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.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application 61/590,346 filed on Jan. 25, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    Embodiments of the invention relate to exercise equipment 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Various and sundry exercise equipment for exercising the body and maintaining aerobic and strength fitness and health are ubiquitous. Known equipment spans a large gamut that includes relatively simple elastic bands, which an exerciser stretches to exercise and strengthen muscle sets, free weights of various degrees of finish, and stationary exercise machines of different levels of sophistication which a person mounts to peddle, pull, or push against resistance. Wearable resistance suits and harnesses that resist various body motions are also known for use in exercising, training and/or strengthening muscle groups and/or aerobic stamina. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    An aspect of an embodiment of the invention relates to providing a wearable, lightweight, portable, and relatively small exercise pulley comprising a pull cable coupled to an eddy current “brake” and a return spring. The eddy current brake operates to generate torque that opposes the pull cable being pulled out of the exercise pulley. The return spring operates to pull the cable into the exercise pulley after it is pulled out. A person using the exercise pulley may exercise by repeatedly pulling on the pull cable with a pulling force that overcomes the torque generated by the eddy current brake to pull the cable out of the exercise pulley, and then relaxing the pulling force to allow the return spring to return the pull cable back into the exercise pulley. 
         [0005]    In an embodiment of the invention, the torque with which the eddy current brake resists the pull cable being pulled out from the exercise pulley is adjustable. Optionally, the torque is adjustable so that a pulling force applied by the person to the pull cable to pull it out from the exercise pulley is adjustable between about 0 N (Newtons) to about 300 N. 
         [0006]    According to an aspect of an embodiment of the invention, the exercise pulley comprises a connector for mounting the exercise pulley to a pulley holder, which may be attached to a pulley support so that the exercise pulley may be securely mounted to the holder and thereby to the support. When mounted to a pulley support, the exercise pulley is held substantially stationary relative to an exerciser&#39;s body so that the exercise pulley may be used to exercise. The pulley support may by way of example, comprise a wearable “exercise harness”. Optionally, the exercise harness comprises a vest harness, hereinafter also referred to as an “exercise vest”, having pulley holders to receive the exercise pulley connector at different locations on the vest. Optionally, the exercise harness comprises a belt harness, hereinafter also referred to as an “exercise belt” to which the pulley can be mounted at different locations of the belt. Optionally, the exercise harness comprises a leg harness, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         [0007]    In an embodiment of the invention, the pulley holder may comprise a “grip handle” that enables the exercise pulley to be held in one hand by a person while the person pulls on the pull cable with the other hand. Optionally, the grip handle is configured to be held by the person&#39;s foot while he or she pulls on the pull cable. 
         [0008]    In the discussion, unless otherwise stated, adjectives such as “substantially” and “about” modifying a condition or relationship characteristic of a feature or features of an embodiment of the invention, are understood to mean that the condition or characteristic is defined to within tolerances that are acceptable for operation of the embodiment for an application for which it is intended. 
         [0009]    This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES 
         [0010]    Non-limiting examples of embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to figures attached hereto that are listed following this paragraph. Identical structures, elements or parts that appear in more than one figure are generally labeled with a same numeral in all the figures in which they appear. Dimensions of components and features shown in the figures are chosen for convenience and clarity of presentation and are not necessarily shown to scale. 
           [0011]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  schematically show top and bottom perspective views of an exercise pulley, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 1C  schematically shows a pulley connector for attaching the exercise pulley shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  to a pulley holder, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  schematically shows an exploded view of the exercise pulley shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 3A-3K  schematically show enlarged views of components of the exercise pulley shown in  FIG. 2 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  schematically show a vest harness and a waist harness having pulley holders for mounting exercise pulleys to the harnesses, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 5A-5D  schematically show different ways in which a person may exercise using an exercise pulley attached to an exercise vest, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0017]      FIGS. 6A-6B  schematically shows different ways in which a person may exercise using an exercise pulley attached to an exercise belt, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6C  schematically shows a person exercising with an exercise pulley mounted to a leg harness, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  schematically shows an exerciser using an exercise pulley attached to a grip handle, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    In the following detailed description, external features of an exercise pulley in accordance with an embodiment of the invention are discussed with reference to  FIGS. 1A-1C . An exploded view of an exercise pulley that shows internal components of the pulley in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 2 .  FIGS. 3A-3K  show enlarged views of the components shown in  FIG. 2 . Details of the components, and how the components are assembled to provide an exercise pulley in accordance with an embodiment of the invention are discussed with reference to the figures. Configurations of exercise vest and exercise belts to which exercise pulleys may be attached in accordance with an embodiment of the invention are discussed with reference to  FIGS. 4A and 4B .  5 A- 7  schematically show exercise pulleys similar to that shown in  FIGS. 1A-3K  being used to exercise. 
