UNDERWATER TREADMILL Field of the invention

Engineering concerning physical therapy equipment, therapy and exercising, especially those relating to electric treadmill.

Background of the invention

Presently, science relating to sport and medical technology is continuously in the development in which it creates new technologies concerning aquatic exercises which comes in varieties of methods, such as swimming or dancing. Consequently, hydrotherapy technology was created as a result, it is a form of therapy which use water as a mean or medium for the treatment by incorporating water in to the therapy which the water will help support the body, as well as alleviating the pain and minimizing the impact which occurs during the treatment. Aquatic exercise or hydrotherapy can be practice by both human and animal, however exercising in a form of running, animal would need a tool to assist in running underwater, this therefore leads to the innovating and developing of the treadmill or the underwater treadmill.

The development of electric treadmill uses for aquatic exercise or hydrotherapy in Thailand is limited or almost none existence. However, numerous inventions in this form existed in various countries. Developing an underwater treadmill for human might not be problematic, but it is different for animal, such as, when transferring the patient, particularly animal in to the underwater treadmill it could be challenging, this results in the development of a treadmill, capable of elevating vertically by adjusting the height of the treadmill upward to the ground level and downward into the pool or the water basin, wherein mechanism in this arrangement is depicted in Patent Database in foreign country, such as the patent title "AQUATIC EXERCISE APPARATUS" application number US1986916888A wherein further from the height adjustability, placing animals on the treadmill and in the pool can cause the animal furs and debris to easily gets in the water, this leads to the development of a underwater treadmill which integrated with a water tank or a water reservoir in order to save water and to control the water system effortlessly by using only the level adjustment mechanism without having the need to alter the water level according to the changing size of animals or users. This consequently leads to the developing of the two components which is to integrates the tank with the treadmill or to make the water tank capable of moving vertically along with the said part as shown in Patent Database in other country in year 1997 BC, the invention title "HYDROTHERAPY AND EXERCISE DEVICE WITH INTEGRATED LIFT AND TREADMILL MEANS" application number US1997884546A which the treadmill is adjustable within the water basin or the invention application number DE20302335U title "HYDROTHERAPY UNIT FOR ANIMALS HAS A FULL POOL WITH A HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE TREADMILL AND A LIFTING MECHANISM WITH UPPER POOL EDGE WHICH LIFTS ANIMALS INTO AND OUT OF THE WATER" which the treadmill can be lifted as well or the invention application number US2010902959A title "MULTIFUNCTIONAL TREADMILL SYSTEM" which the structure can be lifted above the water surface of the water tank, additionally there are a number of inventions which integrates the treadmill and the water tank together, but a few, that also have a lifting mechanism or a height adjuster mechanism. Also, the lifting mechanism as shown have complicate mechanism or pneumatic system which is not favourable for the development of the treadmill in other aspects.

Further to the above mentioned, installing an electrical treadmill together with a water tank is still difficult to achieve because it needs to incorporate a motor or an electronic device, which in most case the power source motor for the treadmill is situated outside of the water tank, such as in the innovation title "UNDERWATER TREADMILL FOR PET" application number CN201420869054U or the innovation title "WATER TREADMILL" application number CN201220219857U, which the said installation in real practice even if the maintenance of the power source is not problematic, however the transportation of such device is not convenient and is space consuming. Even though, many inventions have installed the motors and the generators within the water basin, nevertheless, water-resistant motor is still considered very costly.

An alternative development of an underwater treadmill that able to lift the base portion which is widely seen in an on-ground treadmill wherein a base lifting mechanism or a foldable treadmill is very important for an underwater treadmill, especially when it is uses with animal which animal furs or debris can interfere with the mechanism uses for base lifting or folding, it also helps with the maintenance and cleaning of the treadmill including the water tank as well. The said base lifting mechanism is shown in innovation title "AMPHIBIOUS FOLDABLE TREADMILL" application number US2005182044A or invention title "UNDERWATER TREADMILL" application number EP2011723811A. However, as seen in present inventions, integrating all the said mechanisms is difficult to implement, both the height adjustment mechanism for the treadmill or the infrastructure of the treadmill is still complicated and to further add water tank or power unit to the underwater treadmill or to lift the base of the treadmill as mentioned earlier, the present inventions are not able to incorporated all these components together or still having complicate mechanisms, high cost, high maintenance and take up a considerable amount of space. Furthermore, the development of an underwater treadmill with an inclinable mechanism that works in the same manner as a traditional or an on- ground treadmill is still seldom seen, especially an underwater treadmill with all the mentioned embodiments also having the inclinable mechanism have not yet to be seen, because it is difficult to engineer such embodiments to work in combination.

