Systems and methods for cooling internal exercise equipment components

• US 10,471,299 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2017
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IFIT Incorporated (Amynta Agency, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ICON Health & Fitness Incorporated (HF HOLDINGS INC)
• Inventors: Powell, Wade A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crow, Stephen R
• Application Number:
  US15/639,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20180001135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/154 using special pulley-assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/225 with flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/00 Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements force-resisting aspects A63B21/00; for particular parts of the body, e.g. to strengthen particular limbs or muscles A63B23/00; electric or electronic controls therefor A63B24/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0076 Rowing machines for conditioning the cardio-vascular system seats moving during exercise A63B22/0087; training appliances for rowing or sculling on boats A63B69/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0235 driven by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0257 Mechanical systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/18 with elements, i.e. platforms, having a circulating, nutating or rotating movement, generated by oscillating movement of the user, e.g. platforms wobbling on a centrally arranged spherical supporthoop exercising apparatus A63B19/00; eccentric weights put into orbital motion by nutating movement of the user A63B21/0608; pots rotating or rocking by moving the whole body A63G23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/18 Inclination, slope or curvature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/30 Maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/06 with fans or impellers driven by the machine shaft

Abstract

An exercise machine may include a deck, a lift motor connected to the deck, and a cooling mechanism that cools the lift motor when the cooling mechanism is activated.

Claims

1. An exercise machine, comprising:

a deck;

a lift motor connected to the deck; and

a cooling mechanism that cools the lift motor when the cooling mechanism is activated, the cooling mechanism including;

a ring member, wherein a circumferential lip is formed on a distal circumference of the ring member; and

at least one fan blade formed on the ring member.

2. The exercise machine of claim 1, wherein the ring member includes a fan assembly that includes the at least one fan blade.

3. The exercise machine of claim 2, further comprising:

a flywheel;

wherein the fan assembly is attached to the flywheel; and

wherein the fan assembly is configured to generate an airflow that directs air across the lift motor.

4. The exercise machine of claim 3, wherein the fan assembly is configured to push air towards the lift motor during operation.

5. The exercise machine of claim 3, wherein the fan assembly is configured to draw in air towards the fan assembly during operation.

6. The exercise machine of claim 3, further comprising:

a first pulley incorporated into the deck;

a tread belt incorporated into the deck and in engagement with the first pulley; and

a drive motor in mechanical communication with the first pulley;

wherein the flywheel is rotationally fixed to the drive motor; and

wherein the drive motor causes the tread belt to move in a rotational direction and causes the flywheel to spin.

7. The exercise machine of claim 6, further comprising:

a second pulley incorporated into the deck at an opposite end of the deck relative to the first pulley;

wherein the tread belt surrounds the first pulley and the second pulley.

8. The exercise machine of claim 6, wherein the drive motor, the flywheel, and the fan assembly are coaxial;

and

wherein the fan assembly is located adjacent to the lift motor.

9. The exercise machine of claim 8, further comprising:

a second fan assembly connected to a second side of the flywheel;

wherein the second fan assembly is configured to generate a second airflow that passes over the drive motor when the flywheel rotates.

10. The exercise machine of claim 6, further comprising:

a dump resistor connected to the drive motor;

wherein the dump resistor is positioned within the airflow generated by the fan assembly.

11. The exercise machine of claim 1, the ring member forming an annulus and wherein the ring member is configured to generate a pressure drop within the annulus when the ring member is rotating.

12. The exercise machine of claim 1,

wherein the circumferential lip is distal to the at least one fan blade.

13. The exercise machine of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing;

at least one vent defined by a bottom side of the housing;

wherein the lift motor and the cooling mechanism are located within the housing.

15. The treadmill of claim 1, the at least one blade having a leading side transversely oriented with a base of the ring member, the circumferential lip having a lip height that is approximately the same as a blade height of the leading side of the at least one fan blade.

14. A treadmill, comprising:

a deck;

a first pulley incorporated into the deck;

a tread belt incorporated into the deck and in engagement with the first pulley;

a drive motor in mechanical communication with the first pulley;

a flywheel being rotationally fixed with respect to the drive motor, wherein the flywheel is coaxial with the drive motor and the drive motor is configured to cause the tread belt to move in a rotational direction and cause the flywheel to spin;

a lift motor connected to the deck; and

a fan assembly that is configured to cool the lift motor when activated;

wherein the fan assembly is attached to and coaxial with the flywheel; and

wherein the fan assembly is configured to generate an airflow that directs air across the lift motor.