# US 10,765,900 B2 · Weights system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,765,900 B2 - Document ID: US10765900B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/756,063 - Filed: 2016-08-04 - Published: 2018-08-30 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-28 - Assignees: Flak Limited - Applicants: Flak Limited - Inventors: Raymond Lacey - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10765900B2 ## CPC - A63B 21/00076: {on the fly, i.e. varying the resistance during exercise} - A63B 21/00069: {Setting or adjusting the resistance level; Compensating for a preload prior to use, e.g. changing length of resistance or adjusting a valve} - A63B 21/0058: {using motors} - A63B 21/0628: {for vertical array of weights} - A63B 21/153: {wound-up and unwound during exercise, e.g. from a reel} - A63B 21/154: {using special pulley-assemblies} - A63B 21/156: {the position of the pulleys being variable, e.g. for different exercises} - A63B 21/4035: {for operation by hand} - A63B 24/0087: {Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load} - A63B 21/0552: {Elastic ropes or bands} - A63B 71/0622: {Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user} - A63B 2071/0081: {Stopping the operation of the apparatus} - A63B 2071/068: {Input by voice recognition} - A63B 2220/20: Distances or displacements - A63B 2220/803: Motion sensors - A63B 2220/805: Optical or opto-electronic sensors - A63B 2220/808: Microphones - A63B 2225/093: Height - A63B 2225/50: Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry - A63B 2225/54: Transponders, e.g. RFID - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract A system for imparting a variable user force to a user, the system comprising: a line guide arrangement, including at least one moveable line guide which may move in both directions along a linear axis; wherein a force arrangement is arranged to apply at least one internal force to the at least one moveable line guide, wherein the at least one internal force opposes the motion of the at least one moveable line guide in a first direction along the linear axis; a member with which the user may interact so that the user force is applied to the user through the member; a line, having a distal end and a proximal end, with the distal end of the line attached to the member, the line being continuously threaded around the line guide arrangement; the system further comprising a line adjustment arrangement, wherein: the line adjustment arrangement is attached to the line, or is connected to move a component of the line guide arrangement; when the line adjustment arrangement is in a locked mode, there is a first ratio between distance moved by the member and distance moved by the force arrangement; and the line adjustment arrangement is operable to remove/introduce line between an entry point and the member, or actively move the component of the line guide arrangement, to alter the ratio between distance moved by the member and distance moved by the force arrangement during movement of the member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for imparting a variable user force to a user, the system comprising: a line guide arrangement, including at least one moveable line guide which may move in both directions along a linear axis; wherein a force arrangement is arranged to apply at least one internal force to the at least one moveable line guide, wherein the at least one internal force opposes the motion of the at least one moveable line guide in a first direction along the linear axis; a member with which the user may interact so that the user force is applied to the user through the member; a line, having a distal end and a proximal end, with the distal end of the line attached to the member, the line being continuously threaded around the line guide arrangement; the system further comprising a line adjustment arrangement, wherein: the line adjustment arrangement is attached to the line, or is connected to move a component of the line guide arrangement; when the line adjustment arrangement is in a locked mode, there is a first ratio between distance moved by the member and distance moved by the force arrangement; the line adjustment arrangement is operable to remove/introduce line between an entry point and the member, or actively move the component of the line guide arrangement, to alter the ratio between distance moved by the member and distance moved by the force arrangement during movement of the member, wherein: the system is configured to apply a first mode of operation during a first motion performed by the user and a second mode of operation during a second motion performed by the user, wherein the line adjustment arrangement changes the length of line between the entry point and the member in a different manner during the first and second modes of operation; and wherein the line adjustment arrangement is operable to apply a scaling factor to the distance moved by the member in order to remove or introduce line between the entry point and the member at a rate which is, at any moment, maintained in a pre-determined proportion to the rate at which the user moves the member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, such that the user force is proportional to the internal force and the user force may be varied by manipulating the line adjustment arrangement. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first or second mode of operation is such that the first or second motion may be performed without any active change in the length of the line between the entry point and the member being applied by the line adjustment arrangement. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to apply a third mode of operation when the member is stationary between the first and second motions, wherein the line adjustment arrangement changes the length of line between the entry point and the member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the third mode is configured such that, following the first and the second motions, the length of line in the system is the same as before the first motion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to apply a fourth mode of operation when the member is stationary between the second motion and a further first motion, wherein the line adjustment arrangement changes the length of line between the entry point and the member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the fourth mode is configured such that, following the first and the second motions, the length of line in the system is the same as before the first motion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the line adjustment arrangement is able to adjust the length of the line in the system in a continuous manner, or wherein the line adjustment arrangement is able to adjust the length of the line in the system in a step-wise manner. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 wherein, in use, the internal force is applied by a mass within a gravitational field, or in use, the internal force is applied by a rotor in an electromagnetic field, or in use, the internal force is applied by the deformation of an elastic object. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the line is a cable, or wherein the line is a belt. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the line adjustment arrangement comprises a motorised spool or a winch, or wherein the line adjustment arrangement comprises a linear actuator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the line adjustment arrangement can be manipulated by the user, a third party, or both the user and the third party to change the length of line between the entry point and the member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the line adjustment arrangement can be manipulated through voice recognition to change the length of line between the entry point and the member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13 further comprising a measurement arrangement to measure movement of the member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the manipulation of the line adjustment arrangement is automated by a real-time system, the real-time system able to process at least the user force, the internal force and the length of line between the entry point and the member using a microprocessor, or wherein the manipulation of the line adjustment arrangement is automated by a real-time system, the real-time system able to process at least the user force, the internal force and the length line between the entry point and the member by mechanical means. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the line adjustment arrangement can be manipulated with a switch to change the length of line between the entry point and the member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the line adjustment arrangement can be manipulated through eye movement recognition to change the length of line between the entry point and the member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the line adjustment arrangement is operable to change the mode of operation during a first or second user operation so that the ratio between distance moved by the member and distance moved by the force arrangement during movement of the member is not constant during the first or second user motion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein (a) the system is configured to apply a third mode of operation when the member is stationary between the first and second motions, wherein the line adjustment arrangement changes the length of line between the entry point and the member; (b) the system is configured to apply a fourth mode of operation when the member is stationary between the second motion and a further first motion, wherein the line adjustment arrangement changes the length of line between the entry point and the member; and (c) the third and/or fourth modes are configured such that, following the first and the second motions, the length of line in the system is the same as before the first motion.