U.S. patent application number 14/396017 was filed with the patent office on 2016-01-21 for flattened treadmill.
The applicant listed for this patent is DYACO INTERNATIONAL INC. Invention is credited to Kuo-Wo HAO.
Application Number | 20160016035 14/396017 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53003070 |
Filed Date | 2016-01-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160016035 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HAO; Kuo-Wo |
January 21, 2016 |
FLATTENED TREADMILL
Abstract
Embodiments of this invention disclose flattened treadmills
employing at least a medium roller mechanism for transforming
rotational speeds of the rollers, so as to make the elevation of
motor and the rollers equal to or lower than that of a conveyer
belt.
Inventors: |
HAO; Kuo-Wo; (Taipei,
TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DYACO INTERNATIONAL INC |
Taiwan |
|
CN |
|
|
Family ID: |
53003070 |
Appl. No.: |
14/396017 |
Filed: |
December 11, 2013 |
PCT Filed: |
December 11, 2013 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/CN2013/001549 |
371 Date: |
October 21, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/54 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 22/0242 20130101;
A63B 71/0054 20130101; A63B 71/0622 20130101; A63B 22/0235
20130101; A63B 22/0023 20130101; A63B 23/04 20130101; A63B 22/0046
20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63B 22/02 20060101
A63B022/02; A63B 23/04 20060101 A63B023/04; A63B 71/00 20060101
A63B071/00; A63B 22/00 20060101 A63B022/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 4, 2013 |
CN |
201310538355.1 |
Claims
1. A flattened treadmill, comprising: a conveyor belt allowing a
user for walking or running in the same place; a driving system
driving the conveyor belt to rotate, comprising: a front roller
being arranged under the conveyor belt and being surrounded by the
conveyor belt; a motor having an elevation equal to or under than
an elevation of the conveyor belt; a first wheel coupled with the
motor, the first wheel having an elevation equal to or under than
the elevation of the conveyor belt; a second wheel arranged at a
first end of the front roller, the second wheel having a diameter
equal to or smaller than a diameter of a second end of the front
roller; at least a medium wheel mechanism coupled with the first
wheel and the second wheel; whereby the motor drives the first
wheel to rotate, the first wheel drives the medium wheel mechanism
rotating, and the medium wheel mechanism drives the second wheel
and the front roller rotating and thus causing the rotation of the
conveyor belt.
2. The flattened treadmill of claim 1, wherein the medium wheel
mechanism comprises a large wheel and a small wheel coaxially
connected with the large wheel.
3. The flattened treadmill of claim 2, wherein the medium wheel
mechanism comprises a large wheel having a diameter equal to a
diameter of the second wheel.
4. The flattened treadmill of claim 2, wherein the large wheel
couples with the first wheel via a first linking member, and the
small wheel couples with the second wheel via a second linking
member.
5. The flattened treadmill of claim 4, wherein the first linking
member and the second linking member comprise a belt, a gear, or a
timing belt.
6. The flattened treadmill of claim 2, wherein the large wheel and
the small wheel comprise a pulley, a sprocket, a gear, or a timing
pulley, gear, or wheel.
7. The flattened treadmill of claim 1, wherein the first wheel
comprises a pulley, a sprocket, a gear, or a timing pulley, gear,
or wheel.
8. The flattened treadmill of claim 1, wherein the second wheel
comprises a pulley, a sprocket, a gear, or a timing pulley, gear,
or wheel.
9. The flattened treadmill of claim 1, further comprising a
flattened housing for covering the motor, the first wheel, the
second wheel, and the medium wheel mechanism.
10. The flattened treadmill of claim 9, wherein the flattened
housing having an elevation equal to the elevation of the conveyor
belt.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The entire contents of China Patent Application No.
201310538355.1, filed on Nov. 4, 2013, from which this application
claims priority, are expressly incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a treadmill, and more
particularly relates to a treadmill with flat configuration.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Nowadays, people tend to lack adequate exercise due to busy
lifestyles. To the extent running has become popular as a simple
and effective means for squeezing physical activity into a tight
schedule, it is not always practicable.
[0006] FIG. 1A shows a conventional treadmill 10, and FIG. 1B is a
partially enlarged view of FIG. 1A. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B,
conventional treadmill 10 typically has a wide conveyor belt 12
allowing a user for walking or running in the same place, and a
driving assembly 14 for driving the conveyor belt 12 to rotate. The
driving assembly 14 includes a front roller 140 and a rear roller
141. The conveyor belt 12 surrounds the front roller 140 and the
rear roller 141, and the rotation of the front roller 140 or the
rear roller 141 can drive the conveyor belt 12 to rotate. The
driving assembly 14 further includes a motor 142, a small pulley
143, a timing belt 144, and a large pulley 145. The motor 142
couples with the small pulley 143, the small pulley 143 couples
with the large pulley 145 via the timing belt 144, and the large
pulley 145 coaxially couples with an end of the front roller 140.
