MID-DECK HINGED FOLDABLE TREADMILL DECK

• US 20090062072A1
• Filed: 08/01/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Austin Packham
• Original Assignee: David Austin Packham
• Inventors: Packham, David Austin
• Granted Patent: US 7,780,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/4
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2220/06 Treadmill combined with furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/02 with movable endless bands , e.g. treadmills other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/06 incorporated in cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport

Abstract

An exercise apparatus that is stowable in a containment space formed by an article of furniture. The exercise apparatus may be deployed from a storage position within the containment space to a ready-to-use position. An electronic console for the exercise apparatus may be deployed to a ready-to-use position for use in conjunction with the exercise apparatus. The electronic console may be placed into a storage position when the exercise apparatus is stowed in the containment space so as not to interfere with the normal use of the article of furniture. The article of furniture may further comprise a component that is moveable to reveal a grasping member for use in conjunction with the exercise device.

Claims

1. An article of furniture comprising:

an exercise device;

a work surface, said work surface being operable between a first position and a second position; and

a grasping member;

wherein said grasping member is accessible for use in conjunction with the exercise device when said work surface is in said first position and is less accessible for use in conjunction with the exercise device when said work surface is in said second position.

2. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein said work surface is laterally moveable between said first position and said second position.

3. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein said work surface is substantially horizontally oriented in said first position and in said second position.

4. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein said grasping member is formed from a tubular material.

5. The article of furniture of claim 1, further comprising a pulse rate sensor on said grasping member.

6. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein said grasping member comprises two gripping locations, one for each hand of a user.

7. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein said work surface is disposed over a storage location for said exercise device.

8. The article of furniture of claim 1, further comprising a support structure for supporting the work surface.

9. The article of furniture of claim 8, wherein said grasping member is moveably coupled to said support structure.

10. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein said exercise device comprises a treadmill.

11. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein said exercise device is configurable between a ready-to-use position and a storage position.

12. An article of furniture comprising:

an exercise device;

a work surface having a recess; and

an electronic console for said exercise device mounted in said recess, said electronic console operable between a first position and a second position;

wherein a surface of said electronic console is substantially flush with said work surface when said electronic console is in said first position.

13. The article of furniture of claim 12, wherein said electronic console is accessible for use in conjunction with the exercise device when it is in said second position.

14. The article of furniture of claim 12, wherein said electronic console is pivotally mounted in said recess.

15. The article of furniture of claim 12, wherein said electronic console extends upwardly above said work surface when said electronic console is in said second position.

16. The article of furniture of claim 12, wherein said electronic console is operable to control a height of the work surface.

17. The article of furniture of claim 12, wherein said electronic console is operable to deploy the exercise device from a storage position to a ready-to-use position.

18. The article of furniture of claim 12, wherein said electronic console is operable to control a speed of the exercise device.

19. The article of furniture of claim 12, wherein said work surface is operable between a first position and a second position.

20. A treadmill exercise apparatus comprising:

a deck member operable between a storage position and a ready-to-use position;

a belt mounted on said deck member, said belt providing a moving exercise surface for a user to exercise in place; and

an electric motor for moving said deck member between the storage position and the ready-to use position.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said deck member comprises a front portion and a rear portion joined by a hinge.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said front portion and said rear portion are at approximately 180 degrees from each other when the deck member is in the ready-to-use position.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said front portion and said rear portion form an acute angle with each other when the deck member is in the storage position.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising an electric motor for driving said belt.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a gear assembly attached to an output shaft of the electric motor.

26. An article of furniture comprising:

a desk having an upper support structure and a lower support structure, said upper support structure operable between a lowered position and a raised position with respect to said lower support structure;

a work surface mounted on said upper support structure; and

at least one electric motor for operating said upper support structure between said lowered position and said raised position;

wherein a height of said work surface is variable with respect to said lower support structure.

27. The article of furniture of claim 26, further comprising an electronic console for controlling said at least one electric motor.

28. The article of furniture of claim 27, wherein said electronic console is pivotally mounted in a recess in the work surface such that said electronic console is operable between a first position and a second position.

29. The article of furniture of claim 28, wherein a surface of said electronic console is substantially flush with said work surface when said electronic console is in said first position.

30. The article of furniture of claim 26, wherein said upper support structure further comprises a grasping member.

31. The article of furniture of claim 30, wherein said work surface is operable between a first position and a second position, wherein said grasping member is accessible for use when said work surface is in said first position and is less accessible for use when said work surface is in said second position.

32. The article of furniture of claim 31, wherein said work surface is laterally moveable between said first position and said second position.

33. The article of furniture of claim 31, wherein said work surface is substantially horizontally oriented in said first position and in said second position.

34. The article of furniture of claim 30, wherein said grasping member is formed from a tubular material.

35. The article of furniture of claim 30, further comprising a pulse rate sensor on said grasping member.

36. The article of furniture of claim 26, wherein said upper support structure comprises at least one power outlet.

37. The article of furniture of claim 26, wherein said at least one electric motor comprises two electric motors.

38. The article of furniture of claim 37, wherein said lower support structure comprises a left sidewall and a right sidewall, each of the left and right sidewalls having one of the two electric motors coupled thereto.

39. The article of furniture of claim 26, wherein said upper support structure is connected to said lower support structure with at least one telescoping member.

40. The article of furniture of claim 26, further comprising an exercise apparatus.

41. The article of furniture of claim 40, wherein said exercise apparatus is a treadmill.

42. The article of furniture of claim 26, wherein said exercise apparatus is operable between a storage position and a ready-to-use position.

43. A treadmill exercise apparatus comprising:

a deck member operable between a storage position and a ready-to-use position;

a belt mounted on said deck member, said belt providing a moving exercise surface for a user to exercise in place; and

a release mechanism for releasing the tension in the belt such that said deck member may be moved from the ready-to-use position to the storage position.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein said deck member comprises a front portion and a rear portion joined by a hinge.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein said front portion and said rear portion are at approximately 180 degrees from each other when the deck member is in the ready-to-use position.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein said front portion and said rear portion form an acute angle with each other when the deck member is in the storage position.

47. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising a shaft having a roller for the belt mounted thereon, said shaft operable between a first position and a second position, wherein said release mechanism is operable to operate said shaft between said first position and said second position.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said belt is under tension when said shaft is in said first position and said belt is released from tension when said shaft is in said second position.

49. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising an electric motor for moving said deck member between the storage position and the ready-to use position.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising an electronic console for controlling the operation of said electric motor.

51. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising an article of furniture, said article of furniture having a containment area for the deck member when said deck member is in the storage position.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein said article of furniture comprises a grasping member for use by said user in conjunction with the deck member in the ready-to-use position.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said article of furniture comprises a work surface operable between a first position and a second position, wherein said grasping member is accessible for use in conjunction when said work surface is in the first position and is less accessible for use in conjunction with the deck member when said work surface is in said second position.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, further comprising an electronic console pivotally mounted in a recess in said work surface.

60. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein said release mechanism comprises a wedge shape.

61. The treadmill of claim 43, further comprising a rear roller on which the belt rotates;

wherein the release mechanism further comprises a lever portion pivotally mounted on a shaft on which the rear roller for the belt rotates, said lever portion including a cam portion for selectively engaging a stop, said stop being fixedly secured to the deck member;

wherein the release mechanism is configured and arranged such that when it resides in a locked position, the cam is disposed in engagement with the stop to thereby maintain tension in the belt;

wherein the release mechanism is further configured and arranged such that when it resides in a release position, the cam is disposed in disengagement with the stop to thereby permit the shaft and the rear roller to slide in a forward direction;

wherein the release mechanism further comprises a resilient member having one end coupled to the shaft and another end coupled to the deck member, to thereby maintain the release mechanism respectively in the locked and release positions by biasing the cam portion against the stop.

55. An electronic console for use with an exercise apparatus comprising:

a display module for displaying information to a user;

a processor module operable between different modes of operation; and

at least one manual actuator for selecting between the different modes of operation;

wherein at least one of the modes of operation causes said display module to display a countdown of a quantifiable exercise characteristic.

56. The electronic console of claim 55, wherein the quantifiable exercise characteristic is selected from the group consisting of distance, time, calories burned, and steps taken.

57. An article of furniture comprising:

a desk portion having an upper support structure and a lower support structure, said upper support structure operable between a lowered position and a raised position with respect to said lower support structure, said upper support structure being connected to said lower support structure with at least one telescoping member;

at least one electric motor for moving said upper support structure between the lowered position and the raised position;

a grasping member coupled to said upper support structure, said grasping member being formed from a tubular material and having a pulse rate sensor thereon;

a work surface mounted on said upper support structure, said work surface operable between a first position and a second position, wherein said grasping member is accessible for use when said work surface is in said first position and is less accessible for use when said work surface is in said second position;

said work surface being substantially horizontally oriented in said first position and in said second position;

a recess formed in said work surface;

an electronic console pivotally mounted in said recess, said electronic console operable between a first position and a second position;

said electronic console having a surface that is substantially flush with said work surface when said electronic console is in said first position;

said electronic console further having a display module for displaying information to a user, a processor module operable between different modes of operation, and at least one manual actuator for selecting between the different modes of operation, wherein at least one of the modes of operation causes said display module to display a countdown of a quantifiable exercise characteristic, said quantifiable exercise characteristic being selected from the group consisting of distance, time, calories burned, and steps taken;

said upper support structure having at least one power outlet for distributing power;

a treadmill portion having a deck member operable between a storage position and a ready-to-use position, said deck member comprising a front portion and a rear portion joined by a hinge, said front portion and said rear portion being approximately 180 degrees from each other when the deck member is in the ready-to-use position, and said front portion and said rear portion forming an acute angle with each other when the deck member is in the storage position;

an electric motor for moving said deck member between the storage position and the ready-to use position;

a gear assembly attached to an output shaft of the electric motor;

a belt mounted on said deck member, said belt providing a moving exercise surface for a user to exercise in place;

a release mechanism for releasing tension in the belt such that said deck member may be operated from the ready-to-use position to the storage position; and

a shaft having a roller for the belt mounted thereon, said shaft operable between a first position and a second position, wherein said release mechanism is operable to operate said shaft between said first position and said second position to thereby release tension in said belt.

58. The article of furniture of claim 57, further comprising a rear roller on which the belt rotates;

wherein the release mechanism further comprises a lever portion pivotally mounted on a shaft on which the rear roller for the belt rotates, said lever portion including a cam portion for selectively engaging a stop, said stop being fixedly secured to the deck member;

wherein the release mechanism is configured and arranged such that when it resides in a locked position, the cam is disposed in engagement with the stop to thereby maintain tension in the belt;

wherein the release mechanism is further configured and arranged such that when it resides in a release position, the cam is disposed in disengagement with the stop to thereby permit the shaft and the rear roller to slide in a forward direction;

wherein the release mechanism further comprises a resilient member having one end coupled to the shaft and another end coupled to the deck member, to thereby maintain the release mechanism respectively in the locked and release positions by biasing the cam portion against the stop.

59. An article of furniture comprising:

an exercise device;

a work surface having a recess; and

an electronic console for said exercise device mounted in said recess, said electronic console operable between a first position and a second position;

wherein a surface of said electronic console is operable as a mouse pad when said electronic console is in said first position.