Method and apparatus of counting steps for treadmill

• US 20080032870A1
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Strength Master Fitness Tech. Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Strength Master Fitness Tech. Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Wu, Shen Yi
• Application Number:
  US11/497,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20080032870A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/54
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0081 Stopping the operation of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0058 using motors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0235 driven by a motor
• 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 2220/58 Measurement of force related parameters by electric or magnetic means

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method and an apparatus of counting steps for a treadmill. The method measures a load exerted on the treadmill and detects the number of instant loads caused by a user applying a force by the user'"'"'s legs for each time of the exercise to count the steps of leg exercise during an exercise. The treadmill includes a treadmill body, a load detection unit, a display unit, and a base of the treadmill. The base has a motor and a treadmill belt, and the load detection unit is provided for detecting the load exerted on the motor and recording the number of instant loads of the motor, and the display unit is electrically connected to the load detection unit for outputting the number of loads of the motor.

Claims

1. A method of counting steps for a treadmill;

using a current existing treadmill with a motor and a treadmill belt as a basis, and said motor driving said treadmill belt to operate, and said treadmill belt being provided for a user to pedal;

measuring a load exerted on said treadmill, and detecting the number of times of an instant load of said motor caused by applying a force by a user'"'"'s legs for each time of the user'"'"'s exercise, and counting the steps performed by the user'"'"'s exercise, and displaying the step count of the user'"'"'s legs.

2. The method of counting steps for a treadmill of claim 1, wherein said load per time is defined as a user who has stepped on said treadmill belt once by the user'"'"'s leg.

3. The method of counting steps for a treadmill of claim 1, wherein said method of measuring a load exerted on said treadmill is measured by one selected from the collection of a voltage feedback of said motor, a current feedback of said motor, and an optical disk installed in said motor.

4. The method of counting steps for a treadmill of claim 1, wherein said number of steps is outputted in form of a number on a display panel.

8. The method of counting steps for a treadmill of claim 1, further comprising:

a load determination step that measures a load exerted on said treadmill, and separately defines a continuous load and a discrete load, wherein said continuous load is exerted onto said motor by a user, such that said motor will be controlled to stop operating, if a load is determined as a continuous load; and

said discrete load is exerted onto said motor, such that a predetermined discrete time will be used to determine whether or not the user stops moving if a load is determined as a discrete load; and

said motor will keep on operating if another load shows up in said motor within a discrete time; and

said motor will be controlled to stop operating if no more load is in the motor within a discrete time.

5. A treadmill, comprising:

a treadmill body, having a base, a motor and a treadmill belt installed at said base, and said motor being installed at a side of said base and having two tracks, and said treadmill belt being wound circularly between said two tracks of said base, and said treadmill belt being driven to rotate by said motor;

a load detection unit, for detecting a load exerted on said motor and recording the number of instant loads of said motor in the same time; and

a display unit, electrically coupled to said load detection unit, for displaying the number of loads of said motor.

6. The treadmill of claim 5, wherein said display unit is a screen, and said load of said motor is displayed in a form of numbers on said screen.

7. The treadmill of claim 5, wherein said load detection unit is one selected from the collection of a voltage feedback detector of said motor, a current feedback detector of said motor, and an optical disk installed in said motor.