U.S. patent application number 13/092928 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-25 for inexpensive treadmill with a concave platform.
Invention is credited to Chiu Hsiang LO.
Application Number | 20120270705 13/092928 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47021766 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120270705 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LO; Chiu Hsiang |
October 25, 2012 |
Inexpensive Treadmill with a Concave Platform
Abstract
A treadmill includes a frame, two rollers, a platform and a
belt. The rollers are supported on the frame. The platform is
supported on the frame and formed with a concave upper face. The
belt is wound around the rollers and formed with a lower section
and an upper section supported on the concave upper face of the
concave platform.
Inventors: |
LO; Chiu Hsiang;
(US) |
Family ID: |
47021766 |
Appl. No.: |
13/092928 |
Filed: |
April 23, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/54 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 22/02 20130101;
A63B 22/0285 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/54 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/02 20060101
A63B022/02 |
Claims
1. A treadmill including: a frame; two rollers supported on the
frame; a platform supported on the frame and formed with a concave
upper face; and a belt wound around the rollers and formed with a
lower section and an upper section supported on the upper face of
the concave platform.
2. The treadmill according to claim 1, wherein the platform
includes a convex lower face opposite to the concave upper
face.
3. The treadmill according to claim 2, wherein the concave upper
face of the platform is located at constant distance from the
convex lower face of the platform.
4. The treadmill according to claim 1, including a wear-resistant
layer provided on the concave upper face of the platform.
5. The treadmill according to claim 4, wherein the wear-resistant
layer includes protrusive portions formed on a lower face.
6. The treadmill according to claim 5, wherein the protrusive
portions of the wear-resistant layer are bosses.
7. The treadmill according to claim 5, wherein the protrusive
portions of the wear-resistant layer are ridges.
8. The treadmill according to claim 4, including a buffering layer
provided between the platform and the wear-resistant layer.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a treadmill and, more
particularly, to an inexpensive treadmill including a concave
platform.
[0003] 2. Related Prior Art
[0004] A conventional treadmill includes a frame, two rollers, a
planar platform and a belt. The frame includes two lateral members
in the form of rectilinear tubes corresponding to the planar
platform. The rollers are supported on the lateral members of the
frame. The planar platform is also supported on the lateral members
of the frame between the rollers. The belt is wound around the
rollers and formed with an upper section supported on the planar
platform.
[0005] There has been devised another conventional treadmill
including a frame, front and rear rollers, middle rollers and a
belt. The frame includes two rectilinear lateral members. The
front, rear and middle rollers are supported on the rectilinear
lateral members of the frame. The belt is wound around the front
and rear rollers, with an upper section supported on the middle
rollers.
[0006] There has been devised another conventional treadmill
including a frame, front and rear rollers, middle rollers and a
belt. The frame includes two concave lateral members. The front,
rear and middle rollers are supported on the concave lateral
members of the frame. The belt is wound around the front and rear
rollers, with an upper section supported on the middle rollers.
[0007] In the conventional treadmills including the middle rollers,
the middle rollers are made of metal. The conventional treadmills
including the middle rollers are expensive since metal is expensive
and getting more expensive.
[0008] The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at
least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0009] It is the primary objective of the present invention to
provide an inexpensive treadmill with a concave platform.
[0010] To achieve the foregoing objectives, the treadmill includes
a frame, two rollers, a platform and a belt. The rollers are
supported on the frame. The platform is supported on the frame and
formed with a concave upper face. The belt is wound around the
rollers and formed with a lower section and an upper section
supported on the concave upper face of the concave platform.
[0011] Other objectives, advantages and features of the present
invention will be apparent from the following description referring
to the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0012] The present invention will be described via detailed
illustration of four embodiments referring to the drawings
wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a treadmill according to the
first embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the treadmill shown in
FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the treadmill
shown in FIG. 2;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a treadmill according to
the second embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a treadmill according to
the third embodiment of the present invention; and
[0018] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a treadmill according to
the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a treadmill includes a frame 10,
two rollers 12, a concave platform 30, a belt 20, upper guiding
units, and lower guiding units 15 according to a first embodiment
of the present invention. The frame 10 includes two lateral members
11. The lateral members 11 of the frame 10 are preferably concave
tubes. A wheel 18 is supported on a bracket secured to a front end
of each of the lateral members 11 of the frame 10. The wheels 18
are used for rolling on the ground or a floor for transporting the
treadmill.
