Cable and puley linkage for exercise machine

• US 6,338,701 B1
• Filed: 11/04/1999
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hoist Fitness Sytems Incorporated (Hoist Fitness Systems)
• Original Assignee: Randall T. Webber
• Inventors: Webber, Randall T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mulcahy, John
• Application Number:
  US09/434,414
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 482/92, 482/94-103, 482/112, 482/113, 482/120, 482/129, 482/130, 482/133, 482/135-138, D21/673, D21/675, D21/676, 254/337, 254/393, 254/399
• US Class Current: 482/99
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/154 using special pulley-assemblies

Abstract

A cable and pulley assembly has a first floating pulley unit having a pulley housing and a pair of pulleys rotatably mounted side-by-side in the housing for rotation about a single pulley axis, and a second floating pulley unit having a pulley housing and at least one pulley rotatably mounted in the housing. A first cable is linked to the housing of the first floating pulley unit, and a second cable is linked to the housing of the second floating pulley unit. A third cable extends around one of the side-by-side pulleys in the first pulley unit, around the pulley of the second pulley unit, and around the other side-by-side pulley of the first pulley unit. The resistance on the first cable is then four times that on each section of the third cable, and plural pull points are provided for selective connection to exercise stations.

Claims

1. An exercise machine, comprising:

a load for providing exercise resistance;

a plurality of exercise stations;

a first floating pulley unit having a pulley housing and a pair of pulleys rotatably mounted side-by-side in the housing for rotation about a single pulley axis, the first pulley unit having a first side facing in a first direction transverse to said pulley axis and a second side facing in a second direction opposite to said first direction;

a second floating pulley unit having a pulley housing and at least one pulley rotatably mounted in the housing, the second floating pulley unit being spaced in said second direction from the first pulley unit;

a first cable linked to the housing of the first floating pulley unit on the first side of said first floating pulley unit;

a second cable linked to the housing of the second floating pulley unit; and

a third cable extending first around a first one of the side-by-side pulleys in the first pulley unit, then directly from said one side-by-side pulley around the pulley of the second pulley unit, and then directly from the pulley of the second pulley unit around a second one of the side-by-side pulleys of the first pulley unit, whereby a first length of said first cable extends up to said first side-by-side pulley, a second length of said first cable extends from said first side-by-side pulley to the pulley of the second pulley unit, a third length of said first cable extends from said pulley of said second pulley unit to the second side-by-side pulley, and a fourth length of said first cable extends from said second side-by-side pulley, each of said lengths of said third cable being located on the second side of said first pulley unit; and

said first and fourth lengths of said third cable, and lengths of said first and second cables are selectively linked to said load and exercise stations.

2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second cable is linked to the load and at least one end of the first cable and both ends of the third cable are linked to exercise stations.

3. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second cable is linked to the load and at least one end of the first cable and one end of the third cable are linked to exercise stations, and the other end of the third cable is connected to a cable tie-off.

4. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second cable is linked to the load, at least one end of the first cable is linked to an exercise station, and both ends of the third cable are connected to a cable tie-off.

5. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first pulley unit has a third pulley pivotally secured to the pulley housing beneath the side-by-side pulleys for rotation about a third pulley axis, and the first cable extends around the third pulley to provide two cable lengths for selective linking to exercise stations.

6. The assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein both lengths of the first cable are linked to exercise stations and one length of the second cable is linked to a load.

7. The assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein both lengths of the third cable are linked to exercise stations.

8. The assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein one length of the third cable is linked to an exercise station and the other of the third cable is linked to a cable tie-off.

9. The assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein one length of the first cable is linked to an exercise station and the other length of the first cable is linked to a cable tie-off, and one length of the second cable is linked to a load.

10. The assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein both lengths of the third cable are linked to exercise stations.

11. The assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein one length of the third cable is linked to an exercise station and the other length of the third cable is linked to a cable tie-off.

12. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second floating pulley unit has an upper pulley and a lower pulley pivotally mounted in the housing in a vertically spaced arrangement, the second cable extending around the upper pulley and the third cable extending around the lower pulley of the second floating pulley unit, whereby at least five cable lengths are provided for selective linking to a load and exercise stations.

