Abstract:
This invention relates to a whole body vibrator platform which is attachable to a treadmill. The treadmill belt provides the power to move the platform, translating the horizontal, linear, belt movement into vertical oscillations through one or more eccentrically mounted rollers which support the platform. A person standing on the vibrator platform experiences a vertical vibration at frequencies established by the linear velocity of the treadmill belt.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to an accessory to a treadmill which enables the treadmill to be converted into a whole body vibrator. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Recently, a product appeared on the market which was originally used by the Russians to rehabilitate their astronauts after being out in space for many days. This product or device is a machine that a person can stand on and it effects vibration on the whole body. The benefit of this is to loosen up joints and to improve blood and lymphatic circulation. Another claim is that by using the device, one gets the benefit of exercise without doing actual exercise. Whole body vibrator machines are relatively expensive. They cost anywhere from $4,000 to as much as $14,000 depending on the complexity of the device. 
         [0003]    There is also a very inexpensive machine that consists only of a platform that is suspended in rubber cushions and the platform is vibrated only in a horizontal cyclical motion. This machine does not produce vibrations in a person&#39;s whole skeleton. It only vibrates the legs in a circular mode. 
         [0004]    It would be desirable to provide a device which is very simple and it effects whole body vibration just like the expensive ones on the market but at a fraction of the cost. This invention has that objective. 
         [0005]    The invention in its general form will first be described, and then its implementation in terms of specific embodiments will be detailed with reference to the drawings following hereafter. These embodiments are intended to demonstrate the principle of the invention, and the manner of its implementation. The invention in its broadest and more specific forms will then be further described, and defined, in each of the individual claims which conclude this Specification. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The invention, in one of its broader terms, is a mechanical device which can be attached to a treadmill where it converts the linear movement of the treadmill belt to an oscillating vertical motion and at the same time, circular motion. As such, the invention serves as a whole body vibrator. It includes a cylinder which has an eccentrically located shaft through it. The eccentric shaft extends beyond the ends of the cylinder. At the two opposite ends of the shaft there are bearings which are attached to a platform for a person to stand on. The platform is attached to the frame of the treadmill via a link, preferably a flexible bar, so as to localize the platform on the treadmill surface. 
         [0007]    More particularly, the invention provides a whole body vibrator for attachment to a treadmill having a moving belt whereby the linear motion of the belt of the treadmill is converted to a vibratory motion comprising: 
         [0008]    a platform on which a user may stand; 
         [0009]    a roller for contacting the belt of a treadmill wherein the roller is eccentrically supported through bearings carried by said platform; and 
         [0010]    a linkage connecting the platform to the treadmill to localize the platform on the belt and restrict longitudinal movement of the platform with respect to the belt, whereby the advancement of the treadmill belt causes the platform to effect an oscillating motion suited to provide a user, whose feet are positioned on the platform, with a whole body vibrator experience. 
         [0011]    According to one variant of the invention the roller is carried by an eccentrically positioned axle shaft extending through the roller to provide protruding ends, said ends being supported by the bearings. According to another variant of the invention the roller has outer ends and eccentrically positioned shaft ends protruding from each of the respective ends of the roller to provide roller protrusions which are coupled to the platform through bearings carried by the platform. 
         [0012]    The linkage which positions or localizes the platform on the belt is preferably longitudinally stiff but maybe laterally flexible. In order to better distribute the weight of the platform and corresponding pressure on the surface of the belt and to reduce noise, a resilient layer may be provided that extends over at least a portion of the surface of the roller that contacts the belt 
         [0013]    In order to provide a user with a display that includes a presentation corresponding to the frequency of oscillation of the platform, the whole body vibrator of the invention may include: 
         [0014]    a magnetic element mounted on the roller, 
         [0015]    a sensor for detecting the presence of the magnetic element mounted on the platform at a position to detect the magnetic element as it rotates past the sensor, 
         [0016]    a display controller connected to the sensor for generating a signal proportional to the rotational velocity of the roller, and 
         [0017]    a display connected to the display controller to receive the signal for providing an indication of the rotational velocity of the roller 
         [0018]    The magnetic element may either be a piece of magnetic material, such as iron, or may be made magnetized material, such as magnetized iron or other permanently magnetized substance. The sensor may be a whole sensor or, conveniently when used in conjunction with a magnetized material, a simple coil that provides an electric pulse as the magnetized magnetic element passes by the sensor. Simple circuitry in the controller well-known to persons of the art can be constructed to convert this signal into a readout of the speed of the roller to the user. 
