U.S. patent application number 12/955872 was filed with the patent office on 2012-05-31 for bendable handrail assembly of an exercise apparatus.
Invention is credited to Leao Wang.
Application Number | 20120132877 12/955872 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46126002 |
Filed Date | 2012-05-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120132877 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wang; Leao |
May 31, 2012 |
BENDABLE HANDRAIL ASSEMBLY OF AN EXERCISE APPARATUS
Abstract
A bendable handrail assembly of an exercise apparatus wherein
the handrail assembly is divided into a fixed portion and a bent
portion. The fixed portion is coupled with a tube and positioned at
an inclined angle relative to the handrail support of the exercise
apparatus. The bent portion includes at one end thereof an inclined
shaft fitting into the tube, and the bent portion is positioned by
means of an elastic element and a positioning element in a
pivotable state. At that time, the bent portion can be brought in a
nearly horizontal position relative to the ground. When the
handrail assembly is bent, the bent portion can rotate on the
inclined shaft along the inclined angle (Z-axis of space) in a
vertical position relative to the ground.
Inventors: |
Wang; Leao; (Taiping,
TW) |
Family ID: |
46126002 |
Appl. No.: |
12/955872 |
Filed: |
November 29, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
256/59 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 22/02 20130101;
A63B 2210/50 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
256/59 |
International
Class: |
A63B 71/00 20060101
A63B071/00 |
Claims
1. A bendable handrail assembly of an exercise apparatus, the
handrail being divided into a fixed portion and a bent portion both
of which are pivotably installed at an inclination on a handrail
support of the exercise apparatus such that the bent portion is
bendable along an inclined path in a vertical storage position.
2. A bendable handrail assembly of an exercise apparatus, the
handrail assembly being divided into a fixed portion and a bent
portion both of which are installed on a handrail support of the
exercise apparatus, wherein the fixed portion is coupled with a
tube and positioned at an inclined angle relative to the handrail
support of the exercise apparatus; wherein the bent portion
includes at one end thereof an inclined shaft fitting into the
tube, and the bent portion is positioned by means of an elastic
element and a positioning element in a pivotable state, whereby the
bent portion can be brought in a nearly horizontal position
relative to the ground, and, when the handrail assembly is bent,
the bent portion can rotate on the inclined shaft along the
inclined angle in a vertical position relative to the ground.
3. A bendable handrail assembly of an exercise apparatus, the
handrail assembly is installed on a handrail support of a electric
treadmill, wherein the electric treadmill includes a treadmill's
deck with a handrail support at both sides thereof, a front
support, and a rear ground-touching element; wherein a secondary
ground-touching element for supporting the treadmill in a vertical
position is disposed at the front end of the deck; wherein the
handrail assembly is divided into a fixed portion and a bent
portion; wherein the fixed portion is coupled with a tube and
positioned at an inclined angle relative to the top of the handrail
support; wherein the bent portion includes at one end thereof an
inclined shaft fitting into the tube, and the bent portion is
positioned by means of an elastic element and a positioning element
in a pivotable state, whereby the bent portion can be brought in a
nearly horizontal position relative to the ground, and, when the
handrail assembly is bent, the bent portion can rotate on the
inclined shaft along the inclined angle in a vertical position
relative to the ground.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Fields of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a bendable handrail assembly of an
exercise apparatus, and more particularly, to a structure that may
avoid an unexpected false action and permit a constant and tight
attachment of a bent portion. Moreover, the transport and the
storage of the electric treadmill may be facilitated to a great
extent.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Not long ago, the U.S. administration bureau for safety
control on the exercise apparatuses announced the requirements on
the length of the handrails of the exercise apparatuses. The length
of the handrail has to fulfill a certain criterion to achieve a
basic safety protection during the exercise sessions. As a result,
the packaging, the assembly, and the transport of the exercise
apparatuses are affected to some extent. Regarding the impact on
the packaging and the transport of the exercise apparatuses, the
handrail and the handrail support have to be disassembled.
Otherwise, the volume of the product will be substantially
increased, thereby raising the transportation costs. At the same
time, the self-assembly steps and their difficulty will be
increased. Therefore, how to design the handrails without affecting
the structural strength and under considerations on use safety,
will become the serious issue for the manufacturing industry.
[0005] According to the general principles of mechanical design, it
is the easiest and the most economical way to the resolve the
above-mentioned issue when the handrail can be freely bent. Most of
the improved designs, as far as we observed, employ a structure
capable of horizontally or vertically bending. In other words, the
handrail includes a joint for bending in a horizontal direction (in
X-axis of space) or in a vertical direction (in Y-axis of
space).
