SLAT FOR A RUNNING BELT OF A TREADMILL
A treadmill includes a running belt rotatable in a direction of motion and including a plurality of slats. At least one slat in the plurality of slats includes a top portion, a longitudinal rib extending away from the top portion and oriented along a longitudinal direction of the slat, and a bottom flange coupled to the longitudinal rib at or near a vertical bottom of the longitudinal rib such that the longitudinal rib is substantially positioned between the top portion and the bottom flange. The bottom flange extends away from the longitudinal rib on opposing sides of the longitudinal rib.
Latest Woodway USA, Inc. Patents:
This application is a continuation of International Application PCT/US2022/021168, filed Mar. 21, 2022, which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/164,230, filed Mar. 22, 2021, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present disclosure relates to treadmills. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a slat configuration for a running belt of the treadmill.
BACKGROUNDTreadmills enable a person to walk, jog, skip, or run for a relatively long distance in a limited space by having a running belt that moves in the opposite direction of the treadmill user. It should be noted that throughout this document, the term “run” and variations thereof (e.g., running, etc.) in any context is intended to include all substantially linear locomotion by a person. Examples of this linear locomotion include, but are not limited to, jogging, walking, skipping, scampering, sprinting, dashing, hopping, galloping, push/pull exercises, etc.
Furthermore, treadmills can be implemented such that the running belt of the treadmill is operated and moved manually (i.e., by only the force of the person running on the treadmill) or powered by the force of a motor that drives the running belt (or some combination thereof). There are two main running belt types: a slatted running belt and a continuous belt running belt. A continuous belt configuration refers to the running belt being endless or continuous such that a user may not perceive the beginning and end of the running belt. A slatted running belt is formed from a plurality of slats that extend substantially perpendicular across a width of the treadmill and are supported by belts and pulleys on opposing transverse sides of the treadmill. A slatted running belt is of a relatively more complex construction given the number of components involved as compared to the endless or continuous running belt. However, many users find slatted running belts more comfortable and, in turn, provide an overall better experience as compared to continuous or endless running belts for a treadmill.
SUMMARYOne implementation of the present disclosure is a treadmill. The treadmill includes a running belt rotatable in a direction of motion and including a plurality of slats. At least one slat in the plurality of slats includes a top portion, a longitudinal rib extending away from the top portion and oriented along a longitudinal direction of the slat, and a bottom flange coupled to the longitudinal rib at or near a vertical bottom of the longitudinal rib such that the longitudinal rib is substantially positioned between the top portion and the bottom flange. The bottom flange extends away from the longitudinal rib on opposing sides of the longitudinal rib.
Another implementation of the present disclosure is a slat for a belt of an exercise or a therapeutic apparatus. The slat has a longitudinal direction and includes a top portion configured to support at least a portion of an engagement surface of the exercise or therapeutic apparatus, a longitudinal rib extending away from the top portion and oriented along the longitudinal direction of the slat, and a bottom flange coupled to the longitudinal rib at or near a vertical bottom of the longitudinal rib such that the longitudinal rib is positioned substantially between the top portion and the bottom flange. The bottom flange extends away from the longitudinal rib on opposing sides of the longitudinal rib.
Another implementation of the present disclosure is a running belt. The running belt includes a plurality of slats. Each of the plurality of slats includes a top portion, a longitudinal rib extending away from the top portion and is substantially oriented along a longitudinal direction of the slat, and a bottom flange coupled to the longitudinal rib at or near a vertical bottom of the longitudinal rib such that the longitudinal rib is substantially positioned between the top portion and the bottom flange. The bottom flange extends away from the longitudinal rib on opposing sides of the longitudinal rib.
Numerous specific details are provided to impart a thorough understanding of embodiments of the subject matter of the present disclosure. The described features of the subject matter of the present disclosure may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments and/or implementations. In this regard, one or more features of an aspect of the invention may be combined with one or more features of a different aspect of the invention. Moreover, additional features may be recognized in certain embodiments and/or implementations that may not be present in all embodiments or implementations.
The disclosure will become more fully understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements.
Before turning to the Figures, which illustrate certain exemplary embodiments in detail, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the details or methodology set forth in the description or illustrated in the Figures. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description only and should not be regarded as limiting.
