Patent Application
20240198163
This application relates generally to an exercise machine, for example a smith machine, with movable carriage and rack for selecting a desired resistance. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
Weight machines are commonly used for weight training. One such weight machine is a Smith machine, which includes a barbell within a steel rail that allows for only vertical movements of the barbell. A desired number of weight plates (e.g., Olympic weight plates) are then placed on the ends of the barbell by the user to achieve the desired exercise resistance. The user manually adjusts the resistance by placing the barbell in a resting position, then adding or removing weight plates from the barbell. The machine can be used for a wide variety of exercises by moving the barbell (with weight plates attached) up and down along the rail. Representatively, the user can perform squats, lunges, deadlifts, shoulder press, etc.
Example embodiments in general relate to a variation of a Smith machine and more specifically to a smith machine with moveable carriage and rack for providing a counterbalance barbell shaft with hooks that the user can latch on the moveable rack with multiple openings. This rack is connected to a selectorized weight stack. When the hooks are latched into one of the openings of the rack on the left and right side of the frame, the user can start doing the exercise by moving the barbell shaft to lift up the weight stack from the bottom of the exercise machine. The exercise machine with moveable carriage and rack generally includes a frame with at least a selectorized weight stack; a pair of vertically positioned cylindrical guide rods; a counterbalance horizontal barbell shaft with latching hooks sliding attached to said cylindrical rods; a pair of tube frames; a pair of carriage block assemblies with roller elements and a pair of racks with multiple openings attached to it.
Another aspect of the invention is directed to a smith machine which includes a frame with at least a selectorized weight stack; a pair of vertical positioned cylindrical guide rods; a counterbalance horizontal barbell shaft with latching hooks sliding attached to said cylindrical rods; a pair of tube frames; a pair of carriage block assemblies with roller elements and a pair of racks with multiple openings attached to it. There may also be additional features of the selectorized smith machine with moveable carriage and rack that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the selectorized smith machine with moveable carriage and rack in detail, it is to be understood that the selectorized smith machine with moveable carriage and rack is not limited in its application to the details of construction or to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The selectorized smith machine with moveable carriage and rack is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
Various applications of the invention are intended to be covered herein. Representatively, a selectorized Smith machine with moveable carriage and rack for providing a counterbalance barbell shaft with hooks that the user can latch on the moveable rack with multiple openings. This rack is connected to the weight stack. When the hooks are latched into one of the openings of the rack on the left and right side of the frame, the user can start doing the exercise by moving the barbell shaft to lift up the weight stack from the bottom of the selectorized smith machine. Another application is to provide a selectorized Smith machine with moveable carriage and rack that eliminates the need to use an adjustable safety stop. Another object is to provide a selectorized Smith machine with moveable carriage and rack that connects the moveable rack directly to the selectorized weight stack to increase or decrease the resistance via the weight stack selector pin. A still further object is to provide a selectorized Smith machine with moveable carriage and rack that uses the counterbalance weight barbell shaft for a lighter starting weight.
Representatively, in another aspect, the disclosure is directed to an exercise apparatus comprising: a frame having a first vertical guide and a second vertical guide; a first selectorized weight stack and a second selectorized weight stack coupled to the frame; a first carriage assembly and a second carriage assembly coupled to the first and second selectorized weight stacks, respectively, each of the first and second carriage assemblies comprising a rack having a number of openings; and an exercise bar movably coupled to the frame, the exercise bar having a first end comprising a first latching hook and a second end having a second latching hook, the first latching hook or the second latching hook configured to engage or disengage with an opening of the number of openings in the rack to adjust a resistance of the exercise bar. In some aspects, the first and second carriage assemblies are coupled to the first and second selectorized weight stacks by a cable and pulley system. In other aspects, the rack is vertically aligned with the first and second vertical guides such that the number of openings are located at different vertical positions along the first and second vertical guides. In still further aspects, the first or second latching hook engages with the opening, the exercise bar is coupled to the first and second carriage assemblies and the first and second selectorized weight stacks to increase the resistance of the exercise bar. In some aspects, the first and second carriage assemblies and the first and second selectorized weight stack move vertically together with the exercise bar during an exercise operation. In another aspect, each of the first and second carriages assemblies further comprise a roller element fixedly coupled to the rack and configured to translate along at least one of the first or second vertical guides. The frame may further include a third vertical guide and a fourth vertical guide, and the rack of the first carriage assembly translates along the third vertical guide and the rack of the second carriage assembly translates along the fourth vertical guide. In some aspects, a rotation of the exercise bar causes the first latching hook or the second latching hook to engage or disengage with the opening in the rack. In some aspects, a first bearing assembly is coupled to the first end of the exercise bar and a second bearing assembly coupled to the second end of the exercise bar, the first bearing assembly and the second bearing assembly configured to couple the exercise bar to the first and second vertical guides and allow for rotation of the exercise bar relative to the first and second vertical guides. A counterbalance weight may further be coupled to the exercise bar to reduce a starting resistance of the exercise bar. The exercise bar may be coupled to the counterbalance weight by a cable and pulley system.
