Abstract:
A convertible treadmill belt apparatus in which base belt ( 10 ) is transformable both into an endless belt with prickly acupressure massaging surface by releasable attachment of at least one acupressure patch ( 20 ), and into a regular smooth surfaced treadmill belt, also by releasable attachment of at least one bald treadmill patch ( 50 ). Unique patches ( 20 ) and ( 50 ) can also be assembled to create different sized acupressure mats. These are used for massages in a variety of ways including on the floor, in a chair, and suspended on a wall.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/637,271, filed on Apr. 24, 2012 by the present inventor, and is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT (IF APPLICABLE) 
     N/A 
     REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX (IF APPLICABLE) 
     N/A 
     BACKGROUND 
     Acupressure or pressure acupuncture (acupuncture without needles) is well known to have lenitive and curative benefits as well as being an aid to relaxation and wellness. Acupressure practiced on the feet is also known as foot reflexology/massage. Bukowski and Gelfer et al patents both disclose such acupressure massage mats. As a user of different foot massage mats, I found that I had to continuously “march-on-the-spot” atop said mats and could not enjoy the free flow of a natural walking motion. 
     Treadmills are well known especially for running and walking activities. They usually have an endless belt travelling around a plurality of pulleys, powered by the user&#39;s actions or a motor. These “regular” treadmills however offer no acupressure benefits. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,527,241, 7,510,511, and 7,976,437 disclose complex specialized treadmills with cobblestone or rounded beads on the outer surface of the treadmill belt. 
     Amongst other drawbacks, these are not convertible back to “regular” smooth surfaced belts, so a user desiring such would have to purchase another treadmill apparatus. 
     US patent application publication 20050170935 discloses a proprioceptive exercise mat and a set of specialized whole treadmill belts. For the person that desires to combine bare foot massages with regular running/walking on a smooth surface treadmill, they would have to purchase a combination of different treadmills and /or exercise mats and/or contend with daily complex whole treadmill belt changes. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with one or more aspects herein, there is disclosed a treadmill belt convertible to and from a regular smooth running surface from and to a prickly massaging acupressure surface, by simple and quick predetermined steps to be taken by the end user; and a treadmill utilizing said convertible belt powered by a motor or by exertion of person utilizing same. 
     ADVANTAGES 
     One or more embodiments herein will show several advantages including that the end user having one exercise device that can be quickly and simply converted to different format in order to perform various tasks, including usage as an acupressure mat amenable to, for example, feet and back acupressure massages; an acupressure treadmill amenable to, for example, feet acupressure massages in conjunction with free flowing and natural leg and hand motion; and a regular smooth surface treadmill used usually for walks and jogs. Another advantage is the relative inexpensiveness of and cost savings associated with the end user procuring one device that replaces at least three other exercise and massage devices. 
    
    
     
       DRAWING—FIGURES 
       The drawings are schematic in nature and show different aspects and embodiments. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective drawing of an embodiment showing a base treadmill belt having the loops portion of known loops and hooks recloseable fastener combination, on the outer surface of the belt. 
         FIG. 2  is an acupressure treadmill belt patch with acupressure spikes. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the treadmill belt of  FIG. 1  partially covered with acupressure treadmill patches. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the base treadmill belt of  FIG. 1  fully covered with overlapping acupressure treadmill patches. 
         FIG. 5  is a bald treadmill belt patch. 
         FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of another embodiment with the base treadmill belt having both recloseable fastener loops and acupressure spikes. 
         FIG. 7  shows a side view of the treadmill belt of  FIG. 1  or  FIG. 6  fully covered with overlapping bald treadmill patches. 
         FIG. 8  discloses the identical undersides of both acupressure and bald treadmill belt patches (respectively  FIGS. 2 and 5 ), showing the hooks portion of known loops and hooks recloseable fastener combination. 
         FIG. 9  shows an example of acupressure spikes mentioned herein. 
         FIG. 10  shows two acupressure treadmill belt patches of  FIG. 2  set up together as a floor acupressure mat. 
     
    
    
