U.S. patent application number 11/144819 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-07 for treadmill with pedometer and method of counting the number of steps of user running or walking on treadmill.
This patent application is currently assigned to Forhouse Corporation. Invention is credited to Chin-Chieh Chu, Fu-Chin Chuang, Yen-Hwa Liao, Francis Chung Hwa Pan.
Application Number | 20060276306 11/144819 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37494856 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060276306 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pan; Francis Chung Hwa ; et
al. |
December 7, 2006 |
Treadmill with pedometer and method of counting the number of steps
of user running or walking on treadmill
Abstract
A treadmill includes a base, a motion assembly and a pedometer
system. The pedometer system has a sensor mounted on the base to
monitor a speed of an element of the motion assembly, such as a
motor, a transmission device, rollers or a running belt, a
processor mounted on the base to detect instant variations of the
speed of the element of the motion and count the instant
variations, and a display mounted on the base to show a number of
the instant variations. As a result, people running or walking on
the treadmill of the present invention is informed the number of
steps of running or walking.
Inventors: |
Pan; Francis Chung Hwa;
(Taichung City, TW) ; Liao; Yen-Hwa; (Taichung
City, TW) ; Chuang; Fu-Chin; (Changhua County,
TW) ; Chu; Chin-Chieh; (Taichung County, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Assignee: |
Forhouse Corporation
|
Family ID: |
37494856 |
Appl. No.: |
11/144819 |
Filed: |
June 6, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/54 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 22/0285 20130101;
A63B 22/02 20130101; A63B 2220/34 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/054 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/02 20060101
A63B022/02 |
Claims
1. A treadmill, comprising: a base; a motion assembly having two
roller pivoted on the base and a running belt mounted on the
rollers for rotation; a sensor for monitoring a speed of an element
of the motion assembly; a processor for detecting instant
variations of the speed of the element of the motion and to count
the instant variations, and a display for showing a number of the
instant variations.
2. The treadmill as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor has a
light emitting device, a receiver and a light gate, and further
wherein the light emitting device is mounted on the base to emit
rays to the receiver, and the light gate is connected to the
element of the motion to rotate along with the element in
synchronism, which has apertures to be moved to a path of the rays
from the light emitting device, such that while the light gate is
rotated, the receiver receives intermittent light signals and
transfer the signals to the processor to measure a time between two
of the signals.
3. The treadmill as defined in claim 2, wherein the light gate is a
disk with a weigh member thereon.
4. The treadmill as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor has a
light emitting device, a receiver and a light gate, and further
wherein the light emitting device and the receiver are mounted on
the base at opposite sides of the running belt, and the light
emitting device emits rays to the receiver, and the light gate is
apertures on the running belt, such that while the running belt is
running, the receiver receives intermittent light signals and
transfer the signals to the processor to measure a time between two
of the signals.
5. The treadmill as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor has a
light emitting device, a receiver and a light gate, and further
wherein the light emitting device and the receiver are mounted on
the base at opposite sides of the running belt, and the light
emitting device emits rays to the receiver, and the light gate is
teeth on an edge of the running belt, such that while the running
belt is running, the receiver receives intermittent light signals
and transfer the signals to the processor to measure a time between
two of the signals.
6. The treadmill as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor has a
rotor and a switch, wherein the rotor is connected to the element
of the motion assembly, on which magnets are provided, whereby the
magnets produce a periodical magnetic field while the rotor is
rotating, and the switch is turned on and turned off repeatedly by
periodical magnetic field to generate a serious of digital
signals.
7. The treadmill as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor has a
rotor and a coil, wherein the rotor is connected to the element of
the motion assembly, on which magnets are provided to produce a
periodical magnetic field while the rotor is rotating, whereby the
coil generates an induction current by the periodical magnetic
field, and a value of the induction current is taken as an
indication of the speed of the motion assembly.
8. The treadmill as defined in claim 1, wherein the senor has a
wheel pivoted on the base and pressing the running belt to rotate
along with the running belt and a tachometer connected to the wheel
to detect a speed of the wheel.
