Apparatus for Counting Repetitions of an Exercise Device

Abstract

An apparatus for counting repetitions of an exercise device including a frame with at least one guide member, a movable component guided to travel along a path by the at least one guide member, the path having a start position, a first position, and a second position, first and second proximity sensors attached to the frame, the first proximity sensor transmitting a first signal when the movable component is located near the first position, and the second proximity sensor transmitting a second signal when the movable component is located near the second position, an electronic counter set up to receive the first and second signals so that the electronic counter can count the number of repetitions of travel of the movable component along the path, a memory storage device for storing the repetition count, and a display device able to display the rep count.

1 . An apparatus for counting repetitions of an exercise device, comprising:
 a frame comprising at least one guide member;   a movable component configured to be moved in response to a mechanical stimulus generated during repetition movement, the movable component configured to travel along a path having a start position, a first position, and a second position, wherein the movable component of the exercise device is guided along the path by the at least one guide member, and wherein the movable component is located at the start position before the mechanical stimulus is generated, and the movable component returns to the start position after the mechanical stimulus has ceased to be generated;   first and second proximity sensors coupled to the frame, the first proximity sensor operably coupled to the movable component to transmit a first signal when the movable component is proximate the first position, and the second proximity sensor operably coupled to the movable component to transmit a second signal when the movable component is proximate the second position;   an electronic counter having a memory storage device for storing a rep count representing the number of repetitions of the movable component moving along the path, the electronic counter configured to receive the first and second signals, wherein the electronic counter is configured such that receipt of the second signal causes the electronic counter to increment the rep count by one when the second signal is preceded by receipt of the first signal; and   a display device in communication with the electronic counter, the display device configured to display the rep count.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic counter is configured such that receipt of the first signal does not increment the rep count. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic counter is configured such that receipt of the second signal alone does not increment the rep count. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic counter is configured to increase the rep count by one when the movable component is moved along the path past the first position and proximate the second position. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic counter is configured to increase the rep count by one when the movable component is moved along the path past the first position and proximate the second position, and wherein the electronic counter is configured to prevent any further increase of the rep count until the movable component is moved back along the path to a position in proximity with the first position. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the location of the first proximity sensor defines the first position and the location of the second proximity sensor defines the second position, the second position located above the first position. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , and further comprising a timer in communication with the electronic counter and the display device. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , and further comprising a timer in communication with the electronic counter and the display device, wherein the timer is configured to start measuring accrued time when at least one of the first signal and the second signal is received by the electronic counter, and wherein the timer is configured to start measuring rest time if the first signal is not received by the electronic counter within a preset period of time, and wherein the display device is configured to display at least one of the accrued time and the rest time. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the timer is configured to enter a shut-down mode if the rest time reaches a preset target value, wherein the rep count, the accrued time and the rest time are reset to zero when the timer enters the shut-down mode. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , and further comprising a timer in communication with the electronic counter and the display device, wherein the timer is configured to start measuring accrued time when at least one of the first signal and the second signal is received by the electronic counter, and wherein the timer is configured to stop measuring accrued time, reset the accrued time to zero, and start measuring rest time if the first signal is not received by the electronic counter within a preset period of time, and wherein the display device is configured to display at least one of the accrued time and the rest time. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic counter adds the rep count of the electronic counter to a total number of repetitions, and wherein the electronic counter stores in the memory storage device the total number of repetitions of the exercise device. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , and further comprising a timer in communication with the electronic counter and the display device, wherein the timer is configured to start measuring accrued time when at least one of the first signal and the second signal is received by the electronic counter, and wherein the electronic counter adds the accrued time to a total accrued time, and wherein the electronic counter stores in the memory storage device the total accrued time of the exercise device. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , and further comprising a timer in communication with the electronic counter and the display device, wherein the timer is configured to start measuring accrued time when at least one of the first signal and the second signal is received by the electronic counter, and wherein the electronic counter adds the accrued time to a total accrued time, and wherein the electronic counter adds the rep count of the electronic counter to a total number of repetitions, and wherein the electronic counter stores in the memory storage device the total number of repetitions of the exercise device and the total accrued time of the exercise device, and wherein the display device is configured to display at least one of the total accrued time of the exercise device and the total number of repetitions of the exercise device. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus for counting repetitions of an exercise device, comprising:
 a frame comprising at least one guide member;   a movable component configured to be moved in response to a mechanical stimulus generated during repetition movement, the movable component configured to travel along a path having a start position, a first position, and a second position, wherein the movable component of the exercise device is guided along the path by the at least one guide member, and wherein the movable component is located at the start position before the mechanical stimulus is generated, and the movable component returns to the start position after the mechanical stimulus has ceased to be generated;   first and second proximity sensors coupled to the frame, the first proximity sensor operably coupled to the movable component to transmit a first signal when the movable component is proximate the first position, and the second proximity sensor operably coupled to the movable component to transmit a second signal when the movable component is proximate the second position;   a start position proximity sensor coupled to the frame, the start position proximity sensor operably coupled to the movable component to transmit a third signal when the movable component is proximate the start position;   an electronic counter having a memory storage device for storing a rep count representing the number of repetitions of the movable component moving along the path, the electronic counter configured to receive the first, second, and third signals, wherein the electronic counter is configured such that receipt of the second signal causes the electronic counter to increment the rep count by one when the second signal is preceded by receipt of the first signal; and   a display device in communication with the electronic counter, the display device configured to display the rep count.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the electronic counter is configured to increase the rep count by one when the movable component is moved along the path past the first position and proximate the second position, and wherein the electronic counter is configured to prevent any further increase of the rep count until the movable component is moved back along the path to a position in proximity with the first position. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , and further comprising a timer in communication with the electronic counter and the display device. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , and further comprising a timer in communication with the electronic counter and the display device, wherein the timer is configured to start measuring accrued time when at least one of the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal is received by the electronic counter, and wherein the timer is configured to start measuring rest time if the third signal is received by the electronic counter for a preset period of time, and wherein the display device is configured to display at least one of the accrued time and the rest time. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the timer is configured to enter a shut-down mode if the rest time reaches a preset target value, wherein the rep count, the accrued time and the rest time are reset to zero when the timer enters the shut-down mode. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , and further comprising a timer in communication with the electronic counter and the display device, wherein the timer is configured to start measuring accrued time when at least one of the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal is received by the electronic counter, and wherein the timer is configured to stop measuring accrued time, reset the accrued time to zero, and start measuring rest time if the third signal is received by the electronic counter for a preset period of time, and wherein the display device is configured to display at least one of the accrued time and the rest time. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , and further comprising a timer in communication with the electronic counter and the display device, wherein the timer is configured to start measuring accrued time when at least one of the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal is received by the electronic counter, and wherein the electronic counter adds the accrued time to a total accrued time, and wherein the electronic counter adds the rep count of the electronic counter to a total number of repetitions, and wherein the electronic counter stores in the memory storage device the total number of repetitions of the exercise device and the total accrued time of the exercise device.