Cooling methods for exercise equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11058914-B2
Application number	US-201916422414-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2019
Priority date	Jul 1, 2016
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A method for cooling a motor on a treadmill includes rotating a flywheel with a drive motor. A ring member coupled to the flywheel is be rotated with the flywheel. A pressure drop is generated in an annulus of the ring member between the drive motor and a lift motor. Intake air is drawn in a first direction across the lift motor toward the pressure drop.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for cooling a motor on a treadmill, comprising:
rotating a flywheel with a drive motor;
rotating a fan assembly coupled to flywheel;
generating a pressure drop at the fan assembly between the drive motor and a lift motor; and
drawing intake air in a first direction across the lift motor toward the pressure drop.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein drawing the intake air in the first direction includes cooling the lift motor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the pressure drop includes rotating at least one fan blade of the fan assembly.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the fan assembly is a first fan assembly and the intake air is a first flow of air, and further comprising:
rotating a second fan assembly on the flywheel opposite the first fan assembly; and
drawing a second flow of air toward the second fan assembly across the drive motor.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising redirecting the intake air in a second direction at a distal circumference of the fan assembly.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the intake air is redirected by a circumferential lip on the distal circumference of the fan assembly.

7. A method for cooling a treadmill, comprising:
changing a height of a deck with a lift motor, lift motor generating heat;
cooling the lift motor by:
rotating a fan assembly on a flywheel coaxial with a drive motor; and
drawing air toward the fan assembly across the lift motor; and

diverting the air to an exhaust vent.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein diverting the air includes exhausting the air over the deck.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein diverting the air includes directing the air through an air channel located in a post.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein diverting the air includes changing a position of an air diverter to change a flow path of the air.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein diverting the air includes pulling the air with an auxiliary fan in a flow path of the air.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein diverting the air includes flowing air across electronics in a console.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein diverting the air includes diverting the air away from a user operating the treadmill.

14. A method for operating a cooling mechanism, comprising:
rotating a fan assembly with a drive motor;
drawing air in a first direction across a lift motor;
directing the air toward a distal edge of the fan assembly; and
rerouting the air from the first direction to a second direction at a circumferential lip on the distal edge of the fan assembly.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising disengaging the fan assembly with a clutch assembly.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein disengaging the fan assembly includes disengaging the fan assembly based on an input from a user.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein drawing the air in the first direction includes drawing the air from the lift motor toward the fan assembly and the drive motor.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second direction is between 120° and 175° of the first direction.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein rerouting the air from the first direction to the second direction includes reducing noise generated by a flow of the air by about 50%.

Assignees

• Icon Health & Fitness Inc

Inventors

• Powell Wade A

Classifications

• A63B22/025

  electrically, e.g. D.C. motors with variable speed control · CPC title

• A63B21/0055

  the produced electric power used as a source for other equipment, e.g. for TVs · CPC title

• A63B22/0076

  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 title

• A63B24/0087

  Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load · CPC title

• A63B2230/06

  heartbeat rate only · CPC title