WO1992022357A1

WO1992022357A1 - An exercise machine

Info

Publication number: WO1992022357A1
Application number: PCT/AU1992/000281
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gregory John Wilson; Robert Usher Newton
Original assignee: Norsearch Limited
Priority date: 1991-06-12
Filing date: 1992-06-12
Publication date: 1992-12-23

Abstract

An exercise machine (1) comprising a framework (13A, 13B, 3) having a carriage (4) to slidably hold a bar, said bar being adapted to be jumped with or thrown in said exercise machine, said exercise machine including means (18) to gather and record information relating to the movement of said bar.

Description

AN EXERCISE MACHINE The present invention relates to exercising machines, particularly those which allow plyometric exercising to help train sportsmen in their particular fields of endeavour. Prior art exercise machines generally consist of weight lifting apparatus which may also include cables and other means for an athlete to lift weights in an upward direction by the drawing of a bar in the downward direction. However, the majority of prior art apparatus generally do not have means for allowing the operator or athlete to jump with or throw the bar. Thus, some sport persons such as sprinters, shot putters, javelin throwers and other throwing events cannot get the necessary repetitive training in order to develop the necessary muscle power for their particular sport.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed an exercise machine comprising a framework having a carriage to slidably hold a bar, said bar being adapted to be thrown in said exercise machine, said exercise machine including means to gather and record information relating to the movement of said bar.

Preferably said exercise machine has a framework which includes a series of lugs to hold said bar in position when required. Other features which are preferable for the present invention include limiters to limit the inward and outward (and upward and downward) movement of the bar, the limiters engaging the previously mentioned lugs and are used for safety reasons. The limiters can also be in the form of a pneumatic dampener to engage the bar and to bring it to rest with a less jarring motion.

Said means to gather and record information can be a sliding pointer and ruler arrangement or it can be a rotary encoder, the encoder being rotated by the translational movement of said bar. Either of these mechanisms allows for instantaneous feedback of a visual and or auditory nature.

Another feature of the invention is an electric brake which is coupled to the movement of said bar. The brake and the encoder being linked to a computer to record and control movement of the bar and thus the performance of the athlete. Another feature of the present invention is a means to counter weight the bar in order to balance the forces according to a users needs.

A further feature is the ability to tilt a seat means completely out of the space occupied by the base of the exercise machine.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of the exercise machine of the present invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a pneumatic dampener for use with the apparatus of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of a harness for use by an operator with the apparatus of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of an exercise machine of a second embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 5 illustrates a plan view of a limiter of the apparatus of figures 1 or 4. illustrated in Figure 1 is an exercise machine 1 having a base 2 and support framework 3. The support framework 3 is comprised of four substantially vertical members: front members 13A rear members 13B and three horizontal members 3B. Located in the framework 3 are two sliding bars 4 which receive sliding mechanisms 5, which are adapted to slide along the sliding bars 4. The sliding mechanisms 5, carry a weights bar 6 which can be of any suitable length. Depending upon the exercises to be performed the bar 6 can be changed to either a heavier bar or substituted with a bar which can receive standard disk masses of specific values to convert the bar 6 into a conventional barbell arrangement. The weights are added to portion 6A on the outward side of the frame members 13A and 13B on either side of the exercise machine. The added weights are not illustrated.

The bar 6 has at either end two hooks 25 which engage lugs 11. The hooks 25 do not slip off the lugs 11 by virtue of the gravity force from bar 6 and the shape of the hooks 25. A spring 26 anchored to sliding mechanism 5 will retain the hooks in a disengaged or vertical position so that the bar 6 is free to move without any encumbrances by the hook 25 engaging lugs 11. In this way, by the user or exerciser rotating the bar 6 and thus the hooks 25 out of their rest position in engagement with the lugs 11, the hooks 25 are then held out of contact with the lugs 11 allowing the free operation of the sliding mechanisms 5 and bar 6.

