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:
Jul. 20, 2010
Filed:
Jul. 22, 2004
Royce H. Husted, Forest, VA (US);
Joel P. Husted, Forest, VA (US);
Royce H. Husted, Forest, VA (US);
Joel P. Husted, Forest, VA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A loading device for an exercise machine includes a lever arm and a nitrogen gas compression spring in a force triangle that provides easy adjustment of the resistive load presented to a user. The nitrogen gas compression spring and the selected portion of the lever arm comprise two legs of the force triangle, with a slidable coupling selectively interconnecting the nitrogen gas compression spring with the lever arm at adjustment points on the lever arm. Both the nitrogen gas compression spring and the lever arm are pivotally mounted on a rigid member, with the distances between their pivots forming the third leg of the force triangle. The nitrogen gas compression spring exhibits a high resistance, a flat spring rate and is of rigid construction so that the lever arm and nitrogen gas compression spring are self-supported at all times. The nitrogen gas compression spring is coupled to the slidable coupling to produce a slight torque preload to maintain the contact orientation of the slidable coupling and the lever arm the same throughout the excursion of the lever arm for all force loadings.