US 6,783,482 B2Granted

Treadmill control system

AssigneeBrunswick Corporation

InventorsGary E. Oglesby, Emil S. Golen, Jr., James B. Fox, John Danile, Robert D. Kohan, Christopher E. Clawson, Kenneth F. Lantz, Daniel R. Wille, Timothy J. Porth

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Abstract

A microprocessor based exercise treadmill control system is disclosed which includes various features to enhance user operation. These features include programs operative to: permit a set of user controls to cause the treadmill to initially operate at predetermined speeds; permit the user to design custom workouts; permit the user to switch between workout programs while the treadmill is in operation; and perform an automatic cooldown program where the duration of the cooldown is a function of the duration of the workout or the user's heart rate. The features also include a stop program responsive to a detector for automatically stopping the treadmill when a user is no longer on the treadmill and a frame tag module attached to the treadmill frame having a non-volatile memory for storing treadmill configuration, and operational and maintenance data. Another included feature is the ability to display the amount of time a user spends in a heart rate zone.

Claims10

Dependent claims

An exercise treadmill, comprising:

a frame structure including two rotatable pulleys, said pulleys being positioned substantially parallel to each other, and a pair of spaced apart longitudinal frame members for providing longitudinal structural support for said frame structure;
a motor for rotating a first one of said pulleys;
a belt secured over said pulleys so as to move in a longitudinal direction when said first pulley is rotated;
an inclination mechanism secured to a first end of said frame structure effective to permit selective inclination of said frame structure by a user;
a control system operatively connected to said motor and said inclination mechanism;
a control panel secured to said frame structure and operatively connected to said control system wherein said control panel includes at least one display and a set of user controls for controlling the treadmill including said belt speed and said inclination mechanism, to permit a user to operate the treadmill for a workout;
and
a stop program operatively associated with said control system for stopping the movement of said belt when no user is detected on said belt for a first predetermined amount of time wherein said stop program uses information representing treadmill operating criteria from said control system to detect the user on said belt.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/944,142Filed 4 Sep 2001 · continuation in part
Priority: 30 Aug 2000
Published: US 2002/0045517 A118 Apr 2002
Granted: 31 Aug 2004
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

A63B 22/0023
With an adjustable movement path of the support elements: the inclination of the main axis of the movement path being adjustable, e.g. the…
A63B 22/0242
Driven by a motor: with speed variation
A63B 22/025
With speed variation: electrically, e.g. D.C. motors with variable speed control
A63B 2024/0078
Means for generating exercise programmes or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases: exercise efforts programmed…

Family

Application09/651,249Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 30 Aug 2000
Application60/230,733Us provisional application · filed 7 Sep 2000
US 2002/0045517 A1Pre-grant publication · published 18 Apr 2002
US 6,626,803 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 6,783,482 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.