Exercise devices – Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof – Treadmill for foot travel
Reexamination Certificate
2003-09-03
2004-11-30
Crow, Stephen R. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
Treadmill for foot travel
C482S009000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06824502
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to treadmills and, more particularly, to a body temperature actuated treadmill operation mode control arrangement.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various treadmills have been disclosed, and have appeared on the market. A treadmill is generally comprised of a tread base, a front upright frame upwardly extended from the tread base near the front side, a console installed at the top of the upright frame and used to control the treadmill's operation, a walking belt installed at the tread base, and a motor disposed at the bottom side of the upright frame to drive the walking belt in rotation. When adjusting the speed during exercise, the user must move forwards toward the console, and then operate the control buttons of the console to set the desired speed. It is dangerous to change the speed when walking or running on the walking belt of the treadmill. There are treadmills equipped an infrared sensor actuated control circuit for controlling the speed of rotation of the walking belt. However, this design of infrared sensor actuated control circuit is not highly reliable because it cannot eliminate the interference of ambient light (the sunlight or the light of a lamp).
Further, a treadmill may be provided with a tilting control motor adapted to control the tilting angle of the tread base (walking belt). When adjusting the tilting angle of the tread base, the user must stop exercises, and then adjust the mechanism (or operate the console to achieve the adjustment). This adjustment procedure is still inconvenient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a body temperature actuated treadmill operation mode control arrangement, which enables the user to adjust the speed and/or tilting angle of the treadmill by moving the left or right hand when exercising.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the body temperature actuated treadmill operation mode control arrangement is used in a treadmill having a motor disposed at the bottom end of an upright frame to drive a walking belt in rotation and left, right handlebars disposed at the upright frame, and a console located on the top of the upright frame and used to control the treadmill's operation and to show numerical values and drawings with respect to the exercise state, the body temperature actuated treadmill operation mode control arrangement comprising a left body temperature movement detection circuit adapted to detect movement of the user's left hand to produce a corresponding signal output, the left body temperature movement detection circuit being formed of a left pyroelectric effect sensor, a resistor, and a capacitor, the left pyroelectric effect sensor being installed at the respectively disposed at the left handlebar of the treadmill; a right body temperature movement detection circuit adapted to detect movement of the user's right hand to produce a corresponding signal output, the right body temperature movement detection circuit being formed of a right pyroelectric effect sensor, a resistor, and a capacitor, the right pyroelectric effect sensor being installed at the respectively disposed at the right handlebar of the treadmill; signal amplifier means adapted to amplify the output signal of the left body temperature movement detection circuit and the output signal of the right body temperature movement detection circuit; and a microprocessor electrically coupled between the signal amplifier means and the console of the treadmill and adapted to control the operation speed of the motor of the treadmill subject to the output signal from the right body temperature movement detection circuit and the output signal from the left body temperature movement detection circuit. In an alternate form of the present invention, the body temperature actuated treadmill operation mode control arrangement is adapted to control forward/backward rotation of the tilting control motor and to further control the tilting angle of the walking belt of the treadmill. In another alternate form, the body temperature actuated treadmill operation mode control arrangement is adapted to control the speed of the walking belt control motor and the direction of rotation of the tilting control motor.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5368532 (1994-11-01), Farnet
patent: 6450925 (2002-09-01), Kuo
patent: 6454682 (2002-09-01), Kuo
patent: 6620079 (2003-09-01), Kuo
Crow Stephen R.
Rosenberg , Klein & Lee
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