Omni-directional treadmill
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for allowing a user to walk or run in any arbitrary direction comprising:
- a frame, a track assembly mounted on the frame, said track assembly having a user active surface means for supporting the user walking or running thereon, wherein said user active surface means having a first user support means moveable in a first direction for supporting the user and a second user support means movable in a second direction, said first user support means having a plurality of user support members rotatable about axes generally parallel to the first direction first drive means connected to the user support members to move said user support members in the first direction, and second drive means cooperating with said second user support means to rotate said second user support means in the second direction, whereby the combined movements of the user support members and rotation of the second user support means results in omni-directional user movement, and control means responsive to directional orientation of the user on the user active surface means to selectively control the operation of the first and second drive means, thereby control the directional user movement to conform with the orientation of the user on the user active surface means.
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Abstract
A treadmill having a track assembly that allows a user to walk or run in any arbitrary direction. A movable user support has a plurality of rotatable members that rotate about axes normal to the direction of movement of the user support. Separate power driven mechanisms concurrently move the user support and rotate the members to omni-directional user movement.
A control for the power driven mechanisms is responsive to the directional orientation of the user on the user support to cause the user support to operate in the direction of the orientation of the user.
174 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for allowing a user to walk or run in any arbitrary direction comprising:
- a frame, a track assembly mounted on the frame, said track assembly having a user active surface means for supporting the user walking or running thereon, wherein said user active surface means having a first user support means moveable in a first direction for supporting the user and a second user support means movable in a second direction, said first user support means having a plurality of user support members rotatable about axes generally parallel to the first direction first drive means connected to the user support members to move said user support members in the first direction, and second drive means cooperating with said second user support means to rotate said second user support means in the second direction, whereby the combined movements of the user support members and rotation of the second user support means results in omni-directional user movement, and control means responsive to directional orientation of the user on the user active surface means to selectively control the operation of the first and second drive means, thereby control the directional user movement to conform with the orientation of the user on the user active surface means.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An omni-directional treadmill for allowing a user to walk or run in any arbitrary direction comprising:
- a frame, a track assembly mounted on the frame, said track assembly having a user active surface means for supporting the user walking or running thereon, wherein said user active surface means having a first user support means moveable in a first direction for supporting the user and a second user support means movable in a second direction, said first user support means including a plurality of user support members rotatable about axes generally parallel to the first direction, first drive means connected to the user support members to move said user support members in the first direction, and second drive means cooperating with said second user support means to rotate said second user support means in the second direction, whereby the combined movements of the user support members and rotation of the second user support means results in omni-directional movement of the user on the user active surface means in a second direction, and control means including virtual reality means responsive to directional orientation of the user on the user active surface means to selectively control the operation of the first and second drive means and to provide the virtual reality response corresponding to the direction of the movement of the user on the user active surface means, thereby control the directional user movement to conform with the orientation of the user on the user active surface means.
- View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification