MUSCLE STRENGTH TRAINING DEVICE WITH ELECTRICALLY PROVIDED RESISTANCE

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to the resistance mechanism of a muscle strength training device, wherein the resistance mechanism is easy to operate and allows its resistance output mode to be adjusted and changed at any time.

2. Description of Related Art

Common muscle strength training devices such as Pilates reformer machines and rowing machines are typically provided with a variable resistance mechanism that allows resistance to be adjusted according to each user's need so that different users can train themselves using the same machine.

The foregoing design has led to China Invention Patent No. CN111902192 “ULTRA CLASSIC REFORMER APPARATUS,” which was published on Feb. 8, 2022, and discloses a reformer apparatus that includes a rectangular frame and four corner members. The rectangular frame includes a pair of spaced-apart side rail members, a head-end member, and a foot-end member. Each of the four corner members joins the corresponding one of the side rail members to the corresponding one of the end members. Each side rail member as well as each end member is a rigid extrusion part with a generally rectangular cross section. The top wall, the bottom wall, and the inner vertical wall of each side rail member as well as of each end member have interior screw races. The outer vertical wall of each side rail member as well as of each end member has a pair of spaced-apart interior projecting screw races. Each corner member is fastened to the corresponding one of the end members and the corresponding one of the side rail members by threaded fasteners projecting from the screw races through apertures in the L-shaped elongated corner member, with an L-shaped cover hiding these fasteners from view.

In the patent cited above, a supporting platform is resiliently biased toward the foot-end member by one or a plurality of springs, and the springs are connected to an anchor bar that is fastened to the frame at a position adjacent the foot-end member. Only by varying the number and/or the elasticity coefficients of the springs can adjustment be made to the variable resistance of the reformer apparatus, and any such adjustment can be very difficult and troublesome as it requires a disassembly and reassembly operation.

In addition, China Utility Model Patent No. CN215938899 “PILATES CORE BED FOR HOUSEHOLD COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING,” published on Mar. 4, 2022, discloses a Pilates core bed that includes a bed frame. Each of the front and rear ends of the bed frame is fixedly mounted with a bed-head frame. The top of each bed-head frame is provided with a footrest bar. Each of the front and rear inner walls of the bed frame is fixedly mounted with a resistance level control plate, and each resistance level control plate is fixedly mounted with a plurality of resistance level control columns. Each of the left and right inner walls of the bed frame is fixedly provided with a metal sliding way, and a supporting platform is installed on the metal sliding ways in a slidable manner. The supporting platform is mounted with a backrest, shoulder stopping pads, and a headrest. The bottom end of the headrest is mounted with an angle adjusting structure. The bottom end face of the supporting platform is fixedly provided with a spring fixing base, with a plurality of metal springs hooked to each of the front and rear end faces of the spring fixing base. The angle of the headrest can be conveniently and properly adjusted according to personal needs, and the operation involved is simple and easy to perform. The sliding range of the backrest can also be adjusted to solve the problem caused by the height differences between different individuals.

Like the '192 patent, the '899 patent requires the number and/or the elasticity coefficients of the metal springs to be changed in order adjust the variable resistance of the Pilates core bed, so any such adjustment can be very difficult and troublesome as it calls for a disassembly and reassembly operation. Moreover, as a tension spring recoils forcibly when released, a user who, because of a lack of strength, inadvertently releases a pulling cord that is fixed to the supporting platform or the backrest may be hit, if not injured, by the pulling cord when it recoils, meaning the Pilates core bed poses a potential risk. Besides, the metal springs will experience elastic fatigue after long-term use, causing a loss of resistance among other disadvantages. The Pilates core bed, therefore, leaves much to be desired in terms of use.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages of the resistance adjusting mechanisms of the existing muscle strength training devices, the present invention provides a muscle strength training device that has electrically provided resistance. The muscle strength training device of the invention includes: a bed frame that includes at least one rail extending in a longitudinal direction, wherein the bed frame has a first end and a second end in the longitudinal direction, the first end has two lateral sides each provided with a guide wheel, and the second end is provided with a bed-foot frame; a sliding board coupled to the rail so as to slide on a bed plane of the bed frame along the longitudinal direction; two pulling cables each having a connecting end and a force application end, wherein the two connecting ends are connected to the sliding board separately, and each of the two pulling cables is looped around the corresponding one of the two guide wheels so that the two force application ends can be used to drive the sliding board to move in a first direction; and an electric resistance unit fixed on the bed frame, wherein the electric resistance unit generates resistance by way of an electrical source, and the resistance is transmitted to a pulling cord connected to the sliding board and thus gives the sliding board the potential to move in a second direction, which is the opposite direction of the first direction.

