GB2193901A

GB2193901A - Exercise apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2193901A
Application number: GB08704929A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gideon B Ariel
Original assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co
Current assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co
Priority date: 1986-08-19
Filing date: 1987-03-03
Publication date: 1988-02-24
Anticipated expiration: 2007-03-03
Also published as: GB2193901B; GB8704929D0; DE3715406A1; JPS6351296A; CA1279669C

Description

GB2193901A 1

SPECIFICATION handle 16 which can be gripped by a user,

The user can sit on a bench 17 on the plat Exercise apparatus form 12.

A hydraulic cylinder assembly 20 is con- This invention relates to an exercise appara- 70 nected to the base and to the exercise bar.

tus, and, more particularly, to an exercise The hydraulic cylinder assembly includes a cyl apparatus which includes an air cylinder for inder 21 and a piston 22 which is reciproca counterbalancing the exercise bar. ble within the cylinder. The cylinder is pivo- My prior U.S. Patent No. 4,354,676 de- tally mounted on a bracket 23 which is at- scribes an exercise machine in which the 75 tached to the column 13. The rod of the pis movement of an exercise bar is controlled by ton 22 is pivotally attached to the exercise a hydraulic cylinder assembly. The piston of bar. A control valve assembly 24 controls the the cylinder assembly is connected to the ex- rate of flow of hydraulic fluid between the ercise bar, and the flow of hydraulic fluid two ends of the piston 22 as the piston which is forced out of the cylinder by the 80 moves up and down within the cylinder. The piston is controlled by a valve which is opercontrol valve may be operated by a stepper ated by a stepper motor. The pressure of the motor as described in U.S. Patent No.

hydraulic fluid is sensed by a pressure trans- 4,354,676. The details of a suitable control ducer. A servomechanism which includes a valve and stepper motor are described in my microprocessor monitors the fluid pressure 85 copending patent application entitled "Hydrau and the position of the exercise bar and pro- lic Valve Assembly, for Controlling a Hydraulic vides feedback control for adjusting the posi- Cylinder", Serial No. 898, 013, filed of even tion of the stepper motor. The valve is date herewith, the disclosure of which is- in thereby opened or closed to adjust the flow corporated herein by reference (corresponding rate of the hydraulic fluid. The resistance on 90 to U.K.Appln. No. 8703319).

the exercise bar can thus be controlled to vary The exercise apparatus which has been de- the force which the user must exert and/or scribed to this point is substantially the same the velocity at which the bar moves. as the exercise apparatus described in U.S.

The invention provides an improved cylinder Patent No. 4,354,676. As described in the assembly for controlling the exercise bar. In 95 patent, a pressure transducer on the hydraulic one embodiment, an air cylinder and piston cylinder 21 measures the pressure of the hy assembly is mounted in parallel with the hy- draulic fluid and a potentiometer measures the draulic cylinder. The air cylinder is pressurized position of the exercise bar. A microprocessor with air to counterbalance the exercise bar. controls the valve assembly 24 so that the An air reservoir is contained within the base 100 force which is exerted on the exercise bar 14 of the exercise machine so that the total vol- and/or the velocity of the exercise bar can be ume of the pressurized air and therefore the controlled as desired.

pressure remains substantially constant as the An air cylinder assembly 26 is mounted in air piston moves up and down. In another parallel with the hydraulic cylinder assembly embodiment, a compound cylinder contains 105 20. The air cylinder assembly includes a cylin both hydraulic fluid and pressurized air. A pair der 27 which is pivotally attached to the of pistons are mounted in a pair of cylinders, bracket 23, a piston 28, and a piston rod 29 and hydraulic fluid flows between the cylinders which is pivotally attached to the exercise bar through a valve block. Pressurized air acts on 14. The air cylinder includes a rod end 30 and the other side of one of the pistons. 110 a head end 31.

