WO2007015619A1 - Appareil de contrôle automatique de la vitesse pour un tapis roulant et son procédé de commande - Google Patents

Appareil de contrôle automatique de la vitesse pour un tapis roulant et son procédé de commande Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2007015619A1
WO2007015619A1 PCT/KR2006/003015 KR2006003015W WO2007015619A1 WO 2007015619 A1 WO2007015619 A1 WO 2007015619A1 KR 2006003015 W KR2006003015 W KR 2006003015W WO 2007015619 A1 WO2007015619 A1 WO 2007015619A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
track belt
user
speed
load sensor
track
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/KR2006/003015
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Seon-Kyung Yoo
Original Assignee
Tobeone Company Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from KR1020050070179A external-priority patent/KR100737394B1/ko
Priority claimed from KR1020060013364A external-priority patent/KR100778819B1/ko
Application filed by Tobeone Company Limited filed Critical Tobeone Company Limited
Priority to US11/989,729 priority Critical patent/US20090036272A1/en
Publication of WO2007015619A1 publication Critical patent/WO2007015619A1/fr

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B22/00—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements
    • A63B22/02—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with movable endless bands, e.g. treadmills
    • A63B22/0235—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with movable endless bands, e.g. treadmills driven by a motor
    • A63B22/0242—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with movable endless bands, e.g. treadmills driven by a motor with speed variation
    • A63B22/0257—Mechanical systems therefor
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B24/00—Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B24/00—Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
    • A63B24/0087—Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
    • A63B2024/0093—Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load the load of the exercise apparatus being controlled by performance parameters, e.g. distance or speed
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B22/00—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements
    • A63B22/02—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with movable endless bands, e.g. treadmills
    • A63B22/0235—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with movable endless bands, e.g. treadmills driven by a motor
    • A63B22/0242—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with movable endless bands, e.g. treadmills driven by a motor with speed variation
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B2220/00—Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
    • A63B2220/10—Positions
    • A63B2220/13—Relative positions
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B2220/00—Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
    • A63B2220/50—Force related parameters
    • A63B2220/51—Force

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an automatic speed control apparatus for a treadmill and a control method thereof, more particularly, to an automatic speed control apparatus and control method thereof for automatically controlling the proceeding speed of the track belt precisely corresponding with a user's intention without the user's direct operation for changing the speed of the track belt while running or walking on the treadmill.
  • a treadmill known as a running machine is widely used indoors such as at home or in a sports center as it allows users to have an effect of exercising while working or running on its endlessly rotating belt in narrow space.
  • a demand for treadmills is drastically increasing due to the advantages of its safety and convenience because users can exercise indoors using a treadmill even in the cold winter.
  • a user on a treadmill runs or walks with directly changing the speed of running or walking by finger operation so as to enjoy dynamic exercise.
  • the user should directly operate the control panel of the treadmill in order to control the proceeding speed of the track belt while running or walking on the belt.
  • the finger operation of the track belt speed while exercising on a treadmill can be bothersome and even dangerous for the user on the moving treadmill as it causes to break a balance of user.
  • Korean patent No. 2003-0069941 provides sensors 13, 14 comprised of a light emission part and a light receipt part on the front of control panel of the running machine which can sense where user is located.
  • the apparatus accelerates when user is on the front of a track belt and on the contrary decelerates when user is on the rear part of the track belt so that it can automatically control the speed of track belt in accordance with the user's intention.
  • the sensor used in the automatic speed control apparatus of running machine designed by Youngjin Chae costs too much, the machine has a practical problem of losing price competitiveness in manufacturing a running machine with the sensor.
  • a treadmill using a sensor for automatic speed control can cause serious malfunction as sensing simple gesture of running or walking, or a movement for operating a controller located in a front part as an attempt to accelerate a belt.
  • the speed of track belt can accelerate when user does not want to run or walk faster. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem
  • Another object of the present invention is to enable manufacturer to produce an automatic speed control apparatus for a treadmill automatically controlling the track belt with relatively low price.
  • Still another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic speed control apparatus using a load sensor which senses that user's speed gets faster than the speed of track belt rotation when user is sensed on the front part of the track belt, and therefore the treadmill accelerates the belt.
  • the load sensor senses that user's speed gets slower than the speed of track belt when user is sensed on the rear part of the track belt, then the treadmill decelerates the belt.
  • Yet another object of the present invention is to provide stable speed change control device avoiding a drastic change of speed.
  • Still another object of the present invention is to provide comfortable exercise environment minimizing inertial force effect by the automatic speed control of a track belt.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide stable speed control environment not to misperceive a movement of a user on a track belt for operating button on a control panel or grasping a hand purse as a sign to accelerate or decelerate the track belt.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a treadmill which prevents possible accidents while exercising on a treadmill in advance.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a treadmill of reasonable price that can measure user's weigh on the treadmill.
  • the present invention provides a speed control apparatus for a treadmill including an endlessly rotating track belt, a driving unit for driving the track belt comprising: at least one front load sensor located at the front part of the track belt for measuring a load from a user on the track belt; at least one rear load sensor located at the rear part of the track belt for measuring a load from the user on the track belt; and a control unit for controlling the driving unit to accelerate or decelerate the speed (i.e., line velocity) of the track belt based on the measured values of the front load sensor and the rear load sensor.
  • the speed of the track belt can be automatically controlled in accordance with the user's running or walking speed without specifically operating the treadmill for changing the speed of track belt during the user's running or walking on the track belt.
  • control unit controls the speed of the track belt to accelerate when the user locates in the front part of the track belt, and to decelerate when the user locates in the rear part of the track belt by sensing the location and further the movement of the user from the difference(s) of the measured values of the front load sensor and the rear load sensor.
  • the front load sensor is formed as at least one front load cell and the rear load sensor is formed as at least one rear load cell.
  • a load cell includes a or plural number of strain gages which is shrunken or elongated by the external load. That is, as the resistance of the strain gages is changed when an external load is applied, the voltage of the strain gage is also changed. From this voltage difference, the deformation of the strain gage is calculated, accordingly, considering the material which the strain gage attaches, the load applied to the strain gage can be measured.
  • the front load sensor and the rear load sensor formed as load cell output different voltages, and thus, the load can be measured by processing the voltage signals such as converting the analog voltage signal into digital voltage signal.
  • the control unit can sense the user's real time location on the track belt. Accordingly, in case that the absolute value of the measured value Fl at the front load sensor is getting bigger, as the user is sensed to be located at the front part of the track belt, the control unit orders the driving unit to accelerate the track belt.
  • the control unit orders the driving unit to decelerate the track belt.
  • the front load sensor and the rear load sensor can be formed as at least one strain gage. More specifically, the front load sensor is formed as a pair of front strain gages installed at the front part of the track belt, and the rear load sensor is also formed as a pair of rear strain gages installed at the rear part of the track belt, in which the front strain gages and the rear strain gages constitute a full wheatston bridge circuit.
