Abstract:
Adjustable press arm apparatus and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, an exercise machine includes a load, a force-transferring assembly operatively coupled to the load, and a movable press arm operatively coupled to a press arm adjustment assembly that is selectively engageable with the force-transferring assembly. The press arm adjustment assembly includes a moveable swing member having an indexing portion, and an engagement device coupled to and moveable with the swing member, the engagement device being adapted to operatively engage the force-transferring assembly. A locking device is coupled to the press arm and moveable between first and second position to selectively coupled and uncouple the press arm from the load.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to adjustable press arm apparatus and methods for exercise machines. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Weight training machines are highly popular with people interested in exercising to maintain their health and appearance. Conventional weight training machines typically include a weight stack that provides a variable load, and one or more exercise stations coupled to the weight stack that enable a person to exercise different portions of their body. One of the exercise stations is typically a press station that includes a press arm. At the press station, a user may apply force to the press arm to perform a variety of different exercises. 
     For example,  FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an exercise machine  100  that includes a press station  102  in accordance with the prior art. The exercise machine  100  includes a press station  102  having a press arm  106  pivotally coupled to a first upright member  108  of a support frame  109 . The press arm  106  includes a laterally-extending member  110  that is operatively coupled by a cable-and-pulley assembly (not shown) to a weight stack  105  partially enclosed within a shroud  112 . The exercise machine  100  further includes a high pull station  114  and a butterfly station  116  that are also operatively coupled to the weight stack  105  by the cable-and-pulley assembly. Exercise machines of the type shown in  FIG. 1  are described more fully, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,601 issued to Ish, which patent is incorporated herein by reference. 
     The press station  102  of the exercise machine  100  of  FIG. 1  has many components that are associated with the operability and adjustability of the press arm  106 . For example,  FIGS. 2 through 4  provide various elevational views of the press station  102  of  FIG. 1 . As best shown in  FIG. 2 , the press arm  106  is fixed to a bracket  25  extending laterally from a rigid connection to the laterally-extending member  110 . The member  110  has a right stub shaft  26   a  journaled in the first upright member  108  and a left stub shaft  26   b  that may be journaled into a second upright member  118  ( FIG. 1 ). An adjustment assembly  30  is coupled to the laterally-extending member  110  that includes a swing arm  32  and a curved adjustment plate  33  which are journaled on the left stub shaft  26   b  at opposite sides of the second upright member  118 , and are cross-connected by a cross-member  34  which is spaced from the second upright member  118 . A lever arm  36  projects from the center of the cross-member  34 , and the adjustment plate  33 , and has an elongated hub  33   d  journaled on the stub shaft  26   b.    
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , a cam strip  35  is shaped to receive a cable  52  and is mounted on the free end of the lever arm  36 . A stop rod  37  is fixed to the free end of the lever arm  36  and positioned to the left of the cam strip  35 . The stop rod  37  extends rearwardly from the lever arm  36  toward the second upright member  118  and preferably has a bumper on its rear end for engagement with the second upright member  118  as a stop. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the adjustment plate  33  has an arcuate forward edge containing a series of teeth  33   a  and having stop ears  33   b ,  33   c  at its opposite ends. Complementing the adjustment plate is a swing plate  38  extending along side the adjustment plate laterally from a weld connection to the left end of the extension tube  26 . At its outer end, the swing plate  38  is formed with a retaining hook  38   a  doubling back around the toothed edge portion of the adjustment plate. This hooked portion  38   a  has a pair of aligned radially-extending slots  39  receiving a latching finger  40  extending through the slots integrally from the outer end of a link  41  of round bar stock having its inner end bent to provide an integral pin  42  passing through a hole in a crank  43 . The crank  43  projects through a side opening in the laterally-extending member  110  from a rocker shaft  44  extending along the inside of the laterally-extending member  110 . The rocker shaft  44  has its ends passing through openings in a pair of inserts  46  which are welded to the inner ends of the stub shafts  26   a ,  26   b  and to the laterally-extending member  110 . 
     Adjacent its right end the rocker shaft  44  has a second crank  46  extending through a respective side opening in the laterally-extending member  110  to pivotally connect via an intermediate link  48  with a generally U-shaped handle  50 . The handle  50  is swing-mounted for up and down swinging movement by right and left trunnion portions  50   a - 50   b  passing through holes in laterally spaced side walls of the bracket  25 . The handle continues rearwardly beyond the trunnion  50   b  as a lever  51 . The lever  51  and the crank  56  have holes therethrough receiving bent end portions  48   a ,  48   b  on the link  48 . A tension spring  49  is anchored at one end on an ear mounted on the bracket  25  and has its other end hooked over the link  48  adjacent the outer end portion  48   a  of the link so as to bias the handle  50  downwardly toward the bracket  25 . 