The invention will be explained by way of An air reservoir 32 is contained within the example, in conjunction with illustrative em- column 13 and is connected to the rod end of bodiments shown in the accompanying draw- the air cylinder 27 by a conduit or air hose ings, in which: 33. The air in the air reservoir and in the rod Figure 1 is an elevational view of one em- 115 end of the cylinder 27 is pressurized above bodiment of an exercise apparatus formed in atmospheric pressure and provides a force on accordance with the invention; the piston 28 which counterbalances the Figure 2 is an elevational view of another weight of the exercise bar 14 and the handle embodiment of an exercise apparatus formed 16. The head end of the air cylinder is vented in accordance with the invention; 120 to the atmosphere.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the cylinder The volume of the air reservoir 32 is sub- assembly of Fig. 2; and stantially greater than the volume of the air Figure 4 is a sectional view of another em- cylinder 27 so that the total volume of the bodiment of a cylinder assembly. reservoir and the cylinder remains substantially Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 125 constant as the air piston 28 moves up and shows an exercise apparatus 10 including a down. The volume of the air reservoir is pre base 11 which includes a platform 12 and a ferably about 10 times the volume of the air column or pedestal 13. An exercise bar 14 is cylinder. In one specific embodiment, the vol pivotally mounted on the column 13 by a pin ume of the air cylinder was about 14.7 square 15. One end of the exercise bar includes a 130 inches and the volume of the air reservoir was 2 GB2193901A 2 about 147 square inches. used as a structural element, being attached The pressurized air in the air cylinder 27 to the exercise bar 48 and the platform 50 in counterbalances the weight of the exercise bar parallel with the column 5 1. The use of the 14 so that the user's force works entirely cylinder assembly as a structural element against the resistance provided by the hydrau- 70 eliminates additional bracing and mounting lic cylinder assembly 20. The pressure trans- brackets which might otherwise be required.

ducer on the hydraulic cylinder therefore more The cylinder assembly 37 illustrated in Fig.

accuratly monitors the user's exercise in mov- 3 is a passive resistance mechanism. In other ing the bar. words, no force is exerted on the exercise bar In the exercise apparatus 36 illustrated in 75 which must be resisted by the user. Fig. 4 Figs. 2 and 3, the air system and the hydrauillustrates the cylinder assembly 37 in an ac lic system are combined in one cylinder as- tive resistance mechanism. A pressurized air sembly 37. The cylinder assembly 37 includes reservoir 56 is supplied with pressurized air a valve block 38 and a pair of cylinders 39 by an air pump 57. Pressurized air can be and 40 which are mounted on the valve 80 supplied to either the rod end 44 of the cylin block. Pistons 41 and 42 are reciprocably der 39 or the head end 54 of the cylinder 40 mounted within the cylinders 39 and 40 and through a two-way solenoid air valve 58 and are connected by a piston rod 43 which ex- air hoses 5,9 and 60.

tends slidably through the valve block 38 and When the rod end of the cylinder 39 is the rod end 44 of the cylinder 39. Suitable 85 pressurized with air, the head end 54 of the seals are provided in the valve block and the cylinder 40 will be vented to atmosphere by rod end of the cylinder 39 to prevent leakage the two-way solenoid air valve 58, the piston around the piston rod. rod 43 will move downwardly, and the exer- Hydraulic fluid fills the cylinders 39 and 40 cise bar will move upwardly. When the head between the pistons 41 and 42 and the valve 90 end 54 of the cylinder 40 is pressurized, the block 38. A fluid passage 45 extends through rod end 44 of the cylinder 39 is vented, and the valve block, and a spool valve 46 is the exercise bar will be moved down. The mounted in the fluid passage to control the rate of movement of the bar under the influ flow of hydraulic fluid between the cylinders. ence of the pressurized air is controlled by the The spool valve is controlled by a stepper 95 spool valve 46 which limits the flow of hy motor and the spool valve and the stepper draulic fluid from one cylinder to the other.

motor can be of the type which are described The main advantages of an active system in my aforementioned copending application are:

entitled "Hydraulic Valve Assembly for Con- users can train by resisting bar motion as trolling a Hydraulic Cylinder". 100 well as by pushing against the bar; The outer end of the piston rod 43 is con- in rehabilitation, users with limited mobility nected to an exercise bar 48. The exercise or with insufficient strength to move the bar bar is pivotally mounted on a base 49 which can be assisted by the exercise machine; and includes a platform 50 and a column 51. An users can be trained to a specific pattern or air reservoir 52 is mounted within the column 105 rate of motion both for rehabilitation and 51 and is connected to the rod end of the - strength training.

