U.S. patent application number 12/709901 was filed with the patent office on 2010-09-09 for treadmill belt of a treadmill.
Invention is credited to Kuang-Ming Liu.
Application Number | 20100227740 12/709901 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42145970 |
Filed Date | 2010-09-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100227740 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Liu; Kuang-Ming |
September 9, 2010 |
TREADMILL BELT OF A TREADMILL
Abstract
A treadmill belt of a treadmill includes a matrix and a foam
layer. The foam layer is integrally combined with the matrix after
a solid material and the matrix covered on the solid material are
heated, foamed and compressed, such that the flatness of the
combined matrix and foam layer as well as the comfort of jogging
can be enhanced.
Inventors: |
Liu; Kuang-Ming; (Fengyuan
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Jackson Intellectual Property Group PLLC
106 Starvale Lane
Shipman
VA
22971
US
|
Family ID: |
42145970 |
Appl. No.: |
12/709901 |
Filed: |
February 22, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/54 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 22/0285 20130101;
A61P 25/00 20180101; A61P 43/00 20180101; A61P 1/14 20180101; A61P
9/10 20180101; A61P 21/02 20180101; A61P 3/10 20180101; A61P 25/32
20180101; A61P 25/04 20180101; A61P 3/04 20180101; A61P 25/06
20180101; A61P 25/08 20180101; A61P 25/30 20180101; A63B 22/02
20130101; A61P 25/20 20180101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/54 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/02 20060101
A63B022/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 6, 2009 |
TW |
98203456 |
Claims
1. A treadmill belt of a treadmill, comprising a matrix and a foam
layer, thereby the foam layer is integrally combined with the
matrix after a solid material and the matrix covered thereon are
heated, foamed and compressed.
2. The treadmill belt of a treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the matrix includes a woven cloth layer.
3. The treadmill belt of a treadmill as claimed in claim 2, wherein
the matrix further includes a middle layer formed between the woven
cloth layer and the foam layer.
4. The treadmill belt of a treadmill as claimed in claim 3, wherein
the middle layer is made of a material selected from the group
consisting of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material and an emulsified
layer.
5. The treadmill belt of a treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the solid material is one selected from the group consisting of a
thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), a thermoplastic elastomer rubber
(TPE), and a thermoplastic elastomer (TPV).
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a treadmill belt, and more
particularly to a treadmill belt applied in a treadmill.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] With reference to FIG. 1 for a conventional treadmill, the
treadmill 1 comprises a treadmill platform 11, and a treadmill belt
12 rotably installed around the treadmill platform 11, such that a
jogger can jog on the treadmill belt 12.
[0005] With reference to FIG. 2, a general treadmill belt 12
available in the market includes a woven cloth layer 121 formed at
a bottom layer and a stepping layer 122 formed at a top layer. The
stepping layer 122 is generally made of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
material, and coated onto the woven cloth layer 121 before the PVC
material is solidified, such that the PVC material can be permeated
into pores of the woven cloth layer 121 to improve the effect of
combining the stepping layer 122 with the woven cloth layer 121
after the PVC material is solidified.
[0006] Since the stepping layer 122 is coated onto the woven cloth
layer 121, therefore the uniformity of the coating will affect the
flatness of the surface of the stepping layer 122. Furthermore, the
PVC material is a relatively hard material which will give rise to
an uncomfortable jogging condition.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the inventor
of the present invention based on years of experience in the
related industry to conduct extensive researches and experiments,
and finally developed a treadmill belt in accordance with the
present invention.
[0008] Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present
invention to overcome the aforementioned shortcoming and deficiency
of the prior art by providing a treadmill belt of a treadmill to
enhance the flatness of the treadmill belt and the jogging
comfort.
[0009] To achieve the foregoing objective, the present invention
provides a treadmill belt comprising a matrix and a foam layer. The
foam layer is integrally combined with the matrix after a solid
material and the matrix covered on the solid material are heated,
foamed and compressed, such that the flatness of the combined
matrix and foam layer as well as the flatness of the treadmill belt
can be enhanced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional
treadmill;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional treadmill
belt of a treadmill;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a treadmill belt of a
treadmill in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0013] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a treadmill belt of a
treadmill in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] The foregoing and other technical characteristics of the
present invention will become apparent with the detailed
description of the preferred embodiments and the illustration of
the related drawings.
[0015] With reference to FIG. 3 for a treadmill belt of a treadmill
in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of present
invention, the treadmill belt comprises a matrix 2 formed at a
bottom layer and a foam layer 3 formed at a top layer.
[0016] The matrix 2 includes a woven cloth layer 21, and the woven
cloth layer 21 may also be substituted by an unwoven cloth.
[0017] The foam layer 3 is integrally combined with the matrix 2 by
a solid foaming method, wherein the foam layer 3 is made of a
thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), a thermoplastic elastomer rubber
(TPE), or a thermoplastic elastomer (TPV).
[0018] In the manufacturing process of the aforementioned solid
foaming method, a solid material in form of particles is placed on
a platform (not shown in the figure), and then the solid material
is pulled, extended, and covered onto the solid material. After
going through a heating process, the solid material starts melting
and permeating into the woven cloth layer 21 of the matrix 2. After
going through a foaming process and a compressing process, the foam
layer 3 is integrally combined with the matrix 2.
[0019] With reference to FIG. 4 for a second preferred embodiment
of the present invention, the second preferred embodiment is
substantially the same as the first preferred embodiment, and their
difference resides on that the matrix 2 further includes a middle
layer 22 coated on the woven cloth layer 21, wherein the middle
layer 22 is made of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material or an
emulsified layer.
[0020] Similarly, the solid material in form of particles is placed
on a platform (not shown in the figure), and then the solid
material is pulled, extended, and covered onto solid material.
After going through the heating, foaming and compressing processes,
the solid material and the middle layer 22 are integrally combined
into the foam layer 3.
[0021] It is noteworthy to point out that although the middle layer
22 is formed on the woven cloth layer 21 by a coating process, the
middle layer 22 is not formed on the top layer, and thus the
overall flatness will not be affected. In addition, the foam layer
3 and the middle layer 22 are made of a thermoplastic material, and
the foam layer 3 and the middle layer 22 can be fused with each
other to provide an integrally secured structure.
[0022] In summation of the description above, the treadmill belt of
a treadmill in accordance with the present invention has the
following advantages and effects. Since the foam layer 3 is formed
on the matrix 2 by a solid foaming method, therefore the foam layer
3 can be formed uniformly on the woven cloth layer 21 during the
heating, foaming and compressing processes, so as to enhance the
flatness of the combined matrix 2 and foam layer 3 as well as the
jogging comfort of the treadmill belt.
[0023] The present invention improves over the prior art and
complies with patent application requirements, and thus is duly
filed for patent application. While the invention has been
described by device of specific embodiments, numerous modifications
and variations could be made thereto by those generally skilled in
the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the
invention set forth in the claims.
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