Patent Publication Number: US-11648432-B2

Title: Salmon ladder training device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional of, and claims the priority benefit of, U.S. application Ser. No. 17/098,384, filed Nov. 15, 2020, entitled SALMON LADDER TRAINING DEVICE. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates generally to exercise devices, and more particularly is a “salmon ladder” type training device. 
     SUMMARY 
     A “salmon ladder” is a training device that evokes similarities to a fish (salmon) ladder installed in a river, the ladder including a series of gates. The salmon leap over the gates in sequence to arrive at their destination. The successive steps on a fitness salmon ladder simulate nature and the act of swimming upstream. 
     In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the exercise device is adapted to enable the user to perform a salmon ladder exercise. The ladder includes a frame with at least one pair of support protrusions that receive an exercise bar. A bearing surface in the frame receives the shaft of a catch array rotatably mounted in the frame. The device further includes a braking mechanism that applies a variable suppression force to the catch array shaft, the variable suppression force adjusting the force required to rotate the catch array shaft in the bearing surface. 
     An advantage of the salmon ladder disclosed herein is that the apparatus need not be as high off the ground as compared to current technology salmon ladder, thereby introducing a greater degree of safety for the user. Moreover, the salmon ladder can be readily installed in rooms with standard ceiling heights. Further, the salmon ladder disclosed herein is quite compact as compared to current art devices. In various embodiments of the salmon ladder, the height of successive stations on the device is adjustable. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, together with the detailed description below, illustrate embodiments of concepts that include the claimed disclosure, and explain various principles and advantages of those embodiments. 
       The methods and systems disclosed herein have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a salmon ladder training device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a side perspective view showing the frame assembly. 
         FIGS.  3 A and  3 B  are side and end views of a catch array. 
         FIG.  4    is a side view of an installed salmon ladder. 
         FIG.  5    is side view of the salmon ladder as the catch array is moving to a successive position. 
         FIG.  6    is a view of a salmon ladder with an adjustable catch array. 
         FIG.  7 A  is a side view of an adjustable catch array. 
         FIG.  7 B  is an end view of the adjustable catch array. 
         FIG.  7 C  is a sectional view taken along line A-A in  FIG.  7 B . 
         FIG.  8    is a perspective view of an alternate configuration of the salmon ladder. 
         FIG.  9    shows the frame assembly for the configuration illustrated in  FIG.  8   . 
         FIG.  10    is a detail view of a crank assembly. 
         FIG.  11    is a detail view of a brake assembly. 
         FIG.  12 A  shows a hand pedal at the point where the brake pin contacts the brake. 
         FIG.  12 B  shows a hand pedal in the position where the brake pin disengages from the brake. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure is generally directed to exercise devices. In particular, exercise devices of the “salmon ladder” type, wherein a user lifts himself to successive rung positions, are described. 
       FIG.  1    illustrates a perspective view of a salmon ladder  100 . The salmon ladder  100  includes a frame assembly  110  that supports a pair of rotating catch arrays  120 . Each catch array  120  includes a plurality of catches  121 . The catches  121  may be configured in a generally circular formation on the catch array  120 . The catch arrays  120  are affixed and rotate with a shaft  130  mounted in the frame assembly  110 . 
     An exercise bar  140  is received in a pair of support protrusions  150 . During exercise, a user lifts himself on the exercise bar  140 , then moves the bar  140  to a next successive pair of catches  121 . This procedure for an exercise routine will be discussed in greater detail below. 
     Referring now to  FIG.  2   , the catch array shaft  130  is received in a bearing surface  112  of the frame assembly  110 . The width of an adjustment slot  113  in the frame assembly  110  may be adjusted by a knob  114  or any other suitable compression adjustment mechanism. In this manner, the user can control the friction applied to the shaft  130  as it rotates in the frame  110 . In this manner, the rate of rotation of the catch array  120  and thereby the rate of descent of the exercise bar  140  during use can be controlled by the user. It should be noted that a plethora of braking devices could be utilized to vary a suppression force on the catch array shaft  130 , thereby varying the force required to rotate the shaft. 
