Electromechanical resistance exercise apparatus

DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a resistance system that does not constrain the user to respond to load patterns set by the machine independently of the actual strength or applied effort of the user, but rather creates loading demands on the user in response to his varying strength and applied effort (see the graph in FIG.
4).
It is an additional objective to provide a machine that provides advantages of a number of prior art systems without their deficiencies.
It is an additional objective to develop a diverse system that will provide many user options through the control of the speed of a single uni-directional motor.
It is a further objective to provide a machine that collects data regarding the user's workout and then displays the data in an appropriate form for user feedback.
It is an objective to provide a machine that can monitor the user's performance and downwardly adjust the loads imposed on the user when necessary, or increase the loads when desirable.
Yet another object is to provide an adjustable force threshold to capture a force level achieved in one range of motion cycle for use as the threshold resistance to be overcome at the start of the succeeding repetition.
This threshold resistive force for each repetition would thus be directly related to the user's increasing or decreasing strength as determined from the preceding repetition.
Force generating features of this invention provide an opposing force that rises with user velocity during a concentric contraction (see the graph in FIG.
5) and falls during an accelerating eccentric contraction (see the graph in FIG.
6).