Treadmill with adjustable cushioning members

• US 7,563,203 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ICON Health & Fitness Incorporated (HF HOLDINGS INC)
• Original Assignee: Icon-Ip Pty Limited
• Inventors: Dalebout, William T., Ferre, Justin Quinn, Hammer, Rodney L., Cutler, Gordon L.
• Primary Examiner(s): RICHMAN, GLENN E
• Application Number:
  US10/377,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20030153434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,335 Days
• Field of Search: 482/51, 482/54, 119/700
• 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 22/0214 between the belt supporting deck and the frame
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0228 with variable resilience

Abstract

An exercise device includes a frame with a deck cooperating with the frame. The deck and frame cooperate with an endless belt having an upwardly exposed exercise section upon which an exercising user may rest or exercise. An impact absorbing mechanism cooperates with the frame and the deck and is configured to adjustably cushion the impact of a user upon the exercise section of the endless belt. The impact absorbing mechanism includes at least cushioning member and at least one spring at least partially surrounding a portion of the at least one cushioning member, wherein adjustment of the impact absorbing mechanism is achieved by replacing at least one of the at least one cushioning member and the at least one spring with at least one of another cushioning member and another spring.

Claims

1. A treadmill comprising:

a frame having an outside edge;

an endless belt, said belt having an upwardly exposed exercise section;

a deck disposed between said exercise section of said belt and said frame; and

a first impact absorbing mechanism coupled to a first side of said deck and said frame, wherein said deck is positioned over said first side of said frame and wherein said first side of said deck extends beyond said outside edge of said first side of said frame away from said exercise section, a second impact absorbing mechanism coupled to a second side of said deck and said frame, wherein each of said first and second impact absorbing mechanisms is configured to cushion impact upon said treadmill, each of said impact absorbing mechanisms comprising;

a cushioning member having a first end and an opposing second end;

a first cup linked to said deck; and

a second cup linked to said frame;

wherein said first cup and said second cup receive said cushioning member.

2. The treadmill as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second impact absorbing mechanisms enables movement of said deck more than about 1.25 inches upon a force of about 600 lbs/foot being applied to said deck.

3. The treadmill as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second impact absorbing mechanisms comprise at least one cushioning member.

4. The treadmill as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second impact absorbing mechanisms comprise at least one second cushioning member at least partially disposed about said cushioning member.

5. The treadmill as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second impact absorbing mechanisms each comprises at least one cushioning member having a variable thickness wall, said variable thickness wall providing different flexibilities to said at least one cushioning member.

6. A treadmill as recited in claim 1, wherein said first impact absorbing mechanism and said second impact absorbing mechanism enable movement of said deck in accordance with at least one of a first relation y=350x for a first range of downward movement and a second relation y=640x−

145, where x represents the amount of downward movement in inches and y represents the impact force in pounds.

7. The treadmill as recited in claim 6, wherein the first relation governs deflection of said first absorbing mechanism and said second impact absorbing mechanism between about 0 inches and about 0.5 inches.

8. The treadmill as recited in claim 6, wherein the second relation governs deflection of said first absorbing mechanism and said second impact absorbing mechanism greater than about 0.5 inches.

9. The treadmill as recited in claim 6, wherein said first impact absorbing mechanism and said second impact absorbing mechanism enable movement of said deck in accordance with a third relation y=1840x−

1732 for a deflection of greater than about 1.30 inches.

10. The treadmill as recited in claim 6, wherein said first impact absorbing mechanism and said second impact absorbing mechanism enable movement of said deck by a downward movement greater than defined by at least one of said first relation and said second relation for a given force.

11. A treadmill as recited in claim 1, wherein said first impact absorbing mechanism and said second impact absorbing mechanism enable movement of said deck in accordance with a first relation y=648x−

23, where x represents the amount of movement in inches and y represents the impact force in pounds.

12. The treadmill as recited in claim 11, wherein said first relation governs movement of said first impact absorbing mechanism and said second impact absorbing mechanism between about 0.2 inches and about 0.7 inches of deflection.

13. The treadmill as recited in claim 11, wherein said first impact absorbing mechanism and said second impact absorbing mechanism enable movement of said deck in accordance with a second relation y=535x between about 0 inches and about 0.2 inches of deflection.

