Flexible Treadmill Deck with Suspension Connector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional treadmills do not effectively manage the impact and flexibility of a user's stride, leading to inadequate comfort and potential injury, as they lack a mechanism to absorb and distribute the force uniformly across the deck.
Innovation Solution
A treadmill design featuring a flexible deck connected to a suspension connector that allows rotation and translation, with adjustable intermediate supports to manage flexion and resistance based on user weight, incorporating materials like metal, polymers, and composite materials for enhanced flexibility and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid deck is used in conventional treadmills, then structural strength is maintained, but impact comfort and injury prevention are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the deck flexible rather than rigid, allowing it to dynamically respond to user impact forces. The flexible deck material enables the deck to bend and absorb impact energy during user stride, transforming the static rigid structure into a dynamic system that adapts to loading conditions and reduces harmful impact forces transmitted to the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the deck from rigid to flexible by selecting materials with appropriate flexural properties. This parameter change allows the deck to exhibit controlled flexibility under load while maintaining sufficient strength, thereby reducing impact forces without compromising structural integrity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a flexible deck is implemented, then impact comfort is improved, but structural stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully selects and adjusts material parameters to achieve optimal flexibility-stability balance. By controlling the flexural modulus, thickness, and material composition of the deck, the design maintains sufficient structural stability while incorporating enough flexibility to provide impact comfort during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction for the deck, combining materials with different mechanical properties to achieve both flexibility and stability. The composite structure allows optimization of the flexibility-stability trade-off by selecting and layering materials that provide the desired balance between impact absorption and structural support.
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform deck flexibility is provided, then manufacturing is simplified, but localized support requirements cannot be optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the deck's flexural properties at different locations to match localized support requirements. The deck may have different material compositions, thicknesses, or reinforcement patterns in different regions, allowing optimized flexibility where needed while maintaining adequate support in other areas, thereby adapting to non-uniform loading conditions during user stride.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The flexible deck system provides a comfortable and responsive walking surface by absorbing and distributing the force of a user's stride, reducing the risk of injury and improving overall user experience through adjustable stiffness and damping.
Implementation Method 1
The flexible deck is configured to flex in response to a load applied by a user striding on the treadmill
Implementation Method 2
The suspension connector includes a suspension pivot that allows rotation of the flexible deck around the suspension pivot
Data Source
AI summary
A treadmill including a frame, a suspension connector, a flexible deck, and a belt. The suspension connector is connected to the frame. The flexible deck is connected to the suspension connector. The flexible deck includes a metal panel extending substantially an entire width and length of the flexible deck. The belt is disposed on the flexible deck.