Treadmill

Abstract

A computerized treadmill is provided. The treadmill may include a walking layer, a middle layer fully suspending the walking layer via a plurality of air suspension elements, and a foundation layer. The air suspension elements, such as bellows, may be pressurized by a computer-controlled compressor feeding a central air reservoir to which each bellows is connected via air hose. The air suspension elements may be dampened to control expansion. One or more alignment elements, such as double hinge structures, may be used to control lateral movement and reduce lateral load on the bellows.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A treadmill comprising:
 a walking layer comprising two interconnected longitudinal rails secured to either side of a deck;   a middle layer beneath the walking layer, the middle layer comprising a middle layer frame and a plurality of air suspension elements, the plurality of air suspension elements together fully suspending the walking layer relative to the middle layer frame; and   a foundation layer resting on a ground surface, the foundation layer supporting the middle layer.   
     
     
         2 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , in which the plurality of air suspension elements comprises:
 an upper fitting secured to the walking layer;   a lower fitting secured to the middle layer frame; and   a membrane enclosing a volume of air between the upper fitting and the lower fitting.   
     
     
         3 . The treadmill of  claim 2 , in which said upper fitting and said lower fitting are comprised of metal, and said membrane comprises an elastic membrane. 
     
     
         4 . The treadmill of  claim 2 , in which one or more of said air suspension elements further comprises a dampening strap interconnecting the upper fitting and the lower fitting, the strap operating to limit movement of the upper and lower fittings away from one another during unloading of the air suspension element. 
     
     
         5 . The treadmill of  claim 4 , in which the dampening strap comprises an elastic strap. 
     
     
         6 . The treadmill of  claim 4 , in which the dampening strap comprises a fabric strap. 
     
     
         7 . The treadmill of  claim 2 , in which one or more of said air suspension elements further comprises a damping piston attached to one of said upper or lower fittings, and a receptacle attached to the other of said upper or lower fittings, the piston configured for movement within the receptacle during loading and unloading of the air suspension element. 
     
     
         8 . The treadmill of  claim 7 , in which said receptacle is enclosed and fluid-filled, the piston including a first orifice enabling bi-directional fluid flow between a first side of the piston and a second side of the piston, and check valve enabling unidirectional fluid flow from the first side of the piston to the second side of the piston. 
     
     
         9 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , in which the foundation layer further comprises a belt drive motor operable to drive a loop belt sliding over the deck. 
     
     
         10 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , in which the foundation layer further comprises an incline motor connected with the middle layer to variably incline the middle layer relative to the foundation layer. 
     
     
         11 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an air reservoir;   air lines interconnecting one or more of said air suspension elements with said air reservoir; and   an electronically-controlled compressor operable to control air pressure within said air reservoir.   
     
     
         12 . The treadmill of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 an air pressure sensor providing an output indicative of measured air pressure within one or more of the air reservoir and air suspension elements; and   in which said electronically-controlled compressor receives one or more control inputs, with at least one of said control inputs being determined based at least in part upon the air pressure sensor output, the compressor utilizing said control inputs to control air pressure within said air reservoir.   
     
     
         13 . The treadmill of  claim 12 , in which at least one of said compressor control inputs is determined based at least in part upon belt speed. 
     
     
         14 . The treadmill of  claim 12 , in which at least one of said compressor control inputs is determined based at least in part upon user impact level. 
     
     
         15 . The treadmill of  claim 12 , in which at least one of said compressor control inputs is determined based at least in part upon a user-controlled configuration setting. 
     
     
         16 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more alignment elements interconnecting the walking layer with the middle layer. 
     
     
         17 . The treadmill of  claim 16 , in which the one or more alignment elements comprise double hinge structures. 
     
     
         18 . The treadmill of  claim 17 , in which each double hinge structure comprises a double hinge, a first spacer element connecting the double hinge with the middle layer frame, and a second spacer element connecting the double hinge with the walking layer, the spacer elements operable to reduce longitudinal displacement of the deck as the double hinge rotates. 
     
     
         19 . The treadmill of  claim 16 , in which the one or more alignment elements each restrain lateral movement of the walking layer relative to the middle layer frame. 
     
     
         20 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , further comprising a pin attached to a first one of the walking layer and middle layer, and an orifice attached to a second one of the walking layer and middle layer, the pin positioned within the orifice during operation to restrict lateral movement of the walking layer relative to the middle layer. 
     
     
         21 . A treadmill comprising:
 a walking layer comprising two interconnected longitudinal rails secured to either side of a deck;   a foundation layer resting on a ground surface, the foundation layer comprising a foundation frame and a plurality of air suspension elements, the plurality of air suspension elements together fully suspending the walking layer relative to the foundation frame.   
     
     
         22 . The treadmill of  claim 21 , in which the plurality of air suspension elements comprises:
 an upper fitting secured to the walking layer;   a lower fitting secured to the foundation layer frame; and   a membrane enclosing a volume of air between the upper fitting and the lower fitting.   
     
     
         23 . The treadmill of  claim 22 , in which one or more of said air suspension elements further comprises a dampening strap interconnecting the upper fitting and the lower fitting, the strap operating to limit movement of the upper and lower fittings away from one another during unloading of the air suspension element. 
     
     
         24 . The treadmill of  claim 22 , in which one or more of said air suspension elements further comprises a damping piston attached to one of said upper or lower fittings, and a receptacle attached to the other of said upper or lower fittings, the piston configured for movement within the receptacle during loading and unloading of the air suspension element. 
     
     
         25 . The treadmill of  claim 24 , in which said receptacle is enclosed and fluid-filled, the piston including a first orifice enabling bi-directional fluid flow between a first side of the piston and a second side of the piston, and check valve enabling unidirectional fluid flow from the first side of the piston to the second side of the piston. 
     
     
         26 . The treadmill of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 an air reservoir;   air lines interconnecting one or more of said air suspension elements with said air reservoir; and   an electronically-controlled compressor operable to control air pressure within said air reservoir.