9. A method of counting a number of steps that a person runs or
walks on a treadmill, wherein the treadmill has a base and a motion
assembly, and the motion assembly has a running and two rollers,
comprising the steps of: monitoring a speed of an element of the
motion assembly of the treadmill; detecting instant variations of
the speed; counting the instant variations of the speed, and
display a number of the instant variations of the speed.
10. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein a method of
monitoring the speed of the element of the motion assembly of the
treadmill comprises the steps of: emitting rays to a light gate,
wherein the light gate is moved along with the element of the
motion assembly in synchronism, and the light gate has apertures to
be moved to a path of the rays, so that while the light gate is
rotating, the rays becomes intermittent signals by the light gate;
receiving the signals, and measuring a time between two of the
signals to calculate a speed of the light gate, wherein the speed
of the light gate is taken as an indication of the speed of the
element of the motion assembly.
11. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein a method of detecting
instant variations of the speed comprises the steps of: calculating
a variation of the speed of the element of the motion assembly, and
recording the variation of the speed as the instant variation while
the variation of speed is greater than 0.02 degree/sec.sup.2 or
0.15 km/hr.sup.2.
12. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein a method of
monitoring the speed of the element of the motion assembly of the
treadmill comprises the steps of: providing a periodical magnetic
field to a switch, wherein a frequency of the periodical magnetic
field is directly proportional to the speed of the element of the
motion assembly, and the switch is turned on and turned of
repeatedly to produce a serious of ON and OFF signals, and
measuring a time between two of the ON signals or between two of
the OFF signals to calculate the speed of the element of the motion
assembly.
13. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein a method of
monitoring the speed of the element of the motion assembly of the
treadmill comprises the steps of: providing a periodical magnetic
field to a movable plate, wherein a frequency of the periodical
magnetic field is directly proportional to the speed of the element
of the motion assembly, and the switch is repeatedly by the
periodical magnetic field to produce a serious of digital signals,
and measuring a frequency the digital signals to calculate the
speed of the element of the motion assembly.
14. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein a method of
monitoring the speed of the element of the motion assembly of the
treadmill comprises the step of providing a periodical magnetic
field to a coil, wherein a frequency of the periodical magnetic
field is directly proportional to the speed of the element of the
motion assembly, and the coil generates an induction current by the
periodical magnetic field, and a method of detecting the instant
variations of the speed comprises the step of detecting instant
variations of the induction current.
15. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein a method of
monitoring the speed of the element of the motion assembly of the
treadmill comprises the step of measuring a current of a motor of
the motion assembly, wherein a value of the current is taken as an
indication of the speed of the motion assembly, and a method of
detecting the instant variations of the speed comprises the step of
detecting instant variations of the current.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to an exercise
equipment, and more particularly to a treadmill having the function
of counting the number of steps of user walking or running on
it.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Treadmill is common equipment for exercise and training.
Early treadmill only provides user the speed of the belt and total
miles etc. The new treadmill further provides user some of his/her
physiological data, such as heartbeats, ventilations, and calorie
consumption. These information tell user the status of exercise and
his/her physiological status, such that user can arrange the
desired exercise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a treadmill, which provides user the number of steps of he/she
walking or running on it.
