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Exercise apparatus with differential arm resistance assemblyRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, User Manipulated Force Resisting Apparatus, Component Thereof, Or Accessory Therefor, Utilizing Resilient Force Resistance, And User Supplied Counter Force, Against User Occupied PlatformExercise apparatus with differential arm resistance assembly description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20050272577, Exercise apparatus with differential arm resistance assembly. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present patent application claims priority and is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/770,273, filed Feb. 2, 2004, and entitled "Handle for Selectively Positioning Member Relative to Arm," which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/340,562 filed Jan. 10, 2003, which is now U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,607, issued Feb. 3, 2004, and entitled "Exercise Device with Resistance Mechanism Having a Pivoting Arm and a Resistance Member." The present patent application also claims priority and is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/968,250, filed Oct. 19, 2004, and entitled "Exercise Device with Single Resilient Elongate Rod and Weight Selector Controller," which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/647,729, filed Aug. 25, 2003, entitled "Exercise Device with Centrally mounted Resistance Rod and Automatic Weight Selector Apparatus." For purposes of disclosure, the foregoing applications are incorporated by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. The Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to exercise apparatuses. In more particular, the present invention relates to exercise devices utilizing a compression spring and differential resistance arm for providing variable resistance for use during exercise. [0004] 2. The Relevant Technology [0005] In recent years, there has been a trend towards the use of exercise equipment, whether it is at a gym or at home. Although gym exercise equipment provides many benefits to an exercising user, it is typically expensive to become a member of the gym and usually time consuming and inconvenient to exercise at the gym. Many individuals are turning to home exercise equipment to obtain the health benefits associated with daily exercising. [0006] Although home exercise equipment is more convenient to use, in many instances the devices are cumbersome and difficult to use. For instance, many multi-gym exercise devices use free weights or other heavy weights to provide resistance during an exercise regime. These weights make positioning and subsequent movement of the exercise device difficult. Typically, once a multi-gym device has been set-up in one position, it will remain there for a significant amount of time without being moved. When the device is to be moved, the owner must spend a long period to dismantle the device, move the parts to the new position within the home, and reassemble the exercise device. Additionally, use of such a multi-gym device requires the user to set aside a significant amount of space within the user's home. This reduces the livable space within the home and typically requires that an area of the home be dedicated to the performance of exercise regimes. [0007] Typical exercise devices use weights to provide resistance to an exercising user. The selection of weights may be difficult to achieve before and during an exercise regime. Additionally, selection of a particular resistance is limited to the incremental weights provided with the exercise device. For instance, the adjustability of the exercise device to a particular weight is often limited by the minimum numerical weight value of the weights included with the exercise device. [0008] In addition to the above, the adjustability of the exercise device limits the usability of the exercise device. Many exercise devices require removal of pins and repositioning of weights to vary the resistance applied to an exercising user. This may be time consuming and difficult to achieve depending the particular configuration of the exercise device. Over time, there is a high likelihood that the pins associated with the exercise device will become lost, thereby preventing a user exercising using the exercise device. [0009] Some exercise devices attempt to overcome the limitations associated with the use of heavy weights to provide resistance to an exercising user. These exercising devices may utilize a flexible arm or rod that provides resistance as a user exercises. However, such flexible arms can take more than the desired amount of space, can require manual manipulation, or can be otherwise cumbersome to use efficiently. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] The present invention relates to exercise apparatuses. More particularly, the present invention relates to exercise apparatuses having a resistance assembly which utilizes a compression spring in combination with a differential resistance arm to regulate the amount of resistance provided to the user for use in exercise. The resistance assembly of the present invention utilizes a compression spring, gas shock, or other known resistance mechanisms including, but not limited to, resilient bands, compressible foam members, or the like. The differential resistance arm is provided in connection with the compression spring to regulate the amount of resistance provided for use during exercise. The differential resistance arm includes a differential contact surface which has a substantially curved configuration. The curved configuration maintains a linear increase/decrease in resistance subsequent to input from a user increasing or decreasing the resistance. [0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a lead screw and lead screw motor are provided in connection with the differential resistance arm. A linkage arm is secured to the lead screw utilizing a threaded coupler. In response to a request from a user to increase or decrease the amount of resistance provided from the resistance assembly, the lead screw motor turns the lead screw changing the position of the threaded coupler along the length of the differential resistance arm. The differential resistance arm provides a mechanical advantage such that when the position of the threaded coupler is moved along the length of the differential resistance arm the mechanical advantage of the differential resistance arm is increased or decreased to change the amount of resistance experienced by the user during exercise. [0012] The configuration of the differential resistance arm and linkage arm allows the compression spring to be compressed in a substantially linear manner without requiring rotation or pivoting of any portion of the compression spring. This provides a fluid and reliable motion of the compression spring which limits breakage or other stresses on the compression spring during exercise. The differential contact surface of the differential resistance arm provides for effective and continuous contact between the threaded coupler and the differential resistance arm when the threaded coupler is positioned at a variety of positions along the differential contact surface of the differential resistance arm. As a result, a reliable, efficient, and compact resistance assembly can be provided in connection with the exercise device. [0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention a guide and guide slot are provided in connection with the compression spring. The guide, guide slot, and compression spring are mounted on a compression spring securement frame member. When the compression spring is in operation, the compression spring securement frame member, the guide, and guide slot maintain smooth, continuous, and linear movement of the compression spring as the compression spring is compressed. According to another embodiment of the present invention, a cable and pulley is provided to utilize resistance from the resistance member and convey the resistance to the user for use in exercise. In one embodiment, a plurality of pulleys are positioned at one end of the differential resistance arm and a plurality of pulleys are positioned on the frame of the resistance assembly. A cable is threaded from the pulleys on the differential resistance arm to the pulleys on the frame. Additionally, the cable of the cable and pulley system extends from the resistance assembly to a position on the exercise device. The cable is connected to a handle, or other grasping member allowing the user to utilize the resistance from the compression spring during an exercise routine. Resistance from the resistance member is conveyed to the differential resistance arm utilizing the linkage arm. As a result, the cable and pulley system links directly to the differential resistance arm to utilize such resistance from the resistance member and convey the resistance to the user. [0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, additional resistance can be added by the user to the resistance assembly. Additional compression springs can be added to an external connection point on the housing of the resistance assembly to add such additional resistance. In another embodiment, a different type of resistance such as a resilient band, or other known resistance member can be utilized. In the embodiment, the additional resistance compression springs are engaged by an external portion of the guide. Movement of the differential resistance arm during exercise compresses both the compression spring internal to the resistance assembly and the ancillary compression spring or springs added by the user. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a variety of types and configuration of exercise mechanisms such as lat towers, weight benches, squat towers, leg press, or preacher curl mechanisms can be utilized. [0015] These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: [0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exercise apparatus according to the present invention. [0018] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the resistance assembly in connection to the exercise apparatus. [0019] FIG. 3 is perspective view of the resistance assembly illustrating the differential resistance arm. [0020] FIG. 4 is a side cutaway view of the resistance assembly illustrating the guide which maintains linear compression of the compression spring. Continue reading about Exercise apparatus with differential arm resistance assembly... 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