Exercise machine

• US 20040266591A1
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Technogym SpA
• Original Assignee: Technogym SpA
• Inventors: Zaccherini, Leo, Alessandri, Nerio
• Application Number:
  US10/855,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20040266591A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/94
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0082 with pivoting handlebars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/025 on rollers or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/026 stabilised by weight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0053 using alternators or dynamos
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/154 using special pulley-assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/156 the position of the pulleys being variable, e.g. for different exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/28 Devices for two persons operating in opposition or in cooperation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4047 Pivoting movement weight pivoting A63B21/0615
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/36 Speed measurement by electric or magnetic parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/09 Adjustable dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/10 Multi-station exercising machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03525 Supports for both feet or both hands performing simultaneously the same movement, e.g. single pedal or single handle A63B21/0724 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03533 With separate means driven by each limb, i.e. performing different movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03541 Moving independently from each other A63B22/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0355 A single apparatus used for either upper or lower limbs, i.e. with a set of support elements driven either by the upper or the lower limb or limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0488 by spreading the legs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/12 for upper limbs or related muscles, e.g. chest, upper back or shoulder muscles bench press exercises A63B21/078; for teaching music G09B15/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1209 : Involving a bending of elbow and shoulder joints simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1254 : Rotation about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, e.g. butterfly-type exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 : Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances

Abstract

An exercise machine comprises: a mounting frame (1); at least two user positions (18, 181, 205); power transmission means (2) designed to connect corresponding machine actuators (3) in such a way that the power applied by the users to the actuators (3) and transmitted by the transmission means (2) reciprocally and alternately produces an active force and a resistant force.

Claims

1. An exercise machine comprising:

a mounting frame (1);

at least two user positions (18, 181, 205, 413);

power transmission means (2) designed to connect corresponding machine actuators (3) and accessible by the users in such a way that the power applied by the users on one or more of the actuators (3) is transmitted by the transmission means (2) to one or more of the remaining actuators and reciprocally and alternately constitutes for the users an active force and a resistant force for moving the actuators relative to the user positions.

2. The machine according to claim 1, wherein:

the frame (1) consists of a portal frame (11) supported at the bottom by a base (19) and having, at the top of it, a crossbeam (12);

each user position consists of a seat (18) and upper rest rollers (17);

the transmission mechanism (2) consists of a system of pulleys (22) rotating on pins (23) fixed to the crossbeam (12), and having trained around them a flexible cable (24) with a handlebar (30) at each end where the user work positions are.

3. The machine according to claim 2, wherein the rollers (17) are made of soft material and can be adjusted in height by means of a telescopic support (171) that can be locked in a desired position using a height selector block (172).

4. The machine according to claim 2, comprising force detecting means consisting of a load sensor (241) located on the cable (24) and designed to indicate when the load reaches a predetermined threshold value.

5. The machine according to claim 1, wherein:

the frame consists of an upturned U-shaped structure (100) supported at the bottom by a beam (101) and a crossbeam (102), on which there are mounted two pairs of uprights, the first pair (103) being vertical and the second pair (104) being inclined and upwardly converging, joined at the top of the frame by respective bars (105), which converge at the center of the frame where they join the upturned U structure (100);

each user work position consists of a seat (181) fixed to a respective upright (104) and a rest (173) for the user'"'"'s chest fixed to a respective upper bar (105);

the actuators consist of curved arms (106) facing the user position and having two joints (107) fitted at the ends of them, which have pivoted on them the first ends of a pair of handlebars (108) each of which is fitted with a handle (109) and which are mounted crossways relative to each other and can be rotated towards each other by the user;

the transmission mechanism consists of a system of pulleys and cables extending from the joints (107) and through the arms (106) and the bars (105) to connect the pair of handlebars (108) of one user work position with the pair of handlebars (108) of the other user work position.

6. The machine according to claim 5, wherein the seat (181) is adjustably mounted for height on the upright (104) and the chest rest (173) is adjustably mounted for distance from the user by means of a support (174) that slides inside the bars (105).

7. The machine according to claim 5, comprising force detecting means consisting of a load sensor located on the cable and designed to indicate when the load reaches a predetermined threshold value.

8. The machine according to claim 1, wherein:

the frame consists of a U-shaped structure (201) supported at the bottom by a main beam (202) and a crossbeam (203), the main beam (202) having mounted at the ends of it two curved uprights (204) with an upper horizontal section (206);

each user work position consists of a seat (205) mounted on the horizontal section (206) of the uprights (204);

each actuator consists of a pair of shafts (207) fixed at the bottom to a transversal support (219) and about which two structures (208) rotate symmetrically in such a way as to resist the spreading out movement of the legs of the users sitting in the seats (205);

the power transmission mechanism consists of a system of pulley and cables passing through the shafts (207) and the beam (202) in such a way as to connect the opening movement of the structure (208) at one user work position to the corresponding closing movement of the structure (208) at the other user work position.

