Resistance mechanism in a cable exercise machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10758767-B2
Application number	US-201916258356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2019
Priority date	Dec 26, 2013
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

A cable exercise machine includes a first pull cable and a second pull cable incorporated into a frame. Each of the first pull cable and the second pull cable are linked to at least one resistance mechanism. The at least one resistance mechanism includes a flywheel and a magnetic unit arranged to resist movement of the flywheel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cable exercise machine comprising:
a tower;
a first vertical guide incorporated into the tower;
a first pull cable routed through a first pulley, the first pulley movable along a length of the first vertical guide;
a second vertical guide incorporated into the tower;
a second pull cable routed through a second pulley, the second pulley movable along a length of the second vertical guide;
an electromagnetic unit linked to the first pull cable and to the second pull cable, the electromagnetic unit configured to apply one or more levels of resistance to a user pulling on the first pull cable and/or the second pull cable; and
a control panel configured to:
adjust the level of resistance applied by the electromagnetic unit to the user pulling on the first pull cable and/or the second pull cable, and
present the adjusted level of resistance to the user.

2. The cable exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the first pull cable includes a first handle end equipped with a first handle connector that includes a first spring-loaded loop configured to have a first handle connected thereto; and
the second pull cable includes a second handle end equipped with a second handle connector that includes a second spring-loaded loop configured to have a second handle connected thereto.

3. The cable exercise machine of claim 2 , wherein:
the first pull cable includes a first stopper attached to the first handle end with a cross sectional thickness that is large enough to stop the first handle end from being pulled into an opening in a first outer covering; and
the second pull cable includes a second stopper attached to the second handle end with a cross-sectional thickness that is large enough to stop the second handle end from being pulled into an opening in a second outer covering.

4. The cable exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the first pulley is movable along the length of the first vertical guide to customize a workout for a height of the user; and
the second pulley is movable along the length of the second vertical guide to customize the workout for the height of the user.

5. The cable exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the first pulley is movable along the length of the first vertical guide to customize a workout for a desired target muscle group of the user; and
the second pulley is movable along the length of the second vertical guide to customize the workout for the desired target muscle group of the user.

6. The cable exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the first vertical guide extends from an upper left location of the tower to a lower left location of the tower; and
the second vertical guide extends from an upper right location of the tower to a lower right location of the tower.

7. The cable exercise machine of claim 6 , wherein:
the first pulley is further rotatable from side to side on the first vertical guide; and
the second pulley is further rotatable from side to side on the second vertical guide.

8. The cable exercise machine of claim 6 , wherein the first pulley is movable to the lower left location while the second pulley is movable to the upper right location.

9. The cable exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein the control panel is incorporated into an outer covering of the tower.

10. The cable exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the first vertical guide comprises a first vertical guide bar; and
the second vertical guide comprises a second vertical guide bar.

11. A cable exercise machine comprising:
a tower;
a first pull cable routed through a first pulley supported by the tower;
a second pull cable routed through a second pulley supported by the tower;
an electromagnetic unit linked to the first pull cable and to the second pull cable, the electromagnetic unit configured to apply one or more levels of resistance to a user pulling on the first pull cable and/or the second pull cable; and
a control panel configured to:
receive input from the user to adjust the level of resistance applied by the electromagnetic unit to the user pulling on the first pull cable and/or the second pull cable,
present the adjusted level of resistance to the user; and
display a force exerted by the user during each pull of the first pull cable and/or the second pull cable over the course of a workout.

12. The cable exercise machine of claim 11 , wherein the control panel is further configured to display a trend of the force exerted by the user during each pull of the first pull cable and/or the second pull cable over the course of the workout.

13. The cable exercise machine of claim 11 , wherein the control panel is further configured to display a graph of the force exerted by the user during each pull of the first pull cable and/or the second pull cable over the course of the workout.

14. The cable exercise machine of claim 13 , wherein the graph depicts the force exerted by the user at the beginning of the workout versus the end of the workout.

15. A cable exercise machine comprising:
a tower;
a first pull cable routed through a first pulley supported by the tower;
a second pull cable routed through a second pulley supported by the tower;
an electromagnetic unit linked to the first pull cable and to the second pull cable, the electromagnetic unit configured to apply one or more levels of resistance to a user pulling on the first pull cable and/or the second pull cable; and
a control panel configured to:
receive input from the user to adjust the level of resistance applied by the electromagnetic unit to the user pulling on the first pull cable and/or the second pull cable,
present the adjusted level of resistance to the user,
receive input from the user to play an audiovisual program, and
play the audiovisual program for the user.

16. The cable exercise machine of claim 15 , wherein:
the input from the user to adjust the level of resistance is received via a dial; and
the adjusted level of resistance to the user is presented via a display.

17. The cable exercise machine of claim 15 , wherein the control panel is further configured to:
receive input from the user to play music; and
play the music for the user.

18. The cable exercise machine of claim 15 , wherein the control panel is further configured to:
receive input from the user to execute a pre-programmed workout; and
execute the pre-programmed workout for the user.

19. The cable exercise machine of claim 15 , wherein the control panel is further configured to display a count of a number of times that the user pulled on the first pull cable and/or the second pull cable over the course of a workout.

20. The cable exercise machine of claim 15 , wherein the control panel is further configured to:
determine whether a pull by the user on the first pull cable and/or the second pull cable is a partial pull or a full-length pull; and
display a count that includes a number of times that the user performed a full-length pull, and excludes a number of times that the user performed a partial pull, on the first pull cable and/or the second pull cable over the course of a workout.

Assignees

• Icon Health & Fitness Inc

Inventors

• Olson Michael L
• Dalebout William T

Classifications

• A63B21/154 Primary

  using special pulley-assemblies · CPC title

• A63B23/03566

  the multiple stations having a common resistance device · CPC title

• A63B21/153

  wound-up and unwound during exercise, e.g. from a reel · CPC title

• A63B21/4035

  for operation by hand · CPC title

• A63B21/4043

  Free movement, i.e. the only restriction coming from the resistance (A63B21/00043, A63B21/072 take precedence) · CPC title