  • the front load sensor can be formed as a front strain gage installed at the front part of the track belt, and the rear load sensor can also be formed as a rear strain gage installed at the rear part of the track belt, in which the front strain gage and the rear strain gage constitute a wheatston bridge circuit with other 2 dummy resistances.
  • the load sensor is formed as a pair of strain gages
  • the resistance changes of 4 strain gages can be represented by a bridge voltage, it is possible to precisely sense the user's real time location with only one relatively expensive amplifier, thereby reducing the cost of the automatic speed control apparatus for a treadmill.
  • the front strain gages in the wheatston bridge circuit face each other, and the rear strain gages therein also face each other.
  • the bridge voltage ⁇ V can be expressed by following equation 1.
  • the resistance Rl of the front strain gage is getting bigger when the user is biasedly located at the front part of the track belt
  • the resistance R2 of the rear strain gage is getting bigger when the user is biasedly located at the rear part of the track belt. Therefore, the sign and the absolute value of the bridge voltage ⁇ V senses or catches the user's location (i.e., how much the user is biasedly located on the track belt into the front part or into the rear part) on real time. Based on the sensed the user's real time location, without requiring the user's operation of the control panel, the apparatus for automatically controlling the speed of the track belt in accordance with the user's location on the track belt can be realized.
  • the control unit controls the degree of acceleration or deceleration of the track belt in proportion to the absolute value of the bridge voltage ⁇ V.
  • the front load sensor and the rear load sensor are installed at right and left sides respectively thereby easily sensing the user's bias to the front or the rear direction, although the user has a propensity to biasedly walk or run in the left side or the right side on the track belt.
  • the control unit does not control the track belt to accelerate.
  • the front load sensor(s) and the rear load sensor(s) are installed in contact with a frame which supports a deck located between the upper and the lower faces of the track belt.
  • the deck also supports loads or impacts from the user. That is, the front load sensor and the rear load sensor can be installed respectively between the frame and the deck.
  • the load can be measured by inferring the measured deflection of the frame which supports the deck.
  • the present invention provides a speed control method for a treadmill including an endlessly rotating track belt, a driving unit for driving the track belt comprising: a step of measuring loads due to the weight of a user on the track belt at at least one front part of the track belt and at at least one rear part of the track belt; a step of averaging the measured values at the front part of the track belt and at the rear part of the track belt for preset time so as to recognize the location propensity of the user on the track belt; a step of sensing the location of the user on the track belt by comparing the measured values at front part of the track belt and at rear part of the track belt; and a step of controlling the speed of track belt to accelerate when the user is sensed as being located at the front part of the track belt and to decelerate when the user is sensed as being located at the rear part of the track belt.
  • the load in accordance with the user's location is measured by a pair of front strain gages and a pair of rear strain gages having the same resistance with one another wherein the pair of the front strain gages and the pair of the rear strain gages constitute a wheatston bridge in which the front strain gages face each other and the rear strain gages face each other. Therefore, the control unit controls the speed of the track belt in accordance with the sign and the absolute value of the bridge voltage ⁇ V between the two points between the front strain gage and the rear strain gage.
  • the present invention provides a speed control apparatus for a treadmill having a deck, a track belt of endlessly rotating on the upper and the bottom face of the deck, and a driving unit for driving the track belt comprising: at least one front load sensor in the front part of the track belt and at least one rear sensor in the rear part of the track belt for sensing the location of a user on the track belt; whereby the location of the user on the track belt is sensed by comparing the measured values of the sensors, and the speed of the track belt is accelerated when the user move forward on the track belt and is decelerated when the user move backward on the track belt.
  • This control is to realize the speed control of the track belt in accordance with the user's real time intention whether the user wishes to run faster or to run slower. Also, in case that a user wishes to change the staying location on the track belt during the exercise, as the speed of the track belt is not accelerated even though the user is biasedly located at the front part of the track belt, this control itself properly reflects the user's intention of only changing the staying location thereon.
  • all said front load sensor and said rear load sensor are not limited to means of independently measuring load, but includes a sensor(s) to measure a load by combining the front load sensor with rear load sensor.
  • the measured values from the front load sensor and the rear load sensor are respectively averaged for a unit time, and then a difference is calculated in accordance with time by subtracting the present average value from the previous averaged one.
  • the absolute value of the difference maintains bigger than a preset criterion A
  • the absolute value of the difference becomes smaller than the preset criterion A
  • the speed of the track belt is being accelerated, the speed of the track belt is decelerated for an instance, to the contrary, in case that the speed of the track belt is being decelerated, the speed of the track belt is accelerated for an instance.
  • the preset criterion can be a preset value ⁇ Fset based on the measured load, or can be a preset value ⁇ Vset based on the bridge voltage in the wheatston bridge circuit, or can be preset value which can be converted therefrom. Further, the preset criterion can be preset before an exercise or during an exercise.
  • the sensing of user's real time movement is realized by observing the difference obtained by subtracting present averaged measured value for a unit time from the previous measured one.
  • the measured values from the front and the rear load sensor are continuously averaged in real time in accordance with a shorter period (less than ⁇ t), and the difference is calculated in real time by subtracting the later average from the earlier averaged one, and thus, if the difference becomes bigger than the preset criterion A, it is noticed that the user starts moving until the difference becomes smaller than the preset criterion A.
  • the present invention also provides a speed control apparatus for treadmill including a deck, a track belt of endlessly rotating on the upper and the bottom face of the deck, and a driving unit for driving the track belt comprising: an accelerating area set at the front part on the track belt for accelerating the speed of the track belt when a user is located at the accelerating area; a decelerating area set at the rear part on the track belt for decelerating the speed of the track belt when the user is located at the decelerating area; and at least one front load sensor located at the front part of the track belt and at least one rear load sensor located at the rear part of the track belt for sensing the location of the user on the track belt, wherein the location of the user is sensed by comparing the measured values from the front load sensor and of the rear load sensor, and thus, the track belt is accelerated when the user is on the accelerating area and the track belt is decelerated when the user is on the decelerating area.
  • the user can accelerate the track belt by moving onto the accelerating area and can decelerate the track belt by moving onto the decelerating area.
  • a constant speed area set at the middle part on the track belt for maintaining the speed of the track belt when the user is located at the constant speed area is further comprised. That is, in order to prevent the track belt from being erroneously controlled due to a so much sensitive control, it is preferable not to change the speed of the track belt when the user is located within a preset range in the middle of the track belt but to change the speed of the track belt only when the user is biasedly located out of the preset range.
  • the accelerating area and the decelerating area are divided into plural areas respectively, and therefore, if a user is located on the divided areas of the accelerating area, the degree of acceleration is differently set in accordance with the divided areas. Similarly, if a user is located on the divided areas of the decelerating area, the degree of deceleration is differently set in accordance with the divided areas. Accordingly, as a user is more biasedly located on the track belt, the user can make the speed of the track belt more promptly reach a targeted speed.
  • the divided area is not limited to form an area by defining the area with a definite boundary.
  • the meaning of the divided area includes that the acceleration degree and the deceleration degree are continuously converted in proportion to the degree of the user's bias although the degree thereof is not converted in any boundary therebetween.
