GB2562486A

GB2562486A - Exercise cord apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2562486A
Application number: GB1707784.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Rodwell Peter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-05-15
Filing date: 2017-05-15
Publication date: 2018-11-21
Also published as: GB201707784D0

Abstract

An exercise machine comprising a cord 1 having a grip 2 secured to a first end, and a sliding element 3 on the opposite end mounted for linear movement along a guide 4. When a user applies force to the grip, it is resisted by tension in the cord. The sliding element is caused to slide solely by the tension in the cord, so it tracks the movement of the user. The force resisting movement of the grip acts in a direction substantially perpendicular to the linear movement guide. The cord may be inextensible, coiled around or within the sliding element. The guide may be connected for rotation and the sliding element may be mounted for rotation with the guide. There may be an electric motor to provide resistance in one embodiment (figure 2). In another embodiment, the cord may be elastic and extensible, such as a resistance band used with a barbell (figure 3). The guide for the sliding element may be mounted in a horizontal plane or a vertical plane, with the force resisting movement always perpendicular to the sliding element guide.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: Exercise cord apparatus

Abstract Title: Exercise apparatus with a cord and sliding element on a guide (57) An exercise machine comprising a cord 1 having a grip 2 secured to a first end, and a sliding element 3 on the opposite end mounted for linear movement along a guide 4. When a user applies force to the grip, it is resisted by tension in the cord. The sliding element is caused to slide solely by the tension in the cord, so it tracks the movement of the user. The force resisting movement of the grip acts in a direction substantially perpendicular to the linear movement guide. The cord may be inextensible, coiled around or within the sliding element. The guide may be connected for rotation and the sliding element may be mounted for rotation with the guide. There may be an electric motor to provide resistance in one embodiment (figure 2). In another embodiment, the cord may be elastic and extensible, such as a resistance band used with a barbell (figure 3). The guide for the sliding element may be mounted in a horizontal plane or a vertical plane, with the force resisting movement always perpendicular to the sliding element guide.

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Figure 1

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Figure 2

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Figure 3

Exercise Cord Apparatus

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to an exercise machine of the type comprising a cord and a grip secured to the first end of the cord such that force applied by an exerciser to the grip is resisted by tension in the cord.

Background of the invention

Conventionally, in such machines, the other end of the cord is secured to an element that is fixed in relation to the ground or the frame of the machine. As a result, movement of the grip by the exerciser causes the orientation of the cord to vary in the vertical plane and the resistive action of the machine does not correctly emulate the effect of free weights.

Summary of the invention

With a view to mitigating this disadvantage, in the present invention the opposite end of the cord is secured to an element that is mounted for free linear sliding movement along a guide. In the invention, the only force acting to cause the element to slide along the guide is the tension in the cord. Consequently, the force resisting movement of the grip always acts in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the guide. If the guide is located horizontally, then the resistive force of the cord on the grip will always be in a vertical direction.

In some embodiments, the cord is inextensible and is coiled around or within the element, the element offering

- 2 resistance to uncoiling of the cord in order to maintain the cord under tension.

In alternative embodiments of the invention, the cord is elastic and tension in the cord is created by elongation of the cord, the element being secured to the opposite end of the cord being a bearing slidable along a track serving as the guide .

Fixed points of resistance change the biomechanics and muscular activation of an exercise in comparison to free weights by having the resistive force pulling substantially from in front, behind, to the side or above the line of a vertical force which is naturally exerted by gravity when using free weights. For example, when a user performs a bicep curl with a barbell they only have to overcome the vertical force of gravity, whereas when performing the same exercise on a cable column machine the user also has to resist being pulled forwards towards the cable pulley. This may change their body position and will change the loading profile of the exercise through the range of motion. In this example the greatest load will be exerted on the user when their forearm is at ninety degrees to the cable of the machine, instead of when the lever is longest, as with free weights version of the same exercise.

Elastic resistance bands have been shown to have many benefits, such as reduced chance of injury, faster strength gains when added to free weights and accommodation of acceleration through power training. However, they are not used as often as they could be because of the conventionally complex band peg set up, difficulty of use and difficulty changing exercises.

