Guard assembly for exercise machine

Abstract

An exercise machine with a movable belt includes a guard assembly with a flexible guard that extends towards the rear axis and is spaced apart from the movable belt by a first gap and is exposed by the housing body, a rigid guard positioned downstream of the flexible guard with respect to a moving direction of the belt and spaced apart from the movable belt by a second gap, and a channel disposed between the flexible guard and the rigid guard. The guard assembly protects the user from injury and prevents damage to the exercise machine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A treadmill comprising:
 a slat-based belt that rotates around a front axis and a rear axis; and   a guard assembly configured to be positioned at multiple arc positions with respect to an arc of the slat-based belt at the rear axis of the treadmill.   
     
     
         2 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein at least one arc position of the multiple arc positions includes an arc position of 90 degrees with respect to a vertical axis of the treadmill. 
     
     
         3 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the guard assembly further comprises:
 a flexible guard;   a rigid guard; and   a channel disposed between the flexible guard and the rigid guard.   
     
     
         4 . The treadmill of  claim 3 , wherein the guard assembly further comprises:
 a cover that covers a rear portion of the slat-based belt and exposes an upper surface of the flexible guard.   
     
     
         5 . A treadmill comprising:
 a slat-based belt that rotates around a front axis and a rear axis; and   a guard assembly configured to be positioned at an arc position of 90 degrees with respect to a vertical axis of the treadmill.   
     
     
         6 . The treadmill of  claim 5 , wherein the guard assembly further comprises:
 a flexible guard;   a rigid guard; and   a channel disposed between the flexible guard and the rigid guard.   
     
     
         7 . The treadmill of  claim 5 , wherein the guard assembly further comprises:
 a flexible guard that extends towards the rear axis and is spaced apart from the slat-based belt by a first gap;   a rigid guard positioned with respect to a moving direction of the slat-based belt and spaced apart from the slat-based belt by a second gap; and   a channel disposed between the flexible guard and the rigid guard.   
     
     
         8 . The treadmill of  claim 7 , wherein the flexible guard is configured to deform when an object larger than first gap intrudes into the first gap, thereby increasing the size of the first gap. 
     
     
         9 . The treadmill of  claim 7 , wherein the first gap is at least three times the size of the second gap. 
     
     
         10 . The treadmill of  claim 7 , wherein the first gap is greater than 20 mm, and the second gap is less than 10 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The treadmill of  claim 7 , wherein an upper edge of the flexible guard is spaced apart from an upper edge of the rigid guard by at least 70 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The treadmill of  claim 7 , wherein the channel is defined by a first surface of the rigid guard, a second surface of the rigid guard, the flexible guard, and the slat-based belt. 
     
     
         13 . The treadmill of  claim 12 , wherein the first surface of the rigid guard is disposed at an angle of from 80 to 100 degrees with respect to the second surface of the rigid guard. 
     
     
         14 . The treadmill of  claim 7 , wherein the flexible guard is a brush having bristles. 
     
     
         15 . The treadmill of  claim 7 , wherein the flexible guard is elongated in a transverse direction of the slat-based belt. 
     
     
         16 . The treadmill of  claim 7 , wherein the flexible guard is tapered in a direction away from the slat-based belt. 
     
     
         17 . The treadmill of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a sensor disposed to detect whether an object is within the channel; and   a trigger mechanism configured to modify operation of the slat-based belt in response to detection of the object within the channel.   
     
     
         18 . A treadmill, comprising:
 a movable belt that rotates around a front axis and a rear axis; and   a guard assembly comprising:   a flexible guard;   a rigid guard; and   a channel disposed between the flexible guard and the rigid guard.   
     
     
         19 . The treadmill of  claim 18 , wherein the flexible guard is configured to deform when an object contacts the flexible guard. 
     
     
         20 . The treadmill of  claim 18 , wherein the flexible guard comprises a brush with bristles.