U.S. patent application number 13/220676 was filed with the patent office on 2013-02-28 for apparatus for cushioning a platform of a treadmill.
The applicant listed for this patent is Chiu Hsiang LO. Invention is credited to Chiu Hsiang LO.
Application Number | 20130053222 13/220676 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47744541 |
Filed Date | 2013-02-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130053222 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LO; Chiu Hsiang |
February 28, 2013 |
Apparatus for Cushioning a Platform of a Treadmill
Abstract
A treadmill includes a base, two rollers, a platform, a belt and
two cushions. The base includes two longitudinal bars. The rollers
are supported on the longitudinal bars. The platform is located
between the rollers. The belt is wound on the rollers and the
platform. Each of the cushions includes a cushioning strip
supported on a related one of the longitudinal bars for cushioning
the platform.
Inventors: |
LO; Chiu Hsiang; (Taichung
City, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LO; Chiu Hsiang |
Taichung City |
|
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
47744541 |
Appl. No.: |
13/220676 |
Filed: |
August 29, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/54 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 22/02 20130101;
A63B 22/0214 20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/54 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/02 20060101
A63B022/02 |
Claims
1. A treadmill including: a base including two longitudinal bars;
two rollers supported on the longitudinal bars; a platform located
between the rollers; and two cushions each including a cushioning
strip supported on a related one of the longitudinal bars for
cushioning the platform.
2. The treadmill in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cushioning
strip extends parallel to the related longitudinal bar.
3. The treadmill in accordance with claim 1, wherein the base
includes at least one crossbar connected to the longitudinal
bars.
4. The treadmill in accordance with claim 3, wherein each of the
cushions further includes a block attached to the related
longitudinal bar, wherein the cushioning strip is supported on the
crossbar and the block.
5. The treadmill in accordance with claim 4, wherein the cushioning
strip is attached to the crossbar at an end and attached to the
block at another end.
6. The treadmill in accordance with claim 4, wherein the cushioning
strip is bent and therefore includes a bent portion, two ends, and
two overlapped portions each extending between the bent portion and
a related one of the ends, wherein the ends of the cushioning strip
are secured to the crossbar, wherein the bent portion of the
cushioning strip is wound on the block.
7. The treadmill in accordance with claim 6, wherein each of the
cushions further includes a screw for securing the ends of the
cushioning strip to the crossbar.
8. The treadmill in accordance with claim 7, wherein each of the
cushions further includes a plate secured to the crossbar by the
screw, wherein the ends of the cushioning strip are sandwiched
between the plate and the crossbar.
9. The treadmill in accordance with claim 4, wherein each of the
cushions includes two auxiliary elements attached to the related
longitudinal bar and located between the crossbar and the block,
wherein the cushioning strip is supported on the auxiliary elements
so that the tension in the cushioning strip is increased.
10. The treadmill in accordance with claim 9, wherein each of the
auxiliary elements is a bent rod formed with a horizontal section
inserted in the related longitudinal bar and an included section
abutted against the related longitudinal bar.
11. The treadmill in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the
cushions further includes two blocks attached to the related
longitudinal bar, wherein the cushioning strip is supported on the
blocks.
12. The treadmill in accordance with claim 11, wherein the
cushioning strip is an endless loop wound on the blocks.
13. The treadmill in accordance with claim 12, wherein each of the
cushions includes two auxiliary elements attached to the related
longitudinal bar between the crossbar and the block, wherein the
cushioning strip is supported on the auxiliary elements so that the
tension in the cushioning strip is increased.
14. The treadmill in accordance with claim 13, wherein each of the
auxiliary elements is a tube connected to the related longitudinal
bar.
15. The treadmill in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the
cushions further includes a contact element formed with a planar
upper side attached to the platform and an arched lower face in
contact with the cushioning strip.
16. The treadmill in accordance with claim 15, wherein the contact
element further includes two walls formed thereon for restraining
the cushioning strip.
17. The treadmill in accordance with claim 16, wherein a distance
from the arched lower face to the edge of each of the walls is
longer than the thickness of the cushioning strip.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a treadmill and, more
particularly, to a treadmill equipped with an apparatus for
cushioning a platform on a base.
[0003] 2. Related Prior Art
[0004] As disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,441,468, 5,279,528,
5,454,772 and 5,599,259, a treadmill is often equipped with an
apparatus for cushioning a platform on a base. A user running on
the platform is protected from excessive impacts by the cushioning
apparatus. Such a cushioning apparatus includes a plurality of
rubber pads provided between the platform and the base
conventionally. Such rubber pads are however inadequate to absorb
impacts exerted on a user's ankles, knees and spine by the platform
when the user walks or runs on the treadmill.
[0005] The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at
least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0006] It is the primary objective of the present invention to
provide a treadmill with a cushion for effectively cushioning a
platform on a base.
[0007] To achieve the foregoing objective, the treadmill includes a
base, two rollers, a platform, a belt and two cushions. The base
includes two longitudinal bars. The rollers are supported on the
longitudinal bars. The platform is located between the rollers. The
belt is wound on the rollers and the platform. Each of the cushions
includes a cushioning strip supported on a related one of the
longitudinal bars for cushioning the platform.