Fixed points of resistance for elastic resistance bands lead to difficulty in starting and finishing many exercises, because the resting position for the grip is conventionally away from the exercise movement path. This often creates a dangerous pull on the user when they start the exercise and can make it difficult to rest the grip when finished.

For example, when a user conventionally takes a band loaded barbell off of the 'J' hooks in a safety cage to start a squat exercise they are pulled back to the line of the band pegs. In this example the user's biomechanics and muscles activation is affected as the band is always biased to being vertically above the band pegs and so pulls the user away from their natural movement path.

In some configurations conventional fixed band pegs also impede the even elongation of resistance bands, as the friction of the pegs and in some instances the band doubled on itself prevents its smooth elongation, this leads to unintended and sometime unilaterally uneven resistance to the user .

The present invention can move dynamically with the users position during elastic band loaded exercises to maintain a vertical resistance and allows the user to safely rack and unrack a barbell from a safety cage.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a first embodiment of the invention which shows a horizontal guide rail and free sliding spool with retractable cord mounted to a conventional gym

- 4 cable column machine by means of a second spool and retractable cord,

Figure 2 is a second embodiment of the invention and shows a horizontal guide rail and free sliding spool with retractable cord mounted to resistance producing electric motor and affixed to a ground plate, and

Figure 3 is a third embodiment of the invention and shows a horizontal guide rail and free sliding element with elastic resistance band, mounted to a barbell on a conventional gym safety cage.

Detailed description of the drawings

In figure 1, the cord 1 is attached to a grip 2 and has free linear movement by means of the element 3. The element has a cord spool and linear bearings or a low fiction surface that allows it to run along a guide 4. The guide 4 is cross sectionally square or other non-circular shape; as to transfer torque to the element. At one end of the guide 4, a second spool 5 is fixed to the guide 4 by means of a set screw and attaches a second cord 6 to the cable column machine 7 and transfers resistive force to the guide. The guide is held within pillow blocks or other bearings 8 which allow for free rotation about its longitudinal axis. The pillow blocks are affixed to a frame on a ground-plate 9 in order to keep the machine firmly down when a user is standing on it.

As the user exercises with the grip(s) 2, the apparatus transfers the resistive force of the cable column machine, while adding the freedom of linear movement of the spool 3 along the guide 4. The system offer the benefit of being directionally unbiased, so the direction of resistive force can substantially follow the movement of the user's exercise.

In figure 1, two such pieces of apparatus are attached to a dual cable column machine which gives the user the functionality of a set of free weight dumbbells or a free weight barbell with the ease of a cable column machine use, whereby the user can easily select the weight that they wish to use without having to load and unload free weights, which can increase the safety and accessibility of these exercises.

In this embodiment of the apparatus, as the user applies force to the grip, the cord and element self align to a substantially vertical position which closely simulates the feel of free weights with the accompanying bio-mechanical bias and resulting muscle activation.

The guides in figure 1 are horizontal but in different embodiments of the apparatus the guides maybe vertical or angled to allow for the optimal execution of numerous exercises. For example, a vertical apparatus could provide the user with the ability to perform a dumbbell bench press movement while seated upright with substantially the same angle of resistance as lying down using free weights. This could be very useful for those with special needs or injuries who still would like access to these exercises.

The frame and ground plate 9 may be a raised platform instead of a flat plate and raised frame as to give the apparatus a relatively lower position in relation to the user. This would give the user a lower starting point of force which would be useful for low starting position exercises like deadlifts .

The inextensible cord 1 may be a cable, strap, rope or cord that is capable of safely holding the load of the resistive force through multiple repetitions and attached to a number of different grip 2 options, such as bars of different

- 6 lengths and shapes, straps, harnesses, ropes, single grips by a simple means such as a carabiner. The element 3 may run along the guide 4 by means of anti-friction bearing and the spooling system may vary depending on the type of cord used, for example if the cord is flat strap then it may simply coil on top of itself. If, however, steel cable is used, then it may be spooled around grooved drum using a screw level winder. The same considerations would apply to the second spool 5 on the end of the guide.

The cord from the second spool 5, may be temporarily attached to the machine by means of a carabiner or, alternatively, permanently integrated in the cable column machines pulley system.

If the apparatus is permanently integrated to the cable column then it could be done in such a way as to preserve the full functionality of the cable machine. This type of pulley system is in common use in such machines which have multiple cable points for the users to exercise from.