[0006] According to the objective of the present invention, a
treadmill comprises a base, a motion assembly and a pedometer
system. The pedometer system has a sensor mounted on the base to
monitor a speed of an element of the motion assembly, a processor
mounted on the base to detect instant variations of the speed of
the element of the motion and count a number of the instant
variations, and a display mounted on the base to show the number of
the instant variations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment
of the present invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the pedometer system of the
first preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the sensor of the first
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a front view of the sensor of the first preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a top view of the carrier of the sensor of the
first preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 6 is a chart of the variations of the sensed angular
velocity;
[0013] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the sensor of a second
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the sensor of a third
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the sensor of a fourth
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 are top views of the sensor of the
fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the sensor of a fifth
preferred embodiment of the present invention, and
[0018] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the sensor of a seventh
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] As shown in FIG. 3, a treadmill 1 of the first preferred
embodiment of the present invention includes a base 2, a motion
assembly 3 mounted on the base 2 and a pedometer system. The base 2
includes a base frame 10, two upright frames 12 fixed to the base
frame 10, two handlebars 14 mounted on the upright frames 12, a
deck 16 fixed on the base frame 10 and a panel 18 with buttons 20
and a display 22 fixed on tops of the upright frames 12. The motion
assembly 3 includes a motor 24, a transmission device 26, two
rollers 28 (only showing the front roller in FIG. 1) and a running
belt 30. The rollers 28 are pivoted on a front and a rear of the
base frame 10, and the running belt 30 is mounted on the rollers
30. The transmission device 26 is a belt connecting the motor 24
and the front roller 28, such that the motor 24 drives the running
belt 30 running via the transmission device 26 and the front roller
28.
[0020] FIG. 2 shows the pedometer system of the present invention,
which as a sensor 32, a processor 34 and the display 22. The sensor
32 monitors the speed of an element of the motion assembly 3. The
processor 34 detects instant variations of the speed and counts a
number of the instant variations of the speed. And then, the result
is shown on the display 22, such that user knows how many steps
does he/she walks or runs on the running belt 30.
[0021] As shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, the sensor 32 of the first
preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a light
emitting device 36, a receiver 38 and a light gate 40. The light
emitting device 36 and the receiver 38 are made in a single
element, and the element has a mount 42 to be fixed on the frame 10
adjacent to the front roller 28. The light emitting device 36
projects infrared rays to the receiver 38. The light gate 40 is a
disk fixed to the front roller 28 for rotation along with the
roller 28 in synchronism. The light gate 40 has several apertures
44 with the same interval on a margin thereof. The light emitting
device 36 and the receiver 38 are located at opposite sides of the
light gate 40, and the light gate 40 rotates to have the apertures
44 moving to a path of the infrared rays from the light emitting
device 36, such that the receiver 38 receives a series of
intermittent light signals and transfers the light signals to
electrical signals and transmits them to the processor 34. The
light gate 40 is provided with two weight members 46 on opposite
sides thereof.
[0022] The processor 34 is installed in the panel 18 with a
processing circuit and a counting circuit (not shown). The
processing circuit receives the electrical signals from the
receiver 38 and measures a time between two signals (.DELTA.t). The
included angles (.alpha.) between the apertures 44 are known, so
that we can get the angular velocity (.omega.) of the light gate 40
by dividing .alpha. by .DELTA.t. The angular velocity (.omega.) is
also an indication of the speed of the roller 28 of the motion
assembly 3. In practice, a frequency of the signals may be taken as
an indication of the speed.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 6, while the motion assembly rotates in a
substantially constant speed, the angular velocity (.omega.)
substantially is constant also. But when a person is running or
walking on the running belt 30 and at the moment that the foot is
stepping on the running belt 30, it provides the motion assembly 3
a loading to slow down the speed of all elements (including the
running belt 30, the rollers 28, the transmission device 26 and the
motor 24), so that the sensor 32 detects an instant variation in
the angular velocity (.omega.). The instant variation of the
angular velocity (.omega.) substantially is a sine curve. The
processor 34 records a "One Step" while one instant variation of
the angular velocity (.omega.) is detected.
[0024] A method of identifying the instant variations of the
angular velocity (.omega.) is calculation of the variation of
angular velocity (.omega.) (i.e. angular acceleration). In
practice, the processor is provided with a filter to delete extreme
values. The rest values are calculated for the angular
acceleration. While an angular acceleration is greater than 0.02
degree/sec.sup.2, or the acceleration is greater than 0.15
km/hr.sup.2, it is taken as a "One Step".
[0025] The counting circuit of the processor 34 counts the number
of "One Step" and shows the number on the display 22.
