System for monitoring a gym apparatus and functioning method of the system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12070646-B2
Application number	US-202217945142-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2022
Priority date	Sep 15, 2021
Publication date	Aug 27, 2024
Grant date	Aug 27, 2024

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system (S) for monitoring the weight adjustment of a dumbbell, which can be used by a user to perform a gymnastic exercise, comprising: a dumbbell (2), provided with a handle (21), having an axial development along an axis (R), able to rotate around said axis (R), clockwise and counterclockwise, and provided with a first end (211) and a second end (212), a first plurality of weights (P1), wherein each weight can be individually coupled to said first end (211), when said handle (21) rotates in one direction, and decoupled from said first end (211), when said handle (21) rotates in the opposite direction, a second plurality of weights (P2), wherein each weight can be individually coupled to said second end (212), when said handle (21) rotates in one direction, and decoupled from said second end (212), when said handle (21) rotates in the opposite direction, wherein said system (S) is characterised in that it comprises an element provided with a plurality of reflective portions (321a, b, . . . , n), in that it comprises at least one detection device (5) able to detect data coming from at least one reflective portion (321k) and able to send said data, and in that it comprises a logic control unit (U) able to receive said data sent by said at least one detection device (5) and to associate to said data a weight of said first (P1) and second (P2) plurality of weights. The present invention also relates to the method for operating such system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system (S) for monitoring a weight adjustment of a dumbbell, which can be used by a user to perform a gymnastic exercise, the system comprising:
a dumbbell ( 2 ) provided with
a handle ( 21 ) having an axial development along an axis (R), able to rotate around said axis (R), clockwise and counterclockwise, and provided with a first end ( 211 ) and a second end ( 212 ),
a first plurality of weights (P 1 ), wherein each weight can be individually coupled to said first end ( 211 ), when said handle ( 21 ) rotates in one direction, and decoupled from said first end ( 211 ), when said handle ( 21 ) rotates in the opposite direction, and
a second plurality of weights (P 2 ), wherein each weight can be individually coupled to said second end ( 212 ), when said handle ( 21 ) rotates in one direction, and decoupled from said second end ( 212 ), when said handle ( 21 ) rotates in the opposite direction,

wherein said system (S) is characterized
in that it comprises an element provided with a plurality of reflective portions ( 321 a, b, . . . , n ),
in that it comprises at least one detection device ( 5 ) able to detect data coming from at least one reflective portion ( 321 k ) and able to send said data,
in that it comprises a logic control unit (U) able to receive said data sent by said at least one detection device ( 5 ) and to associate with said data a weight of said first (P 1 ) and second (P 2 ) plurality of weights,
in that said detection device ( 5 ) comprises at least one sensor ( 51 ), able to emit electromagnetic waves and receive electromagnetic waves reflected from at least one portion of said plurality of reflective portions ( 321 a, b, . . . , n ), and
in that said at least one sensor ( 51 ) is arranged in said first end ( 211 ) and/or in said second end ( 212 ) of said handle ( 21 ).

2. The system (S) according to claim 1 , characterized
in that it comprises a numbered ring ( 32 ) comprising a plurality of numbers associated with said first (P 1 ) and second (P 2 ) plurality of weights, and
in that said plurality of reflective portions ( 321 a, b, . . . , n ) is arranged on said numbered ring ( 32 ), so that each number is arranged in correspondence with a portion of said plurality of reflective portions ( 321 a, b, . . . , n ).

3. The system (S) according to claim 2 , characterized in that said at least one sensor ( 51 ) is arranged in said first end ( 211 ) and/or in said second end ( 212 ) of said handle ( 21 ).

4. The system (S) according to claim 3 , characterized in that said at least one sensor ( 51 ) is able to
emit electromagnetic waves directed towards said plurality of reflective portions ( 321 a, b, . . . , n ),
detect the electromagnetic waves reflected by the at least one portion ( 321 k ) of said plurality of reflective portions ( 321 a, b, . . . , n ) aligned with it, and
send corresponding data.

5. The system (S) according to claim 2 , characterized in that it comprises a communication module (B) able to receive said data and/or processed data and send them to remote devices (D) or cloud units (C).

6. The system (S) according to claim 1 , characterized in that said plurality of reflective portions ( 321 a, b, . . . , n ) are arranged on said handle ( 21 ).

7. The system (S) according to claim 1 , characterized
in that it comprises a support frame ( 1 ) to rest said dumbbell ( 2 ), and
in that said at least one detection device ( 5 ) is arranged on said support frame ( 1 ).

8. The system (S) according to claim 2 , characterized
in that said at least one sensor ( 51 ) is able to
emit electromagnetic waves directed towards said plurality of reflective portions ( 321 a, b, . . . , n ),
detect the electromagnetic waves reflected by the at least one portion ( 321 k ) of said plurality of reflective portions ( 321 a, b, . . . , n ) aligned with it, and
send corresponding data.

9. The system (S) according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a communication module (B) able to receive said data and/or processed data and send them to remote devices (D) or cloud units (C).

10. A method for operating the system (S) for monitoring the weight adjustment of a dumbbell according to claim 1 , comprising the following steps:
(a). providing the handle ( 21 ) that is able to rotate in one direction to select one or more weights of said first (P 1 ) and second (P 2 ) plurality of weights, or in an opposite direction to release one or more weights from said dumbbell ( 2 );
(b). emitting electromagnetic waves directed towards the at least one portion of said plurality of reflective portions ( 321 a, b, . . . , n ) aligned with said at least one detection device ( 5 );
(c). detecting the electromagnetic waves reflected by the at least one portion ( 321 k ) of said plurality of reflective portions ( 321 a, b, . . . , n ) aligned with it in the form of data;
(d). sending said data to a logic control unit;
(e). processing said data obtained in said step (c) to associate a value of one or more weights selected or released in said step (a); and
(f). sending said value in said step (e) to remote devices and/or cloud units.

Assignees

• Technogym Spa

Inventors

• Paganelli Paolo
• Vannoni Enrico

Classifications

• A63B2225/20

  with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like · CPC title

• A63B2220/833

  Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement · CPC title

• A63B2220/52

  Weight, e.g. weight distribution · CPC title

• A63B24/0087

  Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load · CPC title

• A63B21/0726 Primary

  Dumb bells, i.e. with a central bar to be held by a single hand, and with weights at the ends · CPC title