U.S. patent application number 11/335403 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-19 for endless belt for treadmill.
Invention is credited to Hai Pin Kuo.
Application Number | 20070167292 11/335403 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42671581 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070167292 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kuo; Hai Pin |
July 19, 2007 |
Endless belt for treadmill
Abstract
A belt device includes one or more intermediate layers each
having one or more conductive wires for reducing or for eliminating
static electricity. The intermediate layers each includes a number
of longitudinal fibers arranged parallel to the conductive wire,
and/or includes a number of lateral fibers arranged parallel to the
conductive wire. An outer peripheral layer may be attached onto the
intermediate layer, or having the intermediate layer engaged into
the outer peripheral layer, or an inner peripheral layer may be
attached onto the intermediate layer, for allowing the intermediate
layer to be disposed between the outer and the inner peripheral
layers.
Inventors: |
Kuo; Hai Pin; (Tainan,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHARLES E. BAXLEY, ESQUIRE
SUITE 309
90 JOHN STREET
NEW YORK
NY
10038
US
|
Family ID: |
42671581 |
Appl. No.: |
11/335403 |
Filed: |
January 19, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/54 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 22/0285 20130101;
A63B 2209/02 20130101; A63B 22/02 20130101; B65G 15/34
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/054 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/02 20060101
A63B022/02 |
Claims
1. A belt device comprising: at least one intermediate layer
including at least one conductive wire engaged therein for
eliminating static electricity.
2. The belt device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one
intermediate layer includes a plurality of longitudinal fibers
arranged parallel to said at least one conductive wire.
3. The belt device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one
intermediate layer includes a plurality of lateral fibers arranged
parallel to said at least one conductive wire.
4. The belt device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an
outer peripheral layer attached onto said at least one intermediate
layer.
5. The belt device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said at least one
intermediate layer is engaged in said outer peripheral layer.
6. The belt device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an
inner peripheral layer attached onto said at least one intermediate
layer.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an endless belt device for
an exercise treadmill, and more particularly to an endless belt
device for an exercise treadmill having a structure for reducing or
eliminating static electricity.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Typical exercise treadmill comprise an endless belt device
disposed on rollers to present a walking surface in an inclined
plane for supporting a user thereon and for allowing the user to
conduct walking or jogging exercises or the like.
[0005] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,362 to Dalebout et al.
discloses one of the typical exercise treadmills of the type used
in gymnasiums, health clubs, and sanitaria to provide a controlled
form of exercise within a confined indoor space, and the typical
exercise treadmill also comprises an endless belt device disposed
on a relatively large number of rollers that are disposed
transversely in a supporting frame, for forming a walking surface
in an inclined plane and for supporting a user thereon and for
allowing the user to conduct various exercises.
[0006] Some of the electrical facilities may further be attached to
the exercise treadmills for sensing or detecting or measuring the
rotational or moving speed of the endless belt, and/or various
information of the exercisers, such as the breath, the heart beat,
or other health or body condition of the exercisers.
[0007] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,632 to Dalebout et al.
discloses one of the typical exercise treadmills having a
microprocessor to generate signals and in order to control the
exerciser.
[0008] However, the endless belt of the typical exercise treadmills
are normally made of polymer materials, such as polyester, and may
generate static electricity when the endless belt is moved or
rotated around the rollers, and the static electricity may affect
the sensing or detecting or measuring the rotational or moving
speed of the endless belt or of the information of the
exercisers.
[0009] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate
the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional belt devices
for exercise treadmills.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
an endless belt device for attaching to an exercise treadmill and
including a structure for reducing or eliminating static
electricity and for allowing various information to be effectively
sensed or detected or measured by the electrical facilities.
[0011] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is
provided a belt device comprising at least one intermediate layer
including at least one conductive wire engaged therein for reducing
or for eliminating static electricity and for allowing various
information to be effectively sensed or detected or measured by the
electrical facilities.
[0012] The intermediate layer includes a number of longitudinal
fibers arranged parallel to the conductive wire, and/or includes a
number of lateral fibers arranged parallel to the conductive wire
and alternatively interwoven with the longitudinal fibers for
forming a woven or non-woven cloth type or structure.
