Athletic exerciser pulling device

• US 6,929,589 B1
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael J. Ehrlich, Thomas J. Bruggemann
• Original Assignee: Michael J. Ehrlich, Thomas J. Bruggemann
• Inventors: Ehrlich, Michael J., Bruggemann, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Richman, Glenn E.
• Application Number:
  US10/943,466
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 482114-116, 482/121, 482/124, 482/126, 482/127, 482/129, 482/148, 482/131, 482/133, 482/136, 482/904, 482/907, 482/908
• US Class Current: 482/138
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/025 Spiral springs with turns lying substantially in plane surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/153 wound-up and unwound during exercise, e.g. from a reel
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/904 Removably attached to wheelchair, home furnishing, or home structure

Abstract

An improved device for athletic exercise by pulling at a resisting force. The device consists of a number of spring housing assemblies that are stacked and clamped in a column with at least one pulley wheel assembly to which a cord and pull handle is attached. A grooved metal shaft is disposed throughout the column longitudinal axis to drive all the constant-force spring assemblies which are stacked inside the device when the pulley wheel is caused to rotate. A person uses the device by first selecting which spring assemblies he wants to produce a particular resisting force level, by pushing separate selector levers, one for each spring. He then pulls at the pull handle to experience the chosen resisting force. The device design allows a user the choice of many resisting force levels, using only a small number of spring assemblies. The device is small, light in weight and conveniently shaped for easy attachment to any suitable restraining object.

Claims

1. An athletic exerciser pulling apparatus, comprising in combination:

(a) a plurality of spring housing assemblies;

each spring housing assembly comprising;

a multiplicity of circular, constant force spring assemblies;

an elongate housing member made of molded hard plastic and including a cylindrical bore having a longitudinal axis extending from one end to a distal end, said bore being sized in diameter to permit stacking said spring assemblies therein;

a first end cap and a second end cap made of molded hard plastic for capping both open ends of said housing member; and

means for manually selected engagement of one or more said spring assemblies by a user, as a spring resisting force;

said spring assemblies each comprising a constant-force coiled spring;

a generally disc shaped, molded plastic base having a coaxial, deep circular recessed portion that is sized to seat said spring, cut in one face of said base, leaving a wide rim around said base, said rim having a multiplicity of edge openings that are spaced equidistantly apart around said rim for the purpose of engaging said base;

said recessed portion having a flat bottom surface which includes a concentric first hole for holding a hub, said recessed portion also including means for fastening an external end of said spring thereto; and

a molded plastic hub that is sized to rotate freely inside said first hole, said hub having a concentric second hole for sliding along a central shaft, said second hole including a spline that extends radially inwards for engaging said shaft, said hub including a deep slit in one face for retaining one end of said spring;

said housing member including a multiplicity of lateral slots cut in one longitudinal face to equal the number of spring assemblies that are stacked inside said bore, said longitudinal face with said lateral slots cut therein, defining a control face for accessing and selecting any spring assembly for engagement;

said slots being cut to a depth that provides access to said bore through each slot, said slots each being located a distance apart so that each slot faces a peripheral edge of a spring assembly in said housing member;

said first end cap being a thick, rigid flat plate which is shaped and sized to match an end of said housing member, said plate including two ears, one projecting on each of two parallel edges, each ear having an earhole for use in clamping said first end cap to an end of said housing member, said plate having a deep, circular recess cut in the surface of one flat side, said recess being located so that it is concentric with the longitudinal axis of said bore in said housing member when placed on an end of said housing member;

said second end cap being a thick, rigid flat plate which is sized and shaped to fit on an end of said housing member, said plate having a centrally located third hole cut through, said third hole being located so that it is concentric with said bore in said housing member when placed on an end of said housing member, said second end cap acting to couple a pulley wheel assembly to a housing member;

(b) a pulley wheel assembly comprising a rigid plastic, tray-like holder, a metal pulley wheel that fits in said holder, and a pull handle that is attached to a cord which is wound around said pulley wheel;

said holder being shaped and sized to fit against a flat surface of said second end cap, and including a semicircular shaped deep cavity in which said pulley wheel is seated, with part of said pulley wheel extending over an open side edge of said holder, said holder including a fourth hole for allowing passage of a central shaft;

(c) means for clamping said spring housing assemblies and said pulley wheel assembly together in a column, when said pulley wheel assembly is held between the second end caps of two spring housing assemblies;

said pulley wheel assembly being oriented so that said pulley wheel in said holder extends with its pull cord in the open space created between the ends of said spring housing assemblies at said control face of said apparatus; and

,

(d) an elongate metal shaft having a longitudinal groove extending from one end of said shaft to a distal shaft end, said shaft being disposed along the longitudinal axis of the bores in said spring housing assemblies and through the hub of said pulley wheel, engaging the hubs of all rotatable components that are contained in said apparatus;

said pulling apparatus operating in the following manner;

manually pulling said pull handle rotates the pulley wheel, causing the central shaft to rotate the hubs of all contained spring assemblies and thereby to rotate also the bases and contained springs of unselected assemblies;

however selected spring assemblies will have their bases engaged by said first means for selected engagement, and be prevented from rotating, generating a resisting force that is created by a rotating hub pulling one end of a fixed position coiled spring.

