Device for controlling weight of a weight training machine and its method

• US 7,473,211 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2002
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Byung-Don Lee
• Original Assignee: Byung-Don Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Byung-don
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathew; Fenn C
• Application Number:
  US10/502,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20050143228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,237 Days
• Field of Search: 482 93-103, 482135-138
• US Class Current: 482/97
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/063 Weight selecting means

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for controlling the weight of a weight training machine and its method which is capable of allowing a user of the weight training machine to control weight of a stack more conveniently, eliminating any inconvenience caused when a fixing pin is inserted into a hole of the stack, which is a weight unit of the conventional weight training machine, preventing the fixing pin from escaping out of the stack during the weight training by the user of the weight training machine so that any safety accident can be kept previously from occurring, allowing the user to control minutely weight for the weight training, being programmable by means of remote electrical control so as to bring about a motive for exercise, and eliminating any restriction of design, which is common in the prior art because of the fixing pin.

Claims

1. A variable load weight training machine, comprising

a base;

a pair of weight guides having upper and lower ends, the lower ends of the weight guides being mounted to the base;

a plurality of weights slidably attached to the pair of weight guides such that the weights may slide between the upper and lower ends of the weight guides, the weight guides extending along an axis intersecting with an upper side and lower side of each of said weights, each of said weights having a corresponding lateral side extending between the upper and lower side of the weight, the lateral side of each of the weights having a corresponding recessed portion forming an indentation, the recessed portion extending from the upper side to the lower side of each weight, each of said weights having a fixing bar hole extending from the upper side to lower side of the weight, and each of said weights having an insert hole formed in the recessed portion side and extending to the fixing bar hole;

a plate slidably attached to said weight guides such that the plate may slide between the upper and lower ends of the weight guides, the plate being closer to the upper ends of the weight guides than the plurality of weights, the plate having a lower side proximal to the plurality of weights;

a fixing bar with a plurality of holes formed therein, said fixing bar being mounted to the lower side of said plate, the fixing bar being positioned and sized to extend through the fixing bar holes in the weights when the lower side of the plate is in contact with the upper side of the weight closest to the upper ends of the guides;

a pair of fixing unit guides having upper ends mounted to the lower side of the plate, the fixing unit guides positioned and sized to extend in a longitudinal direction, defined by an axis that intersects the upper side and lower side of the weights, through the indentations of the weights when the lower side of the plate is in contact with the upper side of the weight closest to the upper ends of the fixing unit guides, wherein each of said fixing unit guides is provided at the one side thereof with a plurality of stop grooves along its longitudinal direction,

a fixing unit slidably attached to the fixing unit guides such that the fixing unit may slide toward and away from the upper ends of the fixing unit guides, said fixing unit having a receiving chamber passing therethrough that aligns with the insert hole of each weight as the fixing unit is slidably moved, said fixing unit having guide holes, the fixing unit guides extending through the guide holes, said fixing unit having a positioning structure hole that extends from an external surface of the fixing unit to one of the guide holes at a location aligned with the stop groove on the fixing unit guide within the one of the guide holes;

a fixing pin provided in the receiving chamber having a first end of the fixing pin distal to the weights and a second end proximal to the weights that is sized and positioned to be inserted into any one of the insert holes when the fixing unit receiving chamber is aligned with the one of the insert holes, the fixing pin being biased toward the insert hole;

a positioning insert provided in the positioning structure hole proximal to and biased toward an end of the positioning structure hole by the one of the guide holes.

2. The variable loadweight training machine of claim 1, further comprising

a control unit with a slot shaped guide hole and a plurality of control unit stop grooves formed on a front end surface of the control unit along a longitudinal side of said slot shaped guide hole;

a slider slidably mounted in the slot shaped guide of the control unit, the slider having a through hole extending from a first end of the slider at a front side of the slot shaped guide hole to a second end of the slider at a back side of the slot shaped guide hole, the slider having a flange with a communicating surface opposing the front end surface of the control unit, the flange having a hole in the communicating surface that aligns with the control unit stop grooves as the slider is slidably moved in the slot shaped guide;

an actuating bar provided in the through hole of the slider, the actuating bar having an end on the front side of the slot shaped guide hole with a handle;

a second positioning insert provided in the flange hole and biased toward

one of said plurality of stop grooves when said flange hole is aligned with the one of said plurality of stop grooves;

a first cable wire mechanically connected between the slider and the fixing unit so as to translate movement of the slider in the longitudinal direction of the slot shaped guide into movement of the fixing unit along the fixing unit guides;

a second cable wire mechanically connected between the actuating bar and the handle of the fixing pin so as to translate a movement of the actuating bar along an axis that intersects the front side and back side of the slot shaped guide hole into movement of the fixing pin in or out of the insert hole.

