Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/06—User-manipulated weights
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/06—User-manipulated weights
  • A63B21/062—User-manipulated weights including guide for vertical or non-vertical weights or array of weights to move against gravity forces
  • A63B21/0626—User-manipulated weights including guide for vertical or non-vertical weights or array of weights to move against gravity forces with substantially vertical guiding means
  • A63B21/0628—User-manipulated weights including guide for vertical or non-vertical weights or array of weights to move against gravity forces with substantially vertical guiding means for vertical array of weights
  • A63B21/063—Weight selecting means
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/06—User-manipulated weights
  • A63B21/072—Dumb-bells, bar-bells or the like, e.g. weight discs having an integral peripheral handle
  • A63B21/0724—Bar-bells; Hand bars
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/06—User-manipulated weights
  • A63B21/072—Dumb-bells, bar-bells or the like, e.g. weight discs having an integral peripheral handle
  • A63B21/0728—Dumb-bells, bar-bells or the like, e.g. weight discs having an integral peripheral handle with means for fixing weights on bars, i.e. fixing olympic discs or bumper plates on bar-bells or dumb-bells
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/06—User-manipulated weights
  • A63B21/072—Dumb-bells, bar-bells or the like, e.g. weight discs having an integral peripheral handle
  • A63B21/075—Dumb-bells, bar-bells or the like, e.g. weight discs having an integral peripheral handle with variable weights, e.g. weight systems with weight selecting means for bar-bells or dumb-bells
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/06—User-manipulated weights
  • A63B21/078—Devices for bench press exercises, e.g. supports, guiding means
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/06—User-manipulated weights
  • A63B21/078—Devices for bench press exercises, e.g. supports, guiding means
  • A63B21/0783—Safety features for bar-bells, e.g. drop limiting means

Definitions

• This invention relates to exercise equipment and more particularly to exercise equipment which can provide a changing workload. It is known that, for maximum benefit, an athlete in training must push himself to his maximum strength limits. This is difficult to achieve with conventional weight training equipment such as a bench press machine or other general purpose or special purpose machines since generally the athlete has heretofore stopped exercising when he reaches his first point of momentary muscular failure (MMF). At that point, the athlete must either personally change the weight on the machine he is using, or a second person must change the weight for him so that the athlete can continue using the machine. This either unnecessarily interrupts the exercise, or requires the continual presence of a second, non-exercising partner.
• MMF momentary muscular failure
• AFP absolute fatigue point
• conventional weight stacks are not optimally suited to systems that automatically change the weight resistance upon occurrence of conditions such as MMF.
• conventional weight stacks include a number of identical weight plates (optionally with some smaller weights of a second value that can be manually connected to the weight stack).
• Changing the weight resistance automatically in such a system can be complicated and expensive.
• one possible approach is to provide individual automatically actuable selector pins for each plate that can be chosen as needed to choose the desired weight for the stack at that point in the exercise.
• a movable pin or pins can travel along the weight stack to the desired position for selecting the proper resistance.
• the first alternative is costly and complicated, while the second is merely complicated. Both could be improved.
• a resistance system for an exercise machine which facilitates the changing of weight resistance in response to conditions such as MMF.
• Another object of the present invention is a provision of such a system which is readily adaptable to conventional exercise equipment already in the field.
• a third object of the present invention is the provision of such a system which is economical and reliable.
• Other objects and features of the present invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out here and after.
• a resistance system for an exercise machine includes a plurality of resistance providing members having at least three different values of resistance and a selector for selecting sets of resistance providing members from the plurality of resistance providing members.
• a resistance system for an exercise machine includes a plurality of resistance providing members disposed horizontally with respect to each other.
• a selector selects sets of resistance providing members from the plurality of resistance providing members, the values of the resistances for a selected set determining the total resistance of the resistance system when said selected set is selected.
• a controller automatically controls the selector to change the total resistance of the resistance system upon occurrence of a predetermined condition, such as MMF.
• a resistance system provides a controllable resistance for an exercise device or machine.
• the system includes a plurality of selectable weights, each of the plurality of weights being selectable to be included in the controllable resistance.
• a selector is disposed adjacent each of the selectable weights, the selector including a plurality of actuators corresponding to each selectable weight such that when one of the actuators is actuated the corresponding selectable weight is included in the controllable resistance.