The electric resistance unit is a motor or an electromagnetic brake.

The muscle strength training device of the present invention further includes a control unit. The control unit is connected to the electric resistance unit through wired or wireless signal transmission in order to change the magnitude of the resistance.

While the sliding board moves in the second direction, the resistance is output in one, or a combination, of the following modes: constant resistance, decreasing resistance, and increasing resistance.

The control unit is a mobile phone or a control panel.

A bed-head frame is vertically provided at the first end of the bed frame.

The second end of the bed frame has two lateral sides each having a coupling member, and the bed-foot frame is detachably connected to the bed frame through the coupling members.

The coupling members are fastening bolts, and each of the two lateral sides of the second end of the bed frame is provided with a slot for accommodating one of the fastening bolts. The fastening bolts are securely tightened after the bed-foot frame is adjusted as appropriate by being rotated through an angle, and moved for a distance, with respect to the bed frame.

The bed-foot frame is a frame of an inverted square-U shape or is a board.

Two detachable shoulder-rest plates are vertically provided on the sliding board and are arranged along a transverse direction.

The rail has an I-shaped cross section and has two lateral sides each provided with a rolling portion. The sliding board has a bottom portion provided with a plurality of rollers arranged along the longitudinal direction, and the rollers are configured to roll in the rolling portions.

Each of the force application ends is fixedly provided with a gripping member.

The gripping members are gripping rings, handles, gripping loops, or gripping straps.

The electric resistance unit has a power output shaft connected to a reduction drive in order to generate the resistance.

The foregoing technical features have the following advantages:

• • 1. The electric resistance unit can be controlled and adjusted so that, based on the muscle strength training mode of the body part to train, the output mode of the resistance can be adjusted and changed at any time among constant resistance, decreasing resistance, and increasing resistance.
  • 2. The operation and setting required for adjusting and changing the resistance are simple and are easy to carry out.
  • 3. The drawbacks of using a spring structure as the source of resistance of a conventional training device are improved. More specifically, the difficulty and trouble caused by the disassembly and reassembly operation required for changing the number and/or the elasticity coefficients of the springs in such a conventional training device to adjust the magnitude of the resistance are solved.
  • 4. The risk that a user may be hit and thus injured by a recoiling pulling cable upon the release of a tension spring that has a great restoring force is eliminated.
  • 5. Now that springs are dispensed with, elastic fatigue of springs after long-term use and the resulting loss of resistance will not occur.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view showing how rollers are disposed in the rolling portions of a rail in the embodiment in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows how the bed-foot frame in the embodiment in FIG. 1 is adjusted (i.e., rotated through an angle, and moved for a distance, with respect to the bed frame).

FIG. 5 shows how the power output shaft of the electric resistance unit in the embodiment in FIG. 1 is connected to a reduction drive in order to output resistance.

FIG. 6 shows the embodiment in FIG. 1 used for arm flexion training.

FIG. 7 shows the embodiment in FIG. 1 used for arm extension training.

FIG. 8 shows the embodiment in FIG. 1 used for leg bending training.

FIG. 9 shows the embodiment in FIG. 1 used for leg extension training.

FIG. 10 shows the embodiment in FIG. 1 used for arm extension training in a first direction.