     In operation, manually swinging the handle  50  upwardly causes the lever  51  to swing downwardly in opposition to the spring  49  and thereby pull on the link  48  such that the crank  46  responsively is swung downwardly. The resulting turning of the rocker shaft  44  in the clockwise direction when viewed from the right end, swings the crank  43  at the left end of the rocker shaft downwardly, and this motion pushes on the link  41  such that the latching finger  40  is moved outwardly to the outer end of the slots  39 . In this outer position the latching finger  40  is radially outward of the teeth in the adjustment plate  33 . The press arm unit  24  is then free to be swung upwardly or downwardly to the desired starting position resulting in swinging of the swing plate  38  and latching finger  40  relative to the adjustment plate  33 . The stop ears  33   b ,  33   c  limit movement of the press arm  106  during adjustment of its starting position. The adjustment handle  50  is then released causing the latching finger  40  to retract into one of the slots  39  and mesh between the adjacent teeth  33   a  on the adjustment plate  33 , thereby coupling the swing plate  38  and adjustment plate  33  together. 
     From the foregoing it is seen that upward swinging of the press arm  106  from the selected starting position in performing a press exercise results in forward and upward swinging of the cam strip  35  by connection of the press arm unit therewith via the laterally-extending member  110 , swing plate  38 , latching finger  40 , adjustment plate  33 , and lever arm  32 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , such movement of the cam strip  35   a , results in tensioning of a press cable  52  positioned in a keyhole slot at the outer end of a brace  35   a  for the cam strip  35   a  and having a ball stop  53  engaging the brace  35   a . The press cable  52  is part of the cable-and-pulley assembly coupled to the weight stack  105 . Hence, upward swinging of the press arm  106  is resisted by the selected load of weight plates in the weight stack  105 . 
     Although desirable results have been achieved using prior art exercise machines of the type shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , there may be room for improvement. For example, in the above-described apparatus, the relatively large number of components in the press station  102  increases the cost of manufacture and assembly, and therefore the overall cost of the exercise machine. The number of components may also increase the maintenance associated with the exercise machine  100 . Thus, novel apparatus and methods that mitigate these characteristics of prior art exercise machines would be useful. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to adjustable press arm apparatus and methods for exercise machines. Embodiments of apparatus and methods in accordance with the present invention may advantageously provide the desired operability and adjustability of the press arm with a relatively simple, robust, and less expensive assembly in comparison with the prior art. 
     In one embodiment, an exercise machine includes a load, a force-transferring assembly operatively coupled to the load, and a movable press arm operatively coupled to a press arm adjustment assembly that is selectively engageable with the force-transferring assembly. The press arm adjustment assembly includes a moveable swing member having an indexing portion, and an engagement device coupled to and moveable with the swing member, the engagement device being adapted to operatively engage the force-transferring assembly. A locking device is coupled to the press arm and moveable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the locking device is engaged with the indexing portion and the swing member is coupled to the press arm such that a force exerted on the press arm is transmitted through the force-transferring assembly to the load. In the second position, the locking device is disengaged from the indexing portion and the swing member is decoupled from the press arm, allowing the position of the press arm to be adjusted as desired. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an exercise machine that includes a press station in accordance with the prior art; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged, partial elevational view of the press station of the exercise machine of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are partial side elevational views of the press station of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric view of an exercise machine having a press station in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the press station of the exercise machine of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a cable-and-pulley assembly of the exercise machine of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged, partially-exploded isometric view of a portion of the adjustable bench and the cable-and-pulley assembly of the exercise machine of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a partially-exploded isometric view of the press station of the exercise machine of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a partial isometric view of the press station of the exercise machine of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a side elevational view of an adjustment assembly of the press station of  FIGS. 9 and 10 ; and 
         FIG. 12  is an isometric view of a portion of the press station of the exercise machine of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention relates to press arm apparatus and methods for exercise machines. Many specific details of certain embodiments of the invention are set forth in the following description and in  FIGS. 5-12  to provide a thorough understanding of such embodiments. One skilled in the art will understand, however, that the present invention may have additional embodiments, or that the present invention may be practiced without several of the details described in the following description. 