Referring to the Figures generally, a slat for a running belt of a treadmill is shown according to various embodiments herein. The slat may be one of a plurality of slats that are configured to be coupled to endless belts of a treadmill. In this way, the plurality of slats in combination with the endless belts form a running belt for the treadmill. As described herein, the slat includes at least one integral fastener proximate a first end (left side) and at least one integral fastener positioned proximate a second end (right side) opposite the first end of the slat. The at least one fastener on the first end couples to a first endless belt while the at least one fastener on the second end couples to a second endless belt. The integral fasteners are advantageous in reducing the number of components for assembling the running belt. The endless belts are disposed on transverse sides of the treadmill such that the slat extends across a part of a width of the treadmill. The first and second endless belts at least partially support the slat. Multiple slats are coupled to the endless belts to form the slatted running belt. After coupling the slats to the endless belts to form the running belt, the slatted running belt may then be supported by one or more pulleys or rollers to enable relative movement of the slatted running belt relative to a base of the treadmill. As described herein, the slat includes a longitudinal rib with a plurality of gussets extending outward and away from the longitudinal rib (i.e., towards transverse edges of the slat). The longitudinal rib is coupled to a bottom flange. When a cross-sectional view is taken, the slat has a predominately I-shape. Among other benefits, this structural configuration of a slat may provide better support for a user as well as improved performance characteristics. These and other features and benefits of the slat configurations of the present disclosure are described more fully herein below.
Referring now to
The treadmill 10 includes a base 12 which generally refers to the assembly of components located proximate to a support surface (e.g., the floor or ground) for the treadmill 10. Accordingly, the base 12 is shown to include a running belt 30 that extends substantially longitudinally along a running axis 18 and defines a non-planar running surface 40 (e.g., curved). In other embodiments, the running belt 30 defines a planar or substantially planar running surface (e.g., flat). In operation and when a user is facing the front display device, the user runs or walks on the treadmill in the direction of the running axis 18 as the portion of the running belt 30 under the user moves in the opposite direction (e.g., away from the front display device). The running axis 18 extends generally between a front end 20 and a rear end 22 of the treadmill 10; more specifically, the running axis 18 extends generally between the centerlines of a front shaft and a rear shaft, which will be discussed in more detail below.
With reference to
Referring now to
The endless belts 250 are disposed beneath the running surface 40 (i.e., in use, away from the user and running surface 40/towards the interior of the base of the treadmill). The endless belts 250 are structured to engage with the pulleys 121, 141 of the front and rear shaft assemblies 120, 140 (e.g., rest upon, contact, be supported by, etc.) to enable movement of the running belt 30 relative to the frame 100 and the base 12. In this way, as the user moves along the running axis 18 on the treadmill 10 (or as the motor drives the front or rear shaft assemblies 120, 140 in the powered treadmill embodiment), the portion of the running belt 30 under the user moves in the opposite direction of the user. This keeps the user of the treadmill 10 on the running surface 40 while allowing the user to run, walk, jog, sidestep, etc. for long distances.
With the above in mind, reference is now made to
Referring first to
In use, the base portion 220 is disposed within, at least partly, the base of the treadmill and is generally not visible to users of the treadmill. In contrast, the engagement portion 216 may be contacted and/or is visible by a user of the treadmill. The engagement portion 216 includes an engagement surface 218. As shown, the engagement surface 218 is structured to provide a surface which a user experiences or engages with while using the treadmill 10. The engagement surface 218 may include any type of pattern or texture (e.g., uneven surface, substantially flat/even surface, cushiony versus substantially rigid and unable to deflect during use, etc.). In the example depicted, the surface 218 includes a honeycomb pattern that provides friction to the user to substantially prevent slippage between the user and the surface 218. The surface 218 of the engagement portion of the slat 200 is shown to extend an entire length 219 and width 221 of the slat 200. In other embodiments, less than an entire length and/or width of slat may be occupied by the surface 218 of the engagement portion. As shown, the length 219 of the slat 200 is approximately within the range of 10-30 inches, the width 221 is approximately within the range of 1-3 inches, and the height 234 is approximately within the range of 0.8-3.0 inches. In some embodiments, the length 219 is approximately 22 inches or 55 centimeters, the width 221 is approximately 2.3 inches, and the height 234 is approximately 1.6 inches. In other embodiments, the length 219 is approximately 17 inches or (43 centimeters). However, it should be understood that the relative dimensions may vary from configuration to configuration, such that these values should be considered to be exemplary only and non-limiting.