FIG. 11 shows the embodiment in FIG. 1 used for arm extension training in a second direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, one embodiment of the present invention includes a bed frame 1, a sliding board 2, pulling cables 3, an electric resistance unit 4, and a control unit 5.

The bed frame 1 includes at least one rail 11 that extends in a longitudinal direction X. The rail 11 is located on a bed plane 111 between a first end A and a second end B of the bed frame 1. The rail 11 has an I-shaped cross section, and each of the two lateral sides of the rail 11 is provided with a rolling portion 112. The first end A of the bed frame 1 in the longitudinal direction X is provided with a guide wheel 12 on each of its two lateral sides. The second end B of the bed frame 1 in the longitudinal direction X is provided with a bed-foot frame 13. In addition, a bed-head frame 14 is vertically provided at the first end A of the bed frame 1. Each of the two lateral sides of the second end B of the bed frame 1 is provided with a coupling member 15, and the bed-foot frame 13 is detachably connected to the bed frame 1 through the coupling members 15. The coupling members 15 are fastening bolts, and each of the two lateral sides of the second end B of the bed frame 1 is provided with a slot 151 (see FIG. 4), with each fastening bolt provided in the corresponding slot 151. The fastening bolts are securely tightened after the bed-foot frame 13 is adjusted as appropriate by being rotated through an angle, and moved for a distance, with respect to the bed frame 1. The bed-foot frame 13 may be an inverted square-U shaped frame or a board.

The sliding board 2 is coupled to the rail 11. A plurality of rollers 21 are provided on a bottom portion of the sliding board 2 along the longitudinal direction X. The rollers 21 are configured to roll in the rolling portions 112 on the two lateral sides of the rail 11 such that the sliding board 2 slides on the bed plane 111 of the bed frame 1 along the longitudinal direction X. Two detachable shoulder-rest plates 22 are vertically provided on the sliding board 2 and are arranged along a transverse direction Y. The transverse direction Y is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X.

Each of the two pulling cables 3 has a connecting end 31 and a force application end 32. The two connecting ends 31 are connected to the sliding board 2 separately. Each of the two pulling cables 3 is looped around the corresponding one of the two guide wheels 12 so that the force application ends 32 can be used to drive the sliding board 2 to move in a first direction X1. Each of the force application ends 32 may be fixedly provided with a gripping member 33 such as a gripping ring, a handle, a gripping loop, or a gripping strap to facilitate gripping and hence force application through the pulling cables 3.

The electric resistance unit 4 is fixed on the bed frame 1. The electric resistance unit 4 is a motor or an electromagnetic brake. The electric resistance unit 4 is driven by an electrical source and has a power output shaft 41 connected to a reduction drive 42 in order to generate and output resistance (see FIG. 5). The electrical source may be an external one such as mains electricity, a dry-cell battery, or a wet-cell battery (not shown). The resistance is transmitted to a pulling cord 43 as a pulling force, and the pulling cord 43 is connected to the sliding board 2 such that the resistance (i.e., the pulling force) gives the sliding board 2 the potential to move in a second direction X2, wherein the second direction X2 is the opposite direction of the first direction X1. While the sliding board 2 moves in the second direction X2, the resistance may be output in any one, or a combination, of the following modes: constant resistance, decreasing resistance, and increasing resistance.

The control unit 5 is connected to the electric resistance unit 4 through wired or wireless signal transmission in order to change the magnitude of the resistance. The control unit 5 is a mobile phone or a control panel and can be used to choose among the aforesaid resistance output modes and automatically control the magnitude of the resistance output by the electric resistance unit 4.

