Hooking Locking Mechanism for Pull-Up Footboard
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pull-up exercise machines face safety issues when the elevating footboard moves unexpectedly, either when an exerciser steps on or off, due to the constant upward force from the lifting member, which can hinder easy access and pose a risk to the user's safety.
Innovation Solution
A mandatory hooking/locking device with touch-pressing rods and a rotary plate actuated by a torsion spring, allowing the elevating footboard to be securely locked at the lowest position when not in use and ensuring controlled ascending and descending motions by requiring simultaneous foot pressure to disengage the hooking mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the lifting member constantly provides upward trust to the elevating footboard, then the exercise performance is assisted, but the footboard may move upward unexpectedly when no force is exerted, compromising safety
Solution Approach 1:
The hooking portion is designed to dynamically transition between locked and unlocked states based on the presence of force on the touch-pressing rods. When force is applied (user stepping), the hook disengages to allow footboard movement. When force is removed, the hook automatically locks to prevent unexpected movement, creating a dynamic safety mechanism that adapts to operational conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch-pressing rods act as intermediary elements that mediate between the user's weight and the hooking mechanism. When the user steps on the rods, this intermediate action triggers the rotary plate to rotate and disengage the hook, providing a controlled transition state that ensures safety while maintaining operational ease.
2Reliability
If the hooking portion is always engaged with the latch column, then safety is ensured, but the footboard cannot be elevated when needed
Solution Approach 1:
The hooking mechanism transitions from a static always-locked state to a dynamic state that can be temporarily disengaged. The rotary plate enables the hook to rotate between engaged and disengaged positions, allowing the system to adapt between safety mode (hook engaged) and operation mode (hook disengaged), thus resolving the contradiction between constant safety and functional adaptability.
3Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to prevent unexpected movement, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is merged with the existing lifting mechanism components. The hooking portion is integrated into the rotary plate structure, and the touch-pressing rods serve dual purposes as both operational interfaces and triggering mechanisms for the lock. This merging approach implements safety functionality without adding entirely separate complex subsystems.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is designed to be self-actuating through the user's own actions. When the user steps on the touch-pressing rods, their body weight automatically triggers the rotary plate to rotate and disengage the hook, without requiring separate control systems or additional actuators, thus minimizing added complexity.
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 solution ensures the elevating footboard remains stable at the lowest position for easy access and prevents unexpected movements when the exerciser steps off, enhancing user safety by requiring coordinated foot action to disengage the locking mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
a touch-pressing rod disposed at stepping positions with respect to an exerciser's two soles separately and acted by a rotary plate and a torsion spring to achieve a lifting effect to freely penetrate and slightly elevate from an end surface of the elevating footboard
Data Source
AI summary
A mandatory hooking/locking device for an elevating footboard of a pull-up exercise machine includes a touch-pressing rod disposed at stepping positions with respect to an exerciser's two soles separately and acted by a rotary plate and a torsion spring to achieve a lifting effect to freely penetrate and slightly elevate from an end surface of the elevating footboard, and a hooking portion disposed at the bottom end of the rotary plate being provided for hooking to a corresponsive latch column of an inwardly extending section in the floor affixing front stand, so that the hooking portion of the rotary plate can be separated from the latch column only if the two touch-pressing rods are stepped and pressed down simultaneously, so that the elevating footboard performs the expected ascending and descending motions to ensure the safety of use.