U.S. patent application number 11/472894 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-27 for surface-modified exercise belt for a treadmill.
Invention is credited to Ashok H. Shah, Nandan A. Shah.
Application Number | 20070298937 11/472894 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38874225 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070298937 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shah; Ashok H. ; et
al. |
December 27, 2007 |
Surface-modified exercise belt for a treadmill
Abstract
An exercise belt for a treadmill is provided having a modified
surface that simulates natural ground terrain for the purpose of
strengthening the muscles of the exerciser's ankles. The modified
surface is produced by regions of variable effective thickness
which may be protrusions or attached pads of varied shape,
thickness, hardness and spacing. In another aspect, a kit is
provided having a large number of pads of varied shape, thickness
and hardness adhesively attachable to the belt.
Inventors: |
Shah; Ashok H.; (Midlothian,
VA) ; Shah; Nandan A.; (Midlothian, VA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Norman B. Rainer
2008 Fondulac Road
Richmond
VA
23229
US
|
Family ID: |
38874225 |
Appl. No.: |
11/472894 |
Filed: |
June 23, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/54 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 22/02 20130101;
A63B 22/0285 20130101; A63B 2213/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/54 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/02 20060101
A63B022/02 |
Claims
1) A continuous resilient exercise belt for a treadmill machine,
said belt having an exterior surface and opposed flat interior
surface, said belt incorporating regions of variable effective
thickness associated with said exterior surface in a manner to
simulate natural ground terrain.
2) The belt of claim 1 wherein said regions of variable effective
thickness are comprised of a series of protrusions disposed upon
said exterior surface.
3) The belt of claim 2 wherein the size and spacing of said
protrusions are such as to cause flexion of the ankles of the
exerciser in a manner to simulate running or walking upon natural
outdoor terrain.
4) The belt of claim 2 wherein said protrusions are of varied
hardness within said series.
5) The belt of claim 2 wherein said protrusions are bounded by a
perimeter which defines the specific lateral shape of the
protrusion.
6) The belt of claim 2 wherein said exterior surface has attached
thereto a continuous layer of a substrate softer than said belt,
and said protrusions are outwardly directed from said layer.
7) The belt of claim 5 wherein the upper surface of each protrusion
has a region of maximum elevation which is downwardly tapered
toward said perimeter, causing said protrusion to have a
hill-shaped profile that minimizes impact upon the soles of the
exerciser's feet.
8) The belt of claim 2 wherein said protrusions are pads separately
adhered to said exterior surface.
9) The belt of claim 2 wherein the height and firmness of said
protrusions are adjustable by virtue of applied pneumatic
pressure.
10) The belt of claim 2 wherein said protrusions are continuous
integral extensions of said belt.
11) A kit comprised of resilient pads, each pad having a flat
bottom surface and thickness in the range of 0.1 to 1.50 inch, and
adhesive means for securing said pads by way of said flat surfaces
to the exterior surface of a belt of an exercise treadmill.
12) The kit of claim 11 wherein said adhesive means comprises a
layer of contact adhesive disposed upon said bottom surfaces, and a
sheet of protective release paper disposed upon said layer of
contact adhesive.
13) The kit of claim 12 comprised of 25 to 100 pads of varied size,
shape and hardness.
14) The belt of claim 2 wherein said protrusions are randomly
distributed and have varied lateral shapes.
15) The belt of claim 2 wherein said protrusions are uniformly
distributed.
16) The belt of claim 2 wherein said protrusions have varied
height.
17) The belt of claim 2 wherein said protrusions are of uniform
height.
18) The belt of claim 8 wherein said pads are of foam
construction.
19) The kit of claim 11 further comprised of instructions for the
placement of said pads in a manner causing said exterior surface to
simulate natural ground terrain.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to exercise machines, and more
particularly concerns treadmill machines having a modified exercise
surface that simulates natural ground terrain.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Exercise treadmills in widespread use enable
exercise-conscious persons to simulate a controlled walking,
running, or jogging exercise program indoors with a minimum amount
of space. The speed of exercise, the duration of the exercise
period, and the work expended may be readily controlled by
regulating the speed and inclination of the treadmill belt, and the
length of the exercise period.
