Automatic treadmill walking belt tensioning and alignment system

Abstract

An automatic treadmill walking belt tensioning and alignment system can automatically maintain one or both of a treadmill walking belt's alignment and tension. The system can include force sensors that sense the tension of a treadmill walking belt about a treadmill roller by sensing a force applied to adjustment actuators positioned on opposite sides of the treadmill roller. The position of the roller can be adjusted to adjusted to ensure proper tension and alignment of the treadmill walking belt. Position sensors may be deployed on opposite sides of the walking belt to detect when the walking belt is off-center, signaling the adjustment actuators to operate to return the walking belt to its centered position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system comprising:
 adjustment actuators operable to automatically adjust a force applied by a treadmill walking belt onto a treadmill roller by adjusting a position of the treadmill roller.   
     
     
         2 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a force sensor sensing a tension in the treadmill walking belt by measuring the force applied by the adjustment actuators to the treadmill roller; and   a controller operable to control the force applied by the adjustment actuators, thereby maintaining proper tension in the treadmill walking belt.   
     
     
         3 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 2 , wherein the force sensor is integral with the adjustment actuator. 
     
     
         4 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 2 , wherein the adjustment actuators are air adjustment actuators and the force sensor is an air pressure switch. 
     
     
         5 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 4 , further comprising an accumulator maintaining a predetermined fluid pressure therein, the accumulator operably connected to the adjustment actuators to deliver fluid to the adjustment actuators when an increase in the force is required to maintain tension or maintain alignment of the treadmill belt. 
     
     
         6 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 5 , further comprising a three-way solenoid operable to deliver fluid from the accumulator to the adjustment actuators or to remove fluid from the adjustment actuators. 
     
     
         7 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 1 , further comprising a position sensor operable to detect a side-to-side position of the treadmill walking belt, wherein the adjustment actuators position the treadmill roller to maintain a central side-to-side positioning of the treadmill walking belt. 
     
     
         8 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 7 , wherein the position sensors are optical sensors. 
     
     
         9 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 7 , wherein the position sensors are mechanical sensors. 
     
     
         10 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment actuators are electronic. 
     
     
         11 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 1 , wherein one of the adjustment actuators are each disposed on opposite sides of the treadmill roller. 
     
     
         12 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 11 , wherein the treadmill roller is a drive roller. 
     
     
         13 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 11 , wherein the treadmill roller is a tension roller. 
     
     
         14 . An automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system comprising:
 adjustment actuators operable apply a force to treadmill roller about which a treadmill walking belt revolves;   a force sensor sensing a tension in the treadmill walking belt by measuring the force applied by the adjustment actuators;   a controller operable to control the force applied by the adjustment actuators, thereby maintaining proper tension in the treadmill walking belt and maintaining proper side-to-side alignment of the treadmill walking belt.   
     
     
         15 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 14 , further comprising a position sensor operable to detect a side-to-side position of the treadmill belt. 
     
     
         16 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 15 , wherein the position sensors are optical sensors. 
     
     
         17 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 15 , wherein the position sensors are mechanical sensors. 
     
     
         18 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 15 , wherein the electronic adjustment actuator and the force sensor are integral. 
     
     
         19 . An automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system comprising:
 electronic adjustment actuators operable apply a force to opposite sides of a treadmill roller about which a treadmill walking belt revolves;   a force sensor sensing a tension in the treadmill walking belt by measuring the force applied by the adjustment actuators; and   a position sensor operable to detect a side-to-side position of the treadmill walking belt.   
     
     
         20 . The automatic treadmill walking belt adjustment system of  claim 19 , wherein the electronic adjustment actuator and the force sensor are integral.