US4374588A — Isokinetic exercise device with speed control

Claim 1

Independent Claim 263 words

An exercise device comprising: a first plate member; a second plate member; a shaft member extending between said first and second members and presenting a common axis of rotation; handle means on at least one of said plate members for providing a user rotation thereto; a floating plate interposed between said plate members in axial and rotatable movement relative to said shaft; a series of angularly spaced and paired arcuate raceways positioned adjacent the opposing faces of one of said plate members and said floating plate, each raceway of said pair of raceways aligned in a generally opposed relationship therebetween; ball means movable along said paired raceways; means for captivating said ball means between said paired raceways at a selectable point of contact therealong, said captivation providing a driving connection between said floating plate and said one plate member for transmittal of forces produced by said user rotation; brake means operably associated with said floating plate and one of said plate members and positioned in a force communicating relationship with said driving connection in a manner to be operably responsive to said transmitted forces, said operable response retarding said user rotation of at least said plate member; and means for changing the angle of contact of said captivated ball means with said paired raceways as presented by said raceways having a generally non-linear slope profile between the opposed ends thereof, said respective angle of contact changing said relationship between said brake means and said driving connection to effect the degree of said brake means operable response and said retardation to said user rotation.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 263 words

An exercise device comprising: a first plate member; a second plate member; a shaft member extending between said first and second members and presenting a common axis of rotation; handle means on at least one of said plate members for providing a user rotation thereto; a floating plate interposed between said plate members in axial and rotatable movement relative to said shaft; a series of angularly spaced and paired arcuate raceways positioned adjacent the opposing faces of one of said plate members and said floating plate, each raceway of said pair of raceways aligned in a generally opposed relationship therebetween; ball means movable along said paired raceways; means for captivating said ball means between said paired raceways at a selectable point of contact therealong, said captivation providing a driving connection between said floating plate and said one plate member for transmittal of forces produced by said user rotation; brake means operably associated with said floating plate and one of said plate members and positioned in a force communicating relationship with said driving connection in a manner to be operably responsive to said transmitted forces, said operable response retarding said user rotation of at least said plate member; and means for changing the angle of contact of said captivated ball means with said paired raceways as presented by said raceways having a generally non-linear slope profile between the opposed ends thereof, said respective angle of contact changing said relationship between said brake means and said driving connection to effect the degree of said brake means operable response and said retardation to said user rotation.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 149 words

The exercise device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said captivation mean comprises: means for selectably controlling the axial distance between said paired raceways, said ball means moving along said paired raceways in a first direction in response to a reduction of said axial distance, said first ball means movement providing a first relative rotation between said raceways of said floating plate and said one plate member in a first direction; and bias means providing a second opposed relative rotation between said raceways of said floating plate and said one plate member and operable upon an increase in said axial distance for moving said ball means in a second opposed direction along said paired raceways, said raceways relatively rotating to provide said ball means movement until captivation of said ball means between said raceways at a location presenting said selectable axial distance at said selectable point of contact therebetween.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 58 words

The exercise device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said control means comprises a knob member linked to said floating plate, said knob member axially movable along said shaft by said user for providing like axial movement of said floating plate and said associated raceways relative to said one plate member whereby to define and controlled axial distance.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 60 words

The exercise device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said bias means comprises a spring member connecting said floating plate and said one rotatable member, said spring member storing energy therein upon said reduction of said axial distance and releasing said energy upon said increase in said axial distance to provide for said second relative rotation of said associated raceways.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 107 words

The exercise device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said slope profile of said paired raceways generally increases said angle of contact of said ball means upon movement of said ball means in a first direction along said raceways and generally decreases said angle of contact of said ball means upon movement of said ball means in a second direction along said raceways opposite said first direction, whereby said relationship between said driving connection and said brake means changes according to said increase or decrease in said angle of contact to relatively effect said transmittal of forces therebetween and said degree of said brake means operable response.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 97 words

The exercise device as claimed in claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein said brake means comprises: first and second brake plates; a brake pad interposed between said first and second brake plates; means for joining said first brake plate to said floating plate in movement therewith; means for joining said second brake plate to said adjacent plate member in movement therewith, said brake plates operably responsive to said transmitted forces in engagement against said brake pad whereby to resist rotatable movement of said floating plate and at least said adjacent rotatable member respectively linked thereto.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 81 words

The exercise device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ball means are spherical ball bearings and said exercise device further comprises: a ball separator plate mounted between said floating plate and said one member in rotation about said common axis; and a series of angularly-spaced apertures in said separator plate for receiving said ball bearing therethrough, said ball separator plate rotatably responsive to said movement of said ball bearings along said paired raceways whereby to synchronize said ball movement therealong.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 240 words

