Treadmill arrangement with motion-adaptive virtual running environment

Abstract

A treadmill arrangement, having a treadmill stand and an endless belt which runs over rollers mounted in the treadmill stand and is driven by a drive, with one surface of the endless belt serving as a walking or running surface. A motion state detection device is allocated to the treadmill to detect a motion state or a positional change of the legs and/or feet of the user relative to the treadmill stand and to obtain a control signal for the drive.

1 . A treadmill arrangement, comprising:
 a treadmill frame;   an endless belt running over rollers supported in the treadmill frame and driven by a drive, one surface of the endless belt serving as a walking or running surface;   at least one of a seat or a backrest is attached to projecting side parts or a rear part of the treadmill frame; and   a motion state detection device configured for obtaining a control signal for the drive, which motion state detection device is arranged adjacent the seat or the backrest and is configured to distinguish running or walking from sitting or standing;   wherein the motion state detection device is configured for detecting a movement state or a change in position of at least one of a user's legs or feet relative to the treadmill frame;   wherein the motion state detection device comprises at least one photoelectric barrier or camera device arranged above the walking or running surface for optically detecting the movement state or change in position of at least one of the user's legs or feet;   the treadmill arrangement further comprising a drive control device connected on an input side to the motion state detection device and configured such that, when a change in the movement state or the change in the position of the user's legs or feet towards the rear part is detected, a belt speed of the endless belt is reduced or the endless belt is stopped.   
     
     
         2 . The treadmill arrangement according to  claim 1 , further com-prising an image display device for displaying an image of a virtual running environment, wherein the image display device is connected to the motion state detection device via a synchronization input. 
     
     
         3 . The treadmill arrangement according to  claim 2 , wherein the image display device comprises at least one text or digit display area for displaying at least one of exercise-related instructions, data, or a light signal generator. 
     
     
         4 . The treadmill arrangement according to  claim 2 , wherein the image display device is connected to the drive via a control input such that at least one of a speed or load signal output by the drive is incorporated in the synchronization of the image display device. 
     
     
         5 . The treadmill arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the motion state detection device is configured to detect at least one time-dependent sensor signal and to discriminate between a time-varying and a time-constant or disappearing sensor signal. 
     
     
         6 . The treadmill arrangement according to  claim 2 , further com-prising a seat/backrest contact detection device provided in or on at least one of the seat or the backrest, which generates at least one of a further control signal for the drive or a synchronization signal for the image display device upon detection that the user is sitting on the seat or leaning against the backrest. 
     
     
         7 . The treadmill arrangement according to  claim 6 , wherein the drive control device is configured for combined processing of output signals from the motion state detection device and the seat/back con-tact detection device, such that:
 when a change in motion state from walking or running to standing is detected, the belt speed is reduced, and   when a change in motion state from walking or running to standing is detected and it is detected that the user is sitting on the seat or leaning against the backrest, the endless belt is stopped.   
     
     
         8 . The treadmill arrangement according to  claim 2 , further com-prising at least one of an acoustic or haptic user guidance device connected to the movement state detection device and configured to out-put signals or instructions for action accompanying the image display device to the user. 
     
     
         9 . The treadmill arrangement according to  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the acoustic or haptic user guidance device is connected to the movement state detection device and the drive, and is configured to output signals or instructions for action accompanying the image display device to the user.