Exercise Machine With Controlled Motion and User Force Matching Resistance

Abstract

An exercise machine with controlled motion and user force matching resistance. The machine includes a frame to which is rigidly mounted a motor driven reciprocating drive. A user engageable arm is pivotally mounted to the frame. The reciprocating drive is connected to the arm by a rigid connecting rod. The reciprocating drive drives the arm through a predetermined stroke following a pre-determined velocity profile. The user performs the exercise by applying force to the arm. The arm applies a generally equal counterforce to the force applied by the user. The pre-determined motion of the arm is generally independent of the force applied by the user. The stroke of the arm has a fixed fully contracted position and a user adjustable fully extended position. Adjustments to the fully extended position are made by changing the location of the joint between the connecting rod and the arm. Motion of the arm starts upon application of force applied by the user, and stops when the user force is removed.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exercise machine, comprising in combination:
 a frame;   an arm pivotally connected to said frame, configured to engage an exercising user;   a reciprocating drive means for driving said arm, said reciprocating drive means being fixedly mounted to said frame;   a rigid connecting means for connecting said arm and said reciprocating drive means so that movement of said reciprocating drive means causes said arm to move in response thereto, said arm being constrained thereby to move along a stroke path between a fully contracted position closest to said user, and a fully extended position furthest from said user, said fully contracted position being fixed and said fully extended position being adjustable; and   adjustment means for adjusting said fully extended position of said arm without changing said fully contracted position.   
     
     
         2 . The exercise machine defined in  claim 1 , wherein said user achieves exercise by applying force against said arm during movement of said arm along said stroke path. 
     
     
         3 . The exercise machine defined in  claim 1 , wherein said reciprocating drive means includes an electric motor operatively connected to a mechanical speed reducer which is operatively connected to a reciprocating mechanism, said reciprocating mechanism providing the output of said reciprocating drive means. 
     
     
         4 . The exercise machine defined in  claim 3 , wherein the output power of said electric motor is predetermined such that a generally constant rotational speed is maintained, generally irrespective of the force applied to said arm by said user. 
     
     
         5 . The exercise machine defined in  claim 3  wherein said reciprocating mechanism includes a mechanism selected from the group consisting of a scotch yoke mechanism, a cam and cam follower, a face cam and cam follower, and a six bar linkage. 
     
     
         6 . The exercise machine defined in  claim 1 , wherein said reciprocating drive means provides a predetermined generally equal duration of the extension and contraction strokes of said arm. 
     
     
         7 . The exercise machine defined in  claim 1 , wherein said reciprocating drive means provides a predetermined unequal duration of the extension and contraction strokes of said arm. 
     
     
         8 . The exercise machine defined in  claim 1 , wherein said reciprocating drive means is activated upon said user applying a predetermined force against said arm. 
     
     
         9 . The exercise machine defined in  claim 1 , wherein said reciprocating drive means is deactivated upon said user removing applied force against said arm. 
     
     
         10 . The exercise machine defined in  claim 1 , further including a bracing means for holding said user in a selected position relative to said arm and counteracting force exerted by said user upon said arm, said bracing means being slidably mounted to said frame, the position of said bracing means being adjustable in relation to said arm and fixable once desired position is reached. 
     
     
         11 . The exercise machine defined in  claim 1 , wherein a positioning means allows the user to activate said reciprocating drive means to move said arm to either said fully extended position and have it stop there or to said fully contracted position and have it stop there. 
     
     
         12 . The exercise machine defined in  claim 1 , wherein said adjustment means is comprised of a first attachment point of said rigid connecting means being pivotally connected to the output of said reciprocating drive means and a second attachment point of said rigid connecting means being slidably and pivotally connected to an element of said arm, said element having multiple attachment points laid out in a circular arc such that the radius of said circular arc is equal to the distance between said first attachment point of said rigid connecting means and said second attachment point of said rigid connecting means and the center point of said circular arc coincides with said connection between said first attachment point of said rigid connecting means and said output of said reciprocating drive means when said arm is in said fully contracted position, wherein adjustment is achieved by changing said connection of said second attachment point of said rigid connecting means from the existing said attachment point of said element of said arm to a nonidentical attachment point of said element of said arm selected from said multiple attachment points on said element of said arm. 
     
