Leg Curl Machine Moving Support Platform
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional leg curl exercise machines cause excessive arching of the lower back during prone leg curl exercises due to a fixed upper torso support, leading to potential pain and injury.
Innovation Solution
A leg curl exercise machine with a moving support platform or frame that tilts as the user performs the exercise, maintaining a more ergonomic position through a linkage assembly and counterweights to balance the movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a stationary platform supports the user's upper torso in a fixed position, then the exercise machine structure is simple and stable, but the user experiences excessive arching of the lower back leading to pain and injury
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transforming the stationary support platform into a moving support frame that can dynamically adjust its position and orientation. The support frame is connected to the main frame through a linkage assembly containing multiple pivots, allowing it to move from an initial position to a final position as the user performs the exercise. This dynamic movement enables the support frame to accommodate the user's body movements and maintain proper spinal alignment throughout the exercise range of motion, thereby reducing lower back arching and injury risk while managing structural complexity through mechanical design.
2Ease of operation
If the user's lower legs move in an arcuate path during the exercise, then the leg curl motion is effective, but the fixed upper torso support causes excessive lower back arching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing a linkage assembly as a mediator between the user's lower body movement and the upper torso support. The linkage assembly, comprising multiple connected members with pivots, translates the arcuate movement of the user's lower legs into corresponding movement of the support frame. This intermediary mechanism ensures that as the user's lower body moves through the exercise range of motion, the support frame automatically adjusts to maintain proper body alignment, thereby enabling effective leg curl motion while preventing lower back strain.
Data Source
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AI summary
An exercise machine for performing prone leg curl exercises, including a moving support platform or frame that allows a user to perform prone leg curl exercises without excessively arching his or her lower back.