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US-20260124489-A1 - EXERCISE DEVICE AND METHOD OF USE

US20260124489A1US 20260124489 A1US20260124489 A1US 20260124489A1US-20260124489-A1

Abstract

An easily transportable exercise assembly has a platform housing that can support a user during an exercise. The exercise assembly has at least one gear system that has comprises a first face gear having a first plurality of concentric gear rings and a second face gear having a second plurality of concentric gear rings. There is a resistance mechanism within the platform housing. A first cable is operatively coupled with the first face gear and the resistance mechanism. A second cable is operatively coupled with the second face gear. The user of the exercise assembly manipulates an end of the second cable to experience a resistance in the second cable imparted from the resistance mechanism through the at least one gear system subassembly.

Inventors

  • Steve A. Copeland
  • Devyn Slocum
  • Nicholas Teixeira
  • Tyler John Raul Loucks
  • Brian Balogh

Assignees

  • MyoPlatform Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251231

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A gear system for an exercise assembly, the gear system comprising: a first face gear having a first plurality of concentric gear rings; a second face gear having a second plurality of concentric gear rings; a component that causes the first face gear and the second face gear to be in operative communication; an adjustable and user-selected gear ratio of the first face gear relative to the second face gear depending on a user-selected engagement position of the component with the first face gear and a user-selected engagement position of the component with the second face gear; wherein a resistance experienced by a user of an exercise assembly depends on the gear ratio.
  2. 2 . The gear system of claim 1 , wherein the component is a driveshaft having a first end and a second end, wherein the driveshaft causes the first face gear and the second face gear to be in operative communication with each other.
  3. 3 . The gear system of claim 2 , further comprising: a first pinion coupled to the driveshaft near the first end, wherein the first pinion interacts with the first face gear; a second pinion coupled to the driveshaft near the second end, wherein the second pinion interacts with the second face gear; and wherein the gear ratio of the first face gear relative to the second face gear depends on the user-selected engagement position of the first pinion with the first face gear and the user-selected engagement position of the second pinion with the second face gear.
  4. 4 . The gear system of claim 3 , wherein rotation of the second face gear imparts rotation to the second pinion gear that imparts rotation to the driveshaft, and the driveshaft thereby imparts rotation to the first pinion that imparts rotation to the first face gear.
  5. 5 . The gear system of claim 3 , wherein the first pinion selectively engages the first face gear at one gear ring in the first plurality of concentric gear rings, and wherein the second pinion selectively engages the second face gear at one gear ring in the second plurality of concentric gear rings.
  6. 6 . The exercise assembly of claim 2 , further comprising: a brake shaft operatively coupled to driveshaft, wherein the brake shaft is offset parallel to the driveshaft.
  7. 7 . The exercise assembly of claim 6 , further comprising: a first brake fixedly connected to the brake shaft, wherein the first brake selectively engages the first face gear to lock with the first face gear and selectively disengages the first face gear to unlock from the first face gear.
  8. 8 . The gear system of claim 7 , further comprising: a first pinion coupled to the driveshaft near the first end, wherein the first pinion interacts with the first face gear; wherein the first pinion is selectively moved between concentric gear rings in the first plurality of concentric gear rings when the first brake is unlocked.
  9. 9 . The exercise assembly of claim 7 , further comprising: a second brake fixedly connected to the brake shaft, wherein the second brake selectively engages the second face gear to lock with the second face gear and selectively disengages the second face gear to unlock from the second face gear.
  10. 10 . The gear system of claim 9 , further comprising: a second pinion coupled to the driveshaft near the second end, wherein the second pinion interacts with the second face gear; wherein the second pinion is selectively moved between concentric gear rings in the second plurality of concentric gear rings when the second brake is unlocked.
  11. 11 . The gear system of claim 1 , wherein the concentric gear rings on the first face gear and the concentric gears on the second face gear are facing the same direction; and wherein the concentric gear rings on the first face gear and the concentric gears on the second face gear are oriented in the vertical direction such that first face gear rotates about a first vertical axis and the second face gear rotates about a second vertical axis that is parallel to the first vertical axis.
  12. 12 . The gear system of claim 1 , further comprising: a third face gear having a third plurality of concentric gear rings; a fourth face gear having a fourth plurality of concentric gear rings; a second component that causes the third face gear and the fourth face gear to be in operative communication with each; an adjustable and user-selected gear ratio of the third face gear relative to the fourth face gear depending on a user-selected engagement position of the second component with the third face gear and a user-selected engagement position of the component with the fourth face gear.
  13. 13 . An exercise assembly comprising: a frame; at least one gear system subassembly, wherein the at least one gear system subassembly comprises a first gear and a second gear, wherein the first gear and the second gear are in operative communication with each other via a driveshaft; an adjustable and user-selected gear ratio of the first gear relative to the second gear that depends on a user-selected engagement position the driveshaft with the first gear and a user-selected engagement position of the driveshaft with the second gear; a resistance mechanism having a first end connected to the frame and a second end coupled to at least one pulleys; a first cable operatively coupled with the first gear and the resistance mechanism; and a second cable operatively coupled with the second gear, and an end of the second cable adapted to be manipulated by the user of the exercise assembly to experience a resistance in the second cable imparted from the resistance mechanism through the at least one gear system subassembly; wherein the resistance from the resistance mechanism that is experienced by the user of the exercise assembly depends on the gear ratio.
