CLOSED LOOP ROPE SYSTEM FOR A RESISTANCE TRAINING MACHINE, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS OF USE

Provided herein are Closed Loop Rope System for a Resistance Training Machines, Systems, and Methods of Use.

BACKGROUND

The invention generally relates to closed loop rope management systems for a resistance training machine.

Resistance training is a form of exercise undergone to build muscular strength and endurance by working against a weight or applied force. While some resistance training routines can be accomplished without external equipment, i.e., bodyweight exercises, many others require the use of specialized equipment, such as but not limited to free weights, weight machines, cable machines, resistance bands, and the like.

Traditional resistance training equipment is often specialized and, while each piece of equipment may offer distinct advantages, each may also suffer from drawbacks and inefficiencies. For example, free weights and weight machines are commonly employed for isotonic exercises, i.e., exercises requiring muscle activation against a constant force across a given range of motion. However, adjusting the weight or force for such exercises can be inconvenient, often requiring a user to add or remove plates, install clips, swap out dumbbells, etc. Furthermore, initiating an exercise with free weights and weight machines can create undue strain on a user's body, since the force applied by such equipment acts as a step function-jumping from zero to the full resistance. Perhaps more importantly, traditional resistance training equipment is usually designed for specific exercises or specific exercise modes only, requiring an individual to own a plurality of equipment in order to access a variety of well-rounded exercises.

More recently, ‘smart’ exercise machines have been developed that claim to offer a number of different exercises in a single machine. These machines commonly operate by providing resistive forces through electronic motors, which may be adjusted to the user's strength level. However, the exercise machines disclosed by the prior art have consistently failed to provide a range of exercise modes or can provide some modes but fail in others. Moreover, such machines tend to be limited in the amount of force they produce; they are usually unwieldy and difficult to install or transport; and many fail to provide adequate safety measures for the user. Finally, neither traditional resistance training equipment nor newer exercise machines offer feedback regarding both user form and user balance during workouts.

The resistance exercise machine uses motors and ropes or cables to provide its users a unique electronic weight and an isokinetic experience. Due to this unique modality, it creates risk of rope tension failure should the user fail to keep the rope tension when the motor is letting out rope. The present invention attempts to solve these problems, as well as others.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Provided herein are Closed-Loop Rope Systems for a Resistance Training Machines, Systems, and Methods of Use.

The methods, systems, and apparatuses are set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or can be learned by practice of the methods, apparatuses, and systems. The advantages of the methods, apparatuses, and systems will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the methods, apparatuses, and systems, as claimed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention rather than limiting, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. The word “about,” when accompanying a numerical value, is to be construed as indicating a deviation of up to and inclusive of 10% from the stated numerical value. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (“e.g.,” or “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any nonclaimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

As used herein the term “method” refers to manners, means, techniques and procedures for accomplishing a given task including, but not limited to, those manners, means, techniques and procedures either known to, or readily developed from known manners, means, techniques and procedures by practitioners of the mechanical, software, and electrical arts. Unless otherwise expressly stated, it is in no way intended that any method or aspect set forth herein be construed as requiring that its steps be performed in a specific order. Accordingly, where a method claim does not specifically state in the claims or descriptions that the steps are to be limited to a specific order, it is no way intended that an order be inferred, in any respect. This holds for any possible non-express basis for interpretation, including matters of logic with respect to arrangement of steps or operational flow, plain meaning derived from grammatical organization or punctuation, or the number or type of aspects described in the specification.

Description of Embodiments

Referring now to the drawings and with specific reference to FIG. 1, a diagram of a multi-motor resistance training machine is generally referred to by a reference numeral 100 and may be generally referred to as machine or resistance training machine. The multi-motor resistance training machine 100 may be situated in a home, apartment, hotel, commercial gym, and the like, and may be capable of enabling both isotonic exercises and isokinetic exercises at varying force and velocity levels, respectively, for a user. Furthermore, the resistance training machine may measure and communicate form feedback, force feedback, velocity feedback, position feedback, calibration feedback, and balance feedback during some or all exercises performed on the machine 100, thereby improving workout efficacy and safety for the user. As seen in FIGS. 1-2, the multi-motor machine 100 may comprise at least a platform 102, a left cable 140A, a right cable 140B, and a human-machine interface (HMI) 110 to select one or more exercise modes. The resistance training machine 100 may comprise the platform 102 for a user to stand on and engage in exercises, wherein the platform may include a front section 1021, a middle section 1022, and a rear section 1023. An electromagnetic assembly (EM) 103 may be attached to the front section 1021, and a front upright stand 115 may be attached to and extend vertically from the EM assembly 103 to display the HMI 110. The EM assembly 103 operates with multi-motors to provide resistance training for isotonic exercises and isokinetic exercises in a plurality of modes. The multi-motors work together to provide left and right movements on the resistance training machine, where the multi-motors work in parallel with a speed gear box to employ a low force and a high-speed work out and a slower speed but a high force work out. Cables and ropes are used synonymously herein.

FIG. 2, a cut-away schematic of the platform 102 of the resistance training machine 100 is provided. In particular, the resistance training machine 100 may comprise a power supply 235, a power distribution board 236, a left motor assembly 255A, a right motor assembly 255B, a left pulley system 201A, a right pulley system 201B, a left cable 140A, a right cable 140B, a machine controller 250, and one or more load cells 299. Given the mirrored nature of the left elements and the right elements in many embodiments, for the ease of clarity, the descriptors “left” and “right” may be foregone if not specially indicated by a designator “A” after the reference numeral for “left” and designator “B” after the reference numeral for “right”. Accordingly, the following description may be applied to either or both the left and right elements of the resistance training machine 100. While each of the above components are located within the EM assembly 103 in FIG. 2, in other embodiments, some or all of the above components may be placed elsewhere in the machine 100. For example, each of the power supply 235, motors 255, and machine controller 250 may be located in the platform 102, and the pulley systems 201 may be located in both the EM assembly 103 and the platform 102. No limitation is intended herein for the precise placement of the components of the machine 100, which may include any combination of locations in the platform 102, EM assembly 103, and front upright stand 115.

As seen in FIG. 2, the right pulley system 201B may be configured to operatively convert a torque outputted by the right motor system 255B to a vertical (Z-axis) force vector, i.e., a force vector having a non-zero vertical (Z-axis) component. Associated with the right pulley system 201B is the right cable 140B, which may be operatively, but not necessarily directly, coupled to the right motor 255B at a first end, and which may run through the right pulley system 201B. In other words, a torque generated by the right motor 255B may be operatively converted into tension in the right cable 140B through the right pulley system 201B at the second end of the right cable 140B. As previously discussed, an analogous configuration may be applied to the left motor system 255A, left pulley system 201A, and left cable 140A. The cables 140A, 140B may be fixed to the drum pulley 280A, 280B at a first end and configured to wind and unwind from the drum pulleys 280A, 280B as it is retracted and extended, respectively. More specifically, the cables 140A, 140B may begin at the drum pulleys 280A, 280B, extend through the one or more cable pulleys, and exit vertically through the pulley housing 205A, 205B. The cables 140A, 140B exert a force countered by the left motor 255A and right motor 255B, respectively. In some embodiments, the pulley housing 205 may be located on an outer perimeter of the platform 102, wherein a left pulley housing 205A and a right pulley housing 205B may be appropriately mirrored across the platform 102. In other embodiments, however, the pulley housing 205 and the termination of the cable 140 may be located in other sections of the platform 102, may be symmetrical across a different plane of the platform 102, or may not be symmetrical at all. No limitation is intended herein for the number of elements included in each pulley system 201, which may include elements designed to change a direction of travel for the cable 140, stabilize the cable 140, manage reactive forces, and even perform force multiplication. In one embodiment, the right pulley housing 205B and the left pulley housing 205A includes a sensor to measure the tension on the right and left cable, respectively. The pulley housing sensor measures tension to send feedback to the motors if the motors stop or slow down below a threshold and prevent the cables from being tangled or wrapped around any part of the pulley systems. Finally, the right pulley system 201B and the left pulley system 201A may be configured and behave analogously and may or may not be symmetrical with its right counterpart. The closed loop rope system is operably coupled with sensors along the right pulley system 201B and the left pulley system 201A to measure tension on the cable or rope as discussed below.

