Treadmill speed control system

• US 8,007,408 B1
• Filed: 10/05/2009
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnson Health Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Johnson Health Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Pyles, Nathan, Moran, Thomas H
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh; Loan
• Assistant Examiner(s): GINSBERG, OREN ISAAC
• Application Number:
  US12/573,634
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 482/37, 482/51, 482/54, 482/61, 482/900, 119/70, 434/247, 434/255, 434/258, 601/23, 601/32, 601/35
• US Class Current: 482/54
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• 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 21/0053 using alternators or dynamos
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0055 the produced electric power used as a source for other equipment, e.g. for TVs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/015 including rotating or oscillating elements rubbing against fixed elements
• 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 22/0242 with speed variation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/025 electrically, e.g. D.C. motors with variable speed control
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/36 Speed measurement by electric or magnetic parameters

Abstract

A treadmill apparatus having a non-motorized tread, a sensor for sensing a parameter indicative of the tread speed, and a controller operatively connected to an angle adjustment mechanism to increase and decrease the angle of the tread. During operation of the treadmill, the controller compares the speed of the tread to a target speed, and based on the comparison, adjust the angle of the tread so that the operator'"'"'s weight will adjust the speed of the tread.

Claims

1. A treadmill comprising:

a frame;

a non-motorized tread mounted on the frame for movement between a plurality of incline angles;

an angle adjustment mechanism operatively engaged with the non-motorized tread to move the non-motorized tread between the plurality of incline angles;

a sensor in communication with the non-motorized tread, wherein the sensor senses a speed parameter of the non-motorized tread and generates a corresponding signal; and

a controller in communication with the sensor and the angle adjustment mechanism, wherein the controller receives the signal from the sensor and operates the angle adjustment mechanism until the speed parameter is within a predetermined target speed parameter range.

2. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein the controller compares the speed parameter to a second target speed parameter and operates the angle adjustment mechanism to adjust the incline angle of the non-motorized tread until the speed parameter is within a second predetermined target speed parameter range.

3. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises an automatic adjustment control program to operate the angle adjustment mechanism to adjust the incline angle of the non-motorized tread.

4. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein the controller operates the angle adjustment mechanism to increase the incline angle relative to horizontal to increase the speed parameter of the non-motorized tread.

5. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein the controller operates the angle adjustment mechanism to decrease the incline angle relative to horizontal to decrease the speed parameter of the non-motorized tread.

6. The treadmill of claim 1, and further comprising a flywheel operatively joined to the non-motorized tread.

7. The treadmill of claim 1, and further comprising a generator operatively joined to the non-motorized tread.

8. The treadmill of claim 1, and further comprising an energy storage device, wherein the energy storage device stores energy generated by the non-motorized tread.

9. The treadmill of claim 1, and further comprising an energy storage device operatively joined to the non-motorized tread and in electrical communication with the controller and the angle adjustment mechanism, wherein the energy storage device stores energy generated by the non-motorized tread, and wherein the energy is used to power the controller and the angle adjustment mechanism.

10. The treadmill of claim 1, and further comprising a braking mechanism operatively joined to the non-motorized tread, wherein the controller operates the braking mechanism to decrease the speed parameter of the non-motorized tread.

11. The treadmill of claim 1, and further comprising a braking mechanism operatively joined to the non-motorized tread, wherein the controller operates the braking mechanism to decrease the speed parameter of the non-motorized tread and the controller operates the angle adjustment mechanism to decrease the incline angle relative to horizontal to decrease the speed parameter of the non-motorized tread.

12. The treadmill of claim 1, and further comprising a generator operatively joined to the non-motorized tread, the generator having a rotatable portion, wherein motion of the non-motorized tread rotates the rotatable portion of the generator, and wherein the rotatable portion of the generator has a resistance to rotation that applies a braking force to the non-motorized tread.

13. The treadmill of claim 1, and further comprising a generator operatively joined to the non-motorized tread, the generator having a rotatable portion, wherein motion of the non-motorized tread rotates the rotatable portion of the generator, and wherein the rotatable portion of the generator has a resistance to rotation that applies a braking force to the non-motorized tread, and wherein the resistance to rotation is increased to increase the braking force to the non-motorized tread.

14. A method for controlling the speed of a non-motorized tread on an exercise treadmill, the treadmill having a frame, a non-motorized tread operatively mounted on the frame, an angle adjustment mechanism operatively engaged with the tread, a speed sensor, and a controller in communication with the angle adjustment mechanism and the speed sensor, the method comprising the steps of:

operating the tread at a first tread speed;

sensing a speed parameter of the tread with the speed sensor;

transmitting the speed parameter from the speed sensor to the controller;

comparing the tread speed parameter for the first tread speed to a first target speed parameter in the controller to determine whether the tread speed parameter for the first tread speed is within a predetermined target speed parameter range; and

controlling the angle adjustment mechanism to adjust the incline angle of the tread until the tread speed parameter is within the target speed parameter range.

15. The method of claim 14, and further comprising the steps of:

entering into the controller a second target speed;

comparing the speed parameter to the second target speed parameter in the controller to determine whether the tread speed parameter is within a predetermined target speed parameter range; and

controlling the angle adjustment mechanism to adjust the incline angle of the tread until the tread speed parameter is within the target speed parameter range.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of controlling the angle adjustment mechanism to adjust the incline angle of the non-motorized tread is automatic.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of controlling the angle adjustment mechanism comprises the step of:

increasing the tread angle relative to horizontal to increase the speed parameter.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of controlling the angle adjustment mechanism comprises the step of:

decreasing the tread angle relative to horizontal to decrease the speed parameter.

19. The method of claim 14, and further comprising the steps of:

engaging the tread with an energy storage device; and

storing energy generated by the non-motorized tread in the energy storage device.

20. The method of claim 14, and further comprising the steps of:

engaging the tread with an energy storage device, wherein the energy storage device is a flywheel; and

storing energy generated by the non-motorized tread in the flywheel.

21. The method of claim 14, and further comprising the step of:

generating electricity from movement of the non-motorized tread.

22. The method of claim 14, and further comprising the steps of:

engaging the tread with an energy storage device;

storing energy generated by the non-motorized tread in the energy storing device; and

powering the controller and the angle adjustment mechanism with energy stored in the energy storage device.

23. The method of claim 14, and further comprising the steps of:

decreasing the speed parameter with a braking mechanism when the speed parameter is greater than the target speed parameter range.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of decreasing the tread speed comprises the step of:

decreasing the tread angle relative to horizontal to decrease the speed parameter; and

applying a brake force to decrease speed parameter.

25. The method of claim 14, and further comprising the steps of:

entering into the controller a resistance level for the non-motorized tread; and

controlling the resistance of non-motorized tread movement with a braking force.