CA2672558C

CA2672558C - Ice skating treadmill

Info

Publication number: CA2672558C
Application number: CA2672558A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Mike Mcivor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-07-27
Filing date: 2009-07-27
Publication date: 2014-11-18
Anticipated expiration: 2029-07-27
Also published as: CA2672558A1

Abstract

An ice-skating treadmill comprising an orientable skating platform. The skating platform is pivotable at its front axis to adjust the slope of the treadmill. A puck platform may be provided that is separate from the skating platform and may be a stationary surface or an adjustable surface.

Description

ICE SKATING TREADMILL
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] Ice skating treadmills BACKGROUND

[0002] Ice skating treadmills are useful tools for hockey players and other athletes to get sport specific skating training. If used properly, such treadmills can help a good skater become a great skater. This is partially due to the fact that a trainer is able to position himself or herself right beside the athlete, allowing for a training experience that is not be possible in a full sized arena. As well, the athlete is able to precisely analyze their form using adjacent mirrors and video feedback of the training session. Aside from allowing trainers to easily analyze and provide feedback on technique, it can also be possible for these treadmills to provide inclination control, giving skaters an opportunity to simulate skating uphill or downhill, which can improve leg power and speed. Additionally, a player can add the use of a puck to practice stick handling while skating. Safety issues can arise if a player mishandles the puck while using the treadmill and gets the puck caught in their skates.
Therefore, some ice skating treadmills also make use of a separate platform for the puck to rest on.

[0003] However, this presents another challenge. Commonly, treadmills, ice skating or not, adjust inclination by either raising the front end to pivot from the back of the treadmill, or by pivoting the treadmill from the middle of the treadmill. With such systems, if a skater were to adjust the inclination of the skating treadmill, the puck, resting on a separate, stationary platform, would be at the incorrect height. Also, many such treadmills have a stick handling platform fixed to pivot with the treadmill. Thus, as soon as the treadmill is pivoted, the stick handling surface pivots with the treadmill, angling the stick handling platform and causing the puck to slide off. Thus, a new system of incline control for ice skating treadmills can solve this potential problem.
SUMMARY

[0004] In an embodiment, there is provided an ice-skating treadmill comprising an orientable skating platform. The skating platform is pivotable at its front axis to adjust the slope of the treadmill. A puck platform may be provided separate from the skating platform and may be a stationary surface or an adjustable surface. Thus the front of the treadmill and the puck platform remain at the same relative elevation to one another during pivoting. This allows the puck to stay on the puck platform, and the athlete's perception of the surrounding surfaces to remain the same, more like in an actual ice skating scenario.

[0005] These and other aspects of the device and method are set out in the claims, which are incorporated here by reference.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0006] Embodiments will now be described with reference to the figures, in which like reference characters denote like elements, by way of example, and in which:

[0007] Fig. 1 is a side view of an ice-skating treadmill where the skating platform is level.

[0008] Fig. 2 is a side view of an ice-skating treadmill where the skating platform has an uphill incline.

[0009] Fig. 3 is a side view of an ice-skating treadmill and a stationary puck platform.

[0010] Fig. 4 is a side view of an ice-skating treadmill with a sloped puck platform.

[0011] Fig. 5 is a side view of a stationary puck platform.

[0012] Fig. 6 is a side view of a puck treadmill.

[0013] Fig. 7 is a side view of a roller of an ice-skating treadmill.

[0014] Fig. 8 is another embodiment of a roller of an ice-skating treadmill.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] Immaterial modifications may be made to the embodiments described here without departing from what is covered by the claims.

[0016] Figure 1 shows an ice skating treadmill consisting of dynamic skating platform 10 and puck platform 12. Skating platform 10 comprises a base 14, a belt frame 16 supported by base 14, endless belt 18, and puck platform 12. Endless belt 18 is wrapped around defined rollers 20 at the front axle 40 and rear axle 42 which creates skating surface 22. A support deck 24 provides a flat support surface for skating surface 22.
The support deck 24 may made of materials that are stiff enough to support a skater, but with some flexibility to allow for shock absorption. Motor 26, which is part of base 14, drives the endless belt 18 around belt frame 16 by rotating the front axle 40. Motor 26 may be configured to provide variable speed control. Endless belt 18 may be comprised of any type of surface that will make possible a reasonably accurate simulation of an ice surface, including using a variety of synthetic materials, as well as some form of lubrication. In operation, the endless belt 18 is able to run forward and in reverse to allow for forwards or backwards skating, respectively, as desired.