[0008] 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
[0009] The present invention will be described via detailed
illustration of two embodiments referring to the drawings
wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a treadmill equipped with
two cushions for effectively cushioning a platform on a base in
accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the cushions shown in
FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cushion shown in
FIG. 2;
[0013] FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partial, cross-sectional view of the
cushion shown in FIG. 3; and
[0014] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a cushion in accordance
with the second embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0015] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, there is shown a treadmill
20 equipped with two cushions 30 for effectively cushioning a
platform 21 on a base 10 in accordance with a first embodiment of
the present invention. The base 10 includes two longitudinal bars
11 secured to at least one crossbar 12 by welding for example. Each
of the cushions 30 is located in the vicinity of a related one of
the longitudinal bars 11.
[0016] The treadmill 20 further includes two rollers 22 and a belt
23. The rollers 22 are supported on the longitudinal bars 11. The
platform 21 is located between the rollers 22. The belt 23 is in
the form of an endless loop wound on the platform 21 and the
rollers 22. A section of the belt 23 is forced to slide on the
platform 21 as a user walks or runs on the section of the belt
23.
[0017] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, only one of the cushions 30 and
a related one of the longitudinal bars 11 will be described. It
should however be noted that the cushions 30 are identical to each
other while the longitudinal bars 11 are identical to each other.
The cushion 30 includes a contact element 40 and a cushioning strip
50. The contact element 40 includes a planar upper face 41, an
arched lower face 42 and two walls 43. Each of the walls 43
includes an arched edge extending parallel to the arched lower face
42.
[0018] The planar upper face 41 of the contact element 40 is in
contact with a lower face of the platform 21. Two screws are driven
in the contact element 40 through the platform 21, thus securing
the contact element 40 to the platform 20.
[0019] The cushioning strip 50 may be made of fibers by weaving.
Alternatively, the cushioning strip 50 may be made of a plastic
material or rubber by injection molding. The cushioning strip 50 is
bent and therefore includes a bent portion 52, two ends 51 and two
overlapped portions 53 each extending between the bent portion 52
and a related one of the ends 51.
[0020] The bent portion 52 of the cushioning strip 50 is wound on a
block 13 secured to the longitudinal bar 11. The overlapped ends 53
of the cushioning strip 50 are sandwiched between a plate 56 and
the cross bar 12. The plate 56 is secured to the crossbar 12 by a
screw 55. Thus, the ends 51 of the cushioning strip 50 are secured
to the crossbar 12. Now, the cushioning strip 50 is supported on
the block 13 and the crossbar 12. The cushioning strip 50 extends
parallel to the longitudinal bar 11.
[0021] Two auxiliary elements 54 are secured to the longitudinal
bar 11. The overlapped portions 53 of the cushioning strip 50 are
supported on the auxiliary elements 54.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 4, only one of the auxiliary elements 54
will be described. It should however be noted that the auxiliary
elements 54 are identical to each other. The auxiliary element 54
is a bent rod that includes a first section and a second section,
with an acute angle defined between the first and second sections.
The first section of the auxiliary element 54 is partially inserted
in the longitudinal bar 11. Moreover, the first section of the
auxiliary element 54 is in contact with the overlapped portions 53
of the cushioning strip 50. The second section of the auxiliary
element 54 is abutted against the longitudinal bar 11. The first
section of the auxiliary element 54 extends horizontally for
keeping the width of the overlapped portions 53 of the cushioning
strip 50 horizontally. The second section of the auxiliary element
54 extends in an inclined manner to well support the first section
and hence the overlapped portions 53 of the cushioning strip 50.
With the auxiliary element 54, the tension in the cushioning strip
50 is increased.
[0023] The overlapped portions 53 of the cushioning strip 50 are
located between the walls 43 of the contact element 40. A distance
of the arched lower face 42 of the contact element 42 from the
arched edge of each of the walls 43 is longer than the thickness of
the cushioning strip 50. Thus, the overlapped portions 53 of the
cushioning strip 50 are kept between the walls 43 of the contact
element 40. That is, the cushioning strip 50 is positioned relative
to the contact element 40.
[0024] Referring FIG. 3, when the user walks or runs on the belt
23, he or she exerts impacts on the platform 21 through the belt
23. The impacts are transferred to the overlapped portions 53 of
the cushioning strip 50 through the contact element 40. The impacts
are substantially absorbed by the cushioning strip 50 while the
length of the cushioning strip 50 varies.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 5, there is show a cushion in accordance
with the second embodiment of the present invention. The second
embodiment is identical to the first embodiment except for three
things. At first, a cushioning strip 60 is used instead of the
cushioning strip 50. The cushioning strip 60 is an endless loop
with two bent portions 61 and two overlapped portions 62. Secondly,
an additional block 13 is used and the screw 55 and the plate 56
are saved. That is, two blocks 13 are attached to the longitudinal
bar 11. Thirdly, two auxiliary elements 70 are used instead of the
auxiliary elements 54. Each of the auxiliary elements 70 is a short
tube connected to the longitudinal bar 11. Each of the bent
portions 61 of the cushioning strip 60 is wound on a related one of
the blocks 13. One of the overlapped portions 62 of the cushioning
strip 60 is supported on the auxiliary elements 70 while the other
one of the overlapped portions 62 of the cushioning strip 60 is in
contact with the contact element 40.
[0026] 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. Therefore, the embodiments shall
not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the
claims.
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