9. The machine according to claim 8, wherein each of the structures (208) consists of a pair of arms (210) which can rotate with a first end about a shaft (207) and which, at the other end, is attached to the intermediate vertical section (213) of a bar (211) having an upper horizontal section (214) to which there is fixed a rest (215) for engaging the user'"'"'s thighs, and a lower inclined section (216) fitted with a footrest (217).

10. The machine according to claim 8, wherein at the sides of each seat (205) there are handles (218), which the user holds for stability, and an adjustment lever (220).

11. The machine according to claim 1, wherein:

the frame consists of an upturned U-shaped structure (100) supported at the bottom by a beam (101) and a crossbeam (102), at one end of which there are mounted two uprights, the first (103) being vertical and the second (104) being inclined and upwardly converging, the uprights being joined at the top of the frame by a bar (105), which joins the U-shaped structure (100) at the center of the frame, the second end of the beam (101) having mounted on it a side upright (301) fixed at the bottom to the beam (101) and joined by an intermediate section (302) to a second upright (303), also fixed to the bottom beam (101), where the upper end of the upright (301) has a crossbeam (309) that is curved inwardly with its concave section facing the center of the machine;

the first user work position consists of a seat (181) fixed to a respective upright (104) and a rest (173) for the user'"'"'s chest fixed to a respective upper bar (105) and the second user work position consists of a seat, adjustably mounted for height on the upright (303) and a backrest (305) fixed to the upright (303);

the first actuator consists of curved arms (106) facing the user position and having two joints (107) fitted at the ends of them, which have pivoted on them the first ends of a pair of handlebars (108) each of which is fitted with a handle (109) and which are mounted crossways relative to each other and can be rotated towards each other by the user, and the second actuator consists of a pair of arms (308) mounted crossways and able to counter-rotate about pins located at the ends of the crossbeam (309);

the transmission mechanism consists of a system of pulleys and cables extending in succession through the frame to connect the pair of handlebars (108) of one user work position with the pair of arms (308) of the other user work position.

12. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises an upright (403) and the transmission means consist of at least one cable (412, 412′

) passing in succession through a plurality of pulleys;

the actuating means consisting of at least two handles (414a,b;

415a,b) fitted at the ends of the cable (412, 412′

) on each side of the upright (403) for use by at least two users in their respective work positions (413).

13. The machine according to claim 12, comprising a first and a second cable (412, 412′

) having handles at their ends, so that two pair of handles (414a-415a;

414b-415b) are available at two respective user work positions (413), each of said pair of handles being formed by two handles which are fitted respectively to an end of said first and of said second cable (412, 412′

).

14. The machine according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the plurality of pulleys comprises an initial pulley (407) mounted on the upright (403), at least one intermediate pulley (409, 410) vertically offset from the first pulley and an end pulley (407) mounted on the upright (403) and vertically offset from the intermediate pulley.

15. The machine according to claim 14, wherein either the initial or the end pulley (407) or both are adjustably mounted for height on the upright.

16. The machine according to claim 15, wherein the initial and end pulleys (407) are adjustable in height independently of each other.

17. The machine according to claim 14, wherein the upright consists of a central tubular element (403) on which there slides a work unit (404) mounting the initial and end pulleys (407) and comprising at least two pairs of handles (414a-415a;

414b-415b) fitted at respective user work positions (413) at the respective ends of two transmission cables (412, 412′

).

18. The machine according to claim 1, wherein at the connecting means there are means (214, 216) for detecting the applied force designed to detect a value proportional to the force itself and to send it to display means.

19. The machine according to claim 18, wherein the detecting means consist of an extensometric cell connected in series on a cable.

20. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the means for connecting the actuators (3) comprise means (M, 23×

, 419) for correcting their length according to the physical characteristics of the users.

21. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means comprise elastic or damping means designed to smooth the transient effects of passing from an active force to a resistant force and vice versa.

22. The machine according to claim 1, comprising force detecting means consisting of one or more load sensors (214, 216) located on a cable or joint and designed to indicate when a predetermined load has been reached.

23. The machine according to claim 1, comprising a device (D) for displaying the level of the load (C) reached, as a progressive value or as a value compared to a reference level (R) representing the training program.

24. The machine according to claim 1, comprising additional means for applying a resistant force to oppose the active force exerted by a user on one or more actuators.

25. The machine according to claim 23, wherein the additional resistant means consist of one or more weights (P) applied to the actuator (3) of at least one of the user work positions in such a way as to increase the resistant force exerted on the other actuators.

26. The machine according to claim 24, wherein the additional resistant means consist of one or more weights (P) applied to one of the two actuators by means of an additional system of cables and pulleys.

27. The machine according to claim 2, comprising a load cell (CC) applied to a point (29) where one of the pulleys (22) is fixed to the frame (1).

28. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means comprise means (215) for damping the load.

29. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means comprise articulated levers (2) and/or pulley systems (22) with one or more cables (24) connecting the actuators (3).