     Top holes  115  in a top side of the frame assembly  110  allow the user to mount the salmon ladder to a ceiling where the device is being used. Side holes  116  allow the ladder  110  to be secured to a wall. 
       FIGS.  3 A and  3 B  show the catch array  120  in greater detail. The side view of  FIG.  3 A  shows each catch  121  and an associated catch support arm  122 . Again, the number of catches  121  on the catch array  120  can be modified as desired by the user. Through hole  123  receives the shaft  130 . The shaft  130  is fixed at each end to the catch array  120  by a cross pin  124 . The catch array  120  is thereby forced to rotate with the shaft  130  during use.  FIG.  3 B  shows the axial bearing surface  125  of the catch array  120 . 
       FIG.  4    shows the progression of the position of the exercise bar  140  during exercise on the ladder  100 . A user begins the exercise with the bar  140  in the resting position on the support protrusions  150  on the frame assembly  110 . The user raises himself in a pullup motion via the bar  140 , then pushes the bar  140  upward to the position indicated as  140 ′ by leveraging himself off the support protrusions  150 . The user then moves the bar  140  forward to the position indicated as  140 ″ so that the bar  140  is resting between one of the catches  121  of the catch array  120  and the support frame  110 . 
     As indicated in  FIG.  5   , the weight of the user then causes the catch array  120  to rotate so that the bar  140  slides downward, still secured between the catch array  120  and the support frame  110 . The user and the bar  140  will descend until the bar  140  is again received in support protrusions  150 , which is the end of one repetition. At this point, a successive catch  121  of the catch array  120  will be aligned with its arm  122  parallel to the forward upright member of the support frame  110 , in position to catch the next repetition of the lifted exercise bar  140 . The user controls the rate of descent by tightening or loosening the knob  114  which varies the pressure on the catch array rotation shaft  130 , thereby controlling the rate of rotation. 
       FIG.  6    illustrates a configuration of the salmon ladder  100  device in which the distance between successive catches on a catch array  220  is variable. Each arm of the catch array  220  includes an adjustment means as illustrated in greater detail in  FIGS.  7 A-C . Each one of a plurality of catches  222  is received in a catch socket  221 . Each catch socket  221  has a securing hole  223  that receives a catch pin  224  to secure the catch  222  in position. 
     The height of each catch  222  relative to the catch array shaft  130  is controlled by choosing in which one of a series of adjustment holes  226  to align with the securing hole  223 . The catch pin  224  is then placed through the securing hole  223  into the selected adjustment hole  226  to fix the catch  222  in place. It should be noted that the length of the catches  222  can be varied within the embodiment. That is, one catch may be 9″ in length from the rotation shaft  130 , while another could be 10″, 11″, 12″ or any length chosen by the user, and in any increment or order. In this way the successive repetitions performed during exercise can be varied in any order chosen by the user. 
       FIGS.  8 - 12    show an alternate configuration, a split grip salmon ladder training device  300 . In various embodiments of this configuration, the support frame  310  is made with two separate elements as shown in  FIG.  8   . Each side of the support frame  310  supports a crank assembly  320 . The crank assembly  320  is the means by which the user lifts himself during exercise on the split grip ladder  300 . A brake  330  slows the descent of the user after he has raised himself via the crank assembly  320 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  9   , the frame  310  includes ceiling  314  and wall  315  mounting holes, providing convenient means of attachment of the frame  310  to the wall and/or ceiling of the facility in which the salmon ladder  300  is installed. A brake mount hole  313  provides a convenient first anchor point for each of the brakes  330 . The second end of the brake  330  is attached to a brake tab  331  (see  FIG.  11   ) that is mounted on a brake tab bearing surface  312 . Shaft mount bearing surfaces  311  receive the rotational axis  321  (see  FIG.  10   ) of the crank assemblies  320 . 
