Lightweight, clear-path, equilibrated treadmill

Abstract

A treadmill comprising a frame for supporting the treadmill on a supporting surface, a deck, secured to the frame to be supported thereby, the deck having a front, a rear, a right and left side, and a tread surface extending from proximate the front to proximate the rear for supporting the weight of a user thereabove. A first roller, may be connected proximate the front of the deck to rotate with respect to the deck, a second roller, may be connected proximate the rear of the deck to rotate with respect to the deck. A belt may be connected to pass continuously over the tread surface and around the first and second rollers, to provide a fully exposed top surface, for unobstructed walking thereon by a user. A motor may be configured to drive the belt, the motor being positioned laterally between the right and left sides of the deck, and below the deck at a location longitudinally between the first and second rollers.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:  
     
         1 . A treadmill comprising: 
 a frame for supporting the treadmill on a supporting surface;    a deck, secured to the frame to be supported on a supporting surface thereby, the deck having a front and rear defining a longitudinal direction, a right side and left side defining a lateral direction, and a tread surface extending from proximate the front to proximate the rear for supporting the weight of a user thereabove;    a first roller, connected proximate the front of the deck to rotate with respect to the deck;    a second roller, connected proximate the rear of the deck to rotate with respect to the deck;    a belt connected to pass continuously over the tread surface and around the first and second rollers, to provide a fully exposed top surface, for unobstructed walking thereon by a user; and    a motor configured to drive the belt, the motor being positioned laterally between the right and left sides of the deck, and below the deck at a location longitudinally between the first and second rollers.    
     
     
         2 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , further comprising an incline adjustment connected intermediate the deck and the frame for selectively spacing the front of the deck above the frame.  
     
     
         3 . The treadmill of  claim 2 , wherein the incline adjustment further comprises: 
 a lock for maintaining the spacing between the deck and the frame; and    a release for selectively releasing the lock by a user.    
     
     
         4 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the deck is further comprises a fulcrum and is pivotably secured to the frame for selectively tilting with respect thereto about the fulcrum.  
     
     
         5 . The treadmill of  claim 4 , wherein the fulcrum is positioned longitudinally away from the second roller at a location selected to equilibrate a substantial portion of the weight of the front of the deck in response to application of the weight of a user proximate the second roller.  
     
     
         6 . The treadmill of  claim 4 , wherein the fulcrum is positioned longitudinally away from the second roller at a location selected to tilt the front of the deck upwardly in response to application of the weight of a user proximate the second roller.  
     
     
         7 . The treadmill of  claim 4 , wherein the fulcrum is positioned longitudinally away from the second roller at a location selected to equilibrate a substantial portion of the weight of the front of the deck, forward of the fulcrum, by the weight of the rear portion of the deck, behind the fulcrum.  
     
     
         8 . The treadmill of  claim 7 , wherein the motor is positioned behind the fulcrum to provide the motor weight for equilibration of the weight of the front of the deck.  
     
     
         9 . The treadmill of  claim 9 , wherein the motor is configured to drive the belt by rotating the second roller.  
     
     
         10 . The treadmill of  claim 10 , further comprising an air bearing mechanism for reducing frictional forces between the belt and the tread surface.  
     
     
         11 . The treadmill of  claim 10 , wherein the air bearing mechanism further comprises: 
 an air source for providing a supply of pressurized air;    ports configured to distribute the pressurized air between the deck and the belt for supporting the belt on a layer of the pressurized air.    
     
     
         12 . The treadmill of  claim 11 , wherein the air source further comprises: 
 a fan for drawing air from the ambient and providing pressurized air; and    a plenum configured to receive the pressurized air from the fan and to direct the pressurized air to the ports.    
     
     
         13 . The treadmill of  claim 12 , wherein the deck is configured as a single, contiguously molded unit.  
     
     
         14 . The treadmill of  claim 13 , wherein the contiguously molded unit is formed of a material selected from a homogeneous polymeric composition, a structurally reinforced polymeric composition, and a substantially homogeneous, polymeric composition containing structurally reinforcing fibers distributed substantially evenly therethrough.  
     
