In the arts of exercise systems, and in particular fly wheel resistance workout systems, a variety of workout systems are known. When a user is performing an exercise using a legacy fly wheel workout system, the user begins by grasping a grab bar. The grab bar is coupled to the fly wheel resistance device using a suitable strap, rope, cable, or the like. As the user pulls on the grab bar, the fly wheel resistance device exerts an opposing force on the strap, rope, cable, or the like in resistance to the pulling force exerted by the user.
One type of legacy fly wheel resistance workout system is a floor mounted workout system. The floor mounted legacy fly wheel resistance workout system allows the user to perform a variety of floor-based workout movements. Another type of legacy fly wheel resistance workout system is a wall mounted workout system. The wall mounted legacy fly wheel resistance workout system allows the user to perform a different variety of wall-based workout movements.
Typically, an exercise area includes a floor mounted legacy fly wheel resistance workout system and includes a separate wall mounted legacy fly wheel resistance workout system. One disadvantage of a separate workout systems is that the two workout systems require two separate installation areas in the exercise area. Further, if a user finishes exercising on one of the workout systems, and is ready to move over to the other workout system, the user might have to wait for another user to finish working out on that next workout system.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art to provide an improved fly wheel resistance apparatus and method.
Embodiments of the removeable anchor provide a system and method for a user to change exercises using a fly wheel resistance workout system. One embodiment includes a plurality of braces secured into at least one of a floor surface and a wall surface, wherein each one of the plurality of braces on the floor surface or the wall surface are located at predefined locations on the floor surface and the wall surface; a removeable anchor that can be releasably secured to one of the plurality of braces such that the removeable anchor is secured to a floor surface or a wall surface at a location of interest; a grab bar that is grasped by a user during an exercise motion; a fly wheel resistance device that opposes the exercise motion made by the user; and a strap with an end that is coupled to the fly wheel resistance device and with an end that is coupled the grab bar.
The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale relative to each other. Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
The disclosed systems and methods for a fly wheel resistance workout system 100 will become better understood through review of the following detailed description in conjunction with the figures. The detailed description and figures provide examples of the various inventions described herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed examples may be varied, modified, and altered without departing from the scope of the inventions described herein. Many variations are contemplated for different applications and design considerations, however, for the sake of brevity, each and every contemplated variation is not individually described in the following detailed description.
Throughout the following detailed description, a variety of examples for systems and methods for the fly wheel resistance workout system 100 are provided. Related features in the examples may be identical, similar, or dissimilar in different examples. For the sake of brevity, related features will not be redundantly explained in each example. Instead, the use of related feature names will cue the reader that the feature with a related feature name may be similar to the related feature in an example explained previously. Features specific to a given example will be described in that particular example. The reader should understand that a given feature need not be the same or similar to the specific portrayal of a related feature in any given figure or example.
The following definitions apply herein, unless otherwise indicated.
“Substantially” means to be more-or-less conforming to the particular dimension, range, shape, concept, or other aspect modified by the term, such that a feature or component need not conform exactly. For example, a “substantially cylindrical” object means that the object resembles a cylinder, but may have one or more deviations from a true cylinder.
“Comprising,” “including,” and “having” (and conjugations thereof) are used interchangeably to mean including but not necessarily limited to, and are open-ended terms not intended to exclude additional, elements or method steps not expressly recited.
Terms such as “first”, “second”, and “third” are used to distinguish or identify various members of a group, or the like, and are not intended to denote a serial, chronological, or numerical limitation.
“Coupled” means connected, either permanently or releasably, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components. “Secured to” means directly connected without intervening components.
Returning to
A first axle 132 extends through the first pulley 116. A second axle 134 extends through the second pulley 118. The axles 132 and 134 are sized to permit the pulleys 116, 118 to freely rotate as a strap, rope, cable, or the like is drawn through the fly wheel resistance workout system 100 during an exercise.
In a non-limiting example embodiment, a first optional spacing rod 136 extends through the first retainer bar 120. A second optional spacing rod 138 extends through the second retainer bar 122. The retainer bars 120, 122 are proximate to an exterior surface 140 of the first anchor wall 104 and the opposing second anchor wall 106, are substantially parallel with each other, and are inside of the location of the two pulleys 116, 118. In some embodiments, the retainer bars 120, 122 and the spacing rods 136, 138, respectively, are formed as a unibody member. Alternative embodiments that employ any suitable number of retainer bars and spacing rods are intended to be within the scope of this disclosure and to be protected by the accompanying claims.
