Pneumatic Exercise Staff With Adjustable Bidirectional Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional exercise staffs lack improvements in resistance adjustability, size adjustability, and coupling features.
Innovation Solution
A variable force pneumatic exercise staff with a pneumatic cylinder that can be adjusted for extension and compression resistance, featuring a resistance controller to manually adjust resistance forces, a segment coupler for size adjustment, and a handle element that can be rotated and weighted asymmetrically for enhanced exercise variety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional springs and weights are used for resistance, then the device structure is simple, but resistance adjustability is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a pneumatic cylinder with adjustable spring pre-compression to provide variable resistance forces during exercise. By adjusting the pre-compression of the spring within the pneumatic system, the resistance can be varied without changing the basic device structure, thus improving adaptability while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The resistance is adjusted by changing the pre-compression parameter of the spring in the pneumatic cylinder. This parameter change allows continuous variation of resistance force without requiring discrete weight changes or complex mechanical reconfigurations, resolving the contradiction between adjustability and structural complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If fixed-size staff is used, then manufacturing is simple, but size adjustability is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The exercise staff is divided into multiple segments that can be coupled together using a coupler mechanism. This segmentation allows the staff length to be adjusted by connecting or disconnecting segments, providing size adaptability while keeping each individual segment simple to manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
The staff transitions from a fixed rigid structure to a dynamically adjustable configuration through the coupler mechanism. The coupler allows segments to be connected or disconnected easily, enabling the staff length to adapt to different user needs without complicating the manufacturing of individual segments
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual resistance adjustment is implemented, then resistance customization is improved, but ease of operation during exercise is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The resistance level is adjusted by pre-compressing the spring to a desired position before exercise begins. This preliminary adjustment sets the resistance for the entire exercise session, allowing customization without requiring adjustments during the exercise itself, thus maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism automatically maintains the pre-set resistance level throughout the exercise without requiring continuous manual intervention. The system serves itself by maintaining the predetermined compression state, allowing users to focus on exercise performance rather than resistance adjustment
4Adaptability or versatility
If asymmetric weighting is added to handle element, then exercise variety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The handle element incorporates asymmetric weighting where the weight distribution is intentionally unbalanced. This asymmetry creates different resistance characteristics for different exercise movements, expanding exercise variety while adding only a simple weight component rather than a complex mechanism
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
Provides customizable resistance and size options, allowing for a wide range of exercises with improved safety and convenience, including simultaneous compression and extension movements, and facilitates easy adjustment during workouts without disrupting hand grip.
Implementation Method 1
a pneumatic cylinder configured to be actuated between a compressed configuration and an extended configuration
Implementation Method 2
a spring configured to resiliently bias the pneumatic cylinder toward the compressed configuration
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary variable force pneumatic exercise staff comprises at least one staff segment including a pneumatic cylinder and a handle element. The pneumatic cylinder is elongated and has a handle engagement end and a staff first end disposed oppositely of one another. The pneumatic cylinder is actuatable between a compressed configuration and an extended configuration such that a cylinder length is greater in the extended configuration than in the compressed configuration. The handle element is affixed to the handle engagement end. The cylinder is configured to user-adjustably provide an extension resistance force for resisting the actuation toward the extended configuration, and a compression resistance force for resisting the actuation toward the compressed configuration. The cylinder may include a resistance controller allowing a user to manually adjust the extension and compression resistance forces. A segment coupler may be configured to rigidly couple the staff segment to a second staff segment.