[0005] Typically, an exercise treadmill includes an endless belt
entrained around a pair of spaced-apart rollers, with one of the
rollers being driven at a predetermined speed such that the upper
reach of the belt moves from a front to rear direction. In order
for the user to remain stationary relative to a handlebar or the
frame of the treadmill, the user must walk or run on the upper
reach of the belt. By increasing or decreasing the surface speed of
the belt, and by changing the inclination of the belt, the degree
of physical energy expended by the user to keep pace with the belt
may be selectively varied.
[0006] The upper reach of the belt must be supported by support
means interposed between the upper and lower reaches of the belt.
The support means may typically be a stationary flat slider plate
having a very low friction surface or polymeric sheet that is in
contact with the belt. Alternatively, the support means may be a
series of parallel rollers positioned orthogonally to the direction
of movement of the belt, said rollers minimizing frictional
interaction with the belt. Both the interior and exterior surfaces
of the belt are typically flat. As a consequence, the exerciser is
provided with a constantly smooth exercise surface, quite unlike
the experience of walking or running outdoors on moist or loose
soil, grass or woodland trails or on a gravel shoulder surface
adjacent a suburban road. In such outdoor running or walking
sessions, irregularities in the terrain impart varied stresses to
the exerciser's feet and ankles. The stresses cause flexion of the
ankles in lateral, forward and rearward directions, and serve to
strengthen the associated muscles.
[0007] It is accordingly an object of the present invention to
provide a treadmill apparatus which provides a modified exercise
surface that simulates natural terrain.
[0008] It is another object of this invention to provide a
treadmill of the aforesaid nature wherein said modified surface is
incorporated into the belt component of the treadmill
apparatus.
[0009] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
treadmill apparatus of the aforesaid nature wherein the nature of
said modified surface is adjustable.
[0010] These objects and other objects and advantages of the
invention will be apparent from the following description.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The above and other beneficial objects and advantages are
accomplished in accordance with the present invention by an endless
belt of flexible construction bounded by interior and exterior
surfaces and parallel side edges, and adapted to tightly embrace
front and rear rollers of a treadmill machine whereby said belt is
caused to have horizontally elongated upper and lower reaches in
vertically spaced apart juxtaposition with intervening support
means acting upon said upper reach, said upper reach constituting a
foot path that moves rearwardly at a controlled speed, said belt
incorporating regions of variable effective thickness associated
with said exterior surface in a manner to simulate natural ground
terrain.
[0012] In one embodiment, the regions of variable effective
thickness are provided by a series of protrusions disposed along
the length and width of the belt. The size, shape and distribution
of the protrusions can be variable and disposed in a random or
uniform pattern. The elevation of such protrusions and their
inclination with respect to the surface of the belt should be
adequate to induce reasonable but not excessive inclination of the
exerciser's ankle, so as to safely strengthen the associated leg
muscles.
[0013] In addition to said height and inclination of the elevated
regions, the deformability of the elevated regions under the load
imparted on them by the foot of the person using the treadmill is
low, causing tilting of the ankle. It is preferred that the
protrusions have some deformability under load in order to avoid
hard impact upon the bottom of the foot of the exercising person.
Consequently, it is desired to have some flatness or curvature to
the tip, that is highest point, of the elevated regions in order to
prevent any sharp pointed object like experience to the foot of the
person walking or running on the treadmill. The person may be
wearing shoes or may be bare foot while using the treadmill.
[0014] The spacing between the elevated areas is preferably large
enough as compared to the size of the heel of most adults, so that
the heel gets tilted as it lands on the inclined part of the
elevated region, causing tilting of the ankle either laterally,
forwardly or rearwardly. The non-elevated or valley region of the
belt can be flat or can have many small size raised areas to impart
a massage like action to the bottom sole if the person walking on
the belt is bare footed. The elevated regions can also be made up
of many small size raised areas as well.
