U.S. patent application number 17/174909 was filed with the patent office on 2022-08-18 for fitness and strength building machine with flywheel/fan resistance.
The applicant listed for this patent is Daniel E. Goldberg. Invention is credited to Daniel E. Goldberg.
Application Number | 20220257995 17/174909 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005417179 |
Filed Date | 2022-08-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220257995 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Goldberg; Daniel E. |
August 18, 2022 |
Fitness and Strength Building Machine with Flywheel/Fan
Resistance
Abstract
An exercise fitness machine is configured for vertical lift
exercises. Resistance is provided by a fan-flywheel arrangement,
with flexible inextensible cables connected to the ends of a
horizontal barbell member such that a vertical lift motion rotates
the fan-flywheel to create a greater force on the concentric
exercise phase, but a reduced force on the return or eccentric
phase. This may be configured for shoulder presses, squats, curls,
or bench press exercises.
Inventors: |
Goldberg; Daniel E.;
(Syracuse, NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Goldberg; Daniel E. |
Syracuse |
NY |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005417179 |
Appl. No.: |
17/174909 |
Filed: |
February 12, 2021 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 23/1209 20130101;
A63B 21/154 20130101; A63B 21/0088 20130101; A63B 21/0724 20130101;
A63B 2023/0411 20130101; A63B 21/225 20130101; A63B 23/03525
20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63B 21/072 20060101
A63B021/072; A63B 21/008 20060101 A63B021/008; A63B 21/22 20060101
A63B021/22; A63B 21/00 20060101 A63B021/00; A63B 23/035 20060101
A63B023/035; A63B 23/12 20060101 A63B023/12 |
Claims
1. A vertical lift exercise apparatus comprising: a horizontal
platform member of a predetermined width and length configured such
that a human subject may position himself or herself over a first
portion of the platform member; at least one rotatable resistance
member positioned at a second portion of said compartment and on or
at least partially beneath said platform member; said horizontal
platform member having a deck portion with a proximal end portion
thereof and adapted to permit said human subject to be supported
thereon when performing an exercise motion; a left cable positioned
to extend upwards from a left portion of said horizontal platform
member, and a right cable positioned to extend upwards from right
portion of said horizontal platform member; an elongated rigid bar
member having left and right ends to which said left and right
cables are respectively attached; and a transmission arrangement
within said compartment coupling said left and right cables to said
rotatable resistance member and configured to apply a torque to
said rotatable resistance member when said bar member pulls said
left and right cable upward and to release from said rotatable
resistance member when said bar member and said left and right
cables are let downward towards said platform member.
2. Vertical lift exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein
said horizontal platform member includes a footplate at said deck
and configured to indicate positions of left and right feet of said
human subject when standing on said platform member.
3. Vertical lift exercise apparatus according to claim 1 further
comprising pulleys within said transmission compartment for
redirecting the directions of said left and right cables,
respectively, to align with inputs of said transmission
arrangement.
4. Vertical lift exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein
said rotatable resistance member includes a flywheel which is
arranged to be accelerated when torque is applied by upward
movement of said left and right cables.
5. Vertical lift exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein
said rotatable resistance member includes a rotary fan that
provides resistance by moving air when torque is applied by upward
movement of said left and right cables.
6. Vertical lift exercise apparatus according to claim 5 said
rotatable resistance member further comprising a mechanism for
adjustably controlling airflow so that the amount of resistance on
the upward motion of the left and right cables can be adjusted.
7. Vertical lift exercise apparatus according to claim 1 wherein
said rotatable resistance member includes a pair of rotary fans
that each provide resistance by moving air when torque is applied
by upward movement of said left cable and said right cable,
respectively.
8. Vertical lift exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said elongated rigid bar member is configured to accept weight
disks at left and right ends thereof.
9. Vertical lift exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said transmission arrangement includes an arrangement of pulleys,
cables, and at least one resilient return member, connected from
ends of said left and right cables to a one-directional drive
member on said rotatable resistance member.
