Treadmill deceleration system and method

A method for causing the rapid deceleration of a treadmill belt in a treadmill having an A.C. drive motor with a rotating member, a treadmill belt, a transmission for connecting the rotating member to the treadmill belt so that rotation of the rotating member causes the treadmill belt to move and a D.C. speed change motor for varying the internal configurations of the transmission to vary the speed of the treadmill belt when the rotating member is rotating at a generally constant speed, the D.C. speed change motor, in normal operation, responding to voltage applied within a specified range of voltages, comprising the steps of:

• sensing the speed of the treadmill belt;
• producing a rapid deceleration control signal indicating that the treadmill belt should be decelerated;
• producing a D.C. deceleration voltage of a voltage larger than the specified range of voltages normally applied to the D.C. speed change motor;
• applying the D.C. deceleration voltage to the D.C. speed change motor in response to a determination that the speed of the treadmill belt is above a threshold speed and in response to said rapid deceleration control signal, thereby causing the D.C. speed change motor to rapidly vary the internal configurations of the transmission;
• whereby, the speed of the treadmill belt is rapidly decelerated.

A method for causing the rapid deceleration of a treadmill belt in a treadmill having an A.C. drive motor with a rotating member, a treadmill belt, a transmission for connecting the rotating member to the treadmill belt so that rotation of the rotating member causes the treadmill belt to move and a D.C. speed change motor for varying the internal configurations of the transmission to vary the speed of the treadmill belt when the rotating member is rotating at a generally constant speed, the D.C. speed change motor, in normal operation, responding to voltage applied within a specified range of voltages, comprising the steps of:

• producing a rapid deceleration control signal indicating that the treadmill belt should be decelerated;
• sensing the speed of the treadmill belt;
• producing a voltage proportional to the sensed speed of the treadmill belt;
• producing a threshold voltage level representative of a predetermined threshold speed of the treadmill belt;
• comparing the voltage representative of the speed of the treadmill belt to said threshold voltage level;
• producing a speed determination signal if the voltage representative of the sensed speed of the treadmill belt is above said threshold voltage, said speed determination signal indicating that the speed of the treadmill belt is above said threshold speed;
• producing a D.C. deceleration voltage of a voltage larger than the specified range of voltages normally applied to the D.C. speed change motor;
• applying said D.C. deceleration voltage to the D.C. speed change motor in response to the presence of both said speed determination signal and said rapid deceleration control signal, thereby causing the D.C. speed charge motor to rapidly vary the internal configurations of the transmission;
• whereby, the speed of the treadmill belt is rapidly decelerated.

A method for rapidly decelerating and stopping a treadmill belt in a treadmill having an A.C. drive motor with a rotating member, a treadmill belt, a transmission for connecting the rotating member to the treadmill belt causing the treadmill belt to move in response to rotation of the rotating member, a D.C. speed change motor for varying the internal configurations of the transmission to vary the speed of the treadmill belt when the rotating member is rotating at a generally constant speed, the D.C. speed change motor, in normal operation, responding to voltage applied within a specified range of voltages, and a rapid deceleration control signal indicating that the treadmill belt should be decelerated, comprising the steps of:

• producing a D.C. deceleration voltage of a voltage larger than the specified range of voltages normally applied to the D.C. speed change motor;
• applying the D.C. deceleration voltage to the D.C. speed change motor in response to the rapid deceleration control signal, thereby causing the D.C. speed change motor to rapidly vary the internal configurations of the transmission;
• applying electrical power to the A.C. drive motor until the speed of the treadmill belt is below a threshold speed;
• terminating the application of electrical power to the A.C. drive motor after the speed of the treadmill belt has been slowed below the threshold speed;
• whereby, the speed of the treadmill belt is rapidly decelerated to the threshold speed whereafter the movement of the treadmill belt is terminated.

The combination of a device for rapidly decelerating a treadmill belt and a treadmill having a constant speed drive motor with a rotating member, a treadmill belt, a transmission for connecting the rotating member to the treadmill belt causing the treadmill belt to move in response to rotation of the rotating member, a D.C. speed change motor for varying the internal configurations of the transmission to vary the speed of the treadmill belt when the rotating member is rotating at a generally constant speed, the D.C. speed change motor, in normal operation, responding to voltage applied within a predetermined range of voltages, the device comprising:

• a rapid deceleration control signal producing member to indicate that said treadmill belt should be decelerated;
• a D.C. deceleration voltage producing member for producing a voltage larger than said predetermined range of voltages normally applied to said D.C. speed change motor;
• a D.C. deceleration voltage application member for applying said D.C. deceleration voltage to said D.C. speed change motor in response to said rapid deceleration control signal, thereby causing said D.C. speed change motor to rapidly vary said internal configurations of the transmission;
• whereby, the speed of said treadmill belt is rapidly decelerated.

The combination of a device for rapidly deceleratinq a treadmill belt and a treadmill having a constant speed drive motor with a rotating member, a treadmill belt, a transmission for connecting the rotating member to the treadmill belt causing the treadmill belt to move in response to rotation of the rotating member, a D.C. speed change motor for varying the internal configurations of the transmission to vary the speed of the treadmill belt when the rotating member is rotating at a generally constant speed, the D.C. speed change motor, in normal operation, responding to voltage applied within a predetermined range of voltages, the device comprising:

• a micro-controller for producing a rapid deceleration control signal indicating that said treadmill belt should be decelerated;
• a high speed deceleration voltage supply member for producing a D.C. deceleration voltage which is a voltage larger than said predetermined range of voltages normally applied to said D.C. speed change motor;
• a relay member for applying said D.C. deceleration voltage to said D.C. speed change motor in response to said rapid deceleration control signal, thereby causing said D.C. speed change motor to rapidly vary said internal configurations of the transmission;
• whereby, the speed of said treadmill belt is rapidly decelerated.

The combination of a device for rapidly decelerating a treadmill belt and a treadmill having a constant speed drive motor with a rotating member, a treadmill belt, a transmission for connecting the rotating member to the treadmill belt causing the treadmill belt to move in response to rotation of the rotating member, a D.C. speed change motor for varying the internal configurations of the transmission to vary the speed of the treadmill belt when the rotating member is rotating at a generally constant speed, the D.C. speed change motor, in normal operation, responding to voltage applied within a predetermined range of voltages, the device comprising:

• a) high speed deceleration voltage supply member for producing a D.C. deceleration voltage of a voltage larger than said predetermined range of voltages normally applied to said D.C. speed change motor;
• b) a first determining member for determining that the power to said treadmill has been interrupted and then restored;
• c) a second determining member for determining whether the treadmill user has indicated that the user would like to immediately stop said treadmill belt;
• d) a first sensing member for determining that the occurrence of an overload condition of said drive motor;
• e) a timer for timing the time that a voltage larger than the specified range of voltages normally applied to the D.C. speed change motor has been applied to the D.C. speed change motor by said high speed deceleration voltage supply means;
• f) a third determining member for determining that said timer has timed a time that exceeds a preset time period;
• g) a micro-controller for producing a rapid deceleration control signal indicating that the treadmill belt should be decelerated in response to:
• 1) said first determining member;
• 2) said second determining member;
• 3) said first member;
• or
• 4) said timer;
• h) relay member for applying said D.C. deceleration voltage to said D.C. speed change motor in response to said rapid deceleration control signal, thereby causing said D.C. speed change motor to rapidly vary said internal configurations of the transmission;
• i) a second sensing member for sensing the speed of said treadmill belt;
• j) a shut off member for turning off said drive motor once the sensed speed of said treadmill belt drops below a predetermined speed;
• whereby, the speed of said treadmill belt is rapidly decelerated.