Preferably, the outside surface of the retainer bars 120, 122 are coated with a material that has a minimal friction coefficient that is less than the friction coefficient of the material of the retainer bars 120, 122. The low friction coefficient reduces frictional drag exerted on the strap by the removeable anchor 102 when the user is performing an exercise motion (interchangeably referred to herein as an exercise movement). In some embodiment the first retainer bar 120 and the spacing rod 138, and the second retainer bar 122 and the second spacing rod 138, are made as a unibody structure.
The length of the axles 132, 134 and the spacing rods 136, 138 are substantially the same such that, when the first anchor wall 104 and the second anchor wall 106 are affixed to the axles 132, 134 and the spacing rods 136, 138, the first anchor wall 104 and the second anchor wall 106 are securely held together in a parallel and edge aligned manner. That is, the parallel anchor walls 104, 106 have their respective edges substantially aligned with each other. The axles 132, 134 and the spacing rods 136, 138 may be secured to the first anchor wall 104 and the second anchor wall 106 using a suitable fastener, such as a screw, a bolt, a pin, a rivet, a weld, an adhesive, or the like.
The attachment members 108, 110, 112, 114 are disposed on a second exterior surface 142 of the first anchor wall 104 and the second anchor wall 106 (that opposes the exterior surface 140). In the illustrated example embodiment, two of the attachment members 108, 110 are disposed on opposing ends of the exterior surface 142 of the second anchor wall 106. The other two attachment members 112, 114 are disposed on opposing ends of the first anchor wall 104. Accordingly, the four attachment members 108, 110, 112, 114 are located so as to form a rectangular perimeter. Alternative embodiments may use any suitable number of attachment members. In an example embodiment, the attachment members 108, 110, 112, 114 are keyhole feet. Alternative embodiments that use alternative attachment means now known or later devised are intended to be within the scope of this disclosure and to be protected by the accompanying claims.
In a preferred embodiment, the attachment members 108, 110, 112, 114 are configured to removably secure the removeable anchor 102 to selected braces 406, 402 (
The attachment aperture is defined by an opening that is configured to receive terminal lock nut of the attachment members 108, 110, 112, 114, and a slot extending away from the opening. The slot has a width corresponding to the diameter of the protruding shaft of the attachment members 108, 110, 112, 114 (wherein the width of the slot is less than the diameter of the terminal lock nut). Once the terminal lock nut is inserted into the opening, the protruding shaft of the attachment members 108, 110, 112, 114 are slid into the slot. Once the attachment members 108, 110, 112, 114 of the removeable anchor 102 are slid into place within the slots, the larger diameter of the terminal nut is restrained by the narrower slot. That is, the removeable anchor 102 is secured in place when the plurality of attachment members 108, 110, 112, 114 are engaged (inserted into and then slidably moved) into the corresponding one of the plurality of attachment openings 508 of the brace 302. 406. An example embodiment utilizes a key hole attachment system.
Alternatively, the first retainer bar 120 and the second retainer bar 122 are used to releasably secure the removeable anchor 102 to a wall surface. The wall surface has disposed therein a plurality of outwardly protruding hooks that are configured to concurrently receive the first retainer bar 120 and the second retainer bar 122 of the removeable anchor 102. In a preferred embodiment, two outward and upward pointing protruding hooks extend outwardly from the wall. When the removeable anchor 102 is secured to the wall using the first retainer bar 120 (which engages a first one of upward pointing protruding hooks) and the second retainer bar 122 (which engages the second one of the upward pointing protruding hooks), gravity holds the removeable anchor 102 in place during the user's workout.
During a workout, the user is able to detach the removeable anchor 102 easily and conveniently from the floor surface and/or the wall surface, and then reattach the removeable anchor 102 to another location on either the wall surface and/or the floor surface using either of the attachment members 108, 110, 112, 114 or the retainer bars 120, 122. Once the user has secured the removeable anchor 102 in a desired location, the user actuates the lock plunger 124 to secure the removeable anchor 102 in its current location. The lock plunger 124 extends a locking pin into an aperture on the brace to lock the removeable anchor 102 in place during the user's exercise movement.
After the user has completed a particular workout movement using the fly wheel resistance workout system 100 that is secured in place by the removeable anchor(s) 102, the removeable anchor(s) 102 can be detached from the floor surface and/or wall surface by the user by first releasing the lock plunger 124. Then, the removeable anchor(s) 102 can be repositioned by the user for another different workout movement.