  14. 14 . The exercise assembly of claim 13 , wherein the resistance mechanism moves between a first position and an extended second position in response to movement of the first cable having been driven by the at least one gear system subassembly.
  15. 15 . The exercise assembly of claim 14 , wherein the resistance mechanism is a gas strut that moves between the first position and the extended second position.
  16. 16 . The exercise assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first gear is a first face gear having a first plurality of concentric gear rings.
  17. 17 . A method for an exercise assembly comprising: rotating a first face gear within an exercise assembly in response to rotation of driveshaft in operative communication with the first face gear; rotating a second face gear within the exercise device in response to pulling a cable on the exercise device, wherein the driveshaft is in operative communication with the second face gear such that rotation of the second face gear imparts rotation to driveshaft; imparting resistance, via a resistance mechanism, through the first face gear and the second face gear to the cable; wherein the resistance experienced by a user of the exercise assembly depends on a gear ratio of the first face gear and the second face gear.
  18. 18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising: changing the gear ratio of the first face gear to the second face gear in response to one of (i) moving a first pinion along the driveshaft to engage an additional concentric ring gear on the first face gear, (ii) moving a second pinion along the driveshaft to engage an additional concentric ring gear on the second face gear, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).
  19. 19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising: disengaging a first brake from the first face gear; moving a pinion along the pinion driveshaft when the first brake is disengaged; and re-engaging the first brake after moving the first pinion to a different position along the driveshaft.
  20. 20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising: imparting rotation to a radial spherical plain bearing on a pinion on the driveshaft in response to pulling the cable.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/652,907, filed on May 2, 2024, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure is directed to an exercise device and its method of use. BACKGROUND ART It is well known that regular exercise offers a plethora of health benefits that positively impact human well-being. Engaging in physical activity helps prevent excess weight gain and assists in maintaining lost weight. Exercise plays a role in combating various health conditions and diseases. Exercise also has a positive impact on mood, physical stamina, and improved sleep patterns, amounts other benefits. Exercising with free weights provides several benefits. When a person uses dumbbells, barbells, or kettlebells, the person exercising will typically engage more muscles during exercises. For instance, a dumbbell shoulder press not only targets muscles in the shoulders but also activates core, traps, and triceps as they stabilize the person's body. Additionally, free weights promote functional fitness by mimicking real-life movements. These free weights are useful when they are in a unique location, such as a gym. However, these free weights are typically too heavy and take up too much space to transport to different locations. Exercising with weight machines also has advantages. These machines are particularly useful for beginners because they guide the proper form and reduce the risk of injury. The fixed range of motion ensures that the person exercising maintains the correct alignment during exercises. Weight machines are also beneficial for isolating specific muscles. Although these machines are beneficial, they are extremely heavy and often too large for one person to move. With continued reference to weight machines, instead of a weight stack, some machines use resistance bands. These machines with resistance bands require the person exercising to change many bands and these bands do not provide (i) simple adjustment in resistance levels, or (ii) the heavier resistance force required for weight training. This is typically over 100 pounds for each hand. Magnetic resistance has been used in a few cable resistance exercise machines, but they also cannot reach the required pound force without significant weight and cost, using rare earth magnets or by utilizing electromagnets. There are some pneumatic and hydraulic cable resistance exercise machines, but these are used in permanent gym installations as they are very large and heavy. Based on the large size and heavy weight, none of these mechanisms allow for a single person to easily move or transport their resistance exercise system to use at a different location. For example, in a park, a small apartment/condominium or while travelling. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thus, what is needed is an improved exercise platform that can be easily transported but still provide the necessary higher levels or heavier resistance for weight training. The present disclosure addresses these and other issues by providing an exercise platform that utilizes a combination of gears, cables, a piston and cylinder to generate heavy resistance loads in a transportable platform. One embedment of the platform of the present disclosure has size dimensions or parameter will fit into a typical sedan automobile. One embodiment of the resistance exercise platform includes two cable resistance force systems. Each of the two cable resistance force systems includes a cog roller-toothed gear assembly coupled to one end of a drive or pinion shaft and a second cog roller-toothed gear assembly coupled to the other end of the drive or pinion shaft, where the cog roller-toothed gear assemblies mesh with two front face concentric gear rings having plain ring bearings (and not roller bearings). The cable resistance force system includes a tension gas strut (e.g., a pneumatic strut) and two hoists with pulleys. The back end of the tension gas strut is secured to the frame of the platform. A cable is wound around the first concentric gear ring, with three gear tooth rings or levels. The cable then extends or runs through the pulleys in a first hoist that is attached to the wall and through the pulleys in a second hoist that is attached to one end (e.g., the front) of the gas strut. This greatly increases the draw length of the cable relative to the extension of the tension gas strut. The second concentric gear ring, with thirteen tooth gear rings or levels, has another cable wound around it that runs through a pulley that is attached to the frame and the end of the cable is attached to a hand grip or handle on the exterior of the platform. The second cable resistance force system mirrors that which has been described above but is located on an opposite side of the platform. Each of the two cable resistance force systems has a resistance adjustment system that has a first lever to slide the first c