     
         13 . An exercise machine, comprising in combination:
 a frame;   an arm pivotally connected to said frame, configured to engage an exercising user;   a reciprocating drive fixedly mounted to said frame, said drive including an electric motor operatively connected to a mechanical speed reducer the output of which is operatively connected a reciprocating mechanism, wherein said reciprocating mechanism provides the output of said reciprocating drive;   a rigid connecting rod having a first attachment point and a second attachment point separated by a predetermined distance for connecting the output of said reciprocating drive to said arm so that movement of said reciprocating drive causes said arm to move in response thereto, said arm being constrained thereby to move along a stroke path between a fully contracted position closest to said user, and a fully extended position furthest from said user, said fully contracted position being fixed and said fully extended position being adjustable;   a adjustment feature for adjusting said fully extended position of said arm without changing said fully contracted position, said adjustment feature comprising said first attachment point of said rigid connecting rod being pivotally connected to said output of said reciprocating drive and said second attachment point of said rigid connecting rod being slidably and pivotally connected to an element of said arm, said element having multiple attachment points laid out in a circular arc such that the radius of said circular arc equal to the distance between said first attachment point of said rigid connecting rod and said second attachment point of said rigid connecting rod and the center point of said circular arc coincides with said connection between said first attachment point of said rigid connecting rod and said output of said reciprocating drive when said arm is in said fully contracted position, wherein adjustment is achieved by changing said connection of said second attachment point of said rigid connecting rod from the existing said attachment point of said element of said arm to a nonidentical attachment point of said element of said arm selected from said multiple attachment points on said element of said arm; and   a seat slidably mounted to said frame for receiving said user and countering force applied to said arm by said user, said seat including a seat bottom for said user to sit upon and a backrest for supporting the back of said user, the position of said seat being adjustable in a generally horizontal plane in a direction generally perpendicular to the pivotal axis of said arm and said seat bottom being adjustable in a generally vertical plane, said position of said seat being fixable once desired position is reached.   
     
     
         14 . The device defined in  claim 13 , wherein the output power of said electric motor is predetermined such that a generally constant rotational speed is maintained, generally irrespective of the force applied to said arm by said user. 
     
     
         15 . The device defined in  claim 13  wherein said reciprocating mechanism includes a mechanism selected from the group consisting of a scotch yoke mechanism, a cam and cam follower, a face cam and cam follower, and a six bar linkage. 
     
     
         16 . The device defined in  claim 13 , wherein said reciprocating drive provides a predetermined generally equal duration of the extension and contraction strokes of said arm. 
     
     
         17 . The exercise machine defined in  claim 13 , wherein said reciprocating drive provides a predetermined unequal duration of the extension and contraction strokes of said arm. 
     
     
         18 . An exercise machine, comprising in combination:
 a frame;   an arm pivotally connected to said frame, configured to engage an exercising user;   a reciprocating drive means for driving said arm, said reciprocating drive means being fixedly mounted to said frame;   a rigid connecting means for connecting said arm and said reciprocating drive means by having a first attachment point connected to the output of said reciprocating drive and a second attachment point connected to an element of said arm, so that movement of said reciprocating drive means causes said arm to move in response thereto, said arm being constrained thereby to move along a stroke path between a fully contracted position closest to said user, and a fully extended position furthest from said user, said fully contracted position being fixed and said fully extended position being adjustable;   adjustment means for adjusting said fully extended position of said arm without changing said fully contracted position, said adjustment means comprising said first attachment point of said rigid connecting means being pivotally connected to said output of said reciprocating drive means and said second attachment point of said rigid connecting means being slidably and pivotally connected to an element of said arm, said element having multiple attachment points laid out in a circular arc such that the radius of said circular arc is equal to said distance between said first attachment point of said rigid connecting means and said second attachment point of said rigid connecting means, and the center point of said circular arc coincides with said connection of said first attachment point of said rigid connecting means to said output of said reciprocating drive means when said arm is in said fully contracted position, wherein adjustment is achieved by changing existing said connecting of said second attachment point of said rigid connecting means from the existing said attachment point of said element of said arm to a nonidentical attachment point of said element of said arm selected from said multiple attachment points on said element of said arm; and   a user support means for receiving said user and countering force applied to said arm by said user, said user support means being slidably mounted to said frame, the position of said user support means being adjustable in relation to said arm and fixable once desired position is reached.   
     
     
         19 . The device defined in  claim 18 , wherein said reciprocating drive means provides a predetermined generally equal duration of the extension and contraction strokes of said arm. 
     
     
         20 . The exercise machine defined in  claim 18 , wherein said reciprocating drive means provides a predetermined unequal duration of the extension and contraction strokes of said arm.