  • the bias is expressed as the load difference ⁇ F or the bridge voltage ⁇ V.
  • the measured value from the front load sensor and the rear load sensor are respectively averaged for a unit time, and then a difference is calculated in accordance with time by subtracting the present average value from the previous averaged one.
  • the absolute value of the difference maintains bigger than a preset criterion A
  • the absolute value of the difference becomes smaller than the preset criterion A
  • the speed of the track belt is being accelerated, the speed of the track belt is decelerated for an instance, to the contrary, in case that the speed of the track belt is being decelerated, the speed of the track belt is accelerated for an instance.
  • the control panel when the user operates the control panel so that any signal is input to the control panel, the speed and the inclination of the track belt is maintained for a predetermined time with the condition at the time when the signal was input.
  • the predetermined time for maintaining its exercise condition is enough for a user to operate the control panel, after the signal input via the control panel is terminated, the exercise condition of the treadmill is maintained without being changed for 1 or 2 seconds.
  • the acceleration or deceleration of the track belt is realized only when the differences of the measured values from the front and the rear load sensors exceeds the preset criterion A, whereby the slight bias of the user's location on the track belt may not cause the control for accelerating or decelerating the track belt speed against the user's intention.
  • the front load sensor and the rear load sensor are formed as a load cell respectively which can independently measure the load at its each position thereby catching the user's location and movement from the difference of the measured value.
  • the front load sensor and the rear load sensor are installed between the deck and the frame supporting the deck.
  • the control unit controls the speed of the track belt in accordance with the bridge voltage ⁇ V. Based on the change of the average bridge voltage ⁇ Vavg for a constant time ⁇ t, the change of the user's location between the present and the just before can be caught.
  • the front load sensor and the rear load sensor are installed at the left and at the right side respectively, thereby compensating the user's propensity of biasedly located exercising in the left or the right direction and catching the user's location.
  • the sensors can reliably and stably measure the load for a long time.
  • the present invention also provides a speed control method for a treadmill including a deck, a track belt of endlessly rotating on the upper and the bottom face of the deck, and a driving unit for driving the track belt which comprises: a step of measuring loads ⁇ F, ⁇ V at points of at least one front part of the track belt and of at least one rear part of the track belt which are delivered via the deck from the user; a step of catching the user's movement by comparing the measured loads at points of at least one front part of the track belt and of at least one rear part of the track belt; a step of controlling the track belt to accelerate while the user moves forward or to decelerate while the user moves backward.
  • a step of averaging the measured load for predetermined time at front and rear part of the track belt from the user so as to catch the user's location according to the user's propensity; a step of setting the area to include the user's averaged location for the predetermined time as a constant speed area, of setting the area in front of the constant speed area as an accelerating area, and of setting the area in rear of the constant speed area as a decelerating area are further comprised.
  • the step of catching the user's movement is realized by averaging the measured load Fl or Rl at the front part and the measured load F2 or R2 at the rear part for a unit time ⁇ t, and by deciding whether the user moves forward or moves backward when the sign of the difference between the average value and the preset criterion i.e., A or ⁇ Fset or ⁇ Vset becomes bigger than the preset criterion.
  • the present invention also includes a step of stopping the track belt when the user is sensed to be located at the too rear part of the track belt from the comparison of the measured value at the front part of the track belt with the measured value at the rear part thereof. This is to guarantee the safety of users by automatically stopping the proceeding operation of the track belt, when a novice at exercising on the treadmill is too much biasedly pushed at the rear part of the track belt.
  • the present invention provides a speed control method for a treadmill including a deck, a track belt of endlessly rotating on the upper and the bottom face of the deck, and a driving unit for driving the track belt which comprises: a step of measuring loads at points of at least one front part of the track belt and of at least one rear part of the track belt which are delivered via the deck from the user; a step of sensing the user's movement and/or user's location by comparing the measured loads at points of at least one front part of the track belt and of at least one rear part of the track belt; a step of stopping the track belt when the change of the measured loads in accordance with time is within the preset range.
  • the present invention provides a treadmill capable of measuring the user's weight which comprises: a frame; a deck placed on the frame; a track belt of endlessly rotating on the upper face and the bottom face of the deck; a wheatston bridge circuit including a pair of front strain gages installed on a front member between the frame and the deck at the front part of the track belt and a pair of rear strain gages installed on a rear member between the frame and the deck at the rear part of the track belt wherein the front and the rear strain gages face each other respectively; a weighing place indicator for guiding the user to stand thereon which is separately located from the center of the front strain gages and the rear strain gages; and a weight indicator showing the user's weight from the wheatston bridge circuit.
  • the treadmill without being equipped with a weighing device, when a user only gets on the weighing place on the track belt, the user can weigh the user's weight.
  • the measuring method of the user's weight can be obtained by the equation which express the relationship between the weighing place on the track belt and the bridge voltage ⁇ V.
  • the present invention also provides a speed control apparatus for a treadmill including an endlessly rotating track belt, a driving unit for driving the track belt comprising: a plurality of front load sensors located at the front part of the track belt for measuring a load from a user on the track belt; a plurality of rear load sensors located at the rear part of the track belt for measuring a load from the user on the track belt; and a control unit for controlling the driving unit to accelerate or decelerate the speed of the track belt based on the measured values of the front load sensor and the rear load sensor.
  • the proceeding speed of the track belt can be automatically controlled in accordance with the user's running or walking speed, even though the user does not operate the control panel during the exercise.
  • the control unit controls the driving unit to raise the degree of acceleration as the value measured from the forefront load sensor is higher, and similarly, the control unit controls the driving unit to raise the degree of deceleration as the value from the rearest load sensors is higher. It is because the measured value of the forefront load sensor is sensitively higher when a user is biasedly located at the front part of the track belt, and also because the measured value of the rearest load sensor is sensitively higher when a user is biasedly located at the rear part of the track belt.
  • the front load sensors and the rear load sensors can be at least one load cell respectively. Also, the front load sensors and the rear load sensors can be at least one pair of front strain gages and at least one pair of rear strain gages respectively, in which a pair of the front strain gages and a pair of the rear strain gages constitute a wheatston bridge respectively.
  • each of load sensors is formed as a pair of strain gages
  • a front strain gage of each of the front load sensors is installed at the right- front part of the track belt and the other front strain gage of each of the front sensors is installed at the left-front part of the track belt
  • a rear strain gage of each of the rear load sensors is installed at the right-rear part of the track belt and the other rear strain gage of each of the rear sensors is installed at the left-rear part of the track belt
  • a pair of front strain gages and the rear strain gages constitute a wheatston bridge respectively so that the front strain gages may face each other in the wheatston bridge circuit and the rear strain gages may face each other therein. Therefore, by observing the bridge voltage ⁇ V of each of the wheaton bridges, the user's location in addition to movement can be sensed.
  • each of the bridge voltage ⁇ V1, ⁇ V2, ⁇ V3 is expressed as following equations.
  • the resistances of 6 rear strain gages are expressed as the same one Ro.
