Exercise device, method of fabricating exercise device, and method and system for interaction with an exercise device

Abstract

An exercise device, method of making the device and a method and system for interaction with an exercise device, in which removable, variable weight may be provided in a housing of the device. Two rotatable handles may be provided in the housing, permitting various hand orientations during exercise. The removable weight may be provided near the center of the exercise device, with the handles substantially outboard the weight. Weight may thus be efficiently added or removed in a central area of the housing between the handles.

1 . An exercise device, comprising: 
 an upper housing,    a lower housing, and    a pair of rotatable handle assemblies between the upper and lower housings, the lower housing including a cavity for receiving a removable weight.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity is centrally located in the lower housing so that the removable weight is provided near the center of the exercise device, so that each handle assembly of the pair is outboard either side of the weight.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a tray adapted to hold the removable weight, the tray adapted for insertion into the cavity of the lower housing.    
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a weight selector, wherein weight is added or removed within the cavity in the lower housing by placing the exercise device over the tray so that the tray is inserted into the cavity and adjusting the position of the weight selector.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the weight selector includes: 
 a selector knob provided on the device and adapted to be actuated by a user of the device,    an inner selector tube, and    an outer selector tube,    wherein the selector knob is engaged to the inner selector tube to form a subassembly that is rigidly connected to outer tube assembly, and    wherein the outer selector tube includes a plurality a teeth for engaging the removable weight.    
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a tray adapted to hold the removable weight, the tray adapted for insertion into the cavity of the lower housing, wherein the removable weight is embodied as one or more vertically stacked weight plates in the tray.    
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein one of the vertically stacked weight plates is permanently fixed in the tray.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein each weight plate has one or more teeth for engaging the teeth on the outer selector tube, based on a rotational position of the outer selector tube.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein 
 the rotational position of the outer selector tube is based on a weight selection position of the selector knob, and    the user actuates the selector knob on the device to a desired weight to align teeth of the outer selector tube so as to engage teeth of one or more given weight plates in the tray to achieve the desired weight and remove the desired weight from the tray.    
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein, if a given weight plate is engaged by the weight selector, all weight plates above the given weight plate are also engaged by the weight selector.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more resistance/sound elements for providing aural and resistance feedback to a user actuating the rotating handle assemblies.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein 
 each rotating handle assembly includes teeth on an outer periphery thereof    the resistance/element has a flexible configuration and is in proximate relationship to the teeth of a given handle assembly for engaging the teeth as the handle assembly is being turned, providing an audible sound and a resistance to the rotational movement.    
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 12 , further comprising a selector switch adjustable by the user to change the sound and resistance, via positioning of the resistance/sound element to a range of positions between a maximum sound and resistance position and a minimum sound and resistance position.  
   
   
       14 . An exercise device, comprising: 
 an upper housing;    a lower housing, the lower housing provided with a central cavity for insertion of one or more removable weights, each of the upper and lower housings further including a frame and a pair of outer openings, one opening at either side of the central cavity;    a pair of rotating handle assemblies provided in corresponding outer openings; and    a weight selection assembly for selecting a desired amount of weight for insertion in the central cavity.    
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 14 , further comprising a tray configured for holding weights and adapted so as to be engaged by the weight selection assembly within an opening provided at an underside of the lower housing.  
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein one or more of the upper housing, lower housing, rotating handle assemblies, weight selection assembly and tray are formed by an injection molding process from a high impact plastic.  
   
   
       17 . A method of fabricating an exercise device, comprising: 
 forming an upper housing;    forming a lower housing, each of the upper and lower housing composed of a frame provided with a central opening and an outer opening on either side of the central opening, the lower housing further including a cavity;    forming a weight selection assembly adapted to select a removable weight;    forming a pair of handle assemblies;    inserting each handle assembly in a corresponding outer opening of the lower housing so as to be supported by the lower housing frame;    inserting the weight selection assembly through the central opening in the upper housing; and    attaching the upper housing to the lower housing so that at least a portion of the weight selection assembly extends in the cavity of the lower housing.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 forming a tray configured for holding one or more removable weights and of a dimension so as to fit within the cavity of the lower housing for engagement of the one or more removable weights therein by the weight selection assembly.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the steps of forming the upper housing, lower housing, weight selection assembly, pair of handle assemblies and tray includes performing a process selected from the group comprising an injection molding process, a vacuum forming process and a metal casting process.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of forming the weight selection assembly includes: 
 forming an inner selector tube,    forming a selector knob,    inserting the selector knob into the inner selector tube to form a subassembly,    forming the outer selector tube, and    inserting the subassembly into outer selector tube.    
   
   
       21 . A method of determining a fitness score for a workout by a user manipulating an exercise device, comprising: 
 receiving one or more detected parameters related to spatial movement of the exercise device; and    determining a fitness score related to quality of the workout by the user, based on the received parameter data.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the receiving step includes receiving the detected parameters over one of a wired link and a wireless link.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 displaying the fitness score for the user.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the detected parameters include at least one of a rate of lift parameter of the exercise device during movement by the user, a range of motion parameter of the exercise device during movement by the user, a number of repetitions parameter of the exercise device by the user for a specified workout routine, and a jitter parameter related to pitch and yaw of the exercise during movement by the user.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the determining step includes determining the fitness score as a function of at least one of an age, gender and fitness condition of the user.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 displaying the fitness score and a comparison of the user's fitness score to fitness scores of other users.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein fitness scores of other users are obtained via one of an intranet and the internet.  
   
   
       28 . An arrangement for tracking movement of a hand-held, free-weight exercise device to determine quality of a workout, comprising: 
 a plurality of sensors for detecting one or more parameters related to spatial movement of the device by the user during a workout,    a transceiver, and    a processor, the transceiver transmitting the detected parameter data to the processor, the processor determining a quality of the workout by the user based on the received parameter data.    
   
   
       29 . The arrangement of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of sensors are embodied as at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a pressure sensor and an optical sensor, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       30 . The arrangement of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of sensors detect at least one of a rate of lift parameter of the exercise device during movement by the user, a range of motion parameter of the exercise device during movement by the user, a number of repetitions parameter of the exercise device by the user for a specified workout routine, and a jitter parameter related to pitch and yaw of the exercise during movement by the user.  
   
   
       31 . A gaming device containing an arrangement as described in  claim 28 , the arrangement interacting with existing gaming software to translate movement of the gaming device into moves within an existing game being implemented by the gaming software.  
   
   
       32 . A system for tracking a physical workout of a hand-held, free-weight exercise device by a user, comprising: 
 a plurality of sensors connected to the device for detecting one or more parameters related to spatial movement of the device by the user during the workout;    a first transceiver attached to the device for transmitting the detected parameters over a wireless link;    a second transceiver for receiving the detected parameter data over the link and forwarding the parameter data to a processor,    the processor evaluating the received parameter data to output performance data indicating quality of the workout to the user.    
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 31 , further comprising: 
 a memory for storing the performance data; and    an interface for receiving input to the processor and for enabling display of the performance data to the user.    
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the interface is a graphical user interface.  
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the graphical user interface is adapted to enable, via an animated display, a proper form of a selected exercise to help instruct the user.  
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the graphical user interface is adapted to graphically mimic, on a display, a particular exercise being performed by the user in at least one of real time and playback, to indicate whether the exercise is performed properly, and to score the individual exercise.  
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the graphical user interface communicates with the user over one of an internet or intranet.  
   
   
       37 . An exercise device, comprising: 
 a housing, and    a pair of rotatable handle assemblies,    each rotating handle assembly of the pair arranged on either side of the housing, the housing adapted to hold a removable weight therein so that the removable weight is centrally located in the device.    
   
   
       38 . The device of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 a tray adapted to hold the removable weight, the tray adapted for insertion into a cavity at an underside of the housing, wherein the removable weight is embodied as one or more vertically stacked weight plates in the tray, and    a weight selector, wherein weight is added or removed within the cavity by placing the exercise device over the tray so that the tray is inserted into the cavity and adjusting the position of the weight selector to engage one or more of the vertically stacked weights in the tray.    
   
   
       39 . The device of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 a weight selector include a laterally moving selector knob and a selector tube, wherein weight is added or removed by laterally moving the selector knob and selector tube to engage one or more vertically stacked weights.    
   
   
       40 . The device of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 a central cavity within the housing, the central cavity containing a plurality of weights sleeves, each weight sleeve adapted to house a removable weight.