Patents Examined by Shila Jalalzadeh Abyane
  • Patent number: 8241187
    Abstract: Systems and methods for a treadmill or similar exercise device which utilizes a principally arm driven belt, but includes a motor assist which provides for additional drive to the belt. The motor assist device may constructively or destructively interact with the user provided motive force via the arms. Generally, the motor will allow for the device to utilize incline as well as to make the device easier to start from rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: True Fitness Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan Moon, Frank Trulaske, Stan Goldfader
  • Patent number: 8230860
    Abstract: A filter for a breathing device is flexible and can be manufactured in a simple manner. The filter includes a flexible frame (5) with a filter port (8) and with an end piece (9). The flexible frame (5) is provided between two filter mats (2, 3). The flexible frame (5) can be folded over along a bent edge (7) such that the filter port (8) and the second end piece (9) are arranged opposite each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Sandra Dankert, Michael Rosert, Dirk Feil
  • Patent number: 8225792
    Abstract: In a mask device with blower, a sensor for warning is disposed, which detects a movement position of an exhaust valve corresponding to the case where an internal pressure of a face body is lower than an outer atmospheric pressure at the time of inhaling air in a non-contact state and outputs a signal. A warning device operates in accordance with a signal that is output from the sensor for warning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Koken Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 8221292
    Abstract: A user status notification system and method indicate to non-users proximate the fitness equipment unit status information pertaining to the user while the user is using the fitness equipment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Precor Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert J. Barker, James S. Birrell
  • Patent number: 8221291
    Abstract: Athletic equipment is provided including sensors to monitor the effectiveness and health of the athlete. Contact sensors identify stresses or impacts in real time, and interactively, during the training or competition. Concurrently, a health sensor, obtaining and transmitting indicia corresponding to the physical condition of the athlete (such as heart rate, blood pressure, etc.) can be communicated simultaneously and synchronously with the monitored stress or impact date for use in optimizing athlete performance or monitoring athlete physiology. Such data can be transmitted to a remote location as well. In either case, such information can provide a system for optimizing athlete performance, rather merely tracking historical information. Real time analysis and physiological-performance correlations can be achieved, thereby minimizing the need, or extend of an iterative training regime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Inventor: Admir Dado Kantarevic
  • Patent number: 8206268
    Abstract: An apparatus, a method, and a computer program are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a processor. The processor is configured to obtain exercise data of a user from a measurement sensor, to identify a present exercise phase of an exercise from among a plurality of exercise phases on the basis of the exercise data, and to select a relevant display mode from among a plurality of display modes on the basis of the present exercise phase and a mapping between the display modes and the exercise phases, wherein the relevant display mode defines a set of display elements associated with the present exercise phase to be displayed to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
    Inventor: Jarkko Haataja
  • Patent number: 8202202
    Abstract: An athletic training system is described herein. The training system is accessed by a computer system enabled for accessing the internet through a known web browser. The computer system accesses the athletic training system that accepts user input including at least past performance in a race or time trial, generates a pace chart based on that performance which pace chart defines the user's current fitness status and appropriate training intensity, and generates a training program that considers at least the fitness level of the user as indicated by the pace chart and the races the user plans to run. The training program is populated from a database containing many different classes of workouts, a different mix of the stored workouts providing optimum training for races of different distances. In an embodiment of the present invention, the system may provide access to a coach who can answer user questions or change the automatically generated workout schedule to accommodate particular concerns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Inventors: Thomas Lee McGlynn, Renganathan Sreenivasan
  • Patent number: 8202201
    Abstract: The invention is a stationary exercise scooter device and method of operation for improved physical fitness, physical therapy, strength, balance, mental fitness and entertainment, enabling a user to actualize balance and cardiopulmonary exercise benefits from side to side movement, and simulated forward movement of an unstable board or scooter, with the physical demands of riding the device within a proximate space of the device as a whole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Equilibrium Fitness Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Neeraj Dwarkadas Baheti
  • Patent number: 8181651
    Abstract: A device and method for suctioning mucus and secretions from a patient's tracheostomy tube is described. The device utilizes a reusable squeezable bulb with check valves to regulate air flow in and out of the squeezable bulb and a disposable mucus trap and suction catheter to suction a tracheostomy tube effectively and discretely without using an electrically powered suction machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Passy-Muir, Inc.
