IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,239,595
Granted Patent B2
US 12,239,595 · App. 18/295,796 · Granted Mar 4, 2025

Differential air pressure systems

Inventors: Eric R. Kuehne (Los Gatos, CA); Mark A. Shughart (Palo Alto, CA); Sean Tremaine Whalen (Mountain View, CA); Douglas Frank Schwandt (Palo Alto, CA); Robert Tremaine Whalen (Los Altos, CA)
Assignee: AlterG, Inc.
A61H1/00A63B21/00181A63B21/068A63B22/02A63B22/001A63B22/0012A63B22/0023A63B22/0056A63B22/0076A63B22/0605A63B22/0664A63B22/18A63B71/0622A63B2071/0655A63B2208/053A63B2209/08A63B2209/10A63B2220/56A63B2225/093A63B2230/01A63B2230/06Y10T137/0396
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,239,595
App. No.
18/295,796
Granted
Mar 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Described herein are various embodiments of differential air pressure systems and methods of using such systems. The differential air pressure system may comprise a chamber configured to receive a portion of a user's lower body and to create an air pressure differential upon the user's body. The differential air pressure system may further comprise a user seal that seal the pressure chamber to the user's body. The height of the user seal may be adjusted to accommodate users with various body heights.

Claims (13)

1. A differential air pressure system, comprising:

a positive pressure chamber having a sealing interface to form a pressure seal about a portion of a user;

a treadmill positioned relative to the positive pressure chamber wherein a portion of a belt of the treadmill is in position below the sealing interface which allows a user coupled to the sealing interface to interact with the treadmill belt while experiencing an unweighting effect from operation of the positive pressure chamber;

a height adjustment assembly attached to a portion of the positive pressure chamber wherein movement of the height adjustment assembly adjusts the spacing between the sealing interface and the treadmill belt to accommodate the user; and

a control panel for initiating and adjusting the pressure within the differential air pressure system.

2. The differential air pressure system of claim 1 , further comprising a treadmill control on the control panel.

3. The differential air pressure system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one transparent panel in a wall of the positive pressure chamber positioned to view the interaction of the user with the treadmill belt.

4. The differential air pressure system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more predetermined folds in the positive pressure chamber, the one or more folds are placed in the positive pressure chamber to enable a transition of the positive pressure chamber from an in use configuration to a collapsed configuration as movement of the height adjustment assembly is moved to reduce the spacing between the sealing interface and the treadmill belt.

5. The differential air pressure system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of preset heights selection locations configured for engagement with the height adjustment assembly wherein each one of the present heights is a different preselected spacing between a user interface and the treadmill belt.

6. The differential air pressure system of claim 1 , further comprising a locking device to fix the height adjustment assembly relative to the treadmill belt.

7. The differential air pressure system of claim 1 , further comprising a blower positioned adjacent to the treadmill with an output into the positive pressure chamber wherein the output of the blower is adjusted to provide an adjustable amount of a differential air pressure unweighing effect to a user coupled to a sealing assembly.

8. The differential air pressure system of claim 1 , further comprising a display moveable with the height adjustment assembly.

9. The differential air pressure system of claim 1 , further comprising a control panel configured for adjusting the operation of the treadmill or the positive pressure chamber, the control panel moveable with the height adjustment assembly.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 4, 2023
From: KUEHNE, ERIC R.; SHUGHART, MARK A.; WHALEN, SEAN T.; SCHWANDT, DOUGLAS F.; WHALEN, ROBERT T.
To: ALTERG, INC.
Reel/Frame 063223/0951 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 16997865 · Aug 19, 2020
Continuation 15588549 · May 5, 2017
Continuation 13898246 · May 20, 2013
Continuation 12778747 · May 12, 2010
Provisional Application 61178901 · May 15, 2009
Related Publication 20230240928A1 · Aug 3, 2023
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Cited By (1)
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