Patent ID: 8308592

Claim:
A method of making a treadmill belt having a first foamed cushion layer and a second foamed cushion layer comprising: applying at least one layer of a first unfoamed thermoplastic composition on a substantially non-extendable fabric base layer; foaming the first unfoamed thermoplastic composition to define the first foamed cushion layer which has a Shore A hardness of about 20 to about 80; applying a fabric intermediate layer onto the first foamed cushion layer; applying at least one layer of a second unfoamed thermoplastic composition onto the fabric intermediate layer; foaming the second unfoamed thermoplastic composition to define the second foamed cushion layer which has a Shore A hardness of about 20 to about 80; applying an outer wear layer onto the second foamed cushion layer to define the treadmill belt with the first foamed cushion layer and the second foamed cushion layers; and securing a bottom surface layer to the underside of the fabric base layer, wherein the bottom surface layer is comprised of polyurethane, wherein the outer wear layer is comprised of natural rubber or a synthetic rubber, wherein the first foamed cushion layer has surfaces which are exposed on the edges of both sides of the belt, and wherein the second foamed cushion layer has surfaces which are exposed on the edges of both sides of the belt.