Automated racking of weight lifting equipment

Abstract

Automated gym equipment sorting technology is presented for receiving, measuring, sorting, delivering and inventorying weights (dumbbells) used in a gym facility. Various mechanisms are employed for efficiently replacing weights on a rack accessible to gym members. Weights are randomly dropped off at and dynamically sorted by the technology based on dumbbell characteristics and an optional schema so that members can more efficiently find desired weights.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for an automated weight rack, comprising:
 receiving at least one weight at a first conveyor, wherein the first conveyor is configured to simultaneously hold a plurality of different types and masses of weights;   delivering the at least one weight via the first conveyor to a second conveyor of a transport mechanism, wherein the second conveyor is configured to move weights about a first axis, wherein the transport mechanism is configured to move the second conveyor about a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis;   identifying a characteristic of the at least one weight by the first conveyor and/or by the second conveyor, wherein the characteristic is one or more of a mass, size, type, color, ago and history;   determining a position along a weight rack for delivering the at least one weight to a weight holder that is accessible to a user for retrieving the weight, based on the identified characteristic;   moving the transport mechanism about the second axis and relative to the weight rack such that the second conveyor is at a location approximate to the determined position of the weight holder; and   operating the second conveyor to move the at least one weight along the first axis to the determined position of the weight holder such that the at least one weight is delivered to the weight holder at a location available for retrieval by the user.   
     
     
         2 . The method for an automated weight rack of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one weight is a dumbbell, wherein the characteristic is mass and wherein the mass is identified via a load cell associated with the second conveyor. 
     
     
         3 . The method for an automated weight rack of  claim 1 , wherein the transport mechanism is configured to move along a third, vertical axis for repositioning weights to a plurality of weight racks of different heights. 
     
     
         4 . The method for an automated weight rack of  claim 1 , wherein the first conveyor includes a motor for causing the first conveyor to sequentially delivery a plurality of dumbbells along a first loading end of the first conveyor to a second delivery end of the conveyor for delivering at least one of the plurality of dumbbells to the second conveyor and wherein the first conveyor moves the at least on dumbbell in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis associated with the second conveyor. 
     
     
         5 . The method for an automated weight rack of  claim 1 , wherein determining a position along the weight rack for delivering the at least one weight to a weight holder is based on a determination that one or more weight holders on the weight rack are unoccupied. 
     
     
         6 . An automated dumbbell sorting method, comprising:
 receiving one or more dumbbells at an automated dumbbell sorter;   determining, by the dumbbell sorter, a mass of the one or more dumbbells;   identifying, by the automated dumbbell sorter, one or more dumbbell holders for holding the one or more dumbbells for user access;   transporting, by the automated dumbbell sorter, the one or more dumbbells to the one or more dumbbell holder locations, based on the mass of the one or more dumbbells; and   delivering, by the automated dumbbell sorter, the one or more dumbbells to the identified one or more dumbbell holder locations for user retrieval.   
     
     
         7 . The automated dumbbell sorting method of  claim 6 , wherein the dumbbells are received at conveyor configured to move the one or more dumbbells to a strain gauge and/or scale for determining the mass; 
     
     
         8 . The automated dumbbell sorting method of  claim 6 , further comprising delivering the one or more dumbbells via a first conveyor to a second conveyor, wherein the first conveyor is configured to transport the one or more dumbbells via a first axis and the second conveyor is configured to transport the one or more dumbbells via a second axis for delivering the one or more dumbbells to the identified one or more dumbbell holder locations. 
     
     
         9 . The automated dumbbell sorting method of  claim 6 , wherein identifying the one or more dumbbell holders for holding the one or more dumbbells is based on a predetermined schema, wherein the predetermined schema is associated with an address assigned to the one or more dumbbells and a characteristic of the one or more dumbbells, wherein the characteristic includes one or more of size and the mass. 
     
     
         10 . The automated dumbbell sorting method of  claim 6 , Wherein the transporting of the one or more dumbbells to the one or more dumbbell holder locations is via one or more conveyors. 
     
     
         11 . An automated dumbbell racking system, comprising:
 a weight rack including dumbbell holders, each dumbbell holder is configured to hold a dumbbell for retrieval by a user; and   a dumbbell sorting apparatus including
 a loading mechanism configured to receive dumbbells; 
 a transport mechanism movable to transport dumbbells from the loading mechanism to corresponding dumbbell holders of the weight rack. 
   
     
     
         12 . The automated dumbbell racking system of  claim 11 , further comprising a controller programmed to:
 identify empty dumbbell holders based on one or more characteristics of the dumbbells held by the loading mechanism, and   command the transport mechanism to sequentially transport dumbbells to corresponding empty dumbbell holders.   
     
     
         13 . The automated dumbbell racking system of  claim 11 , wherein the weight rack includes an upper row of the dumbbell holders and a lower row of the dumbbell holders, and wherein the transport mechanism includes:
 a lift apparatus configured to vertically move the transport mechanism between the upper and lower rows of dumbbell holders, and   a conveyor apparatus configured to move the transport mechanism along the weight rack to move the dumbbell carrier relative to the dumbbell holders.   
     
     
         14 . The automated dumbbell racking system of  claim 11 , wherein the transport mechanism has at least one loading configuration for receiving dumbbells from the loading mechanism and at least one delivery configuration for delivering dumbbells to the dumbbell holders. 
     
     
         15 . The automated dumbbell racking system of  claim 11 , wherein the transport mechanism includes a carrying mode for carrying a dumbbell along the weight rack and an unloading mode for moving the dumbbell into one of the dumbbell holders. 
     
     
         16 . The automated dumbbell racking system of  claim 11 , wherein the transport mechanism is movable between a plurality of unloading positions, wherein the transport mechanism at each unloading position is positioned to deliver a dumbbell into a respective one of the dumbbell holders. 
     
     
         17 . The automated dumbbell racking system of  claim 11 , wherein the loading mechanism includes a feed assembly with a plurality of compartments for holding dumbbells while the feed assembly sequentially delivers dumbbells from the compartments to the transport mechanism. 
     
     
         18 . The automated dumbbell racking system of  claim 11 , wherein the transport mechanism is configured to deliver one or more dumbbells to the dumbbell holders while the loading mechanism holds dumbbells ready to be repositioned. 
     
     
         19 . An automated dumbbell racking system, comprising:
 a weight rack means, the weight rack means including dumbbell holders, each dumbbell holder is configured to hold a dumbbell for retrieval by a user; and   a dumbbell sorting means, the dumbbell sorting means including
 a loading means configured to receive dumbbells; 
 a transport means movable to transport dumbbells from the loading mechanism to corresponding dumbbell holders of the weight rack. 
   
     
     
         20 . The automated dumbbell racking system of  claim 19 , further comprising a controller means to:
 identify empty dumbbell holders based on one or more characteristics of the dumbbells held by the loading mechanism, and   command the transport means to sequentially transport dumbbells to corresponding empty dumbbell holders; wherein the transport means includes:
 a lift means configured to vertically move the transport means between the upper and lower rows of dumbbell holders; and 
 a conveyor means configured to move the transport means along the weight rack to move the dumbbell carrier relative to the dumbbell holders, wherein the transport means is configured to deliver one or more dumbbells to the dumbbell holders while the loading means holds dumbbells ready to be repositioned.