To train the muscle strength of the arms, referring to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 in conjunction with FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, an operator C uses the control unit 5 to choose among the different resistance output modes in advance according to the desired training method so that the magnitude of the output resistance will be automatically controlled. For example, the operator C may set the resistance output mode for use in the training process as constant resistance, decreasing resistance, or increasing resistance, and set the training time for which the selected resistance output mode(s) will be used. After completing the setting, the operator C sits on the sliding board 2 while facing the bed-foot frame 13 at the second end B of the bed frame 1, and then holds the gripping members 33 of the two pulling cables 3 in both hands. The electric resistance unit 4 is then turned on in order for the power output shaft 41 of the electric resistance unit 4 to generate the resistance (i.e., a pulling force) through the reduction drive 42, and for the sliding board 2 to be pulled by the resistance (i.e., the pulling force) in the second direction X2. Then the operator C extends their arms in the second direction X2 and exerts a force through the arms. As a result, the operator C's body is subjected to a reaction force in the opposite direction (i.e., in the first direction X1), and the reaction force drives the rollers 21 on the bottom portion of the sliding board 2 (see FIG. 3) to roll in the rolling portions 112 on the two lateral sides of the rail 11. The sliding board 2, therefore, is slid along the longitudinal direction X, or more particularly is slid on the bed plane 111 of the bed frame 1 in the first direction X1, while resisting the resistance. The operator C subsequently withdraws (i.e., flexes) their arms and reduces the force applied to the gripping members 33, in order for the sliding board 2 to be pulled in the second direction X2 toward the bed-foot frame 13 by the resistance (i.e., the pulling force). Thus, by alternating between extension and flexion of the arms, the operator C can drive the sliding board 2 into a reciprocating movement in the longitudinal direction X and thereby train the muscle strength of the arms. During the training process, the control unit 5 will automatically control not only the magnitude of the resistance according to the preset resistance output mode(s), but also the training time for which the preset resistance output mode(s) will be used, allowing the resistance to be changed among constant resistance, decreasing resistance, and increasing resistance during the training process.

To train the muscle strength of the legs, referring to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 in conjunction with FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, the operator C uses the control unit 5 to choose among the different resistance output modes in advance according to the desired training method so that the magnitude of the output resistance will be automatically controlled. For example, the operator C may set the resistance output mode for use in the training process as constant resistance, decreasing resistance, or increasing resistance, and set the training time for which the selected resistance output mode(s) will be used. In addition, the coupling members 15 may be loosened in order to adjust the bed-foot frame 13 within a range defined by the slot 151 of the bed frame 1. Once the bed-foot frame 13 is rotated through an appropriate angle, and moved for an appropriate distance, with respect to the bed frame 1, the coupling members 15 are tightened again to secure the bed-foot frame 13. After completing the setting and the adjustment, the operator C lies on the sliding board 2 in a supine position, with their head pointing to the bed-head frame 14 at the first end A of the bed frame 1. The operator C may press their shoulders against the two shoulder-rest plates 22 on the sliding board 2 and then bend their legs in order to rest their feet on the bed-foot frame 13. The electric resistance unit 4 is then turned on in order for the power output shaft 41 of the electric resistance unit 4 to generate the resistance (i.e., a pulling force) through the reduction drive 42, and for the sliding board 2 to be pulled by the resistance (i.e., the pulling force) in the second direction X2. Then the operator C extends their legs in the second direction X2 and exerts a force through the legs. As a result, the operator C's body is subjected to a reaction force in the opposite direction (i.e., in the first direction X1), and the reaction force drives the rollers 21 on the bottom portion of the sliding board 2 (see FIG. 3) to roll in the rolling portions 112 on the two lateral sides of the rail 11. The sliding board 2, therefore, is slid along the longitudinal direction X, or more particularly is slid on the bed plane 111 of the bed frame 1 in the first direction X1, while resisting the resistance. The operator C subsequently bends their legs and reduces the force exerted through the legs, in order for the sliding board 2 to be pulled in the second direction X2 toward the bed-foot frame 13 by the resistance (i.e., the pulling force). Thus, by alternating between extending and bending the legs, the operator C can drive the sliding board 2 into a reciprocating movement in the longitudinal direction X and thereby train the muscle strength of the legs. During the training process, the control unit 5 will automatically control not only the magnitude of the resistance according to the preset resistance output mode(s), but also the training time for which the preset resistance output mode(s) will be used, allowing the resistance to be changed among constant resistance, decreasing resistance, and increasing resistance during the training process.