         [0019]    The foregoing summarizes the principal features of the invention and some of its optional aspects. The invention may be further understood by the description of the preferred embodiments, in conjunction with the drawings, which now follow. 
         [0020]    Wherever ranges of values are referenced within this specification, sub-ranges therein are intended to be included within the scope of the invention unless otherwise indicated. Where characteristics are attributed to one or another variant of the invention, unless otherwise indicated, such characteristics are intended to apply to all other variants of the invention where such characteristics are appropriate or compatible with such other variants. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  shows the whole body vibrator device of the invention which is attachable to a treadmill. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of  FIG. 1   
           [0023]      FIG. 3  shows the whole body vibrator of  FIG. 1  attached to a treadmill. 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  shows an arrangement where a magnet attached to the roller, a sensor and a display is arranged to display relevant information to a user. 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  shows the roller with a resilient layer over its outer surface. 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  shows the roller which, instead of having a single shaft through it, it has two short shafts attached to each end of the roller. 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the roller showing the shaft through it where the roller itself is not fixed to the shaft but the roller is free to rotate around the shaft. 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  shows the same arrangement as that of  FIG. 1  but instead of having one single roller, it has two rollers which are fixed to the shaft so that they roll together. 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  shows a treadmill-vibrator combination in which a stowaway feature is shown. This enables the platform-roller combination to be stowed away so that the treadmill can be used in its normal way. 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  shows the stowaway mechanism expanded including two clamps used to attach the adjustable support bar  30 ,  35  on the treadmill. 
           [0031]      FIG. 11  shows how the stowaway mechanism is assembled to make the angle of the part that supports the flexible tether bar adjustable. 
           [0032]      FIG. 12  shows the stowaway mechanism expanded in greater detail. 
           [0033]      FIG. 13  shows the platform-roller combination stowed away. 
           [0034]      FIG. 14  shows the vibrator on a treadmill including two safety platforms  50  and  52  which prevent a user from accidentally stepping on the belt and hurting himself or herself. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0035]    The whole body vibrator as best seen in  FIG. 1 , includes a platform  1  provided with two bearing housings  3  (shown in the form of pillow blocks) fixed to its underside. These bearing housings  3  support an axle shaft  4  that carries a roller  2 . The roller  2  may be in either fixed in its connection to the axle shaft  4  or it may be free to rotate with respect to the shaft  4  (see  FIG. 7 , bearing  4   a ). In the former case, such bearings are fitted into the bearing housings  3 . In the latter case, the bearing  4   a  ( FIG. 7 ) in the roller, will permit rotation between the roller and the shaft  4 . The bearing housings  3  need not incorporate true bearings but shaft  4  is fixed in the bearing housings. In either case the roller  2  is eccentrically positioned with respect to the shaft  4  and is dimensioned such that it may easily contact belt  8  of a treadmill  21  when the device is positioned thereon, as seen in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0036]    While the roller  2  is shown with a single shaft with ends protruding from each end of the roller, instead, the outer ends of the roller may be provided with two shaft ends  24  ( FIG. 6 ). Such shaft ends  24  having inner portions which are solidly embedded within the interior the roller  2 . 