  • the strain gages Ro, Rl 1, R 12, and Rl 3 have the same resistance value
  • the control unit controls the degree of acceleration or deceleration in proportion to the absolute value of the bridge voltage ⁇ V1 to ⁇ V3.
  • the speed of the track belt can be controlled based on the sign and the absolute value of the rest of the bridge voltages.
  • each of the bridge voltage ⁇ V1, ⁇ V2, ⁇ V3,... can be measured in real time, instead of controlling the speed of the track belt only based on the average bridge voltage ⁇ Vavg, by controlling the speed of the track belt based on ⁇ V1 or ⁇ V3 including the forefront one of the front strain gages and the rearest one of the front strain gages, the proceeding speed of the track belt in accordance with the user's movement can be promptly controlled. Therefore, compared with an apparatus having only a pair of front strain gages and a pair of rear strain gages, the apparatus having plural pairs of front and rear strain gages can control the proceeding speed of the track belt more precisely and promptly with quick response time.
  • the front load sensors and the rear load sensors are installed in contact with the frame which supports the deck located between the upper and the lower faces of the track belt.
  • the deck also supports loads or impacts from the user. That is, each of the front load sensors and the rear load sensors can be installed between the frame and the deck.
  • the load can be measured by inferring from the measured deflection of the frame which supports the deck considering the material property of the frame.
  • the present invention provides a A speed control method for a treadmill including an endlessly rotating track belt, a driving unit for driving the track belt comprising: a step of measuring loads due to the weight of a user on the track belt at different plural front parts of the track belt and at one rear part of the track belt; a step of sensing the location of the user on the track belt by comparing the measured values at front parts of the track belt and at the rear part of the track belt; and a step of controlling the speed of track belt to be accelerated when the user is sensed as being located at a front part of the track belt and to be decelerated when the user is sensed as being located at a rear part of the track belt.
  • the present invention provides a speed control apparatus for a treadmill including an endlessly rotating track belt, a driving unit for driving the track belt comprising at least one front load sensor located in the front part of the track belt for measuring a weight of a user on the track belt, at least one rear load sensor located in the rear part of the track belt for measuring a weight of the user on the track belt and a control unit for controlling the driving unit to accelerate or decelerate the speed of the track belt based on the measured values of the front load sensor and the rear load sensor.
  • the front load sensor of the present invention is formed as at least one front strain gage and the rear load sensor is formed as at least one rear front strain gage so that an automatic speed control apparatus for a treadmill of the present invention can acquire price competitiveness.
  • the present invention can have more reliability as the malfunction due to mis- perception of the simple gesture as a sign of acceleration or deceleration has been removed by the mechanism to sense user's location measuring a load point of the user on the track.
  • the present invention provides a stable speed change control device avoiding drastic change of speed.
  • the present invention also provides comfortable exercise environment minimizing inertial force effect by the automatic speed control of a track belt.
  • the present invention provides stable speed control environment not to misperceive user's movement of user on a track belt for operating button on a control panel or grasping a hand purse as a sign to accelerate or decelerate a belt.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the structure of a treadmill in accordance with a first embodiment.
  • FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a treadmill in accordance with other embodiments.
  • Fig. 3 is a separate perspective view of a track part of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.
  • Fig. 4 is an expanded view illustrating part 'A'of Fig. 3.
  • FIG. 5 is a separated perspective view of a load sensor module of Fig. 4.
  • Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view from the low side illustrating a track part without a track belt of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.
  • Fig. 7 is an expanded view showing part 'B' of Fig. 6.
  • Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram using a load sensor of Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 9 is a diagram for the operation principle of Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 10 is a figure illustrating a sectioned accelerating area, a constant speed area and a sectioned decelerating area on the track of Fig. 2.
  • Fig. 11 is a diagram for a primary operation principle of Fig. 2.
  • Fig. 12 is a figure illustrating the change of speed in accordance with user's movement from a constant speed area to an accelerating area and from the accelerating area to the constant speed area on the track belt.
  • Fig. 13 is a figure illustrating the change of speed in accordance with user's movement from a constant speed area to a decelerating area and from the decelerating area to the constant speed area on the track belt.
  • Fig. 14 is a figure illustrating another change of speed in accordance with user's movement from a constant speed area to an accelerating area and from the accelerating area to the constant speed area on the track belt.
  • Fig. 14 is a figure illustrating another change of speed in accordance with user's movement from a constant speed area to an accelerating area and from the accelerating area to the constant speed area on the track belt.
  • Fig. 16 is a cross sectional view showing the composition of a treadmill in accordance with third embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 17 is a separate perspective view illustrating a track part of Fig. 16.
  • Fig. 18 is an expanded view of part 'A' of Fig. 17.
  • Fig. 19 is a perspective view from the low side illustrating a track part without a track belt of Fig. 16.
  • Fig. 20 is a figure showing a distribution of load sensors on a track belt of Fig. 15.
  • FIG. 21 is a separate perspective view of a front load sensor module of Fig. 19.
  • Fig. 22 is an expanded view showing part 'B' with a rear load sensor module of Fig.
  • Fig. 23 is an expanded view showing part 'C with a front load sensor module of
  • Fig. 24 is a control circuit using load sensors of Fig. 16.
  • Fig. 25 is a diagram illustrating operation principle of Fig. 16.
  • a treadmill 100 equipped with an automatic speed control apparatus therefor of a first embodiment in accordance with the present invention comprises a track unit 110 for making the track belt 111 endlessly proceed so as to provide a user with exercise environment, a control panel unit 120 showing the operating speed and consumed calories in front of the track belt 111, load sensor module 190 for measuring a load delivered from the user at the front part of the track belt 111 and at the rear part of the track belt 111, and control unit (not shown) for controlling the track belt to be accelerated or decelerated based on the values measured by the load sensor module 190.
  • the track unit 110 includes an endlessly rotating track belt 111 to provide a user with a running or walking environment, a pair of rollers 112 for guiding the track belt 111 at the end part thereof, a driving unit 112a for driving the rollers 112 so as to rotate the track belt 111, a deck 113 formed as a plate located between the upper and lower faces of the track belt 111 so as to support weight or impact from the user, a frame 114 in contact with both right and left end sides of the deck 113 thereby supporting the deck 113, several cushion rubbers 115 installed between the deck 113 and the frame 114 so as to absorb impacts, a decoration cover 115 formed of metal material which covers both sides of the frame 114 not to reveal the frame 114 to the outside, support rollers 117 for supporting the front part of the treadmill 100, support member 118 for supporting the rear part of the treadmill 100.
  • the track belt 111 is installed to endlessly rotate between the rollers 112, and the deck 113 is installed between the upper and lower faces of the track belt 111.
  • both end sides of the deck 113 are placed on 'D' shaped members 114a protruded from the frame 114, and the cushion rubber 115 inserted between the deck member 114a and the deck 113 attenuates the impact load against the user's knees thereby protecting the user's knees.