• an exercise machine includes a plurality of resistance providing members having at least three different values of resistance, and a selector for selecting sets of resistance providing members from the plurality of resistance providing members. The values of the resistances for a selected set determine the total resistance of the resistance system when the selected set is selected.
• a manually operable member such as a bar is adapted to be moved by a user, and is operatively linked to the selected set of resistance providing members so that movement of the manually operable member by the user must overcome the resistance provided by the selected set of resistance providing members.
• a method of retrofitting an exercise machine having a weight stack includes the steps of removing the existing weight stack of the exercise machine, replacing the existing weight stack with a set of weights having at least three different values of resistance, and providing a selector adapted to select various combinations of the weights in said set of weights.
• a method of changing resistance in an exercise device includes the steps of moving a selector to a predetermined position, disengaging a first set of weights while the selector is at the predetermined position, and engaging a second set of weights while the selector is at the predetermined position, wherein the second set of weights including individual weights of at least three different values of resistance.
• FIG. 3 is a front elevation of an alternative embodiment of the exercise resistance system of the present invention
• FIG. 4 is a simplified top view of an alternative weight stack of the present invention
• FIG. 4A is a top view of a selector used with the weight stack of Fig. 4
• FIG. 5 is a top view of the present invention being used with a barbell on a weight bench
• FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of an optional base for the weight stack of the present invention.
• Similar reference characters indicate similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning to Fig. 1, a resistance system 11 of the present invention is designed for use in connection with any conventional exercise machine 13 (only a portion of the conventional exercise machine is shown).
• Fig. 1A shows a conventional exercise machine 1 having a manually operable members 2 that the user using to exercise against resistance.
• the particular machine 1 shown has a cowling 3 with a readout 4 covering the weight stack (described below).
• a sensor 5 is disposed either in the lower or upper portion of the cowling on the exercise machine to sense the condition (speed, force, etc.) of the exercise to determine when a change is resistance would be beneficial.
• an exercise machine in the conventional sense is shown, it should be understood that the present invention may also be used with much simpler machines (sometimes called devices) such as a barbell.
• Resistance system 11 includes a plurality of resistance providing members 15 having at least three different values of resistance.
• resistance providing members 15 are 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 pound weights labeled 19, 21, 23, 25, and 27 respectively.
• the dual construction is desirable but not necessary to the present invention.
• the weights 15 are disposed horizontally with respect to each other, so that individual weights can be selected independently of whether any other weight is selected. This feature provides enormous flexibility of the present invention over the conventional weight stack.
• the values of the resistances for a selected set determine the total resistance of the resistance system when that selected set is selected.
• other means may be used as resistance providing members 15, such as elastic cords, shocks, electromagnetic resistance devices, springs, and the like.
• a selector 31 is disposed for selecting sets of resistance providing members from the plurality of resistance providing members. As can be seen in Fig.
• selector 31 includes a lift plate 33 and a plurality of actuators 35 disposed horizontally with respect to each other in suitable recesses 37 in plate 33.
• each weight resistance member 15 or each pair
• each actuator 35 associated therewith so that particular weight (or weight pair) could be selected.
• the number of actuators (and recesses) shown is reduced for purposes of clarity.
• Plate 33 also includes openings 41 for receiving the guide rods 43 of the conventional exercise machine. (It should be understood that not all exercise machines have guide rods — the guide rods are shown only for purposes of illustration).
• selector 31 is shown in Fig. 2 as including a plate, the shape of the member holding the actuators may be varied as desired. Turning back to Fig.
• selector 31 is disposed above resistance providing members 15 in an exercise machine frame 45 and is attached to a conventional lifting cable or belt 47 whose other end is connected to the user operated portion of the exercise machine (not shown).
• the selector moves vertically within the exercise machine frame 45 in response to the user exerting force on the lifting cable 47.
• the present system also includes a controller 51 (shown in Fig. 1 as being mounted to the exercise machine frame 45) connected to selector 31 by a cable 53 and to a suitable sensor or sensors 55. It should be understood that the controller may be placed wherever is most convenient.
• the controller may be any suitable computer or circuitry. The particular computer or circuitry is a matter of choice since nothing about the controller itself is unique.
• Controller 51 controls the actuation of the various actuators 35 in selector 31 in response to the detection of a condition such as MMF by sensor(s) 55.
• a condition such as MMF by sensor(s) 55.
