Leg Press Weight Plate Transfer Mechanism for Seated Resistance Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional leg press machines require exercisers to interrupt their workout to adjust weight resistance, straining their arms and back while adding or removing weight plates, which reduces exercise effectiveness and increases the risk of injury.
Innovation Solution
A leg press machine with a weight transfer system that allows exercisers to adjust weight resistance while seated using a sliding housing and a weight transfer actuator, enabling weight plates to be easily removed and stored without leaving the machine, utilizing a parallelogram linkage and a sliding support plate for efficient resistance adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If weight plates are mounted on side pegs for resistance adjustment, then exercise resistance can be changed, but the exerciser must interrupt the workout and strain arms and back to move plates
Solution Approach 1:
A weight plate transfer system acts as an intermediary mechanism between the weight storage area and the exercise resistance system. The system includes a transfer arm with a first end that receives weight plates from storage and a second end that delivers them to the resistance mechanism, eliminating the need for users to manually handle heavy plates during exercise.
Solution Approach 2:
The resistance adjustment system performs self-service by automatically transferring weight plates from the storage area to the exercise mechanism through actuation of the transfer arm, without requiring user intervention to manually move plates during the workout.
2Adaptability or versatility
If weight plates are mounted on side pegs, then resistance can be adjusted, but user safety is compromised due to strain on arms and back
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer arm serves as a mechanical intermediary that handles the heavy weight plates, isolating the user from direct contact with the strain-inducing task of moving plates while maintaining the ability to adjust resistance levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical system of user-powered plate movement is replaced with an automated transfer mechanism that uses a motorized or spring-loaded transfer arm to move plates, substituting human physical effort with a mechanical system.
3Ease of operation
If exercisers manually move weight plates to storage, then resistance is reduced, but exercise effectiveness decreases due to interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The weight transfer system enables continuous exercise action by allowing resistance adjustments to be made without the exerciser leaving the exercise position. The transfer arm can be actuated during the exercise routine to add or remove weight plates, maintaining the continuity of the useful exercise action.
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer mechanism acts as an intermediary that handles resistance adjustment operations, allowing the exerciser to maintain proper form and continuous motion while the intermediary system manages the weight plate transitions.
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
Enables continuous exercise with reduced resistance adjustments, minimizing strain on the user's arms and back, allowing for seamless changes in exercise intensity without interrupting the workout.
Implementation Method 1
The weight transfer actuator has a fixed bar, a moving bar, and a pair of pivoting links, such that the fixed bar, the moving bar, and the pair of pivoting links define a parallelogram linkage.
Implementation Method 2
A sliding housing is mounted on the sliding cross bar for removably receiving a plurality of weight plates
Data Source
AI summary
A leg press machine with a weight plate transfer mechanism to reduce exercise resistance while remaining seated on the machine. Weight plates are movably supported within a sliding housing, rather than being received on a pair of side pegs, as in conventional leg press machines. One of the weight plates can be pushed to roll from the sliding housing to a storage housing by the exerciser using a weight transfer actuator, allowing the exerciser to reduce the exercise resistance conveniently while remaining seated. The storage housing is positioned with an open side facing an open side of the sliding housing so as to receive the weight plate pushed and rolled from the sliding housing. Additionally, by positioning the storage housing at substantially the same height as the sliding housing, the exerciser can easily roll one or more weight plates between the two housings so as to reduce the exercise resistance.