     In general, apparatus and methods in accordance with the present invention may advantageously provide a press arm having significantly fewer parts than prior art assemblies. Thus, the desired operability and adjustability of the press arm may be achieved using a relatively simple assembly that is easier and less expensive to manufacture, assemble, and maintain in comparison with prior art adjustable press arms. 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are isometric and side elevational views of an exercise machine  200  having a press station  202  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the press station  202  is positioned proximate a first end of an adjustable bench  220 , and a leg station  204  is positioned at least proximate to (including possibly attached to) a second end of the adjustable bench  220 . The press station  202  includes a press arm  206  pivotally coupled to a first upright member  208  of a support frame  209 . The components of the press station  202  are described more fully below with reference to  FIGS. 9 through 11 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the exercise machine  200  further includes a lat pull (or high pulley) station  232 , a butterfly station  234 , and a low pulley station  236 . The lat pull station  232  includes a lat bar  238  positioned at an end of a reach arm  240  that extends outwardly from an upper end of a second upright member  242 . The butterfly station  234  includes a seat  244  positioned atop a third upright member  246  of the support frame  209 , and a pair of moveable swing arms  248  operatively coupled to the support frame  209  and positioned proximate the seat  244 . Thus, while seated on the seat  244 , a user may perform exercises using the lat pull station  232  and the butterfly station  234 . The low pulley station  236  is positioned near a lower end of the first upright member  208 , and is typically used by standing proximate the first upright member  208 . As described more fully below, a cable-and-pulley assembly  250  ( FIG. 7 ) is coupled to the exercise stations  202 ,  204 ,  232 ,  234 ,  236 , and operatively couples the exercise stations  202 ,  204 ,  232 ,  234 ,  236  to a weight stack  205  partially enclosed by a shroud  207  ( FIG. 5 ). 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a cable-and-pulley assembly  250  of the exercise machine  200  of  FIG. 5 . In this embodiment, the cable-and-pulley assembly  250  includes a plurality of subassemblies that couple the various exercise stations to the weight stack  205 . Except for certain inventive aspects of the cable-and-pulley assembly  250 , the tensioning and cooperation of the one or more cable-and-pulley subassemblies is generally known and is described more fully, for example, in the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,601 issued to Ish, and in U.S. Pat. No. RE 34,572 issued to Johnson et al., which patent is incorporated herein by reference. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , in this embodiment, the cable-and-pulley assembly  250  includes a first cable-and-pulley subassembly  260  having a first cable  262  coupled to the weight stack  205  and extending upwardly through the shroud  207 . The first cable  262  is engaged onto a first guide pulley  264  and an upper pulley  266  of a first double floating pulley  258 . The first cable  262  terminates at a first anchor point  268  proximate an upper end of the shroud  207 . 
     A second cable-and-pulley subassembly  252  includes a second cable  254  that is engaged onto a lower pulley  256  of the first double floating pulley  258  within the shroud  207 . The second cable  254  is further engaged onto a second guide pulley  260  proximate a lower portion of the shroud  207 , a third guide pulley  262  proximate a lower end of the first upright member  208 , and a fourth guide pulley  264  proximate an upper end of the first upright member  208 . The second cable  254  then engages onto an upper pulley  266  of a second double floating pulley  268 , and onto fifth and sixth guide pulleys  270 ,  272  before terminating at the low pulley station  236 . In this embodiment, a ball stop  299  is coupled to the second cable  254  proximate the low pulley station  236 . 
     The second cable  254  also extends from the first double floating pulley  258  within the shroud  207  to seventh, eighth, and ninth pulleys  251 ,  253 ,  255  operatively associated with the press station  202 . The second cable  254  then engages onto a tenth guide pulley  259  proximate a lower portion of the second upright member  242 , and engages onto a lower pulley  261  of a third double floating pulley  263  before terminating at a single floating pulley  265 . 