  • the control panel unit 120 includes a control panel 121 for indicating the present proceeding speed, a run distance, consumed calories etc. and having lots of input buttons for ordering the walking or running or for controlling the inclination of the track belt 111, a pair of handle rod 122 protruded from the lower part of the control panel 121 for user's grasping during exercise or in emergency, connecting members 124 extended from the track unit 110 so that the control panel 121 can be located at the height of the user's waist, a parallel member connecting both of the connecting members 124 for reinforcing the transverse stiffness of the connecting members 124.
  • the load sensor module 190 is respectively installed at the front part and at the rear part of the track belt 111 so as to measure loads delivered via the deck 113 from the user.
  • the load sensor module 190 includes medium members 191 transversely protruded from the frame 114, bending members 192 fixed to each of the medium members 191 for being appropriately bent by the load via the deck 113, strain gages 193a, 193b, 194a, and 194b attached on each of the bottom faces of the bending members 192, whereby the strain gages are deformed in accordance with the deformation of the bending members 192 within the elastic range thereof.
  • the medium member 191 and the bending member 192 are firmly combined by fastening means such as bolt's penetrating of the holes 191a, 192a when the members 191, 192 are folded, whereby the members 191, 192 are to be integrally deformed together with each other.
  • the other hole 192b of the bending member 192 which is aligned with a hole of the cushion rubber 115 is used to combine the bending member 192 with the cushion rubber 115.
  • the control unit includes a wheats ton bridge which includes a pair of front strain gages 194a, 194b having resistance R2 for measuring load at the front part of the track belt 111 and a pair of rear strain gages 193a, 193b having resistance Rl for measuring load at the rear part of the track belt 111 wherein the pair of the front strain gages 194a, 194b face each other and the pair of the rear strain gages 193a, 193b face each other.
  • control unit includes an amplifier for amplifying the bride voltage ⁇ V between a first point 181 and a second point 182 which is placed between the front strain gages 194a, 194b and the rear strain gages 193a, 193b, an analog-digital converter for converting the amplified analog bridge voltage into digitalized bridge voltage for signal processing. That is, the control unit controls the driving unit 112a to accelerate or to decelerate the rotation of the rollers 112 thereby controlling the proceeding speed of the track belt 111.
  • the resistance of the strain gage installed at which the user is biasedly located is greater than one at which the user is not biasedly located. Therefore, the sign of bridge voltage ⁇ V is converted by whether the user is biasedly located at the front part or at the rear part of the track belt 111. Further, as the user is more biasedly located at any part of the track belt 111, the amount (i.e., absolute value) of the bridge voltage ⁇ V becomes greater, therefore, the degree of acceleration or deceleration is determined in proportion to the amount of the bridge voltage ⁇ V.
  • the front strain gages 194a, 194b and the rear strain gages 193a, 193b are formed as having the same resistance. However, any value of resistance such as 120 ⁇ or 350 ⁇ is acceptable.
  • the allowable range of a user's bias not to change the proceeding speed of the track belt is stored and preset in a form of the converted bridge voltage ⁇ Vset (i.e., initial preset voltage) in the control unit.
  • Vset i.e., initial preset voltage
  • the load sensor module 190 measures the loads via the deck 113 from the user both at the front part of the track belt 111 and at the rear part of the track belt 111, whereby the user's propensity on whether the user likes to exercise at a little bit front part or rear part of the track belt 111 can be grasped.
  • average voltage of the measured bridge voltage ⁇ V of the wheatston bridge illustrated in Fig. 8 is stored as a reference bridge voltage ⁇ Vref which is a criterion whether to change the proceeding speed of the track belt 111 or not.
  • the control unit controls the proceeding speed of the track belt 111 to be accelerated in proportion to the absolute value of ⁇ V - ⁇ Vref.
  • the control unit controls the proceeding speed of the track belt 111 to be decelerated in proportion to the absolute value of ⁇ V - ⁇ Vref.
  • a treadmill 100 equipped with an automatic speed control apparatus therefor of a second embodiment in accordance with the present invention comprises a track unit 110 for making the track belt 111 endlessly proceed so as to provide a user with exercise environment, control panel unit 120 showing the operation speed and consumed calories in front of the track belt 111, load sensor module 190 for measuring load delivered from the user at the front part of the track belt 111 and at the rear part of the track belt 111, and a control unit (not shown) for controlling the track belt to be accelerated or decelerated based on the values measured by the load sensor module 190.
  • the track unit 110 includes an endlessly rotating track belt 111 to provide a user with a running or walking environment, a pair of rollers 112 for guiding the track belt 111 at the end part thereof, a driving unit 112a for driving the rollers 112 so as to rotate track belt 111, a deck 113 formed as a plate located between the upper and the lower faces of the track belt 111 so as to support weight or impact from the user, a frame 114 in contact with both right and left end sides of the deck 113 thereby supporting the deck 113, several cushion rubbers 115 installed between the deck 113 and the frame 114 so as to absorb impacts, a decoration cover 115 formed of metal material which covers both sides of the frame 114 not to reveal the frame 114 to the outside, support rollers 117 for supporting the front part of the treadmill 100, support member 118 for supporting the rear part of the treadmill 100.
  • the track belt 111 is installed to endlessly rotate between the rollers 112, and the deck 113 is installed between the upper and lower faces of the track belt 111.
  • both end sides of the deck 113 are placed on 'D' shaped members 114a protruded from the frame 114, and the cushion rubber 115 inserted between the deck member 114a and the deck 113 attenuates the impact load reacted to the user's knees thereby protecting the user's knees.
  • an accelerating area 151, 1 is formed at the front part of the track belt 111, and a constant speed area 152, II is formed at the middle part of the track belt 111, and a decelerating area 153, III is formed at the rear part of the track belt 111. That is, when a user is located at the accelerating area 151, 1, the proceeding speed of the track belt is accelerated, and when a user is located at the constant speed area 152, II, the proceeding speed of the track belt is maintained, and when a user is located at the decelerating area 153, III, the proceeding speed of the track belt is decelerated.
  • the accelerating area 151 is divided into a first accelerating area 151a located at the forefront part of the accelerating area 151, a second accelerating area 151b located at the middle part of the accelerating area 151, and a third accelerating area 151c located at the rearest part of the accelerating area 151. Therefore, when a user is located at the first accelerating area 151a, the speed of the track belt 111 is accelerated at the highest degree of acceleration. To the contrary, when a user is located at the third accelerating area 151c, the speed of the track belt 111 is accelerated at the lowest degree of acceleration.
  • first decelerating area 153a located at the forefront part of the decelerating area 153
  • second decelerating area 153b located at the middle part of the decelerating area 153
  • stop area 153c located at the rearest part of the decelerating area 153.
  • the control panel unit 120 includes a control panel 121 for indicating the present proceeding speed, a run distance, consumed calories etc. and having lots of input buttons for ordering the walking or running or for controlling the inclination of the track belt 111, a pair of handle rods 122 protruded from the lower part of the control panel 121 for user's grasping during exercise or in emergency, connecting members 124 extended from the track unit 110 so that the control panel 121 be located at the height of the user's waist, a parallel member connecting both of the connecting members 124 for reinforcing the transverse stiffness of the connecting members 124.
