Body building system with shrouded weight stack

• US 20100056345A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ping Liu
• Original Assignee: Ping Liu
• Inventors: Liu, Ping
• Application Number:
  US12/231,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20100056345A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/98
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/063 Weight selecting means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0632 the weights being lifted by rigid means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/152 Bowden-type cables
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/09 Adjustable dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/093 Height

Abstract

A plurality of similarly configured weight plates each with a planar face having a horizontal coupling aperture and a numerical value form a weight stack. A front cover, with a generally rectangular cutout in a central section exposing all of the numerical values and coupling apertures, and a rear cover form a cover assembly.

Claims

1. A body building system having a shrouded weight stack comprising:

a plurality of similarly configured weight plates forming the weight stack with a total height, each weight plate having a planar face including a horizontal coupling aperture and a numerical value; and

a cover assembly including a front and rear cover, the front cover having a central section, a generally rectangular cutout in the lower extent of the central section of the front cover to expose all of the numerical values and coupling apertures, the cutout having a height between 10 percent and 20 percent greater than the total height of the weight stack and a width between 15 percent and 20 percent of the height of the cutout whereby the majority of the surface area of the front cover is imperforate.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein each weight plate is formed with a pair of laterally spaced vertical guide apertures and further including:

a pair of vertically disposed, laterally spaced guide rods with upper and lower ends, the guide rods slidably receiving the guide apertures for reciprocal movement;

an upper support receiving and supporting the upper ends of the guide rods; and

a lower support receiving and supporting the lower ends of the guide rods, the height of the guide bars being between 2 and 3 times the total height of the weight stack.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1 and further including a body building machine having an area to receive and support a user and a resistive member, the resistive member being coupled to the weight stack, a preselected portion of the weight stack adapted to be lifted in response to the movement of the resistive member by a user.

2. (canceled)

5. A body building system having a shrouded weight stack with the capability of selectively varying the weight to be lifted by a user in a safe, convenient and economical manner, the system comprising, in combination:

a body building machine having an area to receive and support a user and a resistive member adapted to be moved by a user and a weight stack having a total height, a preselected portion of the weight stack adapted to be lifted in response to the movement of the resistive member by a user;

a plurality of similarly configured weight plates forming the weight stack, each weight plate having a generally planar upper surface and a generally planar lower surface defining a thickness between the upper and lower surfaces, each weight plate having a generally oval shaped peripheral side wall, the side walls each having a planar face in a vertical plane, each planar face including a horizontal coupling aperture and a numerical value corresponding to the weight of the weight plate on which it appears plus the weight of the weight plates there above, each weight plate being formed with a pair of laterally spaced vertical guide apertures, the guide apertures of each weight plate extending between the upper and lower surfaces and in vertical alignment, each weight plate also being formed with a vertical locking aperture extending between the upper and lower surfaces midway between the guide apertures;

a pair of vertically disposed, laterally spaced guide rods, the guide rods being parallel with respect to each other with upper ends and lower ends, the guide rods slidably receiving the guide apertures of the weight plates for reciprocal movement along the guide rods;

an upper support receiving and supporting the upper ends of the guide rods, a lower support receiving and supporting the lower ends of the guide rods, each support having a periphery radially spaced from the weight stack in a generally oval configuration, the upper support having a downwardly extending side wall, the lower support having an upwardly extending side wall, the side walls having an axial length greater than the thickness of one weight plate, the side walls having curved front faces adjacent to the horizontal coupling apertures and the numerical values, the side walls having planar rear faces opposite from the front faces;

a coupling bar extending through the locking apertures of the weight plate, the coupling bar having a lower end adjacent to a lowermost weight plate of the weight stack and an upper end above an uppermost weight plate of the weight stack, a horizontal coupling bore in the coupling bar axially aligned with each coupling aperture of the weight plates, a locking pin selectively positionable through a coupling aperture of a weight plate and an aligned coupling bore, a flexible cable extending upwardly from the top of the coupling bar and terminating at the resistive member, and a hole in the upper support for the passage of the cable;

cylindrical spaced recesses in the upper and lower supports for receiving the upper and lower ends of the guide rods, a cylindrical central recess in the lower support for removably receiving the coupling bar; and

a cover assembly having a height of between 2 and 5 times the total height of the weight stack, the cover assembly including a front cover and a rear cover, the rear cover having a planar central section with curved side sections, the front cover having a curved central section with curved side sections, the front and rear covers having upper ends positioned within the side wall of the upper support with their side sections overlapping, the front and rear covers having lower ends positioned within the side wall of the lower support with their side sections overlapping, a generally rectangular cutout in the lower extent of the curved central section of the front cover to expose all of the numerical values and coupling apertures, the cutout having a height between 10 percent and 20 percent greater than the total height of the weight stack, the cutout having a width between 15 and 20 percent of the height of the cutout, the malority of the surface area of the front cover being imperforate, laterally spaced apertures in the front of the side wall of the upper support with laterally spaced complementary vertical slots in the upper end of the front cover and with fasteners coupling the side wall of the upper support to the front cover.