Extension cords could alternatively be attached to the end of the cord to give the user a higher start position which may assist in the ease and safety of some exercises.

The guide 4 acts to transfer torque from the cable column machine to the sliding element 3 and as such may be a number of different shapes which allow free linear movement of the element 3 and could even be a configuration of multiple rods.

Another benefit of this dual spool is that it can hold a substantial length of cord which enables the user to perform long range exercises, like picking up a bar from floor level and pressing it overhead.

- 7 Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the apparatus in which the end of the guide 4 is secured by a coupler 10 to a electric motor 11 which is used to provide resistance. This embodiment of the apparatus has a control panel on a housing 12 for the user to set the resistance. This system could house a micro-controller with motor control firmware which controls the current to the electric motors.

The motors could run off a power supply to the mains or to a battery pack which would make the system portable.

In this embodiment the user could have the functionality of a heavy free weights set in a lightweight compact system which may also be portable.

In this embodiment the motors could simulate numerous different types of resistance to the user, for example, increasing through the range of motion, as with an elastic resistance band or isokinetic resistance; single speed resistance which varies the resistance of the motors in accordance to the users force in order to maintain a constant speed of motion.

The coupler 10 used could be flexible or fixed and held in place with a set screw.

The electric motor 11 maybe a Brushless DC induction motor which drives a shaft, or a hub motor maybe used for greater torque.

The control system 12 would have appropriate heat sinks to keep the micro-controller cool through the numerous stalled stages that would occur with exercise application.

- 8 The control system could also have a wireless connection which would allow the system to be connected to networked computers and mobile devices.

For a more faithful simulation of gravitation force to the user, the electric motors and horizontal guides could themselves be mounted on lateral linear guide rails, telescopic guides or actuators which enable side-to-side movement tracking to be added to the back/forward movement tracking.

As in the previous embodiment of the apparatus, the ground-plate and frame 9 may be a raised platform as to provide a lower starting cord point relative to the user.

Figure 3 shows a further alternative embodiment of the apparatus in which the cord 1 is elastic and resistance is provided by elongation of the cord. The grip 2 is a commonplace barbell to which the cord is mounted. The sliding element 3 has an attachment bar for the elastic cord.

The barbell rests on a conventional gym safety cage 13.

The sliding element 3 may also have an additional cord tensioning system for adjusting the start length of the cord. This would be useful if the user is performing lower range exercises such as barbell bench press with longer elastic bands. This tensioning system could be as simple as an additional lower bar on the element which the user could wrap the band around.

In this embodiment of the apparatus users are free to position themselves in the safety cage as they like, without the restrictions of the current conventional elastic

- 9 resistance band set up which dictate that a user stands over the fixed position of the band pegs.

The user also benefits from a free path of motion with undistorted bio-mechanics and the safety of easily being able to rack and un-rack the bar onto the 'J' hooks.

Claims

1. An exercise machine comprising • a cord, • a grip secured to a first end of the cord, such that force applied by an exerciser to the grip is resisted by tension in the cord, and an • element secured to the opposite end of the cord and mounted for free linear sliding movement along a guide, wherein the only force acting to cause the element to slide along the guide is the tension in the cord, such that the force resisting movement of the grip acts at all times in a direction substantially perpendicular to the guide.

2. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cord is inextensible and is coiled around or within the element, the element offering resistance to uncoiling of the cord in order to maintain the cord under tension.

3. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the element includes an electric motor.

4. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the element is a first spool mounted for rotation with the guide, the guide being further connected for rotation with a device offering resistance to rotation of the guide.

5. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the device includes an electric motor to offer resistance to rotation of the guide.

6. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the device includes a second spool to which a torque for

- 11 resisting rotation of the guide is applied by means of a stack of weights or springs.

7. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cord is elastic, tension in the cord being created by elongation of the cord, and wherein the element secured to the opposite end of the cord is a bearing slidable along a track serving as the guide.

8. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the bearing is an anti-friction bearing with rolling elements.

9. An exercise machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the guide is mounted in use in a horizontal plane, wherein the resistive force on the grip always acts in a vertical plane.

Intellectual

Property Office

Application No: GB1707784.3 Examiner: Adrian French