U.S. patent application number 11/002300 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-08 for folding and inclination adjustable device for treadmills.
Invention is credited to Tsai Lien Chou Lin.
Application Number | 20060122038 11/002300 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36575068 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060122038 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chou Lin; Tsai Lien |
June 8, 2006 |
Folding and inclination adjustable device for treadmills
Abstract
A treadmill includes a base and two posts are connected to the
two side rails. A frame with an endless belt is pivotably connected
between the two posts. Each post has an elongate hole and two sets
of pivot assemblies respectively extend through the two elongate
holes. Each pivot assembly has a pin and a roller which is mounted
to the pin which is fixed to the frame. The roller is movably
retained in the elongate hole corresponding thereto. A support
device has an end fixed to the base and the other end of the
support device is pivotably connected to an underside of the frame.
The frame is pivoted upward about the pins and the rollers assist
the pivotal movement of the frame. The pins are moved within the
elongate holes to adjust the inclination of the frame relative to
the base.
Inventors: |
Chou Lin; Tsai Lien;
(Taichung City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROSENBERG, KLEIN & LEE
3458 ELLICOTT CENTER DRIVE-SUITE 101
ELLICOTT CITY
MD
21043
US
|
Family ID: |
36575068 |
Appl. No.: |
11/002300 |
Filed: |
December 3, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/54 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2210/50 20130101;
A63B 22/0235 20130101; A63B 22/0023 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/054 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/02 20060101
A63B022/02 |
Claims
1. A treadmill comprising: a base (10) with two side rails (11) and
two posts (12) connected to the side rails (11), each post (12)
having an elongate hole (15) defined therethrough; a frame (20)
having a first end pivotably connected between the two posts (12)
and an endless belt (21) reeving through the first end and a second
end of the frame (20), a driving unit (23) connected to the first
end of the frame (20) and driving the endless belt (21); two sets
of pivot assemblies (25) respectively extending through the two
elongate holes (15) and each having a pin (253) and a roller (254)
which is mounted to the pin (253), the roller (254) movably
retained in the elongate hole (15) corresponding thereto, the pin
(253) being fixed to the frame (20), and a support device (30)
having an end fixed to the base (10) and the other end of the
support device (30) pivotably connected to an underside of the
frame (20).
2. The treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein a wheel (26) is
connected to the front end of the frame (20).
3. The treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein an angle is defined
between a longitudinal axis of each elongate hole (15) and the
frame (20), the angle is equal to or less than 90 degrees.
4. The treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the pins
(253) includes a threaded end (252) which is threadedly connected
to the frame (20).
5. The treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the posts
(12) includes an adjusting portion which includes a first section
(111) fixed on respective one of the two side rails (11) and
including a first elongate hole (151), a movable section (121)
movably mounted to the first section (11) and a second section
(120) which is connected to the movable section (121), the movable
section (121) having a second elongate hole (152), the two pins
(253) of the two sets of pivot assemblies (25) respectively
extending through aligned first and second elongate holes (151,
152).
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a folding and inclination
adjustable device for treadmills and the device needs less number
of parts and is easily to be operated to folding and adjusting the
frame relative to the base.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A conventional treadmill generally includes a base with a
rectangle frame pivotably connected between two sides of the base.
A driving device is connected to the frame so as to drive an
endless belt on the frame. Two posts extend from the two sides of
the base and two handlebars are connected to the two posts and a
control panel is connected between the two handlebars. In order to
be conveniently stored when not in use, some treadmills are
equipped with a folding device so that the frame can be pivoted
upright to reduce the area that the treadmill occupies. Most of the
folding devices are made by links which involve a complicated
mechanism which is costly and difficult to be maintained. Besides,
when pivoting the frame, the user has to overcome certain level of
resistance and this could be a problem for some users. Furthermore,
the conventional treadmills are equipped with inclination adjusting
device that allows the users to adjust the inclination of the frame
relative to the base so as to obtain an uphill jogging function.
The inclination adjusting device is independent from the folding
device.
[0003] The present invention intends to provide a folding and
inclination adjustable device that share some common parts so that
the structure is simplified and a wheel is used to assist the
pivoting action when the frame is to be pivoted to a vertical
position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention relates to a treadmill that comprises
a base with two side rails and two posts are connected to the side
rails. Each post has an elongate hole defined therethrough. A frame
has a first end pivotably connected between the two posts and an
endless belt reeves through the first end and a second end of the
frame. A driving unit for driving the endless belt is connected to
the first end of the frame. Two sets of pivot assemblies
respectively extend through the two elongate holes and each have a
pin and a roller which is mounted to the pin. The roller is movably
retained in the elongate hole corresponding thereto and the pin is
fixed to the frame. A support device has an end fixed to the base
and the other end of the support device is pivotably connected to
an underside of the frame.
