US20120021876A1 - Adjustable cable machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The adjustable cable machine contains a frame member raised on a base member having two ground bars. A seat member is configured in the front and a weight member capable of sliding vertically on the frame member. Two extension members are configured oppositely to the lateral sides of the frame member. Each extension member contains an adjustment element fixed to the frame member and an extension rod pivotally joined to the adjustment element. Each extension rod could be turned to adjust its angle relative to the frame member. A traction member composed of pulleys and cables is configured between the weight member and the extension members. A handle could be configured to an upper actuating ends at a top end of each extension rod or a lower actuating end in a front section of a ground bar.

Description

(a) TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention generally relates to cable machines for weight and functional trainings, and more particular to an adjustable cable machine to fit the needs of various users.
(b) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
• A cable machine is used in weight training or functional training. It allows a user to pull a weight stack by the arms so as to exercise the arm muscle. A cable machine usually contains a frame, a seat member on the frame, a weight member on the frame, a traction member on the frame composed of pulleys and cables, and handles above the seat member connecting to the traction member's actuating ends. As such, a user could sit on the seat member and pull the handles downwards by the arms to overcome the resistance rendered from the weight member through the traction member. Taiwan Patent No. M364523 teaches a cable machine further providing left and right swing elements connected to the traction member for different exercising styles such as chest expansion.
• Conventionally, the handles are hung from the frame above the seat member. To reserve space for the arms' up/down movement and to prevent the user's head from bumping to the handles when standing up, the frame has a substantial height. Together with the expanded lateral space required by the swing elements as in the prior art, the cable machine takes up a significantly sizable space, making it very difficult for transportation and placement. In addition, the cable machine usually has a complex structure, thereby leading to high product cost and difficult assembly. The cable machine as such is more common in professional gymnasiums, but is rare in households.
• Further more, the conventional cable machine only offers limited exercising styles, failing to satisfy various users' needs. A user could easily get bored after a short while. Additionally, the positions of the handles and the swing elements, as well as their trajectories, are usually fixed. For a user with a posture not quite compatible with the design of the cable machine, the user could be easily injured.
• In other words, the cable machine with its existing design, dimension, cost, and exercising styles, has a significant room for improvement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• Therefore, a novel cable machine is provided herein which takes up a limited space, requires fewer parts, and reduces production and transportation costs.
• Another major objective of the present invention is to provide an adjustable cable machine capable of offering additional exercising styles, satisfying the needs of various users, preventing the chances of injuries, and enhancing the exercising effects.
• To achieve the above objectives, the present invention's handles are hung from extension rods that could be pivotally turned behind the seat member. As such, the handles could be raised high above the seat member or lowered low to the lateral sides of the seat member. The cable machine therefore offers versatile exercising styles, with a simplified structure and reduced dimension for easier and low-cost transportation and storage.
• The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
• Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a perspective break-down diagram showing the various components of a cable machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is a perspective diagram showing the cable machine ofFIG. 1 after its assembly.
• FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram showing the cable machine ofFIG. 2 from a different viewing angle.
• FIG. 4 is a perspective break-down diagram showing an extension member of the cable machine ofFIG. 1.
• FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional diagram showing the extension member ofFIG. 4.
• FIG. 6 is a schematic front-view diagram showing the extension member ofFIG. 4.
• FIG. 7 is a schematic front-view diagram showing a first exercising style offered by the cable machine ofFIG. 1.
• FIG. 8 is a schematic front-view diagram showing a second exercising style offered by the cable machine ofFIG. 1.
• FIG. 9 is a schematic front-view diagram showing a third exercising style offered by the cable machine ofFIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
• As shown inFIGS. 1 to 3, a cable machine according to an embodiment of the present invention contains abase member10, aframe member15, aseat member20, twoextension members30, aweight member40, and atraction member50.
• Thebase member10 is roughly shaped like an inversed “A” with twoground bars11 roughly in parallel but spaced wider apart as they are extended towards a front direction of the cable machine to provide a solid ground support to the cable machine. Afootboard12 is placed between theground bars11's front sections. Theframe member15 is raised on a back portion of thebase member10 for the configuration of thetraction member50. Theframe member15 is roughly shaped like an inversed “V” with afront bar16 for the configuration of theseat member20 and theextension members30, and aback bar18 for the configuration of theweight member40.
• Theseat member20 contains aseat21 and abackrest25, both configured on thefront bar16. Theseat21 could be dynamically removed so as to make space for a user standing on thefootboard12 to operate the cable machine.
• Theextension members30 are configured oppositely on thefront bar16's lateral sides, respectively. Eachextension member30 contains anadjustment element31 and anextension rod38. As shown inFIG. 4, eachadjustment element31 contains astatic disc32 fixed on thefront bar16 with a number of limitingholes320 spaced around thestatic disc32's circumference. A bottom end of eachextension rod38 is fixedly sandwiched between two rotatingdiscs33 of theadjustment element31. Eachextension rod38 is as such pivotally positioned on thefront bar16 by pin-joining the static and rotatingdiscs32 and33 together. Eachextension rod38's angle to thefront bar16 could be easily adjusted as follows. A throughtube330 is configured between the rotatingdiscs33 that could be aligned with alimiting hole320. Afront end331 of thetube330 and abolt34 have corresponding threads and grooves so that thebolt34 could be screwed on thefront end331. Thebolt34 has a through channel so that alimiting rod35 could be threaded through thetube330 and thebolt34 with its two ends exposed outside. Anelastic element350 is placed between thelimiting rod35 and thebolt34 and a front end of thelimiting rod35 is joined to aknob351. As such, when the limitingrod35 is aligned with alimiting hole320, the limitingrod35 could be embedded into the limitinghole320 by theelastic element350. As shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, by pulling theknob351, thelimiting rod35 could be removed from the confining limitinghole320. Theextension rod38 then could be turned to a new position and the limitingrod35 could be embedded into alimiting hole320 there.
• Theweight member40 contains a runningelement41 capable of sliding up and down along theback bar18 under the control of thetraction member50. Twohorizontal pins42 are extended from therunning element41's lateral sides, respectively. Various kinds ofweights45 could be placed on or removed from eachpin42 so as to conveniently fit a user's exercising requirement.
• Thetraction member50 contains a number of pulleys and cables running through the pulleys, and is configured between theweight member40 and theextension members30. At a top end of eachextension rod38, thetraction member50 provides anupper actuating end51. Similarly, within a front section of eachground bar11, thetraction member50 provides alower actuating end52. The upper and lower actuating ends51 and52 are connected to theweight member40 through the cables and pulleys of the traction member. Ahandle55 could be optionally connected to any of the upper and lower pulling ends51 and52 so that, as shown inFIGS. 7 to 9, a user could grasp thehandles55 and perform various exercises and weight trainings.
• As described, a versatile, small-dimensional cable machine is thereby achieved.
• When the cable machine is put to use, as shown inFIGS. 7 to 9, a user could sit on theseat member20 and pulls thehandles55 to exercise the muscle of various body parts. As illustrated, the cable machine provides a number of exercising styles so that the user would not be bored from using the cable machine.
• As shown inFIGS. 7 and 9, depending on the user's build, theextension rods38 of theextension members30 could be turned to a desired angle. To alter the angles of theextension rods38, as described earlier and as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, by pulling theknob351, the limitingrod35 could be removed from a confining limitinghole320. Theextension rod38 then could be turned to a new position around thestatic disc32 and, by releasing theknob351, the limitingrod35 could be embedded into an aligned limitinghole320 there. As such, the cable machine not only offers versatile exercising styles but also prevent the user from injury.
• Further more, when the cable machine is required to be transported or stored, theextension rods38 could be completely lowered and locked behind theseat member20. The cable machine therefore has a limited height and takes up the least amount of space for easier transportation and storage. Additionally, thesame extension members30 provides up/down pulling exercise and lateral swing exercise as well, without the installation of additional parts. The cable machine therefore enjoys a simpler structure and lower cost than the prior arts.
• More over, thepins42 of theweight member40 is structurally open so that a user could easily and conveniently add or removedifferent weights45 to meet the user's exercising or training requirement.
• While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims (5)

1. A cable machine, comprising:

a base member;

a frame member raised on a back portion of said base member, said frame member having a front bar and a back bar;

two extension members configured oppositely on said front bar's lateral sides, respectively, each extension member comprising an adjustment element fixed to said front bar and an adjustment rod pivotally joined to said adjustment element, each adjustment rod's angle to said front bar being adjustable;

a weight member comprising a running element along said back bar; and

a traction member comprising a plurality of pulleys and cables configured between said extension member and said weight member, wherein an upper actuating end of said traction member is provided at a top end of each extension rod; a handle is optionally configured on each upper actuating end; and said running element is capable of sliding vertically along said back bar under the control of a user pulling said handle through said traction member.

2. The cable machine according toclaim 1, wherein said base member comprising two ground bars roughly in parallel but spaced wider apart towards a front direction; a footboard is placed between said ground bars' front sections; and a lower actuating end of said traction member is provided in said front section of each ground bar.

3. The cable machine according toclaim 1, further comprising a seat member on said front bar; said seat member comprising a seat detachable from said front bar and a backrest.

4. The cable machine according toclaim 1, wherein a static disc of said adjustment element is fixed on said front bar with a plurality of limiting holes spaced around said static disc's circumference; a bottom end of each extension rod is fixedly sandwiched between two rotating discs of said adjustment element; each extension rod is pivotally connected to said front bar by pin-joining said static and rotating discs together; a through tube is configured between said rotating discs; a front end of said tube and a bolt have corresponding threads and grooves so that said bolt is screwed on said front end; said bolt has a through channel so that a limiting rod is threaded through said tube and said bolt; an elastic element is placed between said limiting rod and said bolt; and a front end of said limiting rod is joined to a knob; when said limiting rod is aligned with a limiting hole, said limiting rod is embedded into said limiting hole by said elastic element; and, by pulling said knob, said limiting rod is removed from a confining limiting hole.

5. The cable machine according toclaim 1, wherein two horizontal pins are extended from said running element's lateral sides, respectively, for loading and removing weights.

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