Accordingly, the rotation of the motor 142 will drive the small
pulley 143, which in turn drives the large pulley 145 via the
timing belt 144, and the large pulley 145 in turn drives the front
roller 140 causing the rotation of the conveyor belt 12.
[0007] Conventional treadmill has a drawback that the elevation of
the large pulley 145 and motor 142 is higher than the conveyor belt
12, so that a motor housing 146 is needed to cover the motor 142
and the related components, as shown in FIG. 1B. Because the motor
housing 146 is protruded in relation to the conveyor belt 12, the
user frequently kicks the motor housing 146 and thus results in
stumble of the user or the broke of the motor housing 146.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In one general aspect, the present invention relates to
treadmills, and more particularly relates to a treadmill with flat
configuration.
[0009] In an embodiment of the present invention, a flattened
treadmill is provided with a conveyor belt and a driving system.
The endless conveyor belt allows a user for walking or running in
the same place. The driving system drives the conveyor belt to
rotate, comprising a front roller, a motor, a first wheel, a second
wheel, and a medium wheel mechanism. The front roller is arranged
under the conveyor belt and is surrounded by the conveyor belt. The
motor has an elevation equal to or under than an elevation of the
conveyor belt. The first wheel couples with the motor and has an
elevation equal to or under than the elevation of the conveyor
belt. The second wheel is arranged at a first end of the front
roller and has a diameter equal to or smaller than a diameter of a
second end of the front roller. The medium wheel mechanism couples
with the first wheel and the second wheel. Whereby the motor drives
the first wheel to rotate, the first wheel drives the medium wheel
mechanism rotating, and the medium wheel mechanism drives the
second wheel and the front roller rotating and thus causing the
rotation of the conveyor belt.
[0010] In an embodiment, the medium wheel mechanism comprises a
large wheel and a small wheel coaxially connected with the large
wheel.
[0011] In an embodiment, the medium wheel mechanism comprises a
large wheel having a diameter equal to a diameter of the second
wheel.
[0012] In an embodiment, the large wheel couples with the first
wheel via a first linking member, and the small wheel couples with
the second wheel via a second linking member.
[0013] In an embodiment, the first linking member and the second
linking member comprise a belt, a gear, or a timing belt.
[0014] In an embodiment, the large wheel and the small wheel
comprise a pulley, a sprocket, a gear, or a timing pulley, gear, or
wheel.
[0015] In an embodiment, the first wheel comprises a pulley, a
sprocket, a gear, or a timing pulley, gear, or wheel.
[0016] In an embodiment, the second wheel comprises a pulley, a
sprocket, a gear, or a timing pulley, gear, or wheel.
[0017] In an embodiment, the flattened treadmill further comprises
a flattened housing for covering the motor, the first wheel, the
second wheel, and the medium wheel mechanism.
[0018] In an embodiment, the flattened housing having an elevation
equal to the elevation of the conveyor belt.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1A is a simplified front view showing a conventional
treadmill.
[0020] FIG. 1B is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 1A.
[0021] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing a flattened
treadmill according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
[0022] FIG. 3 is simplified front view showing the flattened
treadmill according to the preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view showing a flattened
treadmill according to another embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0024] Embodiments of the invention are now described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, instances of which are to
be interpreted to be to scale in some implementations while in
other implementations, for each instance, not. In certain aspects,
use of like or the same reference designators in the drawings and
description refers to the same, similar or analogous components
and/or elements, while according to other implementations the same
use should not. While the invention will be described in
conjunction with these specific embodiments, it will be understood
that it is not intended to limit the invention to these
embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives,
modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit
and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In
the following description, numerous specific details are mechanism
forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present
invention. The present invention may be practiced without some or
all of these specific details. In other instances, well-known
process operations and components are not described in detail in
order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention. While
drawings are illustrated in detail, it is appreciated that the
quantity of the disclosed components may be greater or less than
that disclosed, except where expressly restricting the amount of
the components.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a simplified view showing a flattened treadmill 20
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. For
clarity, some components are omitted. As shown in FIG. 2, the
flattened treadmill 20 comprises a conveyor belt 22 and a driving
system 24. The conveyor belt 22 allows a user for walking or
running in the same place, and the driving system 24 drives the
conveyor belt 22 to rotate and comprises a front roller 240, a rear
roller 241, a first wheel 242, a second wheel 243, a medium wheel
mechanism 244, and a motor 245.
