements, possibly with an interposed gear. This pulley drive motor unit is connected to the holding frame of the training device via force sensors, so-called load cells, so that the measurement of this force sensor or sensors is equivalent to the tensile force exerted. The measurement is evaluated by an electronic control unit, a PID controller, and the electric motor is always controlled to a preset tractive force. The regulation is preset using a portable or stationary computer.

description

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

In muscle building training, also known as bodybuilding, the body of the person being trained, depending on the muscle part to be trained, repeatedly lifting and lowering or pulling and releasing heavy weights suggests that he has to move high loads over the long term. The body responds to this stress by creating more and thicker so-called white muscle fibers.
It is important to pull the weight up quickly and to let it back as slowly as possible in order to force a long-lasting counter pressure or pull of the muscles. This should be done over the entire range of motion of the muscles to be trained.

So far, either free weights have been used for this, in which various individual weights are pushed onto and fixed on various metal bars, so-called dumbbell bars. Or devices are used in which the weight of the weight discs is directed to different grips with different cable pulls with pulleys. Depending on the training level of the person exercising and the type of exercise or muscle group, different weights have to be used. Training equipment driven by electric motors is rarely used, but it was developed more for the professional sector or fitness studios. These devices, which are driven by an electric motor, also usually act on the trainee by means of levers.

A problem with previous mechanical devices is the need to constantly change weights. Especially when several people with different training levels want to do the same exercise or change the weight between the repetitions. To do this, various weight plates must be fitted or removed.

Another problem is that for optimal training you should train to failure. With conventional dumbbell training, there is an increased risk of injury, especially with pressing exercises. For example, when doing the so-called bench press, the barbell can crush the chest, or overstretching the muscles can lead to tendon or muscle injuries. Usually this has been prevented with the help of a second person.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention is based on the object of achieving a simple adaptation of the training force in weight training with a minimized risk of injury. The aim is to create the possibility of doing different exercises with the same training device until muscle failure, even without the help of a second person during the exercises. The tensile force should not be changed manually using weights or weight plates, but electronically. The training device should also be relatively safe for the user during the exercises. The training device is intended to make the advantages of electronic control affordable for private users.

THE SOLUTION ACCORDING TO THE INVENTION

These problems are solved by a training device with the features listed in claim 1.

The invention relates to a training device which has electronically controlled cable winches (24). Each of these winches exercises by means of an electric motor ( 1 ) with the possibly associated gear ( 2 ), a winding roll ( 5 ) and an electronic control ( 4th ) a defined tensile force on a rope ( 6th ) or a cable, and the handles attached to it ( 7th ) out. The type of driving electric motor decides whether a transmission is required. With very powerful motors, so-called high torque motors, no gear is required.
The tensile force is measured by one or more force sensors ( 3 ) to which the winch / motor unit is attached. The unwinding length of the rope is determined by a rotation sensor based on the revolutions of the rope pulley. This also prevents the rope ( 6th ) can be unrolled too far. In addition to this is just before the Rope window for winding a safety contact that stops the rope winch as soon as the rope is wound too far, a knot has formed in the rope, or the rope is blocked by a foreign body.
A safety button, "dead man's switch", which is operated with the foot, a hand or another free extremity, for example, prevents injuries as the machine only moves as long as this safety contact is activated. The rope can also be adapted to different exercises with different pulleys.

The winch's pull cable preferably consists of a steel cable ( 6th ) with a plastic jacket at one end of which a hook or snap hook is attached to enable a handle ( 7th ), to be able to attach an exercise bar, a chain or other ropes for expansion in different constellations. The other end is on the pulley ( 5 ) attached.

The desired pulling force for the force phase and the return phase is set on the electronic control ( 4th ) of the training device. Either directly on the built-in control of the cable winch unit, or by means of a connected mobile computer system such as a tablet, smartphone, smartwatch, laptop, or even a stationary PC, which transfers the data to the control built into the device. In the following for simplification this control ( 8th ) simply called "computer". The connection can be made bidirectionally using a data cable or wirelessly using radio communication.

The assemblies described below only as electric motors or motors include an electric motor with the associated control that controls the direction of rotation and speed or torque of the motor.

SEQUENCE OF A TRAINING REPEAT

The powerful electric motor ( 1 ) for the main load may act by means of a gear ( 2 ) onto the pulley ( 5 ) to which the pull cable ( 6th ) of the training device is attached. This corresponds to the eccentric contraction movement of the muscle.

To retract the cable, the concentric movement of the muscle, the electric motor is specifically braked in order to maintain the set load on the muscle.

