Isokinetic resistance apparatus

An isokinetic resistance apparatus, comprising:

• a motor having an output shaft;
• a motor controller adapted to control power to the motor to maintain a first constant rotational speed of the output shaft;
• at least one worm gear secured to and rotatable with the output shaft;
• a driven shaft;
• a driven gear secured to and rotatable with the driven shaft, the driven gear meshing with the worm gear such that rotation of the worm gear with the output shaft of the motor imparts movement to the driven gear to rotate the driven shaft in a first rotational direction at a second constant rotational speed;
• a force receiving member;
• at least one force transmitting linkage between the force receiving member and the driven shaft, the at least one force transmitting linkage including at least one unidirectional clutch adapted to move freely about the driven shaft in a second rotational direction and engage the driven shaft in the first rotational direction;
• a force exerted upon the force receiving member tending to move the unidirectional clutch faster than the second constant rotational speed in the first rotational direction is transmitted through the driven shaft, the driven gear, and the worm gear to the output shaft of the motor, the motor controller adjusts power to the motor to compensate for such force and proportionately increase resistance to maintain the first constant rotational speed of the output shaft.

An isokinetic resistance apparatus, comprising:

• a motor having an output shaft;
• a motor controller adapted to control power to the motor to maintain a first constant rotational speed of the output shaft;
• at least one worm gear secured to and rotatable with the output shaft;
• a driven shaft;
• a driven gear secured to and rotatable with the driven shaft, the driven gear meshing with the worm gear such that rotation of the worm gear with the output shaft of the motor imparts movement to the driven gear to rotate the driven shaft in a first rotational direction at a second constant rotational speed, the first constant rotational speed of the output shaft being greater than the second constant rotational speed of the driven shaft with a speed reduction being effected between the worm gear and the driven gear, the ratio of speed reduction between the first constant rotational speed of the output shaft and the second constant rotational speed of the driven shaft being between 20:1 and 60:1;
• a force receiving member mounted to an input shaft with a force applied to the force receiving member in a first direction rotating the input shaft in a first input direction and a force applied to the force receiving member in a second direction rotating the input shaft in a second input direction;
• a first force transmitting linkage between the input shaft of the force receiving member and the driven shaft, the first force transmitting linkage including a first unidirectional clutch adapted to move freely about the driven shaft in a second rotational direction and engage the driven shaft in the first rotational direction when force is applied to the input shaft in the first input direction;
• a second force transmitting linkage between the input shaft of the force receiving member and the driven shaft, the second force transmitting linkage including a second unidirectional clutch adapted to move freely about the driven shaft in a second rotational direction and engage the driven shaft in the first rotational direction when force is applied to the input shaft in the second input direction;
• a force exerted upon the force receiving member in one of the first direction and the second direction tending to move one of the first unidirectional clutch and the second unidirectional clutch faster than the second constant rotational speed in the first rotational direction is transmitted through the driven shaft, the driven gear, and the worm gear to the output shaft of the motor, the motor controller adjusts power to the motor to compensate for such force and proportionately increase resistance to maintain the first constant rotational speed of the output shaft.

An isokinetic resistance apparatus, comprising:

• a motor having an output shaft;
• a motor controller adapted to control power to the motor to maintain a first constant rotational speed of the output shaft;
• a worm gear secured to and rotatable with the output shaft;
• a driven shaft;
• a driven gear secured to and rotatable with the driven shaft, the driven gear meshing with the worm gear such that rotation of the worm gear with the output shaft of the motor imparts movement to the driven gear to rotate the driven shaft in a first rotational direction at a second constant rotational speed, the first constant rotational speed of the output shaft being greater than the second constant rotational speed of the driven shaft with a speed reduction being effected between the worm gear and the driven gear, the ratio of speed reduction between the first constant rotational speed of the output shaft and the second constant rotational speed of the driven shaft being greater than 30:1;
• a force receiving arm mounted to an input shaft with a force applied to the force receiving arm in a first direction rotating the input shaft in a first input direction and a force applied to the force receiving arm in a second direction rotating the input shaft in a second input direction;
• a bevelled pinion gear secured to and rotatable with the input shaft;
• a first force transmitting linkage between the bevelled pinion gear on the input shaft of the force receiving arm and the driven shaft, the first force transmitting linkage including a first bevelled spider gear and a first unidirectional clutch adapted to move freely about the driven shaft in a second rotational direction and engage the driven shaft in the first rotational direction when force is applied to the input shaft in the first input direction;
• a second force transmitting linkage between the bevelled pinion gear on the input shaft of the force receiving arm and the driven shaft, the second force transmitting linkage including a second bevelled spider gear and a second unidirectional clutch adapted to move freely about the driven shaft in a second rotational direction and engage the driven shaft in the first rotational direction when force is applied to the input shaft in the second input direction, the rotation of the second bevelled spider gear being opposed to the first bevelled spider gear with rotation of the input shaft in the first input direction rotating the first bevelled spider gear in the first rotational direction of the driven shaft and the second bevelled spider gear in the second rotational direction of the driven shaft and rotation of the input shaft in the second input direction rotating the first bevelled spider gear in the second rotational direction of the driven shaft and the second bevelled spider gear in the first rotational direction of the driven shaft;
• a force exerted upon the force receiving arm in one of the first direction and the second direction tending to move one of the first unidirectional clutch and the second unidirectional clutch faster than the second constant rotational speed in the first rotational direction is transmitted through the driven shaft, the driven gear, and the worm gear to the output shaft of the motor, the motor controller adjusts power to the motor to compensate for such force and proportionately increase resistance to maintain the first constant rotational speed of the output shaft.

An isokinetic resistance apparatus, comprising:

• a motor having an output shaft;
• a driven shaft;
• a drive linkage coupling the output shaft with the driven shaft, such the output shaft of the motor imparts movement to rotate the driven shaft in a first rotational direction at a constant rotational speed;
• a force receiving member;
• a first force transmitting linkage between the force receiving member and the driven shaft, the first force transmitting linkage including a first unidirectional clutch adapted to move freely about the driven shaft in a second rotational direction and engage the driven shaft in the first rotational direction;
• and
• a second force transmitting linkage between the force receiving member and the driven shaft, the second force transmitting linkage including a second unidirectional clutch adapted to move freely about the driven shaft in a second rotational direction and engage the driven shaft in the first rotational direction when force is applied to the input shaft in the second input direction.