Treadmill with electromechanical brake

Abstract

A treadmill includes a treadmill frame; a running belt supported by the treadmill frame; a first rotatable element supported by the treadmill frame and rotationally coupled to the running belt; a brake selectively coupled to the first rotatable element and adapted to selectively restrict a speed of rotation of the first rotatable element depending upon an established limit for a speed of the running belt; and a motion restricting element coupled to the first rotatable element and the brake such that the motion restricting element restricts relative rotation of the first rotatable element to the brake in the first rotational direction and permits relative rotation of the first rotatable element to the brake in a second rotational direction opposite the first.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A treadmill, comprising;
 a treadmill frame;   a running belt supported by the treadmill frame;   a first rotatable element supported by the treadmill frame and rotationally coupled to the running belt;   a brake selectively coupled to the first rotatable element and adapted to selectively restrict a speed of rotation of the first rotatable element depending upon an established limit for a speed of the running belt; and   a motion restricting element coupled to the first rotatable element and the brake such that the motion restricting element restricts relative rotation of the first rotatable element to the brake in a first rotational direction and permits relative rotation of the first rotatable element to the brake in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction.   
     
     
         2 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the brake selectively restricts the speed of rotation of the first rotatable element in only the first rotational direction. 
     
     
         3 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the motion restricting element is configured to rotatably couple the brake and the first rotatable element in the first rotational direction and rotatably decouple the brake and the first rotatable element in the second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction. 
     
     
         4 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the motion restricting element comprises first and second rings, wherein one of the first and second rings substantially surrounds the other of the first and second rings. 
     
     
         5 . The treadmill of  claim 4 , wherein one of the first ring and the second ring is independently moveable relative to the other of the first ring and the second ring. 
     
     
         6 . The treadmill of  claim 4 , wherein one of the first and second rings is rotatably fixed relative to the first rotatable element and the other of the first and second rings is rotatably fixed relative to the brake. 
     
     
         7 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein in response to the user reaching or exceeding the established limit for the speed of the running belt in the first rotational direction, the brake restricts the speed of the running belt in the first rotational direction. 
     
     
         8 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the brake is an eddy current brake. 
     
     
         9 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a belt that couples the brake to the motion restricting element such that the brake selectively restricts movement of the motion restricting element which restricts rotation of the first rotatable element and the running belt.   
     
     
         10 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the running belt defines a non-planar running surface. 
     
     
         11 . The treadmill of  claim 10 , wherein the non-planar running surface includes a curved running surface. 
     
     
         12 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the motion restricting element is a one-way bearing. 
     
     
         13 . A treadmill, comprising:
 a treadmill frame;   a running belt coupled to the treadmill frame and adapted for rotation relative to the treadmill frame;   a first shaft rotatably coupled to the treadmill frame;   a pulley coupled to the first shaft;   a brake coupled to the treadmill frame and the pulley, the brake adapted to selectively restrict rotation of the pulley; and   a motion restricting element coupled to the frame and configured to limit rotation of the pulley relative to the first shaft to only one rotational direction.   
     
     
         14 . The treadmill of  claim 13 , further comprising a display coupled to the treadmill frame, the display configured to receive a limit for the speed of the running belt, wherein in response to a speed of the running belt reaching or exceeding the limit for the speed of the running belt, the brake restricts rotation of the running belt. 
     
     
         15 . The treadmill of  claim 13 , wherein the motion restricting element is a one-way bearing. 
     
     
         16 . The treadmill of  claim 13 , wherein the running belt defines a non-planar running surface. 
     
     
         17 . The treadmill of  claim 13 , wherein the pulley is disposed at or near a front end of the treadmill. 
     
     
         18 . The treadmill of  claim 13 , wherein the pulley is disposed at or near a rear end of the treadmill. 
     
     
         19 . A treadmill, comprising:
 a treadmill frame having a front end and a rear end opposite the front end;   a pulley coupled to the treadmill frame;   a running belt supported by the treadmill frame, the running belt defining an at least partially curved running surface;   a one-way bearing coupled to the frame and configured to limit rotation of the rotatable element to only one rotational direction; and   a brake coupled to the rotatable element and adapted to selectively restrict a speed of rotation of the rotatable element.   
     
     
         20 . The treadmill of  claim 16 , wherein the one-way bearing comprises a first ring and a second ring, the first ring being independently moveable relative to the second ring.