# US 10,946,236 B2 · Omnidirectional treadmill > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,946,236 B2 - Document ID: US10946236B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/347,696 - Filed: 2017-12-22 - Published: 2019-08-22 - Granted: 2021-03-16 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-27 - Applicants: Elmar Rudelstorfer - Inventors: Elmar Rudelstorfer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10946236B2 ## CPC - A63B 22/0257: {Mechanical systems therefor} - A63B 21/15: {Arrangements for force transmissions} - A63B 22/0235: {driven by a motor} - A63B 69/0028: {for running, jogging or speed-walking (movable endless bands A63B22/02)} - A63B 22/0285: {Physical characteristics of the belt, e.g. material, surface, indicia} - A63B 2022/0271: {omnidirectional} - A63B 2022/0278: {with reversible direction of the running surface} - A63B 2071/0638: {Displaying moving images of recorded environment, e.g. virtual environment} - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract Disclosed is an omnidirectional treadmill which has several connected belt units with supporting frames and endless belts which are moved revolving in the first spatial direction. In the second spatial direction, the endless belts of the belt units are moved. The endless belts are driven in the second spatial direction preferably by gear wheels mounted on rolls and by a toothed shaft. The movement of all endless belts is synchronized by coupling with special tooth form crown gears arranged between the belt units. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device with a surface movable in two spatial directions, the device comprising: a plurality of belt systems movable in a first one of the spatial directions, each of the belt systems being provided with a supporting frame, each of the supporting frames of a respective one of the belt systems being pivotally-connected with the supporting frame of an adjacent one of the belt systems via one or more axis forming a rotary connection at a fixed distance, each of the belt systems being configured to be driven by at least one drive system, the belt systems being provided for movement in the second spatial direction with a plurality of driving rolls and driven rolls and a plurality of endless belts which are coupled to a drive, rotary movement of one of the driving rolls with an adjacent one of the driven rolls of an adjacent one of the belt systems being coupled by a crown gear with a tooth profile with which variable rotary movements of the driving roll are continuously transmitted to the driven roll when an angle between the axis of rotation of the driving and driven rolls changes, an axis lying in an area of an engagement profile and outside a point of intersection of the axes of rotation of the driving and driven rolls. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the crown gear is provided with the tooth profile in the form of a part of a rotary body with an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of the crown gear and with cross-sections right-angled to the axis of rotation in the form of segments of a circle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device according to claim 2, wherein the crown gear is furnished with the tooth profile in the form of the rotary body or the part of the rotary body formed by two straight generatrices, of which the first generatrix has a taper angle to the cone axis of between 5° and 13°, and the second generatrix has a taper angle to a cone axis of between 8° and 15°. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device according to claim 3, wherein the crown gear is furnished with the tooth profile in the form of the rotary body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The device according to claim 3, wherein the crown gear is furnished with the tooth profile in the form of the rotary body which is composed of two partial rotary bodies and having axes of rotation aligned parallel to the axis of rotation of the crown gear. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The device according to claim 2, wherein the crown gear has a tooth profile in the form of the rotary body or the part of the rotary body formed by two straight generatrices, of which the first generatrix has a taper angle to a cone axis between 8.5 and 10.5°, and the second generatrix has a taper angle to the cone axis of between 8° and 15°, and of which the connection from a first cone to a second cone is made with a round line generatrix to form the central part of the rotary body, whereby the taper angles of the round line have values in the course of the round line between the taper angles of the cones. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The device according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of rollers rotatably connected to the belt systems, the rollers running on rails in the first spatial direction, the axis of rotation of one of the rollers coinciding with the axis of the rotary connection of the one belt system with the adjacent belt system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the crown gear is furnished with the tooth profile in the form of a truncated cone which is optionally composed of two partial truncated cones and having cone axes aligned parallel to the rotation axis of the crown gear. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device according to claim 8, wherein the truncated cones or partial truncated cones are formed by a straight generatrix which has a taper angle to a cone axis of between 8.5° and 13°. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The device according to claim 9, further comprising a plurality of rollers rotatably connected to the belt systems, the rollers running on rails in the first spatial direction, the axis of rotation of one of the rollers coinciding with the axis of the rotary connection of the one belt system with the adjacent belt system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The device according to claim 8, further comprising a plurality of rollers rotatably connected to the belt systems, the rollers running on rails in the first spatial direction, the axis of rotation of one of the rollers coinciding with the axis of the rotary connection of the one belt system with the adjacent belt system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the driven rolls are driven by a gear wheel connected to the driven rolls. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device according to claim 12, wherein the crown gear is located partially or completely within the gear wheel at the position of an angle of 0°. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the drive in the first spatial direction is by the drive system on which cams are mounted which engage in the first spatial direction with the belt systems and drive the belt systems in the first spatial direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The device according to claim 14, wherein the drive system comprises at least one driven toothed belt or at least one driven chain on which the cams are mounted. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The device according to claim 14, wherein the driving system comprises at least one driven toothed belt or at least one driven fine-linked chain on which the cams are mounted. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the crown gear is furnished with a tooth profile in the form of a truncated cone composed of two partial truncated cones and having cone axes aligned parallel to the rotation axis of the crown gear. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The device according to claim 17, wherein the truncated cones or partial truncated cones are formed by a straight generatrix which has a taper angle to a cone axis of between 8.5° and 10.5°. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of rollers rotatably connected to the belt systems, the rollers running on rails in the first spatial direction, the axis of rotation of one of the rollers coinciding with the axis of the rotary connection of the one belt system with the adjacent belt system. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the crown gear is connected to a gear wheel which, at the position at an angle of 0°, engages at least one toothed shaft parallel to the first spatial direction.