10. A method of performing an exercise by lifting against a
vertically directed resistance, the method comprising placing an
individual subject on a horizontal support surface of an exercise
work station, the work station including at least left and right
horizontal portions extending from a proximal end portion to a
distal portion; at least one rotatable resistance member disposed
in a housing at said distal portion; a left cable and a right cable
positioned respectively in or on said left and right horizontal
members, and said left and right cables having end portions
extending upwards from the respective proximal end portions of said
left and right horizontal members and said left and right cables
also extending to a transmission arrangement associated with said
rotatable resistance member; an elongated horizontal rigid bar
member having left and right ends to which the respective end
portions of said left and right cables are attached; and the method
further comprising said individual subject performing an exercise
movement by moving said elongated horizontal rigid bar member
upwards thereby applying a torque to said rotatable resistance
member, and lowering said elongated rigid bar member thereby
releasing torque from said rotatable resistance member, whereby
said individual subject experiences a downward force that is
relatively greater on the upward movement and relatively lesser on
the downward movement.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein said exercise movement is a
standing shoulder press.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein said exercise movement is an arm
curl.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein said individual subject is place
in a reclining position and said exercise movement is a bench
press.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein lengths of said end portions of
said left and right cables can be adjusted to place said elongated
horizontal rigid bar at different respective positions for
different exercise movements.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a lift-resistance machine
in which the exercise training action involves the act of lifting,
pulling or pushing a weight bar or handle, and then lowering the
bar or handle in a reverse direction, and repeating the motion. The
arrangement employed in this invention permits a greater weight
resistance to be experienced on the upward or lifting motion than
on the lowering or return motion.
[0002] In embodiments of the invention, the weight bar or handle
has cables or lines attached to its ends, and the upward motion of
the bar pulls the cables and these in turn drive a fan-flywheel,
via a system of pulleys and elastic or resilient return mechanisms,
so that rotary acceleration plus air resistance provides at least
some of the counterforce to motion, rather than gravity alone.
[0003] This arrangement can be used in place of a barbell for
presses, squats, curls and similar exercises that typically require
a gravity resistance weight like a barbell. This can also be used
for bench presses in which the subject reclines and pushes the bar
upwards against gravity. The amount of resistance depends on the
airflow volume that is generated by the fan via the cables or cords
that connect to the exercise bar. There can be a baffle or louver
to adjust the airflow through the fan.
[0004] The arrangement here involves a modular platform in which
there is an upper deck on which the person may stand, and a base,
with an open space defined between the deck and the base. In some
embodiments, the deck and the base may be opposite sides of the
same base panel. The fan may optionally be disposed (entirely or
partly) below the deck of the platform. Right and left pull cords
coming from respective sides of the platform extend up to
corresponding ends of the pull bar. There is a multiplier
arrangement, i.e., force transfer mechanism such as a system of
pulleys, exposed above or concealed under the deck so that placing
stress on the pull cords will pull a drive chain or drive belt to
rotate the fan. Other mechanical transmission mechanisms could be
used here, e.g., a gear drive.
[0005] Prior modular mechanical arrangements with cables providing
resistance to a pulling or pushing movement have been attempted for
weight training use with resistance being applied in upward and
downward phases of the exercise motion, but where the pull was the
same on the upward and downward or return phases. This, just as
with using simple gravity weights, can result in muscular soreness
or even injury due to the heavy stress on the downward or return
phase of motion.
[0006] It has been established by research that exercise movements
that have heavy weight stress when the weight is being lowered on
the return motion can result in high levels of muscle damage and
soreness. This has been specifically reported in Friden, J.,
Ljorell, U., and L-E. Thornell, Delayed muscle soreness and
cytoskeletal alterations. An immunocytological study in man, Int'l.
J. Sports Med., 5:15-18 (1984), and in Friden, J. and R. L. Lieber,
The structural and mechanical basis of exercise-induced muscle
injury, Med. Sci. Sport Exerc. 24:521-530 (1992). Concentric
movement occurs when a muscle is contracting and a weight is being
lifted, and eccentric movement occurs when a muscle is co-actively
lengthening and a weight is being lowered. Movements that have a
relatively high eccentric value are associated with high muscle
damage and consequent high levels of muscular soreness in the hours
and days after the bout of exercise has been completed. Conversely,
exercise movements with low eccentric values are associated with
lower levels of muscle damage and less soreness. For example,
lunges typically cause trainees to experience high levels of
soreness, while biking (cycling) produces lower levels of soreness,
even when the resistance and range of motion are equivalent.
However, this principle has not been followed in the design of any
weight training or similar resistance exercise equipment, where a
barbell has been used in a vertical movement pattern, and/or with
the resistance force applied over the subjects body center of
mass.
[0007] Flywheel resistance systems, sometimes combined with a fan
or blower to convert air flow to a mechanical resistance, have been
employed in some non-vertical-lift exercise equipment, such as in
stationary exercise bicycles or ergometers or in mechanical rowing
machines. To date, unfortunately, the usefulness of flywheel-fan
systems to change the dynamics of concentric motion versus
eccentric motion has been missed in weight training equipment that
uses a lift motion against gravity.
[0008] In a flywheel system, the concentric phase of movement
requires the exercise trainee to accelerate the flywheel, which
provides the resistance to motion. However, on the return phase or
eccentric phase, the flywheel is clutched out of engagement with
the lever or bar, so the force experienced on that phase is not at
all affected by the flywheel, and this permits the subject to
perform an exercise in which there can be very high levels of
concentric force and very low levels of eccentric force. This may
be experienced, for example, in an exercise rowing machine in which
the concentric phase corresponds to the pull stroke of the oar
against water to accelerate a boat, while the eccentric phase
corresponds to the return stroke in which the oar would be held out
of the water. However, the lifting phase and lowering phase of a
gravity weight do not logically provide different amounts of force
to the trainee, and no one has previously attempted to employ a
flywheel or fan to create any portion of the resistance on an
exercise machine or exercise station for performing vertical lift
and lowering motions against gravity or a simulated gravity
resistance.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus and
system to permit an athlete or other trainee to perform exercises
in which lifting against a vertical resistance places a greater
force on the person during the concentric (lift) phase or stroke,
and a reduced force during the eccentric (return or lowering) phase
or stroke, as a means to reduce the levels of soreness or muscular
injury as mentioned previously that are associated with traditional
gravity weight exercise devices.
[0010] It is another and related object to provide a vertical lift
exercise device in which a flywheel, rotary fan or combination
thereof provides part or all of the resistance to the exercise
trainee during the concentric and eccentric phases of the exercise
motion, and results in a differential of force as between the
concentric and eccentric phases.
[0011] A further object is to provide an exercise machine or
station in which the trainee lifts an elongated bar with cables or
cords connecting the bar to a rotary resistance member, which may
incorporate a flywheel, fan, or both.
[0012] A still further object is to provide such an exercise
machine or station that can be used for various exercises,
including lifts, squats, shoulder presses, curls, and bench
presses.
[0013] A related object is to provide such an exercise machine or
station in which traditional gravity weights e.g. weight disks can
be mounted on the bar to provide a portion of the resistance.
[0014] Another object is to provide the exercise machine or station
with a variable airflow control so that the amount of resistance on
the concentric phase of motion can be adjusted.
[0015] According to an object of this invention, a vertical lift
exercise apparatus has a horizontal platform member of arranged
such that a human subject may position himself or herself over a
proximal portion of the platform member. There may be a left side
member and a right side member, configured to hold the platform
member at the floor surface or at a predetermined height over the
floor surface, in some cases favorably creating a space or
compartment between the platform member and the floor surface.