An exercise device comprising: a support member; first and second members disposed in a face-to-face relationship on said support member with at least one of said members mounted in rotation about a common axis; means for restraining axial movement of said first and second members along said common axis; handle means connected to said rotatable members for providing operator movement of said rotatable members during the performance of an exercise operation; a series of angularly-spaced raceways associated with the inboard faces of said first and second members and positioned such that the raceways of said first member are substantially aligned with the raceways of said second member; ball means captivated within said aligned raceways upon said rotation and establishing a driving connection for transmittal of forces produced by said operator on said handle means; a brake assembly mounted on said support member adjacent one of said first and second members and in operable communication with said driving connection, said brake assembly operable by said forces transmitted along said driving connection to retard rotation of said rotatable members and movement of said handle means; and means for changing the angle of contact of said captivated ball means with said paired raceways, said angle of contact changing the relationship of said driving connection with said brake assembly and the transmittal of said forces therebetween for affecting the efficacy of said driving connection and the degree of said operation of said brake assembly.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 240 words

An exercise device comprising: a support member; first and second members disposed in a face-to-face relationship on said support member with at least one of said members mounted in rotation about a common axis; means for restraining axial movement of said first and second members along said common axis; handle means connected to said rotatable members for providing operator movement of said rotatable members during the performance of an exercise operation; a series of angularly-spaced raceways associated with the inboard faces of said first and second members and positioned such that the raceways of said first member are substantially aligned with the raceways of said second member; ball means captivated within said aligned raceways upon said rotation and establishing a driving connection for transmittal of forces produced by said operator on said handle means; a brake assembly mounted on said support member adjacent one of said first and second members and in operable communication with said driving connection, said brake assembly operable by said forces transmitted along said driving connection to retard rotation of said rotatable members and movement of said handle means; and means for changing the angle of contact of said captivated ball means with said paired raceways, said angle of contact changing the relationship of said driving connection with said brake assembly and the transmittal of said forces therebetween for affecting the efficacy of said driving connection and the degree of said operation of said brake assembly.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 244 words

An exercise device comprising: a first rotatable member; a second rotatable member; a shaft member extending between said first and second members and presenting a common axis of rotation; handle means on at least one of said members for providing a user rotation thereto; a floating plate interposed between said first and second members in axial and rotatable movement relative to said shaft; a series of paired arcuate raceways having a non-linear sloped profile thereto and positioned adjacent the opposing faces of one of said rotatable members and said floating plate and disposed in a generally aligned relationship therebetween; ball means movable along said paired raceways and captivated therebetween upon a relative rotation between said raceways about said common axis, said captivation providing for a driving connection between said floating plate and said one member for transmittal of forces produced by said user rotation therethrough; brake means interposed between said floating plate and the other of said rotatable members, said brake means operably responsive to said transmittal of forces so as to retard user movement of at least said handle means linked to said other rotatable member; and means for selectably angularly positioning said captivated ball means between said paired raceways to change the relationship of said driving connection with said brake means and the transmittal of forces along said driving connection to said brake means whereby to control the effect of said forces transmitted to said brake means and said brake means response.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 244 words

An exercise device comprising: a first rotatable member; a second rotatable member; a shaft member extending between said first and second members and presenting a common axis of rotation; handle means on at least one of said members for providing a user rotation thereto; a floating plate interposed between said first and second members in axial and rotatable movement relative to said shaft; a series of paired arcuate raceways having a non-linear sloped profile thereto and positioned adjacent the opposing faces of one of said rotatable members and said floating plate and disposed in a generally aligned relationship therebetween; ball means movable along said paired raceways and captivated therebetween upon a relative rotation between said raceways about said common axis, said captivation providing for a driving connection between said floating plate and said one member for transmittal of forces produced by said user rotation therethrough; brake means interposed between said floating plate and the other of said rotatable members, said brake means operably responsive to said transmittal of forces so as to retard user movement of at least said handle means linked to said other rotatable member; and means for selectably angularly positioning said captivated ball means between said paired raceways to change the relationship of said driving connection with said brake means and the transmittal of forces along said driving connection to said brake means whereby to control the effect of said forces transmitted to said brake means and said brake means response.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1986-02-21	1986-08-23	1987-02-22	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1990-02-21	1990-08-23	1991-02-22	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1994-02-21	1994-08-23	1995-02-22	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Isokinetic exercise device with speed control

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