Exercise devices – Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof – Treadmill for foot travel
Reexamination Certificate
2003-02-25
2004-05-11
Richmon, Glenn E. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
Treadmill for foot travel
C482S051000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06733423
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to a speed control device of a treadmill. The speed control device includes an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver arranged on a controlling panel of the treadmill. The ultrasonic wave transmitted by the transmitter can be truly reflected and received by the receiver so as to accurately calculate the distance of the user and control the speed of the treadmill.
Referring to
FIG. 7
, a conventional treadmill includes a base seat
4
and a tread platform
5
. The base seat
4
has two upward extending columns
4
. A panel
42
is mounted between the top ends of the columns
41
for controlling and adjusting the speed and slope of the treadmill. A front section of the tread platform
5
is mounted between the two columns
41
. A tread belt
51
is circularly rotatably disposed in the tread platform
5
. The panel
42
is spaced from a user by a certain distance. In treading, when the user desires to operate the treadmill, for example, slow down the speed, the user must tilt his/her body forward to get close to the panel
42
so as to operate the panel
42
for slowing down the speed. When changing the treading attitude, the original coordinated treading movement of the user will be interrupted.
Moreover, when operating the panel
42
, the user must see the panel
42
to select a desired press key. However, the user is in a dynamic state, while the panel
42
is in a static state. Furthermore, the user is in a passive state. Therefore, it is hard to the user to aim at the press key of the panel
42
. As a result, the user may mispress a press key. Especially when the user can hardly bear the exercise and want to stop the treadmill, the user will be unable to accurately press a correct press key of the panel
42
to stop the treadmill in time. Under such circumstance, the user may fall down. This is extremely dangerous.
In order to avoid the above situation, the treadmill is equipped with a safety device having a security rope
6
. One end of the security rope
6
is fixed on the panel
42
and connected with the internal circuit. The other end of the rope
6
has a clip
61
clipping a user's body. The security rope
6
has a certain length. In case the use backs up due to insufficient strength, the security rope
6
is pulled backward to detach from the panel
42
. At this time, the treadmill is powered off and stopped so as to ensure safety in use.
However the security rope
6
is connected to the user's body. Accordingly, the security rope
6
will more or less interfere with the movement of the user. In addition, in case the user forgets to use the safety device, the safety of the user cannot be ensured. Furthermore, the safety device can only stop the treadmill, while failing to control the speed thereof.
FIG. 8
shows another type of treadmill having an ultrasonic detection device. A tread platform
72
having a tread belt
71
is mounted on a bed
7
. A driving device
73
is disposed at one end of the bed
7
for driving the tread belt
71
. Two support columns
74
are disposed on two sides of the bed
7
and adjacent to the driving device
73
. A transverse beam
75
is fixed between inner sides of the support columns
74
in a position higher than the tread belt
71
. A controlling unit
8
is disposed in the middle section of the transverse beam
75
. The transverse beam
75
is formed with an opening
751
facing the tread belt
71
. The controlling, unit
8
includes a transmitter section, a receiver section and a timer section. The transmitter section has a pulse generator and a transmitter. The pulse generator serves to oscillate the ultrasonic wave to generate high frequency sonic speed. The transmitter transmits the ultrasonic wave to the user to detect the position of the user. The receiver section has a receiver for receiving the ultrasonic pulse reflected from the user. The timer section calculates the going and returning time of the ultrasonic wave. On the basis of the ultrasonic speed, the going and returning distance of the ultrasonic wave is calculated and sent to the controlling panel of the treadmill so as to control the speed of the tread belt. In case the user fails to bear the exercise and backs out of a set distance, the treadmill is stopped to prevent the user from falling down.
However, the controlling unit
8
of the treadmill is mounted inside the transverse beam
75
. The transverse beam
75
must be first welded on the treadmill and then the transverse beam
75
is formed with the opening
751
for mounting the controlling unit
8
. Then it is necessary to layout the wires to connect the controlling unit
8
with the CPU in the panel
76
. Such procedures are quite complicated.
Furthermore, the controlling unit
8
of the treadmill is mounted inside the transverse beam
75
and the ultrasonic wave is transmitted to the legs of the user. When treading, the user's legs continuously alternately move. This will affect the reflection of the ultrasonic wave. Especially after reflected, the ultrasonic wave will be weakened so that the received signal will be weaker and disordered. As a result, it is hard to truly measure the distance of the user and the speed of the treadmill may be maladjusted.
Besides, the controlling, unit
8
of the treadmill is mounted inside the transverse beam
75
and positioned in a too low position. In the case a kid plays on the treadmill, the controlling Unit
8
will sense the kid to rotate the tread belt
71
of the treadmill. This will frighten the kid and even make the kid fall down.
In addition, the transverse beam
75
is positioned above the tread belt
71
. When a user treads on the tread belt
71
, the user's legs may incautiously hit the transverse beam
75
and get hurt. Moreover, when folding the treadmill, the transverse beam
75
will interfere with the folding of the tread platform
72
as shown in FIG.
9
. As a result, the rear end of the tread platform
72
can be hardly folded to firmly lean on the bed
7
.
Therefore, it is necessary to provide a measure for more accurately detecting the distance of a user and simplifying the manufacturing procedure of the treadmill without interfering with the operation thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a speed control device of a treadmill. The speed control device is arranged in a certain position on a controlling panel of the treadmill. The speed control device includes a transmitter, a receiver, a transmitter end circuit and a receiver end circuit. The transmitter and the receiver are mounted on the control ling panel of the treadmill and directed to rear end of the treadmill. The transmitter serves to generate and transmit ultrasonic wave, while the receiver serves to receive reflected ultrasonic wave. The transmitter end circuit is disposed in the controlling panel and connected with a CPU and the transmitter inside the controlling panel. The transmitter end circuit has an oscillating IC circuit and an analog-digital converting circuit. The oscillating IC circuit serves to oscillate the ultrasonic wave generated by the transmitter to high frequency. The analog-digital converting circuit serves to convert the digital signal of the CPU into analog signal, The receiver end circuit is disposed in the controlling panel and connected with the CPU and the receiver inside the controlling panel. The receiver end circuit has an amplifying circuit and an analog-digital converting circuit. The amplifying circuit serves to amplify the reflected ultrasonic wave received by the receiver into high frequency. The analog-digital converting circuit serves to convert the reflected analog signal into digital signal and send the signal to the CPU. The transmitter and the receiver of the controlling device are arranged on the controlling panel of the treadmill that is positioned at a height substantially equal to the height of upper half of a user's body. Therefore, the transmitted ultrasonic wave is reflected by the up
Alilife Industrial Co., Ltd.
Richmon Glenn E.
Rosenberg , Klein & Lee
LandOfFree
Speed control device of a treadmill does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Speed control device of a treadmill, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Speed control device of a treadmill will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3223527