    Inventor: Lloyd Jay Pinel
  • Patent number: 8182403
    Abstract: To improve the effect and the safety of Kaatsu training. A training system includes a tight fitting device which is intended to be placed around a compressed range of an arm or a leg and which has a pneumatic bag, and a training device adapted to control the compression pressure that is applied to a compressed range by the tight fitting device by means of supplying air to the pneumatic bag of the tight fitting device or removing the air from the pneumatic bag. The training device supplies the air to the pneumatic bag and removes the air from the pneumatic bag in such a manner that the compression pressure that is applied by the tight fitting device to the compressed range oscillates between an upper peak and a lower peak within a range lower than an appropriate pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Sato Sports Plaza Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Sato
  • Patent number: 8162804
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for the collection and display of athletic information. Athletic data relating to a single person or group of people is collected at a central location, and subsequently displayed at a desired remote location so that the person or people can review and critique their performance. In addition, athletic data for multiple persons can be collected at a central location, and subsequently displayed to a user at a desired remote location, so that the user can compare his or her athletic activities to others.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventor: Roberto Tagliabue
  • Patent number: 8162802
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for exercising muscles with the aid of an exercise apparatus and, where appropriate, for measuring exercise conditions, where the person exercising loads the relevant muscles by increasing or decreasing the rotational energy (E(kin)), kinetic energy, of at least one rotatably mounted flywheel, by means of a traction element which is wound up and designed for acting on the flywheel, the flywheel being braked in a controlled manner by means of a brake element. The invention also relates to an exercise apparatus for exercising muscles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: YoYo Technology AB
    Inventor: Ernst Hans Erik Berg
  • Patent number: 8118711
    Abstract: A treadmill is provided with a security apparatus. The security apparatus includes a plug and a socket. The plug includes a casing and a conductive card. The conductive card includes a first portion disposed in the casing and a second portion extended from the casing. The socket includes a casing and two conductive elements. The casing includes a slot defined therein. The conductive elements are disposed in the casing so that the conductive elements are isolated from each other normally but connected to each other through the conductive card when the conductive card is inserted into the casing through the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Inventor: Allen Chen
  • Patent number: 8096926
    Abstract: A multi resistance ratio exercise apparatus may provide at least one arm assembly which includes multiple flexible connector ends exiting which can be pressed or pulled to perform user defined functional and strength training exercises. A handle assembly may be attached to one or more flexible connector ends. The flexible connector ends may be interconnected with resistance wherein the pressing or pulling of one flexible connector end will provide the user with an alternate ratio of resistance and flexible end travel distance capability than the pressing or pulling of an alternate flexible connector end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Inventor: Roger Batca
  • Patent number: 8092344
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for the collection and display of athletic information. Athletic data relating to a single person or group of people is collected at a central location, and subsequently displayed at a desired remote location so that the person or people can review and critique their performance. In addition, athletic data for multiple persons can be collected at a central location, and subsequently displayed to a user at a desired remote location, so that the user can compare his or her athletic activities to others.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventor: Roberto Tagliabue
  • Patent number: 8083645
    Abstract: An information exchanging device includes a physical information measuring unit, a script executing unit, a radio communication unit, a display unit, and a control unit. The physical information measuring unit is configured to measure physical information of a user. The script executing unit is configured to execute a script of contents based on said physical information. The radio communication unit is configured to transmit and receive data to and from another device. The control unit is configured to establish a connection between the information exchanging device and the other device by said radio communication unit when the other device is present in a communicating range, receive a predetermined script via said radio communication unit from the other device to which the information exchanging device is connected, make said script executing unit execute the received script, and transmit a result of execution to the other device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masamichi Asukai, Mitsuru Takehara, Takatoshi Nakamura, Motoyuki Takai
  • Patent number: 8083646
    Abstract: A universal athleticism rating system and related athletic performance measuring systems for accurately detecting and recording athletic performance are disclosed. The athleticism rating system evaluates individual athletes against a common, standardized set of athletic performance tests. Each athlete performs the athletic tests and his or her scores in the individual tests are entered into a standardized calculation to produce a single athletic performance score. The related performance measuring system is preferably a timing system that ensures quick, easy, and accurate collection of athletic event timing related data without the need for the athlete to wear any special detection devices or the like. In a preferred embodiment, the performance measuring system integrates with the rating system to provide seamless athletic data collection and rating of athletes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodolfo Chapa, Jr., Hamid G. Arjomand, Adam C. Braun
  • Patent number: 8079937
    Abstract: An elliptical exercise apparatus includes a frame, a pair of footpads, and a linkage coupling the footpads to the frame and for guiding the footpads in closed paths when a user's feet apply forces to the footpads. The linkage, which includes a rotatable member having an angular position indicative of the positions of the footpads within their closed paths, responds to input control signals by adjusting length and height dimensions of the closed paths. A control system senses the angular position of the rotatable member, senses the forces the user applies to the footpads, and generates the control signals to increase or decrease the path dimensions when it senses particular combinations of angular position and user forces, thereby permitting the user to control the path dimensions by controlling the forces applied to the footpads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Inventors: Daniel J Bedell, Joseph D Maresh, Kenneth W Stearns
  • Patent number: 8070654
    Abstract: A universal athleticism rating system and related athletic performance measuring systems for accurately detecting and recording athletic performance are disclosed. The athleticism rating system evaluates individual athletes against a common, standardized, set of athletic performance tests. Each athlete performs the athletic tests and his or her scores in the individual tests are entered into a standardized calculation to produce a single athletic performance score. The related performance measuring system is preferably a timing system that ensures quick, easy, and accurate collection of athletic event timing related data without the need for the athlete to wear any special detection devices or the like. In a preferred embodiment, the performance measuring system integrates with the rating system to provide seamless athletic data collection and rating of athletes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodolfo Chapa, Jr., Hamid G. Arjomand, Adam C. Braun, Andrew Bark
  • Patent number: 8062182
    Abstract: An exercise monitoring system for use with an exercise device including a selectorized weight stack includes a static-stack light transmitter for transmitting a reference light to a static-stack reflector and a static-stack receiver positioned to receive reflected reference light from the static-stack reflector. The exercise monitoring system further includes a weight-determination module that outputs a weight indicator based on an amount of reflected static-stack reference light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: TuffStuff Fitness Equipment, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan Somers