The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 06, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 12, 1998
James P Carnes, Coldspring, TX (US);
Edmund M Mackert, Baytown, TX (US);
Orbiter Royalty Trust, Baytown, TX (US);
Abstract
A treadmill with a trampoline-like surface that includes an endless belt with generally parallel lateral edges and an upper surface forming a running surface and belt supports in close proximity to and extending along the lateral edges of the endless belt. The treadmill further includes a suspension system for suspending the endless belt from the supports as the belt moves in a longitudinal direction. The suspension system is comprised of a series of connectors along each lateral edge, each connector including at least one roller adapted to engage and move along the support, and a bracket connected between the roller and lateral edge of the endless belt. Each roller has an axis of rotation and the bracket is oriented to maintain the axis of rotation of each roller at an angle of between about 10-25 degrees toward the running surface relative to a plane perpendicular to the running surface.