Rotatable Index Mechanism for Weight Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional weight exercise machines either lack the incremental adjustment capability and smooth operation of plate-loaded machines or suffer from high friction and tall profiles like weight-stack loaded machines, failing to provide a convenient and safe solution for users.
Innovation Solution
A weight exercise machine with a rotatable indexing mechanism that couples an exercise member to various weight plate combinations, allowing for smooth operation and incremental weight adjustments, featuring a base frame, weight arm, and axles that engage weight plates to facilitate precise resistance changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If weight-stack loaded machines use tubular columns for weight displacement, then weight selection is convenient, but friction generation is relatively high and operation is less smooth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the weights from the tubular column configuration and repositions them laterally adjacent to the exercise member. This removes the weights from the high-friction tubular path, allowing smooth operation through lateral movement rather than vertical displacement through tubes, thereby eliminating the friction problem while maintaining convenient weight selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an index mechanism as an intermediary between the user and the weight selection process. This index selectively couples the exercise member to specific weights laterally, mediating the weight selection in a way that avoids direct manipulation of heavy plates while maintaining precision and convenience.
2Ease of operation
If plate-loaded machines allow smooth operation and fine weight increments, then operational characteristics are superior, but users must manually load and unload weights creating injury hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The machine performs the weight selection and coupling function automatically through the index mechanism. When the user selects a weight via the index, the system self-couples the exercise member to the selected weight plate, eliminating the need for users to manually load and unload heavy plates, thereby removing the injury hazard while maintaining smooth operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The index mechanism serves as an intermediary that automates the weight selection process. Instead of users directly handling weight plates, the index selectively engages and couples the appropriate weights to the exercise member, making the process safe and smooth while preserving fine weight increment capability.
3Ease of operation
If weight-stack machines provide convenient weight selection, then ease of use is improved, but the vertical profile becomes tall
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the weights from a vertical stack configuration to a lateral arrangement adjacent to the exercise member. This dimensional change from vertical to lateral weight placement reduces the vertical profile while maintaining convenient weight selection through the index mechanism, which operates in the lateral dimension rather than vertical.
4Measurement precision
If supplemental weights are added to weight-stack machines for smaller increments, then weight adjustment precision is improved, but a second weight selection structure is required increasing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The index mechanism is designed as a universal weight selection system that handles both primary weights and supplemental weights through a single unified interface. The index can selectively couple to any weight in the set regardless of size, providing fine weight increment capability without requiring a separate selection mechanism for supplemental weights, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining precision.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a weight exercise machine for use by a user. The machine comprises an exercise member, a plurality of weights, and an index. The user exerts an exercise force against the exercise member when using the machine to exercise. The index is rotated to operably couple the exercise member to at least one of the weight plates such that the displacement of the exercise member causes the at least one of the weight plates to displace. The plurality of weight plates includes a first weight plate type and a second weight plate type having configurations and masses that differ. The index allows selection of different combinations of weight plates for operable coupling to the exercise member.