cylinder 39 by a condut or air hose 53. The While in the foregoing specification a de- head end 54 of the cylinder 40 is vented to tailed description of a specific embodiment of the atmosphere by vent 55. As previously de- the invention has been set forth for the pur scribed, the volume of the air reservoir is sub- 110 pose of illustration, it will be understood that stantially greater than the volume of the cylin- many of the details herein given may be der 39. The air pressure within the air reser- varied considerably by those skilled in the art voir 52 provides a downward force on the without departing from the spirit and scope of piston 41 which counterbalances the weight the invention.

of the exercise bar 48. 115

Claims

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 CLAIMS eliminates the separate

air cylinder assembly, 1. An exercise apparatus comprising:

thereby reducing the cost of the apparatus a base; and simplifying the design and the mounting an exercise bar pivotally mounted on the arrangement. The use of two pistons results 120 base; in equal hydraulic fluid volume displacement a hydraulic cylinder assembly connected to from each of the cylinders 39 and 40 and the exercise bar and the base, the hydraulic eliminates the necessity for check valves and cylinder assembly including a hydraulic cylinder a hydraulic fluid reservoir. This not only re- and a piston reciprocably mounted within the duces the cost of the apparatus but reduces 125 cylinder; the required space. A simpler and more direct a valve on the cylinder for controlling the hydraulic fluid flow results in lower internal movement of the piston within the cylinder; resistance of flow and a more accurate mea- an air cylinder assembly connected to the surement and control of resistance. exercise bar and the base in parallel with the The compound cylinder assembly 37 can be 130 hydraulic cylinder assembly, the air cylinder 3 GB2193901A 3 assembly including an air cylinder and a piston air pump, said valve being connected to the reciprocably mounted within the cylinder; and remote ends of both of said cylinders means for providing pressurized air to the whereby pressurized air can be delivered to air cylinder for providing a force against the the remote end of either of said cylinders.

piston in the air cylinder. 70 10. An exercise apparatus substantially as 2. An exercise apparatus as claimed in hereinbefore described with reference to and claim 1, in which said means for providing as illustrated in Fig. 1, Figs. 2 and 3, or Fig.

pressurized air includes an air reservoir having 4 of the accompanying drawings.

a volume substantially greater than the volume of the air cylinder. Published 1988 at The Patent Office, State House, 66/71 High Holborn, London WC 1 R 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from 3. An exercise apparatus as claimed in The Patent Office, Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD.

Printed by Burgess & Son (Abingdon) Ltd. Con. 1/87.

claim 1 or 2, in which the base includes a support column on which the exercise bar is pivotally mounted, said means for providing pressurized air including an air reservoir within the support column, the air reservoir having a volume substantially greater than the volume of the air cylinder, and a conduit connecting the air reservoir and the air cylinder.

4. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a base; an exercise bar pivotally mounted on the base; a cylinder assembly connected to the exer- icse bar and the base, the cylinder assembly including a valve block, first and second cylin ders mounted on the valve block in axial alignment, each of the cylinders having an end connected to the valve block and an end re mote from the valve block, a first piston reci procably mounted in the first cylinder and a second positon reciprocably mounted in the second cylinder, a piston rod extending sli dably through the valve block and connecting the first and second pistons, hydraulic fluid in each of the cylinders between the piston and the valve block, valve means in the valve block for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid between the cylinders, and means for pressur izing the remote end of one of the cylinders with air.

5. An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which said means for pressurizing includes an air reservoir having a volume sub stantially greater than the volume of said one cylinder.

6. An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 4 or 5, in which the remote end of the other of said cylinders is vented to the atmos phere.

7. An exercise apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6, in which the base in cludes a support column on which the exer cise bar is pivotally mounted, said means for pressurizing including an air reservoir within the support column, the air reservoir having a volume substantially greater than the volume of said one cylinder, and a conduit connecting the air reservoir and said one air cylinder.

8. An exercise apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7, in which said means for pressurizing includes an air pump for varying the air pressure within said one cylinder.

9. An exercise apparat ' us as claimed in claim 8, including a valve connected to said