Disconnect switch for treadmill

Abstract

A treadmill has a treadmill frame and a treadmill belt movably mounted on the treadmill frame. An air space exists between the treadmill belt and a support surface on which the treadmill is placed at a rear of the treadmill belt. A disconnect switch is positioned to engage an object entering the air space. The disconnect switch is operatively connected to the treadmill motor so that the treadmill motor automatically shuts off when the disconnect switch is activated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A treadmill comprising:
 a treadmill frame;   a treadmill belt movably mounted on the treadmill frame, the belt driven by a treadmill motor, the treadmill belt and a support surface on which the treadmill is placed defining an air space at a rear of the treadmill belt; and   a disconnect switch positioned to engage an object entering the air space at the rear of the treadmill, the disconnect switch operatively connected to the treadmill motor so that the treadmill motor automatically shuts off when the disconnect switch is activated.   
     
     
         2 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , the disconnect switch comprising a safety sensor emitting a light beam across the air space, wherein the treadmill motor automatically shuts off if the light beam is interrupted. 
     
     
         3 . The treadmill of  claim 2 , the safety sensor comprising:
 a light emitting unit on a first side of the treadmill; and   a light receiving unit on a second side of the treadmill.   
     
     
         4 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , the disconnect switch comprising:
 a key slot operably connected to the treadmill motor;   a key insertable into the key slot; and   a rigid rod connected to the key and extending across at least a portion of the air space, wherein the deflection of the rod by an object at the rear end of the treadmill will dislodge the key and shut down the treadmill motor.   
     
     
         5 . The treadmill of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a second key slot on an opposite side of the treadmill at the rear end thereof;   a second key insertable into the second key slot; and   a second rigid rod connected to the second key and extending across at least a portion of the air space.   
     
     
         6 . A treadmill disconnect system comprising a sensor bar positioned in an air space between a treadmill belt and a support surface on which the treadmill is placed at a rear end of the treadmill, the sensor bar extending laterally from a first side of the treadmill in a direction toward a second side of the treadmill spanning at least a portion of the distance between the first and second sides of the treadmill, the sensor bar operatively connected to a treadmill motor such that engagement of the sensor bar by an object entering the air space shuts the treadmill motor off 
     
     
         7 . The treadmill disconnect system of  claim 6 , the sensor bar comprising a rigid bar, the disconnect system further comprising:
 a key slot in the treadmill, an end of the rod being inserted into the key slot, wherein dislodgement of the rod from the key slot resulting from the engagement of the object with the rod interrupts the power circuit for the treadmill motor to shut off the treadmill motor.   
     
     
         8 . The treadmill disconnect system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a light emitter attached to the first side of the treadmill; and   a light receiver connected to the second side of the treadmill, the sensor bar comprising a light beam extending laterally across the air space from the light emitter to the light receiver, at least one of the light receiver or light emitter operatively connected to the treadmill motor so that interruption of the light beam shuts off the treadmill motor.   
     
     
         9 . The treadmill disconnect system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 first and second key slots on the first and second sides of the treadmill; and   a cable having keys connected at first and second ends thereof inserted into the first and second key slots, wherein dislodgement of either of the first or second keys automatically shuts off the treadmill motor.   
     
     
         10 . The treadmill disconnect system of  claim 6  comprising:
 a key; 
 a key slot defined in the treadmill at the back thereof, the treadmill being inoperable when the key is not in the key slot; and 
 the sensor bar comprising a rod extending from the key across at least a portion of the distance from the first side of the treadmill to the second side of the treadmill, the rod connected to the key such that when an object moves the rod in a direction toward a front of the treadmill, the key is dislodged from the key slot to shut off the treadmill motor. 
 
     
     
         11 . The treadmill disconnect system of  claim 10  comprising:
 first and second keys; 
 first and second key slots for receiving the first and second keys, the treadmill being inoperable when either of the first and second keys is not in its respective key slot; and 
 the sensor bar comprising first and second rods extending from the first and second keys across a distance of almost half the width of the space, the first and second rods connected to the first and second keys such that when an object moves the either of the first or second rods in a direction toward the front of the treadmill, the key connected to the rod that is moved will at least partially dislodge from its key slot and render the treadmill inoperable. 
 
     
     
         12 . A treadmill comprising:
 a treadmill frame;   front and rear treadmill rollers mounted to the treadmill frame;   a treadmill motor mounted to the frame, wherein the treadmill motor rotates at least one of the front and rear treadmill rollers;   a treadmill belt wrapped around the front and rear treadmill rollers wherein the rotation of the at least one of the front and rear treadmill rollers moves the treadmill belt;   a disconnect switch operably connected to the treadmill motor, the disconnect switch mounted to the treadmill frame at a rear thereof and positioned so that an object entering an air space between the treadmill belt and a floor surface at the rear of the treadmill will activate the disconnect switch and automatically shut off power to the treadmill motor to stop the movement of the treadmill belt.   
     
     
         13 . The treadmill of  claim 12 , the disconnect switch comprising a sensor bar extending across at least a portion of the distance from a first side of the treadmill frame to a second side of the treadmill frame in the air space at the rear thereof, the disconnect switch being activated when the sensor bar is engaged by the object entering an air space. 
     
     
         14 . The treadmill of  claim 13 , the sensor bar comprising a light beam extending from the first to the second sides of the treadmill frame. 
     
     
         15 . The treadmill of  claim 13 , the sensor bar comprising a rod connected to a key, the key insertable into a key slot in the treadmill frame, wherein the disconnect switch is activated when the key is dislodged from the key slot.