Exercise Machine with Coaxial Spring and Flywheel Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing exercise machines provide inconsistent resistive force, often leading to injuries and floor damage, and lack a mechanism for easy adjustment and reset without tangling or damaging the line.
Innovation Solution
A movable exercise machine with a frame supporting coaxially arranged flywheel, spool, and spring assemblies, along with a resistance adjustment mechanism, providing a consistent resistive force through a linear strap system that allows for easy adjustment and reset, and includes transport wheels for indoor and outdoor use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a weight sled is used to provide resistive force, then the user experiences resistance during exercise, but the resistive force is inconsistent and causes jerking motions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static resistance (weight sled) to dynamic resistance by introducing a spring-loaded reel mechanism that actively adjusts the resistive force during exercise. The spring constant and pre-compression can be adjusted to provide consistent resistive force throughout the exercise motion, eliminating the jerking motions caused by inconsistent weight sled resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs adjustable parameters including spring constant, spring pre-compression, and reel friction to precisely control and maintain consistent resistive force. These parameters can be modified to match different exercise requirements and user strengths, ensuring reliable and consistent resistance throughout the exercise range of motion.
2Force
If a fixed anchor with stretchable line is used, then resistive force is provided, but the force dramatically increases during exercise causing awkward jerks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the fixed anchor system with a dynamic reel mechanism that can actively control line tension. The spring-loaded reel provides progressive resistance that increases smoothly with extension, preventing the sudden dramatic force increases and awkward jerks experienced with fixed anchor stretchable lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded reel acts as an intermediary between the user and the resistive force, mediating the force transmission to smooth out variations and prevent sudden jerks. The reel mechanism distributes the force application over time and space, creating a more controlled and comfortable exercise experience.
3Force
If a weight sled is dragged across the floor, then resistance is provided, but the floor surface is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a reel mechanism as an intermediary that eliminates direct contact between the resistance system and the floor surface. The linear strap connects the user to the reel mechanism, which remains suspended or mounted on a support structure, completely preventing floor damage while maintaining effective resistive force.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical dragging system (weight sled across floor) with a suspended or mounted reel mechanism that provides resistance through spring tension and reel friction rather than ground contact. This substitution eliminates the harmful mechanical interaction with the floor surface while preserving the resistive exercise function.
4Device complexity
If the line is left loose after exercise, then the device is simple, but the line becomes tangled or damaged during reset
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded reel mechanism automatically winds the linear strap back onto the reel after exercise, eliminating the need for manual handling and resetting of the line. This self-service function prevents tangling and damage that would otherwise occur during manual reset, while adding minimal complexity to the overall device.
Solution Approach 2:
The reel mechanism serves as an intermediary that manages the linear strap throughout the exercise cycle and reset process. By controlling the strap tension and winding through the reel, the system protects the strap from tangling and damage that would occur if it were left loose, while maintaining operational simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The machine delivers a consistent and adjustable resistive force, reducing the risk of injury and floor damage, with a smooth recoil mechanism for easy reset and use on various surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
The spring assembly is fixed against the frame and incorporates a coil spring that tightens with the rotation of the spin axle in a first direction (allowing a linear run-out strap to extend from the spool assembly). The coil spring in the spring assembly thereafter tends to direct the rewinding of the linear run-out strap back onto the spool assembly when the extractive force exerted by the user is released.
Implementation Method 2
The flywheel assembly positioned opposite the spring assembly across the spool assembly provides both an initial stationary inertia that the user must overcome in order to initiate rotation of the assemblies, and a rotating inertia once the system is in rotational motion.
Implementation Method 3
The flywheel assembly positioned opposite the spring assembly across the spool assembly provides both an initial stationary inertia that the user must overcome in order to initiate rotation of the assemblies, and a rotating inertia once the system is in rotational motion.
Implementation Method 4
A brake assembly is mounted to the frame in a position to allow adjustment of a frictional force that the brake assembly exerts against a peripheral surface of the flywheel assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
An exercise machine that provides a generally consistent resistive force against a user who walks, steps, or runs away from the machine as part of a strength training exercise program. The machine is built upon a movable frame having transport wheel assemblies that allow the exercise machine to be placed on an indoor floor surface or on the ground outdoors. The frame of the device further supports three parallel spinning assemblies that together allow a length of linear strap attached to the user to run out from the machine and thereafter be retracted or rewound back into the machine. The spinning assemblies include a flywheel assembly, a spool assembly, and a spring assembly, each co-axially arranged on a spin axle extending across the frame. The spring assembly is fixed against the frame and incorporates a coil spring that tightens with the rotation of the spin axle in a first direction (allowing the linear run-out strap to extend out from the spool assembly). The coil spring in the spring assembly thereafter tends to direct the rewinding of the strap back onto the spool assembly. The coaxial flywheel assembly provides both an initial stationary inertia and a subsequent rotational inertia. The flywheel acts as a governor to balance the changing forces associated with the resistive force increasing in the spring assembly. Positioned on the spin axle between the flywheel assembly and the spring assembly is a spool assembly that allows the strap to unwind and subsequently to be wound back onto the spool. A guide strap may be provided around the spool to maintain the linear run-out strap within the spool assembly. A resistance adjustment assembly presses a brake pad against the perimeter surface of the flywheel to adjust the force required to direct rotation of the system. A weight horn bracket is provided to add additional disc weights if necessary.