In another aspect, an exercise apparatus includes a frame having at least one vertical guide; a carriage assembly coupled to the at least one vertical guide, the carriage assembly comprising a roller element and a rack operable to translate along the at least one vertical guide; a selectorized weight stack coupled to the carriage assembly by a cable and pulley system; and a counterbalanced exercise bar coupled to the at least one vertical guide and having at least one latching hook configured to engage or disengage with the rack to adjust a resistance of the exercise bar. In some aspects, the rack includes a number of openings vertically aligned with the at least one vertical guide, and the at least one latching hook engages with an opening of the number of openings to increase the resistance of the exercise bar. When the latching hook engages with an opening, the carriage assembly and the selectorized weight stack move vertically together with the exercise bar during an exercise operation. In some aspects, the number of openings are located at different vertical positions along the at least one vertical guide. In some aspects, a rotation of the exercise bar causes the latching hook to engage or disengage with the rack. The frame may further include a second carriage assembly having a roller element and a rack coupled to a second vertical guide, a third vertical guide and a fourth vertical guide, and the rack of the first carriage assembly translates along the third vertical guide and the rack of the second carriage assembly translates along the fourth vertical guide. In still further aspects, a bearing assembly is coupled to an end of the exercise bar and the bearing assembly configured to couple the exercise bar to the at least one vertical guide and allow for rotation of the exercise bar relative to the vertical guide. A counterbalance weight may be coupled to the exercise bar to reduce a starting resistance of the exercise bar. The exercise bar may be coupled to the counterbalance weight by a cable and pulley system.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention. To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of this application.
Example embodiments will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are represented by like reference characters, which are given by way of illustration only and thus are not limitative of the example embodiments herein. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” aspect in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same aspect, and they mean at least one.
In this section we shall explain several preferred aspects of this disclosure with reference to the appended drawings. Whenever the shapes, relative positions and other aspects of the parts described are not clearly defined, the scope of the disclosure is not limited only to the parts shown, which are meant merely for the purpose of illustration. Also, while numerous details are set forth, it is understood that some aspects of the disclosure may be practiced without these details. In other instances, well-known structures and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this description.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “above”, “upper”, and the like may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element's or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising” specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
The terms “or” and “and/or” as used herein are to be interpreted as inclusive or meaning any one or any combination. Therefore, “A, B or C” or “A, B and/or C” mean “any of the following: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A, B and C.” An exception to this definition will occur only when a combination of elements, functions, steps or acts are in some way inherently mutually exclusive.
Turning now to
Referring now in more detail to the components supported by frame 30,
Referring now in more detail to other components supported by frame 30,
The counterbalanced horizontal barbell shaft 10, which is attached to frame 30 and carriage assembly 20 to lift and/or lower weight plates 42, will now be described in reference to
In addition, as illustrated by
Referring now to
Referring now to
Although methods and materials similar to, or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the selectorized smith machine with moveable carriage and rack, suitable methods and materials are described above. The selectorized smith machine with moveable carriage and rack may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.
While certain aspects have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such aspects are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad disclosure, and that the disclosure is not limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other modifications may occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, in some aspects, the transducer assembly disclosed herein may be coupled to, or otherwise positioned near, a button or other input device associated with the enclosure. In this aspect, actuation or excitation of the MLB transmits a haptic or sound output to the button that may, for example, provide an alert or other output to the user. The description is thus to be regarded as illustrative instead of limiting. In addition, to aid the Patent Office and any readers of any patent issued on this application in interpreting the claims appended hereto, applicants wish to note that they do not intend any of the appended claims or claim elements to invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) unless the words “means for” or “step for” are explicitly used in the particular claim.
This application is a non-provisional application of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/434,005, filed Dec. 20, 2022, and incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63434005 | Dec 2022 | US |
