Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/005—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices using electromagnetic or electric force-resisters
  • A63B21/0058—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices using electromagnetic or electric force-resisters using motors
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/00181—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices comprising additional means assisting the user to overcome part of the resisting force, i.e. assisted-active exercising
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/06—User-manipulated weights
  • A63B21/062—User-manipulated weights including guide for vertical or non-vertical weights or array of weights to move against gravity forces
  • A63B21/0626—User-manipulated weights including guide for vertical or non-vertical weights or array of weights to move against gravity forces with substantially vertical guiding means
  • A63B21/0628—User-manipulated weights including guide for vertical or non-vertical weights or array of weights to move against gravity forces with substantially vertical guiding means for vertical array of weights
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/40—Interfaces with the user related to strength training; Details thereof
  • A63B21/4041—Interfaces with the user related to strength training; Details thereof characterised by the movements of the interface
  • A63B21/4043—Free movement, i.e. the only restriction coming from the resistance
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B24/00—Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
  • A63B24/0087—Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B24/00—Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
  • A63B24/0087—Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
  • A63B2024/0093—Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load the load of the exercise apparatus being controlled by performance parameters, e.g. distance or speed
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
  • A63B71/0054—Features for injury prevention on an apparatus, e.g. shock absorbers
  • A63B2071/0072—Limiting the applied force, torque, movement or speed
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2220/00—Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
  • A63B2220/10—Positions
  • A63B2220/16—Angular positions

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a training machine, in particular a muscular strength machine, with automatic control of a gravitational load (i.e. a weight load), that allows in a manner that is reliable, inexpensive, comfortable and safe for the user to control movements of the gravitational load when the user trains himself, particularly for absorbing the kinetic energy of moving weights.
• a gravitational load i.e. a weight load
• the present invention further relates to the related process and the tools that may be used for performing the process.
• the energy E increases exponentially with the velocity v of the weight load having mass m.
• this energy must be absorbed somehow in order to stop the loaf from moving, especially when the weights are moving at high velocity.
• hit mass is usually low (e.g. in boxing, tennis, volleyball) and consequently kinetic energy levels are relatively low: through sufficient range of motion the kinetic energy is absorbed by the antagonist muscles at relatively low forces;
• Document WO 2007/043970 discloses a sensorised machine using an electric motor controlled by a processing member, possibly a computer, on the basis of a mathematical model, so that the electric motor is regulated so as to imitate the resistance of a mass although no moving weight is present in the machine.
• a gravitational load i.e. a weight load
• a training machine in particular a muscular strength machine, with automatic control of a gravitational load, including a gravitational load coupled to force transmission means, by means of which the gravitational load is movable by a user exerting a force on said force transmission means
• the training machine being characterised in that it further comprises a first shaft, rotatably coupled to said transmission means and to a first end of a torsion spring, and an electric motor having a rotatable second shaft coupled to a second end of the torsion spring, the training machine also comprising first rotation angle sensing means sensing a rotation angle of the first shaft and second rotation angle sensing means sensing a rotation angle of the second shaft, the training machine also comprising processing means receiving sensed data from said first and second rotation angle sensing means and controlling the electric motor on the basis of said sensed data.
• said transmission means may comprise:
• - handling means preferably selected from the group comprising a handle, a bar, and a plate, attached to a second end of the first cable,
• said first shaft being rotatably coupled to the first pulley.
• said transmission means may comprise:
• - handling means preferably selected from the group comprising a handle, a bar, and a plate, attached to a second end of the first cable,
• said first shaft being rotatably coupled to the second pulley.
• the gravitational load may be adjustable, the gravitational load preferably comprising a stack of selectable weights.
• the processing means may control the electric motor so as to maintain the difference between the rotation angles respectively sensed by said second and first rotation angle sensing means equal to a target value, the target value being preferably received by said processing means from an input/output interface, the target value being more preferably depending on the rotation angle sensed by said second rotation angle sensing means.
• the gravitational load may comprise a stack of selectable weights movable upwards from a base when selected, unselected weights resting on the base, the base being provided with weight sensing means, preferably comprising a load cell, for sensing the weight resting on the base, said weight sensing means being connected to said processing means, said processing means being capable to automatically set the target value on the basis of the weight sensed by said weight sensing means.
