US20100227740A1

US20100227740A1 - Treadmill belt of a treadmill

Info

Publication number: US20100227740A1
Application number: US12/709,901
Authority: US
Inventors: Kuang-Ming Liu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-03-06
Filing date: 2010-02-22
Publication date: 2010-09-09
Also published as: FR2942726B3; FR2942726A3; TWM361356U; DE202010000285U1

Abstract

A treadmill belt of a treadmill includes a matrix and a foam layer. The foam layer is integrally combined with the matrix after a solid material and the matrix covered on the solid material are heated, foamed and compressed, such that the flatness of the combined matrix and foam layer as well as the comfort of jogging can be enhanced.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a treadmill belt, and more particularly to a treadmill belt applied in a treadmill.
2. Description of the Related Art
With reference to FIG. 1 for a conventional treadmill, the treadmill 1 comprises a treadmill platform 11, and a treadmill belt 12 rotably installed around the treadmill platform 11, such that a jogger can jog on the treadmill belt 12.
With reference to FIG. 2, a general treadmill belt 12 available in the market includes a woven cloth layer 121 formed at a bottom layer and a stepping layer 122 formed at a top layer. The stepping layer 122 is generally made of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material, and coated onto the woven cloth layer 121 before the PVC material is solidified, such that the PVC material can be permeated into pores of the woven cloth layer 121 to improve the effect of combining the stepping layer 122 with the woven cloth layer 121 after the PVC material is solidified.
Since the stepping layer 122 is coated onto the woven cloth layer 121, therefore the uniformity of the coating will affect the flatness of the surface of the stepping layer 122. Furthermore, the PVC material is a relatively hard material which will give rise to an uncomfortable jogging condition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the inventor of the present invention based on years of experience in the related industry to conduct extensive researches and experiments, and finally developed a treadmill belt in accordance with the present invention.
Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned shortcoming and deficiency of the prior art by providing a treadmill belt of a treadmill to enhance the flatness of the treadmill belt and the jogging comfort.
To achieve the foregoing objective, the present invention provides a treadmill belt comprising a matrix and a foam layer. The foam layer is integrally combined with the matrix after a solid material and the matrix covered on the solid material are heated, foamed and compressed, such that the flatness of the combined matrix and foam layer as well as the flatness of the treadmill belt can be enhanced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional treadmill;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional treadmill belt of a treadmill;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a treadmill belt of a treadmill in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a treadmill belt of a treadmill in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The foregoing and other technical characteristics of the present invention will become apparent with the detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the illustration of the related drawings.
With reference to FIG. 3 for a treadmill belt of a treadmill in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of present invention, the treadmill belt comprises a matrix 2 formed at a bottom layer and a foam layer 3 formed at a top layer.
The matrix 2 includes a woven cloth layer 21, and the woven cloth layer 21 may also be substituted by an unwoven cloth.
The foam layer 3 is integrally combined with the matrix 2 by a solid foaming method, wherein the foam layer 3 is made of a thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), a thermoplastic elastomer rubber (TPE), or a thermoplastic elastomer (TPV).
In the manufacturing process of the aforementioned solid foaming method, a solid material in form of particles is placed on a platform (not shown in the figure), and then the solid material is pulled, extended, and covered onto the solid material. After going through a heating process, the solid material starts melting and permeating into the woven cloth layer 21 of the matrix 2. After going through a foaming process and a compressing process, the foam layer 3 is integrally combined with the matrix 2.
With reference to FIG. 4 for a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second preferred embodiment is substantially the same as the first preferred embodiment, and their difference resides on that the matrix 2 further includes a middle layer 22 coated on the woven cloth layer 21, wherein the middle layer 22 is made of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material or an emulsified layer.
Similarly, the solid material in form of particles is placed on a platform (not shown in the figure), and then the solid material is pulled, extended, and covered onto solid material. After going through the heating, foaming and compressing processes, the solid material and the middle layer 22 are integrally combined into the foam layer 3.
It is noteworthy to point out that although the middle layer 22 is formed on the woven cloth layer 21 by a coating process, the middle layer 22 is not formed on the top layer, and thus the overall flatness will not be affected. In addition, the foam layer 3 and the middle layer 22 are made of a thermoplastic material, and the foam layer 3 and the middle layer 22 can be fused with each other to provide an integrally secured structure.
In summation of the description above, the treadmill belt of a treadmill in accordance with the present invention has the following advantages and effects. Since the foam layer 3 is formed on the matrix 2 by a solid foaming method, therefore the foam layer 3 can be formed uniformly on the woven cloth layer 21 during the heating, foaming and compressing processes, so as to enhance the flatness of the combined matrix 2 and foam layer 3 as well as the jogging comfort of the treadmill belt.
The present invention improves over the prior art and complies with patent application requirements, and thus is duly filed for patent application. While the invention has been described by device of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those generally skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A treadmill belt of a treadmill, comprising a matrix and a foam layer, thereby the foam layer is integrally combined with the matrix after a solid material and the matrix covered thereon are heated, foamed and compressed.

2. The treadmill belt of a treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the matrix includes a woven cloth layer.

3. The treadmill belt of a treadmill as claimed in claim 2, wherein the matrix further includes a middle layer formed between the woven cloth layer and the foam layer.

4. The treadmill belt of a treadmill as claimed in claim 3, wherein the middle layer is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material and an emulsified layer.

5. The treadmill belt of a treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solid material is one selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), a thermoplastic elastomer rubber (TPE), and a thermoplastic elastomer (TPV).