Exercise machine

• US 7,608,023 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2007
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Technogym SpA
• Original Assignee: Technogym SpA
• Inventors: Casagrande, Simone
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathew; Fenn C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tecco; Andrew M
• Application Number:
  US11/775,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20080015094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 482/5, 482/93, 482/94, 482 98-103, 482/908
• US Class Current: 482/100
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/063 Weight selecting means

Abstract

An exercise machine comprises an element for an application of a force by a user, a plurality of weights for countering the force applied on the element, which can be stacked on one another, a load regulator which in turn comprises a pulling bar, the pulling bar is able to slide in a longitudinal slot and can be associated with the weights and has a plurality of grooves along its longitudinal extension.

Claims

1. An exercise machine comprising:

an element for the application of a force by a user;

a plurality of weights for countering the force applied on the element, the weights being configured to stack on one another and the weights being connected to the element;

a load regulator comprising a pulling bar, having a longitudinal extension in a predetermined direction, connected to the element, and designed to slide in a longitudinal slot forming a passage for the pulling bar at the plurality of weights, the pulling bar being associated with the weights and the pulling bar having a plurality of grooves along its longitudinal extension, wherein the load regulator comprises elastic means comprising a “

U”

-shaped spring with an open end, the elastic means being fixed to the weights and able to move between a closed position, in which they connect the weight on which they are positioned to the pulling bar, and an open position in which they release the weight on which they are positioned from the pulling bar; and

the regulator comprising a selection rod able to move parallel with the direction, said selection rod being designed to selectively cause the elastic means to adopt respectively the closed or open position, wherein the spring is wrapped around the pulling bar in one of the grooves and the open end is towards the selection rod.

2. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the pulling bar consists of a succession of portions having the shape of a truncated cone with a larger base and a smaller base, the larger base being positioned above the smaller base.

3. The machine according to claim 1, in which the weights substantially have the shape of a parallelepiped and have an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the weights each comprise means for fixing the elastic means to the weights.

4. The machine according to claim 2, wherein, in the closed position, the spring is in contact with the groove.

5. The machine according to claim 2, wherein each of the springs is fixed on the upper surface of the weight.

6. The machine according to claim 3, wherein the fixing means comprise at least one rivet for fixing the spring to the upper surface of the weight positioned at a curved portion of the spring.

7. The machine according to claim 3, wherein the fixing means comprise a first and a second fixing rivet positioned at said curved portion of the spring.

8. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the open end of the spring is widened when the spring is in the open position.

9. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the selection rod is positioned at the side of the weights pack and the springs have the open end projecting from the respective upper surfaces of the weight with which they are associated so that they are intercepted by the selection rod until they are brought into their open position.

10. The machine according to claim 9, wherein the selection rod is designed to engage with the end of the spring to widen it and bring the spring into the open position.

11. The machine according to claim 8, wherein the spring is in the closed position when the selection rod is disengaged from the end of the spring.

12. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the selection rod comprises a handgrip for manually moving the selection rod along the direction.

13. The machine according to claim 1, comprising means for moving the selection rod.

14. The machine according to claim 13, comprising electronic means associated with the movement means for automatically moving the selection rod.

15. The machine according to claim 13, wherein the movement means comprise a motor, a roller and a rack.

16. The machine according to claim 14, wherein the electronic means comprise a control unit which regulates motor operation.

17. The machine according to claim 14, wherein the electronic means comprise an external peripheral for programming a control unit.

18. The exercise machine according to claim 1, in which the longitudinal slot is a channel formed by corresponding central through-hole portions in the weights, comprising a cable for connecting the weights to the element, the cable having a first and a second end, the second end being connected to the element and the first end being connected to the pulling bar, said pulling bar able to slide in the channel and there being the possibility of associating the pulling bar with the weights.

19. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the grooves are circular.

20. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the selection rod has a tapered end allowing its easy insertion in the open end of the spring.