Weight selection and adjustment system for selectorized dumbbells including motorized selector positioning

• US 7,578,771 B1
• Filed: 12/06/2007
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PowerBlock Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intellex Incorporated
• Inventors: Towley, Carl K. III, Olson, Gregory S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathew; Fenn C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tecco; Andrew M
• Application Number:
  US11/999,742
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 482/5, 482/93, 482/94, 482/104, 482106-108, 482/908
• US Class Current: 482/106
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 1/04 Cleaning the rods
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00065 by increasing or reducing the number of resistance units
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/063 Weight selecting means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0728 with means for fixing weights on bars, i.e. fixing olympic discs or bumper plates on bar-bells or dumb-bells
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/075 with variable weights , e.g. weight systems with weight selecting means for bar-bells or dumb-bells
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/30 Maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0036 Accessories for stowing, putting away or transporting exercise apparatus or sports equipment A63B47/00, A63B55/00, A63B60/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills

Abstract

A weight selection and adjustment system for a selectorized dumbbell comprises a stand that holds a pair of selectorized dumbbells. The stand has an electric motor that is selectively energized by a controller for substantially simultaneously adjusting the weight of both dumbbells. The controller is responsive to a weight selection made by a user through a data entry device. The system can also be used with a single dumbbell placed on the stand. Alternatively, the electric motor can be mounted on the handle of a selectorized dumbbell to allow weight adjustment operations to be made without placing the selectorized dumbbell on a stand. In this embodiment, the data entry device and controller can also be carried on the handle of each selectorized dumbbell.

Claims

1. A weight selection and adjustment system for a selectorized dumbbell, which comprises:

(a) a selectorized dumbbell, which comprises;

(i) a stack of nested left weight plates and a stack of nested right weight plates;

(ii) a handle having a left end and a right end; and

(iii) a movable selector having a plurality of different adjustment positions in which the selector may be disposed, wherein the selector is configured to couple selected numbers of left weight plates to the left end of the handle and selected numbers of right weight plates to the right end of the handle with the selected numbers of coupled weight plates differing depending upon the adjustment position in which the selector is disposed, thereby allowing a user to select for use a desired exercise weight to be provided by the selectorized dumbbell; and

(b) an electric motor that is operatively connected to the selector at least whenever a weight adjustment operation takes place, wherein the electric motor when energized from a source of electric power physically moves the selector into the adjustment position corresponding to the desired exercise weight that was selected for use by the user.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) an electrically operated data entry device to allow the user to input the desired exercise weight; and

(b) a controller operatively communicating with the data entry device and the electric motor for energizing the electric motor from the electric power source to cause the electric motor to move the selector to the adjustment position thereof that corresponds to the desired exercise weight input by the operator into the data entry device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data entry device includes data entry keys or buttons that may be manipulated by the user for allowing the user to input the desired exercise weight into the data entry device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the data entry device further includes a visual display for displaying back to the user the desired exercise weight that has been input into the data entry device by the user by manipulation of the keys or buttons.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

(a) a stand on which the selectorized dumbbell is supported during a weight adjustment operation;

(b) wherein the motor is mounted on the stand; and

(c) a driver releasably connected to the selector of the dumbbell when the dumbbell is on the stand with the driver being driven by the motor when the motor is energized.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the data entry device is also mounted on the stand.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising a sensor for detecting when the selectorized dumbbell is in a proper weight adjusting position on the stand, and wherein the sensor is operatively connected to the controller for inhibiting a weight adjustment operation unless the sensor reports to the controller that the selectorized dumbbell has been placed in the proper weight adjusting position on the stand.

