IP Library Granted Patent US 10,668,320
Granted Patent B2
US 10,668,320 · App. 15/830,316 · Granted Jun 2, 2020

Tread belt locking mechanism

Inventor: Scott R. Watterson (Logan, UT)
Assignee: ICON Health & Fitness, Inc.
A63B22/0257A63B21/00192A63B21/154A63B21/225A63B22/0242A63B23/03566A63B24/0062A63B24/0087A63B71/0622A63B2220/17A63B2220/62A63B2230/06A63B2230/75
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,668,320
App. No.
15/830,316
Granted
Jun 2, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A treadmill may include a deck, a first pulley disposed in a first portion of the deck, a second pulley disposed in a second portion of the deck, a tread belt surrounding the first pulley and the second pulley, and a locking mechanism that selectively prevents the tread belt from moving.

Claims (57)

1. A treadmill comprising:

a deck;

a first pulley disposed in a first portion of the deck;

a second pulley disposed in a second portion of the deck;

a tread belt surrounding the first pulley and the second pulley; and

a locking mechanism configured to selectively lock the tread belt from moving in response to movement of an anaerobic exercise component.

2. The treadmill of claim 1 , wherein:

the anaerobic exercise component comprises a pull cable and a resistance mechanism incorporated into the treadmill, a first end of the pull cable configured to have a handle connected thereto, a second end of the pull cable connected to the resistance mechanism, the pull cable configured to unwind from a spool when pulled and to wind back around the spool when released, the resistance mechanism configured to selectively apply a resistance to the pull cable when pulled;

the treadmill further comprises an upright structure connected to the deck; and

the pull cable is incorporated into the upright structure.

3. The treadmill of claim 2 , wherein:

the resistance mechanism includes a magnetic unit and a flywheel;

the flywheel is incorporated into the upright structure; and

the magnetic unit is configured to selectively apply the resistance to a rotation of the flywheel.

4. The treadmill of claim 3 , further comprising a sensor that detects movement of the flywheel.

5. The treadmill of claim 4 , wherein the sensor is configured to be in electronic communication with the locking mechanism.

6. The treadmill of claim 2 , wherein:

an input mechanism is incorporated into the upright structure; and

the input mechanism is configured to control the locking mechanism.

7. The treadmill of claim 2 , wherein selectively locking the tread belt from moving in response to movement of anaerobic exercise component comprises selectively locking the tread belt from moving in response to detecting a pull force on the pull cable.

8. The treadmill of claim 1 , further comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that includes programmed instructions to cause the locking mechanism to lock the tread belt from moving.

9. The treadmill of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is configured to apply a magnetic force to at least one of the first pulley and the second pulley to selectively lock the tread belt from moving.

10. The treadmill of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is configured to be electronically operated.

11. The treadmill of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is configured to be manually operated.

12. The treadmill of claim 1 , wherein:

the treadmill further comprises a motor in mechanical communication with at least one of the first pulley and the second pulley;

the motor, when active, causes the tread belt to move; and

the locking mechanism prevents the tread belt from moving when the motor is inactive.

13. A treadmill, comprising:

a deck;

a first pulley disposed in a first portion of the deck;

a second pulley disposed in a second portion of the deck;

a tread belt surrounding the first pulley and the second pulley;

an anaerobic exercise component incorporated into the treadmill;

a locking mechanism configured to selectively lock the tread belt from moving;

a processor;

a memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory and operable, when executed by the processor, to:

determine that the anaerobic exercise component is moved; and

selectively lock a position of the tread belt in response to the determining that the anaerobic exercise component is moved.

14. The treadmill of claim 13 , wherein the determining that the anaerobic exercise component is moved comprises sensing movement of a pull cable incorporated into the treadmill.

15. The treadmill of claim 13 , wherein the determining that the anaerobic exercise component is moved comprises sensing movement of a resistance mechanism incorporated into the treadmill.

16. A treadmill, comprising:

a deck;

a first pulley disposed in a first portion of the deck;

a second pulley disposed in a second portion of the deck;

a tread belt surrounding the first pulley and the second pulley;

a motor in mechanical communication with at least one of the first pulley and the second pulley that, when active, causes the tread belt to move;

a locking mechanism configured to selectively lock the tread belt from moving;

an upright structure connected to the deck;

a pull cable incorporated into the upright structure, a first end of the pull cable configured to have a handle connected thereto;

a resistance mechanism connected to a second end of the pull cable, the resistance mechanism including a flywheel;

a magnetic unit that is configured to selectively apply a resistance to a rotation of the flywheel; and

a sensor that is configured to detect movement of the flywheel, the sensor configured to be in electronic communication with the locking mechanism;

wherein the locking mechanism is configured to prevent movement of the tread belt in response to movement of the flywheel.

Assignments (16)
RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY INTEREST (4TH LIEN) Recorded May 28, 2025
From: LC9 CONNECTED HOLDINGS, LP
To: IFIT INC.; ICON IP INC.
Reel/Frame 071429/0479 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 27, 2025
From: LC9 CONNECTED HOLDINGS, LP
To: IFIT INC.; ICON IP INC.
Reel/Frame 071407/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2025
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: IFIT, INC. (F/K/A ICON HEALTH & FITNESS, INC.); ICON IP, INC.
Reel/Frame 071351/0624 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2025
From: PLC AGENT LLC
To: IFIT INC.; ICON IP, INC.
Reel/Frame 071358/0584 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 21, 2025
From: ICON PREFERRED HOLDINGS, L.P.
To: IFIT INC.; ICON IP INC.
Reel/Frame 071336/0725 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 13, 2025
From: IFIT, INC.
To: CERBERUS BUSINESS FINANCE AGENCY, LLC
Reel/Frame 071278/0707 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2023
From: IFIT INC.; ICON IP, INC.
To: LC9 CONNECTED HOLDINGS, LP
Reel/Frame 066094/0529 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2022
From: IFIT INC.; ICON IP, INC.
To: LC9 CONNECTED HOLDINGS, LP
Reel/Frame 059857/0830 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE ASSIGNEE'S ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 059633 FRAME: 0313. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Apr 28, 2022
From: IFIT INC.
To: ICON PREFERRED HOLDINGS, L.P.
Reel/Frame 060512/0315 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 1, 2022
From: IFIT INC.
To: ICON PREFERRED HOLDINGS, L.P.
Reel/Frame 059633/0313 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2022
From: IFIT INC.
To: PLC AGENT LLC
Reel/Frame 059249/0466 →
TO CORRECT AN ERROR IN A COVER SHEET PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 058742/0476 - CORRECT ASSIGNEE NAME IFIT INC TO IFIT INC. Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: ICON HEALTH & FITNESS, INC.
To: IFIT INC.
Reel/Frame 058957/0531 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 12, 2022
From: ICON HEALTH & FITNESS, INC.
To: IFIT INC
Reel/Frame 058742/0476 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jun 23, 2021
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ICON HEALTH & FITNESS, INC.
Reel/Frame 056654/0951 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 13, 2021
From: ICON HEALTH & FITNESS, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 056238/0818 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 14, 2020
From: ICON HEALTH & FITNESS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053548/0453 →
Cited By (21)
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