  • an hand pulse for measuring a user's pulse is installed on the surface of the connecting member 124.
  • the load sensor module 190 is respectively installed at the front part and at the rear part of the track belt 111 so as to measure loads delivered via the deck 113 from the user.
  • the load sensor module 190 includes medium members 191 transversely protruded from the frame 114, bending members 192 fixed to each of the medium members 191 for being appropriately bent by the load via the deck 113, strain gages 193a, 193b, 194a, and 194b attached on each of the bottom faces of the bending members 192, whereby the strain gages are deformed in accordance with the deformation of the bending members 192 within the elastic range thereof.
  • the medium member 191 and the bending member 192 are firmly combined by fastening means such as bolt's penetrating of the holes 191a, 192a when the members 191, 192 are folded, whereby the members 191, 192 are to be integrally deformed together with each other.
  • Other holes 192b of the bending member 192 which is aligned with a hole of the cushion rubber 115 is used to combine the bending member 192 with the cushion rubber 115.
  • the control unit includes a wheats ton bridge which a pair of front strain gages 194a, 194b having resistance R2 for measuring load at the front part of the track belt 111 and a pair of rear strain gages 193a, 193b having resistance Rl for measuring load at the rear part of the track belt 111 wherein the pair of the front strain gages 194a, 194b face each other and the pair of the rear strain gages 193a, 193b face each other.
  • control unit includes an amplifier for amplifying the bride voltage ⁇ V between a first point 181 and a second point 182 which is placed between the front strain gages 194a, 194b and the rear strain gages 193a, 193b, an analog-digital converter for converting the amplified analog bridge voltage into digital bridge voltage for signal processing. That is, the control unit controls the driving unit 112a to accelerate or to decelerate the rotation of the rollers 112 thereby controlling the proceeding speed of the track belt 111.
  • the speed control apparatus of the present embodiment catches a user's movement based on the average bridge voltage ⁇ Vavg for the unit time ⁇ t.
  • the front strain gages 194a, 194b and the rear strain gages 193a, 193b are formed as having the same resistance. However, any value of resistance such as 120 ⁇ or 350 ⁇ is acceptable.
  • the allowable range of a user's bias not to change the proceeding speed of the track belt is stored and preset in a form of the converted bridge voltage ⁇ Vset (i.e., initial preset voltage) in the control unit.
  • Vset i.e., initial preset voltage
  • the load sensor module 190 measures the loads via the deck 113 from the user both at front part of the track belt 111 and at the rear part of the track belt 111, whereby the user's propensity on whether the user likes to exercise at a little bit front part or rear part of the track belt 111 can be grasped.
  • an average voltage of the measured bridge voltage ⁇ V of the wheatston bridge illustrated in Fig. 8 is stored as a reference bridge voltage ⁇ Vref which is a criterion whether to change the proceeding speed of the track belt 111 or not .
  • the average bridge voltage ⁇ Vavg for a unit time ⁇ t, for which the movement of a user's center of gravity can be sensed is continually or periodically obtained.
  • the control unit controls the proceeding speed of the track belt 111 to be accelerated in proportion to the absolute value of ⁇ Vavg - ⁇ Vref.
  • the control unit controls the proceeding speed of the track belt 111 to be decelerated in proportion to the absolute value of ⁇ Vavg - ⁇ Vref.
  • the inertia is maximized when a user stops his or her movement, it is effective to instantly apply an acceleration or deceleration pattern which is opposite to the user's movement at the time when the user finishes a forward or backward movement (i.e., when the absolute value of the difference ⁇ Vavg - ⁇ Vref exceeds the initially preset criterion ⁇ Vset) thereby preventing the user's being biased against the user's intention.
  • control unit 120 stops the operation of the driving unit 112a.
  • the first operation example is to remove the use's unintentional bias by applying the acceleration or deceleration pattern which is opposite to the user's movement direction at the time when the user finishes his or her movement.
  • Fig. 12 shows a diagram 201 of the user's location in accordance with time (the right longitudinal axis) and a diagram 301 of the speed of the track belt in accordance with time when a user moves from a constant speed area to an accelerating area and then from the accelerating area to the constant speed area on the track belt 111.
  • the track belt is also controlled to run at a constant speed.
  • the track belt is controlled to be accelerated during the user's forward movement. Thereafter, when the user crosses into the accelerating area 151 (t2 ⁇ t3), the track belt 111 is controlled to be accelerated with the higher degree of acceleration.
  • the track belt 111 is controlled to be instantly decelerated. Thereafter, as the user is located at the accelerating area 151, the track belt is controlled to be accelerated with the predetermined acceleration in accordance with the accelerating area 151a, 151b, and 151c.
  • the track belt 111 is controlled to be decelerated with the low degree of deceleration. Also, even when the user reaches the constant speed area 152 (t5 ⁇ t6), the track belt 111 is controlled to be gently decelerated. At the time when the user finishes the backward movement and stays at the constant speed area 152, in order to prevent the user to be biased due to the inertia force against the user's intention, the track belt 111 is controlled to be instantly accelerated, and then, to be maintained at a con- stantspeed.
  • the instant deceleration at t3 and the instant acceleration at t6 are determined respectively by the degree of the acceleration just before t3 and the degree of deceleration just before t6, thereby effectively preventing the user's unintentional bias due to the inertia force.
  • Fig. 13 shows a diagram 202 of the user's location in accordance with time (right longitudinal axis) and a diagram 302 of the speed of the track belt in accordance with time when a user moves from a constant speed area to a decelerating area and then from the decelerating area to the constant speed area on the track belt 111.
  • the track belt is also controlled to run at a constantspeed.
  • the track belt is controlled to be gently decelerated during the user's backward movement. Thereafter, when the user crosses into the decelerating area 153 (t2 ⁇ t3), the track belt 111 is controlled to be decelerated with the higher degree of deceleration.
  • the track belt 111 is controlled to be instantly accelerated. Thereafter, as the user is located at the decelerating area 153, the track belt is controlled to be decelerated with the predetermined acceleration in accordance with the decelerating area 153a, 153b.
  • the track belt 111 is controlled to be stopped.
  • the track belt 111 is controlled to be gently accelerated. Also, even when the user reaches the constant speed area 152 (t5 ⁇ t6), the track belt 111 is still controlled to be gently accelerated. At the time when the user finishes the forward movement and stays at the constant speed area 152, in order to prevent the user to be biased due to the inertia force against the user's intention, the track belt 111 is controlled to be instantly decelerated, and then, to be maintained at a constantspeed.
  • the instant acceleration at t3 and the instant deceleration at t6 are determined respectively by the degree of the deceleration just before t3 and the degree of acceleration just before t6, thereby effectively preventing the user's unintentional bias due to the inertia force.
  • the second operation example is also to remove the use's unintentional bias by applying the lowered acceleration or lowered deceleration pattern which is the same with the user's movement direction at the time when the user finishes his or her movement.
  • Fig. 14 shows a diagram 201 of the user's location in accordance with time (right longitudinal axis) and a diagram 401 of the speed of the track belt in accordance with time when a user moves from a constant speed area to an accelerating area and then from the accelerating area to the constant speed area on the track belt 111.
  • the second operation example has an object to reduce the degree of impact which the user may feel uncomfortable at the time when the opposite pattern of acceleration or deceleration is instantly applied. Therefore, instead of applying the opposite pattern of acceleration or deceleration to the user's movement, the second operation example applies the alleviated acceleration or deceleration corresponding to the user's movement. Concretely, when the user starts to move backward from the accelerating area 151 (t4 ⁇ t5), as long as the user is located within the accelerating area 151, the track belt 111 is controlled to be accelerated with the lower degree of acceleration.
  • the track belt 111 is controlled to be accelerated with the much lower degree of acceleration than that during t4 ⁇ t5. Further, when the user stays at the constant speed area 153 (t6 ⁇ ), in order to prevent the user from being influenced by backward inertia force, the track belt 111 is controlled to be instantly accelerated. Herein, the degree of acceleration is lower than that at t6 of Fig. 12. Thereafter, as the user is located at the constant speed area, the track belt 111 is controlled to be uniformly maintained.
  • Fig. 15 shows a diagram 202 of the user's location in accordance with time (right longitudinal axis) and a diagram 402 of the speed of the track belt in accordance with time when a user moves from a constant speed area to a decelerating area and then from the decelerating area to the constant speed area on the track belt 111.
  • control pattern of the second operation example from tl to t3 is the same to the above-described first operation example referring to Fig. 13.
  • the second operation example has an object to reduce the degree of impact which the user may feel uncomfortable at the time when the opposite pattern of acceleration or deceleration is instantly applied. Therefore, instead of applying the opposite pattern of acceleration or deceleration to the user's movement, the second operation example applies the alleviated acceleration or deceleration corresponding to the user's movement. Concretely, when the user starts to move forward from the decelerating area 153 (t4 ⁇ t5), as long as the user is located within the decelerating area 153, the track belt 111 is controlled to be decelerated with the lower degree of deceleration.
  • the track belt 111 is controlled to be decelerated with the much lower degree of deceleration than that during t4 ⁇ t5. Further, when the user stays at the constant speed area 153 (t6 ⁇ ), in order to prevent the user from being influenced by forward inertia force, the track belt 111 is controlled to be instantly decelerated. Herein, the degree of deceleration is lower than that at t6 of Fig. 14. Thereafter, as the user is located at the constant speed area, the track belt 111 is controlled to be uniformly maintained.
  • a treadmill 100 equipped with an automatic speed control apparatus therefor of a first embodiment in accordance with the present invention comprises a track unit 110 for making the track belt 111 endlessly proceed so as to provide a user with exercise environment, control panel unit 120 showing the operating speed and consumed calories in front of the track belt 111, a load sensor module 190 for measuring load delivered from the user at the front part of the track belt 111 and at the rear part of the track belt 111, and a control unit (not shown) for controlling the track belt to be accelerated or decelerated based on the values measured by the load sensor module 190.
  • the track unit 110 includes an endlessly rotating track belt 111 to provide a user with a running or walking environment, a pair of rollers 112 for guiding the track belt 111 at the end part thereof, a driving unit 112a for driving the rollers 112 so as to rotate track belt 111, a deck 113 formed as a plate located between the upper and lower faces of the track belt 111 so as to support weight or impact from the user, a frame 114 in contact with both right and left end sides of the deck 113 thereby supporting the deck 113, several cushion rubbers 115 installed between the deck 113 and the frame 114 so as to absorb impacts, a decoration cover 115 formed of metal material which covers both sides of the frame 114 not to reveal the frame 114 to the outside, support rollers 117 for supporting the front part of the treadmill 100, support member 118 for supporting the rear part of the treadmill 100.
  • the track belt 111 is installed to endlessly rotate between the rollers 112, and the deck 113 is installed between the upper and lower faces of the track belt 111.
  • both end sides of the deck 113 are placed on 'D' shaped members 114a protruded from the frame 114, and the cushion rubber 115 inserted between the deck member 114a and the deck 113 attenuates the impact load against the user's knees thereby protecting the user's knees.
  • the control panel unit 120 includes a control panel 121 for indicating the present proceeding speed, a run distance, consumed calories etc.
  • buttons for ordering the walking or running or for controlling the inclination of the track belt 111 a pair of handle rod 122 protruded from the lower part of the control panel 121 for user's grasping during exercise or in emergency, connecting members 124 extended from the track unit 110 so that the control panel 121 be located at the height of the user's waist, a parallel member connecting both of the connecting members 124 for reinforcing the transverse stiffness of the connecting members 124.
  • the proceeding speed of the track belt is automatically controlled corresponding with the user's intention, a button for controlling the speed of the track belt 111 is not formed on the control panel 121.
  • the load sensor module 190 is respectively installed at the front part and at the rear part of the track belt 111 so as to measure loads delivered via the deck 113 from the user.
  • the load sensor module 190 includes medium members 191 transversely protruded from the frame 114, bending members 192 fixed to each of the medium members 191 for being appropriately bent by the load via the deck 113, strain gages 17 Ia- 173b, 18 Ia- 183b attached on each of the bottom faces of the bending members 192, whereby the strain gages are deformed in accordance with the deformation of the bending members 192 within the elastic range thereof.
  • 181b, 181b, 183b respectively are installed at the front part of the deck 113.
  • 6 front strain gage modules are divided into 3 pairs of front strain gage modules (i.e., 181a-181b, 182a-182b, 183a-183b), and as illustrated in Fig. 20, each pair of front strain gage modules are installed at the right side and at the left side of different front parts of the track belt 111.
  • 2 rear strain gage modules having 3 strain gages 171a-173a, 171b-173b respectively are installed at the rear part of the deck 113.
  • 2 rear strain gage modules i.e., 171a-173a, 171b-173b
  • 171a-173a, 171b-173b are respectively installed at the right side and at the left side of the same rear part of the track belt 111. That is, each party including 3 rear strain gagaes 17 Ia- 173a or 17 Ib- 173b are attached parallel with one another on a bending member 192 and thus 3 rear strain gages 171a-173a or 171b-173b in a party are equally deflected and thus have the equal change of their resistances.
  • the medium member 191 and the bending member 192 are firmly combined by fastening means such as bolt's penetrating of the holes 191a, 192a when the members 191, 192 are folded, whereby the members 191, 192 are to be integrally deformed together with each other.
  • Other hole 192b of the bending member 192 which is aligned with a hole of the cushion rubber 115 is used to combine the bending member 192 with the cushion rubber 115.
  • the control unit includes 3 wheatston bridges which consist of 3 pairs of front strain gages 18 Ia- 18 Ib, 182a- 182b, 183a- 183b having resistance RI l, Rl 2, R13 respectively for measuring load with differently located at the front parts L1,L2,L3 of the track belt 111 and 3 pairs of rear strain gages 171a-171b, 172a-172b, 173a-173b having resistance ROl, R02, R03 respectively for measuring load with located at the same rear part of the track belt 111 wherein the pair of the front strain gages 18 Ia- 18 Ib, 182a- 182b, 183a- 183b face each other in each of the wheatston bridges and the pair of the rear strain gages 17 Ia- 17 Ib, 172a- 172b, 173a- 173b face each other in each of the wheatston bridges.
