Fitness machines with adjustable shock absorption and methods of adjusting shock absorption for fitness machines

Abstract

A fitness machine providing shock absorption for a user operating the fitness machine. The fitness machine includes a base, at least one member engageable by the user and moveable relative to the base during operation of the fitness machine, and a resilient body that resists movement of the at least one member towards the base so as to provide shock absorption for the user, wherein the resistance provided by the resilient body is adjustable. The fitness machine further includes a control system configured to receive from the user a shock setting corresponding to how much shock absorption is desired, and to receive other than from the user a secondary input, wherein the control system is further configured to adjust the resistance provided by the resilient body based on the shock setting and the secondary input.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fitness machine providing shock absorption for a user operating the fitness machine, the fitness machine comprising:
 a base;   at least one member engageable by the user and moveable relative to the base during operation of the fitness machine;   a resilient body that resists movement of the at least one member towards the base so as to provide shock absorption for the user, wherein the resistance provided by the resilient body is adjustable; and   a control system configured to receive from the user a shock setting corresponding to how much shock absorption is desired, and to receive other than from the user a secondary input, wherein the control system is further configured to adjust the resistance provided by the resilient body based on the shock setting and the secondary input.   
     
     
         2 . The fitness machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the secondary input is based at least in part on a target muscle group for the user when operating the fitness machine. 
     
     
         3 . The fitness machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the secondary input is based at least in part on a metabolic response of the user when operating the fitness machine. 
     
     
         4 . The fitness machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the secondary input is based at least in part on historical adjustments of the resilient member from previous operation of the fitness machine. 
     
     
         5 . The fitness machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the secondary input is based on a program for operating the fitness machine over a period of time. 
     
     
         6 . The fitness machine according to  claim 5 , wherein the program includes simulated terrains that change over the period of time for operating the fitness machine, and wherein the secondary input is based at least in part on the simulated terrains. 
     
     
         7 . The fitness machine according to  claim 5 , wherein the program includes random adjustments for the resistance provided by the resilient member over time, and wherein the secondary input is based at least in part on the random adjustments in the program. 
     
     
         8 . The fitness machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor that measures the movement of the at least one member towards the base during operation of the fitness machine, wherein the control system is further configured to generate a trend in the movement measured by the sensor over time, wherein the secondary input is based at least in part on the trend generated from the movement measured by the sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The fitness machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor that measures the movement of the at least one member towards the base during operation of the fitness machine, wherein the control system is further configured to determine a position of a foot of the user on the at least one member engageable by the user, and wherein the secondary input is based at least in part on the position of the foot determined by the control system. 
     
     
         10 . The fitness machine according to  claim 9 , wherein the position includes both a take-off position and a landing position for the foot. 
     
     
         11 . The fitness machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the resilient body is two or more resilient bodies that each resist movement of the at least one member towards the base, and wherein the control system is configured to adjust the resistances provided by two or more resilient bodies independently of each other based on the shock setting and the secondary input. 
     
     
         12 . The fitness machine according to  claim 11 , further comprising a sensor that measures the movement of the at least one member towards the base during operation of the fitness machine, wherein the control system is further configured to determine a position of a foot of the user on the at least one member engageable by the user, and wherein the secondary input for independently adjusting the two or more resilient bodies is based at least in part on the position of the foot determined by the control system. 
     
     
         13 . A method for making a fitness machine providing shock absorption for a user operating the fitness machine, the method comprising:
 providing a base and at least one member engageable by the user and moveable relative to the base during operation of the fitness machine;   providing a resilient body that resists movement of the at least one member towards the base so as to provide shock absorption for the user, wherein the resistance provided by the resilient body is adjustable;   configuring a control system to receive from the user a shock setting corresponding to how much shock absorption is desired, and to receive other than from the user a secondary input; and   adjusting the resistance provided by the resilient body based on the shock setting and the secondary input.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising adjusting the resistance based on at least one of a target muscle group for the user and a metabolic response of the user when operating the fitness machine. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising adjusting the resistance based at least in part on historical adjustments of the resilient member from previous operation of the fitness machine. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising adjusting the resistance based at least in part on a program for operating the fitness machine over a period of time. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising measuring a movement of the at least one member towards the base during operation of the fitness machine, generating a trend of the movement over time, and adjusting the resistance based at least in part on the trend. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the resilient body is two or more resilient bodies that each resist movement of the at least one member towards the base, and wherein the resistances of the two or more resilient bodies are adjusted independently based on the shock setting and the secondary input. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising determining a position of a foot of the user on the at least one member engageable by the user, wherein the secondary input is based at least in part on the position of the foot determined by the control system. 
     
     
         20 . A method for making a fitness machine providing shock absorption for a user operating the fitness machine, the method comprising:
 providing a base and at least one member engageable by the user and moveable relative to the base during operation of the fitness machine;   providing a resilient body that resists movement of the at least one member towards the base to provide shock absorption for the user;   adjusting the resistance provided by the resilient body based on a previous resistance from a previous operation of the fitness machine;   measuring the movement of the at least one member during operation of the fitness machine;   determining whether the movement of the at least one member is beyond a threshold;   further adjusting the resistance provided by the resilient body when the movement is determined to be beyond the threshold; and   storing the resistance provided by the resilient body as the previous resistance for future operation of the fitness machine.