To train the muscle strength of the arms (in a way different from that shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7) or other body parts, referring to FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 in conjunction with FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, an auxiliary pad 6 is securely placed on the sliding board 2 beforehand, and the operator C uses the control unit 5 to choose among the different resistance output modes in advance according to the desired training method so that the magnitude of the output resistance will be automatically controlled. For example, the operator C may set the resistance output mode for use in the training process as constant resistance, decreasing resistance, or increasing resistance, and set the training time for which the selected resistance output mode(s) will be used. After completing the setting, the operator C lies on the auxiliary pad 6 in a prone position, with their head pointing to the bed-head frame 14 at the first end A of the bed frame 1, and then holds appropriate portions of the two pulling cables 3 or the gripping members 33 in both hands. The electric resistance unit 4 is then turned on in order for the power output shaft 41 of the electric resistance unit 4 to generate the resistance (i.e., a pulling force) through the reduction drive 42, and for the sliding board 2 to be pulled by the resistance (i.e., the pulling force) in the second direction X2. Then the operator C stretches their arms rearward (i.e., in the second direction X2) and exerts a force through the arms; in other words, the operator C moves their arms to the back while keeping the arms straight. As a result, the operator C's body is subjected to a reaction force in the opposite direction (i.e., in the first direction X1), and the reaction force drives the rollers 21 on the bottom portion of the sliding board 2 (see FIG. 3) to roll in the rolling portions 112 on the two lateral sides of the rail 11. The sliding board 2, therefore, is slid along the longitudinal direction X, or more particularly is slid on the bed plane 111 of the bed frame 1 in the first direction X1, while resisting the resistance. The operator C subsequently stretches their arms forward (i.e., in the first direction X1) and reduces the force exerted through the arms, in order for the sliding board 2 to be pulled in the second direction X2 toward the bed-foot frame 13 by the resistance (i.e., the pulling force). Thus, by alternating between a rearward stretch and a forward stretch of the arms, the operator C can drive the sliding board 2 into a reciprocating movement in the longitudinal direction X and thereby train the muscle strength of the arms or other body parts. During the training process, the control unit 5 will automatically control not only the magnitude of the resistance according to the preset resistance output mode(s), but also the training time for which the preset resistance output mode(s) will be used, allowing the resistance to be changed among constant resistance, decreasing resistance, and increasing resistance during the training process.

The present invention takes advantage of the control and adjustment function of the electric resistance unit 4 so that not only can the resistance be adjusted and changed at any time to constant resistance, decreasing resistance, or increasing resistance according to the muscle strength training modes of different parts of the body, but also the operation and setting required for adjusting and changing the resistance are easy to perform. Obviously, therefore, the invention provides an improvement over the drawbacks of the prior art, namely the drawbacks of using a spring structure as the source of resistance of a conventional training device, or more particularly the difficulty and trouble caused by the disassembly and reassembly operation required for changing the number and/or the elasticity coefficients of the springs in such a conventional training device to adjust the magnitude of the resistance. The invention allows the resistance output mode to be adjusted and changed in a simpler and easier way than the prior art. The invention also eliminates the risk that a user may be hit and thus injured by a recoiling pulling cable upon the release of a tension spring that has a great restoring force. Moreover, now that springs are dispensed with, elastic fatigue of springs after long-term use and the resulting loss of resistance will not occur.

The description of the foregoing embodiment should be able to shed sufficient light on the operation, use, and intended effects of the present invention. The embodiment, however, is only a preferred one of the invention and is not intended to be restrictive of the scope of the invention. Any simple equivalent change or modification that is based on the disclosure of this specification and the appended claims shall fall within the scope of the invention.