13. The assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein one length of the second cable is linked to a load and the first cable has a 4:

1 resistance ratio with the load.

14. The assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the other length of the second cable is linked to an exercise station.

15. The assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the other length of the second cable is linked to a cable tie-off.

16. The assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein both lengths of the third cable are linked to exercise stations.

17. The assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein one length of the third cable is linked to an exercise station and the other length of the third cable is linked to a cable tie-off.

18. The assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first pulley unit has a third pulley pivotally secured to the pulley housing beneath the side-by-side pulleys for rotation about a third pulley axis, and the first cable extends around the third pulley to provide two cable lengths each having a 2:

1 resistance ratio for selective connection to exercise stations.

19. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a third floating pulley unit is connected to the second floating pulley unit in a vertically stacked arrangement, the second cable extending between the second and third pulley units, the third floating pulley unit having at least one pulley and a fourth cable extending around said one pulley of the third pulley unit, whereby at least five cable ends are provided for selective connection to a load and exercise stations.

20. The assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein one end of said fourth cable is connected to a load.

21. The assembly as claimed in claim 20, wherein the other end of said fourth cable is connected to an exercise station.

22. The assembly as claimed in claim 21, wherein at least one end of the third cable and one end of the first cable are each connected to an exercise station.

23. The assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein the third floating pulley unit has an upper pulley and a lower pulley pivotally mounted in the housing in a vertically spaced arrangement, the fourth cable extending around the upper pulley and the second cable extending around the lower pulley of the third floating pulley unit.

24. An exercise machine, comprising:

a load for providing an exercise resistance;

at least two exercise stations;

a cable and pulley assembly linking the load and exercise stations;

the cable and pulley assembly comprising;

a first floating pulley unit having a pulley housing and a pair of pulleys rotatably mounted side-by-side in the housing for rotation about a single pulley axis, the first floating pulley unit having a first side facing in a first direction transverse to said pulley axis and a second side facing in a second direction opposite to said first direction and transverse to said pulley axis;

a first cable linked to the pulley housing on the first side of said pulley unit;

at least one additional pulley on the second side of the pulley unit spaced from the first pulley unit;

a second cable extending in a predetermined cable path on the second side of the pulley unit extending around at least one of the side-by-side pulleys, then directly from said one side-by-side pulley around the additional pulley, and then directly from the additional pulley and around the other side-by-side pulley;

one of said cables being linked to said load and the cables including at least two cable lengths linked to said exercise stations; and

including a second floating pulley unit having a pulley housing, said additional pulley comprising a pulley rotatable mounted in said pulley housing, and a third cable linked to the housing of the second floating pulley unit, whereby the second cable has at least four lengths of cable on the second side of said first floating pulley unit, the cable lengths comprising a first length of said second cable extending up to said first side-by-side pulley, a second length of said second cable extending from said first, side-by-side pulley to the pulley of the second pulley unit, a third length said second cable extending from sand pulley said second pulley unit to the second side-by-side pulley, and a fourth length of said second cable extending from said second side-by-side pulley.

25. The machine as claimed in claim 24, including a third exercise station, the third cable linking said second cable to the load, and the first cable and opposite ends of the second cable being linked to respective exercise stations.

26. The machine as claimed in claim 24, including a series of cable guide pulleys spaced from the first floating pulley unit on the second side of the pulley axis, one of the cable guide pulleys being linked to said load, the second cable extending in said cable path from one of said side-by-side pulleys, around said series of cable guide pulleys, and around the other of said side-by-side pulleys.

27. The machine as claimed in claim 24, including a second floating pulley unit having a second pulley housing and a second pair of pulleys rotatably mounted side by side in the second pulley housing for rotation about a second pulley axis, the second floating pulley unit having first and second sides on opposite sides of said second pulley axis, a third cable linked to the second pulley housing on the first side of the second pulley axis, a second additional pulley spaced from the second floating pulley unit, and a fourth cable extending on the second side of the second pulley axis around one of the second pair of pulleys, the second additional pulley, and the other pulley of the second pair, one of said third and fourth cables being linked to said load.

