Hook assemblies for exercise machines, exercise machines including such hook assemblies, and related methods
AssigneeICON Health & Fitness, Inc.
InventorGaylen Ercanbrack
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hook assembly may comprise a base portion and at least one hook. The base portion may be rotatably coupled to a weighted cable of an exercise machine. The at least one hook may be coupled to the base portion, and the at least one hook may be sized and configured for selective attachment to a handle. The base portion may be sized and configured to facilitate rotation of the at least one hook relative to a frame of an exercise machine when the weighted cable is extended. Additionally, the base portion may be sized and configured to prevent rotation of the at least one hook relative to the frame of the exercise machine when the weighted cable is fully retracted.
Claims9
An exercise machine, comprising:
- a frame;
- a weighted cable routed through the frame;
- an adjustable weight source connected to the weighted cable configured to provide a resistance force on the weighted cable;
- and
- at least one hook assembly located on the weighted cable, the at least one hook assembly comprising:
- a base portion rotatably coupled to the weighted cable;
- and
- at least one hook coupled to the base portion, the at least one hook sized and configured for selective attachment to a handle;
- and
- wherein the base portion is sized and configured to facilitate rotation of the at least one hook relative to the frame when the weighted cable is extended by a pull force that overcomes the resistance force;
- and
- wherein the base portion comprises a tapered shoulder configured to insert into a cable routing structure attached to the machine such that the resistance force imposed on the weighted cable by the adjustable weight source provides a mechanical interference between the base portion and the frame that prevents rotation of the at least one hook relative to the frame when the weighted cable is fully retracted to maintain the handle in a fixed position with respect to the frame to facilitate removal of the handle from the hook portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.