US20080227606A1

US20080227606A1 - Gymnastic machine

Info

Publication number: US20080227606A1
Application number: US12/070,228
Authority: US
Inventors: Mario Fedriga; Ferdinando Fusai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Technogym SpA
Priority date: 2007-02-16
Filing date: 2008-02-15
Publication date: 2008-09-18
Also published as: ITRA20070007A1; EP1958672A1

Abstract

A gymnastic machine (1) includes a frame (10), a load group (20), and at least one gymnastic implement (30) suitable to exchange energy with the load group (20) through at least one box-shaped lever (42) having a transverse cross-section (S) of predetermined shape and longitudinally adjustable width, with a respective lateral profile (PL) having a height decreasing according to a direction of travel that leads to the respective implement (30).

Description

The present invention relates to a gymnastic machine provided with at least a lever. In particular, the present invention relates to a gymnastic machine provided with at least a lever usable to actuate a load group. In more detail, the present invention relates to a gymnastic machine provided with at least a lever usable to actuate a load group and to a method for producing this lever.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

In the field of gymnastic equipment, it is known to manufacture gymnastic machines provided with levers pivoted to a frame supporting a load group, normally of the gravitational, hydraulic or electromagnetic type. These levers are of the substantially box-shaped type in order to optimise the ratio between the mass and the mechanical resistance and to minimise the cost thereof. Normally, these levers are produced by cutting bars which have a constant and generally rectangular cross-section to be more easily machinable. Again in order to optimise the ratio between the mass and the mechanical resistance and to minimise the cost thereof, the greater dimension of the cross-section of the bars is parallel to the plane in which the lever is actuated in consideration of that the transverse load is substantially negligible and the lever is rigid enough to absorb it without damage even when the width is substantially half the depth. Similar cases occur in the majority of gymnastic machines with gravitational load and weight stack movable along a rectilinear guide, which can be grouped together through an elongated body which passes through them transversely and is connected to the levers by means of a flexible member, generally a cable made of textile material.
Furthermore, when the load group comprises free weights which must be carried laterally by the same levers through adequate pins, it is well understood that these levers are subject not only to shear stress but also to torque, just as the coupling pins for coupling the levers to the frame. Therefore, in these cases, the choice is generally made to use levers which present rectangular cross-sections tending more toward a square shape and/or to strengthen the lever in correspondence of the coupling section thereof extending the pin and dividing the hub for connection to the frame into a fork. In addition to this, by choosing to use a lever of reduced transverse dimensions, thus subjecting the portions that couple the pins to the frame to considerable shear stress, a safety member must be inserted for supporting the pin in the case of breakage thereof or of the respective support.
Furthermore, it should be noted that free weight machines are generally used by the most competent body building enthusiasts, who wish to experience feelings as similar as possible to the use of free weights held directly or carried by dumbbells or barbells; this obliges the manufacturers of levers to balance them so as to make them substantially neutral when no load is aplpied thereon. Therefore, it is also known that the use of levers of considerable cross-section obliges manufacturers to strengthen the frame and thus the machine in its entirety, and also to load the levers before having added the free weights for execution of an exercise. This contributes toward placing manufacturers in the position of choosing whether to strengthen the resistant cross-sections or to complicate the shape of the levers with the result of compromising the aesthetic appearance, as already described above.
In view of the above description, the problem of having available a gymnastic machine in which the interaction between the implement and the corresponding load group is carried out by means of levers of simple shape, light, carried by the frame through a single hub and, simultaneously, capable of withstanding the exchange of high energy values in the unit of time and of high torsional stresses with the respective pin for connection to the frame is currently unsolved. The solution of this problem represents an interesting challenge for the applicant in order to simplify the structure of the gymnastic machines, to lighten the mass of one or their most characterising components, due to the fact that it carries the interface through which the user interacts with the load, and to make them safer without the need to resort to the use of additional members that would compromise the style and outer appearance.
In view of the situation described above, it would be desirable to have available a gymnastic machine which, in addition to enabling to limit and possibly to overcome the typical drawbacks of the art illustrated above, could define a new standard for the gymnastic machines and, in particular, for free weight gymnastic machines.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to a gymnastic machine provided with at least a lever. In particular, the present invention relates to a gymnastic machine provided with at least a lever usable to actuate a load group. In more detail, the present invention relates to a gymnastic machine provided with at least a lever usable to actuate a load group and to a method for producing this lever.
