U.S. patent application number 11/036703 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-20 for universal roller unit for a treadmill.
Invention is credited to Leao Wang.
Application Number | 20060160666 11/036703 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36684681 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060160666 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wang; Leao |
July 20, 2006 |
Universal roller unit for a treadmill
Abstract
A universal roller unit for a treadmill having a supporting
frame and a platform. The supporting frame includes a front and a
rear bar at the bottom thereof. A roller is pivotally connected to
both ends of the front bar. A universal roller unit is attached to
the middle part of the rear bar. When the treadmill is in a flat
operational position, the universal roller unit may be attached to
the side wall of the rear bar; when the treadmill is in a folded
storage position, the universal roller unit may be pushed outwards
to allow the universal roller to contact with the ground so that
the universal roller and the rollers take the responsibility of
supporting the whole weight of the treadmill and move the treadmill
stably and freely in any direction.
Inventors: |
Wang; Leao; (Taiping,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KUO-HSIUNG CHIU
13F., NO.23, JIUN-HO STREET, PEITUN DISTRICT
TAICHUNG
406
TW
|
Family ID: |
36684681 |
Appl. No.: |
11/036703 |
Filed: |
January 18, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/54 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2210/50 20130101;
A63B 22/02 20130101; A63B 2071/025 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/054 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/02 20060101
A63B022/02 |
Claims
1. A universal roller unit for a treadmill having a supporting
frame and a platform, the platform being hinged on the supporting
frame in a folded storage and a flat operational position, the
supporting frame having a front and a rear bar at the bottom
thereof, a roller being pivotally connected to both ends of the
front bar, a universal roller unit being attached to the middle
part of the rear bar, whereby, when the treadmill is in a flat
operational position, the universal roller unit may be attached to
the side wall of the rear bar; when the treadmill is in a folded
storage position, the universal roller unit may be pushed outwards
to allow the universal roller to contact with the ground so that
the universal roller and the rollers take the responsibility of
supporting the whole weight of the treadmill and move the treadmill
stably and freely in any direction.
2. The universal roller unit for a treadmill as claimed in claim 1
wherein the universal roller unit comprising: a) an angle iron
attached to the side wall of the rear bar in cooperation with a
fastening element and a compression pin; b) a compression pin
passing through a borehole in the rear bar, the compression pin
having different outer diameters, the borehole also having
different inner diameters at both ends thereof so that an
unexpected detachment of the compression pin from the borehole can
be avoided; and c) a universal roller in cooperation with a pivot
and two spring elements pivotally connected to a positioning ear
under the borehole of the rear bar, whereby, in the ordinary state,
the universal roller is upwardly swiveled to contact with a
corresponding end of the compression pin.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Fields of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a roller unit for a treadmill, and
more particularly, to a roller unit having improved convenience in
use.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Rollers fitted at the bottom of treadmills are used to
facilitate a smooth movement of the treadmill, thereby achieving
the laborsaving effect. A typical product is disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,672,140 that describes roller sets are axially and pivotably
arranged at one end of the ground-touching cross bars at both sides
of the bottom of the treadmill while the roller sets in storage
position are not in contact with the ground. In use, the roller
sets are used as a pivoting point to incline the main body of the
treadmill so as to facilitate the movement of the treadmill.
Although this prior art can exactly reach the expected effect, it's
difficult for weak people to incline the heavy treadmill during its
whole movement. Even, this could lead to an unnecessary
accident.
[0005] Besides, the design of four rollers directly and permanently
in contact with the ground can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,559.
However, this kind of structure will cause an unexpected sliding or
shaking when the treadmill is operated. As a result, the safety of
the user is seriously affected and it gradually becomes extinct on
the market.
[0006] In order to effectively resolve the above-mentioned
problems, a support member is provided at proper position of the
roller set so as to increase the frictional resistance with the
ground. This structure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,016.