The engagement portion 216 and base portion 220 may be formed from a variety of materials. As shown, the engagement portion 216 and the base portion 220 are formed from two different materials. In the example shown, the engagement portion 216 is an over-molded part, piece, or component disposed on and coupled to the base portion 220. The over-mold engagement portion 216 may be made of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), sometimes referred to as a thermoplastic rubber, such as a thermoplastic vulcanite (TPV), a thermoplastic polyamide (TPA), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), or any other type of TPE. The base portion 220 may be made of or constructed from a variety of polymers or composites (e.g., a polymer combined with another material (to introduce variable material properties) such as glass fiber reinforced Polypropylene (PP)). In one example, the material may be 20, 30, 40, 50, or 60% glass fiber content (percent by weight) reinforced PP. In the example shown, the slat 200 is characterized by being constructed from predominately non-metal materials (except for the fasteners 200). The base portion 220 is formed from a plastic-based materials while the engagement portion 216 is formed from a rubber-based material. By avoiding metallic materials, the overall weight of the slat 200 may be comparably less than slats utilizing, for example, metallic base portions. As a result, Applicant has determined that the running belt constructed from these slats may have relatively faster acceleration characteristics compared to conventional slatted running belts. Additionally, the primarily composite or plastic-based slat 200 provides more cushioning for a user thereby improving user experience compared to tradition metal-based slats.
Referring more particularly now to the base portion 220 (also referred to as a support, support structure, lower or bottom part, base), the base portion 220 acts as a support structure for the engagement portion 216. The base portion 220 includes a pair of flanges 222 (also referred to as first and second flanges), integral fasteners 204 disposed in the flanges 222, and a central rib 224 (also referred to as a web, beam, or spine) that extends longitudinally between the flanges 222. With reference to
Each of the flanges 222 includes one or more integral fasteners 204. In example shown, each flange 222 includes two integral fasteners. The “integral” nature of the fasteners 204 to the base portion 220 may be described as follows. The fasteners 204 may be a separate component relative to the base portion 220. The flanges 222 define holes, openings, or apertures that each receive a fastener 204. In one embodiment, threads are disposed in the holes to rotatably couple to the fastener. In another embodiment, an interference-fit relationship is provided between the fastener and the associated hole in the flange. In yet another embodiment, an adhesive (e.g., glue, epoxy, etc.) is used to retain the fastener in the hole. The adhesive may be used in combination with the thread or interference-type relationships described above. In other embodiments, a different joining mechanism or process for the fastener 204 to the flange and base portion 220 may be employed. In each configuration and upon joining, the fastener 204 is securably held to the base portion 220. This securable retention may be reversible (e.g., the threads allow the fastener to couple to the base portion 220 and be removed from the base portion) or irreversible (e.g., the cured adhesive functions to bond the fastener to the base portion 220 in a permanent manner). In either configuration and upon assembly, the fastener and the base portion 220 may be considered an “integral” component (e.g., a one or single piece component). With this integral construction, the fastener is fixed to the flange 222 and the base portion 220 and the fastener 204 may be considered a unitary component. Beneficially, this construction eases attachment and handling of the slat 200. Technicians and assembly-persons do not need to hold a fastener, such as a bolt, plus the slat and endless belt to attach the slat to the endless belt (e.g., non-integral fasteners may present a potential for losing or misplacing the fasteners). This arrangement may minimize errors and streamline assembly.
In the example shown, each of the integral fasteners 204 are structured as bolts that couple to a nut (e.g., lock nut or other type of nut). In this way, a part of the endless belt is sandwiched between the nut and base portion 220 to hold the slat 200 to the endless belt. In some arrangements, one or more washers, such as a lock washer, as well as adhesive (e.g., Loctite) may also be used to aid coupling of the slat 200 to the endless belt. In other embodiments, at least one of the fasteners may be of a different structural arrangement than the remaining fasteners. For example, at least one of the integral fasteners may be a pin that is in an interference-type relationship with a hole of the endless belt. In this relationship, the interference-type relationship still functions to hold the slat relatively securely to the endless belt.