[0026] The front roller 240 and the rear roller 241 are arranged
under the conveyor belt 2 and are surrounded by the conveyor belt
22. The motor 245 is arranged near to an end, typically the front
end of treadmill 20, and the elevation of which equals to or is
below the elevation of the conveyor belt 22.
[0027] In this text, an elevation of a component means the
elevation of the top portion, point, or surface of the component.
According to the preferred embodiment, the first wheel 242 couples
with the motor 245, and the elevation of the motor 245 is below the
elevation of the conveyor belt 22. The second wheel 243 is arranged
at a first end 240a of the front roller 240. The diameter of the
second wheel 243 is equal to or smaller than the diameter of the
second end 240b of the front roller 240, so that the elevation of
the second wheel 243 is equal to or blow the elevation of the
conveyor belt 22. The medium wheel mechanism 244 couples with the
first wheel 242 and the second wheel 243. The medium wheel
mechanism 244 employs a first linking member 246 to couple with the
first wheel 242, and employs a second linking member 247 to couple
with the second wheel 243. By doing so, the motor 245 drives the
first wheel 242 to rotate, the first wheel 242 drives the medium
wheel mechanism 244 rotating via the first linking member 246, and
the medium wheel mechanism 244 drives the second wheel 243 and the
front roller 240 rotating via the second linking member 247 and
thus causing the rotation of the conveyor belt 22.
[0028] The medium wheel mechanism 244 is used as a medium for the
first wheel 242 and the second wheel 243. The medium mechanism 244
can modulate the rotational speed of the second wheel 243. The
medium wheel mechanism 244 may comprise a large wheel 2440 and a
small wheel 2442 coaxially connected with the large wheel 2440. The
first wheel 242 couples with the large wheel 2440 via the first
linking member 246, and the second wheel 243 couples with the small
wheel 2442 via the second linking member 247. Preferably, the
diameter of the large wheel 2440 is greater than the diameter of
the small wheel 2442 and the diameter of the first wheel 242, and
the diameter of the small wheel 2442 is equal to or approximates
the diameter of the second wheel 243.
[0029] In this preferred embodiment, the second wheel 243 is
arranged at the first end 240a of the front roller 240. In another
embodiment, the first end 240a of the front roller 240 is used as a
wheel and is directly coupled with the small wheel 2442 via the
second linking member 247.
[0030] The first wheel 242, the second wheel 243, the large wheel
2440, and the small wheel 2442 may be a pulley, a sprocket, a gear,
or a timing pulley, gear, or wheel. The first linking member 346
and the second linking member 247 may be a belt, a gear, or a
timing gear or a timing belt corresponsive thereto. In this
preferred embodiment, the first wheel 242, the second wheel 243,
the large wheel 2440, and the small wheel 2442 are pulleys, and the
first linking member 246 and the second linking member 247 are
belts. In another embodiment of this invention, the first wheel
242, the first linking member 246, and the large wheel 2440 are
gears; the second wheel 243, the small wheel 2442 are pulleys, and
the second linking member 247 is belt. In addition, the first
linking member 246 may be omitted, and the first wheel 242 directly
engages the large wheel 2440.
[0031] FIG. 3 shows the flattened treadmill 20 according to the
preferred embodiment of this invention. The flattened treadmill 20
may comprise a flat housing 26 covering motor 245, the first wheel
242, the second wheel 243, the medium wheel mechanism 244, the
first linking member 246, and the second linking member 247.
Because the elevations of these covered components are equal to or
lower than the elevation of the conveyor belt 22, the flat housing
26 can have a flat configuration, and therefore avoid the user
being tumbled and the housing being broken.
[0032] FIG. 4 shows another flattened treadmill 30 according to the
preferred embodiment of this invention. The treadmill 30 differs
from the treadmill 20 in that all of the wheels and linking members
are gears, and the following describes the detail. The driving
system 34 drives the conveyor belt 22 to rotate and comprises a
front roller 340, a rear roller (not shown), a first wheel 342, a
second wheel 343, at least a medium wheel mechanism 344, and a
motor 345.
[0033] The front roller 340 and the rear roller are arranged under
the conveyor belt 2 and are surrounded by the conveyor belt 22. The
motor 345 is arranged near to an end, typically the front end of
treadmill 20, and the elevation of which is equal to or under than
the elevation of the conveyor belt 22.