However, a swinging see-saw effect will be created when the
treadmill is moved on an uneven surface, thereby leading to
inconvenience and difficulty of the horizontal adjustment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In consideration of the above-mentioned, the inventor of the
present invention thinks that the displacement of the treadmill is
not a regular action. In operational position, it's not required to
use the roller sets. In storage position, it's not necessarily
required to shift the treadmill. As a result, partial roller sets
can be stored and kept away from the ground so as to eliminate the
unexpected sliding shift. In brief, all rollers are pulled out only
when it's really required to displace the treadmill. It's therefore
an object of the invention to provide a room for accommodating a
universal roller unit at the side wall of a rear bar of the
supporting frame, thereby eliminating potential drawbacks of the
conventional treadmill in respect of the design and the
application.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The accomplishment of this and other objects of the
invention will become apparent from the following description and
its accompanying drawings of which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a treadmill with a universal
roller unit in accordance with the invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a side view of the treadmill of FIG. 1 in a flat
operational position;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of the universal
roller unit and the supporting frame in accordance with the
invention;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a side view of the treadmill of FIG. 2 in a folded
position, showing that the front bar of the supporting frame tilts
to the side;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a side view of the treadmill of FIG. 2 in a folded
position, showing that the universal roller is swiveled outwardly
in an operational position; and
[0014] FIG. 6 is a side view of the treadmill of FIG. 2 in a folded
position, showing that the universal roller is in contact with the
ground.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0015] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a treadmill 10 in accordance
with the invention includes:
[0016] a supporting frame 20 positioned at the front end of a
platform 30, a handrail 21 and an electric console 22 being
disposed above the supporting frame 20, a front and a rear bar 23,
24 being attached to the supporting frame 20, a roller 25 being
provided at both ends of the front bar 23, respectively, a
universal roller unit 40 being provided in the middle of the rear
bar 24;
[0017] a platform 30 in rectangular shape having a continuous belt
32 driven by a motor transmission unit (not shown) and movable
around the platform 30, a support bar 34 being fitted to the bottom
of the rear end of the platform 30. By assembling the
above-mentioned components, the platform 30 on the supporting frame
20 can be folded in an upright storage position or in a flat
operational position.
[0018] The universal roller unit 40 includes:
[0019] an angle iron 41 attached to the side wall of the rear bar
24 in cooperation with a fastening element 42 and a compression pin
43;
[0020] a compression pin 43 passing through a borehole 26 in the
rear bar 24, the compression pin 43 having different outer
diameters, the borehole 26 also having different inner diameters at
both ends thereof so that an unexpected detachment of the
compression pin 43 from the borehole 26 can be avoided; and
[0021] a universal roller 44 in cooperation with a pivot 45 and two
spring elements 46 pivotally connected to a positioning ear 27
under the borehole 26 of the rear bar 24.
[0022] In the ordinary state, the universal roller 44 is upwardly
swiveled to contact with a corresponding end of the compression pin
43.
[0023] When the platform 30 is in flat operational position, the
universal roller unit 40 is attached to the side wall of the rear
bar 24 without contact to the ground. When the platform 30 is in
folded position, as shown in FIGS. 4 through 6, the operator may
push the angle iron 41 together with the compression pin 43 in the
direction of the universal roller 44. In this way, the universal
roller 44 is swiveled to the ground. Meanwhile, the operator put
the treadmill 10 down to allow the universal roller 44 to contact
with the ground. At that time, the universal roller 44 and the
rollers 25 at both sides of the front bar 23 take the
responsibility of supporting the whole weight of the treadmill 10
and move the treadmill 10 stably and freely in any direction.
[0024] To bring the universal roller unit 40 back to the storage
position, the treadmill 10 is required to tilt to the side while
the angle iron 41 is pulled back in the reverse direction.
[0025] Many changes and modifications in the above-described
embodiment of the invention can, of course, be carried out without
departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the
progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed
and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended
claims.
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