Direct driving apparatus for an electric treadmill

• US 6,302,826 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2000
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chi Hua Fitness Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Ying-Che Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Ying-Che
• Primary Examiner(s): Richman, Glenn E.
• Application Number:
  US09/531,512
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 482/51, 482/54
• US Class Current: 482/54
• 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: H02K 16/00 Machines with more than one rotor or stator machines for transmitting mechanical power from a driving shaft to a driven shaft and comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; permanent magnet machines with multiple rotors or stators relatively rotated for vectorially combining the excitation fields or the armature voltages H02K21/029
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2207/03 Tubular motors, i.e. rotary motors mounted inside a tube, e.g. for blinds
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/083 radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor H02K7/086, H02K7/09 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/14 Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans with fan or impeller for cooling the machine H02K9/06

Abstract

The present invention relates to a direct driving apparatus for an electric treadmill which includes a fixing axle disposed at front end of a frame of a treadmill; a roller driving a running belt and being constructed hollow inside thereof, two ends of the roller being fitted with an U-shaped turning wheel with an outward opening respectively, a plurality of permanent magnet sets being disposed at the inner rim of the turning wheel; a stator core having a coil thereon, the coil being fastened on a fixing socket with a receiving hole and being coupled with the permanent magnet to form a brushless motor; and a current control used for controlling the speed of the turning wheel and the roller. When the current control supplies electricity to the coil, it is a direct driving motorized device while it is a non-motorized treadmill at power failure.

Claims

1. A direct drive system for an electric treadmill comprising:

(a) a frame;

(b) a fixing axle extending between opposed portions of said frame;

(c) a pair of turning wheels coaxially coupled in angularly displaceable manner to said fixing axle, each said turning wheel having a substantially U-shaped sectional contour defining a recess and an inner rim wall surface extending thereabout,

(d) a plurality of permanent magnets coupled to said inner rim wall surface for each said turning wheel,

(e) a pair of fixing sockets coupled to said fixing axle to extend respectively into said recesses of said turning wheels;

(f) a pair of stator cores coupled respectively to said fixing sockets, each said stator core being radially spaced from said permanent magnets of one said turning wheel, each said stator core having coil windings formed thereon;

(g) a driving roller extending axially between said turning wheels for engaging one end portion of an endless running belt; and

,

(h) a current control unit coupled to each of said stator cores, said current control unit being operable to adjustably energize said stator cores for brushless motor coupling with said permanent magnets of said turning wheels responsive to AC power and user inputs;

whereby said driving roller is selectively rotated about said fixing axle to drive the looped displacement of the endless running belt.

2. The direct drive system as recited in claim 1 wherein said stator cores, fixing sockets, and turning wheels are respectively disposed in coaxial manner, each said stator core extending radially outward from said fixed axle to radially oppose said magnets of one said turning wheel.

3. The direct drive system as recited in claim 2 wherein each said turning wheel has formed therethrough an axle hole, each said turning wheel receiving in said axle hole a bearing engaging said fixed axle in angularly displaceable manner.

4. The direct drive system as recited in claim 3 wherein each said fixing socket has formed therethrough a receiving hole engaging said fixed axle in keyed manner.