Variable configuration exercise machine

• US 6,409,631 B1
• Filed: 06/12/1997
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Technogym SpA
• Original Assignee: Technogym SpA
• Inventors: Alessandri, Nerio
• Primary Examiner(s): Pothier, Denise M.
• Application Number:
  US08/871,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20020055417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,839 Days
• Field of Search: 482/1, 482/3, 482/4, 482/5, 482/8, 482/900-902, 482/908, 482/142, 482/133, 297/217.3, 434/247
• US Class Current: 482/4
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/063 Weight selecting means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4029 Benches specifically adapted for exercising for bench press exercises A63B21/078
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4047 Pivoting movement weight pivoting A63B21/0615
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/096 automatically adjusted according to anthropometric data of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/908 Adjustable

Abstract

An exercise machine with a variable configuration of a type that includes at least one posture portion and one machine portion. The exercise machine includes a reader to read a portable medium constituting a device for storage of protocol data of a user and/or an exercise, a motor-driven adjuster for adjusting a relative position between the posture portion and the machine portion, and a control device, connected to the reader and to the motor-driven adjuster, designed to change the relative position between the posture portion and the machine portion in accordance with the protocol data.

Claims

1. An exercise machine with a variable configuration, comprising:

a posture portion;

a machine portion including a movement device and a resisting portion, the movement device being connected to the resisting portion, which provides a resisting force to the movement device, when using the exercise machine, a user applies a force to the movement device, the force being against the resisting force provided to the movement device;

a reader to read a portable medium that constitutes a data storage device with a memory to store data relative to at least one physical measurements of the user and an exercise;

at least one motor-driven adjuster being connected to posture portion, to adjust a relative position between the posture portion and the machine portion;

a controller, connected to the reader and to the motor-driven adjuster, to activate, independently and in a self adjusting manner, the motor-driven adjuster to move the posture portion along at least one direction so as to change the relative position between the posture portion and the machine portion based only on the data stored in the memory of the storage device of the portable medium; and

a load adjuster to adjust the resisting force provided to the movement device by changing a load in accordance with the exercise to be performed, the load adjuster being connected to the controller and being configured to change the resisting force provided to the movement device in accordance with the data stored in the portable medium.

2. The exercise machine according to claim 1, wherein the motor-driven adjuster is connected to and operates at least the posture portion.

3. The exercise machine according to claim 2, wherein:

the posture portion includes at least one seat, and

the motor-driven adjuster is configured to move the at least one seat at least bidirectionally along a direction toward and away from the machine portion.

4. The exercise machine according to claim 1, wherein the motor driven adjuster is connected to and operates at least the machine portion.

5. The exercise machine according to claim 1, wherein the at least one motor-driven adjuster comprises a plurality of motor driven adjusters, a first motor driven adjuster is connected to and operates the posture position and a second motor-driven adjuster is connected to and operates the machine portion.

6. The exercise machine according to claim 1, further comprising a portable medium having memory, wherein the memory of the portable medium is stored on the portable medium.

7. The exercise machine according to claim 1, further comprising a portable medium having memory, wherein the portable medium is fitted with an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory.

8. The exercise machine according to claim 1, further comprising a portable medium having memory, wherein the portable medium comprises a waterproof enclosure that includes the memory programmed through magnetic induction.

9. The exercise machine according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a radio wave emitter and a receiver for communicating with the motor-driven adjuster.

10. The exercise machine according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises an electromagnetic wave emitter and receiver for communicating with the reader.

11. The exercise machine according to claim 1, wherein the load adjuster is configured for adjusting the resisting force provided by the resisting portion to the movement device by combining different weight elements through a relative connector operated by the load adjuster.

12. The exercise machine according to claim 1, further comprising an electrical device connected to the controller, wherein the load adjuster adjusts the resisting force by using the electrical device connected to the controller so as to change the resisting force provided to the movement device in accordance with the data stored on the portable medium.

13. The exercise machine according to claim 12, wherein the electrical device is an alternator.

14. The exercise machine according to claim 12, wherein the electrical device is an electric motor.

15. An exercise machine with a variable configuration, comprising:

a posture portion;

a machine portion including a movement device and a resisting portion, the movement device being connected to the resisting portion, which provides a resisting force to the movement device, when using the exercise machine, a user applies a force to the movement device, the force being against the resisting force provided to the movement device;

a reader to read a portable medium that constitutes a data storage device with a memory for storing data relative to at least one physical measurements of the user and an exercise;

at least one motor-driven adjuster being connected to machine portion, to adjust a relative position between the posture portion and the machine portion; and

a controller, connected to the reader and to the motor-driven adjuster, to activate, independently and in a self adjusting manner, the motor-driven adjuster to move the machine portion along at least one direction so as to change the relative position between the posture portion and the machine portion based only on the data stored in the memory of the storage device of the portable medium.

16. The exercise machine according to claim 15, wherein the motor-driven adjuster is connected to and operates at least the posture portion.

17. The exercise machine, according to claim 16, wherein:

the posture portion includes at least one seat, and

the motor driven adjuster is configured to move the at least one seat at least bidirectionally along a direction toward and away from the machine portion.

18. The at least one motor-driven adjuster according to claim 15, wherein the at least one motor-driven adjuster comprises a plurality of motor driven adjusters, a first motor driven adjuster is connected to and operates at the posture position and a second motor-driven adjuster is connected to and operates at the machine portion.

19. The exercise machine according to claim 15, further comprising a portable medium having memory, wherein the memory of the portable medium is stored on the portable medium.

20. The exercise machine according to claim 15, further comprising a portable medium, wherein the portable medium is fitted with an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory.

21. The exercise machine according to claim 15, further comprising a portable medium having memory, wherein the portable medium comprises a waterproof enclosure that includes the memory programmed through magnetic induction.

22. The exercise machine according to claim 15, wherein the controller comprises a radio wave emitter and a receiver for communicating with the motor-driven adjuster.

23. The exercise machine according to claim 15, wherein the controller comprises an electromagnetic wave emitter and receiver for communicating with the reader.

24. The exercise machine according to claim 15, further comprising:

a load adjuster to adjust the resisting force provided to the movement device by changing a load in accordance with the exercise to be performed, the load adjuster being connected to the controller and being configured to change the resisting force provided to the movement device in accordance with the data stored in the portable medium, wherein the load adjuster is configured for adjusting the resisting force provided by the resisting portion to the movement device by combining different weight elements through a relative connector operated by the load adjuster.

25. The exercise machine according to claim 15, further comprising:

a load adjuster to adjust the resisting force provided to the movement device by changing a load in accordance with the exercise to be performed, the load adjuster being connected to the controller and being configured to change the resisting force provided to the movement device in accordance with the data stored in the portable medium; and

an electrical device connected to the controller, wherein the load adjuster adjusts the resisting force by using the electrical device connected to the controller so as to change the resisting force provided to the movement device in accordance with the data stored on the portable medium.

26. The exercise machine according to claim 25, wherein the electrical device is an alternator.

27. The exercise machine according to claim 25, wherein the electrical device is an electric motor.

28. An exercise machine with a variable configuration, comprising:

a posture portion;

a machine portion including a movement device and a resisting portion, the movement device being connected to the resisting portion, which provides a resisting force to the movement device, when using the exercise machine, a user applies a force to the movement device, the force being against the resisting force provided to the movement device;

a reader to read a portable medium that constitutes a data storage device with a memory for storing data relative to at least one of physical measurements of the user and an exercise;

a first motor-driven adjuster being connected to the machine portion and a second motor driven adjuster connected to the posture portion, to adjust a relative position between the posture portion and the machine portion; and

a controller, connected to the reader and to the first and the second motor-driven adjusters to activate, independently and in a self-adjusting manner, the motor-driven adjusters to move the posture portion and the machine portion along at least one direction so as to change the relative position between the posture portion and the machine portion based only on the data stored in the memory of the storage device of the portable medium.

29. The exercise machine according to claim 28, wherein the first motor-driven adjuster is connected to and operates at least the posture portion.

30. The exercise machine, according to claim 29, wherein:

the posture portion includes at least one seat, and

the first motor driven adjuster is configured to move the at least one seat at least bidirectionally along a direction toward and away from the machine portion.

31. The exercise machine according to claim 28, further comprising a portable medium having memory, wherein the memory of the portable medium is stored on the portable medium.

32. The exercise machine according to claim 28, further comprising a portable medium, wherein the portable medium is fitted with an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory.

33. The exercise machine according to claim 28, further comprising a portable medium having a memory, wherein the portable medium comprises a waterproof enclosure that includes the memory programmed through magnetic induction.

34. The exercise machine according to claim 28, wherein the controller comprises a radio wave emitter and a receiver for communicating with the motor-driven adjuster.

35. The exercise machine according to claim 28, wherein the controller comprises an electromagnetic wave emitter and receiver for communicating with the reader.

36. The exercise machine according to claim 28, further comprising:

a load adjuster to adjust the resisting force provided to the movement device by changing a load in accordance with the exercise to be performed, the load adjuster being connected to the controller and being configured to change the resisting force provided to the movement device in accordance with the data stored in the portable medium, wherein the load adjuster is configured for adjusting the resisting force provided by the resisting portion to the movement device by combining different weight elements through a relative connector operated by the load adjuster.

37. The exercise machine according to claim 28, further comprising:

a load adjuster to adjust the resisting force provided to the movement device by changing a load in accordance with the exercise to be performed, the load adjuster being connected to the controller and being configured to change the resisting force provided to the movement device in accordance with the data stored in the portable medium; and

an electrical device connected to the controller, wherein the load adjuster adjusts the resisting force by using the electrical device connected to the controller so as to change the resisting force provided to the movement device in accordance with the data stored on the portable medium.

38. The exercise machine according to claim 28, wherein the electrical device is an alternator.

39. The exercise machine according to claim 28, wherein the electrical device is an electric motor.