EXERCISE TREADMILL FOR SIMULATING A PUSHING ACTION AND EXERCISE METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20110082011A1
• Filed: 10/15/2009
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph K. Ellis
• Original Assignee: Joseph K. Ellis
• Inventors: ELLIS, Joseph K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,007,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/54
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0035 Upper limbs performing together the same movement, e.g. on a single support element
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0079 with a pulling cable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0615 pivoting about a fixed horizontal fulcrum
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0616 with an adjustable moment A63B21/0617 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/155 Cam-shaped pulleys or other non-uniform pulleys, e.g. conical
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4017 to the upper limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4031 with parts of the bench moving against a resistance during exercise
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4047 Pivoting movement weight pivoting A63B21/0615
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0012 the exercises for arms and legs being functionally independent
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0023 the inclination of the main axis of the movement path being adjustable, e.g. the inclination of an endless band
• 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 22/0235 driven by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/047 Walking and pulling or pushing a load for exercising the player ability for rugby or American football A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

An exercise treadmill having an endless exercise surface for walking or running while exercising, a resistance mechanism for providing a resistance for simulating the pushing of a load, wherein the resistance can be adjusted and set to a specific resistance setting. A movable pushing handle or handles is or are operatively attached to the resistance mechanism to transfer the load to the user. The resistance mechanism applies a constant and static force to the pushing handle(s) only in the same direction the endless movable surface moves and opposite a pushing direction such that operating the treadmill simulates the pushing of a load by a combination of gripping and pushing the pushing handle(s) forward while walking or running forward.

Claims

1. An exercise treadmill of the type having an endless moveable surface looped around rollers or pulleys to form an upper run and a lower run, the movable surface being rotated when one of the rollers or pulleys is rotated, and an exercise surface for walking or running while exercising, comprising:

a) a resistance mechanism for providing a resistance for simulating the pushing of a load, wherein the resistance can be adjusted and set to a specific resistance setting; and

b) a movable pushing handle operatively attached to the resistance mechanism,

wherein the endless movable surface moves in a direction simulating walking or running forward, and

wherein the resistance mechanism exerts an approximately constant and static counterforce to the pushing handle generally only in the same direction as the endless movable surface moves and opposite a pushing direction,

whereby operation of the treadmill simulates the pushing of a load by a combination of the gripping and pushing the pushing handle to actuate the resistance mechanism to simulate the load and the walking or running forward to provide the pushing action.

2. The exercise treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the counterforce is static and approximately constant at a set resistance level throughout an entire range of movement of the movable pushing handle.

3. The exercise treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistance mechanism can be set to a chosen resistance level that is adjustable for providing resistance only against the pushing direction.

4. The exercise treadmill as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an inclination mechanism to permit inclination of the exercise surface to simulate an incline or decline.

5. The exercise treadmill as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a console support structure, wherein the movable pushing handle is operatively connected to the resistance mechanism via a frame.

6. The exercise treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistance mechanism is a moment arm weight resistance means comprising:

a) a cantilevered moment arm pivotally attached to an upright at a pivot point;

b) an adjustable weight attached to the moment arm; and

c) a weight adjusting drive for adjusting the adjustable weight along the moment arm,

wherein movement of the adjustable weight along the moment arm creates a moment about the pivot point.

7. The exercise treadmill as claimed claim 1, wherein the actuating means is movable between a first at rest position and a second fully extended position and can be maintained at any position between the first at rest position and the second fully extended position.

8. The exercise treadmill as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the moment arm weight resistance means is pivotable about the pivot point.

9. An exercise treadmill comprising:

a) an endless movable surface for walking or running, wherein the endless movable surface is movable in a direction simulating walking or running forward.

b) a resistance mechanism for simulating the pushing of a load, wherein the resistance mechanism provides resistance only generally opposite a pushing direction; and

c) a movable pushing handle operatively attached to the resistance mechanism,

wherein the endless movable surface moves in a direction simulating walking or running forwards, and

wherein the resistance mechanism applies an approximately constant and static counterforce to the pushing handle generally only in the same direction as the endless movable surface moves and opposite the pushing direction and approximately at a set resistance level throughout an entire range of movement of the pushing handle,

whereby operation of the treadmill simulates the pushing of load by a combination of the actuation of the resistance mechanism to simulate the load and the walking or running forwards to provide the pushing action.

10. The exercise treadmill as claimed in claim 9, wherein the resistance mechanism can be set to a chosen resistance level that is adjustable for providing the resistance.

11. The exercise treadmill as claimed in claim 10, further comprising an inclination mechanism to permit the inclination of the exercise surface to simulate an incline or decline.

12. An exercise method simulating the pushing of a load, comprising the steps of:

a) stepping onto an endless looped belt that is looped around rollers or pulleys to form an upper run and a lower run so as to form a movable surface with the upper run comprising an exercise surface;

b) grasping a movable pushing handle operatively connected to a resistance mechanism and adjusting the resistance mechanism to a chosen resistance level;

c) pushing the movable pushing handle, wherein pushing on the pushing handle actuates the resistance mechanism so as to provide resistance generally only opposite a pushing direction for simulating the pushing of a load; and

d) walking or running in a forward motion on the upper run while pushing on the pushing handle,

wherein the resistance mechanism applies an approximately constant and static counterforce to the pushing handle generally only in the same direction as the endless movable surface moves and opposite the pushing direction,

whereby the walking or running in a forward motion causes the actuation of the resistance mechanism, thus simulating the pushing of a load by a combination of the actuation of the resistance mechanism to simulate the load and walking or running forwards to provide the pushing action.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein when the user pushes on the movable handle, the resistance mechanism exerts the counterforce on the user of a set resistance level and wherein the counterforce is static and constant at the set resistance level throughout an entire range of movement of the movable pushing handle.

14. An exercise method simulating the pushing of a load, comprising the steps of:

a) stepping onto a movable endless surface looped around rollers;

b) grasping a movable pushing handle that is operatively connected to a resistance mechanism that produces a constant, adjustable, one directional resistance against the pushing handle;

c) walking or running on the movable endless surface in a direction such that the user is walking or running in a forward direction;

d) while walking or running forward, pushing on the movable pushing handle, which in turn actuates the resistance mechanism, which imparts the constant, adjustable one directional resistance on the pushing handle in a direction towards the user; and

e) while continuing to walk or run forwards, holding the movable pushing handle in a fixed position anywhere in a movable range of motion of the movable pushing handle to simulate a pushing action,

wherein when the user pushes on the movable pushing handle, the resistance mechanism exerts the counterforce on the user of a set resistance level, and

wherein the counterforce is static and constant at the set resistance level throughout an entire range of movement of the movable pushing handle.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein when the user pushes on the pushing handle, the resistance mechanism exerts the counterforce on the user of the set resistance level and wherein the counterforce is static and constant at the set resistance level throughout an entire range of movement of the pushing handle.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the resistance mechanism produces a constant, adjustable, one directional resistance against the pushing handle.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the resistance mechanism is a moment arm weight resistance means comprising:

a) a cantilevered moment arm pivotally attached to an upright at a pivot point;

b) an adjustable weight attached to the moment arm; and

c) a weight adjusting drive for adjusting the adjustable weight along the moment arm,

wherein movement of the adjustable weight along the moment arm creates a moment about the pivot point, and

further comprising the step of adjusting the weight along the moment arm to create a desired moment about the pivot point.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the actuating means is movable between a first at rest position and a second fully extended position and further comprising the step of maintaining the actuating means at any selected position between the first at rest position and the second fully extended position so as to produce a desired weight resistance.