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Exercise treadmill for pulling and dragging actionRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, Involving User Translation Or Physical Simulation Thereof, Treadmill For Foot TravelExercise treadmill for pulling and dragging action description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070123396, Exercise treadmill for pulling and dragging action. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This patent application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/289,916 having a filing date of 30 Nov. 2005 entitled Exercise Treadmill For Pulling And Dragging Action, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Technical Field [0003] This invention relates to the general technical field of exercise, physical fitness and physical therapy equipment and machines and to the more specific novel technical field of a mechanically, electrically and electronically operated reverse treadmill machine designed to simulate a dragging or pulling motion when operated by the user. [0004] 2. Prior Art [0005] Exercise, physical fitness and physical therapy equipment and machines are available in various configurations and for various purposes, and are available for all of the major muscle groups. The majority of such equipment and machines, especially in the exercise field, concentrate either on an aerobic or anaerobic workout or on areas of the body such as the legs, the hips and lower torso, the chest and upper torso, the back, the shoulders and the arms. [0006] Exercise treadmills are well known and are used for various purposes, including for walking or running aerobic-type exercises, and diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. For the known and common purposes, the person on the exercise treadmill normally can perform an exercise routine at a relatively steady and continuous level of physical activity or at a variable level of physical exercise including varying both the speed and incline of the treadmill during a single session. [0007] Exercise treadmills typically have an endless running surface extending between and movable around rollers or pulleys at each end of the treadmill. The running surface generally is a relatively thin rubber-like material driven by a motor rotating one of the rollers or pulleys. The speed of the motor is adjustable by the user or by a computer program so that the level of exercise can be adjusted to simulate running or walking. [0008] The belt typically is supported along its upper length between the rollers or pulleys by one of several well known designs in order to support the weight of the user. The most common approach is a deck or support surface beneath the belt, such as a plastic or metal panel, to provide the required support. A low-friction sheet or laminate, such as TEFLON.RTM. brand of synthetic resinous fluorine-containing polymers, can be provided on the deck surface (or indeed can be the material of construction of the deck surface) to reduce the friction between the deck surface and the belt. [0009] Many current exercise treadmills, especially the middle to upper level of exercise treadmills, also have the ability to provide a variable incline to the treadmill. [0010] The incline is accomplished in one of two manners--either the entire apparatus is inclined or just the walking and running surface is inclined. Further, the inclination can be accomplished by either manual or power driven inclination systems, and can be accomplished either at the command of the user or as part of a computerized exercise regimen programmed into the exercise treadmill. An inclination takes advantage of the fact that the exercise effort, or aerobic effect, can be varied with changes in inclination, requiring more exertion on the part of the user when the inclination is greater. [0011] To the best of this inventor's knowledge, known exercise treadmills are structured to allow the user to walk or run in a forward direction, with the belt traveling in a direction that simulates walking or running forward; that is, the belt runs across the top of the deck in a front to back motion. Additionally, to the best of this inventor's knowledge, the inclination mechanisms in known exercise treadmills are structured to allow the user to walk or run in a level or uphill inclination; that is, the front of the deck can be level with the back of the deck or can be raised relative to the back of the deck to simulate an uphill inclination. Further, to the best of the inventor's knowledge, the hand rails and hand controls in known exercise treadmills are structured to complement simulated forward motion. [0012] However, the inventor is unaware of any specific exercise treadmill that is structured to allow the user to comfortably simulate a dragging or pulling motion; that is, a backwards walking motion either on a level plane or uphill. Additionally, the inventor is unaware of any specific exercise treadmill that has an adjustable weight resistance against dragging or pulling so as to simulate dragging or pulling of a load. A simulated dragging or pulling motion can be useful for exercising and developing different groupings of muscles and for providing an aerobic workout. Thus it can be seen that an exercise treadmill simulating a dragging or pulling motion would be useful, novel and not obvious, and a significant improvement over the prior art. It is to such an exercise treadmill that the current invention is directed. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0013] The present invention is a new category of cardiovascular cross training device that addresses many needs not met with the current industry offering of treadmills, elliptical devices, stationary bicycles, and stepping devices. Backward walking is incorporated into the fitness and physical rehabilitation programs prescribed by many professional fitness trainers, physical therapists, sports medicine professionals and strength and conditioning professionals. Additionally, many athletes use weight loaded sled dragging (hand held horizontal load) to augment their lower body strength training as well as their overall aerobic and anaerobic conditioning programs. The present invention combines these features. [0014] The muscle activity of the lower body is much greater in backward walking versus forward walking and the heart rate is elevated 30% to 35% higher over the same forward walking speed. Thus, a person can expend more energy in a shorter period of time walking backwards. Adding the additional load factor of a hand held horizontal resistance (dragging motion) and the energy expenditure and muscle loading to the lower body is increased. This increased energy output allows an individual to achieve and maintain their desired heart rate at a traction of the speed of any forward motion oriented exercise. [0015] Further, the overall force of impact is reduced at a backward walk versus forward motion oriented exercises due to the reduced stride length, foot pattern contact and lower extremity kinematics pattern. The sheer force to the knees is reduced because the sheer force is reversed while walking backwards. Moreover, the range of motion of the knee joint is reduced to incorporating a nearly isometric pattern following contact compared to a more stressful eccentric loading. This can be very beneficial to the exercisers with knee joint injuries or those who experience knee pain during forward motion oriented exercises. Most knee joint injuries can even continue to heal during a backward walking training program. Hip joint stress is reduced during backward walking because the overall range of motion of the hip joint is reduced by incorporating greater hip flexation but much less hip extension. [0016] During backward walking the hamstring muscles are stretched prior to activation and foot plant due to hip flexation. Given the prestretch, the load is not introduced until the weight bearing phase of the movement where the hamstring muscle is much more capable of accepting the load factors. Subsequently, it is more beneficial and less injury prone to add additional hand held horizontal resistance (dragging motion) to the ham string muscle in a backward walking motion. Therefore, during a backward dragging motion the user can achieve greater blood flow to and activation of the hamstring muscles at a slower walking speed than walking without the added load factor of the dragging motion. [0017] The present invention is an exercise treadmill for simulating the dragging or pulling of an object on a level surface, up an incline or down a decline. The treadmill has a lower base housing the internal mechanical components, a pivot arm on which a hand controller is mounted, and a weight resistance means located within the lower base. In one embodiment, the weight resistance means can be operatively connected to the pivot arm via a cable. In another embodiment, the weight resistance means can be operatively connected to the pivot arm by lever, rods, or the like. In yet another embodiment, the weight resistance means can be operatively directly connected to the pivot arm. In still another embodiment, the weight resistance means can be directly attached to the pivot arm or to the connection between the pivot arm and the lower base. In another embodiment, the weight resistance means can be in operative communication with the pivot arm, yet not directly attached to or structurally connected to the pivot arm. [0018] In operation, when a user steps onto the treadmill and grips the hand controller and starts belt moving, the user begins to walk or run in a simulated backwards direction relative to the hand controller, causing the user to pull on the hand controller. Alternatively, the treadmill may be set up to begin to move automatically at a speed and at an inclination according to a value entered from the hand controller. This pulling transfers to the pivot arm, as the hand controller is attached to the pivot arm, thus acting on the weight resistance means. As disclosed above, the action of the pivot arm on the weight resistance means can be by many means, such as cables, wires, rods, levers, or the like, directly or indirectly, and structurally attached or in cooperative communication. [0019] The degree of weight resistance of the weight resistance means can be controlled by the user to simulate dragging or pulling a weight such that the exercise regimen is similar to walking or running backwards while dragging or pulling an object of a weight comparable to the setting of the weight resistance means. The higher the setting of the weight resistance means, the heavier the simulated object being pulled. In preferred embodiments, the weight resistance means can be an adjustable spring or hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, a spring with a known spring constant or a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder with a known resistance, a flexible rod with a known elastic modulus, or a frictional coupling with known coefficients of friction. Additional weight resistance means include direct current motors, direct current motors coupled with brake controllers, alternating current motors coupled with brake controllers, eddy current/electromagnetic resistance, and torsion springs directly connected to the pivot arm attachment site. [0020] The invention also can be a combination of a conventional treadmill and the reverse dragging motion treadmill. To accomplish this, the hand controller and pivot arm can be set in a locked position for conventional treadmill operation and set in an unlocked position for reverse dragging operation. Further, the lower base housing the treadmill belt motor and the weight resistance means can be a relatively larger structure sitting under and supporting the invention or a relatively smaller structure from which the treadmill belt and platform extend. In the first instance, the elevation motor or means for raising and lowering the treadmill belt platform for incline and decline operation can be located within the lower base housing. In the second instance, the elevation motor or means can be located in a separate relatively smaller structure attached to the end of the treadmill platform opposite the end of the treadmill platform attached to the lower base housing. [0021] Generally speaking, the internal mechanical components of the treadmill are similar to (or can be similar to or the same as) the internal mechanical components of known treadmills. The treadmill comprises an endless belt looped about rollers or pulleys so as to provide a platform on which the user can stand, walk and/or run. A deck below a portion of the belt supports the belt and the user. A belt motor cooperates with the belt and/or the rollers or pulleys to move the belt, thus creating a moving platform on which the user can walk or run for the exercise regimen. An incline motor cooperates with the platform, the deck, the rollers or pulleys or rear legs to incline the belt to simulate a hill. Continue reading about Exercise treadmill for pulling and dragging action... Full patent description for Exercise treadmill for pulling and dragging action Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Exercise treadmill for pulling and dragging action patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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