Furthermore, each cable 140 may extend from the pulley housing 205 and run through one or more workout pulleys, which further change a direction of movement and force of the cable 140, thereby enabling yet additional exercises which can be performed on the resistance training machine 100. It may be appreciated that, regardless of the exercise being performed, all force vectors ultimately terminate on the platform 102 and are transferred into the floor, a configuration which may enable larger weights to be safely handled by the machine 100. Indeed, in some embodiments, a combination of the left cable 255A and right cable 255B may be capable of exerting upwards of 800 to 1000 pounds of resistance during a workout.

In some embodiments, it may be understood that the ‘relative’ beginning and ‘relative’ end positions may be used merely to define a length of travel for the cable. For example, various exercises may be started from any cable position, and the difference between the calibrated beginning and end positions may be used to determine a length of travel until the end position of the exercise. It may further be appreciated that some or all exercises may require calibration of only one of or both of the left and right cables.

After an exercise and its parameters are selected, the user may then begin the exercise and move the cable to a beginning position, without resistance from the motors. More specifically, the user may enter a GO command into the HMI, after which a period of time is allocated for the user to freely move the cable to the desired beginning position, such as between about 1 and about 10 seconds and, more preferably, between 4 and 6 seconds. As previously discussed, this beginning position may then be used by the machine controller to define the end position of the exercise, based on the difference between the relative beginning and the relative end that was calibrated for the exercise.

Next, the motor may ramp up the cable to a constant velocity, e.g., for an isokinetic exercise, or ramp up the cable to a constant force, e.g., for an isotonic exercise. The user may then perform a repetition of the exercise at the constant velocity or force. Near the end position of the motion, the motor may ramp down the cable from the constant velocity to zero or a minimum velocity, e.g., for the isokinetic exercise; or ramp down the cable from the constant force to zero or a minimum force, e.g., for an isotonic exercise. Finally, steps may be repeated for a selected number of repetitions, and the workout completed. In various embodiments, specific ramp up and ramp down times may be selected by the user, set by the manufacturer, and/or changed according to the associated exercise; and may be set to between 0.5 and 3 seconds, and more preferably, between 1 and 2 seconds. Furthermore, additional smoothing, such as S-curve smoothing, may be applied to the motion profile of the cable during either ramp up or ramp down procedures.

In some embodiments, the machine may feature a Pull-in Slack mode that is designed to retract the cables when no longer in use. Accordingly, the method 600 may include the motor retracting the cable to the docking position at a minimum force or minimum velocity if/when certain conditions are met. According to an embodiment, the Pull-In Slack mode may be activated if/when the cable is not in the docking position and no resistance has been detected by the machine controller for between 5 and 15 seconds and, more preferably, between 8 and 12 seconds. In the same or other embodiments, the Pull-in Slack Mode may be deactivated (and the retraction ceased) if, during retraction, a resistance is detected in the cables. It may be understood that Pull-in Slack mode may also be activated in other circumstances and may be activated for a single cable at a time or both cables concurrently.

Closed-Loop Management System

The resistance training machine provides high torque, constant velocity, variable force in the Isokinetic mode and constant force, variable speed, lower torque in the Isotonic Mode. In order to switch between modes, the modes require that there are at least two gear trains for each unique mode. The resistance training machine uses motors and ropes or cables to provide its users a unique electronic weight and Isokinetic experience.

As shown in FIG. 3, the closed loop rope system 350 manages rope tension failure should the user fail to keep the rope tension when the motor is letting out rope 352. The closed loop rope system prevents the rope from tangling and jamming the exercise machine, and the method to monitors the pulley, rope exits and tension status 354 through the motor and controller operably coupling with a sensor. The closed loop rope system comprises a plurality of rope touch points and monitoring each rope touch point with a hall effect sensor after the motor is outfitted to the pulley or roller 356 and monitoring the rotation of that pulley or roller with the hall effect sensor 358. The closed loop rope system constantly compares to the motor encoder positions and within milliseconds can stop the “push on a rope” very negative action 360. The closed loop rope system includes a sensor that loops back to the motor which quickly stops and even reverses to retighten/tension the rope 362.