Summary of the invention

The underwater treadmill according to this invention can be used for both human and animal, but would be most suitable to be use with animals wherein the height of the said underwater treadmill could be adjusted vertically and further comprises a water basin which eliminates the need of a pool which the concern mechanism is not complex and is easy to make alteration and requires low maintenance. The said mechanism, also helps save water and is suitable for human and animal in all sizes, also transferring the user and animal in to the treadmill is not difficult to do. Furthermore, the underwater treadmill according to this invention is inclinable which makes it suitable to be used in conjunction with therapy or rehabilitation or exercising, it additionally comprising a motor or power unit which positioned within the said underwater treadmill making it easy to relocate, consumes less space and the maintenance of the power unit is not complicate.

The underwater treadmill comprising a water basin wherein within the said basin comprising a treadmill and further integrates with a height adjustment unit wherein the treadmill further comprises a treadmill belt which is driven by the power transmitted from the power unit and the said treadmill further connects to a sliding unit in a form of a frame of a structure having at least two portions of each side of the sliding unit connects to an adjuster which is attaches to a height adjustment shaft of the height adjustment unit which is divided in to two parts, one part locating in front of the treadmill and the other part locating in the back of the treadmill wherein the height adjustment shaft having an all-around thread in the same form as a thread nut or a thread screw wherein the adjuster is in a form of a receiver wherein the height adjustment shaft turned by the power transmits from the height adjustment shaft power unit in the same manner as a motor on at least one position wherein the treadmill can be adjusted to be in a flat position or an incline position wherein the sliding unit comprises at least one position which the length is adjustable in an expanding or shrinking manner or the length of the sliding unit can be added or reduced. Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of the underwater treadmill according to this invention.

Figure 2 illustrates one embodiment of the underwater treadmill components according to this invention.

Figure 3 illustrates one perspective view of the height adjustment unit and the expanding unit of the underwater treadmill according to this invention.

Figure 4 illustrates one embodiment of the power transmission of the underwater treadmill according to this invention.

Figure 5 illustrates one embodiment of the inclining adjusting of the underwater treadmill according to this invention. Figure 6 illustrates one perspective view of the sliding unit of the underwater treadmill according to this invention.

Figure 7 illustrates one perspective view of the treadmill lifting device for the underwater treadmill according to this invention.

Figure 8 illustrates one perspective view of the treadmill of the underwater treadmill according to this invention.

Figure 9 illustrates one perspective view of the spindle of the underwater treadmill according to this invention.

Figure 10 illustrates one perspective view of the power unit of the underwater treadmill according to this invention. Figure 11 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the power unit of the underwater treadmill according to this invention. Figure 12 illustrates one perspective view of the supporting unit of the underwater treadmill according to this invention.

Detailed description of the invention

Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of the underwater treadmill according to this invention which comprising a treadmill (2) connecting to the height adjustment unit (3) wherein the height adjustment unit (3) preferably connects to the treadmill in each corner wherein both, the treadmill (2) and the height adjustment unit (3) are positioned inside the water basin (1) which is structured to retain water in the same manner as a tank which is not limited to a certain shape. As illustrated, preferably, the water basin (1) at least on one side is transparent making the inside of the water basin (1) visible in plain sight wherein the water basin (1) further comprising a system of distributing water in and out by having the base portion or one portion of the water basin (1) comprises a water control system (4) which controls the water inlet and outlet wherein one portion of the water basin (1) can further comprises an electric device unit (5). Figure 2 illustrates one example of the underwater treadmill embodiments which shows the treadmill (2) comprising a treadmill belt (21) driven by a power unit (8) and on each side having one position comprises a treadmill rotational point (22) wherein all of the treadmill mechanisms (2) covered by a casing (23) which covers the side of the treadmill (2) the front and the back of the treadmill (2) or the power unit (8) in combination in order to prevent it from the users or animals not to get caught in or get in contact with the device mechanical parts wherein the treadmill rotational point (22) connects to one portion or the sliding unit rotational point (71) of both sides of the sliding unit (7) and preferably the sliding unit rotational point (71) is positioned in front of the treadmill (2) and the sliding unit (7) wherein the sliding unit (7) is connected to bom sides of the treadmill (2). The sliding unit (7) in a form of a plate of a frame, preferably a shaft that is individually positioned on each side of the treadmill (2) wherein each portion of the sliding unit (7) having at least two positions on each side as a height adjustment rotational point (72) which suitably, the height adjustment rotational point (72) is positioned in each corner of the sliding unit (7) wherein the said unit is attaches to the height adjustment unit (3) wherein the said unit (3) is divided in to two parts, one part on the back of the treadmill (2) and the other part on the front of the treadmill (2) which both parts are driven independently from each other. The water basin (1) wherem one portion or the base portion is a water control unit (4) comprises at least a water inlet pipe (41) for transferring the water into the water basin (1) and a water outlet pipe (42) for transferring the water out of the water basin for the purposes of water changing or discharging water from the water basin (1) by further comprises an outlet filter pipe (43) which transfers the water from the water basin into the filtration system and releases the filtered water back into the water basin (1) through the inlet filter pipe (44) the water then flows in to the water basin (1) through the Inlet filter pipe (44) or the water outlet pipe (41) or in their combination can control the water pressure to be lower or higher by distributing or releasing water from one portion to flow through the nozzle by at least one nozzle which could be reposition within the water basin (1) and which the water flow would supports the user or the animal in order to be able to balance themselves in the hard to balance area.

