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US 4,974,831 AGranted
Exercise treadmill
AssigneePrecor Incorporated
InventorPaul T. Dunham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An exercise treadmill (10) includes a deck assemlby (12) having a rearward end portion pivotally mounted on an underlying frame (14). A powered endless belt (100) is mounted on the deck assembly (12) to present a moving surface which slides over the top of the deck assembly. The forward end of the deck assembly is supported by a suspension system (20) utilizing lever arms (160L and 160R) mounted on the frame (14) to pivot about an axis (169). The lever arms are pivotally interconnected with the deck at a location distal from the pivot axis of the lever arms. Dampeners in the form of shock absorbers (178) are connected between the lever arms and the frame to impart a progressively increasing damping force on the lever arms as the lever arms rotate about their pivot axis under the influence of the descending deck.
Claims57
An exercise treadmill apparatus, comprising:
- (a) a frame;
- (b) support platform means pivotally mounted on the frame about a pivot axis;
- and,
- (c) a suspension system for supporting the support platform means relative to the frame and permitting the support platform means to displace relative to the frame about the pivot axis of the support platform means between a nominal position and a displaced position under loads imparted on the support platform means during use of the apparatus, the suspension system comprising:
- (i) at least one lever arm pivotally mounted on the frame to pivot about a pivot axis between a nominal orientation and a displaced orientation;
- (ii) first connection means pivotally interconnecting the lever arm at a location spaced from the pivot axis of the lever arm with the support platform means at a location spaced from the pivot axis of the support platform means;
- (iii) first resistance means applying a force on the pivoting lever arm to resist the rotational movement of the lever arm in a first rotational direction about the pivot axis of the lever arm corresponding to the rotation of the lever arm from its nominal orientation to its displaced orientation under loads imposed on the support platform means during use of the apparatus, with the magnitude of the resisting force applied by the first resistance means being dependent on the angular orientation of the rotating lever arm;
- and,
- (iv) means for applying a return force on the support platform means to return the support platform means to its nominal position between sequential loads imposed on the support platform means during use.
6 more elements
An exercise treadmill apparatus, comprising;
- (a) a ground engaging frame;
- (b) support platform means pivotally mounted on the frame to pivot about a pivot axis between a nominal position and a displaced position;
- and,
- (c) a suspension system for supporting the support platform means relative to the frame and permitting the support platform means to displace relative to the frame about the pivot axis of the support platform means under loads imparted on the support platform means during use of the apparatus, the suspension system comprising:
- linear resistance means generating a level of resistance force in proportion to the speed at which the length of the linear resistance means is altered;
- and,
- first means for connecting the linear resistance means to the platform means to change the speed at which the length of the linear resistance means is altered as a function of the angular position of the support platform means about the pivot axis of the support platform means;
- wherein said first connecting means comprises at least one lever arm pivotally mounted on the frame to pivot about an axis;
- means for pivotally connecting the lever arm at a location spaced from the pivot axis of the lever arm with the support platform means at a location spaced from the pivot axis of the support platform means;
- and,
- means for connecting the linear resistance means to the lever arm at a location spaced from the pivot axis of the lever arm.
8 more elements
An exercise treadmill, comprising:
- (a) a frame;
- (b) deck means pivotally mounted on the frame about a pivot axis;
- (c) endless belt means mounted on the deck means and presenting a moving surface riding over the top of the deck means;
- and,
- (d) a suspension system for supporting the deck means relative to the frame, the suspension system permitting the deck means to pivot to a displaced position about the pivot axis of the deck means under forces imposed on the deck means by the user and returning the deck means to its nominal position when the forces imposed by the user are removed from the deck means, the suspension system comprising:
- (i) a lever arm pivotally mounted on the frame to pivot about a pivot axis;
- (ii) means for pivotally interconnecting the deck means with the lever arm at a location spaced from the pivot axis of the lever arm;
- (iii) first resistance means acting on the lever arm to resist the rotation of lever arm in a first rotational direction about the pivot axis of the lever arm corresponding to the rotation of the deck means about the pivot axis of the deck means in the direction from the nominal position of the deck means to the displaced position of the deck means, with the magnitude of the resistance force generated by the first resistance means related to the angular orientation of the rotating lever arm;
- and,
- (iv) second resistance means generating a biasing force tending to return the deck means to its nominal position from its displaced position.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.