Pull cable resistance mechanism in a treadmill

• US 10,569,121 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2017
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IFIT Incorporated (Amynta Agency, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ICON Health & Fitness Incorporated (HF HOLDINGS INC)
• Inventors: Watterson, Scott R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crow, Stephen R
• Application Number:
  US15/830,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20180154205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00192 using resistance provided by magnetic means A63B21/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/154 using special pulley-assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/225 with flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0002 involving an exercising of arms for strengthening the upper limbs A63B23/12
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/025 electrically, e.g. D.C. motors with variable speed control
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/73 Altitude
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/80 Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/89 Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/10 Multi-station exercising machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 : heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/207 : P-O2, i.e. partial O2 value
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/60 : muscle strain, i.e. measured on the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 : calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03558 : Compound apparatus having multiple stations allowing an user to exercise different limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1209 : Involving a bending of elbow and shoulder joints simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 : Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 : for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

A treadmill may include a deck, a first pulley disposed in a first portion of the deck, a second pulley disposed in a second portion of the deck, a tread belt surrounding the first pulley and the second pulley, an upright structure connected to the deck, and a pull cable incorporated into the upright structure.

Claims

1. A treadmill, comprising:

a deck;

a first pulley disposed in a first portion of the deck;

a second pulley disposed in a second portion of the deck;

a tread belt surrounding the first pulley and the second pulley;

an upright structure connected to the deck;

a pull cable incorporated into the upright structure;

a handle connected to a first end of the pull cable; and

a resistance mechanism connected to a second end of the pull cable, the resistance mechanism including a flywheel incorporated into the upright structure and a magnetic unit disposed on the upright structure that is configured to selectively apply a resistance to a rotation of the flywheel, the flywheel being in selective mechanical communication with the pull cable and the tread belt.

2. The treadmill of claim 1, further comprising a sensor on the upright structure configured to detect movement of the flywheel.

3. The treadmill of claim 1, further comprising:

a console incorporated into the upright structure; and

a display incorporated into the console.

4. The treadmill of claim 3, further comprising:

a processor; and

memory having programmed instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to present, on the display exercise information about a workout performed on the treadmill.

5. The treadmill of claim 4, wherein the programmed instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

present, on the display, an aerobic data set derived from the rotation of the flywheel; and

present, on the display separately from the displaying of the aerobic data set, an anaerobic data set derived from movement of the tread belt.

6. The treadmill of claim 1, further comprising a first pivot connection between the deck and the upright structure;

wherein the first pivot connection allows the deck to rotate upwards towards the upright structure into a storage orientation.

7. The treadmill of claim 6, further comprising:

a support rail; and

a second pivot connection attaching the support rail to the upright structure.

8. The treadmill of claim 7, wherein the deck is configured to push the support rail up into an upright orientation about the second pivot connection when the deck is the storage orientation.

9. The treadmill of claim 8, further comprising a latch connected to the upright structure configured to simultaneously hold the deck in the storage orientation and the support rail in the upright orientation.

10. The treadmill of claim 7, wherein the support rail is transversely oriented with respect to a length of the deck.

11. A treadmill, comprising:

a deck;

a first pulley disposed in a first portion of the deck;

a second pulley disposed in a second portion of the deck;

a tread belt surrounding the first pulley and the second pulley;

an upright structure connected to the deck;

a pull cable incorporated into the upright structure;

a display;

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory and operable, when executed, to cause the processor to;

derive a first set of data from movement of the tread belt during a workout on the treadmill;

present on the display the first data set;

derive a second set of data from rotation of a flywheel, incorporated into the treadmill and connected to the pull cable, during the workout on the treadmill; and

present on the display a second data set separately from the presenting of the first data set.

12. The treadmill of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to present on the display a third data set derived from a combination of the first data and the second data.

13. The treadmill of claim 12, wherein the third data set relates to a physiological condition of a user during the workout.

14. The treadmill of claim 11, wherein the second data set includes a pull force.

15. The treadmill of claim 11, wherein the second data set includes a repetition count.

19. The treadmill of claim 11, wherein:

the first data set includes the calories burned during the performance of the workout by walking and/or running on the tread belt; and

the second data set includes the calories burned during the performance of the workout by pulling on the pull cable.

16. A treadmill, comprising:

a deck;

a first pulley disposed in a first portion of the deck;

a second pulley disposed in a second portion of the deck;

a tread belt surrounding the first pulley and the second pulley;

an upright structure pivotally connected to the deck;

a pull cable incorporated into the upright structure;

a handle connected to a first end of the pull cable;

a resistance mechanism including a flywheel connected to a second end of the pull cable, the flywheel being incorporated into the upright structure;

a magnetic unit on the upright structure configured to apply a resistance to a rotation of the flywheel;

a support rail;

a second pivot connection attaching the support rail to the upright structure where the deck is configured to push the support rail up into an upright orientation about the second pivot connection when the deck is in a storage orientation;

a processor; and

memory having programmed instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

display a first data set relating to an aerobic segment of a workout performed on the treadmill; and

display a second data set relating to an anaerobic segment of the workout performed on the treadmill.

17. The treadmill of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to display a third data set derived from a combination of the aerobic segment and the anaerobic segment, the third data set relating to a physiological condition of a user during the workout.

18. The treadmill of claim 16, wherein:

the first data set includes the calories burned during the performance of the workout by walking and/or running on the tread belt; and

the second data set includes the calories burned during the performance of the workout by pulling on the pull cable.