1. Field of the Invention
The specification relates to an apparatus for providing a work surface. In particular, the specification relates to an apparatus for providing a work surface on a treadmill with hand rails.
2. Description of the Related Art
Research has shown that sitting for hours carries serious health risks. One possible solution is to spend part of a workday doing deskwork (e.g. computer operation) while walking slowly on a treadmill. Current systems rely on a single rigid board resting across a treadmill's handrails.
Current systems are problematic. Since people often use treadmills at a gym, a first problem with the current systems is that they are bulky and lack portability. Since treadmills come in various configurations, a second problem with current systems is a lack of compatibility with the various configurations. Since many treadmill handrails are below elbow height resulting in wrist dorsiflexion while typing, which places stress on both the carpal tunnel and the arm tendons, a third problem with current systems is ergonomics.
The specification overcomes the deficiencies and limitations of the prior art at least in part by providing an apparatus for providing a work surface on a treadmill with handrails.
In some examples, the specification describes an apparatus for providing a work surface on a treadmill with handrails. In one example, the apparatus comprises a rigid first member, a rigid second member and a joint connecting a first end of the first member to a first end of the second member. The connection has at least two positions including a first position and a second position. The first position aligns the first and second members into a first configuration for providing a work surface wherein a first surface of the first member is coplanar to a first surface of the second member to create the work surface for supporting a computing device and a user's wrists, the work surface rigid enough to support the computer device and the user's wrists. The second position aligns the first member and the second member into a second configuration for transportation.
In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes one or more of the following features. The joint comprises a hinge connected to the first member and the second member opposite the first surfaces. The hinge rotates between the second configuration at zero degrees and the first configuration at one hundred and eighty degrees. A first hinge offset at the first end of the first member opposite the first surface connected to the hinge, and a second hinge offset at the first end of the second member opposite the first surface connected to the hinge. The hinge offsets having a height for allowing the first member to align parallel with the second member in the second configuration. One or more of the hinge offset elongated perpendicular to the joint, the elongation increasing the rigidity of one or more of the first member and the second member while not increasing the thickness of the apparatus in the second configuration. An anti-slip surface at a contact point between the apparatus and a treadmill handrail for preventing the work surface from slipping relative to the handrails. A collapsible support member for supporting the first member and the second member in the first configuration above the treadmill handrails. A first side-support member connected at a first end to a second end of the first member by a first support hinge, and a second side-support member connected at a first end to a second end of the first member by a second support hinge. The side-supports at opposite ends of the work surface and extending from the surface opposite the work surface at a splay angle between zero and one hundred and eighty degrees, wherein the splay angle is zero in the second configuration and between ninety degrees and one hundred and eighty degrees in the first configuration. The hinged diagonal side supports each contacting a treadmill handrail and supporting the work surface. A means of adjusting the splay-angle of said side supports in the first configuration. One or more markings for visually indicate the splay angle of the side supports. Adjusting the splay angle in the first configuration adjusts the height of the work surface relative to the height of the treadmill handrails. Adjusting the splay angle in the first configuration adjusts the point of contact between the side support and the treadmill handrail for accommodating different handrail spans. A flexible member attached to the support member at a first end and the first member at a second end and whose effective length is adjustable, the effective length determining the splay-angle of the support member in the first configuration. A flexible member attached to the support member at a first end and the first member at a second end and whose effective length is fixed, the splay-angle of one or more side supports in the first configuration determined based at least in part on a selected anchoring point 42 of the flexible member, one or more of the support member, the first member and the second member comprising a plurality of anchoring points 42. A rigid member attached to the support member at a first end and the first member at a second end for adjusting the support member to a selected splay angle in the first configuration.
The features and advantages described herein are not all-inclusive and many additional features and advantages will be apparent in view of the figures and description. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and not to limit the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein.
The embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals are used to refer to similar elements. Moreover, aspects may be exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the embodiments.