The required tensile force is permanently determined by means of force sensors ( 3 ), which are attached between the cable winch unit and the training device so that they can record the pulling force on the cable winch unit. The measured force is compared with the preset values and using the control built into the training device ( 4th ) the force of the motors or their braking is counter-regulated accordingly.

A safety button prevents the training device from moving unintentionally. If the user no longer presses the button because he wants to end the training, in the event of a malfunction or to prevent injury, the device stops immediately.

The control uses a rotation sensor to determine the unwound length of the pull rope ( 6th ) and calculates the maximum range of motion of the user during the exercise. If this developed length suddenly falls far outside of the determined preset range of motion, it can be assumed that there is an error. The control then stops the device immediately.

PARTICULARLY FAVORABLE DESIGN POSSIBILITIES OF THE INVENTION

The advantages achieved by the invention are, in particular, that instead of a large number of dumbbell bars, weight plates, handles and various other mechanical training devices, a training device with the cables described in the claim can be used.

Load cells or similar force / weighing sensors, for example, can be used as the force sensors described in claim 1. As the rotation sensors described in claim 1, fork light barriers, Hall sensors or similar rotation or displacement sensors can be used, for example.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention is specified in claim 2. The development according to claim 2 makes it possible to attach the cables described in claim 1 to different pulleys of the training bench in order to be able to train different exercises for different muscle groups.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention is specified in claim 3. The development according to claim 3 enables the cable pulls described in claim 1 to unwind from the cable winches in different directions without getting tangled in order to be able to be guided to different pulleys. A movable cable window that is moved by the pull cable itself is used for this purpose.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention is specified in claim 4. The development according to claim 4 enables the regulation described in claim 1 to be connected bidirectionally by means of a radio or cable connection to a computer, which makes the required controller settings as desired by the trainee with an easy-to-use program.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention is specified in claim 5. The further development according to claim 5 makes it possible through the use of an internet-enabled computer according to claim 4. With the help of which the trainee can upload his personal settings to an internet-based database. As a result, these settings can be called up again worldwide on all identical devices, and the user can do his exercises anywhere according to his personal settings.

Figure list

• The 1 shows a schematic representation of the cable winch unit with the control loop consisting of the cable pulley with motor ( 1 , 2 , 5 ), the force sensors ( 3 ) and the control unit ( 4th ). For the sake of clarity, ball bearings, housings, supports and holding frames have been omitted.

EXAMPLE OF EXECUTION

The 1 shows the winch according to the invention.

The winch according to the invention comprises a powerful electric motor ( 1 ). This motor drives via a possibly necessary gear ( 2 ) the pulley ( 5 ) at.

The winch is attached to the training bench using force sensors ( 3 ) attached in such a way that the tensile force applied to the pull rope ( 6th ) can be measured. This tensile force is permanently compared with the desired tensile force set by the person exercising and is determined by means of a microcontroller-controlled PID control ( 4th ) readjusted. This ensures that the trainee's muscles are stressed evenly during the entire training process. If there is a sudden change in the pulling force, the winding movement of the pull rope is stopped until the error is acknowledged by the person exercising. This is for safety. A sudden change in the pulling force can occur, for example, if the person exercising suddenly no longer has any strength due to muscle failure or fainting, the person holding the handgrip ( 7th ) slips away or the pull rope breaks. In addition to this safety device, the electronics also query the status of a safety button at any time. This is activated, depending on the exercise performed with the free extremity, by pressing with the foot or the hand. If this button is no longer actuated, e.g. due to fainting, the winding movement of the pull rope is also stopped immediately.

List of reference symbols

1

Motor M1

2

possibly gear for motor M1

3

Force sensors

4th

regulation

5

Rope reel

6th

Pull ropes

7th

Handle

8th

control

Claims (5)

Force-regulated cable winch for training equipment, characterized in that it is a pulley with a pull rope. A handle or other extensions can be attached to this pull cord. The pulley is driven by a drive motor and possibly an interposed gearbox, while the traction force required in each case for each traction rope is determined by one or more force sensors, compared with a preset traction force and regulated by a controller, while the unwinding length of the traction rope is determined by sensors, and can be compared with the maximum values set on the control, the safe functioning of the training device is guaranteed by safety buttons. Winch after Claim 1 characterized in that the pull rope is guided on different pulleys of the training bench in order to be able to perform different exercises for different muscle groups. Winch after Claim 1 characterized in that the pull ropes are guided through a rope window movable in two axes, which ensures correct winding of the pull rope from different directions. Winch after Claim 1 characterized in that the built-in control can be connected to a mobile or static computer by radio or cable connection, and the setting can be made through this. Winch after Claim 4 characterized in that the connected mobile device can transfer the data to an Internet-bound database and receive it from it, This means that the setting data can be used in the same way on all identical devices.

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