• said first rotation angle sensing means may comprise a first digital encoder or linear potentiometer and said second rotation angle sensing means may comprise a second digital encoder or linear potentiometer.
• said processing means may comprise a computer.
• a process for controlling an electric motor of a training machine, in particular a muscular strength machine, with automatic control of a gravitational load wherein the training machine includes a gravitational load coupled to force transmission means, by means of which the gravitational load is movable by a user exerting a force on said force transmission means, the training machine further comprising a first shaft, rotatably coupled to said transmission means and to a first end of a torsion spring, the electric motor having a rotatable second shaft coupled to a second end of the torsion spring, the training machine also comprising first rotation angle sensing means sensing a rotation angle of the first shaft and second rotation angle sensing means sensing a rotation angle of the second shaft, the process being characterised in that it comprises the following steps:
• step C if the outcome of checking step C is positive, decreasing power to the electric motor
• the training machine according to the invention is based on a new approach that is extremely advantageous with respect to the prior art one.
• it uses a motor that interferes with the moving weight(s) only when it is desired (by maintaining a constant or dynamically varying tension of the torsion spring).
• the traditional weight load is the only resistance, i.e. the motor is just moving along with the movement of the weight load (by keeping the torsion spring at rest).
• the use of the tension of a spring to set the force acting on the weight load enables a more comfortable feeling by the user.
• the motor is connected to the weight load through a spring system, e.g. a torsion spring, and the motor is controlled basically to change/break the moving weight load before it hits the mechanical end stop, thus helping control of the return of the weight load and/or providing extra load during negative muscle work (so-called eccentric overload training).
• This approach of the training machine according to the invention offers many advantages when compared with the prior art ones: it is greatly inexpensive, also thanks to the small motor needed as main resistance is caused from the conventional weights; a user feels the gravitational load as perfectly natural, as the weight load is not interfered with during the work; there is no need for complex sensor arrangement related to force measurement, as the controlling resistance is given by the tension of the spring; with a relatively low spring constant k the possible shortcoming of the regulation performance of the motor will be compensated by the spring.
• Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a first embodiment of the training machine according to the invention.
• Figure 2 shows a schematic view of a second embodiment of the training machine according to the invention.
• a first embodiment of the training machine comprises a stack of weights 10, which are movable upwards from a base 140 operating as a mechanical end stop, wherein such weights 10 are selectable for adjusting the overall weight load movable by a user.
• a specific number of weights 10 can be selected by conventional mechanical means, such as a pin (not shown) that can be inserted into a front horizontal through hole of any one of the weights and into a corresponding horizontal through hole 21 of a vertical supporting bar 20, in turn insertable in vertical central through holes 11 of the weights 10; in this manner, a first weight (indicated in Figure 1 with reference numeral 10'), into which the pin is inserted, is coupled to the vertical bar 20 and, consequently, when the supporting bar 20 is lifted, the first weight 10' will be also lifted along with the weight(s) 10 resting on the latter, if any.
• a pin not shown
• the top end of the supporting bar 20 is integrally coupled to a first end of a first cable 30 that can be pulled by a user (not shown) exerting a pulling force on a handle 40 attached to a second end of the first cable 30; the first cable 30 runs over a top pulley 50 that changes direction of the pulling force exerted by the user in order to lift the supporting bar 20 and the weight load formed by the selected weights 10.
• the handle 40 may also be any other type of tool that can be operated by a user, e.g. a bar or a plate.
• the two ends of a second cable 60 are integrally coupled to the two ends of the supporting bar 20; the second cable 60 runs over the top pulley 50 and a bottom pulley 70.
• the bottom pulley 70 is coupled to a first end of a first shaft 80, a second end of which is integrally coupled to a first end of a torsion spring 90 having spring constant k; a second end of the torsion spring 90 is integrally coupled to a first end of a second shaft 100 that is the rotatable shaft of an electric motor 110.
• a first digital encoder 120 and a second digital encoder 130 are respectively coupled to the first and second shafts 80 and 100, in order to sense the respective rotation angles of these.
• a processing unit 200 receives sensed data from the digital encoders 120 and 130 and controls the electric motor 110 accordingly, as follows.
• - angle is a function of the spring tension depending on the rotation angles sensed by the encoders 120 and 130, and
• the spring tension is sensed by the two digital encoders, since the angle between the first shaft 80 (sensed by the first encoder 120) and the second shaft 100 (sensed by the second encoder 130) is proportional to the force exerted by the the torsion spring 90 on the gravitational load of selected weights 10.
