Supports – Props and braces – Adjustable length
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-01
2002-02-19
Braun, Leslie A. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Props and braces
Adjustable length
C074S469000, C074S551100, C248S188500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06347777
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF TIE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to seats with adjustable back pads and seat pads, and is particularly concerned with an adjustment apparatus for adjusting the position of a seat pad and/or a back pad of a seat in order to accommodate users of various shapes and sizes.
Seats used in exercise machines, or as office chairs or the like, normally have adjustable seat pads and back pads so that the user can tailor the seat to accommodate their specific needs. Such adjustability is particularly useful for seats used in exercise machines for supporting a seated exerciser while performing exercises, because of the different sizes and shapes of the users and also because different seat and back pad positions may be preferable for performing different types of exercises. The adjustment device or apparatus must be convenient, durable, and safe, both in the office and in the health club environment, and in any other applications where an adjustable seat is required.
There are two major, known types of seat adjusters, those with fixed incremental settings and those without fixed increments (infinite adjusters). Adjusters without fixed increments provide infinite adjustments that allow the user to place the seat and back pads anywhere along the adjustment path. In theory, this type of adjuster should be preferable since the user does not have to locate a fixed setting when making an adjustment.
Three types of infinite adjusters are known in seats for exercise machines. The first type uses a threaded tension knob to apply pressure in order to hold the adjusting pad in place. The pad is mounted on one of two telescoping tubes. The user turns the knob to secure or release the pad-mounted tube. This is both easy to use and inexpensive, but has several disadvantages. First, the same adjustment must be made for movement in either direction. The threaded end of the adjustment knob mars the finish on the adjuster tube, and severe over-tightening can strip the threads and require replacement. If the knob loosens during use, the seat can slip, which could cause injury to the user. In commercial applications or health clubs, it is common for one user to over-tighten the knob so that it is difficult or impossible for subsequent users to loosen it. Additionally, adjustment locations cannot be easily documented and repeated. It is almost impossible for a user to place the seat in the same position every time. Because the adjustments are infinite and not fixed, the seat position cannot be accurately recorded. It is important when exercising to know your positioning on each piece of equipment. Full range of motion, amount of pre-stretch, and axis of rotation positioning are all determined by seat pad and back pad positioning. If the user is not in the proper position, they will not receive the full benefit from the exercise and could risk potential injury.
The second type of infinite adjuster uses leverage and the weight of the seat itself to secure the seat, by wedging it in place on the adjusting upright. The same type of adjustment is made for movement in either direction. In order to raise or lower the seat pad, user's must lift the front end of the seat upward, releasing the weight of the seat. It can then slide up and down on the adjusting upright. One problem with this design is that, once tension is released, gravity and the weight of the seat can make it hard to control. The user must be paying attention and use both hands, or the seat could fall. If the front end of an unoccupied seat is accidentally bumped into, the seat could drop and damage the equipment or cause injury. This is a safety liability. This type of adjuster also has the problem of position identification and repeatability of a seat position.
The assisted adjuster is the third type of infinite adjustment mechanism. It utilizes a spring or gas shock to lift the seat automatically. While this works well in one direction, it requires the user's body weight to apply force against the assisting device and move the seat in the opposite direction. Because of this, the user can only make adjustments when seated. This design is more expensive to produce and maintain or service. It also has the same problem as the first two types of infinite adjusters with position identification and repeatability. The same type of adjustment is required for movement in either direction.
Fixed incremental adjusters, while offering fewer adjustment positions, are more secure, and have the ability to accurately identify optimum seat positions for future use. These adjusters utilize a direct pinning system to lock the seat pad or back pad in place. There are generally four types of fixed adjuster.
The first type of fixed adjuster utilizes a straight through pin to lock two pieces of telescoping tubing together. A single through hole in the outer tube is lined up with one of a series of through holes in the inside tube, and the pin is inserted through both holes. This is a simple and effective way to lock the seat in place. Because the pad is secured in position, its position can easily be identified and repeated. The same procedure is used to adjust the pad in either direction. The disadvantage with this design is that the pin can work itself loose and back out. This will cause the seat to drop and can cause serious injury. Because the pin is not attached to the equipment, it is easily misplaced, making the equipment inoperable.
The second type of fixed adjuster uses a spring-loaded pull pin to replace the straight pin. In this design, a hole is drilled in the outer of two telescoping tubes and the pull pin “barrel” is welded over it. A series of holes are provided in the inner tube. The pull pin, which is a spring-tensioned plunger with a knob on one end, is secured inside the barrel. The pull pin is pulled back against the spring, the inner telescoping tube is adjusted to the desired position, and the pull pin is released. The pad is then held securely in place and the spring tension prevents the pin from working loose. Misplacement of the pin is not a problem. The pad positioning is easily identified and repeated. One disadvantage to this type of fixed adjuster is that the user must use both hands to control the pad and pull the pull pin at the same time. This generally means that, when adjusting a seat or back pad, the user must get up from the seat in order to reach and control both the pad and the pull pin. This can be annoying, particularly when such an adjuster is used on multi-function exercise machines such as home gyms, which require constant adjusting of pads when switching from one exercise to another.
The third type of fixed adjuster is known as a twist and lift system. In this system, a round outer telescoping tube has a central channel machined along a portion of its length facing inwardly, with a series of spaced, downward angled slots running from one side of the channel. The round inner tube has a pin or bolt protruding outwardly and captured in the channel. The pin engages in one of the slots to lock the pad in a selected position. In order to adjust the pad position, the user must twist and lift the pad, which in turn twists and lifts the pin and slides it out of the slot and into the channel. From there, the pad can be adjusted up or down to the desired position, and twisted back down so that the pin engages in another slot. This is quick and simple, usually requiring only one hand, and the positions can easily be identified and repeated. The same procedure is used for adjustment in either direction. Because the system can only be used with round tubing, it is difficult and expensive to machine the channel and slots in the tube radius, and to position the pad square to the frame. Another disadvantage is the limited number of possible positions, and the increased distance between these positions as compared to other types of adjuster. A further disadvantage is that, if an unoccupied seat is accidentally bumped in a sideways direction, the pin may slide into the central channel, and the seat will
Brennan Christopher E.
Webber Randall T.
Zink George M.
Braun Leslie A.
Brown Martin Haller & McClain LLP
Hoist Fitness Systems
Le Tan
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