Exercise treadmill for additionally vibrating a user running or walking on a tread belt

Abstract

In one embodiment, an exercise treadmill includes a tread belt for permitting a user to run or walk thereon, a motor, a wheel and belt assembly for operatively connecting one end of a motor shaft to the tread belt, a sensor proximate the shaft, a controller, and a control panel. The sensor senses a speed change of the shaft in response to an impact on the moving tread belt. In response to the sensing, the controller instructs the motor to increase shaft speed in substantially real time. A user can press a vibration key on the control panel to perform at least one of changing amplitude of a sinusoid and adding same to the shaft speed, changing frequency of the sinusoid and adding same to the shaft speed, and changing the shaft speed via the controller and the motor, thereby vibrating the tread belt.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to power driven exercise treadmills and more particularly to such an exercise treadmill capable of additionally vibrating a user running or walking on a tread belt by providing a sinusoidal change to a motor speed.

2. Description of Related Art

Recent trends towards physical awareness have led to an increase in the number of individuals exercising on a regular basis in order to keep physically fit. A number of types of exercise equipment are currently in use to provide exercise to persons who wish to keep physically fit without venturing outdoors. One of the most popular of indoor exercise devices is the exercise treadmill.

A conventional exercise treadmill is shown in FIG. 1. The exercise treadmill comprises a motor 10 having a drive shaft 11 extending therefrom, a flywheel 12 attached to the drive shaft 11, a first wheel 13 attached to an end of the drive shaft 11, a front drive roller 17, a second wheel 16, larger than the first wheel 13 for speed reduction and torque increase, attached to one end of the drive roller 17, a belt 15 trained about the first and second wheels 13 and 16, a rear driven roller 18, a tread belt 19 trained about the rollers 17 and 18, a support frame 21 under the tread belt 19, a sensor 14 mounted proximate the second wheel 16, a controller (e.g., microprocessor) 20 electrically connected to the motor 10, and a raised control panel 22 electrically connected to the motor 10 for commanding the controller 20.

In use, a person runs or walks on the tread belt 19. The sensor 14 is adapted to sense speed (i.e., speed change) of the tread belt 19 and generate and transmit a corresponding signal to the controller 20 which in turn may transmit an instruction signal to the motor 10 for regulating the speed of the drive shaft 11. However, such control loop cannot regulate the speed of the drive shaft 11 in substantially real time. The provision of the flywheel 12 can slightly improve the regulation at the cost of increasing the number of components and thus the manufacturing cost. Further, no vibration effect is provided. Thus, the need for improvement still exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide an exercise treadmill capable of additionally vibrating a user running or walking on a tread belt by providing one of a plurality of sinusoidal changes having a small, predetermined peak value to a motor speed by eliminating a flywheel and optionally mounting a sensor on a motor shaft.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view schematically showing a conventional exercise treadmill;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view schematically showing a preferred embodiment of exercise treadmill according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of FIG. 2 with a user running on the tread belt;

FIG. 4 plots average speed versus time for the clockwise rotating motor utilized in the invention;

FIG. 5 plots average speed versus time for the counterclockwise rotating motor utilized in the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3 where the user is lying on the tread belt which moves back and forth repeatedly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an exercise treadmill 50 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The exercise treadmill 50 comprises a motor 30 having a drive shaft (not numbered) extending therefrom, a first wheel 39 attached to an end of the drive shaft, a front drive roller 35, a second wheel 37, larger than the first wheel 39 for speed reduction and torque increase, attached to one end of the drive roller 35, a belt 38 trained about the first and second wheels 39 and 37, a tread belt 34 trained about a pair of rollers 35, a lower frame 36 for supporting the tread belt 34, a sensor 31 mounted in proximity to the other end of the drive shaft for sensing a rotating speed (including its change) and an angular speed (including its change) of the drive shaft, a controller (e.g., microprocessor) 32 electrically connected to the motor 30, and a raised control panel 33 mounted on a front top portion of an upwardly extending upright of the frame 36 and being electrically connected to the controller 32 for commanding purpose.

In use, a person runs or walks on the tread belt 34 with the moving speed of the tread belt 34 being lowered instantly. But the speed decrease can compromise the desired exercise purpose. Thus, as contemplated by the invention, the sensor 31 can sense a very small amount of the speed decrease of the motor 30 and thus the tread belt 34. The sensor 31 also generates and transmits a corresponding signal to the controller 32 which in turn may transmit an instruction signal to the motor 30 for increasing the speed of the motor 30 to a speed substantially the same as that before the user moving or walking on the tread belt 34 in substantially real time. This speed regulation is more effective and can be done more quickly as compared with the conventional exercise treadmill.

Moreover, a user may press a vibration key on the control panel 33 to instruct the controller 32 which in turn commands the motor 30 to add a small, sinusoidal amplitude change to the set constant (i.e., average) speed of the motor 30 (i.e., variable amplitude of the sine wave), change frequency of the sine wave and add same to the average speed of the motor 30 (i.e., variable frequency of the sine wave), and/or change the average speed of the motor 30 in operation, i.e., variable motor speed. As a result, a vibration effect is given to the moving tread belt 34. This has the benefits of effectively relieving muscle pain of the lower body and making muscle supple similar to massage.

Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, motor speed changes are illustrated. ω1 is an average speed of the motor 30. Δω is a rate of speed change during a period of time (as indicated by T). That is, Δω/2 is a rate of speed change during half-cycle T/2. Speed variations of the motor 30 are detailed below.

(i) The motor 30 is not rotating and the tread belt 34 is motionless when both ω1 is equal to 0 and Δω is equal to 0.

(ii) The motor 30 rotates very slowly when ω1 is equal to 0 but Δω is not equal to 0. Further, the motor 30 clockwise rotates in a first half-cycle T/2 (e.g., a rising edge of the waveform shown in FIG. 4) and the motor 30 counterclockwise rotates in a second half-cycle T/2 (e.g., a falling edge of the waveform shown in FIG. 4). As a result, the tread belt 34 moves back and forth quickly repeatedly. And in turn, a vibration is given to the tread belt 34 and thus the user standing thereon since T is a very short period of time and a variable. As a result, a massaging effect is given to the whole body.

Moreover, Δω can be adjusted by a user by pressing the vibratoin key on the control panel 33 (i.e., adjust amplitude and/or frequency of the sinusoidal waveform). Thus, different massaging effects are given. For example, as shown in FIG. 6 specifically, a user may put a sheet and a pillow 51 on the tread belt 34. Next, the user lie on the sheet with the head rested on the pillow 51. The user then operates a remote control 52 for exercising in a manner detailed in paragraph (ii). Alternatively, the remote control 52 is replaced by another controller electrically connected to the controller 32 in another embodiment.

(iii) A positive ω1 means the motor 30 rotates clockwise and a negative ω1 means the motor 30 rotates counterclockwise. The motor 30 rotates without any vibration when Δω is equal to 0. Therefore, the tread belt 34 runs stably. The higher of ω1 the faster of the tread belt 34 moves. It is understood that a user walks on the tread belt 34 when the tread belt 34 runs relatively slow and the user runs on the tread belt 34 when the tread belt 34 runs relatively fast.

(iv) The motor 30 rotates with vibration when Δω is not equal to 0. Thus, for example as shown in FIG. 4, the positive average speed ω1 increases to ω1+Δω/2 in a quarter-cycle T/4. In a next T/4, the average speed returns to ω1. In a further next T/4, the average speed ω1 decreases to ω1−Δω/2. In a still further next T/4 (i.e., at the end of this cycle), the average speed increases to ω1.

As shown in FIG. 5, the negative average speed ω1 can operate in a manner the same as described above.

In the case shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, a vibration effect is given to the user performing exercise.

In brief, the vibration effect is given because the flywheel is removed as contemplated by the invention. Further, the vibration is precisely controlled by the sensor mounted on the motor shaft.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a tread belt mounted on the frame and being adapted to permit a user to run or walk thereon;

a motor mounted in the frame and having a drive shaft extending therefrom;

a wheel and belt assembly for operatively connecting one end of the drive shaft to the tread belt for transmitting rotation from the drive shaft to the tread belt;

control means electrically connected to the motor; and

a control panel mounted on an end of an upwardly extending portion of the frame and being electrically connected to the control means, the control panel including a vibration key and a plurality of control keys,

wherein the vibration key is adapted to press to perform at least one of changing an amplitude of a sinusoid and adding the amplitude change to a speed of the drive shaft, changing a frequency of the sinusoid and adding the frequency change to the speed of the drive shaft, and changing the speed of the drive shaft via the control means and the motor, thereby giving a vibration effect to the moving tread belt.

2. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, further comprising sensor means mounted proximate the drive shaft, and wherein the sensor means is adapted to sense a change of speed of the drive shaft in response to an impact on the moving tread belt and generate and transmit a corresponding signal to the control means, and the control means transmit an instruction signal to the motor for adjusting the speed of the drive shaft to a speed substantially the same as that before the change of speed in substantially real time.

3. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a tread belt mounted on the frame and being adapted to permit a user to lie thereon;

a motor mounted in the frame and having a drive shaft extending therefrom;

a wheel and belt assembly for operatively connecting one end of the drive shaft to the tread belt for transmitting rotation from the drive shaft to the tread belt;

first control means electrically connected to the motor;

a control panel mounted on the frame and being electrically connected to the first control means, the control panel including a vibration key and a plurality of control keys; and

second control means held by the user,

wherein the user operates the second control means to perform at least one of changing an amplitude of a sinusoid and adding the amplitude change to a speed of the drive shaft, changing a frequency of the sinusoid and adding the frequency change to the speed of the drive shaft, and changing the speed of the drive shaft via the first control means and the motor, thereby giving a vibration effect to the static tread belt.

4. The exercise apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second control means is a remote control.

5. The exercise apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second control means is electrically connected to the first control means.