     As further shown in  FIG. 7 , a third cable-and-pulley subassembly  210  includes a third cable  274  having a first end coupled to the leg station  204 . The third cable  274  is engaged onto eleventh and twelfth guide pulleys  276 ,  278 , and extends upwardly through the first upright member  270  to engage onto a lower pulley  280  of the second double floating pulley  268 . The third cable  274  further then engages onto a thirteenth guide pulley  282  and extends outwardly along the first horizontal member  230  of the support frame  209  ( FIG. 6 ). As shown in  FIGS. 6 through 8 , the third cable  274  then engages onto a fourteenth guide pulley  284  that is coupled to the first horizontal support  230 , and then extends back along the engagement member  228  to attach at a termination point  286  on the bench support assembly  221 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 7 , in this embodiment, a fourth cable-and-pulley subassembly  267  is operatively associated with the lat pull station  232 . The fourth cable-and-pulley subassembly  267  has a fourth cable  269  coupled to a second anchor point  271  proximate an upper end of the second upright member  242 . The fourth cable  269  engages onto an upper pulley  273  of the third double floating pulley  263 , and onto fifteenth and sixteenth guide pulleys  275 ,  277  before terminating at the lat pull station  232 . In this embodiment, a ball stop  299  is coupled to the fourth cable  269  proximate the lat pull station  232 . As an exercising force is exerted on the lat bar  233  of the lat pull station  232 , various portions of the cable-and-pulley assembly  250  are tensioned and cooperate such that a corresponding force is transmitted through the fourth cable  269 , the second cable  254 , and the first cable  262  to the weight stack  205 . 
     Furthermore, a fifth cable-and-pulley subassembly  279  is associated with the butterfly station  234 , and includes a fifth cable  281  engaged onto the single floating pulley  265 . The fifth cable  281  is then engaged onto seventeenth and eighteenth guide pulleys  283 ,  285 , and each end of the fifth cable  281  terminates at a swing arm  248  of the butterfly station  234 . As an exercising force is exerted on one or both of the swing arms  248  of the butterfly station  234 , various portions of the cable-and-pulley assembly  250  are tensioned and cooperate such that a corresponding force is transmitted through the fifth cable  281 , the second cable  254 , and the first cable  262  to the weight stack  205 . 
     The operation of the press station  202  will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 9 through 12 . In this embodiment, the press arm  206  is coupled to a transfer member  287  that extends laterally from approximately the press station  202  to approximately the shroud  207 . A press arm adjustment assembly  300  is coupled to the press arm  206  and includes a swing plate  302  coupled to the transfer member  287 . The eighth pulley  253  of the second cable-and-pulley subassembly  252  is coupled to the swing plate  302 . 
     As best shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the press arm adjustment assembly  300  includes an indexing portion  304  formed in (or coupled to) the swing plate  302 , and having a plurality of teeth  306 . A bracket  308  is coupled to the transfer member  287  and rotates therewith. A locking member  310  is moveably coupled to the bracket  308 , and a biasing spring  312  is engaged between the locking member  310  and the bracket  308 . The biasing spring  312  exerts a biasing force on the locking member  310 , urging the locking member  310  in a first (or locking) direction  314 . The locking member  310  is also moveable in a second (or unlocking) direction  316 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , an actuator assembly  320  is positioned proximate a handle  207  of the press arm  206 . The actuator assembly  320  includes a lever (or actuating handle)  322  attached to a shaft  324 . The shaft  324  is rotatable about its axis  329  in forward and aft directions  331 ,  333 . A coupling member  326  is engaged with the shaft  324 , and an actuator cable  328  has a first end attached to the coupling member  326  and a second end attached to the locking member  310  of the press arm adjustment mechanism  300  ( FIG. 11 ). Actuator assemblies of the type shown in  FIG. 12  are described more fully, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,748 B1 issued to Ish, incorporated herein by reference. 
     In operation, a user may move the lever  322  of the actuator assembly  320  in either a forward or aft direction  331 ,  333 , causing the shaft  324  to rotate. In turn, the coupling member  326  is moved along a first axis  346  of the actuator cable  328 . As the cable  328  is drawn in a tensioning direction  344 , the locking member  310  is moved in the unlocking direction  316 , releasing the bracket  308  from the indexing portion  304 . The press arm  206  may then be freely rotated upwardly or downwardly so that the press arm  206  may be moved into a desired initial position. After the press arm  206  is moved into the desired position, the user may release the lever  322 . The biasing spring  312  then urges the locking member  310  in the locking direction  314 , re-engaging the bracket  308  with the indexing portion  304  and locking the press arm  206  in the desired position. The movement of the locking member  310  draws the actuating cable  328  and the coupling member  326  in a re-engagement direction  346 , rotating the shaft  324  and returning the lever  322  to its initial position. 
