US 8,540,607 B2 · Variable resistance system

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing variable resistance in connection with exercise equipment uses vertically oriented weight plates that rare in a side-by-side arrangement and are selected by selectors in a selector assembly. A set of actuators are controlled by a computer processor and force the selectors into positions that engage and disengage with a corresponding set of weights. The computer is connected to a user interface that accepts input from a user and instructs the computer to adjust the amount of weight using the actuators and the corresponding selectors. The computer is also in communication with sensors that indicate whether the weights have been lifted successfully and automatically select a lower weight when the weights are not lifted successfully.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of providing variable resistance for an exercise device comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of vertically oriented weights distributed horizontally and arranged in a side-by-side manner relative to each other, wherein said vertically oriented weights have a home position and a raised position;
receiving a command instruction at a computer controller from a user interface, wherein said command instruction corresponds with a starting weight;
and
controlling a set of actuators through said computer controller to select a corresponding set of said vertically oriented weights to match said starting weight, wherein said vertically oriented weights are selected independently from each other.

1 more element

A method of providing variable resistance for an exercise machine comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of resistance providing members, a computer processor and at least one sensor in an operative measuring relationship with said resistance providing members and in operative communication with said computer processor, wherein said resistance providing members have a moveable position between a home position and a raised position;
(b) selecting a first set of resistance providing members from said plurality of resistance providing members having a first total resistance;
(c) sensing with said sensor a first lift of said first set of resistance providing members from said home position to said raised position;
(d) communicating said sensed first lift from said sensor to said computer processor;
(e) automatically defining in said computer processor a successful repetition as characterized by satisfying a success criterion corresponding with said first lift, wherein said success criterion is based on a full travel distance of said resistance providing members between said home position and said raised position;
(f) repeating steps (c) and (d) for at least one subsequent lift of said first set of resistance providing members selected from said plurality of resistance providing members, wherein said subsequent lift has a subsequent travel distance between said home position and said raised position;
(g) determining in said computer processor whether said subsequent lift meets said defined success criterion based on a comparison of said subsequent travel distance relative to said full travel distance;
(h) automatically determining in said computer processor a second set of resistance providing members having a second total resistance after said subsequent lift does not satisfy said success criterion, wherein the second total resistance is less than the first total resistance.

5 more elements

A method of providing variable resistance for an exercise machine comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of resistance providing members, a computer processor and at least one sensor in an operative measuring relationship with said resistance providing members and in operative communication with said computer processor, wherein said resistance providing members have a moveable position between a home position and a raised position;
(b) selecting a first set of resistance providing members from said plurality of resistance providing members having a first total resistance;
(c) sensing with said sensor a first lift of said first set of resistance providing members from said home position to said raised position;
(d) communicating said sensed first lift from said sensor to said computer processor;
(e) automatically defining in said computer processor a successful repetition as characterized by satisfying a success criterion corresponding with said first lift;
(f) repeating steps (c) and (d) for at least one subsequent lift of said first set of resistance providing members selected from said plurality of resistance providing members;
(g) determining in said computer processor whether said subsequent lift meets said defined success criterion;
(h) automatically determining in said computer processor a second set of resistance providing members having a second total resistance after said subsequent lift does not satisfy said success criterion, wherein the second total resistance is less than the first total resistance;
(i) defining a set of intensity levels in said computer controller, wherein said intensity levels are comprised of at least one of a manual weight selection, a weight decrement percentage, and a weight increment percentage;
(j) receiving a first command instruction at said computer processor from a user interface, wherein said first command instruction corresponds with said first total resistance;
(k) receiving a second command instruction at said computer controller from said user interface, wherein said second command instruction corresponds with at least one of said intensity levels;
(l) determining in said computer processor that said subsequent lift exceeds said success criterion for said successful repetition;
(m) redefining said success criterion as characterized by satisfying said subsequent lift exceeding said success criterion of said first lift;
and
(n) automatically selecting a different set of resistance providing members having a different weight greater than said starting weight following said subsequent repetition exceeding said criterion according to said weight increment percentage.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

13/229,928Filed 12 Sep 2011 · division

Priority

17 Oct 2003

Published

US 2012/0004075 A15 Jan 2012

Granted

24 Sep 2013

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

A63B 21/155
Using special pulley-assemblies: cam-shaped pulleys or other non-uniform pulleys, e.g. conical
A63B 21/0628
With substantially vertical guiding means: for vertical array of weights
A63B 21/063
For vertical array of weights: weight selecting means
A63B 21/00065
Mechanical means for varying the resistance: by increasing or reducing the number of resistance units

Family

Application10/688,251Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 17 Oct 2003

Application11/856,880Parent of this division · filed 18 Sep 2007

US 2012/0004075 A1Pre-grant publication · published 5 Jan 2012

US 8,016,725 B2Parent of this division

Application11/856,880Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 2005/0085351 A1Published application

US 2009/0075791 A1Published application

US 8,540,607 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Variable resistance system

Life of this patent

Variable resistance system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19