System for Training Athletes

Abstract

A system for training athletes comprises a drive unit and an output unit, a rope spool disposed on the output unit, and a rope disposed on the rope spool. The drive unit comprises a motor shaft, a pulley, a clutch, the clutch being operatively coupled to the motor shaft and pulley. The output unit includes a one-way bearing, a brake, a brake controller, and a pulley, which output shaft pulley may be coupled to the drive shaft pulley. The rope applies a force on an object to which it is attached when the drive unit and/or output unit cause the rope spool to wind or unwind the rope, and the force exerted by the rope may be regulated by the clutch of the drive unit and may be one of an overspeed mode, a constant resistance, an increasing resistance, a decreasing resistance, a constant force, and a varying force.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for training athletes, the system comprising:
 a motor,   a unit controller,   a power supply,   a drive unit operatively coupled to the motor such that the may cause the drive shaft to rotate in at least one direction, the drive unit comprising a motor shaft, a first pulley operatively coupled to the motor shaft, a clutch, a clutch controller, the clutch being operatively coupled to the motor shaft and first pulley, and the drive shaft being operatively coupled to the motor,   an output unit, the output unit comprising an output shaft, a rope spool, a one-way bearing, a brake, a brake controller, and a second pulley,   a rope disposed on the rope spool of the output unit,   wherein the drive unit and output unit are operatively coupled to one another such that when the motor causes the drive shaft to rotate, the drive shaft causes the output shaft to rotate,   wherein the output shaft may also rotate in the absence of the drive shaft causing the output shaft to rotate and wherein the output shaft may rotate in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction,   wherein, when the output shaft rotates, the rope spool causes the rope to wind onto or unwind off of the rope spool,   and wherein when the rope winds onto or unwinds off of a rope spool, the rope imparts a force on an object to which the rope may be attached.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the drive unit is operatively coupled to the output unit by the first pulley of the drive unit to the second pulley of the output unit. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the motor shaft of the drive unit rotates in one direction such that the drive shaft causes the output shaft to rotate in one direction, which direction causes the rope to wind onto the rope spool. 
     
     
         4 . The output unit of  claim 1 , wherein the one-way bearing comprises one of a sprag bearing and a clutch. 
     
     
         5 . The drive unit of  claim 1 , wherein the clutch controller comprises a potentiometer coupled to the power supply of the system. 
     
     
         6 . The output unit of  claim 1 , wherein the brake controller comprises a potentiometer coupled to the power supply of the system. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the output unit is capable of regulating force that is applied on an object to which the rope may be attached. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the force exerted by the rope on an object when the rope is being rewound onto the rope spool is regulated at least in part by the clutch of the drive unit. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the force imparted by the rope on an object is one of an overspeed mode, a constant resistance, an increasing resistance, a decreasing resistance, a constant force, and a varying force. 
     
     
         10 . A system for training athletes, the system comprising
 a motor,   a drive unit, which drive unit is operatively coupled to the motor, and which motor is capable of causing the drive unit to rotate in at least one direction,   a rope spool operatively coupled to the drive unit,   a rope disposed on the rope spool, and   a motor control mechanism,   wherein the motor control mechanism allows a user to selectively adjust at least one of the force imparted by the drive unit on the rope and the direction in which the motor causes the rope spool to rotate,   and wherein when the rope winds onto or unwinds off of a rope spool, the rope imparts a force on an object to which the rope may be attached.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the force imparted by the rope on an object is one of an overspeed mode, a constant resistance, an increasing resistance, a decreasing resistance, a constant force, and a varying force.