U.S. patent application number 12/656921 was filed with the patent office on 2010-09-23 for exercise apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to JOONG CHENN INDUSTRY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Chih Chao Wang.
Application Number | 20100240493 12/656921 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42106285 |
Filed Date | 2010-09-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100240493 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wang; Chih Chao |
September 23, 2010 |
Exercise apparatus
Abstract
An exercise apparatus is composed of a counterweight device, a
pulley assembly, a pulley sensor, an operating device, and a
control device. The counterweight device includes a frame, a
plurality of weight pieces mounted to the frame, and a plurality of
electronic switches mounted to the frame for detecting the number
of the weight pieces that are moved. The pulley assembly includes
at least one pulley mounted to the frame; and a transmission member
mounted to the pulley and connected with the weight pieces. The
pulley sensor is mounted to the frame for sensing the status of the
pulley. The operating device is connected with the transmission
member for driving the pulley assembly to move the weight pieces.
The control device is electrically connected with the electronic
switches and the pulley sensor for calculating, displaying, and
recording data of the user's exercise performance.
Inventors: |
Wang; Chih Chao; (Nantou
County, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE, FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314-1176
US
|
Assignee: |
JOONG CHENN INDUSTRY CO.,
LTD.
NANTOU COUNTY
TW
|
Family ID: |
42106285 |
Appl. No.: |
12/656921 |
Filed: |
February 19, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2220/24 20130101;
A63B 2220/805 20130101; A63B 2220/17 20130101; A63B 21/0628
20151001; A63B 2230/75 20130101; A63B 21/154 20130101; A63B 24/0062
20130101; A63B 2071/065 20130101; A63B 2220/52 20130101; A63B
2220/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/4 |
International
Class: |
A63B 24/00 20060101
A63B024/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 18, 2009 |
TW |
98108825 |
Claims
1. An exercise apparatus comprising: a counterweight device having
a frame, a plurality of weight pieces mounted to the frame, and a
plurality of electronic switches mounted to the frame for detecting
the number of the weight pieces that are moved; a pulley assembly
having at least one pulley and a transmission member, the at least
one pulley being mounted to the frame, the transmission member
being mounted to the at least one pulley and connected with the
weight pieces; a pulley sensor mounted to the frame for sensing the
status of the at least one pulley; an operating device connected
with the transmission member for driving the pullet assembly to
move the weight pieces; and a control device electrically connected
with the electronic switches and the pulley sensor.
2. The exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the
electronic switch is a reed switch or a photoelectric switch.
3. The exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the
electronic switch is the reed switch, and each of the weight pieces
comprises a magnetic portion, the electronic switches corresponding
to the magnetic portions respectively, the magnetic portions
magnetically triggering the electronic switches.
4. The exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the
control device comprises a processor electrically connected with
the electronic switches and the pulley sensor, the processor
referring to the number of the moved weight pieces and the status
of the at least one pulley for inferring data of performance of a
user's muscle strengthening.
5. The exercise apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the data
comprises at least one of load of weight, exercise frequency,
exercise time, and calorie expenditure.
6. The exercise apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the
control device further comprises a display panel electrically
connected with the processor for displaying the data.
7. The exercise apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the
control device further comprises a memory module electrically
connected with the processor for recording the data.
8. The exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the
transmissions member is a cable wire or a belt.
9. The exercise apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the pulley
sensor is a Hall sensor, a pressure sensor, or a photoelectric
sensor.
10. A method based on the exercise apparatus defined in claim 1 for
inferring the data of performance of the user's muscle
strengthening includes steps of: a) sensing by the pulley sensor as
to whether the at least one pulley is moved or not; if the at least
one pulley remains still, repeat this step; if the at least one
pulley is moved, proceed to the next step; b) detecting the weight
pieces by the electronic switches to identify the number of the
moved weight pieces; c) calculating the exercise time and the
calorie expenditure; d) detecting by means of the pulley sensor as
to whether the at least one pulley is rotated counterclockwise; if
the at least one pulley is not rotated counterclockwise, repeat
this step; if the at least one pulley is rotated counterclockwise,
proceed to the next step; e) accumulate the exercise frequency; f)
sensing by the pulley sensor as to whether the at least one pulley
is rotated clockwise; if the at least one pulley is rotated
clockwise, proceed back to the step b); if the at least one pulley
is not rotated clockwise, proceed to the next step; and g) sensing
by the pulley sensor as to whether the at least one pulley stops
rotation; if the at least one pulley does not stop rotation,
proceed back to the step f); if the at least one pulley stops
rotation, the processor stops counting the time.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to exercise and
fitness, and more particularly, to an exercise apparatus.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A conventional exercise apparatus is composed of a
counterweight device and an operating device connected with the
counterweight device. The counterweight device includes a plurality
of weight pieces whose number is adjustable subject to the
requirement while a user strengthens his/her muscles in such a way
that a proper load of weight can be provided. In other words, the
exercise apparatus can help the user strengthen the muscles for
different degrees by means of different number of the counterweigh
blocks.
[0005] However, people have different physical stamina and require
different degrees of muscular strengthening, such that it is not
easy to infer the outcome of the user's muscle strengthening.
Generally speaking, the muscle strengthening needs more accurate
data for procurement of exercise amount and calorie expenditure.
For the prior art, the user may though feel that much exercise is
taken but fails to know the exact data of performance of the
muscular strengthening, such that it is deficient for inconvenient
operation to need improvement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
an exercise apparatus, which can come up with the exact data of
performance of the user's muscular strengthening to be convenient
for the user.
[0007] The foregoing objective of the present invention is attained
by the exercise apparatus composed of a counterweight device, a
pulley assembly, a pulley sensor, an operating device, and a
control device. The counterweight device includes a frame, a
plurality of weight pieces mounted to the frame, and a plurality of
electronic switches mounted to the frame for detecting the number
of the weight pieces that are moved. The pulley assembly includes
at least one pulley mounted to the frame; and a transmission member
mounted to the pulley and connected with the weight pieces. The
pulley sensor is mounted to the frame for sensing the status of the
pulley. The operating device is connected with the transmission
member for driving the pulley assembly to move the weight pieces.
The control device is electrically connected with the electronic
switches and the pulley sensor for calculating, displaying, and
recording data of the user's exercise performance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of
the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a part A indicated in FIG.
1.
[0011] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a part of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the counterweight
device.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0013] FIG. 6 is another perspective view of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, illustrating that the weight
pieces are moved.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] Referring to FIGS. 1-4, an exercise apparatus 10 constructed
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is
composed of a counterweight device 20, a pulley assembly 30, a
pulley sensor 40, an operating device 50, and a control device
60.
[0015] The counterweight device 20 includes a frame 22, a plurality
of weight pieces 24 mounted to the frame 22, and a plurality of
electronic switches 26 mounted to the frame 22. Each of the weight
pieces 24 has a magnetic portion 241. Each of the electronic
switches 26 is a photoelectric switch or a reed switch, which is
taken in this embodiment as an example only rather than a
limitation. The magnetic portions 241 can magnetically activate the
electronic switches 26 for detecting the number of the weight
pieces 24 that are moved. When the electronic switches 26 detect
one of the magnetic portions 241, the electronic switch 26 is
triggered.
[0016] The pulley assembly 30 includes a plurality of pulleys 32
and a transmission member 34. The pulleys 32 are mounted to the
frame 22. The transmission member 34 is mounted to the pulleys 32
and connected with the weight pieces 24. The transmission member 34
is a belt or a cable wire, which is taken in this embodiment as an
example only rather than a limitation.
[0017] The pulley sensor 40 is mounted to the frame 22 and located
at one of the pulleys 32 for sensing the status of the pulleys 32.
The pulley sensor 40 is a pressure sensor, a photoelectric sensor,
or a Hall sensor, which is taken in this embodiment as an example
only rather than a limitation.
[0018] The operating device 50 is connected with the transmission
member 34 for the user to operate for strengthening the user's
muscles. While the operating device 50 is operated, the
transmission member 34 is drawn to enable the pulley assembly 30 to
drive the movement of the weight pieces 24.
[0019] The control device 60 is electrically connected with the
electronic switches 26 and the pulley sensor 40. The control device
60 includes a processor 62, a display panel 64, and a memory module
66. The processor 62 is electrically connected with the electronic
switches 26 and the pulley sensor 40, for identifying the number of
the moved weight pieces 24 according to the number of the triggered
electronic switches and then identifying the status of the pulleys
32 according to output signals of the pulley sensor 40 for
inferring data of performance of the user's muscle strengthening.
The data include at least one of the information, like load of
weight, exercise frequency, exercise time, and calorie expenditure.
The display panel 64 is electrically connected with the processor
62 for displaying the data. The memory module 66 is electrically
connected with the processor 62 for recording the data.
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 5-6, a method based on the exercise
apparatus 10 for inferring the data of performance of the user's
muscle strengthening includes the following steps.
[0021] a) Sense the movement of the pulleys 32 by the pulley sensor
40. If the pulleys 32 remain still, repeat this step to identify
whether the user has operated the exercise apparatus 10. If the
pulleys 32 are moved, indicating that the user begins to pull the
transmission member 34 for operating the exercise apparatus,
proceed to the next step.
[0022] b) Detect the magnetic portions 241 by the electronic
switches 26. The processor 62 acquires the number of the moved
weight pieces 24 according to the number of the triggered
electronic switches.
[0023] c) The processor 62 acquires the load of weight according to
the number of the moved weight pieces 24 to calculate the exercise
time and the calorie expenditure.
[0024] d) Detect by means of the pulley sensor 40 as to whether the
pulleys 32 are rotated counterclockwise. If the pulleys 32 have not
been rotated counterclockwise, indicating that the user has not
finished pulling the weight pieces 24, repeat this step. If the
pulleys 32 are rotated counterclockwise, indicating that the user
has finished pulling the weight pieces 24 to reinstate the weight
pieces 24, proceed to the next step.
[0025] e) Accumulate the exercise frequency.
[0026] f) Sense by the pulley sensor 40 as to whether the pulleys
are rotated clockwise. If the pulleys 32 are rotated clockwise,
indicating that the weight pieces 24 are pulled again, proceed back
to the step b). If the pulleys 32 have not been rotated clockwise,
indicating that the weight pieces 24 have not been reinstated,
proceed back to the next step.
[0027] g) Sense by the pulley sensor 40 as to whether the pulleys
32 stop rotation. If the pulleys 32 do not stop rotation, proceed
back to the step f). If the pulleys 32 stop rotation, indicating
that the user stops operating the exercise apparatus 10, the
processor 62 stops counting the time.
[0028] In conclusion, the exercise apparatus 10 of the present
invention can come up with more accurate data, like the load of
weight, the exercise frequency, the exercise time, and the calorie
expenditure, to further enable the user to know the performance of
the muscle strengthening.
[0029] Although the present invention has been described with
respect to a specific preferred embodiment thereof, it is no way
limited to the details of the illustrated structures but changes
and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended
claims.
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