Figure 3 and Figure 4 illustrate one embodiment of the height adjustment unit and the expanding unit of the underwater treadmill and the power transmission to the said units wherein the height adjustment unit (3) comprising of at least a height adjustment shaft (31) wherein the said height adjustment shaft (31) comprises an adjuster (32) wherein the said height adjustment shaft having an all-around thread in the same form as a thread nut or a thread screw wherein the inner portion of the adjuster (32) preferably chosen a material in the same manner as a cast nylon. As the height adjustment shaft (31) turns, it will make the adjuster (32) moves up or down accordingly along with the turning direction of the height adjustment shaft (31) wherein the adjuster (32) is connected to a sliding unit (7) wherein the adjuster (32) preferably comprises a treadmill assembly point (33) which connects to the height adjustment assembly point (72) locating in each corner of the sliding unit (7) wherein the height adjustment shaft (31) on the front part and the back part is turned independently from each other and one part of the height adjustment shaft (31) is fastened to or connected to the water basin (1).

The height adjustment shaft (31) is illustrated in Figure 3 wherein the bottom or the top of the height adjustment shaft (31 ) comprising a power receiving unit (36) which preferably locates at the bottom of the height adjustment shaft (31) wherein the power receiving unit (36) which drives the adjuster shaft further comprises a shaft (34) wherein within the shaft having a bearing at least in one position, shown in the example, the height adjustment shaft (31) is driven by the height adjustment power unit (37) in a form of a motor on at least one position or preferably the height adjustment shaft (37) is separately located , one at the back and one at the front of the height adjustment unit (3) which transmits the power to turn the height adjustment shaft (31).

In order to save space, the mechanism is restricted to be located within the base area of the treadmill (2) which comprises a height adjustment shaft power unit (37) that transmits the power through the drive shaft (38) in a form of a motor shaft or a shaft which connects to the height adjustment shaft power unit (37) wherein the drive shaft (38) then shifts the direction of the power to be transmit to the drive pulley (35) which control the turning of the height adjustment shaft (31) on one side and transmits the power through the conveyor belt (40) to the other side by shifting the direction of the power is done by a set of gear or a set of gear worm (39) but preferably the drive pulley (35) is positioned between the height adjustment shafts (31) wherein then transmits the power through a conveyer belt (40) to both sides of the power receiving unit (36) which the said arrangement make the adjustment or the positioning of the height adjustment shaft more convenient, however the turning mechanism can be done in a different arrangement such as by a pulley or wheels or gears or conveyor belt or belt in combination in a way that is understandable in the development a power transmission mechanism which makes the treadmill (2) height adjustable.

Figure 5 illustrates one embodiment of the underwater treadmill incline adjuster in which adjusting the inclinable of the treadmill (2) is by adjusting the height level of the height adjustment unit (3) in which the front end and the back end are independent from each other, which normally the treadmill (2) is capable to adjust to a flat position (73) which when the treadmill (2) is adjusted to an inclined position (74) which usually is not possible because in order to change the position of the treadmill from a flat position to an incline position, the length of the treadmill (2) would be changed therefore, the sliding unit (7) is able to expand out or shrink in or could be lengthen or shorten or having a mechanism in the same manner as a sliding rail, which one or the other side could be slide in or out.