  • control unit includes an amplifier for amplifying the bride voltage ⁇ V1, ⁇ V2, ⁇ V3 between each of first points 161a, 162a, 163a and each of second points 161b, 162b, 163b which is placed between the front strain gages 181a, 181b, 182a, 182b, 183a, 183b and the rear strain gages 171a, 171b, 172a, 172b, 173a, 173b, an analog-digital converter for converting the amplified analog bridge voltage into digital bridge voltage for signal processing. That is, the control unit controls the driving unit 112a to accelerate or to decelerate the rotation of the rollers 112 thereby controlling the proceeding speed of the track belt 111.
  • an amplifier for amplifying the bride voltage ⁇ V1, ⁇ V2, ⁇ V3 between each of first points 161a, 162a, 163a and each of second points 161b, 162b, 163b which is placed between the front strain gages 181a
  • each of the bridge voltages ⁇ V1, ⁇ V2, ⁇ V3 between each of the first points 161a, 162a, 163a and each of the second points 161b, 162b, 163b is expressed as the fore-mentioned equations 2 to 4.
  • the front strain gages 181a, 181b, 182a, 182b, 183a, 183b and the rear strain gages 171a, 171b, 172a, 172b, 173a, 173b are formed as having all the same resistance. However, any value of resistance such as 120 ⁇ or 350 ⁇ is acceptable.
  • the allowable range of a user's bias not to change the proceeding speed of the track belt is stored and preset in a form of the converted bridge voltage ⁇ Vset (i.e., initial preset voltage) in the control unit.
  • the initial preset voltage ⁇ Vset is set based on the average value of each of bridge voltages ⁇ V1, ⁇ V2, ⁇ V3.
  • the load sensor module 190 measures the loads via the deck 113 from the user both at front part of the track belt 111 and at the rear part of the track belt 111, whereby the user's propensity on whether the user likes to exercise at a little bit front part or rear part of the track belt 111 can be grasped.
  • average voltage of the measured bridge voltages ⁇ V1, ⁇ V2, ⁇ V3 of the wheatston bridges illustrated in Fig. 24 is stored as a reference bridge voltage ⁇ Vref which is a criterion whether to change the proceeding speed of the track belt 111 or not .
  • the sign of the bridge voltage ⁇ V1, ⁇ V2, ⁇ V3 becomes minus (-), and the absolute value of the bridge voltage ⁇ V1, ⁇ V2, ⁇ V3 becomes greater as the user is more biasedly located on the track belt 111. That is, the absolute value of ⁇ V1 becomes greater than the absolute value of ⁇ V3.
  • the control unit controls the proceeding speed of the track belt 111 to be accelerated in proportion to the absolute value of ⁇ Vavg - ⁇ Vref.
  • the resistance R13 of the front strain gages 183a, 183b becomes smaller less than that of the forefront strain gages 181a, 181b because the bending member 192 at the rearest one of the front parts thereof is relatively more bent than that 192 at the forefront part thereof however is the relatively less bent comparing when the user stays in the center (i.e., more specifically, the preset range which does not cause the change of the proceeding speed of the track belt) of the track belt. Therefore, according to the equations 2 to 4, the sign of the bridge voltage ⁇ V1, ⁇ V2, ⁇ V3 becomes plus (+), and the absolute value of the bridge voltage ⁇ V1, ⁇ V2, ⁇ V3 becomes greater as the user is more biasedly located on the track belt 111.
  • the control unit controls the proceeding speed of the track belt 111 to be decelerated in proportion to the absolute value of ⁇ Vavg - ⁇ Vref.
  • the degree of acceleration or deceleration of the track belt 111 is set based on the absolute value of ⁇ V1 - ⁇ Vref or ⁇ V3 - ⁇ Vref.
  • the track belt can be controlled to be accelerated or decelerated.
  • the degree of acceleration or deceleration of the track belt 111 is set based on the absolute value of a difference between a bridge voltage having a secondly forefront strain gage and the reference bridge voltage or a difference between a bridge voltage having a secondly rearest strain gage and the reference bridge voltage.
  • the exemplary embodiment of present invention has explained with two strain gages as a pair formed to at least one side of the front or the rear part of the track belt.
  • the present invention also includes a track belt formed with strain gage on the left side and the right side of the front part and the left side and right side of the rear part respectively.
  • the exemplary embodiment includes a load sensor module located between a deck 113 and a frame 114, but the present invention also can calculates a load from a different amount of the frame 114 by attaching a strain gage to a 'D' shaped deck support 114a of the frame 114 as a manner of user's location measurement.
  • a step to catch user's exercise location suited to his or her tastes has been included, however this step can be excluded and, instead, the amount and the sign of bridge voltage difference ⁇ V can be used for the direct control of the speed of a track belt 111.
  • a treadmill of the present invention keeps initial value ⁇ Vset without changing the speed when the absolute value ⁇ V of the said bridge voltage difference is less than a specific value, but it can be selectively applied.
  • the speed of the track belt is controlled by the absolute value of ⁇ V and the sign.

Abstract

La présente invention concerne une appareil de contrôle automatique de la vitesse pour un tapis roulant et son procédé de commande comprenant un pont, une chenille pivotant sans fin sur les faces supérieure et inférieure du pont et une unité de commande pour commander la chenille et comprenant : au moins un capteur de charge avant situé sur la partie avant de la chenille pour mesurer la charge d'un utilisateur sur la chenille, au moins un capteur de charge arrière situé sur la partie arrière de la chenille pour mesurer la charge de l'utilisateur sur la chenille ; la vitesse de la chenille est contrôlée en fonction de l'emplacement de l'utilisateur ou du mouvement sur la chenille par comparaison avec les valeurs mesurées depuis le capteur de charge avant et le capteur de charge arrière et l'emplacement de l'utilisateur en fonction de la comparaison entre les deux. La vitesse peut être automatiquement contrôlée en fonction de la vitesse de course de l'utilisateur, sans opération directe de l'utilisateur.
PCT/KR2006/003015 2005-08-01 2006-08-01 Appareil de contrôle automatique de la vitesse pour un tapis roulant et son procédé de commande WO2007015619A1 (fr)

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US11/989,729 US20090036272A1 (en) 2005-08-01 2006-08-01 Automatic Speed Control Apparatus for Treadmill and Control Method Thereof

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KR1020050070179A KR100737394B1 (ko) 2005-08-01 2005-08-01 트레드밀의 자동속도조절장치 및 그 조절 방법
KR10-2005-0070179 2005-08-01
KR10-2006-0013364 2006-02-13
KR1020060013364A KR100778819B1 (ko) 2006-02-13 2006-02-13 트레드밀의 자동속도조절장치 및 그 조절 방법

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