Exercise devices – Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof – Treadmill for foot travel
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-20
2001-01-30
Richman, Glenn E. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
Treadmill for foot travel
C482S051000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179753
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to exercise equipment, and more particularly to exercise treadmills, and still more particularly to a suspension system for supporting the deck of the exercise treadmill above an underlying frame structure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Exercise treadmills are widely used in spas, exercise clubs and also in individual residences to enable users to walk, jog or run indoors. This is especially useful during inclement weather and also at night or at other times when exercisers do not desire to run outdoors. Most exercise treadmills include first and second roller assemblies that are transversely mounted at the ends of a frame. An endless belt is trained about the roller assemblies. The upper run of the belt is supported by an underlying deck positioned between the belt and the frame.
Efforts have been made to reduce the impact on the user's limbs and joints when jogging or running on a treadmill. One method of reducing the impact on an exerciser's body is disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,974,831 and 4,984,810. In the treadmills disclosed by these patents, the rear end of the deck is pivotally mounted to the frame, with the forward end of the deck supported by a suspension system. In the '831 patent, the suspension system consists of a fairly complicated lever arm assembly and cooperating shock absorbers. Striding on a deck results in pivoting of the lever arms and extension of the shock absorbers, thereby to dampen the impact of the user's feet. A drawback of this shock absorption system is its complex nature, rendering it costly to manufacture.
In the '810 patent, the forward end of the treadmill deck was supported by a conventional compression spring and separate shock absorber. Placement of the spring and shock absorber at the very front of the deck imposes considerable bending stress on the deck.
Other conventional treadmills have utilized rubber blocks positioned between the deck and the underlying frame to absorb impact. One such conventional treadmill is disclosed in French Patent No. 2,616,132. A treadmill deck is mounted above the frame members on a plurality of flexible pads. Bushings are inserted into the top and bottom of each pad, and bolts depending downwardly from the deck and upwardly from frame are received within the corresponding bushings. The bolts serve to position the flexible pads between the deck and frame for shock absorption.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,336,144 and 5,454,772 disclose a deck supported above a frame by a plurality of cup-shaped elastomeric springs. The elastomeric springs reversibly deform during downward deflection of the deck toward the frame. The elastomeric springs have side walls of tapering thickness. As a result, the resistance to the downward travel of the deck provided by the elastomeric springs is proportional to the degree of deflection of the deck toward the frame. One drawback of this particular treadmill construction is that the elastomeric springs are fixed in place and individually define a rather small bearing area.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an exercise treadmill having a frame, forward and rearward roller assemblies rotatably mounted on the frame, and an endless belt trained about the forward and rearward roller assemblies. The exercise treadmill also includes a deck disposed between the frame and the upper run of the belt. A pivot bracket pivotally connects the rearward end portion of the deck to the frame. Elastomeric spring members are disposed between the frame and the deck at a location intermediate the ends of the deck to support the deck relative to the frame. The elastomeric springs reversibly deform to resist deflection (downward movement) of the deck toward the frame when the exerciser strides on the endless belt. The resistance provided by the elastomeric spring members is proportional to the extent of deflection of the deck.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the pivot bracket includes a body portion mounted to the treadmill frame and a top flange extending transversely from the body portion and connectable to the rear portion of the treadmill deck. The top flange of pivot bracket is integrally formed with the body portion and connects to the body portion along a flexible juncture.
In a further aspect of the present invention, a pivot bracket is located at each side of the rear portion of the frame, with the top flange of the pivot bracket underlying the bottom surface of the treadmill deck. More specifically, the treadmill frame includes side rails, and the body portion of the pivot bracket is fixedly attached to the frame side rails.
In a further aspect of the present invention, a lift mechanism is utilized to raise and lower the rear of the treadmill relative to the front of the treadmill. Such lift mechanism includes a pivot wall pivotally attached to the rear portion of the treadmill frame and extending downwardly therefrom to support such treadmill frame rear portion. An actuator link is operable to pivot the pivot wall about a transverse axis, thereby to raise and lower the rear portion of a treadmill relative to the forward portion of the treadmill.
In a more specific aspect of the present invention, the upper portions of the pivot wall are pivotally coupled to a cross member that interconnects the pivot brackets. Also, the actuating link is powered to automatically raise and lower the rear portion of the treadmill relative to the forward portion.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the forward roller assembly is powered by an electric motor positioned beneath the forward portion of the treadmill deck. This leaves the forward portion of the treadmill deck unobstructed, thereby allowing the user to stride closer to the forward end of the treadmill deck than in conventional treadmills, wherein the drive motor is positioned above the treadmill deck.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6050922 (2000-04-01), Wang
patent: 6110076 (2000-08-01), Hurt
patent: 6123648 (2000-09-01), Stevens
Barker Paul D.
Stevens Paul
Wing Gregory
Christensen O'Connor Johnson & Kindness PLLC
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Richman Glenn E.
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