Rotatable Connector for Weight Lifting Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current weight training equipment lacks a solution that fully combines machine-controlled movement paths with free weight exercises, failing to optimize both rehab and elite training effectively.
Innovation Solution
A connector for weight lifting apparatus that is slidably attached to a rail, featuring a support arm for securing and supporting the barbell, with a rotational latching device for engaging lateral protrusions, allowing for both fixed and free weight exercises in a single compact piece of equipment, which can be retrofitted to existing systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a Smith machine is used for fixed path movement, then safety and control are improved, but the ability to perform free weight exercises is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is designed with a rotatable support arm that can dynamically switch between two functional states: a locked position where the arm is fixed to provide stable support for free weight exercises, and an unlocked position where the arm can be positioned to guide the barbell along a fixed path. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the same apparatus to adapt between free weight and machine-controlled exercises.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector integrates multiple functions into a single component: it serves as both a support structure for free weight barbells and a guiding mechanism for fixed path movement. The rotatable support arm with lateral protrusions enables the connector to universally accommodate both exercise types, eliminating the need for separate Smith machine and free weight equipment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If free weight lifting equipment is used, then exercise versatility is improved, but safety and control during repetitions are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The support arm provides dynamic stability through its rotatable joint, allowing the user to lock the arm in position during free weight exercises for enhanced safety and control. The same mechanism can be unlocked to enable fixed path movement when needed, providing adaptive safety based on the exercise mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral protrusions on the support arm act as an intermediary mechanism that can engage with corresponding features on the barbell or frame. This intermediary structure provides the necessary control and guidance for free weight exercises while maintaining the option to disengage for greater freedom of movement.
3Reliability
If a barbell holder is used to secure the barbell, then safety during fixed path movement is improved, but the ability to perform free weight exercises is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The support arm with rotatable joint provides dynamic locking capability through lateral protrusions that can engage with corresponding features on the barbell or frame. This dynamic locking mechanism ensures safety during fixed path movement while allowing the arm to be repositioned or disengaged to enable free weight exercises, providing adaptive security based on exercise requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is segmented into functional components: the rotatable support arm, lateral protrusions for engagement, and mounting interface. This segmentation allows the support arm to independently perform the securing function during fixed path movement while the rest of the connector remains available to support free weight exercises when the arm is repositioned.
4Reliability
If a rotational latching device is used to engage lateral protrusions, then the connector can be securely locked in position, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotational latching mechanism is designed to be self-actuating through the rotation of the support arm itself. As the support arm rotates into the locked position, the lateral protrusions automatically engage with corresponding features on the barbell or frame, providing inherent locking without requiring additional actuators, springs, or complex mechanisms. The user's rotational motion directly creates the locking action.
Solution Approach 2:
The support arm and latching function are merged into a single integrated component. The lateral protrusions are formed as part of the support arm structure rather than being separate latching elements. This merging eliminates the need for additional latching mechanisms while maintaining secure locking capability during fixed path movement.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
A connector (10, 20) for a weight lifting apparatus, adapted to be slidably attached to a sliding rail (1) and comprising means for releasably securing a barbell (2), wherein the connector (10, 20) further comprises a support arm (11, 21) for supporting the barbell (2) when the barbell (2) is not locked in the securing means. A weight lifting apparatus comprising such a connector (10, 20) is also disclosed.