EP1327464B1 - Rope type folding mechanism for an exercise treadmill - Google Patents
Rope type folding mechanism for an exercise treadmill Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP1327464B1 EP1327464B1 EP20020000590 EP02000590A EP1327464B1 EP 1327464 B1 EP1327464 B1 EP 1327464B1 EP 20020000590 EP20020000590 EP 20020000590 EP 02000590 A EP02000590 A EP 02000590A EP 1327464 B1 EP1327464 B1 EP 1327464B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- frame
- folding mechanism
- supporting arms
- rope
- treadmill
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B22/00—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements
- A63B22/02—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with movable endless bands, e.g. treadmills
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2210/00—Space saving
- A63B2210/50—Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a rope type folding mechanism for an exercise treadmill.
- a frame of conventional treadmills (for example disclosed in US 5,674,453 and US 6,033,347) is designed to be foldable in order to reduce the occupied space and to facilitate the movement thereof.
- these products have to include an auxiliary lifting member (like a pneumatic or oil-pressurised cylinder) behind the frame in order to prevent the frame from an unexpected collapse endangering the operator or the other around. Accordingly, the whole design and use show much inconvenience.
- a folding device for a treadmill for example, is disclosed in US 5,746,682. Upon separation of the handle frame of this folding device a retractable pressure bar is released from compressed condition and becomes movable and extensible. With gravity of the drive motor located beneath the rear end of the treadmill body the treadmill body turns upward and, simultaneously, the handle frame is caused to fold to the surface of the treadmill body.
- this conventional design doesn't fit the old or the disable in waist or lower limbs because they have much difficulty in bending down to perform the folding movement.
- the object is solved according to the features of claim 1.
- the frame can be folded to the top at an automatic locking position by means of rope wheels, strong ropes and corresponding pivots for achieving a full safety for operators and people around.
- a preferred embodiment of the present invention mainly includes a U-shaped handrail 10, two supporting arms 20, a frame 30, a front support 40, a motorised assembly 50 and a rear treading plate 60.
- the frame 30 has a platform 31, whereby the front and rear ends of said platform 31 are fitted with a front and rear roller 32, 33 between which a treadmill walking belt 34 circles.
- the rear roller 33 of the frame 30 is positioned on horizontal parts 21 of the supporting arms 20 by means of a first pivot 35.
- the motorised assembly 50 comprises a motor 51, a belt 52, a driven wheel 53 and a protection cover 54.
- the motor 51 is fixed behind the horizontal parts 21 of the supporting arms 20 by means of a fastening member.
- the belt 52 extends between a power output shaft 56 and the driven wheel 53 while the rear roller 33 is driven by the driven wheel 53 for a rotational movement of the treadmill walking belt 34.
- Each end of the U-shaped handrail 10 is provided with a rope wheel 11 whose shaft 12 is pivotably mounted on the extension part 22 at the top of each of the supporting arms 20. Thereafter, a strong rope 70 is fixed at one side of the rope wheel 11 and pulled downward to the bottom 36 of the frame 30.
- the rope wheel 11 is also rotated to pull the strong rope 70 upward.
- the frame 30 is raised up to the top by means that the rear roller 33 is turned around the first pivot 35.
- the frame 30 can be folded up for storage or unfolded for exercise operation only by moving the U-shaped handrail 10. Meanwhile, when the U-shaped handrail 10 is moved up to the top (see FIG. 3), the handrail 10 is considerably turned to the other side of the frame 30 in a hung state at a locked angle. Therefore, the frame 30 won't be unexpectedly collapsed even in case of being moved.
- the frame 30 can only be lowered by moving the U-shaped handrail 10 in proper operation steps so that the safety is more ensured.
- the strong rope 70 can be substituted by any equivalent components.
Landscapes
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Cardiology (AREA)
- Vascular Medicine (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
- Rehabilitation Tools (AREA)
Description
- The present invention relates to a rope type folding mechanism for an exercise treadmill.
- A frame of conventional treadmills (for example disclosed in US 5,674,453 and US 6,033,347) is designed to be foldable in order to reduce the occupied space and to facilitate the movement thereof. However, these products have to include an auxiliary lifting member (like a pneumatic or oil-pressurised cylinder) behind the frame in order to prevent the frame from an unexpected collapse endangering the operator or the other around. Accordingly, the whole design and use show much inconvenience.
- A folding device for a treadmill, for example, is disclosed in US 5,746,682. Upon separation of the handle frame of this folding device a retractable pressure bar is released from compressed condition and becomes movable and extensible. With gravity of the drive motor located beneath the rear end of the treadmill body the treadmill body turns upward and, simultaneously, the handle frame is caused to fold to the surface of the treadmill body.
- Moreover, this conventional design doesn't fit the old or the disable in waist or lower limbs because they have much difficulty in bending down to perform the folding movement.
- It is a primary object of the present invention to remove the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide a folding mechanism for an exercise treadmill through which the operator doesn't need to bend down to perform the folding movement of the frame. The object is solved according to the features of claim 1. Furthermore, the frame can be folded to the top at an automatic locking position by means of rope wheels, strong ropes and corresponding pivots for achieving a full safety for operators and people around.
- The accomplishment of this and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and its accompanying drawings of which:
- FIG. 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
- FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention showing the fold-up action; and
- FIG. 3 is another side view of the present invention in the fold-up state.
