Reversible resistance assembly for hydraulic exercise apparatus

• US 7,491,159 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gary W. Patterson
• Original Assignee: Gary W. Patterson
• Inventors: Patterson, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh; Loan H
• Assistant Examiner(s): HWANG, VICTOR KENNY
• Application Number:
  US10/903,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20060025288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,663 Days
• Field of Search: 482/72, 482/73, 482/92, 482111-113, 482/121, 482/129, 482/130, 482/136, 482/96, 482/137
• US Class Current: 482/112
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/025 on rollers or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00072 by changing the length of a lever
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0083 of the piston-cylinder type using pneumatic piston-cylinder type force resistors A63B21/0087
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/159 Using levers for transmitting forces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4047 Pivoting movement weight pivoting A63B21/0615

Abstract

A resistance assembly for a hydraulic resistance exercise apparatus includes a single-action hydraulic cylinder having a longitudinal axis and extending from a first end to a second end. The single-action cylinder provides resistance to compression of the cylinder, one end toward the other, but provides little or no resistance to extension of the cylinder, one end away from the other. A first compression linkage compresses the hydraulic cylinder in response to movement of a first exercise resistance lever in a first direction. A second compression linkage compresses the hydraulic cylinder in response to movement of a second exercise resistance lever in a second direction directly opposed to the first direction. An engagement exercise lever includes an engagement pin for selectively engaging the engagement exercise lever to move in fixed relation to one or the other the first or second exercise levers in both the first and second direction.

Claims

1. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus comprising:

an elongate vertical support member extending along a support member axis;

a first, elongate exercise resistance lever member extending along a longitudinal axis from a pivot end to a distal exercise end, said pivot end attached to said vertical support member at a lower pivotal attachment point along said support member axis;

a second, elongate exercise resistance lever member extending from a linkage end along a longitudinal axis to a distal exercise end and attached to said vertical support member at said lower pivotal attachment point along said support member longitudinal axis, said attachment point lying on said second exercise lever member longitudinal axis between said linkage end and said exercise end;

an upper linkage member extending along a longitudinal axis from a linkage end to a resistance end and mounted upon said vertical support member at an upper pivotal attachment point on said support member axis above said lower pivotal attachment point, said upper pivotal attachment point lying on said upper linkage member longitudinal axis between said linkage end and said resistance end;

a vertical linkage member extending from a lower vertical linkage member end to an upper linkage member end, said lower vertical linkage member end attached to said second resistance lever member linkage end at a lower vertical linkage member attachment point and said upper vertical linkage member end attached to said upper linkage member linkage end at an upper vertical linkage member attachment point, said upper and lower vertical linkage member attachment points separated one from the other generally by a resistance member spanning distance;

a length change resistance member extending from an upper mounting end along a longitudinal axis to a lower mounting end, said upper mounting end mounted upon said upper linkage member resistance end and said lower mounting end mounted upon said first exercise resistance lever at a mounting point on its longitudinal axis lying beyond said pivot end in the direction of said distal exercise end; and

,

an exercise engagement lever member including a pivot end attached to said vertical support member and selective exercise lever member engagement means for selectively engaging either of said first exercise resistance lever member at a point along its longitudinal axis beyond said pivot end in the direction of said distal exercise end or said second exercise resistance lever member at a point along its longitudinal axis beyond said lower support member pivotal attachment point in the direction of said distal exercise end.

2. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising:

said exercise engagement lever member is an elongate exercise lever member extending along a longitudinal axis from a pivot end to a distal exercise end, said pivot end attached to said vertical support member at said lower pivotal attachment point along said support member axis, said distal exercise end including exercise member engagement means for engaging exercise members upon which exercise forces may be exerted and said selective exercise lever member engagement means includes an engagement pin for selectively engaging either of a hole defined within said first exercise resistance lever member or a hole defined within said second exercise resistance lever member.

3. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising:

said length change resistance member resists compression of said upper mounting end and said lower mounting end along said resistance member longitudinal axis, one toward the other, while allowing generally free extension of said upper mounting end and said lower mounting end along said resistance member longitudinal axis, one away from the other.

4. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus as in claim 3, further comprising:

said length change resistance member is a single-action hydraulic cylinder.

5. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus as in claim 4, further comprising:

said exercise engagement lever member is an elongate exercise lever member extending along a longitudinal axis from a pivot end to a distal exercise end, said pivot end attached to said vertical support member at said lower pivotal attachment point along said support member axis, said distal exercise end including selective exercise lever member engagement means for engaging exercise resistance lever members upon which exercise forces may be exerted and said selective exercise lever member engagement means includes an engagement pin for selectively engaging either of a hole defined within said first exercise resistance lever member or a hole defined within said second exercise resistance lever member.

6. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus as in claim 5, further comprising:

first exercise lever member stop means for preventing said first exercise resistance lever member from rotating beyond a predetermined rotational position about said lower pivotal attachment point.

7. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus as in claim 6, further comprising:

first exercise lever member biasing means for urging said first exercise resistance lever member to remain in a rotational position immediately adjacent said first exercise lever member stop means.

8. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus as in claim 7, further comprising:

upper linkage member stop means for preventing said upper linkage member from rotating beyond a predetermined rotational position about said upper pivotal attachment point.

9. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus as in claim 8, further comprising:

upper linkage member biasing means for urging said upper linkage member to remain in a rotational position immediately adjacent said upper linkage member stop means.

10. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus as in claim 9, further comprising:

said second exercise resistance lever member includes a bifurcated potion beginning at a point on said second exercise resistance lever member longitudinal axis lying between said linkage end and said lower pivotal attachment point and extending to said exercise end such that said bifurcated portion may embrace said first exercise resistance lever member.

11. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus as in claim 10, further comprising:

said exercise lever engagement member includes a bifurcated portion beginning at a point on said engagement lever longitudinal axis between said distal end and said pivot end, and extending to said pivot end such that said bifurcated portion may embrace both said first exercise resistance lever member and said exercise end of said second exercise resistance lever.

12. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus comprising:

a single-action hydraulic cylinder having a longitudinal axis and extending from a first end to a second end, said single-action cylinder providing resistance to compression of one end toward the other end, but providing little resistance to extension of one end away from the other end;

a first compression linkage means for compressing said single-action hydraulic cylinder in response to movement of a first exercise resistance lever in a first direction about an attachment point to a support member;

a second compression linkage means for compressing said single-action hydraulic cylinder in response to movement of a second exercise resistance lever about said attachment point to said support member in a second direction directly opposed to said first direction about said attachment point to said support member; and

,

an engagement exercise lever assembly including an engagement exercise lever pivotally attached to said support member at said pivotal attachment point and means for selectively engaging said engagement exercise lever to move in fixed relation to one of said first or second exercise levers in both said first and second direction.

13. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus as in claim 12, further comprising:

an elongate vertical support member extending along a support member axis; and

,

said first compression linkage means includes a first, elongate exercise resistance lever member extending along a longitudinal axis from a pivot end to a distal exercise end, said pivot end attached to said vertical support member at a lower pivotal attachment point along said support member axis, and a lower end of said single action hydraulic cylinder is pivotally mounted upon said first exercise resistance lever at a point between said pivot end and said exercise end.

14. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus as in claim 13, further comprising:

said second compression linkage means includes a second, elongate exercise resistance lever member extending from a linkage end along a longitudinal axis to a distal exercise end and attached to said vertical support member at said lower pivotal attachment point along said support member longitudinal axis, said lower pivotal attachment point lying on said second exercise lever member longitudinal axis between said linkage end and said exercise end,

an upper linkage member extending along a longitudinal axis from a linkage end to a resistance end and pivotally mounted upon said vertical support member at an upper pivotal attachment point on said support member axis above said lower attachment point, said upper pivotal attachment point lying on said upper linkage member longitudinal axis between said linkage end and said resistance end,

a vertical linkage member extending from a lower vertical linkage member end to an upper linkage member end, said lower vertical linkage member end attached to said second resistance lever member linkage end at a lower vertical linkage member attachment point and said upper vertical linkage member end attached to said upper linkage member linkage end at an upper vertical linkage member attachment point, said upper and lower vertical linkage member attachment points separated one from the other generally by a hydraulic cylinder spanning distance; and

an upper end of said single-action hydraulic cylinder is pivotally mounted upon said upper linkage member resistance end.

15. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus as in claim 14, further comprising:

first exercise lever member stop means for preventing said first exercise resistance lever member from rotating beyond a predetermined rotational position about said lower pivotal attachment point.

16. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus as in claim 15, further comprising:

first exercise lever member biasing means for urging said first exercise resistance lever member to remain in a rotational position immediately adjacent said first exercise lever member stop means.

17. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus as in claim 16, further comprising:

upper linkage member stop means for preventing said upper linkage member from rotating beyond a predetermined rotational position about said upper pivotal attachment point.

18. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus as in claim 17, further comprising:

upper linkage member biasing means for urging said upper linkage member to remain in a rotational position immediately adjacent said upper linkage member stop means.

19. A resistance assembly for an exercise apparatus comprising:

unitary direction exercise resistance means for providing exercise resistance to movement in a unitary direction;

first and second exercise resistance lever members, said first and second lever members each pivotally attached to a support member at a pivotal attachment point;

first exercise linkage means for linking said first exercise resistance lever member to said unitary direction exercise resistance means such that said unitary direction exercise resistance means is moved in said unitary direction when said first exercise resistance lever member is moved in a first direction;

second exercise linkage means for linking said second exercise resistance lever member to said unitary direction exercise resistance means such that said unitary direction exercise resistance means is moved in said unitary direction when said second exercise resistance lever member is moved in a second direction opposite said first direction; and

engagement exercise lever means including an engagement exercise lever pivotally attached to said support member at said pivotal attachment point and means for selectively engaging one or the other of said first exercise resistance lever and said second exercise resistance lever to move in fixed relation to said engagement exercise lever in both said first and second direction.