3. A variable load weight training machine, comprising

a base;

a pair of weight guides having upper and lower ends, the lower ends of the weight guides being mounted to the base;

a plurality of weights slidably attached to the pair of weight guides such that the weights may slide between the upper and lower ends of the weight guides, the weight guides extending along an axis intersecting with an upper side and lower side of each of said weights, each of said weights having a corresponding lateral side extending between the upper and lower side of the weight, the lateral side of each of the weights having a corresponding recessed portion forming an indentation, the recessed portion extending from the upper side to the lower side of each weight, each of said weights having a fixing bar hole extending from the upper side to lower side of the weight, each of said weights having an insert hole formed in the recessed portion side and extending to the fixing bar hole;

a plate slidably attached to said weight guides such that the plate may slide between the upper and lower ends of the weight guides, the plate being closer to the upper ends of the weight guides than the plurality of weights, the plate having a lower side proximal to the plurality of weights;

a fixing unit attached to the plate, said fixing unit extending in a longitudinal direction, defined by an axis that intersects the upper side and lower side of the weights, through the indentations of the weights when the lower side of the plate is in contact with the upper side of the weight closest to the upper ends of the weight guides, the fixing unit having an internal cavity, the fixing unit having a plurality of fixing pin holes extending from an external surface of the fixing unit to the internal cavity, each of the fixing pin holes being part of a set of two fixing pin holes, each set of fixing pin holes corresponding to one of the weights, the fixing pin holes in each set of fixing pin holes being on opposing sides of the internal cavity and aligned with the insert hole of the fixing pin hole set'"'"'s corresponding weight;

a fixing pin slidably provided in each set of fixing pin holes so as to selectively engage and disengage a first end of the fixing pin proximal to the weights from the insert hole of the weight corresponding to the fixing pin hole set, each fixing pin having a second end distal to the weights.

4. The variable load weight training machine of claim 3, wherein each of said fixing pins is provided with a latching projection and one or more guide projections extending lengthwise along a portion of a side of the fixing pin that extends between the first and second ends of the fixing pin, the guide projection having a latching step at an end of the guide projection proximal to the first end of the fixing pin, and each of the fixing holes distal to the weights having a guide groove corresponding to said guide projection and a groove corresponding to said latching projection;

a latching member provided in the internal cavity of the fixing unit, the latching member having a plurality of hooks, each of the hooks corresponding and positioned with reference to one of the sets of fixing pin holes, the hooks being configured so as to engage with the latching projection and limit movement of the fixing pin out of the insert hole after insertion of the fixing pin therein and to engage with the hooks on insertion so that the latch projection causes a longitudinal movement in the latch member which releases engagement of any other hook and corresponding latch projection;

a latch member spring arranged at the lower part of said latching member so as to bias the latching member toward the plate;

and a fixing pin spring for each fixing pin arranged so as to bias the fixing pin against engagement with the fixing pin'"'"'s corresponding inset hole.

5. The variable load weight training machine of claim 4, further comprising solenoid switch for each of the fixing pins, the solenoid switch having a plunger portion positioned such that it will push the fixing pin into the corresponding insert hole when the solenoid switch is activated, and a control circuit electrically connected to the solenoid switches for actuating one of the solenoid switches based upon a users selection.

6. The variable load weight training machine of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of pulleys, each pulley corresponding to one of the fixing pins;

a plurality of cable wires, each cable wire being carried on one of the pulleys the pulley being braced in a position and the cable wire being connected at a first end to the pulley'"'"'s corresponding fixing pin such that a pulling force on a second end of the cable wire causes the insertion of the corresponding fixing pin into the insert hole of the corresponding weight, and

a control unit body;

a plurality of actuating bars, each actuating bar corresponding to one of the fixing pins, and connected to the second end of the cable wire having the first end connected to the corresponding fixing pin, each actuating bar movably mounted to the control unit body so as to translate a movement of the actuating bars along the connected cable wire into movement of the fixing pin in or out of the insert hole corresponding to the fixing pin.

7. The variable load weight training machine of claim 3, wherein the insert hole of each weight is provided under the center of gravity thereof.

8. The variable load weight training machine of claim 3, wherein the portion of each of the fixing pins that engages with the corresponding insert hole is a fixing plate portion, configured to follow the contours of an interior surface of the corresponding insert hole.

9. A variable load weight training machine, comprising

a base;

a pair of weight guides having upper and lower ends, the lower ends of the weight guides being mounted to the base;

a plurality of weights slidably attached to the pair of weight guides such that the weights may slide between the upper and lower ends of the weight guides, the weight guides extending along an axis intersecting with an upper side and lower side of each of said weights, each of said weights having a corresponding lateral side extending from the upper side to the lower side of the weight, the lateral side of each weight having a recessed portion forming an indentation, the recessed portion extending from the upper side to the lower side of each weight, each of said weights having an insert hole formed in the recessed portion side;

a plate slidably attached to said weight guides such that the plate may slide to and fro between the upper and lower ends of the weight guides, the plate being closer to the upper ends of the weight guides than the plurality of weights, the plate having a lower side proximal to the plurality of weights;

