Foldable treadmill

• US 6,923,747 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2004
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chi Hsin Impex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Chi Hsin Impex Incorporated
• Inventors: Chu, Yong S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crow, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US10/802,557
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 482/51, 482/54, 482/148
• US Class Current: 482/54
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/02 with movable endless bands , e.g. treadmills other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/56 electrically folded and erected

Abstract

A foldable treadmill is provided that can be easily reoriented for variable exercise inclinations, as well as, for convenient storage. The treadmill includes a tread assembly and an A-frame assembly positioned about the front end of the tread assembly. The A-frame assembly includes an inclination support connected to a front end of the tread assembly by hinges for varying inclination of the tread assembly. The inclination support can be driven by a motor to rotate the inclination support about such that the inclination support vertically displaces the front end of the tread assembly thereby varying the inclination of the tread assembly. The A-frame assembly includes intermediate and front supports hinged to each other at upper ends thereof. The tread assembly is rotatable to a generally vertical orientation for storage. In the stored position, the spacing between front and intermediate supports is reduced, further facilitating storage. The A-frame assembly can further include a handle assembly having upper portion having handles and a lower portion in motive relation to the tread assembly such that variation in inclination corresponds to vertical displacement of the handle assembly.

Claims

1. A foldable treadmill, comprising:

a tread assembly having front and rear ends and spaced-apart longitudinal sides extending therebetween; and

an A-frame assembly positioned about the front end of the tread assembly, including

a front support having an upper end and a lower end that serves as a floor contact,

an intermediate support having an upper end hinged to the front support and a lower end that serves as a floor contact,

an inclination support having a first end hinged with respect to the front support, thereby defining a first axis of rotation generally parallel with a lateral axis of the tread assembly, and a second end hinged to the front end of the tread assembly, thereby defining a second axis of rotation generally parallel with the lateral axis of the tread assembly, and

an intermediate constraint having a first portion operatively attached to the intermediate support and a second portion operatively attached to structure spaced from the intermediate support;

wherein the inclination support is rotatable about the first axis of rotation such that the second end of the inclination support vertically displaces the front end of the tread assembly thereby varying the inclination of the tread assembly, and the tread assembly is rotatable about the second axis of rotation to a generally vertical orientation.

2. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 1, wherein the A-frame assembly further includes a vertical constraint extending between upper ends of the front and intermediate supports and configured to restrict relative vertical displacement of the upper ends of the front and intermediate supports such that the both upper ends vertically displace about the same distance during a reorientation of the tread assembly.

3. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 1, wherein the A-frame assembly further includes a handle assembly having an upper portion having handles and a lower portion attached to the inclination support or to the front end of the tread assembly such that rotation of the inclination support about the first axis of rotation causes the handle assembly to vertically displace.

4. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 1, further comprising a motor configured to rotate the inclination support about the first axis of rotation such that the second end of the inclination support vertically displaces the front end of the tread assembly thereby varying the inclination of the tread assembly.

5. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 1, wherein either the first or the second portion of the intermediate constraint is slidably attached to its prescribed structure.

6. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 1, wherein the front support defines an elongated aperture, and the A-frame further includes a handle assembly including an upper portion having handles and a lower portion slidably disposed in the aperture of the front support.

7. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 1, wherein the intermediate support includes two upstanding legs, each disposed on a corresponding longitudinal side of the tread assembly;

further comprising a second intermediate constraint, wherein the first and second intermediate constraints are each slidably attached to a corresponding leg of the intermediate support and attached to the corresponding longitudinal side of the tread assembly.

8. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 7, wherein the front support includes two upstanding legs spaced apart with one another and a reinforcement extending therebetween, each leg positioned behind and generally aligned with a corresponding upstanding leg of the intermediate support.

9. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 8, wherein the A-frame assembly further includes two vertical constraints, each extending between upper ends of corresponding legs of the front and intermediate supports, the vertical constraints configured to restrict relative vertical displacement of the upper ends of the front and intermediate supports such that the both upper ends vertically displace about the same distance during a reorientation of the tread assembly.

10. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 9, wherein the A-frame assembly further includes a handle assembly having upper portion having hand supports and a lower portion attached to the inclination support or the front end of the tread assembly such that rotation of the inclination support about the first axis of rotation causes the handle assembly to vertically displace.

11. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 10, wherein the vertical constraints are slidably attached to the handle assembly.