         [0021]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  schematically show top and bottom perspective views respectively of an exercise pulley  20 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Exercise pulley  20  optionally comprises a first magnet housing  30 , also referred to as a “magnetic stator”  30 , a second magnetic housing  40  also referred to as a magnetic rotor  40 , formed having a threaded hole  41 , and a rotor mount  50 . The rotor mount comprises a rotor turret  51  having threads  52  that match the threads (not shown in  FIG. 1A ) of threaded hole  41 . A pull cable  21  extends out from the exercise pulley through a cable aperture  32  formed in a cable guide  31  comprised in the magnetic stator. Optionally, a pull handle  22  is attached to the pull cable to facilitate manually pulling the cable out from the exercise pulley. 
         [0022]    A person working out with exercise pulley  20  exercises by repeatedly pulling pull cable  21  out of exercise pulley  20  with a pulling force that opposes resistance generated by the pulley to the pull cable being pulled out. A return spring in the exercise pulley operates to pull the cable into the exercise pulley after it is pulled out. 
         [0023]    A torque created by eddy currents in an eddy current disc comprised in exercise pulley  20 , which is shown in  FIG. 2  and discussed below, provides the resistance that opposes extraction of pull cable  21  from the exercise pulley. The eddy current disc is located between magnets in magnetic rotor  40  and magnets in magnetic stator  30  that generate a magnetic field at the location of the disc. Pulling pull cable  21  out of exercise pulley  20  causes the eddy current disc to rotate in the magnetic field. The motion of the disc in the magnetic field gives rise to eddy currents in the disc that generate a magnetic field, which in consonance with Lenz&#39;s law, results in force and torque that opposes the motion of the disc and extracting the pull cable out of the exercise pulley. Magnitude of the opposing force, the resultant torque and resistance to extracting the pull cable, increases with increase in magnitude of the magnetic field at the desk and speed of rotation of the disc. 
         [0024]    Magnetic rotor  40  may be rotated on rotor turret  51  to move the magnetic rotor towards or away from the stator to respectively increase or decrease the magnetic field to which the eddy current disc is exposed and corresponding torque that opposes pull cable  21  being pulled out of exercise pulley  20 . For a given speed with which pull cable  21  is pulled out from exercise pulley  20 , a larger pull force is required to pull the pull cable out of the exercise pulley the closer magnetic rotor  40  is to magnetic stator  30 . Magnetic rotor  40  optionally comprises protruding “finger” ridges  42  configured to facilitate holding and turning the magnetic rotor. Components and features of exercise pulley  20 , and operation and adjustment of the exercise pulley, are discussed below with reference to  FIG. 2-FIG .  3 K. 
         [0025]    A pulley connector  60 , shown in  FIG. 1B  for connecting exercise pulley  20  to a pulley holder is optionally comprised on magnetic stator  30  and is configured to mate with a pulley holder optionally formed as a “lock plate”  70 , schematically shown in  FIG. 1C . Pulley connector  60  is optionally formed as a “slide connector” having a square slide frame  61  mounted on a stalk  62  and surrounding a square, lock recess  63 . Lock recess  63  is bounded by inside frame edges  64  of slide frame  61 . 
         [0026]    Lock plate  70  optionally comprises a slide channel  71  into which slide frame  61  may be inserted, and a snap arm  72  having a lock ridge  73  for locking the slide frame, and thereby the exercise pulley, to the lock plate. When the slide frame is fully inserted into the slide channel, lock ridge  73  catches on an inside frame edge  64  ( FIGS. 1B ,  1 C) of slide frame  61  and locks the slide frame, and thereby the exercise pulley, to lock plate  70 . The exercise pulley may be released from the lock plate by depressing a press tab  74  comprised in snap arm  72  to displace lock ridge  73  from the inside frame edge  64  with which it is in contact. Lock plate  70  is attachable to any of various pulley supports for convenient mounting of the exercise pulley to the supports for use in exercising. Examples of pulley supports that are exercise harnesses to which a lock plate  70  may be attached are discussed below and shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B . 
