Reorienting treadmill with lift assistance
DCFirst Claim
1. A treadmill comprising:
- support structure having feet means for positioning on a support surface and having upright structure extending upwardly from said feet means;
a tread base having a frame that includes a front, a rear, a left side, a right side and an endless belt positioned between said left side and said right side, said frame being connected to said support structure spaced from said front toward said rear to be movable between a first position in which said endless belt is positioned for operation by a user positioned thereon and a second position in which said rear of said frame is positioned toward said support structure; and
lift means interconnected between said support structure and said tread base to urge said tread base from said first position to said second position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The treadmill has a tread base that is rotatably attached to and between a left upright and a right upright. The tread base is rotatable between a first position for performing exercises and an upright or storage position. A latching structure is provided to latch the tread base to the support structure. The treadmill also includes inclination structure for inclining the tread relative to the support surface when in the first position. The treadmill also includes rigid handles and in one configuration movable handles. The tread base also has a rigid undersurface or pan to fully enclose the underside of the tread base. A lift assist gas cylinder is also interconnected between the tread base and the feet attached to the uprights.
176 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A treadmill comprising:
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support structure having feet means for positioning on a support surface and having upright structure extending upwardly from said feet means; a tread base having a frame that includes a front, a rear, a left side, a right side and an endless belt positioned between said left side and said right side, said frame being connected to said support structure spaced from said front toward said rear to be movable between a first position in which said endless belt is positioned for operation by a user positioned thereon and a second position in which said rear of said frame is positioned toward said support structure; and lift means interconnected between said support structure and said tread base to urge said tread base from said first position to said second position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A treadmill comprising:
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support structure having feet means for positioning on a support surface and having a left upright structure and a right upright structure extending upwardly from said feet means; a tread base having a frame that includes a front, a rear, a left side, a right side and an endless belt positioned between said left side and said right side, said frame being connected to said support structure to be rotatable about an axis of rotation between a first position in which said endless belt is positioned for operation by a user positioned thereon and a second position in which said rear of said frame is positioned toward said support structure; and a gas cylinder attached to said tread base between said rear and said axis of rotation and interconnected between one of said left side and said right side of said tread base and the corresponding one of said left upright structure and said right upright structure to continuously urge said tread base from said first position to said second position, said gas cylinder exerting a rotational torque less than the rotational torque of the gravitational force acting on the tread base in said first position. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A treadmill comprising:
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support structure having feet means for positioning on a support surface and having upright structure extending upwardly from said feet means; a tread base having a frame that includes a front, a rear, a left side, a right side and an endless belt positioned between said left side and said right side, said frame being connected to said support structure spaced from said front toward said rear to be movable between a first position in which said endless belt is positioned for operation by a user positioned thereon and a second position in which said rear of said frame is positioned toward said support structure; lift means interconnected between said support structure and said tread base to urge said tread base from said first position to said second position; and means for stably retaining said tread base in said second position relative to said upright structure. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A treadmill comprising:
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support structure having feet means for positioning on a support surface and having upright structure extending upwardly from said feet means; a tread base having a frame that includes a front, a rear, a left side, a right side and an endless belt positioned between said left side and said right side, said frame being connected to said support structure to be rotatable about an axis of rotation spaced from said front toward said rear between a first position in which said endless belt is positioned for operation by a user positioned thereon and a second position in which said rear of said frame is positioned toward said support structure, said tread base having mass with a center of gravity positioned to retain said tread base in said second position when said tread base is in said second position; and lift means interconnected between said support structure and said tread base to urge said tread base from said first position to said second position.
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Specification