U.S. patent application number 11/160621 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-04 for weight plates stacking system for fitness training equipment.
Invention is credited to Guofang Cao.
Application Number | 20070004569 11/160621 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37590358 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070004569 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cao; Guofang |
January 4, 2007 |
Weight plates stacking system for fitness training equipment
Abstract
Weight stack selection system for fitness equipment. Central
stem having offset lateral movement is eliminated by present
invention. The select pin is easier for insertion to the selected
desired weight due to the lack of accumulated thickness the plagued
the industry. And an intuitive Auto-Off selection box is also added
to make the equipment more user-friendly, allowing user to simply
pushed in the desired weight for training.
Inventors: |
Cao; Guofang; (Diamond Bar,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LAW OFFICES OF J.F. LEE
17800 CASTLETON STREET
SUITE 383
CITY OF INDUSTRY
CA
91748
US
|
Family ID: |
37590358 |
Appl. No.: |
11/160621 |
Filed: |
June 30, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/94 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 21/063 20151001;
A63B 21/0628 20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/094 |
International
Class: |
A63B 21/06 20060101
A63B021/06 |
Claims
1. Weight stack selection system for fitness equipment, comprising:
a. A plurality of link-connectors that can be connected vertically;
b. A plurality of weight plates where each weight plate further
having a vertical center hole for engageably receiving one
link-connector; and, c. A select pin that can be slidably fitted
through the side of one weight plate to one link-connector, whereby
a set number of weight plates above the point of said select pin is
selected when said select pin is inserted through said weight plate
and link-connector.
2. Weight stack selection system for fitness equipment, comprising:
a. A plurality of link-connectors that can be connected vertically;
b. A plurality of weight plates where each weight plate further
having a vertical center hole for engageably receiving one
link-connector; c. A plurality of link pins where each pin can be
slidably fitted through the side of one weight plate to one
link-connector to form a stack of selected plates above the point
of said link pin; and, d. Means for user selection of one link pin
in said selection system when multiple weight plates are vertically
stacked together along with respective link-connectors fitted into
the weight plates.
3. The selection system of claim 2, wherein the means for user
selection of one link pin to achieve selection of desired weight is
a lever design wherein a select pin parallel to the link pin is
used and connected to said link pin by a lever pivoting at mid
point of said lever, to create reverse travel of the link pin
relative to the movement of said select pin.
4. The selection system of claim 2, wherein the means for user
selection of one link pin to achieve selection of desired weight is
by an on-off toggle control, wherein a select pin parallel to the
link pin is used and connected to said link pin by a centrally
located gear wheel that creates a reverse travel of the link pin
relative to the movement of said select pin, and further having a
on-off toggle control switch on the select pin.
5. The selection system of claim 3, wherein the means for user
selection of one link pin to achieve selection of desired weight
further having an auto-off selection box comprising: i. a case with
a plurality of short slots and long slots on the front and back
sides, respectively, of said case; ii. a long plate having the same
number of long slots matching the long slots on said case; iii. a
plurality of wedges for insertion in and through said long and
short slots; iv. a pull spring connecting said case with said long
plate; and, v. a plurality of push spring at tip of each wedge
producing pushing out force when the long slots are open.
6. The selection system of claim 4, wherein the means for user
selection of one link pin to achieve selection of desired weight
further having an auto-off selection box comprising: i. a case with
a plurality of short slots and long slots on the front and back
sides, respectively, of said case; ii. a long plate having the same
number of long slots matching the long slots on said case; iii. a
plurality of wedges for insertion in and through said long and
short slots; iv. a pull spring connecting said case with said long
plate; and, v. a plurality of push spring at tip of each wedge
producing pushing out force when the long slots are open.
Description
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to an improved
design and construction of fitness training equipment wherein users
can select the desired amount of weight from a stack of weight
plates.
[0002] Selectable amount of weight is commonly found on many
fitness training equipment. A popular method is by using a central
stem going down the center holes of a stack of weight plates,
wherein an insertion pin can be inserted through a hole on the side
of each weight plate and through the central stem, forming the
point of pick-up when users are engaging in exercising, as shown in
FIG. 1. All the weight plates above the point of insertion pin will
be the desired total weight. When users pull the cable, all the
plates below the point of insertion pin will NOT be selected.
[0003] This type of popular weight selection system, as depicted in
FIG. 1 has at least three problems plaguing the industry:
[0004] a. The hole on the side of each weight plate has to match
(be aligned) with the correspondent hole on the stem. Due to the
accumulated thickness error of the weight plates, however, the top
one or two holes on the weight plates oftentimes do not match up
with the top one or two holes on the central stem. This poses a
problem for users when insertion of the insertion pin is taking
place at the top portion of the weight stack, unless the weight
plates are machined to a very tight tolerance, which requires
costlier production to achieve such precision.