[0006] The above-mentioned improvement may fulfill the requirements
on reduction of the volume and simplification of the assembly
steps. However, the bending joint produces visible segments after
the bending process. In addition to unsightliness, the inevitable
defects on weakening the strength will also be created at the
connection portions. Meanwhile, it is most likely to cause an
unexpected false action in view of the holding and force-acting
way. In other words, the handrail is easily rotated or moved by a
lateral thrust or a longitudinal rotational force when the operator
holds on the handrail. Therefore, the safety of the operator tends
to be affected considerably. As a result, further improvements are
required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] A primary object of the invention is to provide a bendable
handrail assembly of an exercise apparatus. The handrail is divided
into a fixed portion and a bent portion both of which are pivotably
installed at an inclination on a handrail support of the exercise
apparatus such that the bent portion is bendable along an inclined
path in a vertical storage position. As a result, the bendable
handrail assembly of the invention may avoid an unexpected false
action and permit a constant and tight attachment of a bent
portion. Moreover, the transport and the storage of the electric
treadmill may be facilitated to a great extent.
[0008] According to the invention, the handrail assembly is divided
into a fixed portion and a bent portion. The fixed portion is
coupled with a tube and positioned at an inclined angle relative to
the handrail support of the exercise apparatus. The bent portion
includes at one end thereof an inclined shaft fitting into the
tube, and the bent portion is positioned by means of an elastic
element and a positioning element in a pivotable state. At that
time, the bent portion can be brought in a nearly horizontal
position relative to the ground. When the handrail assembly is
bent, the bent portion can rotate on the inclined shaft along the
inclined angle (Z-axis of space) in a vertical position relative to
the ground.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The accomplishment of this and other objects of the
invention will become apparent from the following description and
its accompanying drawings of which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the
invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment of the invention
according to FIG. 1 wherein the bent portion is bent in a vertical
position;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a an enlarged view of the encircled portion of
FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a path diagram in bending the bent portion in a
storage position; and
[0014] FIG. 5 is a side view of the exercise apparatus of FIG. 1
that is folded-up in a storage position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0015] The present invention will now be described in more detail
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings that show
various embodiments of the invention.
[0016] First of all, the invention can be applied to all exercise
apparatuses such as treadmills, elliptical cross trainers, fitness
bikes, steppers, etc. The treadmill is taken as an example for the
following description.
[0017] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, an electric treadmill 10
includes a treadmill's deck 11 with a handrail support 20 at both
sides thereof, a front support 12, and a rear ground-touching
element 13. Moreover, a secondary ground-touching element 14 for
supporting the treadmill in a vertical position is disposed at the
front end of the deck 11.
[0018] The handrail assembly 30 is divided into a fixed portion 31
and a bent portion 32. The fixed portion 31 is coupled via a tube
33 to the top of the handrail support 20 of the electric treadmill
10 at an inclined angle. The bent portion 32 includes at one end
thereof an inclined shaft 34 fitting into the tube 33. The bent
portion 32 is positioned by means of an elastic element 35 and a
positioning element 36 in a pivotable state. In this way, the bent
portion 32 can be brought in a nearly horizontal position relative
to the ground 40.
[0019] Based on the assembly of the above-mentioned components, as
shown in FIG. 4, the bent portion 32 can rotate on the inclined
shaft 34 along the inclined angle (Z-axis of space) in a vertical
position relative to the ground 40 when the handrail assembly 30 is
bent.
[0020] Likewise, the bent portion 32 can be bent along the reverse
path from a vertical position into a horizontal position.
[0021] The bent portion 32 and the tube 33 are closely secured by
use of the force of the elastic element 35. Moreover, any parts of
the bent portion 32 and the tube 33 won't be exposed to outside,
thereby maintaining the overall appearance and the integrity at the
interconnection section after the bending process.
[0022] The electronic control console 15 of the electric treadmill
10 can be installed at an extension part of the fixed portion 31 of
the handrail assembly 30. In this way, the bending action of the
bent portion 32 won't be affected at all.
[0023] The bent portion 32 is moved only at a certain angle along
an inclination path in a storage position or in an operation
position. As a result, the bent portion 32 is not easily shifted by
a force in lateral or longitudinal direction. In this way, an
unexpected false action can be avoided such that the safety of the
operator in use may be fully ensured.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 5, the deck 11 of the electric treadmill 10
is folded upward in a vertical storage position. Meanwhile, the
bent portion 32 of the handrail assembly 30 can be bent in a
corresponding position. In this way, the total volume and the
occupied space may be effectively reduced, thereby facilitating the
transport and the storage of the electric treadmill 10 to a great
extent.
[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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