Patents by Inventor Paul D. Barker

Paul D. Barker has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6942602
    Abstract: A motorized treadmill (10) having an auxiliary cooling fan (34) electronically controlled to provide additional cooling for both the motor (10) and the motor electronic control system (36). The auxiliary fan (34) is located such that the air circulated by the fan will flow over the motor and electronic control system. The auxiliary fan, powered independently of the output shaft of the motor, provides additional cooling to help maintain a constant belt speed while the treadmill is being operated at low speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Precor Incorporated
    Inventor: Paul D. Barker
  • Patent number: 6939271
    Abstract: An exercise device includes a pair of foot engaging links (30a, 30b). The rearward ends of the foot links are supported for arcuate motion about a pivot axis (26), and the forward ends of the foot links travel back and forth along a guide (36). The combination of these two foot link motions permits the users feet to travel along an elliptical path of travel. The inclination of the foot links may be selectively altered to vary the nature of the stepping motion experienced by the user. At flatter inclinations of the foot links, the stepping motion may resemble cross country skiing. At progressively greater angles of inclination of the foot links, the stepping motions may simulate walking, jogging, running and climbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Precor Incorporated
    Inventors: Janine Whan-Tong, Peter Pasero, Paul D. Barker
  • Patent number: 6749540
    Abstract: An exercise device includes a pair of foot engaging links (30a, 30b). The rearward ends of the foot links are supported to travel back and forth on rollers 32ac and 32bc. The combination of these two foot link motions permits the users feet to travel along an elliptical path of travel. The inclination of the foot links may be selectively altered to vary the nature of the stepping motion experienced by the user. At flatter inclinations of the foot links, the stepping motion may resemble cross country skiing. At progressively greater angles of inclination of the foot links, the stepping motions may simulate walking, jogging, running and climbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Precor Incorporated
    Inventors: Peter Pasero, Paul D. Barker, Janine Whan-Tong
  • Patent number: 6482130
    Abstract: An exercise device includes a pair of foot engaging links (30a, 30b). The rearward ends of the foot links are supported for arcuate motion about a pivot axis (26), and the forward ends of the foot links travel back and forth along a guide (36). The combination of these two foot link motions permits the user's feet to travel along an elliptical path of travel. The position of the rearward ends of the foot link vis-à-vis the pivot axis may be selectively altered to vary the stride length of the stepping motion experienced by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Pasero, Paul D. Barker, Janine Whan-Tong
  • Patent number: 6478720
    Abstract: A motorized treadmill (10) having an auxiliary cooling fan (34) electronically controlled to provide additional cooling for both the motor (10) and the motor electronic control system (36). The auxiliary fan (34) is located such that the air circulated by the fan will flow over the motor and electronic control system. The auxiliary fan, powered independently of the output shaft of the motor, provides additional cooling to help maintain a constant belt speed while the treadmill is being operated at low speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Ilinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Paul D. Barker
  • Patent number: 6179753
    Abstract: A treadmill (10) includes a frame (12) on which are mounted transverse forward and rearward roller assemblies (16, 18). An endless belt (20) is trained about the forward and rearward roller assemblies. A deck (24) is positioned between the upper run of the belt and the frame. The rearward portion of the deck (24) is hinged to the frame by pivot brackets (70) mounted to the frame to allow pivoting of a deck about an axis extending transversely to the length of the deck. Preferably, the pivot bracket (70) is of unitary construction, but of sufficient flexibility to allow the relatively free pivoting of the rear portion of the deck in relationship to the frame. Elastomeric cushions or springs are supported by the forward portion of the frame to underlie and support the forward portion of the deck and to absorb impact loads imparted on the deck by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Barker, Gregory Wing, Paul Stevens
  • Patent number: 6146313
    Abstract: An exercise device includes a pair of foot engaging links (30a, 30b). The rearward ends of the foot links are supported for arcuate motion about a pivot axis (26), and the forward ends of the foot links travel back and forth along a guide (36). The combination of these two foot link motions permits the users feet to travel along an elliptical path of travel. The inclination of the foot links may be selectively altered to vary the nature of the stepping motion experienced by the user. At flater inclinations of the foot links, the stepping motion may resemble cross country skiing. At progressively greater angles of inclination of the foot links, the stepping motions may simulate walking, jogging, running and climbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Precor Incorporated
    Inventors: Janine Whan-Tong, Peter Pasero, Paul D. Barker
  • Patent number: 5685804
    Abstract: An exercise device includes a pair of foot engaging links (30a, 30b). The rearward ends of the foot links are supported for rotational motion about a pivot axis (26), and the forward ends of the foot links reciprocate back and forth along a guide (36). The combination to these two foot link motions permits the users feet to travel along an elliptical path of travel. The inclination and/or elevation of the guide (36) may be selectively altered to vary the nature of the stepping motion experienced by the user. At lower inclinations/elevations of the guide, the stepping motion may resemble cross country skiing. At progressively higher angles of inclination or elevations of the guide (36), the stepping motions may simulate walking, jogging, running and climbing. The connection of the foot links to the pivot axis allow motion in a direction orthogonal to the rotational motion, thus compensating for alignment inconsistencies of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: Precor Incorporated
    Inventors: Janine Whan-Tong, Peter Pasero, Paul D. Barker
  • Patent number: 4783066
    Abstract: A film strip stacking device is provided for use in an order finishing station in conjunction with the negative cutter to accept film strips from the negative cutter which cuts the film into strips. The strips are collected into a stack which can then be loaded into a film sleeve prior to return to the customer. The film strip stacker of the present invention includes a channel divided into an upper and lower portion. The upper portion being adapted to receive initially the film from the negative cutter and including parallel rails movable to contact the film strip after it is cut and while it is in the upper portion of the channel and force the film to deform sufficiently to snap past the shelf members supporting the film into the lower portion of the channel. A pusher blade is movably mounted on the base of the film stacker and operable to contact an end of the film stack to push the stack out of the channel and into a film sleeve held in communication with the lower portion of the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: CX Corporation
    Inventors: Paul D. Barker, David L. Davis, Allen E. Fleckenstein, Hans-Ulrich Schlapfer
  • Patent number: D410978
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Precor Incorporated
    Inventors: David T. Littrell, Paul D. Barker, James S. Birrell
  • Patent number: D424137
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Precor Incorporated
    Inventors: Paul D. Barker, Peter J. Arnold