BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY
The invention relates to exercise apparatus, and more particularly to resistance training apparatus.
Various types of exercise apparatus for resistance training are known in the prior art. In one type of apparatus, a cable is trained around a pulley having a camming profile providing a load curve in a plot of force versus displacement. Resistive force opposing user motion varies during such motion according to displacement, e.g. by use of an eccentric cam.
The present invention provides improvements, including a user-adjustable camming profile for changing the load curve.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of exercise apparatus in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is like FIG. 1 and shows another embodiment.
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the construction of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 shows exercise apparatus 10 for resistance training, including a cable 12, which may be of the rope type, belt type, or other type, trained around a pulley 14 and coupled to a resistance 16, such as a weight stack, resilient biasing spring, or other resistance mechanism, for resisting a given user motion as shown at arrow 18, for example by a user pulling handgrips 20. As is known, the pulley has a camming profile providing a load curve in a plot of force versus displacement, i.e. angular displacement of pulley 14 corresponding to translational displacement of handgrips 20 or other mechanism engaged by the user and resisting user motion. The cable may be provided by a single cable 12 preferably cogged or toothed to prevent slippage thereof around pulley 14. Alternatively, the cable may be provided by a first cable section 12a extending from weight stack 16 around the pulley and then laterally through upper end 22 of pulley slot 24 and then looped back as shown in dashed line at 12a and tied or anchored to the pulley, e.g. at bolt hole 26, and a second cable section 12b extending from handgrips 20 or the like and then laterally through lower end 28 of pulley slot 24 and then looped back as shown in dashed line at 12b and anchored or tied to the pulley, e.g. at bolt hole 30.
In the present invention, the pulley is provided with an adjustable camming profile for changing the noted load curve. Pulley 14 is eccentrically mounted on a shaft 32 for rotation about a rotation axis 34. The eccentricity provides the noted camming profile. Pulley 14 is translational across shaft 32 in a direction 36 transverse to axis 34 to change the noted eccentricity. A user-engageable locking mechanism 38 has a first locking position, to be described, locking pulley 14 in a given translational position, and has a second release position, to be described, permitting translational movement of pulley 14 in the noted transverse direction 36 to a different translational position to change the noted load curve.
Pulley 14 has a slot 40, FIG. 2, receiving shaft 32 extending axially therethrough. Pulley slot 40 has an extended dimension along the noted transverse direction 36 receiving shaft 32 at a plurality of translational positions therealong. The noted user-engageable locking mechanism includes a slide block 42 having a shaft-mount portion 44 provided by an aperture extending axially therethrough and mounted to shaft 32. Slide block 42 extends transversely from aperture 44 to a pulley-lock portion 46 having a plurality of smaller apertures or blind holes 48 therein. A user-engageable retainer member 50 cooperates between the pulley and the pulley-lock portion 46 of slide block 42 to provide the noted adjustment, to be described. In one embodiment, the noted retainer member is provided by a spring-loaded pin 52 having a normally rightwardly biased locking position in FIG. 2, and having a knob 54 on the leftward outer end thereof which may be pulled leftwardly by the user to a release position. The retainer member is moveable, rightwardly in FIG. 2, to the noted first locking position locking pulley 14 to slide block 42 to rotate therewith about shaft 32. The retainer member is moveable by the user to the noted second release position, leftwardly in FIG. 2, releasing pulley 14 from slide block 42 and permitting translational movement of pulley 14 along transverse direction 36 to a different translational position of pulley slot 40 along shaft 32 and of pulley 14 along slide block 42.
First and second axially spaced plates 56 and 58, FIG. 2, are mounted, e.g. by rivets, bolts, pins, welding, etc., to pulley 14 on axially distally opposite sides thereof at pulley slot 40. The plates have respective slots 60 and 62 receiving shaft 32 extending axially therethrough. Pulley slot 40 is axially between first plate slot 60 and second plate slot 62. First plate slot 60 and pulley slot 40 and second plate slot 62 are axially aligned. User-engageable retainer member 50 includes a sleeve 64 mounted to plate 56 at recess 66, e.g. by welding, adhesive bonding, etc. Locking pin 52 is moveable in a first axial direction, e.g. rightwardly in FIG. 2, toward second plate 58 to engage slide block 42 in the noted first locking position, namely by entry of pin 52 into a respective one of locking holes 48 of slide block 42. Locking pin 52 is moveable in a second opposite axial direction, e.g. leftwardly in FIG. 2, upon leftward pulling of knob 54 by the user, away from second plate 58 to disengage slide block 42 in the noted second release position, namely by disengagement and retraction of pin 52 from a respective hole 48 of slide block 42. Pulley 14 may then be moved to a different translational position along direction 36 to change the eccentricity of pulley 14 about shaft 32.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show another embodiment and use like reference numerals from above where appropriate to facilitate understanding. Exercise apparatus 70 includes pulley 14a having an adjustable camming profile for changing the load curve, as above. Pulley 14a is eccentrically mounted on shaft 32 for rotation about rotation axis 24. An adjustment mechanism 72 adjustably translates pulley 14a across shaft 32 in the noted transverse direction 36 to different translational positions to change the noted load curve by changing the noted camming profile by changing the noted eccentricity. The adjustment mechanism is provided by slot 40a receiving shaft 32 extending axially therethrough. As above, pulley slot 40a has an extended dimension along transverse direction 36 receiving shaft 32 at a plurality of translational positions therealong. The adjustment mechanism further includes a slide block 42a having a shaft-mount portion 44a provided by an aperture extending axially therethrough and mounted to shaft 32. The adjustment mechanism further includes an adjuster member 74 cooperating via lead screw 76 between the pulley and slide block 42a. In the embodiment shown, adjuster member 74 is a wheel rotationally movable, i.e. is rotational about axis 78, to translate pulley 14a along transverse direction 36 to different translational positions of pulley slot 40a along shaft 32 and of pulley 14a along slide block 42a. Pulley 14a rotates with slide block 42a in each of the noted different translational positions. Axis 78 is parallel to transverse direction 36. Rotary wheel member 74 is rotationally mounted to the pulley and rotationally coupled to slide block 42a by screw coupling 76 rotational about axis 78 to translate pulley 14a along transverse direction 36 relative to slide block 42a.
First and second axially spaced plates 56a and 58a, FIG. 4, are mounted, e.g. by rivets, bolts, pins, welding, etc., to pulley 14a on axially distally opposite sides thereof at pulley slot 40a. The plates have respective slots 60a and 62a receiving shaft 32 extending axially therethrough. Pulley slot 40a is axially between first plate slot 60a and second plate slot 62a. First plate slot 60a and pulley slot 40a and second plate slot 62a are axially aligned. End blocks 80 an 82 are axially mounted between the plates in slot 40a and journal screw shaft 76 therein at respective bushings 84 and 86. Rotary wheel 74 is nonrotatably mounted on shaft portion 88, e.g. by welding, pinning, or the like. Threaded portion 90 of the shaft threadingly engages slide block 42a at threaded bore 92. Upon rotation of rotary wheel 74 about axis 78, the worm gear lead screw type engagement of shaft 76 at threaded portion 90 in threaded bore 92 of slide block 42a effects translational movement of pulley 14a along transverse direction 36 relative to shaft 32. Plates 56a and 58a have respective windows or apertures 94 and 96 providing user access to wheel 74 to enable user engagement and adjustment thereof. Alternatively, shaft 76 could be rotated by a small electric motor, e.g. a DC motor, which alternatively or additionally may be actuated by a software based user training program according to user commands.
It is recognized that various equivalents, alternatives and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.
Patent Grant
7282015