[0034] The first wheel 342 couples with the motor 345, and the
elevation of the motor 345 is below the elevation of the conveyor
belt 22. The second wheel 343 is arranged at a first end 340a of
the front roller 340. The diameter of the second wheel 343 is equal
to or smaller than the diameter of the front roller 340, so that
the elevation of the second wheel 343 is equal to or blow the
elevation of the conveyor belt 22. The medium wheel mechanism 344
couples with the first wheel 342 and the second wheel 343. The
medium wheel mechanism 344 employs a first linking member 346 to
couple with the first wheel 342, and employs a second linking
member 347 to couple with the second wheel 343. By doing so, the
motor 345 drives the first wheel 342 to rotate, the first wheel 342
drives the medium wheel mechanism 344 rotating via the first
linking member 346, and the medium wheel mechanism 344 drives the
second wheel 343 and the front roller 340 rotating via the second
linking member 347 and thus causing the rotation of the conveyor
belt 22.
[0035] The medium mechanism 344 can modulate the rotational speed
of the second wheel 343. The medium wheel mechanism 344 may
comprise a large wheel 3440 and a small wheel 3442 coaxially
connected with the large wheel 3440. The first wheel 342 couples
with the large wheel 3440 via the first linking member 346, and the
second wheel 343 couples with the small wheel 3442 via the second
linking member 347. Preferably, the diameter of the large wheel
3440 is greater than the diameter of the small wheel 3442 and the
diameter of the first wheel 342, and the diameter of the small
wheel 3442 is equal to or approximates the diameter of the second
wheel 343.
[0036] In this embodiment, the first wheel 342, the second wheel
343, the large wheel 3440, the small wheel 3442, the first linking
member 346, and the second linking member 347 are gears. In
addition, the flattened treadmill 30 may comprise a flat housing 36
covering motor 345, the first wheel 342, the second wheel 343, the
medium wheel mechanism 344, the first linking member 346, and the
second linking member 347. The other features of this invention may
be same as mentioned in FIGS. 2 and 3. In another embodiment, the
first linking member 346 is omitted, and the first wheel 342
directly engages with the large wheel 3440.
[0037] Accordingly, embodiments of this invention employ the medium
wheel mechanism to modulate the rotational speed, so that the
elevation of all wheels and the related components can be lower
than the elevation of the conveyor belt. A flattened treadmill is
thus can be achieved to increase safety and decrease damage.
[0038] The intent accompanying this disclosure is to have each/all
embodiments construed in conjunction with the knowledge of one
skilled in the art to cover all modifications, variations,
combinations, permutations, omissions, substitutions, alternatives,
and equivalents of the embodiments, to the extent not mutually
exclusive, as may fall within the spirit and scope of the
invention. Corresponding or related structure and methods disclosed
or referenced herein, and/or in any and all co-pending, abandoned
or patented application(s) by any of the named inventor(s) or
assignee(s) of this application and invention, are incorporated
herein by reference in their entireties, wherein such incorporation
includes corresponding or related structure (and modifications
thereof) which may be, in whole or in part, (i) operable and/or
constructed with, (ii) modified by one skilled in the art to be
operable and/or constructed with, and/or (iii)
implemented/made/used with or in combination with, any part(s) of
the present invention according to this disclosure, that of the
application and references cited therein, and the knowledge and
judgment of one skilled in the art.
[0039] Conditional language, such as, among others, "can," "could,"
"might," or "may," unless specifically stated otherwise, or
otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally
intended to convey that embodiments include, and in other
interpretations do not include, certain features, elements and/or
steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to
imply that features, elements and/or steps are in any way required
for one or more embodiments, or interpretations thereof, or that
one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding,
with or without user input or prompting, whether these features,
elements and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any
particular embodiment.
[0040] All of the contents of the preceding documents are
incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Although the
disclosure herein refers to certain illustrated embodiments, it is
to be understood that these embodiments have been presented by way
of example rather than limitation. For example, any of the
particulars or features mechanism out or referenced herein, or
other features, including method steps and techniques, may be used
with any other structure(s) and process described or referenced
herein, in whole or in part, in any combination or permutation as a
non-equivalent, separate, non-interchangeable aspect of this
invention. Corresponding or related structure and methods
specifically contemplated and disclosed herein as part of this
invention, to the extent not mutually inconsistent as will be
apparent from the context, this specification, and the knowledge of
one skilled in the art, including, modifications thereto, which may
be, in whole or in part, (i) operable and/or constructed with, (ii)
modified by one skilled in the art to be operable and/or
constructed with, and/or (iii) implemented/made/used with or in
combination with, any parts of the present invention according to
this disclosure, include: (I) any one or more parts of the above
disclosed or referenced structure and methods and/or (II) subject
matter of any one or more of the inventive concepts mechanism forth
herein and parts thereof, in any permutation and/or combination,
include the subject matter of any one or more of the mentioned
features and aspects, in any permutation and/or combination.
[0041] Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and
described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
various modifications may be made without departing from the scope
of the present invention, which is intended to be limited solely by
the appended claims.
* * * * *