     
         15 . The treadmill of  claim 14 , further comprising a third roller configured to rotatably attach to the deck below the tread surface and maintain spacing between the belt and the deck.  
     
     
         16 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the deck is further comprises a fulcrum and is pivotably secured to the frame for selectively tilting with respect thereto about the fulcrum.  
     
     
         17 . The treadmill of  claim 16 , wherein the fulcrum is positioned longitudinally away from the second roller at a location selected to equilibrate a substantial portion of the weight of the front of the deck in response to application of the weight of a user proximate the second roller.  
     
     
         18 . The treadmill of  claim 16 , wherein the fulcrum is positioned longitudinally away from the second roller at a location selected to tilt the front of the deck upwardly in response to application of the weight of a user proximate the second roller.  
     
     
         19 . The treadmill of  claim 16 , wherein the fulcrum is positioned longitudinally away from the second roller at a location selected to equilibrate a substantial portion of the weight corresponding to the front of the deck, forward of the fulcrum, by the weight corresponding to the rear portion of the deck, behind the fulcrum.  
     
     
         20 . The treadmill of  claim 16 , wherein the motor is positioned behind the fulcrum to provide the motor weight for equilibration of the weight of the front of the deck.  
     
     
         21 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is configured to drive the belt by rotating the second roller.  
     
     
         22 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , further comprising an air bearing mechanism for reducing frictional forces between the belt and the tread surface.  
     
     
         23 . The treadmill of  claim 22 , wherein the air bearing mechanism further comprises: 
 an air source for providing a supply of pressurized air;    ports configured to distribute the pressurized air between the deck and the belt for supporting the belt on a layer of the pressurized air.    
     
     
         24 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the deck is configured as a homogeneous unitary structure.  
     
     
         25 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , further comprising a user registration structure for positioning a user on the treadmill.  
     
     
         26 . The treadmill of  claim 25 , wherein the user registration structure further comprises an upright secured to the frame and configured to move between a first stowed position proximate the frame and a second deployed position away from the frame.  
     
     
         27 . The treadmill of  claim 26 , wherein the upright further comprises an asymmetric structure secured to a single side of the frame.  
     
     
         28 . The treadmill of  claim 1  further comprising a pacing strobe configured to periodically illuminate the belt for assisting a user in setting a consistent exercise pace.  
     
     
         29 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , further comprising a non-contacting proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of a user on the treadmill and to control operation of the motor in accordance therewith.  
     
     
         30 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , further comprising a third roller configured to rotatably attach to the deck below the tread surface and maintain spacing between the belt and the deck.  
     
     
         31 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the deck further comprises: 
 a fulcrum, pivotably securing the deck to the frame;    the fulcrum configured to provide selective tilting of the deck with respect to the frame in a plurality of positions, ranging from a first position to a second position;    the first position providing the deck at a decline; and    the second position providing the deck at an incline.    
     
     
         32 . A method for forming a treadmill, the method comprising: 
 forming a frame having a longitudinal direction, lateral direction, and transverse direction substantially orthogonal to one another;    molding a deck of a substantially homogeneous material as a substantially unitary structure comprising a tread surface, and a longitudinal beam structure for supporting the tread surface;    providing front and rear rollers for supporting a continuous belt surrounding the deck; and    pivotably securing the deck to the frame at a fulcrum location positioned between the front and rear rollers and spaced from the rear roller by a distance selected to equilibrate a substantial portion of the weight of the front of the deck, in front of the fulcrum, by the weight of the rear of the deck, behind the fulcrum.    
     
     
         33 . A method for operating a treadmill, the method comprising: 
 providing a frame and deck, the deck having a front end and a back end and being pivotably connected to the frame at a fulcrum located substantially forward of the back end to tilt the deck about the fulcrum with respect to the frame;    applying at least a portion of the weight of a user proximate the back end to lift the weight of the deck forward of the fulcrum by the weight of the deck behind the fulcrum plus the at least a portion of the weight of a user;    rotating the deck to a new angle of incline with respect to the frame; and    securing the deck with respect to the frame at the new angle of incline.