     The components of each of the crank assemblies  320  are shown in  FIG.  10   . The crank is mounted via its rotational axis  321  that is received in the bearing surface  311  of the frame  310 . Each crank assembly  320  includes a grip  323 . The position of the grip  323  may be varied by mounting the grip  323  in any one of a series of grip mounting holes  326  machined into the crank arm  322 . In this manner, the user can determine and vary the travel distance of the grip  323  as it rotates during exercise. A brake arm  324  is mounted on an outer side of the crank assembly, and includes a brake pin  325 . 
       FIG.  11    shows the components of the brakes  330 . The brakes  330  include an end fitting  333  at either end to adjustably attach to the salmon ladder  300 . The active component of the brake is a gas spring  332 . A lower end of the gas spring  332  is affixed to the brake tab  331 . The brake tab  331  is mounted so that its axis of rotation is offset from that of the crank assembly  320 . 
     Referring now chiefly to  FIGS.  12 A and  12 B , the exercise procedure using the split grip salmon ladder  300  is as follows: During exercise, the user begins a repetition by gripping the handles  323 . The user raises himself in a pull up motion as is typical of the salmon ladder exercise. However, it should be noted that with the split grip embodiment  300 , the user can raise himself with either both hands or with either hand individually. 
     As the user begins a repetition, the crank assembly  320  is rotated to a raised position, as shown in  FIG.  12 A . As the handle  323  passes top dead center, the crank assembly  320  continues to rotate, with the brake  330  slowing the user&#39;s descent. The brake pin  325  is in contact with the offset brake tab  331 , so that the brake  330  is actuated. As the crank assembly  320  approaches bottom dead center as in  FIG.  12 B , the end point of a repetition, the brake pin  325  slips over the brake tab  331  so that the brake  330  is released and returns to its non-compressed position ( FIG.  12 A ), ready for another repetition. 
     The technology disclosed herein addresses improved exercise device configurations. The improvements disclosed are independent of the actual materials used and the sizes of the resultant machines. 
     The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the present disclosure in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present disclosure and its practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the present disclosure for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the technology. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprise” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, 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. 
     It will be understood that like or analogous elements and/or components, referred to herein, may be identified throughout the drawings with like reference characters. It will be further understood that several of the figures are merely schematic representations of the present disclosure. As such, some of the components may have been distorted from their actual scale for pictorial clarity. 
     In the foregoing description, for purposes of explanation and not limitation, specific details are set forth, such as particular embodiments, procedures, techniques, etc. in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced in other embodiments that depart from these specific details. 
     Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” or “according to one embodiment” (or other phrases having similar import) at various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Furthermore, depending on the context of discussion herein, a singular term may include its plural forms and a plural term may include its singular form. Similarly, a hyphenated term (e.g., “on-demand”) may be occasionally interchangeably used with its non-hyphenated version (e.g., “on demand”), a capitalized entry (e.g., “Software”) may be interchangeably used with its non-capitalized version (e.g., “software”), a plural term may be indicated with or without an apostrophe (e.g., PE&#39;s or PEs), and an italicized term (e.g., “N+1”) may be interchangeably used with its non-italicized version (e.g., “N+1”). Such occasional interchangeable uses shall not be considered inconsistent with each other. 
     Also, some embodiments may be described in terms of “means for” performing a task or set of tasks. It will be understood that a “means for” may be expressed herein in terms of a structure, such as a processor, a memory, an I/O device such as a camera, or combinations thereof. Alternatively, the “means for” may include an algorithm that is descriptive of a function or method step, while in yet other embodiments the “means for” is expressed in terms of a mathematical formula, prose, or as a flow chart or signal diagram. 
     While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. The descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular forms set forth herein. To the contrary, the present descriptions are intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and otherwise appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, the breadth and scope of a preferred embodiment should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments.