The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 19, 2006
Filed:
Mar. 18, 2003
L. Kent Lines, Carnation, WA (US);
A. Buell Ish, Iii, Redmond, WA (US);
L. Kent Lines, Carnation, WA (US);
A. Buell Ish, III, Redmond, WA (US);
Vectra Fitness, Inc., Kent, WA (US);
Abstract
Cable-and-pulley devices having intermediate tension isolators for exercise machines. In one embodiment, a cable-and-pulley device includes a cable attached to a load and to a user interface, and operatively engaged with a main pulley positioned over the load, a floating pulley, and an end pulley proximate the user interface. A second user interface is attached to the floating pulley. A tension isolator is positioned on the cable at an intermediate position between the end pulley and the floating pulley so that a training force applied on a second user interface draws the tension isolator into contact with the an isolator stop. In one embodiment, the isolator stop is an intermediate pulley. Alternately, the isolator stop is a catch projecting from a frame of the exercise machine. The tension isolator effectively divides the cable into a tensioned portion and an isolated portion, thereby reducing the amount of cable that is stretched during use of the second user interface. In alternate embodiments, the tension isolator may include a stop mechanically secured to the cable, or a coupling member coupled between the tensioned portion and the isolated portion. Alternately, the tension isolator may be integrally formed with the cable. In other alternate embodiments, a cable-and-pulley device may include a plurality of tension isolators positioned on one or more of the cables.