High efficiency treadmill motor control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9278248-B2
Application number	US-201313860255-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2013
Priority date	Apr 12, 2012
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

A high voltage direct current signal is obtained from a power supply. The power supply includes power factor correction circuitry. A control command is obtained from an exercise machine. The exercise machine includes a direct current motor. A pulse-width modulation signal is generated from the direct current signal based on the control command. The pulse-width modulation signal is provided to the direct current motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An exercise machine, comprising:
a power supply configured to convert an alternating current to a high voltage direct current, wherein the power supply comprises power factor correction circuitry;
a motor controller configured to generate a pulse-width modulated direct current signal based on the high voltage direct current; and
a direct current motor, wherein the pulse-width modulated direct current signal drives the direct current motor.

2. The exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein the exercise machine comprises a treadmill.

3. The exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein the power factor correction circuitry comprises a boost converter.

4. The exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein the high voltage direct current has a magnitude of at least 180 volts.

5. The exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein the power supply is configured to convert the alternating current to the high voltage direct current with at least 87% efficiency.

6. The exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein the pulse-width modulation direct current signal is generated from the alternating current with at least 80% efficiency.

7. The exercise machine of claim 1 , further comprising a treadmill belt, wherein the direct current motor is configured to drive the treadmill belt.

8. The exercise machine of claim 7 , wherein the treadmill belt is configured to travel at least 13 miles per hour.

9. The exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein the power supply draws less than 1800 watts, and wherein the alternating current provides less than 132 volts alternating current.

Assignees

• Icon Health & Fitness Inc

Inventors

• Tyger Michael J
• Williams Derrek

Classifications

• A63B21/0058

  using motors · CPC title

• H02P7/29

  using pulse modulation · CPC title

• A63B22/0235

  driven by a motor · CPC title

• A63B2225/20

  with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like · CPC title

• A63B2225/50

  Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry · CPC title