The sliding bars 4 also receives upper limiters 7, and lower limiters 8. The upper and lower limiters 7 and 8 have a bar portion 9 which includes an elongated slot

10 and a spring loaded spigot 10A as illustrated in figure 5. The forward vertical members 13A have on the forward facing surfaces a series of holes which correspond to the location of the Iugs11. The holes (not illustrated) receive spring loaded pivot 10A after the elogated slot 10 is located on to a lug 11. The elongated slot 10 is of a size that will engage a lug 11 on forward vertical member 13A. A series of these lugs 11 approximately 100 mm apart, are situated on the forward members and allow the limiters to be located at any desired height from the lowest portion of the sliding bar 4 to its uppermost portion. To enable graduated stop positioning between the 100 mm lugs, a number of slotted polyurethane discs can be inserted onto shaft 4 between parts 12 and 5. The upper and lower limiters 7 and 8 have a bias material 12 in this case either a spring or sponge-type rubber to dampen the motion of the bar 4. For the upper and lower limiters 7 and 8 to engage the lugs 11 the upper and lower limiter are moved separately along the longitudinal direction of said sliding bar 4 until the desired heights are achieved. Once this is done the bar portion 9 is rotated around the longitudinal axis of the sliding bar 4 until the elongated slot 10 engages the lug 11. In order to interchange weight bars 6 the sliding bar 4 is simply slid through the sliding mechanisms 5, or if required the sliding bars 4 can be slid in a substantially vertical direction thereby disengaging lower support member 14A and passing through support member 14B. This then gives a clearance between the bottom of sliding bar 4 and support member 14A allowing the sliding mechanism 5 and limiters 7, 8 to pass thereunder.

One of the sliding mechanisms 5, in this case the left hand side mechanism has a clamp 15, which protrudes into vertical support 13B via a slot 16. The slot 16 runs substantially the full length of the vertical member 13B. The member 13B is of a rectangular or square hollow section and inside this member 13B is located an endless belt or cord 17 which passes around rotatable mountings at the top and bottom of member

13B. At the base or top of member 13B is a rotary encoder 18, which is linked to the endless belt or cord such that any movement of the bar 6 will translate the endless belt or cord forcing the rotary encoder 18 to rotate. Information concerning distance and time is then transferred from the rotary encoder to the monitoring electronics and/or computer equipment, thereby producing such information as power output.distance travelled, velocity, acceleration, kilojoules or energy expended, and any other suitable information. A computer or other equipment attached to the rotary encoder allows the operator of the exercise machine 1 , to receive voice information or an audio signal when the bar reaches a threshold which has been pre-set by the person utilising the machine. in this way a user of the machine can pre-set the threshold thereby ensuring that whatever threshold is appropriate at that time to the user sufficient exercise will be performed in order to meet the threshold, thus enhancing training motivation.

In the base 2, is located a bench 20, having a seat 21 and a back 22. The seat 21 and back 22 can be positioned from the horizontal position indicated through to 90° that is to the substantially vertical position. Whereas the back 22 can be moved from the 90° position through to minus 17°. The bench 20 slides on rails 23 and is positively located by means of translatable securing mechanisms 24 to position the bench 20 on the rails 23. If desired, rails 23 and bench 20 can be removed in order that the space inside base 2 is completely clear of any apparatus to allow a person such as a weight-lifter or other person to stand and perform their exercises with the weights bar 6, such as exercises for legs including squats and the like.

The bench 20, allows the operator to assume any position that is desired to exercise for example legs or arms. In the case of, for example, a shot-putter, the back

22 can be placed at an angle of 45° to the horizontal, and the bench 20 slid along rails 23 till the shot-putter's shoulder is located directly beneath bar 6 when back 22 is in a 45° angle orientation.

In this position, the user will be simulating the ideal position of a shot-putter who will then be simulating the throwing of the shot at an angle of 45° to the putters body at the time of release. If it is found that a person's body is not substantially vertical when throwing a shot-put in order to gain maximum length of throw, then the bench 22 can be positioned so that the appropriate angle is selected.

Illustrated in Figure 2 is a pneumatic dampener 30 for use with the apparatus of Figure 1. The pneumatic dampener 30 is mounted upon a three sided mounting plate 31. The mounting plate 31 has a bore 31 B, a side plate 31 C, which has a series of holes 32 with spacing identical to those of lugs 11 and an attachment plate 31 p. Each of plates

31 B, 31 C and 31 D are orthogonal to each other. The holes 32 engage lugs 11 , thereby locating the pneumatic dampener on framework 3. The pneumatic dampener comprises a retaining rod 33 which is pivoted to attachment plate 31 D by a pivot means 34. Intermediate the ends of the retaining rod 33 a pneumatic ram 35 engages the retaining rod 33 which then compresses the air in air chamber 36. The amount of dampening is controlled by valve 37 which is rotated, and an indication of the pressure in the chamber 36 is given by gauge 38. illustrated in Figure 3, is a harness for use with the apparatus of Figure 1 and allows an exerciser to perform jumping squats with a weighed weights bar 6 secured to them. The bar 6 is located between the straps 41 and foam padding 42, thus preventing the bar from travelling away from the body when the exerciser jumps in a vertical direction thereby enhancing safety when performing jumps..

