Fitness level

• US 9,656,120 B1
• Filed: 05/27/2016
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Danielle Franco, Jorge Marcel Franco, Jorge Romero Franco, Maria Franco
• Original Assignee: Danielle Franco, Jorge Marcel Franco, Jorge Romero Franco, Maria Franco
• Inventors: Franco, Jorge Romero, Franco, Maria, Franco, Jorge Marcel, Franco, Danielle
• Primary Examiner(s): Ganesan, Sundhara
• Application Number:
  US15/167,405
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1, 482 8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0655 Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/072 Dumb-bells, bar-bells or the like , e.g. weight discs having an integral peripheral handle
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0724 Bar-bells; Hand bars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• 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 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/207 P-O2, i.e. partial O2 value
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/50 temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 : Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/00 : Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 : with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied

Abstract

A level for attaching to a weight lifting bar includes sensors for detecting the level of the bar and visual and audio alerts for notifying a user whether the weight lifting bar is balanced or unbalanced. Information provided by the sensors can be recorded and stored for analysis.

Claims

1. A fitness level for use with an exercise bar, comprising:

a housing;

an electronic level sensor disposed within the housing; and

an output device retained by the housing, wherein,

the output device is operatively coupled to the electronic level sensor and is configured to provide an output correlated with a level measurement provided by the electronic level sensor;

the output device comprises a linear array of lights visible on a surface of the housing, wherein the linear array of lights comprises a first plurality of lights to the left of a center of the linear array of lights, and a second plurality of lights to the right of the center of the linear array of lights; and

one or more features configured to attach the fitness level to an exercise bar.

2. The fitness level of claim 1, wherein the electronic level sensor comprises an accelerometer.

3. The fitness level of claim 1, wherein at least some of the lights of the linear array of lights have different colors.

4. The fitness level of claim 1, wherein at least some of the lights of the linear array of lights are configured to illuminate in response to a direction of tilt and a degree of tilt.

5. The fitness level of claim 1, wherein the output comprises an audio output.

6. The fitness level of claim 5, wherein the audio output is configured to communicate a direction of tilt, a degree of tilt, or a combination thereof, to a user.

7. The fitness level of claim 1, wherein the linear array of lights comprises a liquid crystal display.

8. The fitness level of claim 1, wherein the one or more features configured to attach the fitness level comprises a magnet, a strap, or an extension.

9. The fitness level of claim 1, comprising a mechanism for adjusting a sensitivity of the output to the level measurement.

10. An exercise bar comprising the fitness level of claim 1.

11. The exercise bar of claim 10, wherein the exercise bar is selected from a weightlifting bar, a barbell, and a weight bar.

12. The fitness level of claim 1, wherein the linear array of lights is configured to communicate a degree of tilt, a direction of tilt, or a combination thereof, to a user.

13. The fitness level of claim 1, wherein,

lights of the first plurality of lights are configured to progressively illuminate away from the center with increasing degree of tilt;

and

lights of the second plurality of lights are configured to progressively illuminate away from the center with increasing degree of tilt.

14. The fitness level of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an elongated body.

15. The fitness level of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a mounting base shaped to conform to a curvature of the exercise bar.

16. The fitness level of claim 1, wherein the linear array of lights comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes.

19. The fitness level of claim 1, wherein the output comprises vibration.

20. The fitness level of claim 19, wherein the vibration is configured to communicate a direction of tilt, a degree of tilt, or a combination thereof, to a user.

21. The fitness level of claim 19, wherein a vibration frequency, a vibration amplitude, or both a vibration frequency and vibration amplitude are correlated with the tilt angle.

22. The fitness level of claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a vibration transducer configured to transmit vibrations to the exercise bar capable of being sensed by the user.

23. The fitness level of claim 5, wherein an audio tone, an audio pitch, an audio frequency, an audio amplitude, or a combination thereof are correlated with the tilt angle.

24. An exercise apparatus comprising:

an exercise bar; and

the fitness level of claim 1 secured to the exercise bar.

25. The exercise apparatus of claim 24, wherein the fitness level is detachably secured to the exercise bar.

26. The exercise apparatus of claim 24, wherein the exercise bar is selected from a weightlifting bar, a barbell, and a weight bar.

17. A fitness level, comprising:

a housing, wherein the housing comprises an elongated body and a mounting base shaped to conform to a curvature of an exercise bar;

one or more magnets disposed in the mounting base and configured to detachably secure the housing to the exercise bar;

an electronic level sensor disposed within the housing; and

an output device retained by the housing and visible on a surface of the housing,

wherein the output device is operatively coupled to the electronic level sensor and is configured to provide an output correlated with a level measurement provided by the electronic level sensor;

wherein the output device comprises a linear array of lights, wherein the linear array of lights comprises a first plurality of lights to the left of a center of the linear array of lights, and a second plurality of lights to the right of the center of the linear array of lights; and

wherein the plurality of lights is configured to progressively illuminate away from the center of the linear array of lights with increasing degree of tilt.

18. The fitness level of claim 17, wherein the exercise bar is selected from a weightlifting bar, a barbell, and a weight bar.