• the processing unit 200 controls the electric motor 110 so as to dynamically adjust the tension of the torsion spring 90, i.e. the difference of the rotation angles of the shafts 80 and 100.
• the processing unit 200 can controls the electric motor 110, and consequelty the torsion spring 90, on the basis of the instant motion and/or position of the weight load moved by the user.
• the processing unit 200 knows the instant position of the supporting bar 20 and, consequently, of the gravitational load of selected weights 10; moreover, the processing unit 200 is capable to calculate the instant velocity and the instant acceleration of the supporting bar 20 on the basis of such instant position. In this way, the processing unit 200 can therefore control the electric motor 110 to change/break the moving weight load only before it hits the base 140, thus helping control of the return of the weight load to rest and/or providing extra load during negative muscle work (so- called eccentric overload training).
• the electric motor 110 is controlled by the processing unit 200 so as to interfere with the moving weight(s) only when it is desired (by maintaining a constant or dynamically varying tension of the torsion spring 90).
• the traditional weight load is the only resistance, i.e. the electric motor 110 is just moving along with the movement of the weight load (by keeping the torsion spring 90 at rest, i.e. with null tension).
• Figure 1 also schematically shows a process performed by the processing unit 200 for controlling the tension of the torsion spring 90 by means of the electric motor 110 (e.g. when a motion and/or position of the weight load requires a force F exerted by the tension of the torsion spring 90), that comprises the following steps: - setting a target value X of angular difference between the second and first shafts 100 and 80 (step 210);
• step 230 checking whether the difference (A-B) of the sensed rotation angles A and B from the second and first digital encoders 130 and 120 is larger than the target value X (step 230);
• step 240 if the outcome of checking step 230 is positive, decreasing power to electric motor 110 (step 240);
• step 250 if the outcome of checking step 230 is negative, increasing power to electric motor 110 (step 250).
• steps 220-250 are continuously repeated when the required process for controlling the tension of the torsion spring 90 is in progress, implementing a typical feedback control aiming at reducing to zero the error between sensed current data (A-B) and expected data X.
• the target value X can be also dynamically varying with the instant position and/or motion (e.g. the instant velocity and/or the instant acceleration) of the gravitational load, and therefore even step 210 can be repeated as long as the process is in progress.
• the target value X is preferably depending on the rotation angle B sensed by the second digital encoder 130 (corresponding to the position of the gravitational load) and, possibly, on the instant variation of the rotation angle B sensed by the second digital encoder 130 (corresponding to the instant motion features, e.g. velocity and acceleration, of the gravitational load).
• further embodiments of the machine according to the invention may also have the first shaft 80 coupled to the top pulley 50, instead of the bottom pulley 70, so that the second cable 60 and the bottom pulley 70 can also be absent.
• the processing unit 200 can also receive further data input from an input/output interface (e.g. from a keyboard), such as the overall weight load to be moved by the user, and these further data can be used for affecting the control process performed by the processing unit 200 (e.g., by setting the target value X proportionally to the overall weight load).
• FIG 2 shows a second embodiment of the training machine according to the invention that differs from the one shown in Figure 1 in that the base 140 is provided with a weight sensor 300, preferably comprising a load cell, connected to the processing unit 200.
• the weight sensed by the weight sensor 300 gives to the processing unit 200 an indirect measure of the overall weight load being moved by the user, since the latter is equal to the difference between the weight of the whole stack of weights 10 (that is a predetermined value) and the still weight of unselected weights which remain resting on the base 140, and which still weight is sensed by the weight sensor 300; hence, on the basis of the weight sensed by the weight sensor 300, the processing unit 200 can automatically set the target value X.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Orthopedic Medicine & Surgery (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• Rehabilitation Tools (AREA)
• Jib Cranes (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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Cited By (3)

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• 2011
  • 2011-06-23 IT IT000328A patent/ITRM20110328A1/it unknown
• 2012
  • 2012-06-22 US US14/128,403 patent/US20140228174A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2012-06-22 WO PCT/IB2012/053169 patent/WO2012176165A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2012-06-22 EP EP12748768.4A patent/EP2723457A2/en not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (1)

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