Treadmill Running Board Structure for Full-Surface Cushioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing treadmills suffer from inadequate cushioning across the entire running board, leading to potential injuries and discomfort for the runner's knee and ankle joints, and generate noise due to rigid components.
Innovation Solution
A treadmill running platform structure featuring soft elastic strips attached to side bars, with rigid support strips and strip-shaped connection plates connecting the elastic strips, providing comprehensive cushioning and noise reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid flat plate running board is used, then the structural strength is improved, but the comfort of running deteriorates due to hard contact impacting knee and ankle joints
Solution Approach 1:
The running board is segmented into multiple independent elastic cushioning units (comprising elastic rubber pads, buffering springs, and damping components) distributed across the running board surface. This segmentation allows each unit to independently absorb impact forces, providing comprehensive cushioning while maintaining overall structural strength through the distributed arrangement of components.
Solution Approach 2:
The running board employs a composite structure combining rigid components (frame, support beams) with elastic materials (elastic rubber pads, buffering springs, damping elements). This composite design integrates the strength of rigid materials with the shock-absorbing properties of elastic materials, achieving both structural integrity and impact protection for the runner's joints.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If local buffering components are added to the running board, then the cushioning effect is improved, but the coverage area is limited and cannot provide cushioning for the entire running board
Solution Approach 1:
The running board is divided into multiple zones with elastic cushioning units distributed across the entire surface area. This segmentation strategy transforms localized cushioning into comprehensive coverage, ensuring that impact forces are absorbed at multiple points throughout the running board, thereby protecting the runner's joints regardless of where they land.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the running board are equipped with elastic cushioning units with potentially varying properties optimized for their specific locations. This local quality approach ensures that each area of the running board provides appropriate cushioning characteristics, achieving uniform protection across the entire surface while allowing for location-specific optimization.
3Manufacturing precision
If rigid components are used in the treadmill structure, then the manufacturing precision and structural stability are improved, but the noise generated increases
Solution Approach 1:
The treadmill structure integrates rigid components for structural stability with elastic and damping materials (elastic rubber pads, buffering springs, damping components) to reduce noise. This composite construction allows rigid parts to maintain structural integrity while elastic and damping elements absorb vibrations and reduce noise generation during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Elastic rubber pads, buffering springs, and damping components serve as intermediary elements between rigid structural components. These intermediaries reduce direct contact and vibration transmission between rigid parts, thereby decreasing noise generation while maintaining the structural stability provided by the rigid framework.
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 structure enhances comfort by evenly distributing impact forces and reduces noise through elastic buffering, ensuring a smoother running experience.
Implementation Method 1
the running board includes soft elastic strips adapted to the two side bars of the running platform
Implementation Method 2
The structure enhances comfort by evenly distributing impact forces
Data Source
AI summary
A treadmill running platform structure is provided, which includes a running platform, a running board, and a running belt. The running board includes two soft elastic strips adapted to two side bars of the running platform, a plurality of rigid support strips provided between the soft elastic strips, and strip-shaped connection plates respectively connected to two ends of the rigid support strips. Two strip-shaped connection plates are connected above the rigid support strips, and the strip-shaped connection plates are respectively fixed to a corresponding end of each rigid support strip. The present disclosure can achieve buffering of the entire running board, especially by connecting the rigid support strips together through the strip-shaped connection plates, thereby avoiding an uneven transition of the rigid support strips when a runner steps on the running board, improving the comfort of the runner's feet, and reducing the noise of the treadmill.