IP Library › Granted Patent US 12661543
Granted Patent B2
US 12661543 · App. 18/212,683 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Exercise device cable safety locking mechanism

Inventors: Subrat Nayak (San Francisco, CA); Adam Ellison (Fitzroy North, AU); Erik Aylen (Bozeman, MT)
Assignee: Podium Fit, Inc.
A63B21/00069A63B21/0052A63B21/153A63B2220/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12661543
App. No.
18/212,683
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An exercise device comprises a cable, an electromagnetic retraction mechanism for spooling the cable into the exercise device, the electromagnetic retraction mechanism including a shaft, a gear coupled to the shaft, a latch movable between an extended position in which it engages the gear to prevent rotation of the gear in one direction, and a retracted position in which the latch does not engage the gear, an actuator to move the latch to the retracted position when the actuator is powered on, and a spring to move the latch into the extended position when power to the actuator is removed.

Claims (43)

1 . An exercise device, comprising:

a cable;

a platform;

an electromagnetic retraction mechanism for spooling the cable into the exercise device and to provide a force on the cable towards the platform in use, against which a user exercises, the electromagnetic retraction mechanism including a shaft;

a gear coupled to the shaft;

a latch movable between an extended position in which the latch engages the gear to prevent rotation of the gear in a first direction that withdraws the cable from the exercise device, and a retracted position in which the latch does not engage the gear;

an actuator to move the latch to the retracted position when the actuator is powered on;

a spring to move the latch into the extended position when power to the actuator is removed; and

a control mechanism including one or more data processors, to selectively apply or remove power to the actuator based on detection of one or more contextual factors by the one or more data processors, wherein the one or more contextual factors include detection of a user on the platform of the exercise device.

2 . The exercise device of claim 1 , wherein the gear is arranged to rotate past the latch in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, when the latch is in the extended position.

3 . The exercise device of claim 2 , wherein the electromagnetic retraction mechanism provides a bias to spool the cable into the exercise device when the latch is in the extended position.

4 . The exercise device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more contextual factors include initiation or termination of an exercise session by input received by the one or more processors from a user.

5 . The exercise device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more contextual factors include expiry of an inactivity timer set by the one or more data processors.

6 . The exercise device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more contextual factors include detection or notification of a device fault.

7 . The exercise device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a solenoid and the latch comprises a plunger movable in use by the solenoid.

8 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations for operating an exercise device, the exercise device comprising a cable, a platform, an electromagnetic retraction mechanism for spooling the cable into the exercise device and to provide a force on the cable towards the platform in use, against which a user exercises, the electromagnetic retraction mechanism including a shaft; a latch movable between an extended position in which the latch prevents rotation of the shaft in a first direction that withdraws the cable from the exercise device, and a retracted position in which the latch permits rotation in the first direction; and an actuator to move the latch to the retracted position when the actuator is powered on, the operations comprising:

detecting, by the computer, one or more contextual factors relating to a user of the exercise device; and

controlling the actuator to either prevent or permit the rotation of the shaft in the first direction based on the detected one or more contextual factors, wherein the one or more contextual factors include detection of a user on the platform of the exercise device and initiation of an exercise session by a user.

9 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the one or more contextual factors include expiry of an inactivity timer set by the computer.

10 . An exercise device, comprising:

a cable;

a platform;

an electromagnetic retraction mechanism for spooling the cable into the exercise device and to provide a force on the cable towards the platform in use, against which a user exercises, the electromagnetic retraction mechanism including a shaft;

a gear coupled to the shaft;

a latch movable between an extended position in which the latch engages the gear to prevent rotation of the gear in a first direction that withdraws the cable from the exercise device, and a retracted position in which the latch does not engage the gear;

an actuator to move the latch to the retracted position when the actuator is powered on;

a spring to move the latch into the extended position when power to the actuator is removed; and

a control mechanism including one or more data processors, to selectively apply or remove power to the actuator based on detection of one or more contextual factors by the one or more data processors, wherein the one or more contextual factors include the exercise device being in a battery charging state.

11 . An exercise device, comprising:

a cable;

a platform;

an electromagnetic retraction mechanism for spooling the cable into the exercise device and to provide a force on the cable towards the platform in use, against which a user exercises, the electromagnetic retraction mechanism including a shaft;

a gear coupled to the shaft;

a latch movable between an extended position in which the latch engages the gear to prevent rotation of the gear in a first direction that withdraws the cable from the exercise device, and a retracted position in which the latch does not engage the gear;

an actuator to move the latch to the retracted position when the actuator is powered on;

a spring to move the latch into the extended position when power to the actuator is removed; and

a control mechanism including one or more data processors, to selectively apply or remove power to the actuator based on detection of one or more contextual factors by the one or more data processors, wherein the one or more contextual factors include extension of the cable to or beyond a maximum limit.

12 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations for operating an exercise device, the exercise device comprising a cable, a platform, an electromagnetic retraction mechanism for spooling the cable into the exercise device and to provide a force on the cable towards the platform in use, against which a user exercises, the electromagnetic retraction mechanism including a shaft; a latch movable between an extended position in which the latch prevents rotation of the shaft in a first direction that withdraws the cable from the exercise device, and a retracted position in which the latch permits rotation in the first direction; and an actuator to move the latch to the retracted position when the actuator is powered on, the operations comprising:

detecting, by the computer, one or more contextual factors relating to a user of the exercise device; and

controlling the actuator to either prevent or permit the rotation of the shaft in the first direction based on the detected one or more contextual factors, wherein the one or more contextual factors comprise extension of the cable to or beyond a maximum limit.

13 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations for operating an exercise device, the exercise device comprising a cable, a platform, an electromagnetic retraction mechanism for spooling the cable into the exercise device and to provide a force on the cable towards the platform in use, against which a user exercises, the electromagnetic retraction mechanism including a shaft; a latch movable between an extended position in which the latch prevents rotation of the shaft in a first direction that withdraws the cable from the exercise device, and a retracted position in which the latch permits rotation in the first direction; and an actuator to move the latch to the retracted position when the actuator is powered on, the operations comprising:

detecting, by the computer, one or more contextual factors relating to a user of the exercise device; and

controlling the actuator to either prevent or permit the rotation of the shaft in the first direction based on the detected one or more contextual factors, wherein the one or more contextual factors include the exercise device being in a battery charging state.