a fixing unit extending in a longitudinal direction, defined by an axis that intersects the upper side and lower side of the weights, through the indentations of the weights when the lower side of the plate is in contact with the upper side of the weight closest to the upper ends of the weight guides, the fixing unit having a front plate extending along the longitudinal side of the fixing unit proximal to the insert holes in the weights, a rear plate extending along the longitudinal side of the fixing unit distal to the insert holes in the weights, a top plate extending between the front plate and rear plate along a side of the fixing unit proximal to the plate, a bottom plate extending between the front plate and rear plate along a side of the fixing unit distal to the plate, and side plates each extending along opposing sides of the fixing unit between the front, rear, top and bottom plates, the fixing unit mounted to the plate, the front plate having a plurality of fixing plate holes each corresponding to one of the weights and aligned with the insert hole of the corresponding weight when the lower side of the plate is in contact with the upper side of the weight closest to the upper ends of the weight guides;

the rear plate having a plurality of push pin holes corresponding to the fixing plate holes, the plates forming an internal cavity;

a plurality of fixing plates provided in the internal cavity of said fixing unit each corresponding to one of the fixing plate holes, each of said fixing plates being sized positioned and configured so that an insert portion of the fixing plate may be inserted selectively into said insert hole of the weight corresponding to the fixing plate hole,

a plurality of disengagement preventing plates one or more corresponding to each of the fixing plates moveably mounted in the fixing unit, each disengagement preventing plate being biased so as to impede the fixing plate from disengaging from the insert hole after insertion of the fixing plate into the insert hole.

10. The variable load weight training machine of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of guides, one for each of the disengagement preventing plates, each guide configured to direct the movement of the corresponding disengagement preventing plate, the guide having a stopping flange, the disengagement preventing plate having a stopper that engages with the stopping flange to limit the movement of the disengagement preventing plate.

11. The variable load weight training machine of claim 9, wherein the insert hole of each weight is provided under the center of gravity thereof.

12. The variable load weight training machine of claim 11, wherein the insert portion of each fixing plate is configured to follow thecontours of an interior surface of the corresponding insert hole.

13. The variable load weight training machine of claim 9, wherein the insert portion of each fixing plate is configured to follow the contours of an interior surface of the corresponding insert hole.

14. The variable load weight training machine of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of fixing pins, said fixing pins being formed with the same shape as said insert hole.

15. A variable load weight training machine comprising

a base;

a weight guide mounted to the base;

one or more weights slidably attached to the weight guide, each of the weights having a fixing bar hole extending through the weight and an insert hole formed on an outer surface of the weight extending to the fixing bar hole;

a plate slidably attached to the weight guide such that the one or more weights are positioned to a first side of the plate;

a fixing unit attached to the first side of the plate, the fixing unit having an internal cavity, the fixing unit having a plurality of fixing pin holes extending from an external surface of the fixing unit to the internal cavity, each of the fixing pin holes being part of a set of two fixing pin holes, each set of fixing pin holes corresponding to one of the weights, the fixing pin holes in each set of fixing pin holes being on opposing sides of the internal cavity and aligned with the insert hole of the corresponding weight;

a fixing pin slidably provided in each set of fixing pin holes so as to selectively engage and disengage a first end of the fixing pin proximal to the weights from the insert hole of the weight corresponding to the fixing pin hole set.

16. The variable load weight training machine according to claim 15, wherein the insert hole of each weight extends in a direction perpendicular to the weight guide to accommodate a fixing plate and the first end of each of the fixing pins that engages with the corresponding insert hole is configured as a fixing plate that follows the contours of an interior surface of the corresponding insert hole, the the variable load weight training machine further comprising

a plurality of disengagement preventing plates one or more corresponding to each of the fixing plates moveably mounted in the fixing unit, each disengagement preventing plate being biased so as to impede the fixing plate from disengaging from the insert hole after insertion of the fixing plate into the insert hole.

17. A variable load weight training machine comprising

a base;

a weight guide mounted to the base;

one or more weights slidably attached to the weight guide, each of the weights having a fixing bar hole extending through the weight and an insert hole formed on an outer surface of the weight extending to the fixing bar hole;

a plate slidably attached to the weight guide such that the one or more weights are positioned to a first side of the plate;

a fixing bar with a plurality of holes formed therein, said fixing bar being mounted to the first side of the plate;

a fixing unit guide mounted to the first side of the plate, wherein the fixing unit guide is provided at the one side thereof with a plurality of stop grooves along its longitudinal direction,

a fixing unit slidably attached to the fixing unit guide, said fixing unit having a receiving chamber passing therethrough that aligns with the insert hole of each weight as the fixing unit is slidably moved;

a fixing pin provided in the receiving chamber having a first end of the fixing pin distal to the weights and a second end proximal to the weights that is sized and positioned to be inserted into any one of the insert holes when the fixing unit receiving chamber is aligned with the one of the insert holes, the fixing pin being biased toward the insert hole.