Treadmills or similar exercise devices which utilize a motor driven belt which can be used to provide a powered running surface, but can also be used to provide a resistance to movement of the belt to allow a user to have to manually drive the belt at a constant resistance or torque regardless of incline. This later mode of operation is akin to the pushing or pulling of a weight sled and can be arranged so that a user can be required to supply a constant torque over a range of inclines.

A mechanical braking system for a high-incline treadmill utilizing a mechanical brake which may be used on its own or in combination with a traditional motor brake. The mechanical brake is generally mountable on a treadmill between or around the belt motor and the flywheel. Upon engagement of the brake, typically the brake engages the flywheel, the motor, or the axle in a way that effectively locks the axle, and thus the belt, in a fixed position.

A platform for enabling omnidirectional movement of an exercising machine is disclosed. The platform may comprise a hemispherical inner body comprising a hollow cavity. The hollow cavity may be used for accommodating an exercising machine into the hollow cavity. The exercising machine may be one of a treadmill, treadclimber, and bicycle. The platform may further comprise an outer body. The outer body may be rotatably engaged with the hemispherical inner body. The rotatable engagement may allow an omnidirectional movement of the hemispherical inner body in a horizontal plane and an inclination and declination of the exercising machine. The platform further comprises a communication unit. The communication unit may be connected with the hemispherical inner body for receiving user's inputs for movement. At least one of the hemispherical inner body and the exercising machine may move based on the user's inputs for movement. The platform may also find use in virtual shopping environments to help a user in buying products.

A treadmill may include a deck, a first pulley disposed in a first portion of the deck, a second pulley disposed in a second portion of the deck, a tread belt surrounding the first pulley and the second pulley, and a locking mechanism that selectively prevents the tread belt from moving.

An exercise machine may include a deck, a motor housing incorporated into the deck, a lift motor located in the motor housing, and a cooling mechanism that cools the lift motor when the cooling mechanism is activated. An airflow pathway may be defined to direct air from the cooling mechanism to a location above the motor housing and on to a user of the exercise machine. The exercise machine may be configured such that upon beginning operation of the machine, substantially all of the airflow exhausts to the location above the motor housing. A mechanism may be provided to selectively alter a characteristic of the airflow after the exercise machine has begun operation.

An exercise machine may include a deck, a lift motor connected to the deck, and a cooling mechanism that cools the lift motor when the cooling mechanism is activated.

A mechanical braking system for a high-incline treadmill utilizing a mechanical brake which may be used on its own or in combination with a traditional motor brake. The mechanical brake is generally mountable on a treadmill between or around the belt motor and the flywheel. Upon engagement of the brake, typically the brake engages the flywheel, the motor, or the axle in a way that effectively locks the axle, and thus the belt, in a fixed position.

Systems for training an animal, such as a rodent, to maintain its head substantially motionless during an imaging procedure using an imaging and training system are disclosed. In some embodiments, the imaging and training system includes a frame defining an enclosure for enclosing an animal therein during the imaging procedure. The frame includes a head post that is attached to the head of the animal and a treadmill having a plurality of rollers that the animal is in operative contact such that one or more of the plurality of wheels rotate when the animal is in a walking motion and stop rotating when the animal is in a substantially motionless state. This arrangement trains the animal to remain substantially motionless when disposed within an imaging apparatus.

The present invention relates to an omnidirectional treadmill for virtual reality, comprising a hemispherical footplate portion frame, a footplate portion configured to be able to rotate omnidirectionally while surrounding the footplate portion frame, a covering, and a retainer. Provided that a virtual reality user needs to move at various rates of movement and in various directions, user movements in reality are counterbalanced by movements of the floor surface such that the user remains at the original location. Accordingly, the user can freely move in the virtual reality while moving at the original location in reality.

A running platform of a treadmill and a treadmill are provided. The treadmill includes a roller, a servo motor, a running platform, and a belt wrapped around the roller. The running platform is of an integrally formed structure, an inside of the running platform is of a grid structure, and includes a base portion and a support portion. The belt is wrapped around the base portion, and a movement contact plane is formed on an upper side of the base portion. A transmission shaft of the servo motor is in transmission connection with the roller to drive the roller to rotate, thus driving the belt to move on the movement contact plane.