Slat for a running belt of a treadmill

Abstract

A treadmill includes a running belt rotatable in a direction of motion and including a plurality of slats. At least one slat in the plurality of slats includes a top portion, a longitudinal rib extending away from the top portion and oriented along a longitudinal direction of the slat, and a bottom flange coupled to the longitudinal rib at or near a vertical bottom of the longitudinal rib such that the longitudinal rib is substantially positioned between the top portion and the bottom flange. The bottom flange extends away from the longitudinal rib on opposing sides of the longitudinal rib.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A treadmill, comprising:
 a running belt rotatable in a direction of motion and comprising a plurality of slats, wherein at least one slat in the plurality of slats comprises:
 a top portion; 
 a longitudinal rib extending away from the top portion and oriented along a longitudinal direction of the slat; and 
 a bottom flange coupled to the longitudinal rib at or near a vertical bottom of the longitudinal rib such that the longitudinal rib is substantially positioned between the top portion and the bottom flange, the bottom flange extending away from the longitudinal rib on opposing sides of the longitudinal rib. 
   
     
     
         2 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , further comprising a gusset extending away from the longitudinal rib such that the gusset is substantially perpendicular to at least one of the top portion and the longitudinal rib. 
     
     
         3 . The treadmill of  claim 2 , wherein the gusset extends from the top portion to the bottom flange. 
     
     
         4 . The treadmill of  claim 2 , wherein the gusset includes a plurality of gussets, each of the plurality of gussets coupled to the longitudinal rib, extending from the longitudinal rib, and spaced apart from each other. 
     
     
         5 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one slat further comprises an engagement portion coupled to the top portion that is configured to provide an engagement surface for a user of the treadmill. 
     
     
         6 . The treadmill of  claim 5 , wherein the engagement portion is over-molded onto the top portion. 
     
     
         7 . The treadmill of  claim 5 , wherein a perimeter of the top portion is substantially coextensive with a perimeter of the engagement portion. 
     
     
         8 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal rib defines a curved longitudinal profile. 
     
     
         9 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the top portion has a substantially constant width and the bottom flange has a variable width, the variable width less than the substantially constant width at a center of the slat. 
     
     
         10 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , further comprising an endless belt, wherein the slat further comprises an integral fastener configured to fasten the slat to the endless belt. 
     
     
         11 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , the slat further comprising a crowned portion extending away from the top portion, the top portion positioned between the crowned portion and the longitudinal rib. 
     
     
         12 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the top portion, the longitudinal rib, and the bottom flange combine to form a cross section which is predominately I-shaped. 
     
     
         13 . A slat for a belt of an exercise or a therapeutic apparatus, the slat having a longitudinal direction and comprising:
 a top portion configured to support at least a portion of an engagement surface of the exercise or therapeutic apparatus;   a longitudinal rib extending away from the top portion and oriented along the longitudinal direction of the slat; and   a bottom flange coupled to the longitudinal rib at or near a vertical bottom of the longitudinal rib such that the longitudinal rib is positioned substantially between the top portion and the bottom flange, the bottom flange extending away from the longitudinal rib on opposing sides of the longitudinal rib.   
     
     
         14 . The slat of  claim 13 , further comprising a gusset extending away from the longitudinal rib such that the gusset is substantially perpendicular to at least one of the top portion and the longitudinal rib. 
     
     
         15 . The slat of  claim 14 , wherein the longitudinal rib defines in-part a curved longitudinal profile. 
     
     
         16 . The slat of  claim 13 , further comprising an integral fastener configured to selectively couple the slat to an element of the exercise apparatus. 
     
     
         17 . The slat of  claim 13 , further comprising an engagement portion molded onto the top portion, the engagement portion configured to be contacted by a user of the exercise apparatus such that the top portion supports the portion of the engagement surface by supporting the engagement portion. 
     
     
         18 . A running belt, comprising;
 a plurality of slats, wherein each of the plurality of slats comprises:
 a top portion; 
 a longitudinal rib extending away from the top portion and is substantially oriented along a longitudinal direction of the slat; and 
 a bottom flange coupled to the longitudinal rib at or near a vertical bottom of the longitudinal rib such that the longitudinal rib is substantially positioned between the top portion and the bottom flange, the bottom flange extending away from the longitudinal rib on opposing sides of the longitudinal rib. 
   
     
     
         19 . The running belt of  claim 18 , further comprising an endless belt, wherein the plurality of slats comprise integral fasteners coupling the plurality of slats to the endless belt. 
     
     
         20 . The running belt of  claim 18 , further comprising a gusset extending away from the longitudinal rib such that the gusset is substantially perpendicular to at least one of the top portion and the longitudinal rib, wherein the bottom flange is curved, at least in part, along the longitudinal direction of the slat.