Exercise device with treadles

• US 7,645,214 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Health Tech. Retail, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nautilus, Inc.
• Inventors: Lull, Andrew P.
• Primary Examiner(s): CROW, STEPHEN R
• Application Number:
  US11/065,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20050209060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: 482 51- 54, 482111-113
• US Class Current: 482/51
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/009 Protective housings covering the working parts of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0083 of the piston-cylinder type using pneumatic piston-cylinder type force resistors A63B21/0087
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0235 driven by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0285 Physical characteristics of the belt, e.g. material, surface, indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0292 separate for each leg, e.g. dual deck
• 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

An exercise device including a first monoarm treadle assembly supporting a first tread belt and a second monoarm treadle assembly supporting a second belt. The tread belt is supported on a tread deck between a front roller on each treadle assembly, and a rear roller, which may be a distinct rear roller on each treadle assembly or a single rear roller for both treadle assemblies. The monoarm structure of each treadle assembly supports a plurality of deck supports in a cantilever fashion. The treadmill deck and the belt are supported on the deck supports. Further, the treadles are coupled with one or more hydraulic resistance structures, which may also function as an interconnect structure to coordinate pivotal movement of the treadle assemblies.

Claims

1. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a frame structure;

a first treadle assembly including a first frame including a first outer support member, a first belt disposed about a front roller and a rear roller and defining a first surface movable relative to the frame, a first inner shield extending below a bottom surface of the first belt, and at least one deck support member connected between the first outer support member and the first inner shield, the first treadle assembly pivotally supported on the frame structure at a rear of the first frame; and

a second treadle assembly including a first frame including a second outer support member, a second belt disposed about a front roller and a rear roller and defining a second surface movable relative to the frame, a second inner shield extending below a bottom surface of the second belt, and at least one deck support member connected between the second outer support member and the second inner shield, the second treadle assembly pivotally supported on the frame structure at a rear of the second frame.

2. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an interconnection assembly operable coupled between the first treadle assembly and the second treadle assembly.

3. The exercise apparatus of claim 2 wherein the interconnection assembly comprises a teeter arm arranged to pivot about a first pivot point.

4. The exercise device of claim 3 wherein the teeter arm defines a first portion and a second portion to either side of the first pivot point, the first portion coupled with the first treadle assembly and the second portion coupled with the second treadle assembly.

5. The exercise device of claim 4 wherein the interconnection assembly further comprises:

a first rod pivotally connected between the first portion of the teeter arm and the first treadle assembly; and

a second rod pivotally connected between the second portion of the teeter arm and the second treadle assembly.

6. The exercise device of claim 5 wherein the first rod comprises a turnbuckle and the second rod comprises a turnbuckle.

7. The exercise device of claim 1 comprising:

a resistance structure operably positioned between the first treadle assembly and the second treadle assembly.

8. The exercise device of claim 7 wherein the resistance structure comprises:

a first piston-cylinder assembly operably coupled between the frame structure and the first treadle assembly.

9. The exercise device of claim 8 wherein the resistance structure comprises:

a second piston-cylinder assembly operably coupled between the frame structure and the second treadle assembly.

10. The exercise device of claim 9 wherein the resistance structure comprises:

an adjustable valve assembly hydraulically coupling the first piston-cylinder assembly with the second piston-cylinder assembly.

11. The exercise device of claim 3 wherein the teeter is arranged to pivot in a substantially vertical plane and further comprises:

a piston-cylinder assembly coupled between the teeter and the frame structure.

12. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a first shock connected between the frame structure and the first treadle assembly; and

a second shock connected between the frame structure and the second treadle assembly.

13. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first treadle assembly comprises:

a plurality of cantilever deck support members coupled with the treadle frame member; and

a deck supported on the cantilever deck support members.

14. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first roller is supported by the first outer support member in a cantilever arrangement.

15. The exercise apparatus of claim 13 wherein the first inner shield is connected with the plurality of support members of the first treadle assembly.