[0015] Said elevated regions can be integral with the belt, having
been produced during the manufacture thereof as by a molding
operation. Alternatively, pads of varied thickness, compressibility
and shape can be bonded in varied spacings to said exterior
surface. The belt can be of uniform thickness, having a flat
surface wherein the valley areas are filled with material having
lower hardness than the hardness of the elevated regions. Such
construction simulates the effect of traversing upon uneven ground,
and strengthens the involved ankle muscles.
[0016] In a still further embodiment, the sought variability in the
effective thickness of the belt can be achieved by a separate
sheet-like structure removably attachable to the belt. In order to
reduce the extension of the material closer to the outer surface as
the belt goes around the rollers, the belt can be slitted across
the width every short distance along the length of the belt. The
slits may be as deep as the thickness of the belt or may be
shorter.
[0017] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the
aforesaid regions of variable effective thickness of the belt may
be formed on-demand by the inflation of a pillow-like structure
underneath or above the upper reach of the belt.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0018] For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the
invention, reference should be had to the following detailed
description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing
forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals
of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the
drawing:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the treadmill of
the present invention with portions broken away to reveal interior
details.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a left end view of FIG. 1 with portions broken
away.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of FIG. 1.
[0022] FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken in the direction
of the arrows upon the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.
[0023] FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of an embodiment
of the treadmill belt of the present invention having identical
rounded pads.
[0024] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top view of the belt of FIG. 5.
[0025] FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side view of a belt embodiment
having pads of high hardness and a valley area having small raised
elements.
[0026] FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side view of a belt embodiment
having a checkerboard pattern of alternating soft and hard
rectangular pads.
[0027] FIG. 9 is a fragmentary top view of the belt of FIG. 8.
[0028] FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional side view of a belt
having pads of high hardness embedded in a valley of lesser
hardness.
[0029] FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional side view of a belt
having inflatable pads.
[0030] FIG. 12 is a schematic side view of a belt embodiment with
pads having vertical slits.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0031] Referring now to FIGS. 1-12, an embodiment of the exercise
treadmill 10 of the present invention is shown having a frame 11
including a pair of laterally spaced apart parallel side channels
12a and 12b extending lengthwise of the frame. A front roller 13
and a rear roller 14 are journaled between said side channels
adjacent the front and rear ends thereof, respectively. An endless
flexible belt 15 is entrained around the front and rear rollers,
with the belt having horizontally elongated upper and lower reaches
16 and 17, respectively. Belt 15 is bounded by interior and
exterior surfaces 18 and 19, respectively, and parallel side edges
20a and 20b. The distance between said rollers, and consequently
the length of said upper and lower reaches is typically between
about 4 and 8 feet. The width of the belt, namely the distance of
separation of said side edges is typically between about 18 and 30
inches. As commonly constructed, the belt contains at least one
layer of a reinforcing fabric embedded in a synthetic elastomer
such as neoprene by way of a compression molding operation similar
to the production of automobile tires. The belt is fabricated from
a single length of belt material having a thickness of about 0.125
inch, the end edges of which are joined by metal fasteners. The
material of construction of the belt must be durable, resilient to
repeated impact load, abrasion resistance, may be composite,
multi-layered, open cell foam, closed cell foam, hybrid of open and
closed cell foam, impregnated with binders, woven, made up of
discrete or continuous fibers using various manufacturing process
commonly used in manufacturing belt like articles in various
combinations therein, can contain additives like antimicrobial,
antifungal, deodorizing compounds, moisture absorbing, hydrophobic,
and hydrophilic compounds.