Illustrated in Figure 4 is an exercise machine 50 being a second embodiment of the present invention. The overall frame is similar to that of exercise machine 1 of Figure 1 except that further structural supports 51 have been added to the rearward end of exercise machine 50. Also added is a bracing bar 52 which has the dual purpose of being able to carry weights for storage purposes as well as allowing the seat base 53 to be rested up against the bracing bar 52 when it is rotated and tilted into a non-use position. Embodiment 50 differs from exercise machine 1 of Figure 1 in that the seat need not be lifted but rather simply tilted in order to clear the base completely, and thus no rails protrude through the base portions of the exercise machine 50.

Exercise machine 50 has a sliding bar 54 similar to sliding bar 4 of the previous embodiment, however, this sliding bar 54 is surrounded by a chain 55 which free idles around sprockets 56 near the base of the exercise machine and sprockets 57 in the upper portions of the exercise machine 50. The chain 55 has at one end a counter weight attachment 58 which counter balances the weight of the bar 59 to any desired degree requested by the operator or user of the exercise machine 50. This counter balancing feature eliminates the need to change the bar 59. The chain 55 attaches to the top of counter weight attachment and to the top of the support means for bar 59 and likewise to the underneath portions of the counter weight attachment means and bar 59. Thus as the bar 59 slides up and down sliding bar 54, the chain 55 rotates around sprockets 56 and 57 with the counter weight attachment means moving up and down in opposite movement to bar 59. The rotation of the chain 55 causes top sprocket 57 to rotate which is linked by means of a rubber belt 60 to a rotary encoder 61. The rotary encoder 61 produces information about the movement of the bar 59 as it did in the previous embodiment and forwards said information onto a micro-processing or computer unit for interactive training or storage of records of an athlete's performance and to enable instantaneous auditory and or visual feedback. The sprocket 57 rotates around a shaft 62 which links the two sprockets 57 at either side of exercise machine 50. At a point in between the sprockets 57 an electric brake 63 is mounted and is a means by which a computer or an operator can control the movement of the bar 59. Generally the electric brake 63 can be made to operate when the bar undergoes downward motion. Because the rotary encoder is able to sense immediately when this motion begins the computer or other means can send a signal to engage the electric brake thereby controlling the rate of descent of the bar. In this way injury will not occur to the user of the system and further the weight bar 59 does not come to a sudden and loud stop against stops at ground level or stops placed above this height. In this manner, the annoying and sometimes deafening noises which occur during training and the use of such machines is removed. The electric brake 63 can provide variable braking force to either stop the descent of the bar 59 or control the sped at which the bar 59 descends. The electric brake 63 can also be used to control the upward motion and can also act as an upper and lower limiter by preventing, in association with the control means or a computer, the highest and lowest points of travel of the bar 59.

Another feature, not illustrated which is common to the embodiments of figures 1 and 4, is the use of a ruler and pointer mechanism to give the user of the exercise machines 1 or 50, a visual indication of the maximum upward movement of the bar 6 or 59. This provides the necessary feedback to the user of the system without the sophisticated electronics and encoder systems. The pointer and ruler provides a means of recording the maximum height to which the bar travels and is only reset by the user, when it is returned to its starting position.

The foregoing describes one embodiment of the present invention and modifications by those skilled in the art can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1 . An exercise machine comprising a framework having a carriage to slidably hold a bar, said bar being adapted to be jumped with or thrown in said exercise machine, said exercise machine including means to gather and record information relating to the movement of said bar.

2. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bar is operativeiy linked to a rotary encoder via a chain and sprocket.

3. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said bar is operativeiy linked to an electric brake.

4. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said chain has a counter balance fixture which is adapted to receive counter weights.

5. An exercise machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein limiters engage lugs on said framework.

6. An exercise machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said machine includes a bench which is adapted to be positioned to simulate different exercise orientations.

7. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein said bench is tiltable or removable.

8. An exercise as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said bar includes hook means to engage said lugs, said hook means being biased out of engagement with said lugs during exercising.