Universal rear safety cover for treadmills

• US 6,860,839 B1
• Filed: 04/07/2003
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael P. Dice, Robert C. Hammerstone
• Original Assignee: Michael P. Dice, Robert C. Hammerstone
• Inventors: Dice, Michael P., Hammerstone, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Justine R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAM M
• Application Number:
  US10/407,511
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 482/51, 482/52, 482/54
• US Class Current: 482/54
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/009 Protective housings covering the working parts of the apparatus
• 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 22/0207 having shock absorbing means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0054 Features for injury prevention on an apparatus, e.g. shock absorbers mats or the like for absorbing shocks for jumping A63B6/00

Abstract

A shield apparatus to cover and protect the exposed rear roller on exercise treadmills is provided. The shield takes the form of a “C”-shaped guard that encompasses the rear roller across its entire width. The invention fastens to the main side rails of the treadmill by the use of a fastener such as self-tapping sheet metal screws. The guard is provided in two pieces and uses a slip arrangement to accommodate treadmills of differing width.

Claims

1. A safety cover for treadmills comprising:

a laterally adjustable shield having a first end opposite a second end;

a perpendicularly extending side at said first end forming an end cover attachment flange;

a perpendicularly extending side at said second end forming an end cover attachment flange;

fastening means for affixing said end cover attachment flanges to main side rails a treadmill.

2. A safety cover for treadmills comprising:

a first shield member forming an end cover attachment flange perpendicular to a shield body;

a second shield member forming an end cover attachment flange perpendicular to a shield body;

fastening means for affixing said end cover attachment flanges to main side rails a treadmill;

said first shield member slidably engaging with said second shield member and encompassing part of a rear roller of a conventional treadmill such that the two engaged shield members cover the rear roller of the treadmill across its entire width.

3. The safety cover for treadmills of claim 2, wherein each said shield member takes the form of a “

C”

-shaped guard that encompasses part of a rear roller of a conventional treadmill.

4. The safety cover for treadmills of claim 3, wherein the two engaged shield members fit telescopingly with one another such as to cover the rear roller of the threadmill across its entire width.

5. In a treadmill having a treadmill belt revolving around a front roller and a rear roller, said front roller and rear roller parallelly supported apart by a pair of main side rails, wherein the improvement comprises:

a laterally adjustable shield encompassing part of said rear roller of the treadmill across its entire width.

6. In the treadmill of claim 5, wherein said laterally adjustable shield comprises:

a first end opposite a second end;

a perpendicularly extending side at said first end forming an end cover attachment flange;

a perpendicularly extending side at said second end forming an end cover attachment flange;

fastening means for affixing said end cover attachment flanges to main side rails a treadmill; and

wherein each said shield member takes the form of a “

C”

-shaped guard.

7. In the treadmill of claim 5, wherein the two engaged shield members fit telescopingly with one another such as to cover the rear roller of the treadmill across its entire width.