[0016] One or more rotary fans, flywheel, or flywheel-fan may serve
as a rotary resistance member and this is favorably positioned at a
distal portion of the aforesaid compartment and preferably at least
partially beneath the platform. The horizontal platform member may
have a central portion at a proximal end portion thereof and which
is adapted to permit the human subject to be supported thereon when
performing an exercise motion. The fan or blower may have a
vertical, inclined, or horizontal rotation. A left cable and a
right cable are positioned adjacent or within such space and extend
upwards from a left portion and a right portion, and extend near,
i.e., above or within the horizontal platform member. A barbell or
other elongated rigid bar member has its left and right ends
configured so that the left and right cables are respectively
attached. Also, a transmission arrangement within the compartment
couples the left and right cables to the rotatable resistance
member and is configured to apply a torque to the rotatable
resistance member when the bar member pulls the left and right
cable upward and rotates the rotatable resistance member when the
left and right cables are let downward towards the associated
platform member. In some favorable embodiments the cables and
associated pulleys are exposed above the deck or platform, while in
others the cables emerge through respective left and right
apertures in the deck of the platform member, with the cables
traveling between associated pulleys concealed beneath the
deck.
[0017] The platform member can be configured to indicate positions
of left and right feet of a human subject when standing on the
platform member. There may be pulleys within the fan/flywheel
compartment so that the transmission arrangement rotates the
fan/flywheel to provide resistance by moving air when torque is
applied by upward movement of the left and right cables. The
rotatable resistance member can further include a mechanism for
adjustably controlling airflow so that the amount of resistance on
the upward motion of the left and right cables can be adjusted. In
some embodiments, a pair of rotary fans provide resistance.
[0018] The rigid bar member can additionally accept weight disks at
its left and right ends. In some embodiments the horizontal bar
member may be separate left and right bars, so the left and right
cables may be separately operated. The transmission arrangement can
be configured with pulleys, cables, and at least one resilient
return member, connected from ends of the left and right cables to
a one-directional drive member on the flywheel, fan, or other
rotatable resistance member.
[0019] The invention can be seen also as a method of performing an
exercise that involves lifting against a vertically directed
resistance, and placing an individual on a horizontal support
surface and on an exercise work station at the horizontal support
surface. In this configuration, the work station may include at
least left and right horizontal members extending from a proximal
end portion to a distal portion; at least one rotatable resistance
member disposed in a housing at the distal portion; a left cable
and a right cable positioned respectively in the left and right
horizontal members, and the left and right cables having end
portions extending upwards directly from pulleys or from apertures
located at the respective proximal end portions of the left and
right horizontal members and with the left and right cables also
extending to a transmission arrangement associated with the
flywheel fan or other rotatable resistance member. An elongated
horizontal rigid bar member has left and right ends to which the
respective end portions of said left and right cables are
attached.
[0020] An individual subject may perform an exercise movement by
moving the elongated horizontal rigid bar member upwards thereby
applying a torque to the rotatable resistance member, and lowering
the elongated rigid bar member thereby releasing torque from the
rotatable resistance member and reducing force on the eccentric
phase.
[0021] Thus the individual subject experiences a downward force
that is relatively greater on the upward movement and relatively
lesser on the downward movement. The equipment may be used for
exercise movement such as a standing shoulder press, an arm curl,
or a bench press. These are a few examples only, and the same
equipment can be employed for a large variety of exercises.
[0022] The starting position for the bar can be adjusted upwards or
downwards by lengthening or shortening the end portions of the left
and right cables and can be adjusted to place the elongated
horizontal rigid bar at different respective positions for
different exercise movements.
[0023] Many variations of this equipment and its use will become
apparent from the following description of selected preferred
embodiments, to be considered in connection with the accompanying
Drawing figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0024] FIG. 1 is a general schematic view of a rotary flywheel-fan
based fitness and strength building machine according to one
embodiment of this invention.
