Treadmill Slat Lighting and Sensor Braking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Motorized and manual treadmills pose safety risks due to their moving treads, which can continue to operate after users step off, and lack effective alerts for nearby individuals, and they also fail to provide clear information to users or observers.
Innovation Solution
A treadmill with a lighting system integrated into the slats, a braking system activated by sensors, and a locking mechanism to prevent unauthorized use, along with a power rail for powering the lights, which also includes weight and temperature sensors for user data monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the treadmill tread continues to move after the user steps off, then the treadmill maintains operational readiness, but safety risks increase and unauthorized use may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The braking system is activated in advance when sensors detect that the user has stepped off the tread, before the tread can cause harm. This preliminary action stops the moving tread proactively, preventing safety incidents while maintaining operational readiness during actual use.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors continuously monitor the treadmill's operational state and user presence, providing feedback to the control system. When the sensor detects that no user is on the tread, it triggers the braking mechanism to stop the tread, creating a closed-loop safety system that responds dynamically to operational conditions.
2Loss of information
If traditional display screens are used to show information, then information can be displayed, but the information may not be effectively communicated to users or observers
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system uses different colors to convey different types of information and alerts. Colored lights provide intuitive visual feedback that is easily distinguishable and understandable, improving information communication effectiveness compared to traditional monochrome display screens.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of relying solely on two-dimensional display screens, the system uses spatial lighting patterns and colors to convey information in multiple dimensions, making information more accessible and understandable to both users and observers from different perspectives.
3Illumination intensity
If lights are positioned on slats to provide alerts and information, then visibility and safety alerts improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is divided into multiple independent light sources positioned on individual slats, allowing each light to function independently. This segmentation enables targeted lighting control for different alert conditions while maintaining overall system manageability through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system serves multiple functions: safety alerts, operational status indication, and information communication. By making the lighting system multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate systems, thereby managing complexity while achieving multiple objectives.
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting system is described for a treadmill, the treadmill including a tread that rotates around a front axle and a rear axle, wherein the tread comprises slats each having a tread surface and an underside. The lighting system includes a light positioned on at least one slat, wherein the light is configured to emit light between the adjacent slats and a controller in communication with the light and configured to control the light.