POWER GENERATING MANUALLY OPERATED TREADMILL

• US 20160067537A1
• Filed: 11/13/2015
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Woodway USA Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Woodway USA Incorporated
• Inventors: Bayerlein, Douglas G., Emons, Vance E., Oblamski, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 9,956,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0053 using alternators or dynamos
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0054 for charging a battery
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0055 the produced electric power used as a source for other equipment, e.g. for TVs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/157 Ratchet-wheel links; Overrunning clutches; One-way clutches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0017 the adjustment being controlled by movement of the user
• 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 22/0285 Physical characteristics of the belt, e.g. material, surface, indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/04 for lower limbs training appliances for special sports A63B69/00; for the purpose of producing mechanical power F03G5/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to a manually operated treadmill adapted to generate electrical power comprising a treadmill frame, a running belt supported upon the treadmill frame and adapted for manual rotation, and an electrical power generator mechanically interconnected to the running belt and adapted to convert the manual rotational motion of the running belt into electrical power.

Claims

1. A manually operated treadmill, comprising:

a treadmill frame;

a support member rotationally coupled to the treadmill frame;

a running belt interconnected with the support member and adapted for rotation about the support member;

an electrical power generator mechanically interconnected to the running belt and adapted to convert rotational motion of the running belt into electrical power; and

a drive motor mechanically interconnected to the running belt and adapted to selectively at least partly drive the running belt.

2. The manually operated treadmill of claim 1, wherein the drive motor is adapted to maintain or substantially maintain a speed of the running belt at a user desired speed.

3. The manually operated treadmill of claim 2, wherein the maintained or substantially maintained speed of the running belt is independent of a rotational speed of the running belt caused by a user.

4. The manually operated treadmill of claim 1, further comprising a pulley interconnected with the support member.

5. The manually operated treadmill of claim 4, further comprising a motor belt interconnected with the pulley and an output shaft of the drive motor.

6. The manually operated treadmill of claim 5, wherein the drive motor is adapted to drive the output shaft to rotate the motor belt, rotation of the motor belt imparts rotational motion to the pulley, rotation of the pulley causes rotation of the support member and in turn rotation of the running belt.

7. The manually operated treadmill of claim 1, wherein the drive motor receives the electrical power from the electrical power generator to power the drive motor.

8. The manually operated treadmill of claim 1, wherein the drive motor includes a power source adapted to power the driver motor, wherein the power source is independent of the electrical power generator.

9. The manually operated treadmill of claim 1, wherein the running belt includes a non-planar running surface upon which a user may run.

10. The manually operated treadmill of claim 1, wherein the running belt includes a curved running surface upon which a user may run.

11. The manually operated treadmill of claim 1, further comprising:

a power transfer belt adapted to rotationally interconnect the support member to the electrical power generator so that rotational movement of the running belt is transferred to the support member and in turn transferred to the electrical power generator; and

a one way bearing coupled to the support member and adapted to permit rotation of the power transfer belt relative to the support member in one rotational direction and resist rotation of the power transfer belt relative to the support member in the opposite rotational direction.

12. The manually operated treadmill of claim 1, further comprising a battery electrically connected to the generator and adapted to store the electrical power produced by the generator as a result of rotation of the running belt.

13. A manually operated treadmill, comprising:

a treadmill frame having a front end and a rear end opposite the front end;

a front shaft rotatably coupled to the treadmill frame at the front end;

a rear shaft rotatably coupled to the treadmill frame at the rear end;

a running belt disposed about the front and rear shafts, the running belt adapted for rotation about the front and rear shafts; and

a drive motor mechanically interconnected to the rear shaft, the drive motor adapted to selectively at least partially drive the running belt.

14. The manually operated treadmill of claim 13, further comprising a drive motor mechanically interconnected to the front shaft.

15. The manually operated treadmill of claim 14, wherein the drive motor mechanically interconnected to the front shaft and the drive motor mechanically interconnected to the rear shaft are adapted for controlling a relative rotational speed between the front shaft and the rear shaft.

16. The manually operated treadmill of claim 13, further comprising a pulley interconnected with the rear shaft, wherein a motor belt rotationally connects the drive motor to the pulley such that rotation of the motor belt by the drive motor results in rotation of the pulley which results in rotation of the running belt.

17. The manually operated treadmill of claim 13, wherein the drive motor is adapted to maintain or substantially maintain a desired running belt speed.

18. The manually operated treadmill of claim 17, wherein the maintained or substantially maintained speed of the running belt is independent of a rotational speed of the running belt caused by a user.

19. The manually operated treadmill of claim 13, wherein the running belt includes a non-planar running surface upon which a user may run.

20. The manually operated treadmill of claim 13, wherein the running belt includes a curved running surface upon which a user may run.

21. A manually operated treadmill, comprising:

a treadmill frame having a front end and a rear end opposite the front end;

a front shaft rotatably coupled to the treadmill frame at the front end;

a rear shaft rotatably coupled to the treadmill frame at the rear end;

a running belt disposed about the front and rear shafts, the running belt adapted for rotation about the front and rear shafts;

an electrical power generator mechanically interconnected to the running belt and adapted to convert rotational motion of the running belt into electrical power; and

a first drive motor mechanically interconnected to the rear shaft, the first drive motor adapted to selectively at least partially drive the running belt.

22. The manually operated treadmill of claim 21, further comprising a second drive motor mechanically interconnected to the front shaft.

23. The manually operated treadmill of claim 22, wherein the first drive motor and the second drive motor are adapted for controlling a relative rotational speed between the front shaft and the rear shaft.

24. The manually operated treadmill of claim 21, wherein the first drive motor is adapted to maintain or substantially maintain a speed of the running belt at a user desired speed.

25. The manually operated treadmill of claim 24, wherein the maintained or substantially maintained speed of the running belt is independent of a rotational speed of the running belt caused by a user.

26. The manually operated treadmill of claim 21, wherein the first drive motor includes a power source adapted to power the first driver motor, wherein the power source is independent of the electrical power generator.

27. The manually operated treadmill of claim 21, wherein the running belt includes a curved running surface upon which a user may run.

28. The manually operated treadmill of claim 21, wherein the running belt includes a curved running surface upon which a user may run.

29. The manually operated treadmill of claim 21, further comprising:

a height adjusting motor supported by the treadmill frame and electrically powered by the electrical power generator; and

at least one height adjustable foot supported by the treadmill frame and interconnected to the height adjusting motor, the at least one height adjusting foot being adapted to alter a relative incline of at least a portion of the running belt in response to operation of the height adjusting motor.