US3554541A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Exercise treadmill with convex surface
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-03-03
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Granted: 1971-01-12
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Expires: 1989-03-03
Abstract
Abstract An exercise treadmill with an endless belt disposed on rollers to present a walking surface in an inclined plane, the belt having an inwardly projecting ridge at its longitudinal center line; which ridge provides an upwardly convex walking surface between the upstream and downstream ends of said treadmill, and also retains the endless belt in longitudinal alignment by virtue of annular aligning grooves in the rollers located at the upstream and downstream ends of the walking surface.
Inventors
- 👤 Louis Seaman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 21:54
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B22/00; A63B22/02; A63B21/00; A63B21/22; A63B21/225
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
A treadmill which Includes: a frame defining an inclined walking plane, said frame having a longitudinal dimension extending from an upstream end at a step-height elevation to a substantially lower downstream end, and a transverse end, and a transverse dimension wide enough to accommodate a person walking in an upstream direction on said treadmill at said walking plane; a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted in said frame, each of said rollers comprising a shaft with its axis transversely disposed in said frame at said walking plane, said rollers including an upstream end roller and downstream end roller, both of said end rollers having an annular groove at substantially the longitudinal center line of said frame; and an endless belt of flexible material disposed on said rollers, said belt having an outer walking surface, and said belt having on its inner surface an inwardly projecting alignment ridge mating with said annular alignment grooves in said upstream and downstream end rollers, and said alignment ridge being adapted to ride on the outer surfaces of rollers intermediate said upstream and downstream end rollers to produce in said endless belt an upwardly convex walking surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
A treadmill which Includes: a frame defining an inclined walking plane, said frame having a longitudinal dimension extending from an upstream end at a step-height elevation to a substantially lower downstream end, and a transverse end, and a transverse dimension wide enough to accommodate a person walking in an upstream direction on said treadmill at said walking plane; a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted in said frame, each of said rollers comprising a shaft with its axis transversely disposed in said frame at said walking plane, said rollers including an upstream end roller and downstream end roller, both of said end rollers having an annular groove at substantially the longitudinal center line of said frame; and an endless belt of flexible material disposed on said rollers, said belt having an outer walking surface, and said belt having on its inner surface an inwardly projecting alignment ridge mating with said annular alignment grooves in said upstream and downstream end rollers, and said alignment ridge being adapted to ride on the outer surfaces of rollers intermediate said upstream and downstream end rollers to produce in said endless belt an upwardly convex walking surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
92 words
A treadmill as described in claim 1 in which said frame comprises side members which are each provided with a series of spaced notches corresponding to the ends of each roller axis, and adapted to provide bearing accommodations of a shaft end of one of said rollers, all of said notches being upwardly open; and a pair of retaining plates, one for each of said side members, each of said retaining plates being disposed longitudinally on said side members above said notches, and adapted to retain said roller shafts in said notches.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
A treadmill as described in claim 1 in which a flywheel is mounted on the end of the shaft of said upstream end roller, outboard of one side of said frame, said flywheel having sufficient mass to impart a substantially smooth continuous movement to said endless belt when it is being driven by the walking action of a user.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
82 words
A treadmill as described in claim 1 which includes a handrail support disposed in a vertical plane at the longitudinal center line of said frame, said support being anchored to the upstream end of said frame, and extending upwardly downstream the upstream end of said walking plane; and a handrail supported at handrail elevation by said handrail support, said handrail being parallel with the transverse dimension of said frame, and at a handrail elevation above the upstream end of said walking surface.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-01-11 | 1974-07-13 | 1975-01-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-01-11 | 1978-07-13 | 1979-01-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-01-11 | 1982-07-13 | 1983-01-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |