Patent EP0403924A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0403924A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Exercise treadmill
Assignee: Life Fitness LLC
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Filing: 1990-06-12
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-06-12
Abstract
Abstract To improve tracking, an exercise treadmill is provided with a frame (12, 12') including molded plastic pulleys (22,28), having an integral gear belt sprocket (108), an endless belt (20) extending around the pulleys and a motor (104) operatively connected to the rear pulley to drive the belt (20). The pulleys (22,28) are molded out of plastic and have a diameter of approximately nine inches. A deck (50) underneath the running surface of the belt (20) is supported by resilient members (100,102,103). A positive lateral belt tracking mechanism (200,200') is used to correct the lateral position of the belt (20). A belt position sensor mechanism (210) is used in combination with a front pulley pivoting mechanism to maintain the belt (20) in the desired lateral position on the pulleys (22,28). The exercise treadmill also includes a lift mechanism with an internally threaded brass or steel sleeve engaged to vertically aligned nonrotating screws. A user display of foot impact force on the belt is also provided.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard E. Skowronski
- 👤 Kenneth F. Lantz
- 👤 Thomas F. Leon
- 👤 George Kolomayets
- 👤 Donald James Alexander
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 17:35
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B22/00; A63B22/0015; A63B22/0023; A63B22/02; A63B22/0207; A63B22/0214; A63B22/0235; A63B22/0242; A63B22/025; A63B2220/00; A63B2220/17; A63B2220/50; A63B2220/51; A63B2220/53; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S482/00; Y10S482/90; Y10S482/901; Y10S482/904
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
An exercise treadmill, comprising: a frame structure (12,12′) including two rotatable pulleys(22,28), said pulleys being positioned substantially parallel to each other; means (104) for rotating one of said pulleys; an endless, movable surface (20) looped around said pulleys to form an upper run and a lower run, said movable surface being rotated when one of said pulleys (22,28) is rotated; and support means (52) for providing support for the upper run of said movable surface including a deck member (50) secured beneath at least a portion of said upper run and a plurality of resilient support members (100,102,103) secured between said deck member and said frame structure (12,12′).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
An exercise treadmill, comprising: a frame structure (12,12′) including two rotatable pulleys(22,28), said pulleys being positioned substantially parallel to each other; means (104) for rotating one of said pulleys; an endless, movable surface (20) looped around said pulleys to form an upper run and a lower run, said movable surface being rotated when one of said pulleys (22,28) is rotated; and support means (52) for providing support for the upper run of said movable surface including a deck member (50) secured beneath at least a portion of said upper run and a plurality of resilient support members (100,102,103) secured between said deck member and said frame structure (12,12′).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The exercise treadmill of Claim 1 wherein at least one of said resilient support members (100) has a generally elliptical configuration.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The exercise treadmill of Claim 1 wherein at least one of said resilient support members (102,103) has a generally cylindrical configuration.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The exercise treadmill of Claim 2 wherein at least one said resilient support members (102,103) has a generally cylindrical configuration.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The exercise treadmill of Claim 1 wherein said resilient support members (102,103) are grouped in a plurality of sets of at least two of said members, said sets being arranged substantially parallel to the pulleys (22,28).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
70 words
An exercise treadmill, comprising: a frame structure (12,12′); two rotable plastic pulleys (22,28) secured to said frame structure substantially parallel to each other, said plastic pulleys having an end diameter of in the range of about seven to nine inches; means (104) for rotating one of the pulleys; and an endless, movable surface (20) looped around said pulleys, said movable surface being rotated when one of said pulleys is rotated.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
An exercise treadmill, comprising: a frame structure (12,12′); two rotable plastic pulleys (22,28) secured to said frame structure substantially parallel to each other, said plastic pulleys having an end diameter of in the range of about seven to nine inches; means (104) for rotating one of the pulleys; and an endless, movable surface (20) looped around said pulleys, said movable surface being rotated when one of said pulleys is rotated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The exercise treadmill of Claim 6 wherein said pulleys (22,28) are configured out of a plastic selected from the group consisting of glass-filling polypropylene, polyphenlyene oxide, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyurethane, polyester, or combinations thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The exercise treadmill of Claim 6 wherein said pulleys (22,28) have a cambered configuration (36) including a substantially cylindrical-shaped center portion (32) with conical ends (34,34′) and further including a separate end cap (38) secured to one end of said conical ends.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
The exercise treadmill of Claim 8 wherein said rotating means includes a motor (104) and a gear belt (113) operatively connected to said motor and wherein one of said pulleys (22,28) includes a sprocket (108) molded on one of said end caps (38) operatively engaged with said gear belt.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
84 words
An exercise treadmill, comprising: a frame structure (12,12′); two rotatable pulleys (22,28) secured to said frame structure substantially parallel to each other; an endless moveable surface (20) looped around said pulleys (22,28) to form an upper run and a lower run, said moveable surface (20) being rotated when one of said pulleys is rotated; means (200,200′) for sensing the lateral position of said moveable surface on said pulleys (22,28); and means (202,300) for correcting the lateral position of said moveable surface on said pulleys.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
84 words
An exercise treadmill, comprising: a frame structure (12,12′); two rotatable pulleys (22,28) secured to said frame structure substantially parallel to each other; an endless moveable surface (20) looped around said pulleys (22,28) to form an upper run and a lower run, said moveable surface (20) being rotated when one of said pulleys is rotated; means (200,200′) for sensing the lateral position of said moveable surface on said pulleys (22,28); and means (202,300) for correcting the lateral position of said moveable surface on said pulleys.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The exercise treadmill of Claim 9 wherein said lateral sensing means (200,200′) includes a leg biased against an edge of the lower run of said moveable surface (20), with said leg capable of moving laterally with said moveable surface when said moveable surface moves laterally.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The exercise treadmill of Claim 11 wherin said lateral sensing means (200,200′) includes a Hall effect sensor (210) which is capable of detecting any lateral movement of said leg.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The exercise treadmill of Claim 12 wherein said Hall effect sensor (210) transmits a signal to a microprocessor (300) capable of calculating the lateral position of said moveable surface (20).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The exercise treadmill of Claim 13 wherein said microprocessor (300) is capable of controlling said means for correcting the lateral position of said moveable surface (20).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The exercise treadmill of Claim 10 wherein said means for correcting the lateral position of said moveable surface (20) comprises means for pivoting one end of one of said pulleys (22,28) in the longitudinal direction.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
78 words
The exercise treadmill of Claim 15 wherein said pivoting means (202) comprises a first pivot block (242) capable of pivoting movement about a vertical axis into which one end of the axis of said pulley to be rotated is rotatably mounted, and a second block capable of limited relative longitudinal movement into which the other end of said pulley to be rotated is rotatably mounted, and further including means for moving said second block through said longitudinal movement.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The exercise treadmill of Claim 15 wherein said second block moving means is controlled by a microprocessor (300) which controls the pivoting movement of said pivoting pulley.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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