2. An athletic exerciser pulling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for manually selected engagement of one or more said spring assemblies includes a selector lever which is pivotally mounted in each lateral slot in said control face of said housing member;

said selector lever comprising a flat, long arm portion and a short arm portion that are joined forming an elongated “

C”

shape with a pivot hole cut in the area joining the two arm portions;

said long arm portion including a pointed projection with hook edges that is located approximately at a midpoint along said arm portion, and which points inward toward the rim of a spring assembly when a selector lever is mounted;

said pointed projection entering an opening in the rim of said spring assembly, and engaging said spring assembly when said selector lever is manually pushed at a long portion end, toward said slot.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 including means for removably locking a selector lever in an unengaged position or in an engaged position with a spring assembly;

said unengaged position being indicated externally by the protrusion of an end of said long arm portion of said selector lever.

4. An athletic exerciser pulling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said hub in a spring assembly is made about a third greater in height than the overall thickness of said base which it serves;

said hub, when in place at the center of said base, extending above the uppermost surface and below the under surface of said base, preventing any adjacent stacked spring assembly from rubbing against said base and interfering with normal operation.

5. An athletic exerciser pulling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for clamping said spring housing assemblies and said pulley wheel assembly together in a column includes two elongate metal bolts with threaded ends and two pairs of lock nuts, said lock nuts each having an extension portion shaped as a handle or a fastening ring;

each bolt, on opposite sides of said column, being passed through a hole in an ear of a first end cap at one end of said column, and through an earhole in a first end cap at a distal end of said column;

said lock nuts then being placed on each protruding threaded end of said bolts and tightened in place, clamping said column together securely.

6. An athletic exerciser pulling apparatus according to claim 1, including means for ensuring accurate axial alignment of all stacked components with said shaft in said column at all times;

said means for ensuring accurate axial alignment includes having two through holes, located a distance apart, longitudinally through said housing members, said end caps and said pulley wheel assembly;

said through holes being located at the same lateral distance from the longitudinal axis of said bore in said housing members and the axis of said pulley wheel in said pulley wheel assembly;

and two rigid, metal rods, each metal rod being tightly disposed in said through holes, and extending from one end of said column to a distal end, ensuring that the stacked assemblies are accurately aligned axially and can not slip laterally out of alignment at any time.

12. An athletic exerciser pulling apparatus according to claim 1, including means for ensuring accurate axial alignment of all stacked components with said shaft in said column at all times;

said means for ensuring accurate axial alignment includes having two through holes, located a distance apart, longitudinally through said housing members, said end caps and said pulley wheel assemblies;

said through holes being located at the same lateral distance from the longitudinal axis of said bore in said housing members and the axis of said pulley wheel in said pulley wheel assembly;

and two rigid, metal rods, each metal rod being tightly disposed in said through holes, and extending from one end of said column to a distal end, ensuring that the stacked assemblies are accurately aligned axially and can not slip laterally out of alignment at any time.

7. An athletic exerciser pulling apparatus, comprising in combination:

(a) a multiplicity of spring housing assemblies;

each spring housing assembly comprising;

a multiplicity of circular, constant force spring assemblies;

an elongate housing member made of molded hard plastic and including a cylindrical bore having a longitudinal axis extending from one end to a distal end, said bore being sized in diameter to permit stacking said spring assemblies therein;

a first end cap and a second end cap made of molded hard plastic for capping both open ends of said housing member; and

means for manually selected engagement of one or more said spring assemblies by a user, as a spring resisting force;

said spring assemblies each comprising a constant-force coiled spring;

a generally disc shaped, molded plastic base having a coaxial, deep circular recessed portion that is sized to seat said spring, cut in one face of said base, leaving a wide rim around said base, said rim having a multiplicity of edge openings that are spaced equidistantly apart around said rim for the purpose of engaging said base;

said recessed portion having a flat bottom surface which includes a concentric first hole for holding a hub, said recessed portion also including means for fastening an external end of said spring thereto; and