[0032] As shown in FIG. 3, the upper reach 16 of the belt moves
from front to rear so that a user standing on the upper reach has
to walk or run at a predetermined speed in the forward direction
(to the right as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3) to remain stationary
relative to frame 11. Front roller 13 is generally rotatably driven
by a variable speed DC electric motor housed within the frame, with
the motor connected to the roller by means of a belt and pulley
drive. A plurality of shock absorbing support feet 22 comprised of
rubber pads, springs or the like are provided on the bottom faces
of said side channels at the forward and rear ends thereof for the
purpose of minimizing vibration of the treadmill. A front frame
member 23 is secured to and extends between the forward ends of the
side channels.
[0033] As generally indicated at 25, a control panel is provided at
the front end of the treadmill in position so that the panel's
display may be readily viewed by a user of the treadmill when
walking or running on upper reach 16. Control panel 25 includes a
plurality of switches for controlling the operation of the drive
motor. Also, certain display readouts 26 may be provided for
showing the speed of the belt and hence the velocity at which the
user is walking or running. Control panel 25 is supported by a pair
of support arms 27a and 27b secured to respective side channels 12a
and 12b and extending upwardly and rearwardly from the front ends
thereof. Paired handlebars 29a and 29b extend upwardly from side
channels 12a and 12b, respectively, and provide a grip for the user
while walking or running on upper reach 16 of the belt. A slider
panel 31 fabricated of heat-conductive metal is secured by said
side channels in the intervening space 32 between said upper and
lower reaches, and slidingly supports said upper reach along its
entire length.
[0034] In a first embodiment of the treadmill of this invention, as
best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the elevated regions or protrusions
are in the form of a series of resilient pads 35 of varied
thickness, size, shape and compressive modulus adhered in varied
spacing and patterns to exterior surface 19 of the belt. The
laterally extending shape of the pad is defined by a perimeter 39
of preferably irregular configuration. The pads are typically
fabricated of resilient polymers, and have a flat bottom surface
36. The upper surfaces of the pads may be flat, rounded or
otherwise contoured. In preferred embodiments, the upper surface
has a central region of maximum elevation or apogee 40 which is
downwardly tapered toward said perimeter, causing the pad to have a
hill-shaped profile with a maximum height or thickness
corresponding to said region of maximum elevation. Such
construction provides lessened impact, and provides comfort to the
soles of the exerciser's feet.
[0035] The pads may have a height or thickness, measured between
said bottom surface and region of maximum elevation in the range of
0.1 to 1.50 inch, and may be of foam structure, having closed
and/or open cells. The pads may be adhered to the belt by
conventional adhesives, and may be emplaced either in a factory
operation or by the treadmill user. In fact, one aspect of the
present invention is a kit comprised of pads and/or pad material
along with a supply of a suitable adhesive. Alternatively, the
bottom surfaces 36 of the pads of the kit may contain a layer of
contact adhesive covered by a protective release paper. Such kits
will contain between about 25 and 100 pads.
[0036] The nature of the selection and arrangement of pads on the
belt provides a texture which can simulate the effects of walking
or running upon different types of natural terrain. Such effect
serves to strengthen the ankle muscles of the exerciser.
[0037] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a belt embodiment having identical
rounded pads 60 upon flat exterior surface 19. The spaces between
the pads are considered as valleys 61.
[0038] FIG. 7 illustrates a belt embodiment having pads 62 of high
hardness surrounded by a valley area 63 having small raised
elements 64.
[0039] FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a belt embodiment having a
checkerboard pattern of alternating soft pads 65 and hard pads
66.
[0040] FIG. 10 shows a belt embodiment having pads 67 of high
hardness embedded in a valley layer 68 of lesser hardness.
[0041] FIG. 11 illustrates a belt embodiment having inflatable pads
69 connected to underlying air supply means 70.
[0042] FIG. 12 shows a belt embodiment with pads 71 having vertical
slits 72 oriented transversely to the direction of belt travel.
[0043] While particular examples of the present invention have been
shown and described, it is apparent that changes and modifications
may be made therein without departing from the invention in its
broadest aspects. The aim of the appended claims, therefore, is to
cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true
spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *