U.S. patent application number 10/458237 was filed with the patent office on 2004-01-08 for weight unit for gymnastic apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to PANATTA SPORT S.R.L.. Invention is credited to Panatta, Rodolfo.
Application Number | 20040005965 10/458237 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 11440219 |
Filed Date | 2004-01-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040005965 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Panatta, Rodolfo |
January 8, 2004 |
Weight unit for gymnastic apparatus
Abstract
In a gymnastic apparatus the weight unit (11) is provided with a
stack (19) of plates (20) formed by multiple plates (20) placed one
on top of the other and having a longitudinal symmetric axis (14);
a guide column (12) coaxial to the axis (14) engaged by the plates
(20) with possibility of movement.
Inventors: |
Panatta, Rodolfo; (Apiro,
IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ARMSTRONG, WESTERMAN & HATTORI, LLP
Suite 220
502 Washington Avenue
Towson
MD
21204
US
|
Assignee: |
PANATTA SPORT S.R.L.
|
Family ID: |
11440219 |
Appl. No.: |
10/458237 |
Filed: |
June 10, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/99 ;
482/101 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 21/0628
20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/99 ;
482/101 |
International
Class: |
A63B 021/062 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 12, 2002 |
IT |
BO2002A000373 |
Claims
1) Weight unit for a gymnastic apparatus comprising a stack (19) of
plates (20) with longitudinal symmetric axis (14) formed by
multiple plates (20) placed one on top of the other; being
characterised by the presence of a first guide column (12) coaxial
to the axis (14) and engaged by the plates (20) with possibility of
movement.
2) Weight unit as defined in claim 1, in which the first column
(12) extends through the plates (20).
3) Weight unit as defined in claim 1, in which the first column
(12) extends around the plates (20).
4) Weight unit as defined in any of the foregoing claims,
comprising a lifting device (6) of the plates (20) composed of a
rod (26) in basically coaxial position to the axis (14) suitable to
engage the plates (20) with possibility of movement; a locking pin
(28) to block the rod (26) in axial position on one of the plates
(20); at least one pulley (29); and at least a traction cable (25)
wound around the pulley (29) and hooked to the rod (26).
5) Weight unit as defined in claim 4, in which the pulley (29) is
fitted to the first column (12) with possibility of rotation.
6) Weight unit as defined in claim 4 or 5, in which the first
column (12) extends through the plates (20) and has a channel (18)
capable of housing the rod (26).
7) Weight unit as defined in claim 6, in which the first column
(12) comprises two elongated elements (15) basically parallel to
the axis (14) and arranged on opposite sides of the axis (14) to
define the channel (18).
8) Weight unit as defined in claim 4 or 5, in which the first
column (12) extends around the plates (20) and has a slot (34)
through the first column (12) capable of housing the locking pin
(28).
9) Weight unit as defined in any of the foregoing claims, in which
the first column (12) is engaged by the plates (20) in fixed
angular position.
10) Weight unit as defined in any of the foregoing claims,
comprising a second guide column (32) coaxial to the axis (14) and
engaged by the plates (20) with possibility of movement.
11) Weight unit as defined in claim 10, in which the first and
second column (12, 32) extend through the plates (20) and around
the plates (20), respectively.
12) Weight unit as defined in claim 10 or 11, in which at least one
of the first and second column (12) is engaged by the plates (20)
in fixed angular position.
13) Weight unit as defined in any of the foregoing claims,
comprising shock-absorbing means (22) capable of supporting the
stack (19) of plates (20).
14) Gymnastic apparatus comprising a weight unit as defined in any
of the foregoing claims.
Description
[0001] The present invention refers to a weight unit for a
gymnastic apparatus.
[0002] In particular, the present invention refers to weight unit
for a gymnastic apparatus used to train anterior thigh muscles,
commonly defined as "leg extension apparatus"; the following
description continues with reference to the aforementioned term,
without losing its general character.
[0003] In the field of gymnastic apparatuses, a leg extension
apparatus is provided with a weight unit generally comprising a
portal frame composed of two parallel uprights, two horizontal
parallel crosspieces extending between the uprights transversally
to the uprights, and two vertical guide columns guides extending
between the crosspieces parallel to the two uprights.
[0004] The weight unit is provided with a stack of plates having a
longitudinal symmetric axis between the guide columns and formed by
multiple plates placed one on top of the other with possibility of
movement along the guide columns.
[0005] A serious inconvenience of weight units of known type as
illustrated above is represented by the fact that the portal frame
comprises a relatively high number of components, that is to say
two vertical uprights, two horizontal crosspieces and two vertical
guide columns, thus requiring a relatively long, complex and
expensive sequence of constructive operations.
