Advanced resistive exercise device

• US 7,462,141 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2005
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Government As Represented By The Director National Security Agency
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Inventors: Raboin, Jasen L., Niebuhr, Jason, Lamoreaux, Christopher D., Cruz, Santana F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh; Loan H
• Assistant Examiner(s): HWANG, VICTOR KENNY
• Application Number:
  US11/031,942
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 482/92, 482/97, 482110-113, 482133-138, 482/908, D21/673, D21/692
• US Class Current: 482/112
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2023/0411 Squatting exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/008 using hydraulic or pneumatic force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0087 of the piston-cylinder type using hydraulic piston-cylinder type force resistors A63B21/0083
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/225 with flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4047 Pivoting movement weight pivoting A63B21/0615
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/09 Adjustable dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/908 Adjustable

Abstract

The present invention relates to an exercise device, which includes a vacuum cylinder and a flywheel. The flywheel provides an inertial component to the load, which is particularly well suited for use in space as it simulates exercising under normal gravity conditions. Also, the present invention relates to an exercise device, which has a vacuum cylinder and a load adjusting armbase assembly.

Claims

1. An exercise device comprising:

at least one vacuum cylinder, wherein the at least one vacuum cylinder requires no external source of compressed gas, and wherein the at least one vacuum cylinder comprises a cylinder shaft;

at least one flywheel operatively connected to the at least one vacuum cylinder;

a flywheel gear train operatively connected to the cylinder shaft, wherein the flywheel gear train comprises;

at least one rod; and

one or more gears operatively connected to the at least one rod such that the at least one rod rotates when the cylinder shaft is extended or retracted,

wherein the at least one flywheel is operatively connected to the at least one rod, such that when the at least one rod rotates, it causes the at least one flywheel to rotate; and

an armbase slider mechanism means, connected to the cylinder shaft, for varying a resistive exercise load.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a frame operatively connected to the at least one vacuum cylinder.

3. The device of claim 2, further comprising a platform connected to the frame.

4. An exercise device comprising:

at least one vacuum cylinder, wherein the at least one vacuum cylinder requires no external source of compressed gas, and wherein the at least one vacuum cylinder comprises a cylinder shaft;

at least one flywheel operatively connected to the at least one vacuum cylinder;

a flywheel gear train operatively connected to the cylinder shaft, wherein the flywheel gear train comprises;

at least one rod; and

one or more gears operatively connected to the at least one rod such that the at least one rod rotates when the cylinder shaft is extended or retracted,

wherein the at least one flywheel is operatively connected to the at least one rod, such that when the at least one rod rotates, it causes the at least one flywheel to rotate; and

an armbase assembly operatively connected to the cylinder shaft, wherein the armbase assembly is comprised of two sides and a slider mechanism slideably connected to the two sides wherein the slider mechanism varies the position of the cylinder shaft of each of the at least one vacuum cylinder relative to the armbase assembly.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the armbase assembly is further comprised of a pivot axis operatively connected to the armbase assembly such that the armbase assembly pivots about the pivot axis and wherein the armbase assembly has a shaft connection end and a force application end, such that when a force is exerted on the force application end, the armbase assembly pivots about the pivot axis and the shaft connection end causes the cylinder shaft of each of the at least one vacuum cylinder to extend.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein each of the two sides is comprised of a curved track and wherein the armbase assembly is further comprised of:

a ball screw operatively connected to the slider mechanism;

a crank operatively connected to the ball screw;

at least one shaft end interface operatively connected to the cylinder shaft of each of the at least one vacuum cylinder; and

a cross bar operatively connected to the slider mechanism and the at least one shaft end interface.

7. The device of claim 4, further comprising a wishbone arm and a lift bar, wherein the wishbone arm is operatively connected to the armbase assembly and the lift bar is operatively connected to the wishbone arm.

8. The device of claim 4, further comprising two cable arms, operatively connected to the armbase assembly on each of its sides.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising at least two cables, wherein at least one cable is operatively connected to each of the two cable arms.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising at least one pulley operatively connected to at least one of the at least two cables, wherein the at least one pulley is comprised of a predetermined load ratio for a load application to each of the at least two cables.

11. An exercise device, comprising:

at least one vacuum cylinder comprised of a cylinder shaft;

a gear rack operatively connected to the cylinder shaft;

a rotatable first rod operatively connected to the gear rack, the rotatable first rod having a first helical gear operatively connected to the first rod and a spur gear operatively connected to the first rod wherein the spur gear also operatively connects to the gear rack such that when the cylinder shaft is extended or retracted, the first rod and the first helical gear rotate;

a rotatable second rod operatively connected to the rotatable first rod, the rotatable second rod having at least one flywheel operatively connected to the second rod and a second helical gear operatively connected to the second rod, wherein the second helical gear operatively contacts the first helical gear such that when the first helical gear rotates, the second rod and the at least one flywheel rotate; and

an armbase slider mechanism means operatively connected to the cylinder shaft for varying a resistive exercise load.

12. The device of claim 11, further comprising a frame operatively connected to the at least one vacuum cylinder.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising a platform connected to the frame.