Motorized treadmill with motor braking mechanism and methods of operating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018001134-A1
Application number	US-201715640180-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 30, 2017
Priority date	Jul 1, 2016
Publication date	Jan 4, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A treadmill includes a running belt defining a non-planar running surface, and a motor operatively coupled to the running belt. The treadmill is operable in plurality of operating modes to control a user experience.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A treadmill, comprising:
a running belt defining a non-planar running surface; and a motor operatively coupled to the running belt; wherein the treadmill is operable in plurality of operating modes to control a user experience.

2 . The treadmill of claim 1 , wherein in a first operating mode, the motor is disengaged from the running belt so that the user can apply force to the running belt resulting in rotation of the running belt.

3 . The treadmill of claim 1 , wherein in a second operating mode, the motor drives rotation of the running belt at a predefined speed.

4 . The treadmill of claim 3 , wherein in the second operating mode, the motor is structured to selectively drive rotation of the running belt in a first rotational direction and in a second rotational directional, the second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction.

5 . The treadmill of claim 1 , wherein in a third operating mode, the motor is structured to output and apply to the running belt a holding torque at a predefined threshold speed value.

6 . The treadmill of claim 5 , wherein the predefined threshold speed value is approximately zero revolutions-per-minute.

7 . The treadmill of claim 5 , wherein the holding torque is a user definable setting, wherein increasing the holding torque increases a force required by a user to rotate the running belt and decreasing the holding torque decreases a force required by the user to rotate the running belt.

8 . The treadmill of claim 1 , wherein in a fourth operating mode, the motor is structured to output and apply to the running belt a torque assist force, the torque assist force configured to help rotate the running belt in addition to a force applied by a user to the running belt.

9 . The treadmill of claim 1 , further comprising an incline adjustment system structured to selectively adjust an incline of the treadmill relative to a support surface.

10 . A treadmill, comprising:
a running belt defining a substantially planar running surface; and a motor operatively coupled to the running belt; wherein the treadmill is operable in plurality of operating modes.

11 . The treadmill of claim 10 , wherein in a first operating mode, the motor is disengaged from the running belt such that rotation of the running belt is caused solely by a force applied by a user of the treadmill.

12 . The treadmill of claim 10 , wherein in a second operating mode, the motor rotates the running belt at a predefined speed.

13 . The treadmill of claim 12 , wherein in the second operating mode, the motor is structured to selectively rotate the running belt in a first rotational direction and in a second rotational directional, the second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction.

14 . The treadmill of claim 10 , wherein in a third operating mode, the motor is structured to output and apply to the running belt a holding torque at a predefined threshold speed value.

15 . The treadmill of claim 14 , wherein the predefined threshold speed value is approximately zero revolutions-per-minute.

16 . The treadmill of claim 14 , wherein the holding torque is a user definable setting, wherein increasing the holding torque increases a force required by a user to rotate the running belt and decreasing the holding torque decreases a force required by the user to rotate the running belt.

17 . The treadmill of claim 10 , wherein in a fourth operating mode, the motor is structured to output and apply to the running belt a torque assist force, the torque assist force configured to help rotate the running belt in addition to a force applied by a user to the running belt.

18 . A method of operating a motorized treadmill, comprising:
providing a treadmill having a running belt defining a non-planar running surface and a motor coupled to the running belt, the motor operable in a first operating mode, a second operating mode, a third operating mode, and a fourth operating mode; responsive to receiving an indication to operate the treadmill in a first operating mode, causing the motor to disengage from the running belt such that rotation of the running belt is caused solely by a user of the motorized treadmill; responsive to receiving an indication to operate the treadmill in a second operating mode, causing the motor to selectively drive rotation of the running belt in a first rotational direction and in a second rotational directional, the second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction; responsive to receiving an indication to operate the treadmill in a third operating mode, causing the motor to output a holding torque at a predefined threshold speed value; and responsive to receiving an indication to operate the treadmill in a fourth operating mode, causing the motor to output a torque assist force, the torque assist force configured to help rotate the running belt in addition to a force applied by the user to the running belt.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein in the third operating mode, the motor is structured to output the holding torque at a predefined threshold speed value, wherein the predefined threshold speed value is approximately zero revolutions-per-minute.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the motor is structured to selectively drive rotation of the running belt in a first rotational direction and in a second rotational direction, the second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction.

Assignees

• Woodway Usa Inc

Inventors

• Bayerlein Douglas G
• Oblamski Nicholas A
• Emons Vance E

Classifications

• A63B21/0058

  using motors · CPC title

• A63B71/0622

  Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user · CPC title

• A63B22/025 Primary

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

• A63B2230/06

  heartbeat rate only · CPC title

• A63B2022/0278

  with reversible direction of the running surface · CPC title