Repetition sensor in exercise equipment

• US 7,628,737 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2004
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IFIT Incorporated (Amynta Agency, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Icon-Ip Pty Limited
• Inventors: Earl, Chad J., Gerber, James Boyd, Kowallis, Rodney C., Ashby, Darren C., Hendrickson, Rick W., Ashby, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAKER, LORI LYNN
• Application Number:
  US10/916,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20060035768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,945 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 8, 482 92- 98, 482/148
• US Class Current: 482/94
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00072 by changing the length of a lever
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/026 Bars; Tubes; Leaf springs A63B21/023 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/045 having torsion or bending or flexion element
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/154 using special pulley-assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances

Abstract

An exercise repetition sensor comprises an electricity generator, such as an electricity generator, which is coupled to an exercise system, where the electricity generator is capable of sensing exercise movements of any size or intensity on the exercise system. The electricity generator can be based on a number of electrical, magnetic, or optical sensing principles. For example, an electricity generator comprising an electricity generator includes a spindle that is coupled to one or more parts that move in proportion to an applied force. The voltage-generator generates an electrical current as the spindle moves, and sends the electrical current to an electronic display interface. In one embodiment, the voltage-generator sends a positive direct current through one of two circuit wires to the electronic console, such that the electronic console can immediately identify that the user has performed an exercise repetition.

Claims

1. A repetition sensor for use in an exercise device comprising:

a repetition movement member linked to a movable component of the exercise device, the repetition movement member configured to move in response to a mechanical stimulus generated during repetition movement; and

an electricity generator linked to the repetition movement member such that the electricity generator generates an electrical signal indicative of the repetition movement in response to movement of the repetition movement member, wherein the electricity generator is a direct current generator; and

an electronic console, wherein the electronic console identifies that the repetition member has been moved based on the direction of the electrical signal.

2. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 1, further comprising a sensor frame for securing the repetition sensor to an exercise device and a torque spindle linking the repetition movement member to the electricity generator, the torque spindle rotating in response to movement of the repetition movement member and facilitating generation of an electrical signal at the electricity generator.

3. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the electricity generator comprises one or more magnets, such that electrical signal is created by rotation of at least one of the one or more magnets.

4. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 3, wherein the electricity generator outputs a greater intensity of electrical signal as the torque spindle rotates with greater speed.

5. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the electricity generator comprises a first circuit wire and a second circuit wire, and wherein one exercise repetition is based on an instance of greater electronic energy potential on the first circuit wire than on the second circuit wire.

6. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the electricity generator is an alternating current generator.

7. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 6, further comprising an electronic console, wherein the electronic console identifies that the movable component has been moved based on the amplitude of the electrical signal.

8. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 6, wherein the electricity generator comprises a first circuit wire and a second circuit wire, and wherein amplitude of the electrical signal is measured across both the first circuit wire and the second circuit wire.

9. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 7, wherein the electronic console includes an electrical connection interface module for receiving electronic signals from a repetition sensor;

a processing module communicably connected to the electrical connection interface module, wherein the processing module identifies a signal property of an electrical signal generated by the repetition sensor; and

a display interface module communicably connected to the processing module, wherein the display interface module provides an indication of an exercise repetition based on the identified signal property to one or more display interfaces.

10. The electronic display console as recited in claim 9, wherein the repetition sensor is an apparatus comprising an AC current generator, a DC current generator, a piezoelectric sensor, an optical resistor, or a Hall-Effect sensor switch.

11. The electronic display console as recited in claim 9, wherein the signal property identifies the direction of a direct current emanating from one of a plurality of circuit wires that are electrically coupled to the repetition sensor. An exercise system configured to display repetition data comprising:

an exercise system having a resistance assembly;

a movable member linked to the resistance assembly, the movable member moving in response to movement of the resistance assembly during exercise; and

a means for generating a signal representing repetition movement of the resistance assembly, wherein the means for generating a signal is linked to the movable member, wherein the means for generating a signal comprises a radio frequency generator.

12. The electronic display console as recited in claim 9, wherein the signal property identifies an amplitude of an alternating current emanating from one or more circuit wires that are electrically coupled to the repetition sensor. An exercise system configured to display repetition data comprising:

an exercise system having a resistance assembly;

a movable member linked to the resistance assembly, the movable member moving in response to movement of the resistance assembly during exercise; and

a means for generating a signal representing repetition movement of the resistance assembly, wherein the means for generating a signal is linked to the movable member, and wherein the means for generating a signal comprises a magnetic signal generator.

