Dual direction exercise treadmill for simulating a dragging or pulling action with a user adjustable constant static weight resistance

• US 7,575,537 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2007
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fitness Tools, LLC
• Original Assignee: Fitness Tools, LLC
• Inventors: Ellis, Joseph K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathew; Fenn C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tecco; Andrew M
• Application Number:
  US11/935,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20090118103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 482/5, 482/54
• US Class Current: 482/54
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00076 on the fly, i.e. varying the resistance during exercise
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0615 pivoting about a fixed horizontal fulcrum
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0616 with an adjustable moment A63B21/0617 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0617 with a changing moment as a function of the pivot angle
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/155 Cam-shaped pulleys or other non-uniform pulleys, e.g. conical
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/156 the position of the pulleys being variable, e.g. for different exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4043 Free movement, i.e. the only restriction coming from the resistance A63B21/00043, A63B21/072 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4047 Pivoting movement weight pivoting A63B21/0615
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/001 by simultaneously exercising arms and legs, e.g. diagonally in anti-phase A63B22/0076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0023 the inclination of the main axis of the movement path being adjustable, e.g. the inclination of an endless band
• 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: A63B 22/0242 with speed variation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0292 separate for each leg, e.g. dual deck
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/047 Walking and pulling or pushing a load for exercising the player ability for rugby or American football A63B69/34

Abstract

An exercise treadmill having an endless moveable surface looped around rollers or pulleys to form an upper run and a lower run, the movable surface being rotated when one of the rollers or pulleys is rotated, and an exercise surface for walking or running while exercising, a weight resistance mechanism for providing a weight resistance for simulating the dragging or pulling of a load, wherein the weight resistance can be adjusted and set to a specific weight resistance setting; a movable hand controller operatively attached to the weight resistance mechanism for operating and controlling the exercise treadmill and the weight resistance mechanism, wherein the endless movable surface moves in a direction simulating walking or running backwards, and wherein the weight resistance mechanism applies a constant and static force to the hand controller generally only in the same as the direction the endless movable surface moves and opposite a pulling direction, whereby operation of the treadmill simulates the dragging or pulling of a load by a combination of the actuation of the weight resistance mechanism to simulate the load and the walking or running backwards to provide the dragging or pulling action.

Claims

1. An exercise treadmill of the type having an endless moveable surface looped around rollers or pulleys to form an upper run and a lower run, the movable surface being rotated when one of the rollers or pulleys is rotated, and an exercise surface for walking or running while exercising, comprising:

a) a weight resistance mechanism for providing a weight resistance for simulating the dragging or pulling of a load, wherein the weight resistance can be adjusted and set to a specific weight resistance setting;

b) a movable hand controller operatively attached to the weight resistance mechanism for operating and controlling the exercise treadmill and the weight resistance mechanism,

wherein the endless movable surface moves in a direction simulating walking or running backwards,

wherein the weight resistance mechanism is selected from the group consisting of moment arm weight resistance mechanisms, pneumatic weight resistance mechanisms, hydraulic weight resistance mechanisms, and electric motor clutch brake weight resistance mechanisms, and

wherein the weight resistance mechanism exerts an approximately constant and static counterforce to the hand controller generally only in the same direction as the endless movable surface moves and opposite a pulling direction,

whereby operation of the treadmill simulates the dragging or pulling of a load by a combination of the actuation of the weight resistance mechanism to simulate the load and the walking or running backwards to provide the dragging or pulling action.

2. The exercise treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the counterforce is static and constant at the set weight throughout an entire range of movement of the movable hand controller.

3. The exercise treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the weight resistance mechanism can be set to a chosen weight resistance level that is adjustable for providing weight resistance only against the pulling direction.

4. The exercise treadmill as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an inclination mechanism to permit inclination of the exercise surface to simulate an incline or decline.

5. An exercise treadmill comprising:

a) an endless moveable surface for walking or running, wherein the endless movable surface is movable in a direction simulating walking or running backwards;

b) a weight resistance mechanism for simulating the dragging or pulling of a load, wherein the weight resistance mechanism provides weight resistance only generally opposite a pulling direction; and

c) a movable hand controller operatively attached to the weight resistance mechanism for operating and controlling the exercise treadmill and the weight resistance mechanism,

wherein the endless movable surface moves in a direction simulating walking or running backwards,

wherein the weight resistance mechanism is selected from the group consisting of moment arm weight resistance mechanisms, pneumatic weight resistance mechanisms, hydraulic weight resistance mechanisms, and electric motor clutch brake weight resistance mechanisms, and

wherein the weight resistance mechanism applies an approximately constant and static counterforce to the hand controller generally only in the same direction as the endless movable surface moves and opposite the pulling direction and approximately at the set weight throughout an entire range of movement of the movable hand controller,

whereby operation of the treadmill simulates the dragging or pulling of a load by a combination of the actuation of the weight resistance mechanism to simulate the load and the walking or running backwards to provide the dragging or pulling action.

6. The exercise treadmill as claimed in claim 5, wherein the weight resistance mechanism can be set to a chosen weight resistance level that is adjustable for providing weight resistance.

7. The exercise treadmill as claimed in claim 6, further comprising an inclination mechanism to permit inclination of the exercise surface to simulate an incline or decline.