The object of the present invention is to provide a gymnastic machine which allows the disadvantages described above to be solved, and which is suitable to satisfy a plurality of requirements that to date have still not been addressed, and therefore, suitable to represent a new and original source of economic interest and capable of modifying the current market of gymnastic machines. According to the present invention, a gymnastic machine is provided, whose main characteristics are described in at least one of the appended claims.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to a lever for this gymnastic machine, this lever being designed to contain the overall mass of the machine with the same resistance to torsional loads, to increase the safety degree of the machine in its entirety, and to simplify the structure thereof.
According to the present invention a lever for this gymnastic machine is also provided, and the main characteristics of this lever are described in at least one of the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the gymnastic machine according to the present invention will be more apparent from the description below, set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate at least one non-limiting example of embodiment, in which identical or corresponding parts of the device are identified by the same reference numbers. In particular:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a gymnastic machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view in enlarged scale of a component extracted from FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In FIG. 1, number 1 indicates, in its entirety, a gymnastic machine 1 comprising a frame 10, a load group 20 carried by the frame 10, at least a gymnastic implement 30 connected to the load group 20 through at least a transmission member 40 to exchange energy with the load group 20. This transmission member 40 comprises at least a box-shaped lever 42 that is very light and has considerable torsional rigidity, as it will be apparent from the description below; each lever 42 is provided with a coupling device 45 connected to the frame 10 by means of a pivot pin 60. Each implement 30 presents maximum transverse extension equal to D, which in the case of the implement 30 being obtained from a cylindrical bar, would coincide with the respective diameter.
As shall become readily apparent from the present description, the machine illustrated in FIG. 1 is of the free weight type, but this choice does not detract from the general nature of the teachings provided, which can be effectively applied also to machines in which the load is of the hydraulic, electromagnetic type, or in which the gravitational load comprises a weight stack movable along a rectilinear guide, which can be grouped together through an elongated body that passes through them transversely and is connected to the respective levers by means of a flexible member, generally a cable made of textile material.
With particular reference to FIG. 2, each lever 42 is longitudinally delimited by a first end portion 43, so shaped as to house the pivot pin 60, and by a free second end portion 44, designed to house the implement 30. Each lever 42 is provided with at least one segment 468 which is substantially rectilinear and presents a transverse cross-section S of given shape, whose width varies longitudinally so as to present a respective lateral profile PL substantially triangular in shape, and in particular of decreasing height according to a direction of travel which goes from the pivot pin 60 to the implement 30.
It should be specified that the fact of having produced lateral profiles PL substantially triangular in shape does not decrease the resistance of the levers 42 in the respective single segments 468 thereof; in fact, the part of the material that has been eliminated would have not been submitted to any mechanical load; in other words the part of the material that has been eliminated would have not exerted any resistance against the load applied to the respective lever, but it would have just contributed exclusively toward increasing the overall weight of the levers 42.
It should be noted that the lever 42 shown in FIGS. 1-3 comprises in particular two segments 468 mutually connected by means of an elbow 48 which houses a cylindrical elongated member 49 in a respective transverse housing 466. This elongated member 49, which can also have a different cross-section, is designed to support free weights 80 and presents transverse cross-section of characteristic dimension L, which is in particular the measurement of its diameter. It should be noted that the cross-section of the elbow 48 is given by the combination of the cross-sections of the segments 468 mutually connected, and thus greater than each of the two considered individually to stiffen the lever 42 in the point of maximum concentration of the load. In any case, it must be considered that overall each lever 42 presents a cross-section that decreases in height from the pin 60 to the implement 30 neglecting the portion of the elbow 48 also due to the fact that in the case of levers of weight stack machines this portion will be absent. Therefore, both in the case in which each lever 42 presents a profile PL that decreases in height from the pin 60 to the implement 30, and in the case, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in which the profile PL increases in height from the pin 60 to the elbow 48, to then subsequently decrease to the implement 30, the transverse cross-section S of each segment 468 presents a maximum value according to a direction of travel that goes from this pivot pin 60 to this implement 30. In the first case, the maximum value of the transverse cross-section S would be located in correspondence of the pin 60, whilst in the second case the maximum value of the transverse cross-section S would be located in correspondence of the elbow 48, and thus of the elongated member 49. Therefore, again in the first case, the lever 42 is provided with one of the respective segments 468 which presents its own lateral profile PL of increasing height according to a direction of travel that goes from the pin 60 to the implement 30.
With reference to the accompanying drawings, the transverse cross-section S of each segment 468 presents polygonal shape, which is in particular substantially rectangular, and the width of the cross-section of each segment 468 longitudinally variable in a substantially homothetic manner; therefore, it presents longitudinally adjustable height.
Each lever 42 presents transverse extension that can measure from one to four times a first transverse length D of the implement 30 in order to exhibit high torsional rigidity. Furthermore, it has been found that it is possible to give high torsional rigidity also to a lever 42 which presents transverse extension between 1.5 and 2 times the first transverse length D of the implement 30 and a respective transverse cross-section S of substantially constant width.
With particular reference to FIG. 4, each lever 42 comprises at least a base element 462 which presents longitudinally open and substantially C-shaped cross-section and which is closed by means of a longitudinal cover 464 coupled to the respective base element 462 by means of a welded connection. Each cover 464 presents thickness between 0.5 and 10 mm in order to give lightness to the corresponding segment 468. In actual fact, each base element 462 and each respective cover 464 are acceptable for the predetermined objects when they present thickness between 2 and 4 mm.
At this point it should be specified that each base element 462 will present width between 25 and 150 mm, that this range will give better results if limited to a width between 80 and 130 mm, and that the machine 1 of the accompanying drawings is conceived to present segments 468 whose respective base element 462 presents width between 110 and 125 mm.
With reference to any one of FIGS. 2 and 3, the coupling device 45 of each lever 42 incorporates at least a first bush 70 in correspondence of the first end portion 43 to house the pivot pin 60 in a freely rotatable manner. This first bush 70 presents transverse extension substantially identical to the extension of the first end portion 43 in order to minimise the torsional load on the pivot pin 60 produced by the free weights that are placed on the elongated body 49.
With particular reference to FIG. 4, each lever 42, and in particular each respective segment 468, comprises at least a base element 462 which presents C-shaped cross-section and a cover 464 coupled to the respective base element 462 by means of a welded connection.
Each first bush 70 presents a respective external shell 72 and is rigidly connected to the respective first end portion 43 by means of a welded connection on this shell 72. Similarly, also each second bush 74 presents a respective external shell 76 and is rigidly connected to the respective second end portion 44 by means of a welded connection on this shell 76. Furthermore, the respective implement 30 is shape housed in the bush 74 with a respective central portion 32, which is rigidly connected to the second end portion 44 by means of a welded connection. Each implement 30 is longitudinally delimited by two terminals 33 and 34, each of which is inclined by a given angle relative to the central portion 32, so as to allow the involvement of distinct muscle regions for each manner of interfacing with the implement 30.
Use of the gymnastic machine 1 and of the corresponding levers 42 is easily understood from the description above and requires no further explanations. Nonetheless, it may be advisable to specify that, in view of the above description, each lever 42 allows to satisfy the expectations illustrated above for an improved capacity to withstand torsional stresses, and allows to stress in a limited manner the pin 60 and thus the respective connections to the frame 10, besides, naturally, allowing to give the machine 1 in its entirety greater aesthetic value.
Lastly, it is apparent that modifications and variants can be made to the gymnastic machine 1 and to the respective levers 42 described and illustrated herein, without however departing from the protective scope of the present invention.
At this point, it is readily apparent that the method for constructing the levers 42 described above will be different from the method used to produce the known levers of the prior art described above, and it is considered appropriate to describe it in its essential features. In particular, with particular reference to FIG. 4, the method for constructing a lever 42 comprises a phase of providing each base element 462 with respective portions for connecting to an adjacent further base element 462 and, if necessary, and a phase of providing the transverse housing 466 for the elongated member 49; each base element 462 shall be connected to the respective cover 464 by means of a welded connection on the edges. It is then possible to proceed to couple by welding the various segments 468, to couple the bushes 70 and 74 to the first and second end portions in a peripherally matching fashion, to then proceed to connect them rigidly to the respective first and second end portions 43, 44 by welding on the respective external shells 72 and 76.
Naturally, the phase of obtaining the transverse housing 466 will be followed by a phase of connecting by welding the elongated member 49 to the transverse housing 466.