[0005] b. When the central stem is lifted up, the bottom of the
central stem will oftentimes have a lateral offset from the top of
the remaining unselected weight stack, interrupting the smooth and
successful of restoration of the central stem (insertion back down)
into the weight stack, as the bottom tip of the stem will sometimes
get suck on the surface of a weight stack, instead of going through
the center hole of the weight plates, as shown in FIG. 2.
[0006] c. Insertion pin gets lost easily. Even though insertion
pins are tied to a cable, as many gyms customarily do it this way,
some cables are cut to take away the insertion pins.
[0007] Present invention uses a link-connector systems, with
additional features, to solve the above-stated problems.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Present invention provides a link-connector mechanism,
instead of a central stem, to work as the weight selection system
and completely avoid the issue of accumulated thickness errors that
plagued the industry.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate the preferred
embodiments of the invention and together with the description,
serve to explain the principles of the invention.
[0010] A brief description of the drawings is as follows:
[0011] FIG. 1 shows the weight selection system currently used by
the industry, wherein a central stem is inserted through the holes
of the weight plates and an insertion pin is used to insert through
the hole on the side of a weight plate and a corresponding hole on
the central stem and achieving desired weight selection.
[0012] FIG. 2 shows the problem due to the offset of bottom tip of
the central stem.
[0013] FIG. 3 shows a link-connector with quarter cut view.
[0014] FIG. 4 shows a link-connector with half cut view.
[0015] FIG. 5 shows a half cut view of a weight plate with the
center portion machined to fit the link-connector.
[0016] FIG. 6 shows a half cut view of the 2 link-connectors
fitting together vertically.
[0017] FIG. 7 shows an upper link-connector fitting to its weight
plate, and a lower link-connector fitting to its weight plate; the
upper and the lower link-connectors can be vertically fitted
together.
[0018] FIG. 8 shows the link-connector can be made into other
shapes, such as a rectangle.
[0019] FIG. 9 shows an upper weight plate to be fitted to a
rectangle link-connector, and a lower link-connector fitting to its
weight plate; the upper and the lower link-connectors can be
vertically fitted together.
[0020] FIG. 10 shows multiple weight plates being stacked up, each
having its link-connector fitted in place.
[0021] FIG. 11 shows when link pin corresponding to weight plate #2
is deselected, all the weight plates under that link pin are also
deselected.
[0022] FIGS. 12 and 13 show the selection means of a lever
design.
[0023] FIG. 14 shows the operation of selection means when select
pin #6 is pushed in, plates #7 and below are deselected. When
pulling the cable, plate #6 and the plates above #6 are lifted.
[0024] FIGS. 15 and 16 show the selection means of an on-off toggle
switch having gear wheel and gear teeth made to the select pin and
the link pin.
[0025] FIG. 17 shows the operation of on-off toggle switch when
select pin #6 is pushed in, plates #6 and above are selected.
[0026] FIGS. 18-34 show the addition of an Auto-Off feature to the
selection means of either lever design or on-off toggle switch,
coupled with the use of a selection box.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0027] In FIGS. 1 and 2, the problem with current industry fitness
equipment is seen clearly. Insertion pin at the top of the weight
stack may be difficult due to the accumulated thickness errors of
the weight stacks.
[0028] The central stem is oftentimes made offset, as to cause
trouble when the cable tension is released, the bottom tip of the
central stem cannot successfully come down through the center holes
of all the remaining weight plates.
[0029] Present invention uses link-connectors, each fitting to one
weight plate having center portion machined out to contain one
link-connector.
[0030] FIGS. 3-7 show the construction of link-connectors and how
they are used on weight plate machined to fit said
link-connectors.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 10, there is only a small length of tip
from a link-connector, when the cable is lifted. The selected
portion of weight plates can come easily back to stack on top of
unselected weight plates.
[0032] FIGS. 8 and 9 show the link-connector can be made into a
rectangle shape, with the hole of weight plate being
correspondingly machined to fit such shape.
[0033] FIG. 11 shows when link pin corresponding to weight plate #2
is deselected, all the weight plates under that link pin are also
deselected. When cable is released, the selected weight plates (#1
and #2, in this instance) will come easily to align with the small
length of tip of the #3 link-connector. The problem of
long-dangling central stem being offset, as depicted in FIG. 2, is
no longer here.
[0034] Furthermore, the problem of accumulated thickness error
causing difficulty for insertion pin to be smoothly inserted into
the weight plates (usually toward the bottom) is no longer there,
since present invention has one select pin corresponding to each
link-connector and each weight plate. There is no issue of
accumulated thickness, causing the vertical misalignment of side
holes for the insertion pin.