[0005] The present invention will become more obvious from the
following description when taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration
only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view to show the treadmill with the
folding and inclination adjustable device of the present
invention;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view to show the pivot assembly
cooperated with the side rail and the frame of the treadmill of the
present invention;
[0008] FIG. 3 is a side view to show the treadmill of the present
invention, wherein the frame is located horizontally;
[0009] FIG. 4 shows the pivotal movement of the frame relative to
the base;
[0010] FIGS. 5 and 6 show that the frame is adjusted for the
inclination relative to the base;
[0011] FIG. 7 shows that the roller in the pivot assembly can be
replaced with a bearing;
[0012] FIG. 8 is an exploded view to show another embodiment of the
folding and inclination device of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the folding and
inclination device in FIG. 8, and
[0014] FIG. 10 shows that the roller in the pivot assembly in FIG.
8 can be replaced with a bearing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0015] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the treadmill "A" of the present
invention comprises a base 10 with two side rails 11 and a traverse
bar (not shown) connected between the two side rails 11. Two posts
12 are connected to the side rails 11 and two handles 13 are
connected to the two posts 12 respectively. A control panel 14 is
disposed between the two handles 14 so that the users may adjust
the treadmill "A" and obtain physical information about the users.
Each post 12 has an elongate hole 15 defined therethrough.
[0016] A frame 20 has a first end pivotably connected between the
two posts 12 and an endless belt 21 reeves through the first end
and a second end of the frame 20. A driving unit 23 including a
driving motor, a reduction assembly and electronic control parts is
connected to the first end of the frame 20. The driving motor
drives the endless belt 21 and is electronically connected to the
control panel 14. A wheel 26 is connected to the front end of the
frame 20 and two rear wheels 22 (only one is shown) are connected
to an underside of the second end of the frame 20. An angle is
defined between a longitudinal axis of each elongate hole 15 and
the frame 20, the angle is equal to or less than 90 degrees.
[0017] Two sets of pivot assemblies 25 respectively extend through
the two elongate holes 15 and are connected to the two sides of the
frame 20. Each pivot assembly 25 has a pin 253 and a roller 254
which is mounted to the pin 253. The roller 254 is movably retained
in the elongate hole 15 corresponding thereto and the pin 253
includes a threaded end 252 which is threadedly connected to the
frame 20.
[0018] A support device 30 includes a pneumatic cylinder which has
an end fixed to the base 10 and the other end of the support device
30 is pivotably connected to an underside of the frame 20.
[0019] When folding the frame 20, by the help of the rollers 254,
the frame 20 can be easily and smoothly pivoted upward as shown in
FIG. 4. The wheel 26 is located above the floor as shown in FIG. 3
when the frame 20 is arranged horizontally, and is in contact with
the floor when the frame 20 is about to pivot to vertical position,
at this moment, the force of arm is so short that the user is hard
to provide more force to pivot the frame 20, the wheel 26 assists
the pivotal movement for further pivoting the frame 20. It is noted
that the roller 254 in each set of the pivot assembly 25 can be
replaced with a bearing 2540 as shown in FIG. 7.
[0020] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when adjusting the inclination of
the frame 20, the support device 30 lifts the first end of the
frame 20 and the whole pivot assembly 25 moves in the elongate hole
15 as shown.
[0021] FIGS. 8 and 9 show another embodiment of the folding device
and the difference is for the structure of the post 12 is an
adjusting portion which includes a first section 111 fixed on
respective one of the two side rails 11 and including a first
elongate hole 151, a movable section 121 movably mounted to the
first section 111 and a second section 120 which is connected to
the movable section 121. The movable section 121 has a second
elongate hole 152, the two pins 253 of the two sets of pivot
assemblies 25 respectively extending through aligned first and
second elongate holes 151, 152. As shown in FIG. 10, the roller 254
in each set of the pivot assembly 25 can be replaced with a bearing
2540.
[0022] The folding and inclination adjustable device successfully
combines the folding and inclination adjustable functions within
one simple device which needs less number of parts. The wheel 26
and the rollers 254 in the pivot assemblies 25 allow the folding
action to be much more easily and conveniently.
[0023] While we have shown and described the embodiment in
accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those
skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without
departing from the scope of the present invention.
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