Treadmill with vertically displaceable platform
A treadmill has a base with a vertically displaceable platform. A mechanism is provided that resists the downward movement of the platform in response to a load applied to the platform. The mechanism also rebounds the platform upwardly with a force applied to the platform in response to a decrease of a load on the platform. A support structure enables stable vertical positioning of the platform with respect to the base.
1. An adjustable treadmill, comprising:
a base;
a platform movably coupled to the base;
a drive roller rotatably coupled to the base;
an endless belt movably coupled to the drive roller and extending across a top surface of the platform;
a resistance/rebound mechanism coupled to the base and to the platform and capable of providing selectively controlled displacement resistance in a first direction and selectively controlled rebound responsiveness in an opposite second direction; and
a control system capable of applying input control signals to the resistance/rebound mechanism to control the displacement resistance and the rebound responsiveness,
wherein the rebound responsiveness comprises a rebound force applied to the platform in the second direction.
2. The treadmill of claim 1 , wherein the resistance/rebound mechanism is powered by an electrical current.
3. The treadmill of claim 2 , wherein movement of the resistance/rebound mechanism is directly proportional to the electrical current applied to an actuator forming a portion of the resistance/rebound mechanism.
4. The treadmill of claim 3 , wherein the actuator of the resistance/rebound mechanism comprises a voice coil actuator.
5. The treadmill of claim 4 , wherein the voice coil actuator responds to an electrical current input from the control system.
6. The treadmill of claim 1 , wherein the rebound force is provided in response to a signal indicating a decrease in a load applied to the platform, and wherein the rebound force can be tuned.
7. The treadmill of claim 1 ,
wherein the control system controls the resistance/rebound mechanism to selectively control the displacement resistance of the platform at every millimeter of travel in the first direction; and
wherein the control system controls the resistance/rebound mechanism to selectively control rebound responsiveness of the platform at every millimeter of travel in the second direction.
8. The treadmill of claim 1 , wherein the resistance/rebound mechanism has a responsiveness of 1 millisecond or less.