Precor Incorporated

Soddy Tsang

Wes A Williams

Mark D Sands

Daniel A Schwandt

Cole J Dalton

Richard A Wanzer

A treadmill (10) having a belt (12) and deck (14) with a relatively long, useful lifetime is disclosed. The belt of this assembly has a tread layer (54) formed of PVC plastic or other material that serves as the layer of the belt upon which a person actually steps, and a fabric layer (62). The fabric layer has weft threads (64) that extend laterally across the belt and that are substantially embedded in the plastic material and warp threads (66) that extend longitudinally along the belt that have exposed sections that extend outside of the plastic material. The fabric layer is woven so that the exposed sections of the warp threads are equal to at least 50% of their overall length. The deck of this treadmill is formed with a plywood substrate (70) and a wax-embedded hardboard (72). The substrate provides structural support for the hardboard and the persons using this treadmill. The hardboard serves as the surface along which the belt rides when a person steps on the treadmill.

Belt and deck assembly for an exercise treadmill

A treadmill having a belt and deck with a relatively long, useful lifetime is disclosed. The belt of this assembly has a tread layer formed of PVC plastic or other material that serves as the layer of the belt upon which a person actually steps, and a fabric layer. The fabric layer has weft threads that extend laterally across the belt and that are substantially embedded in the plastic material and warp threads that extend longitudinally along the belt that have exposed sections that extend outside of the plastic material. The fabric layer is woven so that the exposed sections of the warp threads are equal to at least 50% of their overall length. The deck of this treadmill is formed with a plywood substrate and a wax-embedded hardboard. The substrate provides structural support for the hardboard and the persons using this treadmill. The hardboard serves as the surface along which the belt rides when a person steps on the treadmill.

Method of forming a deck assembly for an exercise treadmill

An exercise apparatus (10) includes a frame (12) on which left and right levers (14) and (16) are pivotally mounted. A resistance mechanism (18) resists pivoting of the levers between nominal and displaced positions. The levers are coupled by a linkage (20), including an elongate coil spring (22) and an internal extension-limiting cable (24). The linkage normally acts to urge each of the first and second levers toward its respective nominal position when the other of the first and second levers is in a displaced position. The coil spring is capable of elongating to permit limited non-synchronous motion of the left and right levers, with the elongation of the coil spring being limited by the presence of the extension-limiting cable.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Soddy Tsang