Patent ID: 8986169
Filing Date: 2015-03-24
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
1. A manually operated treadmill comprising: a treadmill frame having a front end and a rear end opposite the front end; a front shaft rotatably coupled to the treadmill frame at the front end; a rear shaft rotatably coupled to the treadmill frame at the rear end; a running belt including a curved running surface upon which a user of the treadmill may run, wherein the running belt is disposed about the front and rear shafts such that force generated by the user causes rotation of the front shaft and the rear shaft and also causes the running surface of the running belt to move from the front shaft toward the rear shaft; a safety device coupled to at least one of the front shaft and the rear shaft, wherein the safety device prevents rotation of at least one of the front shaft and the rear shaft in one direction and permits rotation of at least one of the front shaft and the rear shaft in the opposite direction to restrict rotation of the running belt in a single direction; and a synchronizing system interconnecting the front and rear shafts, wherein the synchronizing system is configured to provide a force that acts to resist differential rotation of the front and rear shafts; wherein the treadmill is configured to allow the user to manually control the speed of the running belt and to facilitate maintenance of a contour of the curved running surface.