[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to obtain a weight
unit for a gymnastic apparatus without the aforementioned
drawbacks.
[0007] According to the present invention, the weight unit for a
gymnastic apparatus comprises a stack of plates with longitudinal
symmetric axis formed by multiple plates placed one on top of the
other; being characterised by the presence of a first guide column
coaxial to the axis engaged by the plates with possibility of
movement.
[0008] The description of the invention continues with reference to
the enclosed drawings of a non-restrictive embodiment, whereby:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a gymnastic
apparatus provided with a preferred embodiment of the weight unit
of the invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side view, with cross-sectioned
parts and removed parts, of the weight unit of FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a first detail
of FIG. 2; and
[0012] FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a second detail
of FIG. 2.
[0013] With reference to FIG. 1, number 1 indicates a gymnastic
apparatus for anterior thigh muscles, referred to in the following
description as "leg extension apparatus".
[0014] The leg extension apparatus 1 is provided with a base 2,
which is used to place the leg extension apparatus 1 on the ground;
and a support device 3 for the user that comprises a seat 4 and a
backrest 5 extending upwards from the base 2.
[0015] The leg extension apparatus 1 is also provided with a
lifting device 6 comprising a fixed column 7 that extends upwards
from the base 2, and a support arm 8, which is fitted to the column
7 to oscillate around a basically horizontal axis 9, is provided
with a padded roll 10 that that projects from the arm 8 parallel to
the axis 9 and is moved by the user from the initial lowered
position (FIG. 1) to final raised position (not shown) against the
resistance of the force applied on the arm 8 by a weight unit
11.
[0016] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the unit 11 comprises a
guide column 12, which extends in vertical direction 13, has a
longitudinal symmetric axis 14 parallel to direction 13, has a
basically elliptical transversal cross-section and comprises two
tubular profiles 15 extending upwards from a support plate 16
anchored to the base 2 and provided with a partition 17 that
extends between the profiles 15 and arranged on opposite sides of
the axis 14 to define a channel 18 basically coaxial to axis
14.
[0017] Moreover, the weight unit 11 is provided with a stack 19 of
metal plates 20 formed by basically cylindrical multiple plates 20
(FIG. 4) that are placed one on top of the other in direction 13,
engage the column 12 in a fixed angular position with possibility
of movement, and have a hole 21 through the plate 20 transversally
to direction 13.
[0018] The bottom of the stack 19 is supported by multiple springs
22 (four springs 22 in the example), which are distributed around
the axis 14 and inserted into guide pins 23 that extend upwards
from the plate 16 parallel to direction 13. According to
embodiments not shown in the enclosed figures, the transversal
cross-section of the column 12 can have a different configuration
from the one illustrated in the enclosed figures, so as to prevent
the plates 20 from rotating around the axis 14.
[0019] The plates 20 are connected to the arm 8 and the roll 10 by
means of a driving means 24 comprising a cam (not shown) housed
inside the base 2 and splined to a first shaft (not shown) that
extends parallel to direction 13, is housed inside the column 7
with possibility of rotation and engaged to a second shaft (not
shown) coaxial to axis 9 by a gear (not shown) and engaged in fixed
angular position through the arm 8.
[0020] The cam (not shown) is connected by means of a traction
cable 25 of known type to a rod 26, which is part of the lifting
device 6, is fitted to the plates 20 with possibility of movement,
has multiple holes 27 uniformly distributed along the rod 26 and
made through the rod 26 transversally to direction 13 and is
axially blocked on one of the plates 20 by means of a locking pin
28.
[0021] The cable 25 is wound around multiple pulleys 29, one of
them being illustrated in FIG. 2, and is fitted with possibility of
rotation to a support bracket 30 that extends upwards from a flat
plate 31 fixed to the free upper end of the column 12.
[0022] Finally, the weight unit 11 is provided with an additional
guide column 32 comprising a basically cylindrical tubular body 33
made of transparent material, which extends around the plates 20 in
coaxial position to axis 14 and is engaged to the plates 20 with
the possibility of movement.
[0023] The body 33 has a slot 34 through the body 33 parallel to
direction 13, which is engaged by the pin 28 during use. The upper
free end of the body 33 is closed by a cover 35 fixed to the
annular border 36 that projects upwards from the plate 31 in
coaxial position to axis 14.
[0024] The operation of the leg extension apparatus 1 can be easily
deduced from the aforementioned description and requires no further
explanations.
* * * * *