Claims

1. A gymnastic machine (1) comprising a frame (10), load means (20) supported by said frame (10), at least a gymnastic implement (30) which presents a first given transverse length (D) and is suitable to exchange energy with said load means (20) by means of transmission means (40); said transmission means (40) comprising at least a box—shaped lever (42) and coupling means (45) being provided for connecting each said lever (42) to said frame (10) by means of a pivot pin (60); characterised in that each said lever (42) is provided with at least a segment (468) which presents transverse cross-section (S) of given shape and longitudinally adjustable width so that to each said segment (468) corresponds a lateral profile (PL) which presents at least a maximum according to direction of travel that goes from said pivot pin (60) to said implement (30).

2. A machine according to claim 1, characterised in that said transverse cross-section (S) presents polygonal shape.

3. A machine according to claim 2, characterised in that said transverse cross-section (S) presents substantially rectangular shape.

4. A gymnastic machine according to claim 1, characterised in that each said segment (468) presents transverse cross-section (S) of longitudinally adjustable width in a substantially homothetic manner.

5. A gymnastic machine according to claim 1, characterised in that said lever (42) presents transverse cross-section (S) of longitudinally adjustable height.

6. A machine according to claim 1, characterised in that each said segment (468) is substantially rectilinear.

7. A gymnastic machine according to claim 1, characterised in that said lever (42) presents transverse cross-section (S) of substantially constant width.

8. A gymnastic machine according to claim 5, characterised in that said lever (42) presents transverse cross-section (S) of substantially constant width.

9. A gymnastic machine according to claim 1, characterised in that each said lever (42) presents said respective pivot pin (60) in a first end portion (43) and carries a said respective implement (30) at the opposite side from said pivot pin (60) and in correspondence of a respective free second end portion (44).

10. A gymnastic machine according to claim 1, characterised in that said lever (42) presents at least two segments (468) mutually connected by means of a respective elbow (48), in correspondence of which said lever (42) laterally supports an elongated member (49) provided for carrying free weights (80); said segments (468) presenting the respective maximum values of the respective transverse cross-sections (S) in said respective elbow (48)

11. A machine according to claim 10, characterised in that one of said segments (468) presents lateral profile (PL) of height increasing according to a direction of travel that goes from said pin (60) to said implement (40).

12. A gymnastic machine according to claim 9, characterised in that said coupling means (45) incorporate at least a first bush (70) in correspondence of said first end portion (43) of said lever (42) to house said pivot pin (60) in a freely rotatable manner.

13. A gymnastic machine according to claim 12, characterised in that said first bush (70) presents transverse extension substantially identical to the extension of said first end portion (43) in order to minimise the torsional load on said pivot pin (60).

14. A gymnastic machine according to claim 1, characterised in that said lever (42) comprises at least a base element (462) presenting longitudinally open cross-section and closed by a cover (464) coupled to said respective base element (462) by means of a welded connection.

15. A machine according to claim 14, characterised in that each said base element (462) presents longitudinally open and substantially C-shaped cross-section.

16. A machine according to claim 12, characterised in that said first bush (70) is rigidly connected to said first end portion (43) by means of a welded connection on a respective external shell.

17. A machine according to claims 9, characterized in that said implement (30) is housed inside a respective second bush (74) shaped coupled and rigidly connected to said second end portion (44) by means of a welded connection on a respective external shell.

18. A box-shaped lever (42) for a gymnastic machine (1) described with reference to any one of claims 1 to 21; characterised by being provided with at least a segment (468) presenting transverse cross-section (S) of given shape and longitudinally adjustable width so that to each said segment (468) corresponds a lateral profile (PL) which presents at least a maximum thereof according to a direction of travel that goes from said pivot pin (60) to said implement (30).

19. A lever according to claim 18, characterised in that one of said segments (468) presents lateral profile (PL) of height increasing according to a direction of travel that goes from said pivot pin (60) to said implement (30).