12. A foldable treadmill, comprising:

a tread assembly having front and rear ends and spaced-apart longitudinal sides extending therebetween;

an A-frame assembly positioned about the front end of the tread assembly, including

a front support having an upper end and a lower end that serves as a floor contact,

an intermediate support having an upper end hinged to the front support and a lower end that serves as a floor contact,

an inclination support having a first end hinged with respect to the front support, thereby defining a first axis of rotation generally parallel with a lateral axis of the tread assembly, and a second end hinged to the front end of the tread assembly, thereby defining a second axis of rotation generally parallel with the lateral axis of the tread assembly,

a vertical constraint extending between the upper ends of the front and intermediate supports and configured to restrict relative vertical displacement of the upper ends of the front and intermediate supports such that the both upper ends vertically displace about the same distance during a reorientation of the tread assembly,

an intermediate constraint having a first portion operatively attached to the intermediate support and a second portion operatively attached to structure spaced from the intermediate support, and

a handle assembly having upper portion having handles and a lower portion attached to the inclination support or to the front end of the tread assembly such that rotation of the inclination support about the first axis of rotation causes the handle assembly to vertically displace; and

a motor in motive contact with the inclination support and configured to rotate the inclination support about the first axis of rotation such that the second end of the inclination support vertically displaces the front end of the tread assembly thereby varying the inclination of the tread assembly;

wherein the tread assembly is rotatable about the second axis of rotation to a generally vertical orientation.

13. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 12, wherein either the first or the second portion of the intermediate constraint is slidably attached to its prescribed structure.

14. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 12, wherein the intermediate support includes two upstanding legs, each disposed on a corresponding longitudinal side of the tread assembly;

further comprising a second intermediate constraint, wherein the first and second intermediate constraints are each slidably attached to a corresponding leg of the intermediate support and attached to the corresponding longitudinal side of the tread assembly.

15. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 14, wherein the front support includes two upstanding legs spaced apart with one another and a reinforcement extending therebetween, each leg positioned behind and generally aligned with a corresponding upstanding leg of the intermediate support.

16. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 15, wherein the A-frame assembly includes a second vertical constraint, each the vertical constraints extending between upper ends of corresponding legs of the front and intermediate supports, the vertical constraints slidably attached to the handle assembly.

17. A foldable treadmill, comprising:

a tread assembly having front and rear ends and spaced-apart longitudinal sides extending therebetween;

an A-frame assembly positioned about the front end of the tread assembly, including

a front support having an upper end and a lower end that serves as a floor contact, the front support defining an elongated aperture,

an intermediate support having an upper end hinged to the front support and a lower end that serves as a floor contact,

an inclination support having a first end hinged with respect to the front support, thereby defining a first axis of rotation generally parallel with a lateral axis of the tread assembly, and a second end hinged to the front end of the tread assembly, thereby defining a second axis of rotation generally parallel with the lateral axis of the tread assembly,

an intermediate constraint having a first portion operatively attached to the intermediate support and a second portion operatively attached to structure spaced from the intermediate support, and

a handle assembly including a upper portion having handles and a lower portion slidably disposed in the aperture of the front support; and

a motor in motive contact with the inclination support and configured to rotate the inclination support about the first axis of rotation such that the second end of the inclination support vertically displaces the front end of the tread assembly thereby varying the inclination of the tread assembly;

wherein the tread assembly is rotatable about the second axis of rotation to a generally vertical orientation.

18. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 17, wherein the A-frame assembly further includes a link in motive contact with the handle assembly such that movement caused by the motor vertically displaces the handle assembly.

19. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 17, wherein either the first or the second portion of the intermediate constraint is slidably attached to its prescribed structure.

20. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 17, wherein the intermediate support includes two upstanding legs, each disposed on a corresponding longitudinal side of the tread assembly;

further comprising a second intermediate constraint, wherein the first and second intermediate constraints are each slidably attached to a corresponding leg of the intermediate support and attached to the corresponding longitudinal side of the tread assembly.

21. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 17, wherein the front support includes two upstanding legs spaced apart from one another and a reinforcement extending therebetween, each leg defining an elongated aperture for receiving corresponding legs of the handle assembly.

22. A foldable treadmill as defined in claim 21, wherein the A-frame further includes two links in motive contact with the handle assembly such that movement caused by the motor will vertically displace the handle assembly, each link attached to a corresponding leg of the handle assembly through a slot defined in the corresponding leg of the front support.