High efficiency treadmill motor control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9375605-B2
Application number	US-201615013765-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2016
Priority date	Apr 12, 2012
Publication date	Jun 28, 2016
Grant date	Jun 28, 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. A method to provide high efficiency direct current motor control, comprising:
obtaining, by a direct current motor controller, a high voltage direct current signal from a power supply having power factor correction circuitry;
obtaining, by a processor, a control command from an exercise machine having a direct current motor;
generating, by the processor, a pulse-width modulation signal from the direct current signal based on the control command; and
providing, by the direct current motor controller, the pulse-width modulation signal to the direct current motor.

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

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

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

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the power supply converts the alternating current to the high voltage direct current with at least 87% efficiency.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the direct current motor drives a treadmill belt.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the direct current motor drives the treadmill belt at a speed that is at least 13 miles per hour.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the power supply draws less than 1800 watts from a circuit that provides less than 132 volts alternating current.

9. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
obtain a high voltage direct current signal from a power supply having power factor correction circuitry;
obtain a control command from an exercise machine having a direct current motor;
generate a pulse-width modulation signal from the direct current signal based on the control command; and
provide the pulse-width modulation signal to the direct current motor.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the exercise machine comprises a treadmill.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the power factor correction circuitry comprises a boost converter.

12. A method to provide high efficiency direct current motor control, comprising:
receiving a control command to increase a speed of a tread belt;
receiving a direct current signal from a power supply having power factor correction circuitry; and
increasing the speed of tread belt in response to the control command and the direct current signal by generating a pulse-width modulated signal from the direct current signal and directing the pulse-width modulated signal to a motor that drives the tread belt.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein increasing the speed causes the tread belt to move at a rate greater than 13 miles per hour.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the power supply draws less than 1800 watts.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein increasing the speed causes the tread belt to move at a rate greater than 18 miles per hour.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the power supply is a residential power circuit.

17. The method of claim 12 , further including converting an alternating current from the power supply to the direct current signal.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein converting an alternating current from the power supply to the direct current signal includes converting 108-132 volts alternating current to 220 volts direct current with 95% to 97% efficiency.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the power supply converts the alternating current to the high voltage direct current with at least 87% efficiency.

20. The exercise machine of claim 12 , wherein the power factor correction circuitry comprises a boost converter.

Assignees

• Icon Health & Fitness Inc

Inventors

• Tyger Michael J
• Williams Derrek

Classifications

• A63B23/04

  for lower limbs {(training appliances for special sports A63B69/00; for the purpose of producing mechanical power F03G5/00)} · CPC title

• A63B24/0087

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

• A63B22/025 Primary

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

• H02M1/4225

  using a non-isolated boost converter · CPC title

• A63B22/0235

  driven by a motor · CPC title