         [0027]    It is noted that because slide frame  61  is square, exercise pulley  20  may be mounted to lock plate  70  in each of four different angular orientations separated one from the other by a rotation angle of 90° relative to a direction parallel to lock ridge  73 . The orientations and their uses are discussed below with reference to  FIGS. 5A-6B . Components and features of exercise pulley  20  and operation and adjustment of the exercise pulley are discussed below with reference to  FIGS. 2  and  FIGS. 3A-3K . 
         [0028]      FIG. 2  schematically shows an exploded view of exercise pulley  20 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         [0029]    Exercise pulley  20  comprises magnetic stator  30  referred to above, a cable spool  80  on which pull cable  21  is wound, a conductive eddy current disc  90 , a return coil spring housing  100 , a coil spring  101 , a spring housing cover  102 , rotor mount  50  referred to above, a magnet support annulus  110 , and a rotor cover plate  120 . The magnet support annulus and rotor cover are components of magnetic rotor  40  referred to above and shown in  FIG. 1A-1C . Enlarged views of the components of exercise pulley  20  shown in the exploded view of  FIG. 2  and how they are assembled to provide exercise pulley  20  are schematically shown in  FIGS. 3A-3K . 
         [0030]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  schematically show enlarged views of rotor cover plate  120  and magnet support anulus  110 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Rotor cover plate  120  optionally comprises a central cylinder  121  formed having lock recesses  122  and a hole  41  threaded with threads  125 . The rotor cover plate has an outer rim  123  formed having lock recesses  124 . Threads  125  match threads  52  on rotor turret  51  of rotor mount  50  shown in  FIG. 2  and enlarged in  FIG. 3C . Optionally, rotor turret  51  protrudes from a central portion of a turret plate  53  having a rim  54  on which snap teeth  55  are formed. Cover plate  120 , magnet support anulus  110  and rotor mount  50  are optionally injected molded from a suitable medium or high impact polymer such as a polystyrene or an amorphous thermoplastic copolymer blended from Acrylonitrile, Butadiene and Styrene (ABS). 
         [0031]    Magnet support annulus  110  comprises a plurality of optionally seven disc shaped magnets  111 . Each magnet  111  is snapped into place between, and held on magnet support annulus  110  by, optionally three, cantilever, toothed prongs  112 . Magnet support annulus  110  has an inner rim  113  on which snap teeth  114  are formed and an outer rim  115  on which snap teeth  116  are formed. Snap teeth  114  and  116  match snap lock recesses  122  and  124  in central cylinder  121  and outer rim  123  of rotor cover plate  120  ( FIG. 3A ) respectively. Magnetic rotor  40  may be assembled by pressing magnetic support annulus  110  to rotor cover plate  120  so that snap teeth  114  and  116  of the magnetic support annulus snap into their corresponding snap lock recesses  122  and  124  respectively in cover plate  120 . 
         [0032]    Once assembled, magnetic rotor  40  may be mounted to rotor mount  50  by threading the magnetic rotor onto rotor turret  51 .  FIG. 3D  schematically shows assembled magnetic rotor  40  mounted to rotor mount  50 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 3E  schematically shows an enlarged view of magnetic stator  30 . The magnetic stator is optionally injection molded from a high impact plastic such as a plastic from which cover plate  120 , is formed and comprises optionally seven disc shaped magnets  33  mounted therein. Optionally, the magnets are supported on circularly cylindrical bases  34  and are held on the bases by toothed cantilever snap prongs  35 . Magnetic stator  30  optionally comprises a pair of cylindrical guide bearings  36  for guiding pull cable  21  ( FIG. 3F ) from cable spool  80  to cable aperture  32 . Cable spool  80  shown in  FIG. 2  is shown enlarged and mounted to the magnetic stator in  FIG. 3F . The magnetic stator is formed having a socket  39  ( FIG. 3E ) for receiving a shaft  81  shown in  FIG. 3F . The shaft, which is formed having a spring seating slot  82 , is locked to and rotates with cable spool  80  when pull cable  21  is pulled out of the magnetic stator. Magnetic stator  30  has a rim  37  formed having lock recesses  38  that match snap teeth  55  on rotor mount  50  ( FIG. 3C ). 