a molded plastic hub that is sized to rotate freely inside said first hole, said hub having a concentric second hole for sliding along a central shaft, said second hole including a spline that extends radially inwards for engaging said shaft, said hub including a deep slit in one face for retaining one end of said spring;

said housing member including a multiplicity of lateral slots cut in one longitudinal face to equal the number of spring assemblies that are stacked inside said bore, said longitudinal face with said lateral slots cut therein defining a control face for accessing and selecting any spring assembly for engagement;

said slots being cut to a depth that provides access to said bore through each slot, said slots each being located a distance apart so that each slot faces a peripheral edge of a spring assembly in said housing member;

said first end cap being a thick, rigid flat plate which is shaped and sized to match an end of said housing member, said plate including two ears, one projecting on each of two parallel edges, each ear having an earhole for use in clamping said first end cap to an end of said housing member, said plate having a deep, circular recess cut in the surface of one flat side, said recess being located so that it is concentric with said bore in said housing member when placed on an end of said housing member;

said second end cap being a thick, rigid flat plate which is sized and shaped to fit on an end of said housing member, said plate having a centrally located third hole cut through, said third hole being located so that it is concentric with said bore in said housing member when placed on an end of said housing member, said second end cap acting to couple one spring housing assembly with a pulley-wheel assembly or with another spring housing;

(b) a plurality of pulley wheel assemblies, each pulley wheel assembly comprising a rigid plastic, tray-like holder, a metal pulley wheel that fits in said holder, and a pull handle that is attached to a cord which is wound around said pulley wheel, said pulley wheel having a fixed hub that includes a spline in an axial hole for engaging with a grooved shaft;

said holder being shaped and sized to fit against a flat surface of said second end cap, and including a semicircular shaped deep cavity in which said pulley wheel is seated, with part of said pulley wheel extending over an open side edge of said holder, said holder including a fourth hole for allowing passage of a central shaft;

(c) means for clamping said spring housing assemblies and said pulley wheel assemblies together in a column;

each pulley wheel assembly being oriented so that said pulley wheel in said holder extends with its pull cord in an open space created between the ends of said spring housing assemblies at said control face of said apparatus; and

,

(d) an elongate metal shaft having a longitudinal groove extending from one end of said shaft to a distal shaft end, said shaft being disposed along the longitudinal axis of the bores in said spring housing assemblies and through the hub of each said pulley wheel, engaging the hubs of all rotatable components that are contained in said apparatus;

said pulling apparatus operating in the following manner;

manually pulling said pull handle rotates the pulley wheel to which the pull handle is attached by a cord, causing the central shaft to rotate the hubs of all contained spring assemblies and thereby to rotate also the bases and contained springs of unselected assemblies;

however selected spring assemblies will have their bases engaged by said means for selected engagement, and be prevented from rotating, generating a resisting force that is created by a rotating hub pulling one end of a fixed position coiled spring.

8. An athletic exerciser pulling apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said means for manually selected engagement of one or more said spring assemblies that are contained in a housing member includes a selector lever which is pivotally mounted in each lateral slot in said control face of said housing member;

said selector lever comprising a flat, long arm portion and a short arm portion that are joined forming an elongated “

C”

shape with a pivot hole cut in the area joining the two arm portions;

said long arm portion including a pointed projection with hook edges that is located approximately at a midpoint along said arm portion, and which points inward toward the rim of a spring assembly when a selector lever is mounted;

said pointed projection entering an opening in the rim of said spring assembly, and engaging said spring assembly when said selector lever is manually pushed at a long portion end, toward said slot.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 including means for removably locking a selector lever in an unengaged position or in an engaged position with a spring assembly;

said unengaged position being indicated externally by the protrusion of an end of said long arm portion of said selector lever.

10. An athletic exerciser pulling apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said hub in a spring assembly is made about a third greater in height than the overall thickness of said base which it serves;

said hub, when in place at the center of said base, extending above the uppermost surface and below the under surface of said base, preventing any adjacent stacked spring assembly from rubbing against said base and interfering with normal operation.

11. An athletic exerciser pulling apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said means for clamping said spring housing assemblies and said pulley wheel assemblies together in a column includes two elongate metal bolts with threaded ends and two pairs of lock nuts, said lock nuts each having an extension portion shaped as a handle or a fastening ring;

each bolt, on opposite sides of said column, being passed through a hole in an ear of a first end cap at one end of said column, and through an earhole in a first end cap at a distal end of said column;

said lock nuts then being placed on each protruding threaded end of said bolts and tightened in place, clamping said column together securely.