US 12,440,716 B2
Weightlifting assistance device with safety feature
Ivan Mihelcic, Kostrena (HR)
Assigned to IM DEVELOPMENT D.O.O., Rijeka (HR)
Filed by IM DEVELOPMENT d.o.o., Rijeka (HR)
Filed on Dec. 8, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/533,630.
Application 18/533,630 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2021/065539, filed on Jun. 9, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0278062 A1, Aug. 22, 2024
Prior Publication US 2025/0032841 A2, Jan. 30, 2025
Int. Cl. A63B 21/078 (2006.01); A63B 21/00 (2006.01)
CPC A63B 21/0783 (2015.10) [A63B 21/00181 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A weightlifting assistance device configured to be mounted on a rack, comprising:
a base,
a connector,
a top configured to be movable,
fixation frames,
a coupler to removably couple the weightlifting assistance device to the rack, and
a gas spring, wherein
one or more linear guide bushings are locked into the base on one side, and extend parallelly toward the connector, where all guide bushings end;
each linear guide, which emerges from the corresponding liner guide bushing, ends connected to the top, allowing the top to travel from the connector upward for a travel path defined by the gas spring;
a bottom fixation frame of said fixation frames extends from the base and the top fixation frame extends from the connector, where both the bottom and top fixation frames end into the coupler and space apart all linear guides from the coupler,
where the top is equipped with a barbell holder, allowing the barbell holder to be locked within the top at a desired position by using a lock;
the gas spring is a locking gas spring that is formed from an outer cylinder, a piston rod, and a release pin configured to activate a valve mechanism via force exerted to the release pin, and the force being transmitted via a valve actuator towards the valve to lock or unlock the locking gas spring;
the outer cylinder of the gas spring is nested within the base and the connector in a manner that the piston rod and a socket mounted to the piston rod, are loosely inserted into the top in a way that the release pin, positioned within the piston rod top, is in direct mechanical contact with the top and the barbell holder inserted thereinto; and
under a condition that the outer force is exerted to the barbell holder in the base direction, the outer force unlocks previously stored mechanical energy within the locking gas spring and enables the weightlifting assistance device to produce counterforce by extending the piston rod and the top with the barbell holder attached thereto in the opposite direction of the applied outer force for times during which the outer force is exerted, otherwise in absence of the outer force the locking gas spring is locked.