US 8,986,169 B2Granted

Manual treadmill and methods of operating the same

AssigneeWoodway USA, Inc.

InventorsDouglas G. Bayerlein, Vance E. Emons, Nicholas A. Oblamski, Scott D. Hoerig, Matthew J. Zank, Robert L. Zimpel, Joel W. Richards

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A manually operated treadmill is provided. The treadmill includes a treadmill frame, a front shaft rotatably coupled to the treadmill frame, a rear shaft rotatably coupled to the treadmill frame, a running belt including a contoured running surface upon which a user of the treadmill may run, wherein the running belt is disposed about the front and rear shafts such that force generated by the user causes rotation of the front shaft and the rear shaft and also causes the running belt to rotate about the front shaft and the rear shaft without the rotation of the running belt being generated by a motor, and a one-way bearing assembly configured to prevent rotation of the running surface of the running belt in one direction.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A manually operated treadmill comprising:

a treadmill frame having a front end and a rear end opposite the front end;
a front shaft rotatably coupled to the treadmill frame at the front end;
a rear shaft rotatably coupled to the treadmill frame at the rear end;
a running belt including a curved running surface upon which a user of the treadmill may run, wherein the running belt is disposed about the front and rear shafts such that force generated by the user causes rotation of the front shaft and the rear shaft and also causes the running surface of the running belt to move from the front shaft toward the rear shaft;
a safety device coupled to at least one of the front shaft and the rear shaft, wherein the safety device prevents rotation of at least one of the front shaft and the rear shaft in one direction and permits rotation of at least one of the front shaft and the rear shaft in the opposite direction to restrict rotation of the running belt in a single direction;
and
a synchronizing system interconnecting the front and rear shafts, wherein the synchronizing system is configured to provide a force that acts to resist differential rotation of the front and rear shafts;
wherein the treadmill is configured to allow the user to manually control the speed of the running belt and to facilitate maintenance of a contour of the curved running surface.

5 more elements

A manually operated treadmill comprising:

a frame supported on a substantially horizontal surface;
a front shaft assembly supported by the frame and comprising:
a front shaft;
and
at least one front running belt pulley supported by the front shaft;
a rear shaft assembly supported by the frame a spaced distance from the front shaft and comprising:
a rear shaft;
and
at least one rear running belt pulley supported by the rear shaft;
a running belt supported at least in part by the front shaft assembly and the rear shaft assembly, the running belt including a front portion adjacent the front shaft assembly, a rear belt portion adjacent the rear shaft assembly, and a central belt portion intermediate the front belt portion and the rear belt portion, the front belt portion and the rear belt portion being positioned vertically higher than a lowest point found in the central belt portion to form a curved running surface upon which a user of the treadmill may walk or run, wherein gravitational force acting upon weight of the user's body on the running belt relative to the lowest point of the running belt causes rotation of the running belt, front shaft, and the rear shaft without the aid of a motor;
a safety device cooperating with the rear shaft to permit rotation of the rear shaft in only one direction;
and
at least one bearing rail having a plurality of bearings rotatably coupled to the at least one bearing rail and forming a top profile, the top profile defined by a front profile portion adjacent the front shaft assembly, a rear profile portion adjacent the rear shaft assembly, and a central profile portion intermediate the front profile portion and the rear profile portion, the central profile portion having a concave curve, and the front profile portion and the profile rear portion being continuations of the concave curve;
wherein the running surface of the running belt is supported by the top profile of the at least one bearing rail such that the running surface substantially corresponds to the shape of the top profile of the at least one bearing rail.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/243,716Filed 2 Apr 2014 · continuation
Priority: 17 Mar 2009
Published: US 2014/0213419 A131 Jul 2014
Granted: 24 Mar 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

A63B 21/0053
Using electromagnetic or electric force-resisters: using alternators or dynamos
A63B 21/0054
Using alternators or dynamos: for charging a battery
A63B 21/0055
Using alternators or dynamos: the produced electric power used as a source for other equipment, e.g. for TVs
A63B 21/157
Arrangements for force transmissions: ratchet-wheel links; Overrunning clutches; One-way clutches

Family

Application61/161,027Us provisional application · filed 17 Mar 2009
PCT/US2010/027543Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 16 Mar 2010
Application13/235,065Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Sep 2011
US 2014/0213419 A1Pre-grant publication · published 31 Jul 2014
Application13/235,065Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2012/0010053 A1Published application
US 8,986,169 B2This patent

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