[0020] Two supporting elements 13 are connected to the frame 10.
Each of the supporting elements 13 includes a horizontal section
extending between two vertical sections each connected to a related
one of the lateral members 11 of the frame 10. The horizontal
sections of the supporting elements 13 are used for contact with
the ground or floor for positioning the treadmill.
[0021] The rollers 12 are supported on the lateral members 11 of
the frame 10. Each of the rollers 12 includes an end rotationally
supported on one of the lateral members 11 of the frame 10 and an
opposite end rotationally supported on the other lateral member 11
of the frame 10. One of the rollers 12 is preferably located
between the brackets, which support the wheels 18.
[0022] The belt 20 is in the form of a loop wound around the
rollers 12. An upper section of the belt 20 is shorter and lighter
than a lower section of the belt 20. Without any guiding units, the
upper section of the belt 20 would dangle from the rollers 12 less
than the lower section of the belt 20 and hence suspend above the
concave platform 30.
[0023] The upper guiding units are arranged in two series each
connected to an upper face of a related one of the lateral members
11 of the frame 10 for contact with a margin of the upper section
of the belt 20. Each series includes an adequate number of upper
guiding units for pushing almost the entire upper section of the
belt 20 against the concave platform 13. Each of the upper guiding
units includes a rod 14 and a block. The rod 14 includes an end in
contact with the related margin of the upper section of the belt 20
and an opposite end secured to the block by welding for example.
The block is secured to the upper face of the related lateral
member of the frame 10 by welding for example.
[0024] The lower guiding units 15 are arranged in two series each
connected to a lower face of a related one of the lateral members
11 of the frame 10 for contact with a related one of two opposite
margins of the lower section of the belt 20. Each of the lower
guiding units 15 includes a first caster 16 in contact with an
upper face of the lower section of the belt 20 and a second caster
17 in contact with a lower face of the lower section of the belt
20.
[0025] The concave platform 30 is made of an elastic material that
is less expensive than metal. The concave platform 30 may be made
of plastics, wood or another inexpensive elastic material. The
concave platform 30 includes a concave upper face 31 directed
toward a runner running on the treadmill and a convex lower face 32
opposite to the concave upper face 31. The concave platform 30 is
preferably made of constant thickness, i.e., the distance between
the concave upper and convex lower faces of the concave platform 30
is constant. By screws for example, the concave platform 30 is
secured to positioning elements 19 secured to the lateral members
11 of the frame 10 by welding for example.
[0026] In use, the runner runs on the belt 20, which slides on the
concave platform 30. The platform 30 takes the weight of the
runner. Moreover, the platform 30 reduces impacts on the user's
feet since it is made with a concave configuration and of an
elastic material.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a treadmill according to
a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment
is like the first embodiment except including a wear-resistant
layer 40 provided on the upper face 31 of the concave platform 30
by an adhesive for example. The wear-resistant layer 40 may be a
piece of cloth, rubber, plastics, leather, or a coating, or a
particle board. The wear-resistant layer 40 protects the concave
platform 30 and extends the life of the concave platform 30.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a treadmill according to
a third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment
is like the second embodiment except including a buffering layer 50
sandwiched between the wear-resistant layer 40 and the concave
platform 30 by an adhesive for example. The buffering layer 50 is
made of foam, a porous material or any other proper material. The
buffering layer 50 enhances the ability of the concave platform 30
to reduce the impacts on the runner.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a treadmill according to
a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The fourth embodiment
is like the third embodiment except that the wear-resistant layer
40 includes protrusive portions 41 formed on a lower face. The
protrusive portions 41 of the wear-resistant layer 40 are bosses or
ridges. The runner feels the protrusive portions 41 of the
wear-resistant layer 40 through the belt 20 and has the feet
messaged by them.
[0030] The present invention has been described via the detailed
illustration of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can
derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the
scope of the present invention. Hence, the embodiments shall not
limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.
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