         [0034]    Conductive eddy current disc  90  shown in  FIG. 2  is shown enlarged and mounted to shaft  81  in  FIG. 3G . The conductive eddy current disc is optionally formed from a metal, such as aluminum and is locked to shaft  81 , optionally by a disc lock collar  83 , so that the disc rotates with the shaft. Spring housing  100  and return coil spring  101  are optionally mounted over eddy current disc  90  as schematically shown in  FIG. 3H . An end  103  of a return coil spring  101  seats in a slot  82  ( FIG. 3G ) in shaft  81  so that as pull cable  22  is pulled out of magnetic stator  30  causing shaft  81  to rotate, rotation of the shaft winds up the coils of the return coil spring. Winding up of the coils is enabled by maintaining spring housing  100  stationary relative to magnetic stator  30  as discussed below.  FIG. 31  schematically shows spring housing  100  closed by spring housing cover  102  and a bearing  84 , which is optionally press fit onto an end of shaft  81 . Housing cover  102  is formed optionally having a plurality of anchor holes  104 . 
         [0035]    Magnetic stator  30  is closed by rotor mount  50  by snapping snap teeth  55  ( FIG. 3C ) of the rotor mount into lock recesses  38  of magnetic stator  30 .  FIG. 3J  schematically shows the magnetic stator closed by rotor mount  50 . When the magnetic stator is closed by the rotor mount, bearing  84  ( FIG. 31 ) seats in a matching recess (not shown) in the inside top of rotor turret  51 , and anchor pegs (not shown) in the inside top of the turret seat in anchor holes  104 . The anchor pegs seating in the holes prevent rotation of spring housing  100  relative to magnetic stator  30  so that the spring housing does not rotate with shaft  81  when pull cable  21  is pulled out of the magnetic stator. Assembly of exercise pulley  20  is completed by screwing magnetic rotor  40  onto rotor turret  51  as schematically indicated in  FIG. 3K . 
         [0036]    By way of numerical example, in an embodiment of the invention an overall diameter of exercise pulley  20  is less than or equal to about 18 cm (centimeters). Optionally, the overall diameter is less than or equal to about 15 cm. In an embodiment of the invention the overall diameter is less than or equal to about 12 cm. Conductive eddy current disk  90  is formed from aluminum is optionally about 3 mm (millimeters) thick and has a diameter less than or equal to about 15 cm. Optionally, the diameter of the conductive eddy current disk is less than or equal to about 12 cm. In an embodiment of the invention the conductive eddy current disc has a diameter less than or equal to about 9 cm. Optionally, pulley cable  22  has a diameter of about 2 mm and is wound up on a portion of cable spool  80  having a diameter, a “coiling diameter”, less than or equal to about 4 cm. 
         [0037]    In an embodiment of the invention, a pair of magnets  111  and  33  when directly opposite and closest to each other generates a magnetic field in eddy current disc  90  having a magnitude that is greater than or equal to about 0.18 gauss. Optionally, the magnets generate a magnetic field having magnitude greater than or equal to about 0.20 gauss. Optionally, the magnets generate a magnetic field having magnitude greater than or equal to about 0.22 gauss. In an embodiment of the invention, each magnet  111  ( FIG. 3B) and 33  ( FIG. 3F ) has a diameter of about 20 mm and a thickness of about 5 mm. Magnets  33  are optionally positioned about 1 mm below the plane of the bottom surface of conductive eddy current disc. Magnets  111 , which are located in magnetic rotor  40 , may be moved from a maximum distance optionally equal to about 25 mm from the plane of the top surface of conductive eddy current disk  90  to about a minimum distance optionally equal to about 5 mm from the plane of the upper surface of the conductive eddy current disc. 
         [0038]    Assume a 9 cm diameter aluminum conductive eddy current disc  90 , and a magnetic field generated by a pair of magnets  33  and  111  having magnitude of about 0.23 gauss, and a coiling diameter equal to about 4 cm for cable spool  80 . If pulley cable  20  is pulled out of exercise pulley  20  at a speed of about 1.6 cm/s, the eddy current disc rotates at about 8 rpm and a pulling force having magnitude of about 300 N is required to pull pull cable  21  out of the exercise pulley. 
         [0039]    It is noted that in the above discussion, a magnetic field to which conductive eddy current disc  90  is exposed is increased or decreased by appropriately rotating magnetic rotor  40  to adjust a pull force required to pull cable  21  out of exercise pulley  20 . However, practice of the invention is not limited to adjusting a required effort by changing distances of magnets from the conductive eddy current disc. For example, the pull force may be increased or decreased by moving magnets  33  and/or magnets  111  radially, towards or away from an axis of conductive eddy current disc  90  about which the disc rotates. Moving the magnets towards the axis reduces a torque, which is to be overcome to pull pull cable  21  out from exercise pulley  20 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 4A  schematically show lock plates  70  attached to an exercise vest  202  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Exercise vest  202  optionally comprises shoulder straps  203 , rib straps  204  and a breastplate  205  and a back plate  206 , only a part of which is shown in  FIG. 4A . The shoulder and rib straps are attached to the exercise vest and are adjustable to provide a snug fit to an exerciser&#39;s body, optionally using suitable arrangements of hook and loop fasteners such as Velcro® fasteners and/or buckles (not shown). Optionally, four lock plates  70  are attached to the exercise vest for mounting exercise pulleys  20  to the exercise vest. Two of lock plates  70  are optionally attached to breastplate  205 , and two of lock plates  70  (not shown in  FIG. 4A , but shown in  FIG. 5D ) are attached to the back plate. 
