Exercise machine force application apparatus

• US 20100022360A1
• Filed: 07/28/2008
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sean Glynn
• Original Assignee: Sean Glynn
• Inventors: Glynn, Sean
• Granted Patent: US 7,862,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/93
• 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 21/4047 Pivoting movement weight pivoting A63B21/0615
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/18 with elements, i.e. platforms, having a circulating, nutating or rotating movement, generated by oscillating movement of the user, e.g. platforms wobbling on a centrally arranged spherical supporthoop exercising apparatus A63B19/00; eccentric weights put into orbital motion by nutating movement of the user A63B21/0608; pots rotating or rocking by moving the whole body A63G23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0405 involving a bending of the knee and hip joints simultaneously A63B23/0476 takes precedence

Abstract

An exercise machine has a reactant force generating mechanism and a force application device. The force application device is coupled to the force input structure of the reactant force generating mechanism and is configured for transmitting force generated by a user to the force input structure. At least a portion of the force application device protrudes from within an opening in the force input structure. The force application device includes a non-compliant base portion, a compliant outer shell coupled to the base portion and pressure displaceable material contained within an interior space of the compliant outer shell. The force application device allows the user-generate force to be transmitted through the pressure displaceable material and exerted on the reactant force generating mechanism of the exercise machine so as to cause the force input structure to exert a proportional reactant force on the force application device.

Claims

1. An exercise machine, comprising:

a reactant force generating mechanism including a force input structure; and

a force application device coupled to the force input structure and configured for transmitting force generated by a user and applied thereon to the force input structure, wherein at least a portion of the force application device protrudes from within an opening in the force input structure, wherein the force application device includes a substantially non-compliant base portion, a compliant outer shell coupled to said base portion and pressure displaceable material contained within an interior space of the compliant outer shell and wherein the force application device is configured for allowing said force generated by the user and applied on the compliant outer shell to be transmitted through said pressure displaceable material and exerted on the reactant force generating mechanism of the exercise machine so as to cause the force input structure to exert a proportional reactant force on the force application device.

2. The exercise machine of claim 1 wherein said pressure displaceable material includes at least one of gaseous material, granular material and foam material.

3. The exercise machine of claim 2 wherein:

the force application device includes a substantially non-compliant user contact portion configured for being engaged with a force exerting appendage of the user; and

said user contact portion is one of unitarily formed with and attached to the compliant outer shell.

4. The exercise machine of claim 3 wherein said force generated by the user and applied on the compliant outer shell is transmitted to the reactant force generating mechanism through pressure generated within said pressure displaceable material contained within the compliant outer shell such that the user must simultaneously apply force upon the force application device for dictating relative orientation of the user contact portion with respect to the base portion and for actuating the reactant force generating mechanism of the exercise machine.

5. The exercise machine of claim 4, further comprising:

a pump coupled to the compliant outer shell and configured in a manner for pumping gaseous material into the interior space of the compliant outer shell, wherein at least a portion of said pressure displaceable material within the interior space is gaseous material.

6. The exercise machine of claim 5 wherein:

the force application device includes a substantially non-compliant user contact portion configured for being engaged with a force exerting appendage of the user; and

said user contact portion is one of unitarily formed with and attached to the compliant outer shell.

7. The exercise machine of claim 1 wherein:

the force input structure includes a shoulder within an opening thereof; and

said base portion of the force application device rests upon the shoulder within the opening.

8. The exercise machine of claim 7 wherein:

the force application device includes a substantially non-compliant user contact portion configured for being engaged with a force exerting appendage of the user; and

said user contact portion is one of unitarily formed with and attached to the compliant outer shell.

9. The exercise machine of claim 1, further comprising:

a pump coupled to the compliant outer shell and configured in a manner for pumping gaseous material into the interior space of the compliant outer shell, wherein at least a portion of said pressure displaceable material within the interior space is gaseous material.

10. The exercise machine of claim 9 wherein:

the force application device includes a substantially non-compliant user contact portion configured for being engaged with a force-exerting appendage of the user;

said user contact portion is one of unitarily formed with and attached to the compliant outer shell; and

said force generated by the user and applied on the compliant outer shell is transmitted to the reactant force generating mechanism through pressure generated within said pressure displaceable material contained within the compliant outer shell such that the user must simultaneously apply force upon the force application device for dictating relative orientation of the user contact portion with respect to the base portion and for actuating the reactant force generating mechanism of the exercise machine.

11. An exercise machine, comprising:

a reactant force generating mechanism including a force input structure configured for having force generated by a user exerted thereon; and

a force application device coupled to the force input structure, wherein at least a portion of the force application device protrudes from within an opening in the force input structure, wherein the force application device includes a user contact portion configured for being engaged with a force exerting appendage of the user and a force transmission apparatus coupled between the reactant force generating mechanism and the user contact portion and wherein the reactant force generating mechanism and the user contact portion are coupled to each other by a compliant outer shell of the force transmission apparatus such that, over an allowable range of motion of the user contact portion with respect to the force input structure, the user must simultaneously apply force on the user contact portion for dictating relative orientation of the user contact portion with respect to the force input structure and for actuating the reactant force generating mechanism of the exercise machine.

12. The exercise machine of claim 11 wherein:

the force transmission apparatus includes a compliant outer shell having an interior space and pressure displaceable material contained within the interior space; and

said pressure displaceable material includes at least one of gaseous material, granular material and foam material.

13. The exercise machine of claim 12 wherein:

the user contact portion is substantially non-compliant; and

said user contact portion is one of unitarily formed with and attached to the compliant outer shell.

14. The exercise machine of claim 13, further comprising:

a pump coupled to the compliant outer shell and configured in a manner for pumping gaseous material into the interior space of the compliant outer shell, wherein at least a portion of said pressure displaceable material within the interior space is gaseous material.

15. A force input structure for an exercise machine, wherein the force input structure has a force application device in combination therewith, wherein the force application device is configured for allowing force generated by a user and applied thereon to be exerted on the force input structure of a reactant force generating mechanism of the exercise machine so as to cause a reactant force generating mechanism of the exercise machine to exert a proportional reactant force on the force application device via the force input structure, wherein at least a portion of the force application device protrudes from within an opening in the force input structure, the force application device, comprising:

a substantially non-compliant base portion having a machine interface portion coupled to the force input structure of the exercise machine;

a substantially non-compliant user contact portion configured for being engaged with a force exerting appendage of the user; and

a force transmission apparatus coupled between said base portion and said user contact portion, wherein the force transmission apparatus includes a compliant outer shell and pressure displaceable material contained within an interior space of the compliant outer shell, wherein said base portion and said user contact portion are coupled to each other by the compliant outer shell such that, over an allowable range of motion of the user contact portion with respect to the force input structure, the user must simultaneously apply force on said user contact portion for dictating relative orientation of said user contact portion with respect to the force input structure and for actuating the reactant force generating mechanism of the exercise machine.

16. The force input structure of claim 15 wherein said pressure displaceable material includes at least one of gaseous material, granular material and foam material.

17. The force input structure of claim 16 wherein said user contact portion is one of unitarily formed with and attached to the compliant outer shell.

18. The force input structure of claim 17, further comprising:

a pump coupled to the compliant outer shell and configured in a manner for pumping gaseous material into the interior space of the compliant outer shell, wherein at least a portion of said pressure displaceable material within the interior space is gaseous material.

19. An exercise machine, comprising:

a reactant force generating mechanism,

a foot platen coupled to the reactant force generating mechanism such that force exerted on the foot platen by a user causes the reactant force generating mechanism to exert a proportional reactant force on the foot platen;

a stabilizer muscle activating force application device coupled to the foot platen in a manner whereby the stabilizer muscle activating force application device is accessible by the user when the user is in a use position with respect to the foot platen, wherein at least a portion of the stabilizer muscle activating force application device protrudes from within an opening in the foot platen and wherein the stabilizer muscle activating force application device comprises;

a substantially non-compliant base portion engaged with the foot platen;

a substantially non-compliant user contact portion configured for being engaged by a foot of the user; and

a force transmission apparatus coupled between said base portion and the user contact portion, wherein the force transmission apparatus includes a compliant outer shell and pressure displaceable material contained within an interior space of the compliant outer shell, wherein said pressure displaceable material includes at least one of gaseous material, granular material and foam material, wherein said base portion and said user contact portion are coupled to each other by the compliant outer shell such that, over an allowable range of motion of said user contact portion with respect to said base portion, the user must simultaneously apply force on said user contact portion for dictating relative orientation of said user contact portion with respect to said base portion and for actuating the reactant force generating mechanism of the exercise machine.

20. The exercise machine of claim 19, further comprising:

a pump coupled to the compliant outer shell and configured in a manner for pumping gaseous material into the interior space of the compliant outer shell, wherein at least a portion of said pressure displaceable material within the interior space is gaseous material.