Patent Application
20180209585
Treadmills can be used to enable a person to walk or run in place despite outdoor weather, climate, and time of day. In general, treadmills have a stationary structure, a translating surface, and one or more mechanisms for creating the translational movement. In a typical embodiment, an endless belt rotates about two parallel rollers located on opposite ends of the stationary structure. The stationary structure is designed such that the rotating endless belt is taut around the outer surface of the parallel rollers, and coupled to follow their rotational direction. A support platform, located slightly below the rotating endless belt, provides a rigid surface to support the weight of a user.
While the above-described treadmill design is satisfactory to provide a walking or running surface, it suffers from considerable friction among the components. For example, as the user steps onto the rotating belt, the belt is pressed against the support platform, thereby causing frictional contact between the stationary and non-stationary parts. This frictional contact is generated each time the user takes a step and may severely diminish the performance and longevity of the various treadmill components.
It is therefore advantageous to minimize the frictional contact between the rotating belt and the support platform of a treadmill. This is typically achieved by applying a lubricating medium between the two surfaces, prior to assembly and at servicing intervals. Unfortunately, servicing of treadmills is costly because the existing practice requires that a skilled technician loosen or remove the endless belt to apply a uniform and adequate layer of lubricant. Moreover, servicing renders the treadmill unusable for the period of time required for the service to be performed.
It is known in the art to provide treadmills with built-in lubricating devices, with the following patents being incorporated by reference herein. U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,144 describes a treadmill having continuous solid lubrication system between the inner surface of the endless belt and the support deck. The continuous solid lubrication system is positioned below the deck in a downwardly orientated position. The solid lubrication system includes a solid wax in an elongated solid lubricant channel. The channel is attached at an angle to the under side of the deck so that the channel and the solid wax engage the inner surface of the lower reach of the belt. The belt abrades the solid wax and the channel as it moves along its continuous path imparting lubrication to the belt. As increased tension is applied to the upper reach, more lubricant is applied to the inner surface of the belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,384 describes an elongated lubrication applicator that is used to manually lubricate the belt and/or belt supporting surface of an exercise treadmill. The lubrication applicator is optionally included in a kit containing lubricant and at least one treadmill belt tension adjusting device.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,335,135 describes a treadmill belt lubricating device for an electric treadmill comprising a transversal axle rod disposed at a frame of the treadmill, and a swinging lever longitudinally coupled to the axle rod, wherein an end of the lever includes an inertia weight, and the other end of the lever is coupled to a transversal U-shape retaining groove, and the retaining groove includes a wool felt, and a lubricant is filled into the wool felt. After the foregoing components are assembled, a roller is positioned precisely under the running board, and another end of the wool felt maintains a gap with the treadmill belt, and if the running board is vibrated, then the inertia swing of the lever weight drives the wool felt to be in contact with the bottom surface of the treadmill belt so as to achieve the effect of constantly lubricating the treadmill belt.
The majority of the lubrication systems of the prior art are designed to be installed ran the treadmill itself. The additional lubrication mechanisms and their control circuitry can significantly increase the cost of the treadmill, and their benefit can generally only be enjoyed by purchasers of new treadmills. Individual consumers who have already purchased a treadmill are unlikely to spend more for the latest improvement in treadmill technology.
Consequently, it would be advantageous to provide a device and method for lubricating the friction bearing surfaces of a treadmill that will enable quick and adequate lubrication while also reducing the overall time required for servicing. Additionally, it would be advantageous to provide a “do-it-yourself” treadmill lubrication system which may be used on any existing treadmill, obviating or reducing the need for a skilled service technician or the purchase of a new treadmill. Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinafter.
A treadmill lubrication system and method is provided. The system of the present invention provides a portable device for lubricating both new and pre-existing treadmills, negating the need to install a complicated and expensive lubrication system on the treadmill itself. The design of present invention also provides a system and method whereby a treadmill user or owner can deliver lubrication to the treadmill components without the need to contact a treadmill service professional. It is contemplated that the present invention may be stored or stationed in homes, gyms, or wherever a treadmill is used.
In a preferred embodiment, the lubrication system comprises a container or bottle with a spray nozzle including an extended tube through which a preferably silicone-based treadmill lubricant ay be sprayed. The extended tube of the nozzle is designed to be inserted underneath the belt of a treadmill with the tube having a length sufficient reach the treadmill components that require lubrication. The extended tube is preferably constructed from a material that provides enough rigidity to prevent significant bending and/or kinking of the tube, while still allowing for enough flexibility that the tube can be inserted underneath the belt of a treadmill without breaking or snapping in half.
The lubrication system of the present invention may include a variation of spray nozzles, with at least three different nozzle embodiments described herein. Preferably, each embodiment includes a spray bottle with spray nozzle and extended tube attachment. A first spray nozzle embodiment described herein comprises a threaded sprayer nozzle attachment with the extended tube affixed to a threaded cap that corresponds to the threaded spray nozzle. A second nozzle embodiment described herein comprises a high output pump-and-spray type spray head whereby the extended tube may slide on and off the spray head for easy removal and storage. A third nozzle embodiment described herein comprises a threaded spray nozzle attachment whereby both ends of a threaded cap are open such that one end may be threaded onto the spray bottle and the other end may receive the extended tube. The extended tube of this embodiment preferably includes a flared end that sites flush inside the threaded cap, thus forming a tight seal between the spray nozzle and spray bottle when the nozzle is attached.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
In one embodiment, the basic components of the present invention preferably comprise a container 11 or bottle for containing a treadmill lubrication medium 22, a spray nozzle with trigger mechanism 12 for releasing the lubricant spray, and a tube 13 with extended length, whereby the proximal end of the tube 13 is attached to the spray nozzle 12 and the distal end of the tube is inserted underneath the belt 21 of a treadmill 20 to reach the treadmill components that require lubrication.
FIGS. a and 1b illustrate one preferred embodiment of the treadmill lubrication system 10 of the present invention comprising a container 11, such as a spray bottle, with attachable extended trigger-type spray nozzle 12 with extended tube 13. In this embodiment, the spray bottle 11 includes a threaded nozzle portion 14 for receiving a corresponding threaded cap 15 of the extended spray tube 13. The extended tube 13 is affixed to the inner surface of the threaded cap 15 such that the threaded cap 15 and extended tube 13 may form a single piece at may be removably attached or threaded onto the corresponding threaded nozzle 14 of the spray bottle 11.
Alternatively, shown in
In a third embodiment, illustrated by
The extended tube attachment 13 that forms the extended spray nozzle of the treadmill lubrication system 10 is preferably constructed from a material that provides enough rigidity to prevent significant bending and/or kinking of the tube 13, while still allowing for enough flexibility that the tube 13 can be inserted underneath the belt 21 of a treadmill 20 without breaking or snapping in half. Some examples of preferred materials include acrylic glass (such as plexiglass) and polytetrafluoroethylene (such as Teflon), although similar suitable materials may be used. These types of materials have an inherent surface slipperiness that allows the tube 13 to slide easily between the rotating belt 21 and the support platform; while at the same time, these materials have a strength sufficient to resist kinking and breakage. A preferred material may have a frictional coefficient less than or equal to 1μ, more preferably less than or equal to 0.8μ.
The extended tube 13 may be any desired length for reaching the treadmill components requiring lubrication, although a preferred range of length may be approximately 4 to 12 inches. Additionally, the extended tube 13 has an inner diameter and an outer diameter, the dimensions of which may vary as desired. For example, a preferred range in outer diameter may be ⅛ to ¼ inch; a preferred inner diameter may be any diameter sufficient to allow the lubricant to be sprayed though the tube with sufficient pressure and in sufficient volume without excessive resistance. A greater difference in outer diameter versus inner diameter will result in more rigidity of the tube.
It is contemplated that the treadmill lubrication system 10 may be constructed, for example, according to one of the embodiments described herein, and the spray bottle 11 of the present invention may be filled with a food-grade silicone spray. As shown in
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. All features disclosed in this specification may be, replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
