U.S. patent application number 10/327013 was filed with the patent office on 2004-06-24 for speed control device with contact switch for a treadmill.
Invention is credited to Chang, Chih-Yuan.
Application Number | 20040121884 10/327013 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32594156 |
Filed Date | 2004-06-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040121884 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chang, Chih-Yuan |
June 24, 2004 |
SPEED CONTROL DEVICE WITH CONTACT SWITCH FOR A TREADMILL
Abstract
A speed control device for a treadmill includes at least one
contact switch mounted on a corresponding one of the arms of the
treadmill and causing an analogy signal when a user touches the at
least one contact switch. A control circuit assembly is mounted in
the treadmill and electrically connected to the at least one
contact switch for receiving the analogy signal transmitted from
the at least one contact switch. The control circuit assembly
includes a signal transform circuit receiving the analogy signal
and transforming the analogy signal into a digital signal. A
waveform process circuit receives the digital signal and transforms
the digital signal into a 1/0 or 0/1 signal. A signal output
circuit receives the 1/0 or 0/1 signal, amplifies and transmits the
signal to a central process unit of the treadmill for controlling a
speed of the treadmill.
Inventors: |
Chang, Chih-Yuan; (Taichung
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROSENBERG, KLEIN & LEE
3458 ELLICOTT CENTER DRIVE-SUITE 101
ELLICOTT CITY
MD
21043
US
|
Family ID: |
32594156 |
Appl. No.: |
10/327013 |
Filed: |
December 24, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/54 ;
482/4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2220/34 20130101;
A63B 22/0242 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/054 ;
482/004 |
International
Class: |
A63B 024/00; A63B
022/02 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A speed control device with contact switch for a treadmill that
includes a main frame having two opposite sides each having an arm
laterally extending from a top portion of the mainframe, the speed
control device comprising: at least one contact switch adapted to
be mounted on a corresponding one of the arms of the treadmill and
causing an analogy signal when a user touches the at least one
contact switch; and a control circuit assembly adapted to be
mounted in the treadmill and electrically connected to the at least
one contact switch for receiving the analogy signal transmitted
from the at least one contact switch, the control circuit assembly
including: a signal transform circuit receiving the analogy signal
and transforming the analogy signal into a digital signal; a
waveform process circuit receiving the digital signal transmitted
from the signal transform circuit and transforming the digital
signal into a 1/0 signal; and a signal output circuit receiving the
1/0 signal from the waveform process circuit, the signal output
circuit adapted to amplify and transmit the 1/0 signal to a central
process unit of the treadmill for controlling a speed of the
treadmill.
2. The speed control device as claimed in claim 1 comprising two
contact switches each adapted to be mounted on a corresponding of
two arms of the treadmill, each contact switch including two
connector secured connected to each other, each connector having at
least one touch pad mounted thereon, wherein the contact switch
will transmit the analogy signal to the signal transform circuit
when the touch pads are touched at the same time.
3. The speed control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein each
connector comprises two touch pads mounted thereon to prevent the
user from mindlessly touching the touch pads and transmitting a
signal to the signal transform circuit.
4. A speed control device with contact switch for a treadmill that
includes a main frame having two opposite sides each having an arm
laterally extending from a top portion of the mainframe, the speed
control device comprising at least one contact switch adapted to be
mounted on a corresponding one of the arms of the treadmill and
causing an analogy signal when a user touches the at least one
contact switch; and a control circuit assembly adapted to be
mounted in the treadmill and electrically connected to the at least
one contact switch for receiving the analogy signal transmitted
from the at least one contact switch, the control circuit assembly
including: a signal transform circuit receiving the analogy signal
and transforming the analogy signal into a digital signal; a
waveform process circuit receiving the digital signal transmitted
from the signal transform circuit and transforming the digital
signal into a 0/1 signal; and a signal output circuit receiving the
0/1 signal from the waveform process circuit, the signal output
circuit adapted to amplify and transmit the 0/1 signal to a central
process unit of the treadmill for controlling a speed of the
treadmill.
5. The speed control device as claimed in claim 4 comprising two
contact switches each adapted to be mounted on a corresponding of
two arms of the treadmill, each contact switch including two
connector secured connected to each other, each connector having at
least one touch pad mounted thereon, wherein the contact switch
will transmit the analogy signal to the signal transform circuit
when the touch pads are touched at the same time.
6. The speed control device as claimed in claim 5, wherein each
connector comprises two touch pads mounted thereon to prevent the
user from mindlessly touching the touch pads and transmitting a
signal to the signal transform circuit.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a speed control device, and
more particularly to a speed control device with contact switch for
a treadmill.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] A conventional treadmill in accordance with the prior art
shown in FIG. 10 comprises base member (5), a platform (6) mounted
on the base member (5) and having a belt (61) that is movable
relative to the platform (6). The base member (5) includes two
opposite sides each having a stand (51) upwardly mounted thereon.
Each stand (51) has an arm (52) laterally extending from a top
portion of the stand (51). A computer (53) is mounted between the
two arms (52) and includes multiple keys (531) for user to control
the treadmill.