In operation and via the fasteners 204, each of the flanges 222 (and in turn the base portion 220 and slat 200) is configured to couple to one of the endless belts 250. In particular, the flange 222 on the first end 205 of the slat 200 couples to the endless belt 250 on the first side of the running belt 30 and the flange 222 on the second end 206 of the slat 200 couples to the endless belt 250 on the second side of the running belt 30 via the integral fasteners 204 in each of the flanges 222. The endless belt 250 may include one or more holes or apertures that receive the fasteners 204. After the fasteners are received in the holes or apertures, a coupling device, such as a nut described above, may be rotatably attached to the fastener to securably hold the slat 200 to the endless belt 250.
Referring more particularly to
With reference to
The flange 226 is shown to include multiple, rounded, steps 227 between and interconnecting to an underside of the flange 226 (proximate the rib 224) and a top surface of the flange 226 (proximate the engage portion 216). The rounded steps 227 provide additional surface area between the flange 226 and the engagement portion 216. Because the engagement portion 216 and the base portion 220 (which includes the flange 226) may be formed of two separate materials that couple together to form the slat 200 (e.g., via an over-molding manufacturing process), additional surface area formed by the rounded steps 227 may provide additional contact area to increase the joining of the over-mold engagement portion 216 and the base portion 220 to increase an overall durability of the slat 200.
The rib 224 is interconnected with a bottom flange 228 that extends outward and away from the rib 224. The flange 228 is disposed below the rib 224 (i.e., a distance away from the engagement portion 216) proximate the bottom end 214 of the slat 200. Because the height of the rib 224 changes across the length of the slat 200, the position of the bottom flange 228 also changes across the length of the slat 200 such that the flange 228 is at least partially arcuate in shape (see
As the rib 224, the top flange 226, and the bottom flange 228 extend to the left side 205 and the right side 206 of the slat 200, the height of the rib 224 continues to decrease such that the rib 224, the top flange 226, and the bottom flange 228 essentially combine or merge to form the flanges 222 (see
When the rib 224, the top flange 226, and the bottom flange 228 are discernable (e.g., proximate the middle of the slat 200), the rib 224, the top flange 226, and the bottom flange 228 form an I-shaped cross section (see
Referring now to
As shown, the slat 200 includes a substantial mirror shape. In this way, a gusset 230 on one side of the rib 224 corresponds with a gusset 230 on the other side of the rib 224 in alignment with each other. In this way, the gussets 230 along one side of the rib 224 are positioned in the same or substantially the same longitudinal positions as the gussets along the other side of the rib 224. As shown, the gussets 230 are formed integrally with the rib 224, the top flange 226, and the bottom flange 228 and are made of the same material as the rib 224, the top flange 226, and the bottom flange 228. In other embodiments and as described herein, the gussets 230 may be of a different material and coupled to the one or more of these parts (e.g., via adhesive).
As also shown, the gussets 230 may extend between the top flange 226 and the bottom flange 228 and include a taper in width such that the gussets 230 decrease in size from a largest relative width disposed at or near the top flange 226 to a smallest relative width disposed at or near the bottom flange 228. Additionally, each of the gussets 230 may have different maximum widths (and include different tapers in width) such that the center gusset 230 (in the longitudinal center of the slat 200) may have the largest maximum width and the end gussets 230 (i.e., the gussets 230 closest to the left side 205 and the right side 206) may have the smallest relative maximum width. The maximum width refers to the maximum distance that the gusset extends outward and away from the rib 224. As such, the maximum width of the gussets 230 may decrease the closer the gussets 230 are to the left side 205 and the right side 206 of the slat 200.
The gussets 230 may provide additional torsion resistance along the length of the slat 200, improve bending resistance, and improve shock absorption for the base portion 220. The gussets 230 are relatively wide and therefore absorb the shock and impact force of the user as the user is using the treadmill 10. As a result, the gussets 30 provide for a more pleasurable and comfortable running surface to the user of the treadmill 10.
In the example shown and when the fasteners 204 are coupled to the base portion 220, the base portion 220 is of unitary construction (i.e., a single piece component). In some embodiment, with the exception of the fasteners 204 that are mechanically bonded to the base portion 220, flanges 222, the rib 224, flange 226, flange 228, and gussets 230 may be formed from the same material. As mentioned above, the base portion 220 may be made of or constructed from a variety of polymers or composites (e.g., a polymer combined with another material (to introduce variable material properties) such as glass fiber reinforced Polypropylene (PP)). In one example, the material may be 20, 30, 40, 50, or 60% glass fiber content (percent by weight) reinforced PP. In this way, the base portion 220 (without the fasteners 204) may be constructed from a mold (e.g., injection molded). By being of unitary construction, the overall rigidity and durability may be improved because additional joining means and associated joints are avoided. In other alternate embodiments, one or more of the flanges 222, rib 224, flange 226, flange 228, and gussets 230 may be coupled together to form the base portion 220 (e.g., the gussets 230 may utilize an adhesive or a weld to couple them to the rib 224).
Referring now to
As shown, the base portion 320 includes at least one crown portion (e.g., a projection that may transform a surface from substantially planar to non-planar). The base portion 320 includes one positively crowned portion 324 projecting from the top flange 226 proximate the longitudinal middle of the base portion 220, and one crowned portion 324 projecting from the flange 222 proximate the left side the base portion 320, and one positively crowned portion 324 projecting from the flange 222 proximate the right side of the base portion 320. In this example, three crown portions are included with the base portion 320. In other embodiments, more or less crowns are included. The “positive” nomenclature indicates that the crown is projecting away from the associated surface or structure (e.g., the center crown 324 projects upward and away from the top of the base portion 320; convex).
The positively crowned portions 324 are shown to have a rounded or arcuate shape. Thus, the crowned portion 324 may have specific radii of curvature. In one embodiment, each of the crowned portions 324 has the same radii of curvature. In another embodiment, at least one crown portion has a different radii of curvature relative to the other crown portions. For example, the radius of curvature of the positively crowned portion projecting 324 from the flange 222 proximate the left side of the base portion 320 may be approximately 7.5 inches, the radius of curvature of the positively crowned portion 324 projecting from the top flange 226 proximate the longitudinal middle of the base portion 220 may be approximately 80 inches, and the radius of curvature of the positively crowned portion 324 projecting from the flange 222 proximate the right side of the base portion 320 may be approximately 7.5 inches.
The relative length of the positive crown portions may be variable. In the example shown, the crown portions 324 disposed on the flanges 222 occupy most of the space on the flanges 222. The crown portion 324 in the longitudinal middle of the base portion 320 occupies approximately one-third of the longitudinal space on this section between the flanges 222. In other embodiments, the relative length and width of the crown portions 324 may differ.
Advantageously and in use, the positively crowned portions 324 receive a compressive force from the user of the treadmill 10 rather than tensile force which provides for additional strength for the base portion 320 and durability for the slat 200. Furthermore, the positively crowned portions 324 generate additional surface area on the top of the base portion 320 which provides for a better, stronger, coupling between the engagement portion (not shown) of the slat 300 and the base portion 320.
Referring now to
Referring now to
The cyclical test data 404 compares the number of cycles of force (proximate the middle) the base portion 220 was able to withstand before failure, and provides an indication of the durability of the slat 200 during use on the treadmill 10. Further, the cyclical test data 404 includes data corresponding to the base portion 220 (“D8716”) and data corresponding to other base portions of slats made of common materials in the art (e.g., aluminum and Grivory®). As shown, the cyclical test data 404 indicates the base portion 220 was able to withstand 117,732 loads of 600 pounds of force (lbf) of force on average before failure, which is approximately 3.5 times the number of average loads of force the base portion made of aluminum was able to withstand and approximately fifteen times the number of average of force the base portion made of Grivory® was able to withstand.
The deflection test data 408 compares the average deflection of the base portion (proximate the middle) based on the force applied to the base portion and may provide an indication of the support the slat 200 provides to the user as they run on the treadmill 10. Further, the deflection test data 408 includes data corresponding to the base portion 220 and data corresponding to a base portion made of other common materials. As shown, the deflection test data 408 indicates the base portion 220 deflected less than the common material base portion for every single force applied to the base portions.
The ultimate strength test data 412 compares the average force that caused failure in the various base portions and provides an indication of the strength of the slat 200 during use on the treadmill 10. Further, the ultimate strength test data 412 includes data corresponding to the base portion 220 (“D8716”) and data corresponding to other base portions of slats made of common materials in the art (e.g., aluminum and Grivory®). As shown, the ultimate strength test data 412 indicates the base portion 220 was able to withstand 1240.7 lbf on average before failure, which is stronger than the other base portions tested, besides the 43 centimeter aluminum base portion.
Referring now to
The cyclical test data 504 compares the number of cycles of force (proximate the middle) the base portion 320 was able to withstand before failure, and provides an indication of the durability of the slat 200 during use on the treadmill 10. Further, the cyclical test data 504 includes data corresponding to the base portion 320 (“D8700/D8702 (Jan. 1, 2020) mold”) and data corresponding to other base portions of slats made of common materials in the art (e.g., aluminum and Grivory®). As shown, the cyclical test data 504 indicates the base portion 320 was able to withstand 241,759 loads of 600 pounds of force (lbf) of force on average before failure, which is approximately seven times the number of average loads of force the base portion made of aluminum was able to withstand and approximately 31.5 times the number of average of force the base portion made of Grivory® was able to withstand.
The deflection test data 508 compares the average deflection of the base portions (proximate the middle) based on the force applied to the base portions and includes data corresponding to the base portion 220 and may provide an indication of the support the slat 200 provides to the user as they run on the treadmill 10. Further, the deflection test data 508 includes data corresponding to the base portion 320 and data corresponding to other base portions of slats made of common materials in the art. As shown, the deflection test data 508 indicates the base portion 220 deflected less than the common material base portion for a single force applied to the base portions.
The ultimate strength test data 512 compares the average force that caused failure in the base portions and provides an indication of the strength of the slat 200 during use on the treadmill 10. Further, the ultimate strength test data 512 includes data corresponding to the base portion 320 (“D8700/D8702”) and data corresponding to a base portion made of common materials. As shown, the ultimate strength test data 512 indicates the base portion 320 was able to withstand 1298.4 lbf on average before failure, which is stronger the common material base portion.
While the bulk of the discussion herein is focused on training and physical fitness, this specific use-case example is not meant to be limiting. In this regard, persons skilled in the art will understand that all of the structures and methods described herein are equally applicable in at least medical or therapeutic applications as well.
It should be noted that the term “exemplary” and variations thereof, as used herein to describe various embodiments, are intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such terms are not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples). It is to be understood that the disclosure disclosed herein is not limited to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments or being practiced or carried out in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. It is also important to note that although only a few embodiments of the enclosure assembly have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the disclosed embodiments. Additionally, any element disclosed in one embodiment may be incorporated or utilized with any other embodiment disclosed herein. Although only one example of an element from one embodiment that can be incorporated or utilized in another embodiment has been described above, it should be appreciated that other elements of the various embodiments may be incorporated or utilized with any of the other embodiments disclosed herein.
For the purposes of this disclosure, the terms “approximately” and “substantially” or other like terms are intended to be understood and broadly interpreted by those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, when the disclosure defines a length or a width as approximately equal to a value or substantially equal to a value, these terms are intended to be broadly defined and interpreted by those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, these terms may be a predefined value (e.g., approximately may mean plus-or-minus X amount or percentage). As another example, these terms may refer to a commonly accepted tolerance level. As still another example, these terms may refer to a statistical determination based on a series of samples. Similarly, the terms “match” or “substantially match” are also meant to be broadly interpreted. Accordingly, in one example, match or substantial match may refer to an exact match. In another example, match or substantial matching refers to a dimension or value being within a predefined tolerance, amount, standard, or an accepted qualitative measurement technique. In this regard and as utilized herein with respect to structural features (e.g., to describe shape, size, orientation, direction, relative position, etc.), the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially,” and similar terms are meant to cover minor variations in structure that may result from, for example, the manufacturing or assembly process and are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the disclosure as recited in the appended claims.
As used herein, the term “coupled” means the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent or fixed) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members coupled directly to each other, with the two members coupled to each other using a separate intervening member and any additional intermediate members coupled with one another, or with the two members coupled to each other using an intervening member that is integrally formed as a single unitary body with one of the two members. If “coupled” or variations thereof are modified by an additional term (e.g., directly coupled), the generic definition of “coupled” provided above is modified by the plain language meaning of the additional term (e.g., “directly coupled” means the joining of two members without any separate intervening member), resulting in a narrower definition than the generic definition of “coupled” provided above. Such coupling may be mechanical, electrical, or fluidic.
References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below”) are merely used to describe the orientation of various elements in the FIGURES. It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.
Although the figures and description may illustrate a specific order of method steps, the order of such steps may differ from what is depicted and described, unless specified differently above. Also, two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence, unless specified differently above.
Claims
1. A treadmill, comprising:
- a running belt rotatable in a direction of motion and comprising a plurality of slats, wherein at least one slat in the plurality of slats comprises: a top portion; a longitudinal rib extending away from the top portion and oriented along a longitudinal direction of the slat; and a bottom flange coupled to the longitudinal rib at or near a vertical bottom of the longitudinal rib such that the longitudinal rib is substantially positioned between the top portion and the bottom flange, the bottom flange extending away from the longitudinal rib on opposing sides of the longitudinal rib.
2. The treadmill of claim 1, further comprising a gusset extending away from the longitudinal rib such that the gusset is substantially perpendicular to at least one of the top portion and the longitudinal rib.
3. The treadmill of claim 2, wherein the gusset extends from the top portion to the bottom flange.
4. The treadmill of claim 2, wherein the gusset includes a plurality of gussets, each of the plurality of gussets coupled to the longitudinal rib, extending from the longitudinal rib, and spaced apart from each other.
5. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein the at least one slat further comprises an engagement portion coupled to the top portion that is configured to provide an engagement surface for a user of the treadmill.
6. The treadmill of claim 5, wherein the engagement portion is over-molded onto the top portion.
7. The treadmill of claim 5, wherein a perimeter of the top portion is substantially coextensive with a perimeter of the engagement portion.
8. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal rib defines a curved longitudinal profile.
9. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein the top portion has a substantially constant width and the bottom flange has a variable width, the variable width less than the substantially constant width at a center of the slat.
10. The treadmill of claim 1, further comprising an endless belt, wherein the slat further comprises an integral fastener configured to fasten the slat to the endless belt.
11. The treadmill of claim 1, the slat further comprising a crowned portion extending away from the top portion, the top portion positioned between the crowned portion and the longitudinal rib.
12. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein the top portion, the longitudinal rib, and the bottom flange combine to form a cross section which is predominately I-shaped.
13. A slat for a belt of an exercise or a therapeutic apparatus, the slat having a longitudinal direction and comprising:
- a top portion configured to support at least a portion of an engagement surface of the exercise or therapeutic apparatus;
- a longitudinal rib extending away from the top portion and oriented along the longitudinal direction of the slat; and
- a bottom flange coupled to the longitudinal rib at or near a vertical bottom of the longitudinal rib such that the longitudinal rib is positioned substantially between the top portion and the bottom flange, the bottom flange extending away from the longitudinal rib on opposing sides of the longitudinal rib.
14. The slat of claim 13, further comprising a gusset extending away from the longitudinal rib such that the gusset is substantially perpendicular to at least one of the top portion and the longitudinal rib.
15. The slat of claim 14, wherein the longitudinal rib defines in-part a curved longitudinal profile.
16. The slat of claim 13, further comprising an integral fastener configured to selectively couple the slat to an element of the exercise apparatus.
17. The slat of claim 13, further comprising an engagement portion molded onto the top portion, the engagement portion configured to be contacted by a user of the exercise apparatus such that the top portion supports the portion of the engagement surface by supporting the engagement portion.
18. A running belt, comprising;
- a plurality of slats, wherein each of the plurality of slats comprises: a top portion; a longitudinal rib extending away from the top portion and is substantially oriented along a longitudinal direction of the slat; and a bottom flange coupled to the longitudinal rib at or near a vertical bottom of the longitudinal rib such that the longitudinal rib is substantially positioned between the top portion and the bottom flange, the bottom flange extending away from the longitudinal rib on opposing sides of the longitudinal rib.
19. The running belt of claim 18, further comprising an endless belt, wherein the plurality of slats comprise integral fasteners coupling the plurality of slats to the endless belt.
20. The running belt of claim 18, further comprising a gusset extending away from the longitudinal rib such that the gusset is substantially perpendicular to at least one of the top portion and the longitudinal rib, wherein the bottom flange is curved, at least in part, along the longitudinal direction of the slat.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 21, 2023
Publication Date: Jan 11, 2024
Applicant: Woodway USA, Inc. (Waukesha, WI)
Inventors: Douglas G. Bayerlein (Waukesha, WI), Jose D. Bernal-Ramirez (Waukesha, WI), James S. Marschalek (Waukesha, WI), Mark Donald Schaefer (Waukesha, WI)
Application Number: 18/371,153