In one embodiment, the closed loop rope system includes a movement error protocol used by an operating system to receive an event about movement error. The movement error protocol includes an invalid movement command, a can't start workout due to calibration is not set, an invalid state transition, a hall sensor triggered, and an unable to set movement data.

The movement error acknowledgment is used for sending acknowledge about receiving error from the first operating system to the second operating system. The sensor status protocol is used to receive events about hall sensor status change. The sensor status protocol includes a status of the left hall sensor, a status of right hall sensor, a status of motor safety circuit and whether it is enabled, or the safety is triggered.

In another embodiment, the closed loop rope system 370 is shown in FIG. 4 which includes a tortuous pathway for the cable 140 traversing a first rope pulley 400 and a second rope pulley 402 creating a 120-degree angle for the cable 140 before exiting the platform 102. While the cable 140 traverses the first rope pulley 400 and the second rope pulley 402, a force sensor 410 senses any tension on the cable and measures the force on the cable 140 before exiting the platform 102. The force sensor 410 measures between about 0.5 lbs and about 500 lbs of tension on the cable 140 ensuring the tension remains on the cable 140. The closed loop rope system 370 constantly measures the tension on the cable 140 within milliseconds can stop the “push on a rope” very negative action 360. The force sensor 410 signals and loops back to the motor which quickly stops and even reverses to retighten/tension the cable.

As shown in FIG. 5, the closed loop rope system 370 manages rope tension failure should the user fail to keep the rope tension when the motor is letting out rope or cable 372. The closed loop rope system prevents the rope from tangling and jamming the exercise machine, and the method to monitors the pulley, rope exits and tension status 374 through operation of the motor and controller. The closed loop rope system comprises the first pulley and the second pulley and monitoring the force with a force sensor after the motor and before the rope exiting the platform 376, while monitoring the rotation of the second pulley or first pulley with the force sensor 358. The closed loop rope system constantly compares to the motor encoder positions and within milliseconds can stop the “push on a rope” very negative action 380. The closed loop rope system includes the force sensor that loops or signals back to the motor which quickly stops and even reverses to retighten/tension the rope 382.

Module

In one embodiment, a training program module removes break/stop of the motor system from the closed loop rope system and sets proper actuator position. The training program module sends the start calibration mode or sets the movement data from a previous calibration, where the motor system module tracks the encoder and not allow the user to pull out more cable by placing the brake at the proper max/min. If calibration is needed, the motor drive module looks for the tension on the cables and if the user is resisting the cable, the drive system should stop pulling the cable in. The user then presses the sensor once it is at the right stop.

The programming framework comprises an independently implementing closed-loop Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller that is capable of independently tuning the drive system 1570 to operate at a constant current, operate at a constant position, operate at a constant velocity, and/or implement a specific motion profile. The motor system module moves the cable and provides tension by a control loop or the closed loop rope system. The motor system module may apply a stop value, a start value, current value or a speed value, depending on isotonic or isokinetic mode applied. The PID values instructions the motor on how smooth the motor will pull the cable and how much current will be applied to the motor to pull the cable or provide tension on the cable or a counter force. In the same or other embodiments, the motor system module may operatively supply instructions to the drive system with respect to the above parameters through a CAN bus, PWM signal, or similar protocol common to the art. When the exercise machine is off, the motor system module applies a brake or stop value to the right and left motor systems.

The PID controller 1540 updates all closed-loop modes every 1 ms (1000 Hz). While tuning the closed-loop, a tuner configuration may quickly change the gains between about 0.001 seconds and about 0.1 seconds. Once the PID loop is stable, the gain values are set in code. There are different tuning methods used to tune PID controller such as Ziegler-Nichol's method, manual tuning method and MATLAB tuning method.

In one embodiment, PID controller will pull closed-loop gain/setting information from a selected slot, where there are four slots to choose from for gain-scheduling, kF, kP, kI, and kD. The PID controller loop may be used for a velocity closed-loop, a current closed-loop, or a Velocity Feed Forward gain (kF). kF is the Feed Fwd gain for Closed loop. kP is the Proportional gain for closed loop, which is multiplied by closed loop error in sensor units. kI is the Integral gain for closed loop, which is multiplied by closed loop error in sensor units every PID Loop. kD is the Derivative gain for closed loop, which is multiplied by derivative error (sensor units per PID loop).