8. The system of claim 5, further comprising a device configured to grip the selectorized dumbbell for retaining the selectorized dumbbell in the proper weight adjusting position on the stand during a weight adjustment operation.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the gripping device comprises a plurality of fingers movably supported on the stand for movement between a first position in which the fingers are clear of the selectorized dumbbell and a second position in which the fingers overlie portions of the selectorized dumbbell to hold the selectorized dumbbell in place on the stand.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the stand comprises an upper support surface on which the selectorized dumbbell is supported when the selectorized dumbbell is in the proper weight adjusting position, and wherein the fingers are pivotal relative to the upper support surface such that the fingers can be swung from the first position in which upper ends of the fingers are swung laterally outwardly of opposed sides of the selectorized dumbbell to the second position in which the upper ends of the fingers are swung laterally inwardly to overlie opposed sides of the selectorized dumbbell.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the fingers project through slots in the upper support surface with the upper ends of the fingers being continuously located above the support surface as the fingers pivot between the first and second positions thereof.

12. The system of claim 1, further including a plurality of selectorized dumbbells of the type recited in claim 1, and wherein a single electric motor is operatively connected to the selectors of the plurality of selectorized dumbbells at least whenever a weight adjustment operation takes place such that only one motor adjusts the selectors of both dumbbells substantially simulataneously.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

(a) a stand on which the plurality of selectorized dumbbells are supported during a weight adjustment operation;

(b) wherein the motor is mounted on the stand with the motor having a rotatable motor drive shaft;

(c) a plurality of rotatable drivers corresponding in number to the plurality of selectorized dumbbells on the stand with one driver being releasably connected to the selector of each dumbbell when each dumbbell is on the stand; and

(d) a belt and pulley system connecting the motor drive shaft to the drivers for rotating the drivers substantially simultaneously with rotation of the motor drive shaft.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the stand comprises an upper support surface on which the selectorized dumbbells are supported during a weight adjustment operation, and wherein the motor and belt and pulley system are mounted on the stand beneath the upper support surface with the rotatable drivers having access through holes in the upper support surface to the selectors of the selectorized dumbbells for coupling to the selectors.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) a stand on which the selectorized dumbbell is supported during a weight adjustment operation;

(b) wherein the motor is mounted on the stand; and

(c) a driver releasably connected to the selector of the dumbbell when the dumbbell is on the stand with the driver being driven by the motor when the motor is energized.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the motor is mounted on the handle of the selectorized dumbbell and is always operatively coupled to the selector.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

(a) an electrically operated data entry device to allow the user to input the desired exercise weight;

(b) a controller operatively communicating with the data entry device and the electric motor for energizing the electric motor from the electric power source to cause the electric motor to move the selector to the adjustment position thereof that corresponds to the desired exercise weight input by the operator into the data entry device; and

(c) wherein the data entry device and controller are also mounted on the handle of the selectorized dumbbell.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a battery mounted on the handle to serve as the electric power source.

19. A weight selection and adjustment system for a selectorized dumbbell, which comprises:

(a) a selectorized dumbbell, which comprises;

(i) a stack of nested left weight plates and a stack of nested right weight plates;

(ii) a handle having a left end and a right end; and

(iii) a movable selector having a plurality of different adjustment positions in which the selector may be disposed, wherein the selector is configured to couple selected numbers of left weight plates to the left end of the handle and selected numbers of right weight plates to the right end of the handle with the selected numbers of coupled weight plates differing depending upon the adjustment position in which the selector is disposed, thereby allowing a user to select for use a desired exercise weight to be provided by the selectorized dumbbell; and

(b) means selectively actuable by the user for adjusting the exercise weight of each dumbbell without requiring the user to physically contact and move the selector himself or herself.

20. A weight selection and adjustment system for a dumbbell, which comprises:

(a) a dumbbell that provides an exercise weight that is lifted by a user when the user grips and lifts a handle of the dumbbell, wherein the exercise weight provided by the dumbbell is adjustable by coupling more or fewer weight plates to each end of the handle;

(b) an electric motor that may be selectively energized and when energized will cause a desired number of weight plates to be coupled to each end of the handle; and

(c) a data entry device to allow the user to input a weight selection decision that operatively controls the energization of the motor to adjust the exercise weight of the dumbbell in accordance with the weight selection decision input into the data entry device by the user.