Bidirectional resistance apparatus for exercise equipment

• US 7,537,551 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2007
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life Fitness LLC
• Original Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Inventors: Steffee, Clay
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh; Loan H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hwang; Victor K
• Application Number:
  US11/625,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20080176722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 482 92- 94, 482/100, 482136-138, 482/905, 273/451, 273/452
• US Class Current: 482/100
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0209 on a single foot
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03508 For a single arm or leg, A63B21/0726 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0482 primarily by articulating the hip joints A63B23/0211, A63B23/0405, A63B23/0476 take precedence

Abstract

Bidirectional resistance apparatus for exercise equipment are disclosed. An example exercise apparatus comprises a resistance source coupled to a cable between first and second ends of the cable, a rotational resistance mechanism coupled to the first and second ends of the cable, and an exercise arm coupled to the rotational resistance mechanism to rotate in first and second directions, the rotational resistance mechanism to apply a substantially constant resistance to the exercise arm when the exercise arm is rotated in the first and second directions.

Claims

1. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a resistance source coupled to a cable between first and second ends of the cable;

a rotational resistance mechanism comprising;

a shaft;

a first rotatable member rotatable about the shaft and coupled to the first end of the cable, the first rotatable member having a protrusion; and

a second rotatable member rotatable about the shaft and coupled to the second end of the cable, the second rotatable member having a slot to allow the protrusion to pass through the second rotatable member; and

a selector plate rotatable about the shaft and comprising a stop; and

an exercise arm to rotate the selector plate in first and second directions, wherein the stop is to engage the protrusion to rotate the first rotatable member when the exercise arm is rotated in the first direction.

2. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein a substantially constant resistance is provided after substantially zero rotation in the first and second directions.

3. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a pulley, the cable passing over the pulley to couple the cable to the resistance source.

4. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the resistance source is a weight stack.

5. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the exercise apparatus provides bilateral resistance for at least one of a hip flexion exercise, a hip extension exercise, a hip abduction exercise or a hip adduction exercise.

6. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the exercise apparatus provides bidirectional resistance for at least one of a leg extension exercise or a leg curl exercise.

7. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first end of the cable attaches to a first side of the first rotatable member and the second end of the cable attaches to a side of the second rotatable member opposite the first side of the first rotatable member.

8. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein rotation of the exercise arm in the first direction causes the cable to wrap around the first rotatable member to exert a force on the exercise arm.

9. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a second stop to prevent the second rotatable member from rotating when the exercise arm is rotated in the first direction.

10. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the exercise arm comprises a selector pin to cause the selector plate to rotate when the exercise arm is rotated.

11. An exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the selector plate comprises a second stop to rotate the second rotatable member when the exercise arm is rotated in the second direction.

12. A bidirectional resistance apparatus for use with an exercise machine, the bidirectional resistance apparatus comprising:

a cable;

a first pulley rotatable about an axis, a first end of the cable attached to the first pulley at a first side of the bidirectional resistance apparatus;

a second pulley rotatable about the axis, a second end of the cable attached to the second pulley at a second side of the bidirectional resistance apparatus;

an exercise arm rotatable about the axis to rotate the first pulley when the exercise arm is rotated in a first direction and to rotate the second pulley when the exercise arm is rotated in a second direction; and

a selector plate comprising a first stop, wherein the exercise arm comprises a selector pin to cause the selector plate to rotate about the axis when the exercise arm is rotated, and wherein the first pulley comprises a first protrusion, the first stop to act against the first protrusion to rotate the first pulley when the exercise arm is rotated in the first direction.

13. A bidirectional resistance apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the selector plate and the selector pin are to adjust a position of the exercise arm.

14. A bidirectional resistance apparatus as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

a support member;

a second stop attached to the support member to act against a second protrusion of the first pulley to stop the first pulley from rotating when the exercise arm is rotated in the second direction.

15. A bidirectional resistance apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising a third stop attached to the support member to act against a third protrusion of the second pulley to stop the second pulley from rotating when the exercise arm is rotated in the first direction.

16. A bidirectional resistance apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the second protrusion is located opposite the first protrusion on the first pulley.

17. A bidirectional resistance apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the second protrusion is longer than the first protrusion.

18. A bidirectional resistance apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the first pulley further comprises a slot to allow a third protrusion of the second pulley to pass through the first pulley.

19. A bidirectional resistance apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein the selector plate comprises a third stop to act against the third protrusion to rotate the second pulley when the exercise arm is rotated in the second direction.

20. A bidirectional resistance apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the first and second pulleys are substantially identical.

21. A bidirectional resistance apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein the first and second pulleys are mounted in opposite directions.

22. A bidirectional resistance apparatus as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

a resistance source; and

a third pulley, the cable passing over the third pulley to couple the resistance source t the exercise arm.

23. A bidirectional resistance apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein the resistance source is a weight stack.

24. A bidirectional resistance apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the apparatus provides a substantially constant resistance to the exercise arm when the exercise arm is rotated in the first and second directions.

25. A bidirectional resistance apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the substantially constant resistance is provided after substantially zero rotation in the first and second directions.