The sliding unit (7) is suitably comprised with the components as shown in one example of the sliding unit 7 for the underwater treadmill which the sliding unit (7) consists an outer sliding rail shaft (75) which have an inner sliding rail shaft (76) placing inside the outer adjustment shaft (75) sliding out of the outer sliding rail shaft (75) from one side or the other which have a height adjustment assembly point ( 72) assemble in one part of the adjuster (32) or the treadmill assembly point (33) can further comprising a friction reducer (77) which the said part is durable or can withstand frictions is attached to the outer sliding rail shaft (75) or the inner sliding rail shaft (76) which is attaches to the outer sliding rail shaft (75) or the inner sliding rail shaft (76) which the said mechanism can adjust the length of the treadmill (2) even when the inclination is adjusted (74).

Figure 7 Illustrates one example of the treadmill lifting unit of the underwater treadmill showing the lifting unit (9) which comprises of a lifting position (92) is one part of the sliding unit (7) or is positioned between both sides of the sliding unit (7) in which the lifting position (92) is positioned to be further to the front of the back of the treadmill (2) wherein between the lifting position (92 ) and the treadmill (2) is connected to a lifting cylinder(91) wherein the lifting cylinder (91) is assembled within the lifting position (92) in a form of a rotational point (93) which connected to the back of the treadmill (2) in a form of a rotational point (94) in which a lifting mechanism comprising of a lifting cylinder (91) in a form of expandable cylinder or pneumatic cylinder, the lifting position (92) is firmly mounted to sliding unit (7), when the lifting cylinder (91) is working it will make the treadmill lifted up by the lifting of the treadmill (2) is moved by the treadmill rotation point (22) which is mounted to the rotational point of the sliding unit (71) in a form of a rotation point.

As for the treadmill belt drive mechanism (21) as shown in FIG. 8 illustrates one example of the treadmill for the underwater treadmill and FIG.9 illustrates one example of the spindle of the underwater treadmill wherein the treadmill (2) having a treadmill belt (21) which comprises a front spindle (24) together with a back spindle (25) wherein one of the spindle received power from the power unit (8) locating inside or outside of the water basin (l).In the case that the treadmill belt drive mechanism (21) locates within the water basin (1) the power unit (8) is in a form of a water resistant motor which would transmits the power through the power generator shaft (81) power dissemination part (26) which will then transmits the power in to the front rotation spindle (24) or the back rotation spindle (25) that one of end side of either spindle will be a spindle drive unit (27) the said power drive mechanism are set in the form of gear, chain or pulley in combination in one form or another, preferably the power generator shaft (81) is connects to a power transmission (89) to drive the power dissemination part (26) in the same manner as a belt to the spindle drive unit (27).

Figure 10 Illustrates one example of the power of the power unit for the underwater treadmill and Figure 11 illustrates a cross section view of the power unit for the underwater treadmill. The power unit (8¾ preferably having a drive motor (82) in a form of an electric motor wherein the said drive motor (82) locates in the housing unit (83) and the said housing unit having a corresponding shape with the drive motor (82) and at one side of the housing unit (83) having an exit channel, as shown which have a housing unit lid (84) which is attaches to the housing unit (83) by a fastener (85) in the same manner as a screw or nut. he openable side or the housing unit lid and the housing unit contain a housing unit water proof cover (87) at least one layer, in a form of a seal for preventing water from entering the power unit (8). Nonetheless, water might be able to seep through the fastener assembly trench (55) and for the water, not to seep through the said trench the housing unit (83) further comprises a receiver (86) in the same manner as a thread nut which is compatible with the fastener (85) wherein the base of the receiver (86) having a closed end to prevent any leakage, furthermore, in order to detect any leakage, the housing unit (83) or the housing unit lid (84) is made with clear material, making the drive motor visible in plain sight (82)

Wherein the housing unit (83) having a power generator shaft (81) which is extended out of the housing (83) and the end side of the said shaft having a water sealant (88) in a form of a water-resistant seal or a baring, or both jointly. The housing unit (83) also consists of a tube (90) in a form of a water-resistant tube which connects to the external power transmitter or connects to other components such as a gauge sensor. The power unit (8) according to this invention is in a closed area, therefore the tube (90) is placed at least in one position of the housing unit (83) allowing the air to flow into the housing unit (83) and flow out the outlet tube or tube (90) to reduce the heat in the power unit (8). The underwater treadmill according to this invention, further comprising of other embodiments in order to make it more comfortably to work on as shown in FIG.12, wherein illustrate one example of the supporting unit for the underwater treadmill which one part of the water basin (1) is consisted of a supporting unit (6) which is a structure that is in the overhead position of the treadmill (2) in which the said unit comprises of a harness or a wearing gear uses to support the animals or the users who are not capable to balance themselves in the water or in the underwater treadmill.

Although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certain embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof.