WO2005077468A1

WO2005077468A1 - Gym machine with actuation device supported by height-adjustable column

Info

Publication number: WO2005077468A1
Application number: PCT/IT2005/000057
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rodolfo Panatta
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-02-13
Filing date: 2005-02-08
Publication date: 2005-08-25
Anticipated expiration: 2006-08-13
Also published as: ITPS20040002A1

Abstract

The present invention refers to a gym machine provided with actuation device supported by a height-adjustable column by means of adjustment means that can be actuated by the user in a few seconds while comfortably standing.

Description

Gym machine with actuation device supported by height-adjustable column.

The present patent application refers to a gym machine with actuation device supported by a height-adjustable column.

Most gym machines comprise an actuation device on which athletes apply the force of their arms or legs to lift a stack of weights by means of a traction cable fixed at one end to a rod that supports the stack of weights and at the other end to a generally eccentric pulley rotated by the actuation device. In some types of gym machines, such as leg exercising machines, the actuation device comprises a shaft that oscillates around a horizontal axis, from which a support arm transversally extends, supporting at one end a padded roll that projects from the support arm in parallel direction to the oscillating shaft.

Athletes place their legs against the padded roll, for example above the ankle or behind the knee, to use their muscular strength to make the said roll oscillate between the initial position and the final position, it being clear that during the active travel athletes must produce a tractive force to lift the stack of weights, while during the opposite passive travel they must produce a braking force to prevent the stack of weight from falling freely without control. The applicant is the holder of the Italian patent application no. BO 2002 A/371 , which discloses a gym machine of the aforementioned type, whose peculiarity consists in compact volume and highly ergonomic features, thanks to the innovative fact that the pulley is coupled onto a pin orthogonal to the horizontal shaft of the actuation device.

Because of this innovation, the pulley can rest on a horizontal plane inside a dedicated compartment under the machine base, from which only two structures project: a support guiding frame for the stack of weights and a support column for the oscillating shaft with horizontal axis, it being an integral part of the actuation device. More precisely, the column has a tubular structure that houses a drive shaft coupled on top by means of two conical gears to the horizontal shaft of the actuation device. The pulley fixed at one end of the traction cable is coupled at the base of the drive shaft, while the other end of the traction cable is fixed to the vertical rod that supports the stack of weights, it being contained and guided inside the frame that projects from the machine base. Gym machines of this type must be evidently provided with adjustment means to allow athletes with different physical characteristics to take the correct position with respect to the padded roll for the correct execution of the exercise.

Up to now, the said adjustment means have always been installed on board of the seat or platform where athletes stand (in seated or standing position, respectively). More precisely, the adjustment means only allow for adjusting the height of the seat or platform from the ground according to the length of the athlete's legs, since the padded roll must be positioned in a specific location for each and every type of exercise.

It has been noted that the said adjustment means require complicated, uncomfortable manoeuvres that, among other things, require users to squat, if not lie down on the floor, to reach and actuate the said means, which are located and hidden under the seat or platform.

The purpose of the present invention is to realise a gym machine of the aforementioned type without the said drawbacks thanks to the presence of means that allow for adjusting the height of the column supporting the said actuation device and, indirectly, the height of the padded roll, while leaving the height of the seat or platform unchanged.

A further purpose of the present invention is to realise a gym machine of the aforementioned type, provided with actuation device supported on top of a height-adjustable column by means of adjustment means that can be actuated in a few seconds by athletes while comfortably standing. For major clarity the description of the gym machine of the invention continues with reference to the attached drawings, which are intended for purposes of illustration only and not in a limiting sense, whereby: - Fig. 1 is an axonometric view of the machine of the invention;

- Fig. 2 is a view of the right-hand side of the machine of Fig. 1 ;

- Fig. 3 is a top view of the machine of Fig. 1 ;

- Fig. 4 is a cross-section of Fig. 3 with the vertical plane IV-IV shown in Fig. 3;

- Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the cross-section of Fig. 4, showing the column that supports the actuation device;

- Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of Fig. 5, showing the top of the column that supports the actuation device; With reference to the enclosed drawings, the gym machine of the invention comprises means (1) used to produce a resilient force and connected by a traction cable to an actuation device (2) on which athletes apply their muscular strength to overcome the resistance offered by the said antagonist means (1 ) composed of a stack of weights (1a) fitted to a vertical support rod fixed in turn to the traction cable extended by means of the actuation device (2).

