U.S. patent application number 10/964702 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-23 for treadmill.
This patent application is currently assigned to TUNTURI OY LTD. Invention is credited to Kuokkanen, Ismo.
Application Number | 20050137062 10/964702 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29558686 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050137062 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kuokkanen, Ismo |
June 23, 2005 |
Treadmill
Abstract
A treadmill comprising a subframe supported against the floor or
a corresponding support surface, a frame supported on the subframe
for rolls and a belt section running in an endless loop around the
rolls, and means arranged between the subframe and frame to
vertically shift the location of one end of the frame relative to
the subframe. Support arms are arranged to the frame with first
ends articulated to the frame and second ends arranged slidably
into slide bars arranged to the subframe. Slide bars are formed of
flat components fastened to the subframe, and sliding elements are
arranged at second ends of the support arms and equipped with slots
compatible with the flat components, whereby the slide bars are
arranged to push into the slots, thus enabling the sliding of the
sliding elements along the slide bar when the location of one end
of the frame is shifted vertically relative to the subframe.
Inventors: |
Kuokkanen, Ismo; (Turku,
FI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Assignee: |
TUNTURI OY LTD
Turku
FI
|
Family ID: |
29558686 |
Appl. No.: |
10/964702 |
Filed: |
October 15, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/54 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 22/0023
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/054 |
International
Class: |
A63B 022/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 24, 2003 |
FI |
20031717 |
Claims
1. A treadmill comprising a subframe supported against the floor or
a corresponding support surface, a frame supported on the subframe
for rolls and a belt section running in an endless loop around the
rolls, and means arranged between the subframe and frame to
vertically shift the location of one end of the frame relative to
the subframe, whereby support arms are arranged to the frame with
first ends articulated to the frame and second ends arranged
slidably into slide bars arranged to the subframe, wherein the
slide bars are formed of flat components fastened to the subframe,
and sliding elements are arranged at second ends of the support
arms and equipped with slots compatible with the flat components,
whereby the slide bars are arranged to push into the slots, thus
enabling the sliding of the sliding elements along the slide bars
when the location of one end of the frame is shifted vertically
relative to the subframe.
2. A treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sliding elements
are made into sleeves that are substantially round in cross-section
and fastened directly to the ends of a pipe connecting the ends of
the support arms.
3. A treadmill as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the second ends
of the flat components are equipped with stopping elements arranged
to prevent the sliding of the sliding element past the end of the
flat component.
4. A treadmill as claimed in claim 3, wherein the stopping element
is a screw element.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a treadmill comprising a subframe
supported against the floor or a corresponding support surface, a
frame supported on the subframe for rolls and a belt section
running in an endless loop around the rolls, and means arranged
between the subframe and frame to vertically shift the location of
one end of the frame relative to the subframe, whereby support arms
are arranged to the frame with first ends articulated to the frame
and second ends arranged slidably into slide bars arranged to the
subframe.
[0002] Solutions of this type are today well known in treadmills
adjustable in their running angle. An example of a prior art
solution is the solution described in U.S. patent publication
6,325,745. In this known solution, the slide bars are made up of
elements having a substantially C-shaped cross-section.
Substantially rectangular sliding elements compatible with the
shape of the slide bars are arranged to these slide bars having a
substantially C-shaped cross-section. The sliding elements are
fastened to the ends of a shaft inside a tubular part by means of
two sleeve-like parts. Parts made of plastic, acting as stopping
elements, equipped with threaded openings, compatible with the
shape of the slide bar, and fastened to the slide bar with screws
are also arranged to the back ends of the slide bar.
[0003] A drawback with the known solutions is their complexity that
increases costs, both the actual costs arisen from the number of
components and the costs arisen from the complexity of the
assembly. A further drawback is the costs related to maintenance,
because a complex structure requires in many cases a lot of
maintenance, and in addition, it should be noted that a complex
structure with a great deal of different parts also requires a
large spare parts inventory, which for its part increased the
costs.
[0004] It is an object of the invention to provide a simple
solution to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art. This is
achieved by the treadmill of the invention. The treadmill of the
invention is characterized in that the slide bars are formed of
flat components fastened to the subframe, and that sliding elements
are arranged at second ends of the support arms and equipped with
slots compatible with the flat components, whereby the slide bars
are arranged to push into the slots, thus enabling the sliding of
the sliding elements along the slide bars when the location of one
end of the frame is shifted vertically relative to the
subframe.