In a non-limiting example embodiment, a first spacing rod 136 extends through the first retainer bar 120. A second spacing rod 138 extends through the second retainer bar 122. Preferably, the outside of the retainer bars 120, 122 are coated with a material that has a minimal friction coefficient. In some embodiment the first retainer bar 120 and the spacing rod 138, and the second retainer bar 122 and the second spacing rod 138, are made as a unibody structure. In some embodiments, the retainer bars and the spacing rods are formed of a unibody piece of material (and are generically referred to herein as retainer bars for brevity.)
The length of the axles 132, 134 and the spacing rods 136, 138 are substantially the same such that, when the first anchor wall 104 and the second anchor wall 106 are affixed to the axles 132, 134 and the spacing rods 136, 138, the first anchor wall 104 and the second anchor wall 106 are secured together in a parallel and edge aligned manner. The axles 132, 134 and the spacing rods 136, 138 may be secured to the first anchor wall 104 and the second anchor wall 106 using a suitable fastener, such as a screw, a bolt, a pin, a rivet, a weld, an adhesive, or the like.
An unexpected benefit is that the user is able to change the location of the removeable anchor 102 from the wall surface 408 to the floor surface 404, from the floor surface 404 to the wall surface 408, and/or from one location to a second location on the wall or the floor, without having to dissemble the fly wheel resistance workout system 100. Here, the user simply detaches the removeable anchor 102 from the wall surface 408 and then re-attaches the removeable anchor 102 to the floor surface 404 to change the fly wheel resistance workout system 100 shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the floor braces 402, 406 and the fly wheel resistance device 304 are secured to a floor surface 404. In some embodiments, the floor surface 404 may include a plurality of other floor braces, such as the exemplary non-limiting floor brace 406. Here, the plurality of floor braces 402, 406 are each located at varying distances from the fly wheel resistance workout system 100. Accordingly, the user may adjust the location of the removeable anchor 102 on the floor surface 404 to vary the nature of their exercise movement. Similarly, the exemplary non-limiting wall brace 302 has a plurality of attachment points (defined by attachment openings) that are each located at varying distances from the fly wheel resistance device 304. Here, the user may adjust the location of the removeable anchor 102 on the wall brace 302 to vary the nature of their exercise movement.
In a non-limiting example embodiment, an optional swivel 506 is disposed between the removeable anchor 102 and the wall brace 302. In an example embodiment, the body portion of the swivel 506 is removably secured to the wall brace 302 using attachment members (the same as or similar to the attachment members 108, 110, 112, 114 of the removeable anchor 102) that are inserted through the attachment openings 508 disposed in the wall brace 302. The swivel 506 allows the removeable anchor 102 to rotate about a horizontal plane 510. The body portion of the swivel 506 further includes upwardly and outwardly protruding hooks 1210, 1212 (
In practice, the user may be pulling the grab bar 306 (not shown) in an arc or the like for a particular exercise movement. The swivel 506 allows the removeable anchor 102 to rotate along the horizontal plane 510 so as to keep the strap 310 aligned with the location of the grab bar 306 during the exercise movement. An unexpected advantage of the swivel 506 is to reduce the likelihood of the moving strap 306 becoming entangled in the interior region of the removeable anchor 102.
The body portion 1202 includes a plurality of attachment members (similar to the attachment members 108, 110, 112, 114 of the removeable anchor 102) that are configured to secure the swivel 506 to the mating attachment openings 508 disposed in the wall brace 302. Some embodiments include an optional locking pin 1208 that locks the swivel 506 in the selected location on the wall brace 302.
The anchor securing portion 1206 comprises an upper hook 1210 that extends outwardly and upwardly from the body of the anchor securing portion 1206. The anchor securing portion 1206 also comprises a lower hook 1212 disposed below the upper hook 1210 that also extends outwardly and upwardly from the body of the anchor securing portion 1206. The hooks 1210 and 1212 are configured to mate with and to releasably secure the removeable anchor 102 to the swivel 506.
It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the fly wheel resistance workout system 100 are merely possible examples of implementations of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.
Furthermore, the disclosure above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in a particular form, the specific embodiments disclosed and illustrated above are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed above and inherent to those skilled in the art pertaining to such inventions. Where the disclosure or subsequently filed claims recite “a” element, “a first” element, or any such equivalent term, the disclosure or claims should be understood to incorporate one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.
Applicant(s) reserves the right to submit claims directed to combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed inventions that are believed to be novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodied in other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of those claims or presentation of new claims in the present application or in a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to the same invention or a different invention and whether they are different, broader, narrower, or equal in scope to the original claims, are to be considered within the subject matter of the inventions described herein.
This application claims priority to U.S. Application Ser. No. 63/065,769, filed on Aug. 14, 2020, entitled Systems and Methods For Fly Wheel Workout System, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
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