28. The machine as claimed in claim 27, including a load engaging pulley linked to said load, and a fifth cable extending from one of said additional pulleys, around said load engaging pulley and to the other additional pulley.

29. The machine as claimed in claim 28, including third and fourth floating pulley units, said additional pulley being rotatably mounted on said third floating pulley unit and said second additional pulley being rotatably mounted on said fourth floating pulley unit, one end of said fifth cable being secured to said third floating pulley unit and the other end of said fifth cable being secured to said fourth floating pulley unit.

30. The machine as claimed in claim 24, including a series of cable guide pulleys spaced from the first floating pulley unit on the second side of the pulley axis, one of the cable guide pulleys being linked to said load, the third cable extending in a cable guide path from said second floating pulley unit and around said cable guide pulleys.

31. The machine as claimed in claim 30, wherein one end of said first cable, both ends of said second cable, and one end of said third cable are linked to exercise stations.

32. An exercise machine, comprising:

a load for providing an exercise resistance;

at least one exercise station;

a cable and pulley assembly linking the load and exercise stations;

the cable and pulley assembly comprising;

a first pulley unit having a pair of pulleys rotatably mounted in parallel planes co-axially for rotation about a single, common pulley axis, the first pulley unit having a first side facing in a first direction transverse to said pulley axis and a second side facing in a second direction opposite to said first direction, and being connected to said load;

at least one additional pulley on the second side of the first pulley unit and spaced in said second direction from the first pulley unit;

a first cable extending in a predetermined cable path on the second side of the pulley axis, the cable path extending around one of the side-by-side pulleys, then directly from the one side-by-side pulley to the additionally pulley, then directly from the additional pulley to the other side-by-side pulley, at least one end of said first cable being linked to said exercise station; and

the additional pulley comprising a second, floating pulley unit having a housing, said additional pulley comprising a pulley rotatably mounted in said housing, and a second cable is linked to said housing of said second pulley unit.

33. The machine as claimed in claim 32, including a series of cable guide pulleys spaced from the first pulley unit on the second side of the pulley axis, one of the cable guide pulleys being connected to said load, the second cable extending in a cable guide path from said second floating pulley unit and around said cable guide pulleys.

34. The machine as claimed in claim 32, wherein said one end of said first cable has a resistance which is different from the load resistance by a factor of at least two.

35. The machine as claimed in claim 34, wherein said one end of said first cable has a resistance which is different from the load resistance by a factor of four.

36. The machine as claimed in claim 35, wherein the ratio of the load resistance to the resistance at said one cable end is 4:

1.

37. The machine as claimed in claim 32 including at least two exercise stations, opposite ends of said first cable being linked to said exercise stations.

38. The machine as claimed in claim 37, wherein each end of said first cable has a resistance which is different from the load resistance by a factor of at least two.

39. The machine as claimed in claim 38, wherein each end of said first cable has a resistance which is different from the load resistance by a factor of four.

40. The machine as claimed in claim 39, wherein the ratio of the load resistance to the resistance at each cable end is 4:

1.

41. The machine as claimed in claims 32, wherein said first cable is located entirely on said second side of said first pulley unit.

42. The machine as claimed in claim 32, wherein said first cable has a first length extending up to said one side-by-side pulley, a second length extending from said one side-by-side pulley to said additional pulley, a third length extending from said additional pulley to said other side-by-side pulley, and a fourth length extending from said other side-by-side pulley, all four lengths of cable being located on said second side of said first pulley unit.

43. The machine as claimed in claim 32, wherein said first pulley unit has a housing, said pair of pulleys being rotatably mounted in said housing, and one end of said first cable has a resistance which is different from a resistance on said housing of said first pulley unit at the first side of said first pulley unit by a factor of at least two.

44. The machine as claimed in claim 43, wherein said one end of said first cable has a resistance which is different from the resistance on said housing of said first pulley unit at the first side of said first pulley unit by a factor of at least four.

45. The machine as claimed in claim 44, wherein the ratio of the resistance on said housing to the resistance at said one cable end is 4:

1.