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US 10,207,148 B2Granted
Systems and methods for reducing runaway resistance on an exercise device
AssigneeICON Health & Fitness, Inc.
InventorsWade A. Powell, Dale Alan Buchanan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A treadmill may include a deck, a first pulley incorporated into the deck, a second pulley incorporated into the deck, a tread belt surrounding the first pulley and the second pulley, a motor in mechanical communication with at least one of the first pulley and the second pulley to move the tread belt in a first direction, and a runaway mitigation mechanism in at least indirect mechanical communication with the motor. The runaway mitigation mechanism at least mitigates a motor runaway condition.
Claims18
A treadmill, comprising:
- a deck;
- a first pulley incorporated into the deck;
- a second pulley incorporated into the deck;
- a tread belt surrounding the first pulley and the second pulley;
- a motor including a drive shaft, wherein the drive shaft is in mechanical communication with at least one of the first pulley and the second pulley to move the tread belt in a first direction;
- a runaway mitigation mechanism in at least indirect mechanical communication with the motor, the runaway mitigation mechanism including:
- a container surrounding a portion of the drive shaft;
- and
- a fluid within the container;
- wherein the runaway mitigation mechanism is configured to at least mitigate a motor runaway condition.
7 more elements
A treadmill, comprising:
- a deck;
- a first pulley incorporated into the deck;
- a second pulley incorporated into the deck;
- a tread belt surrounding the first pulley and the second pulley;
- a motor including a drive shaft, wherein the drive shaft is in mechanical communication with at least one of the first pulley and the second pulley;
- an incline mechanism in mechanical communication with the deck to adjust an incline angle of the deck;
- and
- a runaway mitigation mechanism in communication with the motor;
- wherein the runaway mitigation mechanism is configured to mitigate a motor runaway condition due to the incline angle of the deck;
- wherein the runaway mitigation mechanism includes:
- a container surrounding a portion of the drive shaft;
- a fluid disposed within the container;
- wherein the container is configured to tilt with the deck;
- and
- wherein the container is shaped such that the fluid contacts the drive shaft when the deck is disposed at a threshold angle.
12 more elements
A treadmill, comprising:
- a deck;
- a first pulley incorporated into the deck;
- a second pulley incorporated into the deck;
- a tread belt surrounding the first pulley and the second pulley;
- a motor including a drive shaft, wherein the drive shaft is in mechanical communication with at least one of the first pulley and the second pulley;
- an incline mechanism in mechanical communication with the deck to adjust an incline angle of the deck;
- a runaway mitigation mechanism in communication with the motor;
- wherein the runaway mitigation mechanism mitigates a motor runaway condition where the motor runaway condition is induced with the incline angle of the deck;
- wherein the runaway mitigation mechanism includes:
- a container that surrounds a portion of the drive shaft;
- an oil based fluid disposed within the container;
- and
- at least one vane formed on the portion of the drive shaft contained within the container;
- wherein the container is configured to tilt with the deck;
- wherein the container is shaped such that the fluid contacts the drive shaft when the deck is disposed at a threshold angle;
- and
- wherein the drive shaft is fully immersed in the oil based fluid when the deck is oriented at a 12 degree incline.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.