[0013] An outer peripheral layer may further be provided and
attached onto the intermediate layer, or having the intermediate
layer engaged into the outer peripheral layer. An inner peripheral
layer may further be provided and attached onto the intermediate
layer.
[0014] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed
description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a partial plan and exploded view of an endless
belt device in accordance with the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of the
endless belt device;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a partial plan schematic view illustrating an
intermediate layer of the endless belt;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a partial side or end plan schematic view of the
intermediate layer of the endless belt device,
[0019] FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of the
intermediate layer of the endless belt device;
[0020] FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view similar
to FIG. 5, illustrating the other arrangement of the intermediate
layer of the endless belt device;
[0021] FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view similar
to FIGS. 5 and 6, illustrating the further arrangement of the
intermediate layer of the endless belt device; and
[0022] FIG. 8 is a partial cross sectional and exploded view
illustrating the other arrangement of the endless belt device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0023] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, an
endless belt device 10 in accordance with the present invention is
provided or arranged for attaching to an exercise treadmill (not
shown) of the type used in gymnasiums, health clubs, and sanitaria
to provide a controlled form of exercise within a confined indoor
space, and the endless belt device is disposed on a relatively
large number of rollers that are disposed transversely in a
supporting frame of the exercise treadmill, for forming a walking
surface in an inclined plane and for supporting a user thereon and
for allowing the user to conduct various exercises.
[0024] The endless belt device 10 comprises an upper or outer
peripheral layer 20 (FIGS. 1-2), and a lower or inner peripheral
layer 30, and/or one or more insert or intermediate layers 40
(FIGS. 1-4) disposed or engaged between the outer and the inner
peripheral layers 20, 30. The outer and the inner peripheral layers
20, 30 are preferably made of plastic or polymer or synthetic
fibers, such as polyvinyl chloride, or the like.
[0025] The intermediate layers 40 each includes a number of
longitudinal threads or fibers 41 and a number of lateral threads
or fibers 42 alternatively interwoven together to form the
intermediate layer 40 of a woven or non-woven cloth type or
structure. The longitudinal threads or fibers 41 and the lateral
threads or fibers 42 of the intermediate layers 40 may be made of
various natural fiber materials, such as natural plant fibers, or
plastic or polymer or synthetic fibers, such as polyester, etc.
[0026] The intermediate layers 40 each further includes one or more
conductive metallic cables or wires 43 (FIGS. 5-7) interwoven in
either or both of the longitudinal threads or fibers 41 and the
lateral threads or fibers 42. For example, the intermediate layers
40 may each include one or more conductive metallic cables or wires
43 interwoven in and/or parallel to the longitudinal threads or
fibers 41 and/or in the lateral threads or fibers 42 (FIG. 3). The
interwoven conductive metallic cables or wires 43 of the
intermediate layers 40 may be electrically contacted with each
other and may be used or provided for reducing or eliminating
static electricity and for allowing various information to be
effectively sensed or detected or measured by the electrical
facilities.
[0027] In operation, the endless belt device 10 may be rotated or
moved in a relatively large moving speed relative to the supporting
rollers, and a friction or rubbing or abrasion may be generated
between the endless belt device and the supporting rollers, and
thus a static electricity may be generated by the friction or
rubbing or abrasion between the endless belt device and the
supporting rollers. The interwoven conductive metallic cables or
wires 43 of the intermediate layers 40 may be used to suitably
reduce or eliminate the static electricity.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 8, alternatively, the intermediate layers
40 may be engaged in either the outer or the inner peripheral layer
20, 30, or may be solidly engaged and embedded in either the outer
or the inner peripheral layer 20, 30 to form an integral or one
piece structure.
[0029] Accordingly, the endless belt device for the exercise
treadmill in accordance with the present invention includes a
structure for reducing or eliminating static electricity and for
allowing various information to be effectively sensed or detected
or measured by the electrical facilities.
[0030] Although this invention has been described with a certain
degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present
disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous
changes in the detailed construction and the combination and
arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
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