         [0037]    The system for employing the vibrator further includes a linkage  6  connecting the platform  1  to the frame  10  of the treadmill  21  via support bar  11 . Support bar  11  may be a simple bar as shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  9  and  13 , to be used in cases where the vibrator is to be installed permanently on an OEM product, or it can be an adjustable combination of parts  30  and  35  etc as described in detail in  FIGS. 10 ,  11  and  12 . Linkage  6  preferably provides longitudinal stiffness but lateral flexibility when the vibrator roller  2  is positioned on the treadmill  21 . Such lateral flexibility allows the roller  2  to self-align with respect to the belt  8 . The connection point between the linkage  6  and the platform  1  provided by connection bracket  5  should be sufficiently forward of the roller  2  iso as to suppress undue lateral oscillations of the platform  1 . 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , linkage  6  may be in the form of a strip of a flexible but stiff material such as spring steel or durable, resilient plastic connected at one end to the platform  1  via brackets  5  and connected at its other end to the frame  10  of the treadmill  21  with a bolt (shown in detail in  FIGS. 10 ,  11  and  12 ) passing through hole  7  and a second set of brackets  39 . 
         [0039]    During operation, the vibrator  20  is placed in position on the belt  8  of treadmill  21 . A user then climbs on top of platform  1  of the device while using handles  9  to maintain their balance. The user may then activate the belt  8  of the treadmill  21  just as they would if the treadmill were to be used for walking or running. The motion of the belt  8  then frictionally drives and rotates the roller  2  while any longitudinal movement of platform  20  is restricted through the linkage  6 . 
         [0040]    As the roller  2  rotates under the force of belt  8 , the eccentrically positioned roller  2 , moving eccentrically with respect to the shaft ends  4 , imparts vertical oscillatory motion to the ends of the platform  1  as well as a limited horizontal oscillatory movement. The speed of the belt  8  determines the frequency of the oscillation and the user, standing atop the platform  1 , is vibrated within this frequency. The user may continue to use handles  9  to maintain balance and may adjust the speed of belt  8  to produce a desired frequency of vibration. In other words, because of the eccentricity of the shaft through the roller, the motion of platform  1  also has partial horizontal rotary motion as well as up and down motion. The position of the user&#39;s feet on the platform determines the amplitude of oscillation experienced by the user. The further apart the user&#39;s feet are, the larger the amplitude of oscillation. 
         [0041]    The whole body vibrator  20  may be provided with a means to display useful information such as the frequency of vibration, the rate of rotation of the roller  2 , or other such information to a user. This information may be measured with the arrangement shown in  FIG. 4 . Here a magnet  13  fixed to the roller  2  rotates with the roller  2  and, through its magnetic flux, induces a signal in a magnetic sensor  14  positioned either on the platform  1  or bearing housing  3 . Every time the roller  2  completes a rotation, the sensor  14  produces an electrical signal and delivers it to decoder  16 . The decoder  16  then processes the input and provides a display  15  with a signal such that relevant information such as frequency, rotational speed, or the duration of vibration may be displayed to the user. Other optical or contact based tachometers may be alternatively used to make similar measurements and provide a signal to the display  15 . 
         [0042]    Another possible modification includes cladding the roller  2  with a resilient layer, such as a sleeve  23 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The resilient sleeve  23  acts as a cushion to minimize noise and to distribute the load more evenly on the belt  8  and the belt substrate of the treadmill  21 . It also serves to increase the friction present between the roller  2  and the belt  8  and reduce slipping while the belt  8  drives the roller  2 . 
         [0043]    Another arrangement is shown in  FIG. 8 . For better loading pressure on the belt, we can use two rollers coupled together on a single shaft. The two rollers are fixed together on shaft  4  and they are arranged so that shaft  4  enters the center of roller  2   a  and comes out at the other end off center. The same holds for roller  2   b . The two rollers are fixed to shaft  4  so that their eccentricity is 180 degrees out of phase, thus simulating the same arrangement as if the were one long roller as before. 