14. The treadmill as recited in claim 11, wherein said first impact absorbing mechanism and said second impact absorbing mechanism enable movement of said deck in accordance with a second relation y=780x−

115 between about 0.7 inches and about 1.0 inches of deflection.

15. The treadmill as recited in claim 11, wherein said first impact absorbing mechanism and said second impact absorbing mechanism enable movement of said deck in accordance with a third relation y=180x−

515 for a deflection of greater than about 1.0 inches.

16. The treadmill as recited in claim 11, wherein said first impact absorbing mechanism and said second impact absorbing mechanism enable movement of said deck by a downward movement greater than defined by said first relation for a given force.

17. The treadmill as recited in claim 1, wherein said first impact absorbing mechanism and said second impact absorbing mechanism enable movement of said deck more than 1.5 inches.

24. The treadmill as recited in claim 16, wherein said cushioning member comprises a variable thickness wall.

18. A treadmill comprising:

a frame comprising a lower portion, wherein said lower portion has a securing location;

a platform linked to said lower portion of said frame at said securing location and extending therefrom;

an endless belt, said belt having an upwardly exposed exercise section;

a deck disposed between said exercise section of said belt and said frame, wherein at least a portion of said deck extends beyond said securing location of said frame away from said exposed exercise section when the treadmill is positioned on a support surface for use by a user; and

an impact absorbing mechanism linked to said platform and said deck, said impact absorbing mechanism being configured to cushion an impact upon said deck, said impact absorbing mechanism comprising;

a cushioning member;

a first cup linked to said deck; and

a second cup linked to said platform;

wherein said first cup and said second cup retain said cushioning member.

19. The treadmill as recited in claim 18, wherein said impact absorbing mechanism enables movement of said deck more than about 1.25 inches upon application of 600 lbs of force to said deck.

20. The treadmill as recited in claim 18, wherein said impact absorbing mechanism enables movement of said deck more than about 1.5 inches.

21. The treadmill as recited in claim 18, wherein said impact absorbing mechanism enables movement of said deck more than about 2.0 inches.

22. The treadmill as recited in claim 18, wherein said impact absorbing mechanism enables movement of said deck more than about 2.5 inches.

23. The treadmill as recited in claim 18, wherein said impact absorbing mechanism further comprises at least one second cushioning member.

25. The treadmill as recited in claim 18, wherein said impact absorbing mechanism enables movement of said deck more than about 1 inch.

26. The treadmill as recited in claim 18, wherein said first cup and said second cup support a spring substantially surrounding said cushioning member.

27. The treadmill as recited in claim 25, wherein said platform links said second cup to said frame, wherein said platform is removably linked to said frame.

28. The treadmill as recited in claim 18, wherein said platform is normal to at least a portion of said frame.

29. A treadmill comprising:

a frame having a lower portion;

a platform rigidly coupled to said lower portion and extending laterally therefrom;

an endless belt having an upwardly exposed exercise section;

a deck disposed between said exercise section of said belt and said frame; and

an impact absorbing mechanism coupled to said deck and said platform and configured to cushion impact upon said deck, said impact absorbing mechanism comprising a cushioning member cooperating with said deck and said platform, said cushioning member being disposed between a first cup linked to said deck and a second cup linked to said platform thereby positioning said cushioning member to the side of said frame away from said exposed exercise section of said endless belt.

30. The treadmill as recited in claim 29, wherein said cushioning member enables movement of said deck more than about 1.25 inches upon application of 600 lbs of force to said deck.

31. The treadmill as recited in claim 29, wherein said cushioning member enables movement of said deck by a distance selected from the group consisting of more than about 1 inch, more than about 1.5 inches, more than about 2 inches, or more than about 2.5 inches.

32. The treadmill as recited in claim 29, wherein said cushioning member is adapted to be at least partially compressed, while having a biasing force to move said deck in a substantially vertical direction following compressing of said cushioning member.

33. The treadmill as recited in claim 29, wherein said impact absorbing mechanism further comprises at least one second cushioning member, said at least one second cushioning member being adapted to be at least partially compressed.

34. The treadmill as recited in claim 33, wherein said at least one second cushioning member at least partially surrounds said cushioning member.