Grooved Treadmill Pulley Structure for Lower Track Noise
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-powered treadmills experience track part sway and potential collisions with supporting components due to user impact, leading to noise and inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a pulley with a modified outer circumferential surface featuring grooves arranged at regular intervals, creating non-contact and contact areas with the track belt, reducing friction and noise by ensuring regular slip occurrence rather than irregular collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If the track part is rotated by user operation in a non-powered treadmill, then the size and weight of the treadmill are reduced, but the track part may sway due to user impact causing collision noise
Solution Approach 1:
The pulley surface is modified with grooves at specific locations to create localized non-contact areas. This local modification allows the track belt to periodically separate from the pulley surface, preventing collision noise at these specific locations while maintaining the overall non-powered treadmill design benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The grooves on the pulley surface create predetermined non-contact areas that act as cushioning zones. Before collision can occur, the track belt is designed to naturally separate at these groove locations, preventing the harmful collision noise from occurring in the first place.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the outer circumferential surface of the pulley is modified with grooves, then collision noise is reduced, but the friction characteristics between pulley and track belt change
Solution Approach 1:
The grooves create periodic non-contact areas around the pulley circumference. As the pulley rotates, the track belt periodically makes and breaks contact with the pulley surface, creating a rhythmic friction pattern that reduces overall noise while maintaining sufficient friction for belt propulsion.
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
This configuration significantly reduces noise generation during exercise, improving user experience by minimizing irregular slip and collision noise, with a noise reduction of 75% compared to traditional designs.
Implementation Method 1
The outer circumferential surface of the at least one of the first rotation members includes a plurality of non-contact areas in which the plurality of grooves are formed and a plurality of contact areas disposed between the plurality of grooves and contacting the track belt
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a treadmill. The treadmill includes: a frame structure; a track part capable of rotating with respect to the frame structure; and a rotation unit disposed in the frame structure and rotatably supporting the track part, wherein the track part comprises: a plurality of slats arranged in a rotation direction; and a track belt disposed at both end portions of the plurality of slats and connecting the plurality of slats, the rotation unit comprises: first rotation members disposed in front and rear of the frame structure, and at least one of the first rotation members includes a plurality of grooves arranged apart from each other on an outer circumferential surface of the at least one of the first rotation members in a circumferential direction, to have a surface shape different from an inner circumferential surface of the track belt.