[0005] The computer (53) is away from the user because the computer
(53) is mounted on the arms (52) and the user runs on the platform
(6). Consequently, the user needs to bend his back down to drive
the computer (53) during exercising. However, the user is in a
harmony posture during exercising. The user is in a movement when
exercising and to press the keys (531) in the computer (53) will
break the balance of harmony posture such that the user easily
falls down when operating the computer (53) to adjust the speed of
the treadmill by using keys (531) in the computer.
[0006] For solving the above problem, a key-switch (7) is provided
to be mounted on the arm (52) and has multiple keys (71) mounted in
the key-switch such that the key-switch (7) is closer to the user
than the computer to the user for a convenient operation to the
treadmill. However, the user still needs to press the keys (71).
The above problem is not completely solved.
[0007] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate
the disadvantages of the conventional control device of a
treadmill.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The main objective of the present invention is to provide an
improved speed control device with contact switch for a
treadmill.
[0009] To achieve the objective, the speed control device includes
at least one contact switch mounted on a corresponding one of the
arms of the treadmill and causing an analogy signal when a user
touches the at least one contact switch. A control circuit assembly
is mounted in the treadmill and electrically connected to the at
least one contact switch for receiving the analogy signal
transmitted from the at least one contact switch. The control
circuit assembly includes a signal transform circuit receiving the
analogy signal and transforming the analogy signal into a digital
signal. A waveform process circuit receives the digital signal and
transforms the digital signal into a 1/0 or 0/1 signal. A signal
output circuit receives the 1/0 or 0/1 signal, amplifies and
transmits the signal to a central process unit of the treadmill for
controlling a speed of the treadmill.
[0010] Further benefits and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed
description with appropriate reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view of a control device
with contact switch for a treadmill in accordance with the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the control device of the
present invention that forms a 1/0 signal;
[0013] FIG. 3 is an oscillogram of the control device of the
present invention;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of the control device of the
present invention that forms a 0/1 signal;
[0015] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a contact switch
of the control device of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 6 is operational view of the control device of the
present invention;
[0017] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective of a second embodiment of
the contact switch in accordance with the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of the second embodiment of the
control device of the present invention that forms a 1/0
signal;
[0019] FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram of the second embodiment of the
control device of the present invention that forms a 0/1 signal;
and
[0020] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a treadmill in accordance
with the prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-5, a
control device with contact switch for a treadmill that includes a
main frame (10) having two opposite sides each having an arm (11)
laterally extending from a top portion of the arm (11), in
accordance with the present invention comprises control circuit
assembly (3) and at least one contact switch (34) adapted to be
mounted on the arm (11) and electrically connected to the control
circuit assembly (3).
[0022] The control circuit assembly (3) includes a signal transform
circuit (31), a waveform process circuit (32) electrically
connected to the signal transform circuit (31) and a signal output
interface (33) electrically connected to the waveform process
circuit (32). The signal transform circuit (31) transforms analogy
signals into digital signals that are transformed into 1/0 or 0/1
signals by the waveform process circuit (32). The 1/0 or 0/1
signals are amplified and outputted to a central process unit (CPU)
(4) of the treadmill.
[0023] The control circuit assembly (3) includes at least one
contact switch (34) adapted to be mounted on an outer periphery of
the arm (11) of the main frame (1) and electrically connected to
the signal transform circuit (31). The contact switch (34) provides
an analogy signal to the signal transform circuit when user touches
thereon. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, with
reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the control circuit assembly (3)
includes four contact switches (34) and each arm (12) has two
contact switches (34) mounted on the arm (12) and oppositely
connected to each other. Each contact switch (34) includes a
connector (341) and a touch pad (342) secured on the connector
(341). The connectors (341) of adjacent contact switches (34) are
mounted on each other such that the user can touch the two adjacent
contact switches (34) at the same time.
[0024] The contact switch (34) causes an analogy signal provided to
the signal transform circuit (31) when the touch pads (342) are
touched by the user. The signal transform circuit (31) transforms
the analogy signal into a digital signal and removes the
miscellaneous signal from the contact switch (34). The waveform
process circuit (32) transforms the digital signal into a 1/0 or
0/1 signal that is transmitted to the signal output circuit (33)
after the digital signal being transmitted to the waveform process
circuit (32). The signal output circuit (33) transmits the 1/0 or
0/1 signal to the CPU (4) of the treadmill to adjust the speed or
other function of the treadmill.
[0025] With reference to FIG. 6, the user only needs to lightly
touch the touch pad (342) of the contact switch (34) when adjusting
the speed of the treadmill. Consequently, the user can easily
adjusts and controls the treadmill during using.
[0026] With reference to FIGS. 7 and 9 that shows a second
embodiment of the contact switch (34) of the present invention.
Each connector (341) has two touch pads (342) mounted thereon. The
contact switch (34) will transmit the analogy signal to the signal
transform circuit (31) only when the two touch pads (342) on the
connector (341) are touched on the same time. The embodiment of the
contact switch (34) can prevent the user from mindlessly touching
the touch pad (342) and transmitting a signal to the signal
transform circuit (31).
[0027] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its
preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other
possible modifications and variations can be made without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter
claimed.
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