Magnetic pulley resistance exerciser

Abstract

A wearable exercise pulley comprising: an electrically conducting disc rotatable about an axis of the disc perpendicular to the plane of the disc; a cable coiled around the axis, which when pulled to uncoil the cable from around the axis causes the disc to rotate; at least one magnet that produces a magnetic field, which penetrates the disc and generates eddy currents in the disc when the disc is rotated; and a spring that operates to coil the cable around the axis.

1 . A wearable exercise pulley comprising:
 an electrically conducting disc rotatable about an axis of the disc perpendicular to the plane of the disc;   a cable coiled around the axis, which when pulled to uncoil the cable from around the axis causes the disc to rotate;   at least one magnet that produces a magnetic field, which penetrates the disc and generates eddy currents in the disc when the disc is rotated; and   a spring that operates to coil the cable around the axis.   
     
     
         2 . An exercise pulley according to  claim 1  wherein the disc has a diameter less than or equal to about 15 cm 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . An exercise pulley according to  claim 1  wherein the disc has a diameter less than or equal to about 9 cm 
     
     
         5 . An exercise pulley according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one magnet comprises at least one first magnet on a first side of the plane of the disc and at least one second magnet on a second side of the plane of the disc. 
     
     
         6 . An exercise pulley according to  claim 5  and comprising a first magnet housing that comprises the at least one first magnet and maintains the at least one first magnet at a fixed distance from the plane of the disc, and comprising a second magnet housing that comprises the at least one second magnet and is moveable relative to the first magnet housing to change a distance of the at least one second magnet from the plane of the disc. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . An exercise pulley according to  claim 6  wherein the second magnet housing is moveable relative to the first magnet housing by rotation about the disc axis to change a distance of the at least one second magnet from the plane of the disc. 
     
     
         9 . An exercise pulley according to  claim 8  and comprising a threaded turret, wherein the first magnet housing is formed having a hole comprising threads matching the threads on the turret, and wherein the turret is threaded into the hole, and the first magnet housing is rotated to move the at least one second magnet along the turret towards or away from the plane of the disc. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . An exercise pulley according  claim 6  wherein at a closest distance of the second at least one magnet to the plane of the disc, the at least one first magnet and at least one second magnet produce a magnetic field at the disc equal to about 0.18 gauss. 
     
     
         12 . An exercise pulley according to  claim 11  wherein the closest distance is equal to about 5 mm. 
     
     
         13 . An exercise pulley according to  claim 11  wherein at the closest distance, a pulling force greater than or equal to about 300 N is required to uncoil the cable and rotate the disc at an angular speed of at least 8 rpm. 
     
     
         14 . An exercise pulley according to  claim 1  and comprising a connector for attaching the exercise pulley to a matching pulley holder wherein the connector and matching pulley holder are configured so that the exercise pulley may conveniently be attached to, and detached from, the holder. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An exercise pulley according to  claim 14  wherein the connector and pulley holder are configured so that the exercise pulley may be mounted to the pulley holder at each of a plurality of discrete angles relative to a reference direction perpendicular to the disc axis. 
     
     
         17 . An exercise pulley according to  claim 16  wherein adjacent discrete directions are separated by a same angle of rotation. 
     
     
         18 . An exercise pulley according to  claim 17  wherein the number of discrete directions is four, and adjacent directions are separated by 90°. 
     
     
         19 . An exercise pulley according to  claim 14  wherein the pulley holder is attached to a pulley support so that the exercise pulley may be mounted to the pulley support by mounting the exercise pulley to the pulley holder, and wherein the pulley support comprises a wearable harness. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An exercise pulley according to  claim 19  wherein the harness has attached thereto a plurality of pulley holders. 
     
     
         22 . An exercise pulley according to  claim 19  wherein the harness comprises a harness selected from the group consisting of: a vest harness, a belt harness and a leg harness. 
     
     
         23 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . An exercise pulley according to  claims 19  and comprising a handle so that the exercise pulley may securely be held in one hand while pulling the cable with the other. 
     
     
         27 . An exercise apparatus comprising:
 an exercise pulley according to  claim 14 ; and   a wearable exercise harness comprising at least one pulley holder.   
     
     
         28 . An exercise pulley according to  claim 27  wherein the harness has attached thereto a plurality of pulley holders. 
     
     
         29 - 31 . (canceled)