[0025] FIG. 1A shows an alternate arrangement of the embodiment of
FIG. 1, here omitting the structure illustrated in broken line in
FIG. 1.
[0026] FIG. 2. is a plan view of a resistance flywheel compartment
thereof, taken at line 2-2 of FIG. 1.
[0027] FIG. 3 is a partial distal end view of the embodiment of
FIG. 1.
[0028] FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are top plan schematic views of
alternative embodiments.
[0029] FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are illustrations of subject users
performing exercises on embodiments of this invention.
[0030] FIG. 9 shows another alternative embodiment of this
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0031] With reference to the Drawing Figures, and initially to FIG.
1, with additional reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, an exercise machine
unit, i.e., fan/flywheel based exercise station 10 has a platform
12 on which a user can stand while performing an exercise, here
formed with a deck 14, shown in broken line, supported on left and
right sides 16 on a base member 18. A space or compartment 20 is
defined between the base 18 and deck 14. Cables are permitted to
travel within this compartment 20, with various pulleys and guide
wheels (not numbered) to direct the cable travel.
[0032] A rigid horizontal barbell, i.e., rigid solid or tubular bar
member 22, and may be straight or undulating, as preferred. The bar
member 22 is shown at an elevated exercise position, and support
structure is omitted in this view. Foot plates 24 may be present to
indicate a preferred position for the user to stand. Left and right
flexible inextensible cable member 26, which may be cables, cords,
chains or the like, extend upward to the respective ends of the bar
member 22 above where the cable members exit through respective
apertures 28 in the deck 14 near the proximal end of the deck. In
some embodiments, the deck 14 may be omitted or consolidated with
the base member 18, as disclosed with reference to FIG. 1A.
[0033] A resistance flywheel compartment 30 is located at a distal
or back end of the exercise station 10, here shown partly elevated
above the deck 14. This compartment may be located entirely below
the deck 14 in some embodiments. This compartment 30 is comprised
of a flywheel housing 30A and a cord-flywheel transmission
compartment 30B.
[0034] FIG. 2 is a cutaway plan view taken at 2-2 in FIG. 1, and
shows a flywheel 32, in this embodiment a rotary fan-flywheel
incorporating an axial flow fan. In other embodiments this could be
a radial flow fan or blower. This may incorporate a ring having
sufficient moment of inertia to absorb some of the pull force on
the cables 26 to gain rotational energy. As shown with additional
reference to FIG. 3 the flywheel housing also includes an
adjustable louver arrangement 34 to control the resistance to
airflow, and thus control the pull resistance on the cables 26.
Adjustment is made by moving an adjustment handle 36. Also shown
schematically in FIG. 3 there is a transmission arrangement 38
connecting the cables 26 to a mechanism to rotate the fan-flywheel
32. The outward movement of the cables 26 then creates a torque on
the axle of the fan-flywheel 32. The transmission arrangement 38
has a one-way clutch so that the fan-flywheel continues to turn in
free-wheel when the cable returns in the opposite direction, i.e.,
when the bar member 22 is lowered to a downward or relax position.
Illustrated but not numbered are various guide pulleys and wheels
to direct the movement of the left and right cables 26. While in
this embodiment the cables enter and exit the deck 14 via the
apertures 28, in some embodiments the cables may travel above the
deck 14 to the resistance flywheel compartment 30.
[0035] As shown in FIG. 1A, another preferred embodiment here has
open pulleys and cables traveling above the deck 12 to the
resistance flywheel compartment 30. FIG. 1A employs the same
reference signals as used in FIG. 1 to identify similar elements.
Here the deck 14 is combined with or incorporated into the base
member 18, there are a number of pulley assemblies 40 positioned at
the front (proximal) right, front (proximal) left, and towards the
distal end of the deck or platform, so that the cables 26 descend
from the barbell 22 to respective ones of the pulley assemblies 40
and then extend to the rear, travel over the rear or distal pulley
assemblies 40 and enter the cord-flywheel transmission compartment
30B.
[0036] FIGS. 4 and 5 are simplified schematic views of alternative
configurations or embodiments of this exercise station, with FIG. 4
showing an embodiment 110 a single flywheel-fan 132 disposed
horizontally (with vertical rotary axis) positioned in the
compartment beneath the deck 114 with both left and right cables 26
leading to a single transmission arrangement 138. The two pull
cables 128 each connect to one or the other of inputs of the
transmission arrangement 138 and exit the deck via a left or right
aperture 128. FIG. 5 shows a two-fan-flywheel arrangement 210 in
which there are separate left and right fan flywheels 232 at
respective left and right sides of the exercise station 210 and
disposed horizontally beneath the deck 214. There are separate left
and right transmission arrangements or multipliers 238 connected to
the left and right pull cables 238, and to the respective left and
right flywheel-fans 232.
[0037] In each of these two embodiments the locations of the
footplates 24 are shown. The distal end of each unit is at the top
of the drawing, and the proximal end is at the bottom in each
view.
[0038] FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 are perspective views illustrating the
manner in which a subject user would be positioned on the exercise
station 10 to perform a lifting exercise movement, either with just
the resistive force coming from the weight of the bar 22 and the
resistive pull of the flywheel-fan on the cables 26, or with
additional (optional) weight 42, which may be a traditional weight
disk, added onto the bar 22. This combined with the resistance to
lift from the flywheel-fan and cables 26 will provide a
sufficiently high resistive force on the concentric or lifting
phase, and a lighter resistance on the eccentric phase of the
exercise motion.
[0039] As shown in the side view of FIG. 8, a reclined bench press
exercise can be performed with the help of a bench 44 to support
the user's back and to position him or her properly over the
fan-flywheel exercise station 10 and under the weight bar 22. A
weight bar bench press rack 46 shown here in broken line may be
provided optionally mounted either on the bench 44 or onto the
platform of the exercise station
[0040] Another embodiment 310 of the exercise station of this
invention that is well adapted for bench press use is shown in FIG.
9. Here, the exercise station 310 has a split platform and deck
portion composed of a pair of leg members, to wit, a left leg
member 316L and a right leg member 316R extending proximally from
the flywheel compartment 330. The left and right lift cables 326
extend upward from apertures at the proximal end of the leg
members. In this embodiment removable rack posts 46, 46 are
attached onto the top deck of each leg member. Preferably the gap
or space between the leg members 316L and 316R is wide enough to
place the bench-press bench 44. As shown, a weight disk may be
placed optionally at the left and right ends of the horizontal bar
22 between the end thereof and the place where the respective cable
326 is attached.
[0041] Many elaborate fan/fan-flywheel exercise machines currently
exist but none are configured to be used with or incorporate an
elongated bar in the nature of a barbell to be held in two hands
and used for traditional bar-bell exercise motions (but reducing
the muscular stress in the concentric phase of the motion). The
difference is vast in performing an exercise with two separate
handles or levers, and one elongated rigid barbell. The present
invention employs a rod or bar as discussed with pull cables or
push cables fixed to attachment points at either end of the rod or
bar. In contrast to the exercise machines that are currently
available, the arrangement of the present invention allows the
trainee or athlete to use a barbell (with or without additional
weight disks) for any and all the associated barbell movements
while experiencing resistance applied from a flywheel system. With
this arrangement, the trainee can place himself or herself under
the barbell, placing is as normally on their upper back, their
front rack or at any other barbell position. Being able to place
himself or herself under the barbell is a unique advantage for
trainees because it allows the trainee to balance his or her
weight, i.e., center of mass, directly over their base of
support.
[0042] While this invention has been described with reference to a
number of selected, illustrative embodiments, but the invention is
not limited only to those illustrated embodiments. Rather the
invention should be measured as recited in the appended Claims.
* * * * *