[0035] FIGS. 10 and 11 show users can make weight selection by
directly push/push the desired link pin, to get the desired weight
selection. To make selection of desired total weight easier,
present invention envisions two intuitive user operation features,
by the addition of a select pin, usually parallel to the link
pin.
[0036] The implementations are either a lever design, as in FIGS.
12 and 13, or a on-off toggle switch, as in FIGS. 15-17.
[0037] In the drawings and embodiments containing an additional
"select pin", this is the pin that users will actually touch to
pull or push, in order to accomplish the weight selection purpose.
Whereas the link-pin is the physical object that is inserted into
the corresponding link-connector. In some embodiments, the link pin
may be made invisible, as shown in FIGS. 17-33. A selection box is
added in FIGS. 19-33 (see later disclosure).
[0038] With the added select pin, a fitness user can simply push in
a select pin, causing the corresponding link pin to pop out
(deselected). Only the plates starting from the point of pushed in
select pin are selected, as shown FIG. 14.
[0039] Note that a user can actually push in multiple select pins.
However, only the first (counting from top to bottom) pushed-in
select pin is operative, because any weight plates below the point
of pushed-in selected pin are deselected.
[0040] The push-in design can also be done by a on-off toggle
switch, which mechanism is commonly found on pens and other
electronic devices such as the on-off power switch of a stereo
system.
[0041] FIGS. 15-17 show that a gear wheel in placed in a spaced out
area in a weight plate, the link pin and the select pin each
contains gear teeth so that the in-out travel of the select pin and
link pin are properly reversed by the gear wheel.
[0042] As shown in FIG. 17, the link pin can be made non-visible
and not-touchable to users. So that users push in the select pin
(#6 in FIG. 17), the link pin (in weight plate #6) causes all the
weight plates below that point be deselected.
[0043] As in the case of lever design, a user can actually push in
multiple select pins. However, only the first (counting from top to
bottom) pushed-in select pin is operative, because any weight
plates below the point of pushed-in selected pin are
deselected.
[0044] To create an auto-off feature, so that when ONE select pin
is selected (i.e., pushed in), all other select pins are
automatically deselected, a select box is added to the front of the
weight stack, as shown in FIGS. 19-33.
[0045] A push spring is used in every select pin, corresponding to
each weight plate, as shown in FIGS. 18, 24, 25 and 26.
[0046] A select box, having same numbers of short slots on the
front and long slots in the back (near the stack of weight plates)
are shown in FIG. 19.
[0047] A long plate, containing the same number of long slots are
also shown in FIG. 19.
[0048] A plurality of wedges are shown in FIG. 20, corresponding to
the number of weight plates. These wedges serve as the "selection
pin" that user will push in to select the desired weight, as shown
in the number "60" pushed in pin, on FIG. 33.
[0049] A pull spring is affixed inside said select box, to provide
the restoration force to pull up the long plate when the long plate
is wedged downward by any of the wedges, as shown in FIGS. 21, 22
and 23.
[0050] FIGS. 24, 25 and 26 show the operation of the Auto-Off
feature when one wedge (select pin) is pushed in.
[0051] In FIG. 24, #2 select pin (wedge) is pushed in, because of
the shape of the wedge, all the long slots are in "open" state when
the #2 wedge is being pushed in. All the push springs will cause
other wedges to pop back (being pushed out). #2 wedge, however,
will be "wedged" down the #2 long slot over the long plate, due to
the arrow shape of the wedge, after all other wedges are popped
back.
[0052] FIGS. 25 and 26 show that when user selects #4 pin, all
other select pins (wedges), including the previously selected #2,
will become deselected.
[0053] FIGS. 27, 28 and 29 show the cut out view of select box
being set against one weight plate. When the select pin (wedge) is
pushed in, the gear wheel reverse the travel and cause the link pin
to move towards the select box, forming an "unlock" status. All the
weight plates below the pushed in pin become deselected.
[0054] FIGS. 30, 31 and 32 show that, as the select pin labeled for
"20" is pushed in (selected), all other select pins are pushed out
(deselected), by the design of present select box.
[0055] FIG. 33 shows the completed view, as can be perceived by
users of fitness equipment, of present invention, wherein select
pin (wedge) labeled for "60" is pushed in. Presuming each weight
plate is 10 pounds, then a total of 6 plates are selected, causing
a selection of 60 pounds. When other select pin is pushed in (for
example, "80"), then other select pins, including "60" select pin,
will pop out, clearing showing to users that the selected desired
weight is 60 pounds.
* * * * *