GUARD ASSEMBLY FOR EXERCISE MACHINE

1 . A treadmill comprising:

a slat-based belt that rotates around a front axis and a rear axis; and

a guard assembly configured to be positioned at multiple arc positions with respect to an arc of the slat-based belt at the rear axis of the treadmill.

2 . The treadmill of claim 1 , wherein at least one arc position of the multiple arc positions includes an arc position of 90 degrees with respect to a vertical axis of the treadmill.

3 . The treadmill of claim 1 , wherein the guard assembly further comprises:

a flexible guard;

a rigid guard; and

a channel disposed between the flexible guard and the rigid guard.

4 . The treadmill of claim 3 , wherein the guard assembly further comprises:

a cover that covers a rear portion of the slat-based belt and exposes an upper surface of the flexible guard.

5 . A treadmill comprising:

a slat-based belt that rotates around a front axis and a rear axis; and

a guard assembly configured to be positioned at an arc position of 90 degrees with respect to a vertical axis of the treadmill.

6 . The treadmill of claim 5 , wherein the guard assembly further comprises:

a flexible guard;

a rigid guard; and

a channel disposed between the flexible guard and the rigid guard.

7 . The treadmill of claim 5 , wherein the guard assembly further comprises:

a flexible guard that extends towards the rear axis and is spaced apart from the slat-based belt by a first gap;

a rigid guard positioned with respect to a moving direction of the slat-based belt and spaced apart from the slat-based belt by a second gap; and

a channel disposed between the flexible guard and the rigid guard.

8 . The treadmill of claim 7 , wherein the flexible guard is configured to deform when an object larger than first gap intrudes into the first gap, thereby increasing the size of the first gap.

9 . The treadmill of claim 7 , wherein the first gap is at least three times the size of the second gap.

10 . The treadmill of claim 7 , wherein the first gap is greater than 20 mm, and the second gap is less than 10 mm.

11 . The treadmill of claim 7 , wherein an upper edge of the flexible guard is spaced apart from an upper edge of the rigid guard by at least 70 mm.

12 . The treadmill of claim 7 , wherein the channel is defined by a first surface of the rigid guard, a second surface of the rigid guard, the flexible guard, and the slat-based belt.

13 . The treadmill of claim 12 , wherein the first surface of the rigid guard is disposed at an angle of from 80 to 100 degrees with respect to the second surface of the rigid guard.

14 . The treadmill of claim 7 , wherein the flexible guard is a brush having bristles.

15 . The treadmill of claim 7 , wherein the flexible guard is elongated in a transverse direction of the slat-based belt.

16 . The treadmill of claim 7 , wherein the flexible guard is tapered in a direction away from the slat-based belt.

17 . The treadmill of claim 7 , further comprising:

a sensor disposed to detect whether an object is within the channel; and

a trigger mechanism configured to modify operation of the slat-based belt in response to detection of the object within the channel.

18 . A treadmill, comprising:

a movable belt that rotates around a front axis and a rear axis; and

a guard assembly comprising:

a flexible guard;

a rigid guard; and

a channel disposed between the flexible guard and the rigid guard.

19 . The treadmill of claim 18 , wherein the flexible guard is configured to deform when an object contacts the flexible guard.

20 . The treadmill of claim 18 , wherein the flexible guard comprises a brush with bristles.