Exercise Machine Travel Limit Decelerators for Platform Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Resistance exercise machines with movable platforms often require longer exercise sessions to achieve desired results, leading to inefficiencies and increased maintenance costs due to violent contact with mechanical limits during platform movement.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable exercise machine with a movable platform supported by trolley wheel assemblies on perpendicular rails, featuring travel limit decelerators to smoothly stop the platform and minimize damage, and actuators to adjust the platform's inclination, allowing for variable resistance levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the platform moves rapidly along the rails, then exercise intensity is improved, but violent contact with mechanical limits occurs causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The deceleration mechanism is positioned in advance at the mechanical limit location. As the platform approaches the limit, the deceleration mechanism engages to reduce speed before the platform reaches the mechanical stop, preventing violent contact and extending the life of the mechanical limit components.
Solution Approach 2:
The deceleration mechanism acts as an intermediary between the moving platform and the mechanical limit. It provides a controlled transition zone that converts the platform's kinetic energy into controlled motion, preventing direct impact with the mechanical limit and reducing wear and damage.
2Force
If resistance levels are increased to improve exercise effectiveness, then training results are improved, but platform movement becomes more difficult and wear increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deceleration mechanism serves as an intermediary that manages the interaction between high resistance forces and platform movement. It ensures smooth deceleration and positioning even under high resistance conditions, preventing sudden stops and reducing mechanical wear while maintaining exercise effectiveness.
3Force
If the platform is elevated to add body weight resistance, then exercise intensity is improved, but machine complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elevation mechanism is designed to be self-regulating through the deceleration system. As the platform is elevated and the exercise progresses, the deceleration mechanism automatically manages the motion, reducing the need for complex external control systems while maintaining the ability to add body weight resistance effectively.
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 enables efficient, shorter exercise sessions by adjusting resistance levels and minimizing wear through smooth platform movement and deceleration, reducing maintenance costs and enhancing user safety.
Implementation Method 1
The trolley wheel assemblies include a plurality of load wheels in rolling engagement with the upper sloped surfaces of the rails and at least one clamp wheel in rolling engagement with the lower sloped surfaces of the rails thereby minimizing lateral and uplift movement of the movable platform during exercise
Implementation Method 2
A plurality of travel limit decelerators are mounted on the rails at locations intended to engage the movable platform as it reaches its limits of travel on the rails. The travel limit decelerators function to rapidly and smoothly decelerate and bring the platform to a stop without damaging the platform or other machine components
Implementation Method 3
the distal ends of the machine may be selectively raised or lowered via the operation of cooperating components to incline the plane and add or subtract a variable portion of the exerciser's body weight to the resistance level provided by the exercise machine itself
Implementation Method 4
A plurality of resistance springs with selector knobs enable an exerciser to select and apply a bias force against the movable platform
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable exercise machine for performing resistance exercises comprises a base and an upper frame including front and back end stationary exercise platforms, and a movable exercise platform that reciprocates between the stationary platforms. A plurality of biasing members is selectable by an exerciser via selector knobs to generate a bias force against the movable platform. A plurality of pivotable lift supports are connected between the base and the upper frame. Front and back actuators are connected between the base and the lift supports by lifting yokes to selectively raise and lower the front and back ends of the machine. The movable platform may be connected to move along the exercise machine by trolley wheel assemblies. A plurality of travel limit decelerators mounted on the rails engage and rapidly decelerates the movable platform as it reaches its limits of travel on the rails.