Exercise treadmill for additionally vibrating a user running or walking on a tread belt

Abstract

In one embodiment, an exercise treadmill includes a tread belt for permitting a user to run or walk thereon, a motor, a wheel and belt assembly for operatively connecting one end of a motor shaft to the tread belt, a sensor proximate the shaft, a controller, and a control panel. The sensor senses a speed change of the shaft in response to an impact on the moving tread belt. In response to the sensing, the controller instructs the motor to increase shaft speed in substantially real time. A user can press a vibration key on the control panel to perform at least one of changing amplitude of a sinusoid and adding same to the shaft speed, changing frequency of the sinusoid and adding same to the shaft speed, and changing the shaft speed via the controller and the motor, thereby vibrating the tread belt.

1 . An exercise apparatus comprising:
 a frame;   a tread belt mounted on the frame and being adapted to permit a user to run or walk thereon;   a motor mounted in the frame and having a drive shaft extending therefrom;   a wheel and belt assembly for operatively connecting one end of the drive shaft to the tread belt for transmitting rotation from the drive shaft to the tread belt;   control means electrically connected to the motor; and   a control panel mounted on an end of an upwardly extending portion of the frame and being electrically connected to the control means, the control panel including a vibration key and a plurality of control keys,   wherein the vibration key is adapted to press to perform at least one of changing an amplitude of a sinusoid and adding the amplitude change to a speed of the drive shaft, changing a frequency of the sinusoid and adding the frequency change to the speed of the drive shaft, and changing the speed of the drive shaft via the control means and the motor, thereby giving a vibration effect to the moving tread belt.   
   
   
       2 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising sensor means mounted proximate the drive shaft, and wherein the sensor means is adapted to sense a change of speed of the drive shaft in response to an impact on the moving tread belt and generate and transmit a corresponding signal to the control means, and the control means transmit an instruction signal to the motor for adjusting the speed of the drive shaft to a speed substantially the same as that before the change of speed in substantially real time. 
   
   
       3 . An exercise apparatus comprising:
 a frame;   a tread belt mounted on the frame and being adapted to permit a user to lie thereon;   a motor mounted in the frame and having a drive shaft extending therefrom;   a wheel and belt assembly for operatively connecting one end of the drive shaft to the tread belt for transmitting rotation from the drive shaft to the tread belt;   first control means electrically connected to the motor;   a control panel mounted on the frame and being electrically connected to the first control means, the control panel including a vibration key and a plurality of control keys; and   second control means held by the user,   wherein the user operates the second control means to perform at least one of changing an amplitude of a sinusoid and adding the amplitude change to a speed of the drive shaft, changing a frequency of the sinusoid and adding the frequency change to the speed of the drive shaft, and changing the speed of the drive shaft via the first control means and the motor, thereby giving a vibration effect to the static tread belt.   
   
   
       4 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the second control means is a remote control. 
   
   
       5 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the second control means is electrically connected to the first control means.