[0026] The sensor may be provided to monitor the speed of any
element of the motion assembly, including the motor, the
transmission device, the running belt or and the rollers, also for
detection of the instant variations of the speed.
[0027] FIG. 7 shows a sensor 50 of the second preferred embodiment
of the present invention, which has a light gate 52, a light
emitting device 54 and a receiver 56. The light gate 52 is teeth on
an edge of a running belt 58. The light emitting device 54 and the
receiver 56 are located at opposite sides of the running belt 58
associated with the teeth 52. Running of the running belt 58 makes
the receiver 56 receive a series of intermittent light signals as
above. FIG. 8 shows a sensor 62 of the third preferred embodiment
of the present invention, which is similar to the sensor 50 of the
second preferred embodiment, except that the light gate 64 is
apertures on a margin of the running belt 66. The sensor 52 or 62
is preferred fixed at a position adjacent to the roller 60 or 68
that can reduce the effect of vibration of the running belt.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 9, a sensor 70 of the fourth preferred
embodiment of the present invention includes a rotor 72 and a
switch 74. The rotor 72 is a disk, on which magnets 78 are fixed in
a circulative pattern. The magnets 78 have the same interval. The
switch 74 has a housing 80 and two conductive plates 82 therein.
The plates 82 have ends fixed to the housing 80 and have free ends
84 suspended. The free ends 84 of the plates 82 are overlapped. The
plates 82 are electrically connected to the processor via a wire
(not shown). While the magnet 78 of the rotor 72 closes to the
plates 82, the free ends 84 of the plates 82 are in contact (FIG.
11). While the magnet 78 moves away from the plates 82, the free
ends 84 of the plates 82 are separated (FIG. 10). In other words,
the rotor 72 provides a periodical magnetic field with a frequency
directly proportional to the speed of the rotor 72. The magnetic
field makes the plates 82 of the switch 74 touching and separation
repeatedly. As a result, the switch 74 produces a serious of
digital signals with ON and OFF. As above, we can get the angular
velocity (.omega.) of the rotor 72 by measuring the time between
two ON signals or between two OFF signals, or just measuring the
frequency of the digital signals to be an indication of the
velocity of the rotor 72. If the processor detects an instant
variation in the velocity, it records a "One Step".
[0029] As shown in FIG. 12, the fifth preferred embodiment of the
present invention provides a sensor 86 including a rotor 88 with
magnets 90 thereon and a coil 92. The rotor 88 produces a
periodical magnetic field. With the electromagnetic induction, the
coil 92 generates a current under the periodical magnetic field.
While user is stepping the running belt, the loading slows down the
motion assembly as well as the rotor 90. The magnetic field is
changed suddenly also to make the induction current has an instant
variation. While the instant variation of the current is detected,
the processor records a "One Step".
[0030] The sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention
provides a method of counting the number of steps that user walks
or runs on a treadmill. The current in the motor is monitored to be
an indication of the speed of the motion assembly. While user is
stepping the running belt, the current in the motor is increased to
enlarge the torque output. As a result, while the current in the
motor is detected with an instant variation, the processor records
it as a "One Step".
[0031] As shown in FIG. 13, a sensor 94 of the seventh preferred
embodiment of the present invention includes a wheel 96, a mount 98
and a tachometer 100. The wheel 96 is pivoted on the mount 98, and
the tachometer 100 is connected to the wheel 96 to detect the speed
of rotation thereof. The mount 98 has two elongated slots 102 and
two blots 104 inserted into the slots and screwed into a frame 106
of the treadmill, such that the mount 98 is movable to press the
wheel 96 on a running belt 108. The wheel 96 runs along with the
running belt 108, and the tachometer 100 monitors the speed of the
wheel 96. While an instant variation of the speed of the wheel 96
is detected, the processor records a "One Step".
[0032] Except the sixth preferred embodiment, the treadmill of the
present invention may be a non-electric treadmill. In other words,
the motion assembly only includes the rollers and the running belt
but the motor and the transmission device.
* * * * *