Exercise devices – Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-28
2003-02-11
Richman, Glenn E. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
C482S097000, C482S100000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06517468
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to exercise devices used on the human body and, more particularly, to exercise devices wherein the resistance curve experienced by the human body can be selectively and easily adjusted.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Most exercise devices provide only a single resistance curve that cannot be altered to conform to individual requirements. Recently, a number of exercise devices have been developed that enable resistance curves to be varied. However, those exercise devices suffer from a number of practical and functional limitations. For example, negative forces often result during the range of motion of the exercise device which can lead to less than optimal conditioning and loss of control of the exercise device by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,243 discloses an exercise device combining the resistance generated by a plurality of torque arms with a conversion mechanism that creates a greater degree of rotation of the torque arms than that of the exercise arm. It is possible, through proper relative placement of weights along designated torque arms, to achieve desirable resistance curves. However, both positive and negative resistance forces are possible during the exercise motion. Consistently maintaining a desired resistance curve and consistently maintaining a positive resistance load throughout the exercise motion requires proper adjustment of numerous torque arm variables. The proper adjustment of such variables may in many cases be beyond the patience and/or the knowledge of the average exercise equipment user.
U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 08/609,244, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses an exercise device in which resistance curves can be selectively varied and controlled to achieve a desired positive resistance curve notwithstanding the degree of rotation of the exercise motion. In that exercise device, a user interface member (or exercise member) is connected to a first shaft such that when the user interface member is displaced by a user the first shaft is caused to rotate. A second shaft is also rotatably supported on a support frame of the device. A torque arm assembly including a plurality of torque arms (for supporting weight members) are connected to the second shaft. A conversion mechanism connects the first and the second shafts to limit the degree of rotation of the second shaft in such a manner that the resistance generated by the torque arm assembly cannot result in a negative resistance force regardless of the loading of the torque arms.
In general, the conversion mechanism of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 08/609,244 is a beltwheel assembly. Beltwheel assemblies provide the advantage of effecting a linear or constant conversion of the degree of rotation between the user interface member (or exercise arm) and the torque arm assembly. Thus, the normalized resistance curve or strength curve for each of the torque arms is unaffected by the beltwheel conversion mechanism. Nonetheless, beltwheel conversion mechanisms suffer from a number of significant drawbacks. For example, belt wheel assemblies can be expensive and difficult to manufacture. Moreover, deformation of the belt during use thereof can affect the conversion. Likewise, the belts of beltwheel assemblies are prone to failure/breakage during use, giving rise to the potential for injury to the user.
It is very desirable to develop exercise devices that reduce or eliminate the drawbacks associated with current exercise devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an exercise device in which resistance curves can be selectively varied and controlled. The present invention includes a torque arm assembly that preferably comprises a plurality of torque arms or pegs positioned at different radial positions along a radius of rotation of the torque arm assembly such that the relevant placement of weight members on the torque arms results in an endless array of resistance curves. In any such resistance curve, the present invention preferably continuously maintains a positive resistance force regardless of the manner of loading of the torque arms.
In general, the present invention provides an exercise device for generating a plurality of resistance curves including a support frame and a torque arm assembly rotatably connected to the support frame via, for example, a rotating shaft of the torque arm assembly. As described above, the torque arm assembly includes a plurality of torque arms. Each of the plurality of torque arms includes a support member to position a weight member thereon. A user interface member is connected to an exercise arm or shaft. Displacement of the user interface by the use of the exercised device causes the exercise arm to rotate. A conversion mechanism including a linkage assembly operatively connects the exercise arm and the torque arm assembly. The conversion mechanism controls the degree of rotation of the torque arm assembly as a function of the rotation of the exercise arm.
The linkage assembly of the conversion mechanism is preferably adapted to provide a generally optimized desired normalized resistance or torque curve as experience by the user (that is, torque as measured at the exercise arm) for each of the torque arms. In that regard, the nonlinear conversion of the linkage assembly and the sinusoidal variation of each of the torque arms is combined to provide a simultaneously optimized resistance curve for each of the torque arms.
The linkage assembly of the present invention provides a number of advantages over beltwheel assembly conversion mechanisms used in current exercise devices. For example, linkage assemblies are stronger than belt wheel assemblies and do not wear/fail with repeated use over extended periods of time. Moreover, the linkage assemblies of the present invention are relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
A number of currently available exercise devices utilize linkage assemblies to connect an exercise arm to a weight assembly. Unlike such exercise devices, the multiple defined torque curves (as determined by the multiple torque arms of the torque arm assembly) of the present invention, the relatively large conversion ratios of the conversion mechanism of the present invention, and/or the relatively large range of motion of the exercise arm and/or the torque arm greatly complicate the design of the linkage assembly. Indeed, the inherent nonlinearity of linkage assemblies can substantially and undesirably alter the sinusoidal resistance curves (that is, the torque on the exercise arm) resulting from a rotating torque arm assembly. In that regard, the resistance and the rate of change of that resistance experienced by the user over the range of motion of the exercise arm is a sum of the effects of the sinusoidal torque resulting from rotation of the torque arm assembly and the nonlinear conversion of the sinusoidal torque by the linkage assembly. Because of their inherent nonlinearity, linkage assemblies have typically been used in exercise devices in cases wherein (i) there is an approximately 1:1 correspondence between the range of motion of the exercise arm and the torque arm assembly (a conversion ratio of 1.0); (ii) the range of motion of the exercise arm and/or the torque arm assembly is relatively limited (generally, less than approximately 50 degrees); (iii) and/or the torque arm assembly can be loaded at only a single position.
In that regard, matching a single load curve to a single load force curve using a linkage assembly as done in a number of other exercise devices is relatively simple. For example, if the nonlinearity of a linkage assembly in such an exercise device is such that the user interface arm and the load or torque arm assembly are rotating in the correct angle, but the force curve is incorrect, the designer can simply rotate the weight loading point (for example, a torque arm or weight peg) to a different angle on the arc of rotation of the torque arm assembly to match the load curve to the linkage curve and give the de
Richman Glenn E.
Webb Ziesenheim & Logsdon Orkin & Hanson, P.C.
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