13. The electronic display console as recited in claim 9, wherein the one or more display interfaces further comprise a display for any one of a level of anaerobic resistance, a number of exercise sets, a duration of anaerobic exercise, a heart rate, a user weight, a prior anaerobic exercise goal, a present anaerobic exercise goal, and a projected anaerobic exercise goal.

14. The electronic display console as recited in claim 9, wherein the processing module comprises an identification module configured to identify the signal property, and a calculation module configured to interpret the signal property as an exercise repetition.

15. The electronic display console as recited in claim 14, wherein the calculation module is further configured to compare the signal property with one or more of a prior number of exercise repetitions, an exercise set, an exercise resistance, a user anaerobic exercise activity, a hypothetical anaerobic exercise goal for a given resistance weight, a user heart rate, and a user anaerobic exercise duration.

16. The electronic display console as recited in claim 15, wherein the display interface module is configured to receive user input, and wherein the calculation module is further configured to compare one or more of the signal property with a prior anaerobic exercise goal, a present anaerobic exercise goal, a projected anaerobic exercise goal, a hypothetical anaerobic exercise goal for one or more of a given resistance weight, a user weight, a user age, a user sex, a user heart rate, and exercise data from an aerobic exercise device.

17. The repetition sensor of claim 1, further comprising a linkage coupled to the movement member, a torque spindle linked to the linkage and to the electricity generator, the torque spindle rotating in response to movement of the movement member, the rotational movement of the torque spindle representing the movement of the movement member, wherein the electrical signal is generated in response to rotational movement of the torque spindle to represent movement of the movable member.

18. The repetition sensor of claim 17, wherein the torque spindle is configured to rotate in a first and second direction in response to repetition movement of the exercise system.

19. The repetition sensor of claim 18, wherein the electricity generator generates an electrical signal having a positive voltage when the torque spindle rotates in the first direction.

20. The repetition sensor of claim 18, wherein the electricity generator generates an electrical signal having a negative voltage when the torque spindle rotates in the second direction.

21. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 18, wherein the linkage comprises one of a ribbon, a cable, a string, a wire, and a gear.

22. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 19, wherein the linkage comprises a pulley.

23. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 19, wherein the linkage comprises a zip line.

24. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 23, wherein the zip line is an exercise cable extending from a gripping handle, such that the electricity generator generates the electrical signal as an exercise cable moves in response to motion at a gripping handle linked to the exercise cable.

25. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 17, wherein the linkage comprises an electronic sensor.

26. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 17, wherein the linkage comprises a magnetic sensor.

27. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 17, wherein the electricity generator is selected from the group comprising a direct current generator, an alternating current generator, a magnetic sensor system, an optical sensor system, or a piezoelectric sensor that produces an electrical signal in response to an exercise motion.

28. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 17, further comprising an electronic console which identifies that the movable member has been moved based on at least one of the direction of the electrical signal, the amount of the electrical signal, the intensity of the electrical signal, and the amplitude of the electrical signal.

29. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 17, wherein the electricity generator comprises a first circuit wire and a second circuit wire, and wherein one exercise repetition is based on a greater electronic energy potential on the first circuit wire than on the second circuit wire.

30. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 17, wherein the electricity generator comprises an alternating current generator.

31. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 30, further comprising an electronic console wherein the electronic console identifies that the movable member has been moved based on the amplitude of the electrical signal.

32. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 17, wherein the torque spindle is linked through a self-winding ribbon to an exercise component that moves in proportion to a force applied to the exercise system.

33. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 32, further comprising a rewind spring which rotates the torque spindle in a reverse direction to self-wind the ribbon.

34. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 17, wherein the electricity generator generates an electrical signal of differential intensity as the movable member moves at a corresponding differential speed.

35. A repetition sensor for use in an exercise device comprising:

a repetition movement member linked to a movable component of the exercise device, the repetition movement member configured to move in response to a mechanical stimulus generated during repetition movement; and

an electricity generator linked to the repetition movement member such that the electricity generator generates an electrical signal indicative of the repetition movement in response to movement of the repetition movement member, wherein the repetition movement member comprises a retractable ribbon.

36. The repetition sensor as recited in claim 35, wherein the retractable ribbon is coupled to a rewind spring, such that the retractable ribbon is retracted when the rewind spring moves to a relaxed state.