• the controller 51 identifies that condition and, when the lift plate returns to the position shown in Fig. 1, activates (through cable 53) the actuators associated with all three of the four pound weights 19, both of the eight pound weights 21, and both of the sixteen pound weights 23, for a total weight (with the lift plate) of seventy-six pounds.
• the lift member is a cylinder 61, mounted on an axle 63. Movement of lift belt 47 causes the cylinder to rotate about its axis, raising and lowering any attached weights.
• the weights are not arranged in pairs, as in the previous embodiment (although whether the weights are arranged in pairs or not does not constitute a part of the broadest invention with either embodiment).
• Single weights 65, 67, 69, 71, 73, and 75 (having weights of four pounds, eight pounds, sixteen pounds, thirty-two pounds, sixty-four pounds, and 128 pounds respectively) are connected by straps 77 to lift cylinder or drum 62.
• Actuators 35 (not shown) are mounted inside drum 62, so that under control of controller 51 (also not shown in Fig. 3) any combination of the weights may be attached to or detached from the drum.
• Fig. 4 shows a set of thirteen weights 81-93.
• Each weight includes a projection (not shown) for accepting the rod of its corresponding actuator to select the weight (as is described below).
• the weights extend vertically, and are all substantially the same height so that each individually and collectively can be selected by the selector.
• weights 81, 87 and 93 are four pound weights
• weight 82 and 92 are thirty-two pound weights
• weights 83 and 91 are eight pound weights
• weights 84 and 90 are sixteen pound weights
• weight 85 is a two pound weight
• weights 86 and 88 are sixty-four pound weights
• weight 89 is a one pound weight.
• the actuator of weight 81 is actuator 81A and the corresponding tang is 81T.
• the controller 51 may change the weight from fifty pounds to forty pounds by, for example, disengaging actuators 82A, 84A, and 85A (thereby releasing weights 82, 84 and 85) and engaging actuators 91 A and 92A.
• disengaging actuators 82A, 84A, and 85A thereby releasing weights 82, 84 and 85
• engaging actuators 91 A and 92A engaging actuators 91 A and 92A.
• various other combinations of weights could be used as well.
• the present invention is particularly suitable for use in a retrofit kit for an existing exercise machine, but it may also be used to create totally new exercise machines. For example, in Fig. 5, a barbell using the weight resistance system of the present invention is illustrated. Of course, the invention is also applicable to any other type free weight machine.
• the bar 101 of the barbell is shown connected to a two-part selector 103 disposed above a set of weights on each side.
• the weights of each set are, for example, five pounds, ten pounds, twenty pounds, forty pounds, and eighty pounds.
• the weight resistance may be changed in the same manner as described above. That is, each weight has (in the selector) an actuator and tang associated therewith, so that weights are selected (added to the weight of the barbell) by actuating the corresponding actuator while the selector is at the home position and other weights (as desired) are unselected (removed from the weight of the barbell) by deactuating the corresponding actuator.
• Barbell 101 with selector 103 may be used with a weight training bench 105 as shown, or in any other conventional manner. If desired, a foot pedal 107 may be included to provide a signal to the selector 103 to change the weight.
• the weights rest in a base 111.
• the weights in this embodiment are tapered at their lower ends as shown in Fig. 6, and the base 111 includes correspondingly tapered openings 113 sized to accept the corresponding weights. That is, there is an opening for each weight, and each opening is sized to accept its corresponding weight.
• the tapered openings 113 ensure that as a weight is lowered to the rest position, it is guided into the corresponding opening.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Orthopedic Medicine & Surgery (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Rehabilitation Tools (AREA)
• Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
• Investigating Strength Of Materials By Application Of Mechanical Stress (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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• 2003
  • 2003-10-17 US US10/688,251 patent/US20050085351A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2004
  • 2004-10-12 BR BRPI0415492-4A patent/BRPI0415492A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2004-10-12 JP JP2006535577A patent/JP2007508115A/ja active Pending
  • 2004-10-12 CA CA002542471A patent/CA2542471A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2004-10-12 AU AU2004283685A patent/AU2004283685A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2004-10-12 EP EP04794749A patent/EP1682233A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2004-10-12 RU RU2006116921/21A patent/RU2429038C2/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2004-10-12 WO PCT/US2004/033479 patent/WO2005039706A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2004-10-12 CN CNA2004800337556A patent/CN1882376A/zh active Pending

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