         [0044]      FIG. 9  shows the treadmill of  FIG. 3  with the addition of a bracket  37 . This bracket is used for stowing away the platform  20  when the treadmill is used for walking or running. (Bracket  37  and the mechanism which the bracket and linkage  6  is described further in  FIGS. 10 ,  11  and  12 ). 
         [0045]      FIG. 13  shows the same drawing as that of  FIG. 9  with the platform shown in stowaway position. To understand the stowaway mechanism and the adjustable support bar see  FIG. 10 ,  FIG. 11  and  FIG. 12 . 
         [0046]    In  FIG. 10 , parts  35  and  30  make up the expandable support bar. The expandable support bar is used instead of the fixed support bar  11  when the vibrator is made to fit different treadmills that may have different spacing between the treadmill arms  10 ,  35  are square cross-section tubes that fit into square cross-section tube  30  and form a telescopic arrangement of which the overall length can be adjusted.  32  are flat members which are attached to the ends of members  35 . The function of members  32  is to enable attachment of the expandable support bar to the members of a treadmill via clamps  47  as shown in  FIG. 10 ,  FIG. 11  and  FIG. 12 , show more clearly the mechanism A in which link  6  is free to swing upwards and at the same time, support member  37  can be adjusted at any angle with respect to the vertical position depending on the treadmill&#39;s angle of members  10  ( FIG. 9 ). 
         [0047]    The stowaway mechanism works as follows. Referring to  FIGS. 10 ,  11  and  12 , Bracket  37  features two prongs which at one end have holes  44 . Holes  44  have clearance for bolt  42  to go through. The same is true for holes  45  on brackets  39 . Brackets  39  are spaced apart so that bar  6  can fit between them.  40  is a sleeve which has an outside diameter so that it fits with clearance through hole  46  on linkage  6 . The length of sleeve  40  is the same as the distance between brackets  39 . Sleeve  40  does not pass through holes  45  on brackets  39 . Referring to  FIG. 12 , the stowaway mechanism when assembled, bolt  42  goes through one side of bracket  37 , through lock washer  41 , through one side of bracket  39 , through sleeve  40  which is fitted in hole  46  of linkage  6 , It goes through the other side of bracket  45 , through the other lock washer  41 , through the other hole of bracket  37  and, finally, attached to nut  43 . 
         [0048]    By tightening nut  43  on bolt  42 , bracket  37  is squeezed against brackets  39  and lock washers  41  provide friction so that bracket  37  becomes fixed at any position but, at the same time, linkage  6  is free to rotate around sleeve  40 .  FIG. 12   a  shows the complete bracket  37 .  38  is a bridge connecting the two prongs of part  37  together. 
         [0049]    It also provides a resting spot for linkage  6  when in stowed position. 
         [0050]    In operation, bracket  37  is set to an angle past the vertical position so that when the platform  1  is in stowed position, it will stay up due to gravity. See  FIG. 13 . 
         [0051]      FIG. 14  shows the treadmill-vibrator combination of  FIG. 9  with the addition of safety panels  50  and  52 . The purpose of these panels is to prevent a user stepping on the belt while he or she is operating the vibrator. The front panel is tethered on the support bar  11  (or the equivalent tube  30 ) via flexible straps  51 . The rear panel  52  may be just placed in position and fixed by some means like clamps or screws (not shown). Bars  52   a  attached to rear panel  52  prevent the panel from drifting out of place. Both of the panels are lifted off the belt because they are supported at the ends of the treadmill which are elevated from the belt. 
       CONCLUSION 
       [0052]    The foregoing has constituted a description of specific embodiments showing how the invention may be applied and put into use. These embodiments are only exemplary. The invention in its broadest, and more specific aspects, is further described and defined in the claims which now follow. 
         [0053]    These claims, and the language used therein, are to be understood in terms of the variants of the invention which have been described. They are not to be restricted to such variants, but are to be read as covering the full scope of the invention as is implicit within the invention and the disclosure that has been provided herein.