Treadmill with moveable console

• US 7,344,481 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2004
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IFIT Incorporated (Amynta Agency, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Icon-Ip Pty Limited
• Inventors: Ashby, Darren C., Watterson, Scott R., Dalebout, William T.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHHABRA, ARUN S
• Application Number:
  US10/754,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20050164838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 482/54, 482/8, 482/51, 482/66
• 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 22/0221 on the frame supporting the rollers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0235 driven by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/025 electrically, e.g. D.C. motors with variable speed control
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/093 Height
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/096 automatically adjusted according to anthropometric data of the user

Abstract

The present invention relates to exercise apparatuses. In more particular the present invention relates to a self-adjusting treadmill having a moveable console and a self-adjusting cushioning assembly. According to one aspect of the present invention, the moveable console and the self-adjusting cushioning assembly of the treadmill automatically adjust based on user parameters. The user parameters can be input by the user or automatically detected when the user steps on the treadmill by the movable console and/or the cushioning mechanisms. In one embodiment, when the user stands on the treadmill, the console detects the height of the user and is automatically raised or lowered to tailor the positioning of the console relative to the height of the user.

Claims

1. A treadmill, comprising:

a frame;

a treadbase coupled to the frame enabling a user to exercise thereon;

a console movably linked to the frame, wherein the height of the console can automatically adjust relative to the treadbase based on an initial position of a user feature relative to the console after the user steps onto the treadbase; and

an adjustment mechanism linking the console to the frame, wherein the adjustment mechanism changes the height of the console based on the initial position of the user feature.

2. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein the height of the console can be adjusted manually.

3. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein the console is configured to change its height based on the height of the user standing on the treadbase.

4. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein the console is configured to change its height based on the height of a particular user feature.

5. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein the console is configured to change its height automatically.

6. The treadmill of claim 5, wherein the console is configured to change its height automatically when user steps on treadbase.

7. The treadmill of claim 5, wherein the console is configured to change its height automatically when the slope of the treadbase is adjusted.

8. The treadmill of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of indicia to indicate the height of the console.

9. The treadmill of claim 7, wherein the indicia include a plurality of lights.

10. A treadmill, comprising:

a frame having an upright member;

a treadbase coupled to the frame enabling a user to exercise thereon;

a console movably linked to the upright member of the frame, wherein the height of the console is automatically adjusted relative to the treadbase based on a height of a particular user feature; and

an adjustment mechanism linking the console to the frame, wherein the adjustment mechanism adjusts the height of the console based on the height of the particular user feature.

11. The treadmill of claim 10, further comprising console support members.

12. The treadmill of claim 11, wherein the console is coupled to the console support members.

13. The treadmill of claim 12, wherein the console interacts with the console support members to change its height.

14. The treadmill of claim 13, wherein the console support members include a rack.

15. The treadmill of claim 14, wherein the console includes at least one gear.

16. The treadmill of claim 15, wherein the console includes a plurality of gears.

17. The treadmill of claim 16, wherein the plurality of gears of the console engages the rack of the console support members such that movement of the gear changes the height of the console.

18. The treadmill of claim 10, wherein the console support members each include a slot.

19. The treadmill of claim 18, wherein the console includes flanges that are positioned in the slots of the console support members such that uniform and consistent movement of console is achieved.

20. A treadmill, comprising:

a frame having an upright member and one or more console support members;

a treadbase coupled to the frame enabling a user to exercise thereon; and

a console movably coupled to the one or more console support members, wherein the height of the console automatically adjusts from a first operational position to a second operational position based on the height of a user, wherein the console includes a height adjustment mechanism configured to move the console to adjust the height of the console from the first operational position to the second operational position.

21. The treadmill of claim 20, further comprising a height sensor, wherein the height sensor detects the height of a user standing on the treadbase.

22. The treadmill of claim 21, wherein the height sensor includes a light source.

23. The treadmill of claim 22, wherein the light source emits light to detect height of the user standing on the treadbase.

24. The treadmill of claim 23, wherein the light source detects the height of the user by reflecting light from the user.

25. The treadmill of claim 22, further comprising a light sensor.

26. The treadmill of claim 25, wherein the light sensor senses user height by detecting the transition from reflected light to non reflected light.

27. The treadmill of claim 26, wherein the height sensor starts at a default position to detect the height of the user.

28. The treadmill of claim 27, wherein the default position of the height sensor is the upper most height of the sensor and the sensor moves in the downwards direction until the height of the user is detected.

29. The treadmill of claim 27, wherein the default position of the treadmill is its lowest height and the sensor moves in an upward direction until the height of the user is detected.

30. The treadmill of claim 26, wherein the height sensor starts at a current height position to detect the height of the user.

31. The treadmill of claim 30, wherein the height sensor moves in an upward direction if the height sensor detects reflected light at its starting position and moves in a downward direction if the height sensor does not detect reflected light at its starting position.

32. The treadmill of claim 25, wherein movement of the height sensor is simultaneous with movement of the console.

33. The treadmill of claim 25, wherein movement of the console is needed to sense the height of the user.

34. The treadmill of claim 33, wherein the angle at which the height sensor is positioned is configured such that when the user height is detected the height of the console is set by stopping movement of the console.

35. A treadmill, comprising:

a frame;

a treadbase coupled to the frame enabling a user to exercise thereon; and

a motorized console assembly movably linked to the frame and including a console, wherein the height of the console automatically adjusts relative to the treadbase based on a height of a particular user feature, wherein the motorized console assembly further includes an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the height of the console during the automatic adjustment.

36. The treadmill of claim 35, wherein the motorized console assembly is configured to read the height of the user.

37. The treadmill of claim 35, wherein an initial height of the console is determined utilizing preset adjustments.