[0005] An advantage of the invention is above all its simplicity,
whereby the number of required components is essentially reduced in
comparison with the prior-art solutions. Due to the simple
structure, both the direct costs related to the number of
components and the indirect costs related to maintenance
requirements or difficulties in assembly, for instance, decrease
overall in comparison with the prior art.
[0006] The invention will next be described in greater detail by
means of a preferred embodiment shown in the attached drawing, in
which
[0007] FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of the frame structure
of the treadmill of the invention,
[0008] FIG. 2 is a general exploded view of the essential parts of
the treadmill of the invention, and
[0009] FIG. 3 shows a sliding element from different
directions.
[0010] FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of the frame structure
of the treadmill of the invention. In FIG. 1, reference number 1
indicates a subframe supported against the floor or a corresponding
support surface. The subframe 1 is made up of longitudinal profile
components 2 of the treadmill and crosswise components connecting
the profile components 2, 3. In FIG. 1, reference number 4
indicates a frame supported on the subframe 1. The frame 4 is made
up of longitudinal profile components 5, 6 of the treadmill and
crosswise components connecting the profile components 5, 6. The
frame 4 supports for instance rolls and a belt section running in
an endless loop around them. The rolls and the belt section and
other details related to the structure in question, such as the
power source used to run the belt section, are not shown in the
figures, because they are known to a person skilled in the art.
[0011] The subframe 1 and frame 4 are connected to each other with
means so that the location of one end of the frame 4 can be
vertically shifted relative to the subframe 1; in other words, one
end of the frame can be lifted or lowered to change the angle
position, or running angle, of the treadmill. The above-mentioned
means include a support arm structure and a unit comprising a power
source and power transmission means. Essential parts of the support
arm structure are support arms 7, 8, first ends of which are
articulated to the longitudinal profile components 5, 6 of the
frame and second ends of which are arranged slidably to slide bars
9, 10 arranged to the longitudinal profile components 2, 3 of the
subframe 1.
[0012] According to the essential idea of the invention, the slide
bars 9, 10 are formed of flat elements fastened to the subframe 1.
Sliding elements 11, 12 are arranged at the ends of the support
arms 7, 8 and equipped with slots 13 compatible with the flat
components. The slide bars 9, 10 are arranged to push into the
slots 13 to thus allow the sliding of the sliding elements 13 along
the slide bars 9, 10 when the location of one end of the frame 4 is
shifted vertically relative to the subframe 1, i.e. when the size
of the running angle of the treadmill is changed. When the
structure is assembled, the slide bars 9, 10 formed by the flat
components are thus in the slots 13 as shown in FIG. 2, whereby the
sliding elements 11, 12 can slide along the slide bars when the
running angle is adjusted. The above-mentioned structural entity
according to the essential idea of the invention is shown as a
general exploded view in FIG. 2. The structure of the sliding
element is shown particularly clearly in FIG. 3.
[0013] The sliding elements 11, 12 can preferably be made into
sleeves that are substantially round in cross-section and fastened
directly to the ends of a pipe 14 connecting the ends of the
support arms 7, 8. The pipe 14 can preferably be made of a pipe
that is substantially round in cross-section, whereby the pipe also
serves as a shaft to the sleeve acting as a sliding element 11, 12.
An advantage of this application over the prior art is that, in the
solution of the invention, a separate intermediate shaft is not
needed, nor are any separate sleeves used in the joint. Thus, the
number of components can be reduced and costs lowered essentially
in comparison with the prior art.
[0014] The second ends of the flat components serving as slide bars
9, 10, the back ends in the example of the figures, can preferably
be equipped with stopping elements 15 that are arranged to prevent
the sliding element 11, 12 from sliding past the end of the slide
bar 9, 10 when the running angle of the treadmill is changed. These
stopping elements 15 can preferably be screw elements, such as
bolts, that are tightened to the slide bars. The use of different
studs and corresponding solutions as the stopping elements is also
possible.
[0015] The above application example is in no way intended to limit
the invention, and the invention can be modified freely within the
scope of the claims. Thus, it is clear that the treadmill of the
invention need not necessarily be exactly as shown in the figures,
and solutions of other type are also possible. For instance, the
design and arrangement of the support arms and other structural
details shown in FIG. 1 can naturally be altered as required. The
shapes of the profile components and crosswise components can
naturally be freely varied as required.
* * * * *