An apparatus for providing a work surface on a treadmill with handrails is described. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the embodiments can be practiced without these specific details.
Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
Existing treadmill desks consist of a single rigid panel having fixed dimensions sufficient to span the handrails 10 of some models of treadmill. One failing of the existing treadmill desks is that the work surface created is the approximate height of handrails. The height of the handrails for many individuals is too low to provide ergonomic and comfortable positioning of the arms and wrist for operating a computing device, for example, a laptop's keyboard and/or a mouse.
In one embodiment, the apparatus for providing a work surface on a treadmill with handrails comprises a boosting platform. In one such embodiment, the apparatus for providing a work surface on a treadmill with handrails is compatible with existing treadmill desks. For example, an existing treadmill desk 16 rests across the handrails 10, and the boosting platform 15 rests upon the existing treadmill desk providing an elevated work surface upon which a computing device may rest.
In one embodiment, the boosting platform has a height such that a computing device resting on top of the boosting platform is placed at an ergonomic and comfortable height for using the computing device. For example, the boosting platform has a height that, when used on a treadmill with the most common height handrails, places a computing device at an ergonomic height for an average height individual. In another example, the boosting platform has an adjustable height (e.g. one or more adjustable height feet).
In one embodiment, the boosting platform comprises a mouse and wrist support 17. In one embodiment, the mouse and wrist support provides a surface for ergonomically using a mouse and for supporting and steadying a user's hand and forearm while walking on the treadmill deck 12 and using the mouse.
The present embodiment provides advantages over existing treadmill desks. First, the apparatus of
In
In one embodiment, the joint is a hinged joint including one or more center hinges 33. In one embodiment, the center hinge 33 is any kind of hinge with approximately 180-degree travel. Examples include but are not limited to long metal piano-hinges, integrally-molded thermoplastic hinges integrally molded into the rigid desktop members 22, separately interlocking features built into the edges of the desktop members 22, etc. As illustrated, the center hinge 33 is shown in the “open” position with the hinge's flanges approximately 180 degrees apart, which aligns the surfaces of the two rigid desktop members 22 to create a coplanar work surface.
In one embodiment, the one or more center hinges 33 are mounted on one or more hinge offsets 34. In one embodiment, a hinge offset 34 is located on each of the rigid desktop members 22 on the surface opposite that of the work surface at the end where the joint is located. In one embodiment, a hinge offsets is attached to the rigid desktop members. In another embodiment, a hinge offset is part of the rigid desktop members 22. For example, a offset may be molded, milled, extruded, etc. as part of the rigid desktop members 22. The hinge offset moves the joint's center of hinging a distance away from the work surface of the desktop members 22. The offset increases the strength of the joint in the first configuration because the shear forces pulling on the one or more hinges' mounting points decrease proportionally to the distance between the hinge and the work surface which is under compression. Therefore, in some embodiments, the offsets 34 decrease the forces on one or more of a hinge pin, hinge mounting hardware and glue potentially allowing for one or more of a lighter and more portable apparatus and/or less expensive manufacturing of the apparatus without sacrificing strength and durability of the joint.
In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises one or more collapsible support members 21. The members comprising the apparatus (e.g., two desktop 22 members and two support members 21) are constructed of any material strong and rigid enough to support the weight of a computer device and a human forearm. In one embodiment, the members are constructed of a rigid, lightweight material. Examples of rigid, lightweight materials include but are not limited to plywood, thermoplastic, etc. Additionally, the members may use structural features to save weight while maintaining rigidity including but not limited to a foam-core sandwich, a honeycomb-core sandwich, etc.
In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises two support members 21 each pivotally connected to a desktop member such that the support members 21 are on opposite sides of the work surface in the first configuration. A pivotal connection allows the splay angle of a side support to be adjusted. The adjustment of the splay angle beneficially allows the apparatus to span and rest on handrails 10 of different separations, for example, the range of separations corresponding to commercially available freestanding treadmills. Additionally, the adjustment of the splay angle adjusts the height of the work surface relative to the height of the hand rails 10 beneficially enabling an individual to set the work surface at an ergonomic and comfortable height. In one embodiment, the splay angle may be adjusted from nearly vertical (90 degrees) to nearly horizontal (180 degrees) in the first configuration and to horizontal again (0 degrees) in the second configuration.
In one embodiment, a pivotal connection comprises one or more support hinges 31. In one embodiment, the support hinge 31 is any kind of hinge with nearly 180-degree travel. Examples include but are not limited to long metal piano-hinges, integrally-molded thermoplastic hinges integrally molded into the support members 21, separately interlocking features built into the edges of the support members 21, etc. It will be realized that the center hinge 33 and support hinge 31 are not necessarily the same type of hinge. In one embodiment, the one or more support hinges 31 are subjected to less force than the center hinge; therefore, in one embodiment, one or more of a smaller hinge, a less robust hinge and no hinge offset is implemented at the support hinge 31.
In one embodiment, the splay angle of the support members is adjustable. In one embodiment, the splay angle is adjusted at least in part by one or more tension elements 32. A tension element 32 counteracts the compression experienced by a support hinge 31. For example, the downward-bearing load on the work surface tends to force the support hinges open as the hinge joint is compressed and can be counteracted by tension (e.g. via a tension element 32). Since a mechanical truss is stronger when its points of compression and tension are far apart, in one embodiment, the tension element 32 stretches diagonally from two points spaced away from the support hinge 31 itself. For example, in one embodiment, the tension element 32 forms the third side of the triangle where the first side of the triangle comprises at least a portion of the coplanar desktop members 22 and the second side of the triangle comprises at least a portion of a support member 21. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises two support members each using a tension element 32. In one embodiment, the two tension elements 32 function independently from one another but may touch or interact with one another (e.g. where they cross in the middle).
In one embodiment, one or more tension elements 32 are rigid. For example, a tension element may be composed of the same rigid material(s) as one or more of the desktop members 22 and the support members 21 and may implement the same, or similar, structural features. In one embodiment, one or more tension elements 32 are flexible. In one embodiment, a tension element (32) may be composed of any flexible material with sufficient tensile strength to support the apparatus under load in the first configuration and sufficient flexibility to fit inside the desk in the portable second configuration which is discussed in reference to
In one embodiment, the splay angle is adjusted at least in part by adjusting the effective length of a tension element 32. Referring to
In one embodiment, the splay angle is adjusted at least in part by adjusting the anchoring point 42 of a tension element 32. For example, referring again to
In some embodiments, one or more markings indicating the splay angle are provided for expediting the adjustment of multiple support members 21 to the same splay angle, thereby eliminating the need to visually inspect and/or employ trial-and-error to obtain symmetric splay angles. The one or more markings may vary depending upon the embodiment. For example, referring again to
In one embodiment, one or more support members 21 include a means for anchoring the apparatus to a handrail 10. In one embodiment, the apparatus is mounted using friction, and a support member includes an anti-slip surface providing high friction. For example, the anti-slip surface may be one or more of structural (e.g. milling or molding a high friction texture into the support member 21), a surface treatment (e.g. applying a non-slip coating or gluing a rubber pad to the surface), etc. Referring again to
In some embodiments, the apparatus is capable of collapsing into a second configuration for portability.
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The foregoing description of the embodiments has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the present embodiments be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims of this application. As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the present embodiments may take other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Likewise, the particular naming of the components, features, attributes and other aspects are not mandatory or significant, and may have different names. Accordingly, the disclosure is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope, which is set forth in the following claims.
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/465,834, entitled “Portable Machine for Allowing a Person to Operate a Computer while Walking on a Freestanding Treadmill” filed Mar. 25, 2011, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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61465834 | Mar 2011 | US |