         [0041]    Optionally, the lock plates are attached to the vest so that when the exercise vest is worn by an exerciser, lock ridges  73  ( FIG. 1C ) are oriented either substantially parallel or substantially perpendicular to the ground. Having the lock ridges oriented either parallel or perpendicular to the ground allows exercise pulleys  20  to be mounted to the exercise vest so that cable guides  31  of the exercise pulleys point along any direction up or down, perpendicular to the ground, or left and right, parallel to the ground. Cable guides pointing parallel or perpendicular to the ground, facilitate exercising with the exercise pulleys by pulling out pull cables  21  of the exercise pulleys sideways, left or right, or vertically, up or down. 
         [0042]    Any of various devices and methods may be used to attach lock plates  70  to the breastplate and/or back plate. For example, rivets and/or screws may be used to attach the lock plates to the breastplate or back plate. To support the rivets and/or screws and resist tearing, the breastplate or back plate may be made from a robust natural or synthetic fabric and comprise an internal support layer (not shown) optionally made from a suitable plastic. 
         [0043]      FIG. 4B  schematically shows an exercise belt  212  having mounted thereto optionally two lock plates  70 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Exercise belt  212  is optionally made from materials similar to materials from which exercise vest  202  is made and may be fit and adjusted to an exerciser&#39;s waist by a suitable arrangement of a hook and loop fastener such as a Velcro® fastener (not shown) and buckles (not shown). 
         [0044]      FIGS. 5A-5D  schematically show an exerciser  220  exercising with exercise pulleys  20  attached to lock plates  70  ( FIG. 4A ) and mounted to exercise vest  202 , in accordance with embodiments of the invention.  FIG. 5A  schematically shows exercise pulleys  20  oriented with cable guides  31  pointing sideways and the exerciser pulling out pull cable  21  horizontally.  FIGS. 5B and 5C  schematically show exercise pulleys mounted to the exercise vest with their cable guides  31  pointing up or down respectively and the exerciser exercising in a corresponding up or down direction.  FIG. 5D  schematically shows the exerciser using exercise pulley mounted to the back of exercise vest  202 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 6A and 6B  schematically show exerciser  220  exercising with exercise pulleys  20  mounted to exercise belt  212 .  FIG. 6C  schematically shows the exerciser exercising with exercise pulleys  20  mounted to leg harnesses  214 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         [0046]      FIG. 7  schematically shows exerciser  220  exercising with an exercise pulley  20  mounted to a lock plate  72 , only an edge of which is shown in  FIG. 7 , having a grip handle  74 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         [0047]    It is noted that in the above discussion exercise pulley  20  is attached to a harness, such as a harness shown in  FIGS. 5A-7 , using a square shaped pulley connector  60  and matching lock plate  70 . The pulley connector and lock plate enable attaching the connector to the lock plate in one of four fixed angular orientations relative to an axis perpendicular to conductive eddy current plate  90 . However, practice of the invention is not limited to such “four orientation” pully connectors and lock plates. For example, a hexagonal rather than a square shaped pulley connector and matching lock plate permit attaching the connector to the holder in each of six different fixed angular directions, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. A circular pulley connector and matching lock plate connect the connector and lock plate so that the exercise pulley is freely rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to conductive eddy current disc  90 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         [0048]    In the description and claims of the present application, each of the verbs, “comprise” “include” and “have”, and conjugates thereof, are used to indicate that the object or objects of the verb are not necessarily a complete listing of components, elements or parts of the subject or subjects of the verb. 
         [0049]    Descriptions of embodiments of the invention in the present application are provided by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The described embodiments comprise different features, not all of which are required in all embodiments of the invention. Some embodiments utilize only some of the features or possible combinations of the features. Variations of embodiments of the invention that are described, and embodiments of the invention comprising different combinations of features noted in the described embodiments, will occur to persons of the art. The scope of the invention is limited only by the claims.