     The user may then exert a lifting force on the press arm  206  to cause the press arm  206  to rotate upwardly along an arc  291  ( FIG. 9 ). In turn, the transfer member  287  is rotated and causes the swing plate  302 , and thus the eighth pulley  253 , to move along an arc  293  ( FIG. 10 ). The seventh and ninth pulleys  251 ,  255  remain fixed in position relative to the eighth pulley  253  during the movement of the swing plate  302 . Various portions of the cable-and-pulley assembly  250  are then tensioned and cooperate such that a corresponding force is transmitted through the second cable  254  and the first cable  262  to the weight stack  205  which provides the desired load for the exercise. 
     Press arm adjustment apparatus and methods in accordance with the present invention may provide substantial advantages over the prior art. For example, the desired operability and adjustability of the press arm may be achieved using a relatively simple assembly having significantly fewer parts than prior art assemblies. Thus, apparatus in accordance with the present invention may be easier and less expensive to manufacture, assemble, and maintain in comparison with prior art adjustable press arms. 
     In an alternate embodiment, the eighth pulley  253  that is coupled to the swing plate  302  may be eliminated, and the second cable  254  may be coupled directed to the swing plate  302 . More specifically, after engaging onto the seventh pulley  251 , the second cable  254  may terminate at the swing plate  302 . Thus, when the user applies a training force on the press station  202 , the movement of the swing plate  302  may pull directly on the second cable  254  to raise the training load. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 6 , in this embodiment, the adjustable bench  220  includes a bench support assembly  221  having a first portion  223  and a second portion  225  coupled thereto. An engagement member  228  of the support assembly  221  is adapted to slideably engage a first horizontal member  230  of the support frame  209 . A user may pivot the second portion  225  into a first position  222  that supports the user in a prone position, or into a second position  224  that supports the user in a sitting position. If a user desires to move the adjustable bench  220  along a lengthwise axis  226  ( FIG. 6 ), the user may simply push or pull the adjustable bench  220  in the desired direction until the desired position is achieved. The third cable  274  is operatively coupled between the leg station  204  and the termination point  286  on the bench support assembly  221  ( FIG. 8 ) so that as the adjustable bench  220  is repositioned, the engagement member  228  slides over the first horizontal member  230  and the third cable  274  is simply drawn over the pulleys  276 - 284  of the third cable-and-pulley subassembly  210 . Further aspects of the adjustable bench  220  are described more fully in co-pending, commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/913,137 filed concurrently herewith, which application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     In operation, as the user exerts a force on a swing arm  288  of the leg station  204  to cause the swing arm  288  to swing upwardly along an arc  290  ( FIG. 6 ), one or more of the various cable-and-pulley subassemblies of the cable-and-pulley assembly  250  are tensioned and cooperate such that a corresponding force is transmitted through the third cable  254 , the second cable  254 , and the first cable  262  to the weight stack  205 . The user&#39;s body may exert a first horizontal force  292  that tends to push the adjustable bench  220  toward the first upright member  208 . Due to the configuration of the third cable-and-pulley subassembly  210  in combination with the other components of the exercise machine  200 , however, the third cable  274  exerts a second horizontal force  294  on the bench support assembly  221  that tends to at least partially counteract the first horizontal force  292 . Although the frictional forces between the engagement member  228  of the adjustable bench  220  and the first horizontal member  230  of the support frame  209  may be great enough to prevent the adjustable bench  130  from sliding on the first horizontal member  230  when the user is seated on the adjustable bench  130 , the second horizontal force  294  tends to at least partially counteract the first horizontal force  292 , thereby at least partially inhibiting or preventing the adjustable bench  220  from moving along the lengthwise axis  226  during the exercise. 
     Although the exercise machine  200  is described above and shown in the accompanying figures as having a weight stack  205 , it will be appreciated that in alternate embodiments, a wide variety of devices may be used to provide the desired training load. For example, in alternate embodiments, the weight stack  205  may be replaced with a single weight, or with one or more hydraulic or pneumatic resistance devices, springs, stretchable bands, flexible rods, resilient members, bendable members, or any other suitable type of training load. 
     It will also be appreciated that, in alternate embodiments, it is not necessary that cable-and-pulley assemblies (and subassemblies) be used. A variety of known force-transmitting mechanisms may be used instead of cable-and-pulley assemblies, including, for example, belts, chains, levers, linkages, direct drives, hydraulic systems, and other suitable force-transmitting assemblies. 
     While preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of these preferred and alternate embodiments. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.