More precisely, the actuation device (2) comprises a shaft (3) that oscillates around a horizontal axis (X-X), from which a support arm (4) transversally extends, supporting at one end a padded roll (5) that projects from the support arm in parallel direction to the oscillating shaft (3).

In view of the above, by pushing the roll (5) the shaft (3) is dragged into rotation and in turn drags into rotation by means of two conical gears (6) a second shaft (7) with vertical axis contained inside a tubular column (8) that supports the shaft (3). The column (8) projects from a base (9) with a lower compartment (10) used to house a pulley (11) free to rotate around a vertical axis fitted at one end to the traction cable (12) used to lift the stack of weights (1a). The gym machine of the invention also comprises a platform (13) on which the athlete stands on one leg during the exercise, while the other leg is used to push and move the roll (5) from the initial position to the final position, consequently extending the connection cable (12) and lifting the stack of weights (1a). As mentioned above, the characteristic of the machine of the invention consists in the fact that the actuation device (2) is supported on top of a height-adjustable tubular column (8) in order to change the height of the padded roll (5) with the machine in idle position according to the physical characteristics of the athlete who stands on the platform (13) with fixed height.

The tubular column (8) is formed of two pipes (8a and 8b), with the upper pipe (8a) being exactly inserted with the possibility of axial movement into the lower pipe (8b) that is firmly anchored to the base (9). A handlebar (14) is fixed in external position on the upper pipe (8a) and is grabbed by the athlete to make the upper pipe (8a) slide upwards or downwards with respect to the lower fixed pipe (8b) while standing on the platform (13) to adjust the total height of the column (8). Once the padded roll (5) is placed at the correct height, the athlete can easily join the two pipes (8a and 8b) by means of an ordinary coupling device (15) mounted in external position on the fixed pipe (8b) and actuated by means of a connection cable (16) with a manoeuvring lever (17) mounted on the handlebar (14). The coupling device (15) comprises a radial pin with horizontal axis, which is subject to the expulsive force of a spring and inserted in one of the holes that are suitably drilled on the sliding pipe (8a).

By actuating the manoeuvring lever (17), the athlete determines the temporary extraction of the pin from the hole, thus favouring the free sliding of the upper pipe (8a) inside the lower pipe (8b), while searching for a new position to hold the upper pipe (8a) inside the lower pipe (8b).

Once the new holding position has been reached, the user releases the manoeuvring lever (17) to insert the pin into another hole of the vertical series of holes under the action of the spring, thus restoring the mutual connection of the two pipes (8a and 8b). The telescopic structure of the column (8) has resulted in a new design of the shaft (7), which is now formed of two aligned sections, with one section that axially slides inside the other section. More precisely, the shaft (7) is inserted and slides inside a tubular shaft (7a) contained inside the fixed pipe (8b), while the shaft (7) is practically contained inside the upper pipe (8a). It must be noted that the shaft (7) has a longitudinal groove (18) that contains a sliding key (19) housed in the opening of the tubular shaft (7a), which is dragged into rotation by the shaft (7) by means of the key-groove connection (19-18).

The pulley (11 ) is coupled on the tubular shaft (7a) with the interposition of an ending pin (7b) inserted in the bottom opening of the tubular shaft (7a). According to the preferred embodiment shown in the enclosed drawings, the shaft (7) is coupled to the shaft with horizontal axis (3) with the interposition of a pin (7c) - and not directly - that is joined to the shaft (7) by means of a diametrical key (20) housed inside two diametrical notches located on the matched ends of the shaft (7) and the pin (7c), respectively. The pin (7c) is supported by means of bearings (21) inside a cover (22) that contains the two conical gears (6) and the shaft (3) with relevant support bearings.