- First of all, referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a preferred embodiment of the present invention mainly includes a U-shaped
handrail 10, two supportingarms 20, aframe 30, afront support 40, amotorised assembly 50 and arear treading plate 60. Theframe 30 has aplatform 31, whereby the front and rear ends of saidplatform 31 are fitted with a front andrear roller treadmill walking belt 34 circles. Besides, therear roller 33 of theframe 30 is positioned onhorizontal parts 21 of the supportingarms 20 by means of afirst pivot 35. - The
motorised assembly 50 comprises amotor 51, abelt 52, a drivenwheel 53 and aprotection cover 54. Themotor 51 is fixed behind thehorizontal parts 21 of the supportingarms 20 by means of a fastening member. Thebelt 52 extends between apower output shaft 56 and the drivenwheel 53 while therear roller 33 is driven by the drivenwheel 53 for a rotational movement of thetreadmill walking belt 34. - Each end of the U-shaped
handrail 10 is provided with arope wheel 11 whoseshaft 12 is pivotably mounted on theextension part 22 at the top of each of the supportingarms 20. Thereafter, astrong rope 70 is fixed at one side of therope wheel 11 and pulled downward to thebottom 36 of theframe 30. When the U-shapedhandrail 10 is raised and turned around theshaft 12, therope wheel 11 is also rotated to pull thestrong rope 70 upward. Thereafter, theframe 30 is raised up to the top by means that therear roller 33 is turned around thefirst pivot 35. - Based on the above-mentioned components, the
frame 30 can be folded up for storage or unfolded for exercise operation only by moving the U-shapedhandrail 10. Meanwhile, when the U-shapedhandrail 10 is moved up to the top (see FIG. 3), thehandrail 10 is considerably turned to the other side of theframe 30 in a hung state at a locked angle. Therefore, theframe 30 won't be unexpectedly collapsed even in case of being moved. Theframe 30 can only be lowered by moving the U-shapedhandrail 10 in proper operation steps so that the safety is more ensured. - In order to facilitate the movement of the
strong rope 70, a plurality of locatingrolls 71 are disposed on the supportingarms 20. This belongs to prior art so that further descriptions won't be given. Thestrong rope 70 can be substituted by any equivalent components.
Claims (4)
- A folding mechanism for an exercise treadmill comprising a coupling mechanism between a U-shaped handrail (10), two supporting arms (20), a walking frame (30), the frame (30) having a platform (31) the front and rear ends of which are fitted with a front and rear roller (32, 33) between which a treadmill walking belt (34) circles,
characterized in that
each end of said U-shaped handrail (10) is provided with a rope wheel (11) whose shaft (12) is pivotably mounted on an extension part (22) at the top of each of said supporting arms (20) and
a strong rope (7) being thereafter fixed at one side of said rope wheel (11) and pulled downward to a bottom (36) of said frame (30) so that, when said U-shaped handrail (10) is raised and turned around said shaft (12), said rope wheel (11) is also rotated to pull said strong rope (70) upward while said frame (30) is raised up to the top by means that said rear roller (33) is turned around a first pivot (35). - A folding mechanism for an exercise treadmill according to claim 1,
characterized in that
said rear roller (33) of said frame (30) being positioned on horizontal parts (21) of said supporting arms (20) by means of said first pivot (35). - A folding mechanism for an exercise treadmill according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized by
a motorised assembly (50) having a motor (51), a belt (52), a driven wheel (53) and a protection cover (54), said motor (51) being fixed behind said horizontal parts (21) of said supporting arms (20) by means of a fastening member, said belt (52) extending between a power output shaft (56) and said driven wheel (53) while the rear roller (33) is driven by said driven wheel (53) for a rotational movement of said treadmill walking belt (34). - A folding mechanism for an exercise treadmill as recited in one of the previous claims,
characterised by
a plurality of locating rolls (71) disposed on the supporting arms (20).
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP20020000590 EP1327464B1 (en) | 2002-01-10 | 2002-01-10 | Rope type folding mechanism for an exercise treadmill |
DE60210917T DE60210917D1 (en) | 2002-01-10 | 2002-01-10 | Cable folding mechanism for a treadmill |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP20020000590 EP1327464B1 (en) | 2002-01-10 | 2002-01-10 | Rope type folding mechanism for an exercise treadmill |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP1327464A1 EP1327464A1 (en) | 2003-07-16 |
EP1327464A9 EP1327464A9 (en) | 2005-06-15 |
EP1327464B1 true EP1327464B1 (en) | 2006-04-26 |
Family
ID=8185221
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP20020000590 Expired - Lifetime EP1327464B1 (en) | 2002-01-10 | 2002-01-10 | Rope type folding mechanism for an exercise treadmill |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1327464B1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE60210917D1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2019126058A1 (en) | 2017-12-22 | 2019-06-27 | Icon Health & Fitness, Inc. | Inclinable exercise machine |
Family Cites Families (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5674453A (en) | 1996-01-30 | 1997-10-07 | Icon Health & Fitness, Inc. | Reorienting treadmill |
US5733228A (en) * | 1996-05-28 | 1998-03-31 | Stevens; Clive Graham | Folding treadmill exercise device |
US5746682A (en) * | 1996-07-24 | 1998-05-05 | Hung; Michael | Folding device for treadmill |
US5899834A (en) | 1997-10-28 | 1999-05-04 | Icon Health & Fitness, Inc. | Fold-out treadmill |
US6015368A (en) * | 1998-11-12 | 2000-01-18 | Conetex, Inc. | Folding treadmill and a method of folding a treadmill |
-
2002
- 2002-01-10 EP EP20020000590 patent/EP1327464B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2002-01-10 DE DE60210917T patent/DE60210917D1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1327464A9 (en) | 2005-06-15 |
DE60210917D1 (en) | 2006-06-01 |
EP1327464A1 (en) | 2003-07-16 |
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