Exercise devices – Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof – Treadmill for foot travel
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-20
2001-07-03
Donnelly, Jerome W. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
Treadmill for foot travel
C482S051000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254515
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to exercise treadmills and more particularly to mechanisms for tilting the running or walking platforms of treadmills. Treadmills are typically provided with an endless belt which is driven around a pair of rollers as a platform on which a user runs or walks for exercise. In recent years, a variety of mechanisms have been developed for causing the treadmill to tilt upwardly to simulate the effect of running or walking uphill. Those apparatuses developed to date for tilting treadmills do not stabilize the treadmill against movement in the forward to back or side-to-side directions but rather utilize lifting mechanisms which cause the treadmill to move laterally or forwardly or backwardly and thus render the treadmill less stable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention therefore, there is provided in a treadmill having a controllably pivotable frame supporting a platform on which a user stands, walks or runs, wherein the frame is seated on a stationary surface and has a selected longitudinal front to rear pivot length and a selected pivot axis disposed at a first position along the longitudinal pivot length of the treadmill, an apparatus for stabilizing the seating of the treadmill on the stationary surface, the apparatus comprising: a rigid support member having a tilt guide section interconnected to the frame at a second position along the longitudinal length of the treadmill, the second position being spaced a predetermined distance from the first position along the longitudinal length of the treadmill, the support member being mounted in a generally upright disposition and having a bottom end for engaging the stationary surface; the bottom end of the rigid support member comprising a motion resistant surface for immovably seating the support member on the stationary surface; the rigid support member supporting the platform above the stationary surface through the interconnection of the guide section to the frame, the bottom end of the support member being seated on the stationary surface.
The longitudinal front to rear pivot length of the frame is the straight line distance between the point on the stationary surface around which the frame pivots and the point of interconnection of the frame to the tilt guide section of the rigid support member.
The tilt guide section of the rigid support member preferably has an arcuate profile having a radius of curvature equal to the predetermined distance between the first and second positions along the longitudinal pivot length of the frame.
The support member is typically interconnected to the frame by a tilt mechanism which is rigidly connected to the frame, the tilt mechanism driving the frame along the guide section of the support member, the frame being tilted as the tilt mechanism drives along the guide section of the support member.
The support member is typically interconnected to the frame by a tilt mechanism which is rigidly connected to the frame, the tilt mechanism driving the frame along the arcuate profile of the tilt guide section of the support member.
A pivot drive mechanism is preferably drivably interconnected to the tilt mechanism, the drive mechanism being controllably drivable to move the tilt mechanism along the arcuate profile of the tilt guide section of the support member.
Further in accordance with the invention, there is provided in a treadmill having a controllably pivotable frame supporting a platform on which a user stands, walks or runs, wherein the frame is seated on a stationary surface and has a selected longitudinal front to rear pivot length and a selected pivot axis disposed at a first position along the longitudinal pivot length of the frame, an apparatus for stabilizing the seating of the treadmill on the stationary surface, the apparatus comprising: a rigid support member having a tilt guide section interconnected to the frame at a second position along the longitudinal length of the frame, the second position being spaced a predetermined distance from the first position along the longitudinal length of the frame, the support member being mounted in a generally upright disposition and having a bottom end for engaging the stationary surface; wherein the tilt guide section of the rigid support member has an arcuate profile having a radius of curvature equal to the predetermined distance between the second and first positions; the rigid support member supporting the frame above the stationary surface through the interconnection to the frame, when the bottom end of the support member is seated on the stationary surface.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6013012 (2000-01-01), Carman et al.
Carman Michael A.
Giannelli Raymond
Theroux Gerard J.
CYBEX International, Inc.
Donnelly Jerome W.
Nguyen Tam
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