The cover (22) is placed on top of the column (8), more precisely on the upper pipe (8a). This solution provides for a mechanical driving assembly between two orthogonal shafts, that is to say the shaft (3) and the pin (7c), of standard type, characterised by universal application on each and every gym machine, regardless of the total length that must be given from time to time to the two telescopic shafts (7 and 7a), or in other words to the column (8). Another important characteristic of the machine of the invention consists in the presence of a pneumatic compensation cylinder (23) to support the weight of the sliding pipe (8a) and of the elements assembled onto it, when the pipe (8a) is released from the lower pipe (b) to adjust the height of the roll (5), being this manoeuvre easily carried out by the user by gently pushing the handlebar (14) either upwards or downwards.

The compensation cylinder (23) is housed inside the tubular shaft (7a), with the sleeve fixed at the base of the shaft (7) and the stem fixed at the pin (7b).

Claims

1 ) Gym machine with actuation device supported by a height-adjustable column, of the type comprising means (1 ) used to produce a resilient force and connected by means of a traction cable (12) to an actuation device (2) composed of a shaft (3) that oscillates around a horizontal axis (X-X), from which a support arm (4) transversally extends, supporting at one end a padded roll (5) that projects from the support arm (4) in parallel direction to the oscillating shaft (3), which drags into rotation by means of two conical gears (6) a second shaft (7) with vertical axis contained inside a tubular column (8) that projects from a base (9) with a lower compartment (10) used to house a pulley (11) free to rotate around a vertical axis fitted at one end to the traction cable (12), machine being characterised in that:

- the tubular column (8) is formed of two pipes (8a and 8b), with the upper pipe (8a) being provided with a handlebar (14) and exactly inserted with the possibility of axial movement into the lower pipe (8b), where it is held by means of a coupling device (15)

- and the shaft (7) is inserted and slides inside a tubular shaft (7a) contained inside the fixed pipe (8b), while the shaft (7) is practically contained inside the upper pipe (8a).

2) Gym machine as claimed in Claim 1 , characterised by the fact that the shaft (7) has a longitudinal groove (18) that contains a sliding key (19) housed in the opening of the tubular shaft (7a), which is dragged into rotation by the shaft (7) by means of the key-groove connection (19-18).

3) Gym machine as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the pulley (11 ) is coupled on the tubular shaft (7a) with the interposition of an ending pin (7b) inserted into the bottom opening of the tubular shaft (7a).

4) Gym machine as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises a pneumatic compensation cylinder (23) housed inside the tubular shaft (7a), with the sleeve fixed at the base of the shaft (7) and the stem fixed at the pin (7b). 5) Gym machine as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the shaft (7) is joined to the shaft (3) by means of a pin (7c) fitted to the shaft (7) by means of a diametrical key (20) and supported by means of bearings (21) inside a cover (22), which contains the two conical gears (6) and the shaft (3) with relevant support bearings and is placed and tightened to the top of the upper pipe (8a).

6) Gym machine as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises a platform (13) or a seat.

7) Gym machine as claimed in Claim 1 , characterised in that the means (1) consist in a stack of weights (1a) fitted to a vertical support rod fixed in turn to the traction cable (12) extended by means of the actuation device (2).

8) Gym machine as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the coupling device (15) is mounted in external position on the fixed pipe (8b) and actuated from remote by means of a connection cable (16) with a manoeuvring lever (17) mounted on the handlebar (14). 9) Gym machine as claimed in the preceding Claim, characterised in that the coupling device (15) comprises a radial pin with horizontal axis subject to the expulsive force of a spring and inserted into one of the aligned holes suitably drilled on the sliding pipe (8a), it being provided that the actuation of the maneouving lever (17) determines the extraction of the pin from the hole, thus favouring the free sliding of the upper pipe (8a) inside the lower pipe (8b).