[0017] Still referring to Fig. 1, puck platform 12 is positioned adjacent the front end of skating platform 10. Puck platform 12 is positioned at the same height as skating platform 10. In some embodiments, the underside of puck platform 12 may be contoured to fit the curve of belt 18 and may overlap the front end of skating platform 10 to reduce the physical gap between puck platform 12 and skating platform 10.

[0018] Referring to Fig. 2, a preferred embodiment of the skating treadmill in an inclined state is shown. Belt frame 16 is connected to base 14 to define a front pivot that allows for adjustment of inclination of the skating platform 10. The rear end of skating platform 10 pivots around front axis point 30 to be at an elevation different than that of front axis point 30, which remains at a fixed height, creating an incline in skating surface 22 up to a 30 degree slope, for example. Referring to Fig. 7, front axis point 30 is located at a point directly underneath the front end of skating platform 10 when level. Raising and lowering of the rear end of the treadmill may be facilitated by a variety of means, such as hydraulics or other suitable system, and can provide for dynamic elevation control while the treadmill is in operation, as is common in the art.

[0019] Rollers 20 need not necessarily be a single roller on each end as shown in Fig.
1. Referring to Fig. 8, another embodiment is shown, wherein a number of small rollers 38 may be used to facilitate the motion of the endless belt 18 around the belt frame 16. The driving of endless belt 18 may also be achieved by any other suitable means known in the art, using a chain and sprocket, for example.

[0020] Referring to Fig. 3, a skating treadmill in use by player 32 in a preferred embodiment is shown. Player 32 skates on skating surface 22 and may also be stick handling puck 34, which is placed puck platform 12. As the incline of skating surface 22 increases or decreases, the front end of the treadmill stays at the same height as puck platform 12. In some embodiments, skater 32 may also be protected from injury from falling by harness 36.

[0021] Various embodiments of puck platform 12 may allow for more variety in control of puck 34. Referring to Fig. 4, a portion of puck platform 12 is formed in a downward slope towards the skating platform. Another embodiment is shown in Fig. 5, where puck platform 12 is generally flat and includes sharp curve to a nearly vertical slope for puck 34 to slide up and down. Referring to Fig. 6, puck platform 12 may also be a treadmill surface. In this embodiment, the puck 34 will be in motion synchronized to the speed of the skating treadmill and can make possible a different training situation.
Additionally, the slope of puck platform 12 may also synchronized to match that of the skating platform 10.

[0022] In other embodiments, the slope of the top surface of the puck platform 12 may be may adjustable, and the platform could also include an endless belt.
Various of the disclosed skating or puck surfaces may be lubricated. The endless belt 22 will have conventional features such as a tensioner device, variable speed control, variable inclination control, a support deck for providing a flat support surface under the skating surface, with or without a shock absorbing surface, the puck plate may overlap the front edge of the belt, the skating surface may be oriented upwards facing after setup and the elements of the treadmill may come as a kit,

[0023] In the claims, the word "comprising" is used in its inclusive sense and does not exclude other elements being present. The indefinite article "a" before a claim feature does not exclude more than one of the feature being present. Each one of the individual features described here may be used in one or more embodiments and is not, by virtue only of being described here, to be construed as essential to all embodiments as defined by the claims.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. An ice-skating treadmill comprising:
a base;
a belt frame supported by the base and carrying an endless belt that defines a skating platform having a front end and a back end; and a motor connected to drive the endless belt about the belt frame;
in which the belt frame is pivotally connected to the base to define a front pivot that allows the inclination of the skating platform to be changed, in use, by changing the elevation of the back end of the skating surface while the front pivot remains at a fixed height relative to the base.

2. The ice-skating treadmill of claim 1 further comprising a puck platform adjacent the front end of the skating platform.

3. A method of operating an ice-skating treadmill having a belt frame carrying an endless belt and supported by a base, the method comprising:
driving the endless belt about the belt frame to define a dynamic skating platform;
and pivoting the belt frame about a front pivot to raise and lower a back end of the skating platform to change the inclination of the skating platform;
in which the front pivot remains at a fixed height relative to the base during pivoting.

4. The method of claim 3 in which pivoting is done while driving the endless belt.

5. The method of claim 3 or 4 in which the ice-skating treadmill further comprising a puck platform adjacent a front end of the skating platform.