     DRAWING—REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
           10  a base treadmill belt having the loops portion of known loops and hooks recloseable fastener combination, on the outer surface of the belt 
           12  loops of loops and hooks recloseable fastener combination 
           14  treadmill belt pulley 
           20  acupressure treadmill belt patch with acupressure spikes 
           22  acupressure spike cluster 
           24  patch interconnector lower lip 
           26  patch interconnector upper lip 
           28  patch main section 
           50  bald treadmill belt patch 
           60  modified base treadmill belt with recloseable fastener loops and acupressure spikes 
           80  hooks of loops and hooks recloseable fastener combination 
           90  horizontal base member of spike cluster  22   
           92  individual spike in spike cluster  22   
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     First Embodiment 
     In one embodiment, the starting point is a base treadmill belt  10  of  FIG. 1 , having sections of loops  12  of known loops and hooks recloseable fastener combination, on its outer surface. These loops sections  12  may be formed on or affixed to the belt surface by suitable means including but not limited to gluing and sewing. 
       FIG. 2  discloses an acupressure treadmill belt patch  20  made from a suitable and durable flexible sheet of material such as a mesh reinforced plastic sheet, of substantially the same width as that of the base treadmill belt  10  of  FIG. 1  or modified base treadmill belt  60  of  FIG. 6 . It could be of any suitable predetermined length so long as the base belts would be completely covered circumferentially as described here and without overage, in using one or more pieces of patch  20 . The top side of acupressure patch  20  has three sections: a patch interconnector lower lip section  24 , a patch interconnector upper lip section  26 , and patch main section  28 . The patch upper lip  26  and main section  28  are populated with acupressure spikes  22 , which could be of similar or varying degrees of size, tapering, and rigidity. These acupressure spikes  22  could be formed into patch  20  or affixed thereunto by suitable means. The top side of lower lip  24  is covered by the loops  12  of known loops and hooks recloseable fastener combination. Hooks  80  of known loops and hooks recloseable fastener combination cover the underside of all three sections of acupressure patch  20  as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     To set up the treadmill belt for acupressure massage, the user aligns and releaseably attaches at least one acupressure patch  20  to base treadmill belt  10  (already situated in a treadmill apparatus) using their recloseable fastener combination. Where more than one acupressure patch  20  is used to cover the entire circumferential surface of the base belt  10 , the first patch is placed such that the lower lip  24  leads in the direction of rotation of the base belt  10 . Thereafter, another patch  20 , placed in front of lower lip  24  is so positioned that said later patch  20 &#39;s upper lip aligns exactly over and is firmly pressed down to attach to prior patch  20 &#39;s lower lip  24  and so on. This would result in the treadmill belt illustrated in  FIG. 4 . When total patch  20  coverage is not desired, the user may space out the positioning of the patches  20  as desired, leading to an acupressure belt illustrated in  FIG. 3 . After desired base belt  10  coverage by patches  20  has been setup, user simply walks atop patches  20  substantially barefooted, the treadmill being motor powered or user propelled, in a free flowing gait. 
     In reconfiguring the treadmill belt above for regular walking or running, the user simply detaches the acupressure patches  20  and said base belt  10  is usable as is for that purpose. Where greater surface smoothness is required however, and to cover releasable attachment means used, upon detaching the acupressure patches  20 , the user replaces them with at least one bald treadmill patch  50 , in the same manner described above. The resultant smoother surfaced treadmill belt is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The bald patch  50  is similar in all respects to the acupressure patch  20  in features and mode of operation except for the absence on its top surface of acupressure spikes  22 . 
       FIG. 9  shows an example of an acupressure spike cluster  22 , having a horizontal base member  90  from which spikes  92  sprout. It could be made of plastic or other suitable material. 
     Second Embodiment 
     In another embodiment, the outer surface of the modified base treadmill belt  60  is populated with acupressure spikes  22  interlaced with loops  12  of loops and hooks recloseable fastener combination as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . The spikes  22  and loops  12  are attached to the base belt  60  by suitable means, including sewing and gluing, and may also be formed into the base belt  60 . The user has the options of using base belt  60  as is, set up in a treadmill apparatus, for acupressure massage, or may releaseably affix acupressure patches  20 , in the manner described above, to make base belt  60  more or completely covered, as illustrated by  FIG. 4 . The user may also convert base belt  60  to a smooth running surface belt by attaching bald treadmill patches  50 , also as previously set forth herein. The operation of this embodiment is similar to the first above, except in the particular differences outlined here. 
     Third Embodiment 
     In another embodiment, at least one acupressure patch  20  and/or bald patch  50  are combined together, using their recloseable lower  24  and upper  26  lips to form free standing, non-treadmill, acupressure mats.  FIG. 10  show an acupressure mat formed from two acupressure patches  20 . The interconnector upper lip  26  of one patch  20  is placed over and aligned with the interconnector lower lip  24  of another patch  20  and pressed firmly to form a recloseable bond. Resultant mat could be used in a variety of ways, including but not limited to, as a mat for other kinds of floor exercises combinable with an acupressure workout or laid over a seat or bed or suspended on a wall to that user can position desired body part such as the back, to contact the massage spikes  22 . 
     CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS AND SCOPE 
     The reader can see from the foregoing that at least one or more embodiments provides a single device that a user can modify and adapt at least for regular walking and jogging on an endless belt; for reflexology massages; combined reflexology and walking/jogging exercises; acupressure mats furnishing platforms for combining acupressure with other amenable exercises; and so forth. 
     Although the description above contains many specifics, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments but as merely providing illustrations of some of the several embodiments. For example, other suitable releasable attachment means may be utilized in place of loops and hooks of known loops and hooks recloseable fastener combination such as snap buttons, zippers, and buckles. In addition, the embodiment parts to which releasable attachment combination constituents are attached may be interchanged. 
     Accordingly, the scope should not be determined by the embodiments illustrated but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.