Multiple pressure sensor speed controlled treadmill

• US 7,101,319 B1
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark J. Potts
• Original Assignee: Mark J. Potts
• Inventors: Potts, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Richman, Glenn
• Application Number:
  US11/340,330
• Time in Patent Office: 221 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 482/51, 482/54, 482900-902, 119/700
• US Class Current: 482/54
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0093 the load of the exercise apparatus being controlled by performance parameters, e.g. distance or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0242 with speed variation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0257 Mechanical systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions

Abstract

A treadmill comprising a belt attached to a traveling block, the block selectively moving up and down treadmill stanchions to change incline. The treadmill is programmable regarding simulated course, distance, initial speed, and user weight, and records approximate caloric expenditure. Sensors strategically positioned below the belt upper surface regulate belt speed to keep a user toward the center of the treadmill. A port receives a removable memory device for recording and playback of user performances. Even multiple users thereby have an ongoing reference on the same machine.

Claims

1. A treadmill having a drive assembly;

the drive assembly having a front and a rear, the drive assembly comprised of;

a parallelepiped block containing a drive motor, the block having two opposite ends;

a rotatable belt, the belt having a front area, a midpoint, and a rear area, the belt further having an upper surface for user contact, the belt rotation perpendicular to the block;

a drive roller in communication with the belt, the drive roller disposed at the front of the drive assembly;

a drive motor incommunication with the roller;

a rear roller in communication with the belt, the rear roller at the rear of the drive assembly;

a spaced apart pair of vertical stanchions attached to the opposite ends of the block;

a platform perpendicularly affixed to a bottom of each stanchion;

a skid attached proximal to the rear of the drive assembly;

a bottom of the skid equipped with a slideable material for sliding across surfaces;

a housing affixed atop the stanchions;

a CPU disposed within the housing, the CPU in communication with the drive motor;

a control panel affixed to the housing, the control panel in communication with the CPU, the control panel comprising;

means for programming a simulated course for walking and running;

means for programming difficulty of the course;

means for initially programming course speed;

three speed detection sensors disposed below the belt upper surface, the detection sensors comprised of;

an acceleration sensor disposed proximal to the front area of the belt;

a target speed sensor disposed proximal to the midpoint of the belt;

a deceleration sensor disposed proximal to the rear of the belt,

whereby the speed of the belt is smoothly transitioned to regulate the user'"'"'s position toward the midpoint of the belt upper surface.

2. The invention in claim 1 wherein the control panel further comprises a display of the course.

3. The invention in claim 2 wherein the user'"'"'s position on the course is displayed.

4. The invention in claim 3 wherein the user'"'"'s weight is programmed into the control panel.

5. The invention in claim 4 wherein the user'"'"'s approximate caloric expenditure is displayed.

6. The invention in claim 5 wherein the course length is programmable by the user.

7. A treadmill having a drive assembly;

the drive assembly having a front and a rear, the drive assembly comprised of;

a parallelepiped traveling block, the block having two opposite ends;

an incline motor disposed within the traveling block;

a spaced apart pair of vertical stanchions attached to opposite ends of the driving block, the traveling block simultaneously and vertically movable along a height of each stanchion via the inclined motor;

a skid disposed at the rear of the drive assembly;

a bottom of the skid equipped with a slideable material for sliding across surfaces;

a rotatable belt, the belt having a front area, a midpoint, and a rear area, the belt further having a belt upper surface for user contact, the belt rotation perpendicular to the traveling block;

a drive roller in communication with the belt, the drive roller disposed at the front of the drive assembly;

a drive motor in communication with the roller;

a rear roller in communication with the belt, the rear roller at the rear of the drive assembly;

three speed detection sensors disposed below the belt upper surface, the detection sensors comprised of;

an acceleration sensor disposed proximal to the front area of the belt;

a target speed sensor disposed proximal to the midpoint of the belt;

a deceleration sensor disposed proximal to the rear of the belt,

whereby the speed of the belt is smoothly transitioned to regulate the user'"'"'s position toward the midpoint of the upper surface of the belt;

a housing affixed atop the stanchions;

a CPU disposed within the housing, the CPU in communication with the drive motor and the incline motor;

a control panel affixed to the housing, the control panel in communication with the CPU, the control panel comprising;

means for programming a simulated course for walking and running;

means for programming difficulty of the course;

means for initially programming course speed.

8. The invention in claim 7 wherein the control panel further comprises a display of the course.

9. The invention in claim 8 wherein the user'"'"'s position on the course is displayed.

10. The invention in claim 7 wherein the user'"'"'s weight is programmed into the control panel.

11. The invention in claim 10 wherein the user'"'"'s approximate caloric expenditure is displayed.

12. The invention in claim 8 wherein the user'"'"'s weight is programmed into the control panel.

13. The invention in claim 9 wherein the user'"'"'s weight is programmed into the control panel.

14. The invention in claim 13 wherein the user'"'"'s approximate caloric expenditure is displayed.

15. A treadmill having a drive assembly;

the drive assembly having a front and a rear, the drive assembly comprised of;

a parallelepiped traveling block, the block having two opposite ends;

an incline motor disposed within the traveling block;

a spaced apart pair of vertical stanchions attached to opposite ends of the traveling block, the traveling block simultaneously and vertically movable along a height of each stanchion via the incline motor;

a skid disposed at the rear of the drive assembly;

a bottom of the skid equipped with a material for sliding across surfaces;

a rotatable belt, the belt having a front area, a midpoint, and a rear area, the belt further having an upper surface for user contact, the belt rotation perpendicular to the traveling block;

a drive roller in communication with the belt, the drive roller disposed at the front of the drive assembly;

a drive motor in communication with the drive roller;

a rear roller in communication with the belt, the rear roller at the rear of the drive assembly;

three speed detection sensors disposed below the belt upper surface, the detection sensors comprised of;

an acceleration sensor disposed proximal to the front area of the belt;

a target speed sensor disposed proximal to the midpoint of the belt;

a deceleration sensor disposed proximal to the rear of the belt,

whereby the speed of the belt is smoothly transitioned to regulate the user'"'"'s position toward the midpoint of the upper surface of the belt;

a housing affixed atop the stanchions;

a CPU disposed within the housing, the CPU in communication with the drive motor and the incline motor;

a control panel affixed to the housing, the control panel in communication with the CPU, the control panel comprising;

means for programming a simulated course for walking and running;

means for programming difficulty of the course;

means for initially programming course speed;

a port disposed on the control panel, the port for removable insertion of a memory device, whereby previous and current treadmill performances are recorded and available to the user.

16. The invention in claim 15 wherein the control panel further comprises a display of the course.

17. The invention in claim 16 wherein the user'"'"'s position on the course is displayed.

18. The invention in claim 17 wherein the user'"'"'s weight is programmed into the control panel.

19. The invention in claim 18 wherein the user'"'"'s approximate caloric expenditure is displayed.