Side-supporting type folding mechanism for a treadmill

• US 7,883,448 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leao Wang
• Original Assignee: Leao Wang
• Inventors: Wang, Leao
• Primary Examiner(s): Rada; Rinaldi I
• Assistant Examiner(s): LONG, ROBERT FRANKLIN
• Application Number:
  US12/051,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20090239716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 482/54, 482 51- 52, 482/57
• US Class Current: 482/54
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0235 driven by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/30 Maintenance

Abstract

A side-supporting type folding mechanism for a treadmill having a rotating shaft pivotally disposed at the bottom of a base frame of the treadmill. Both sides of the rotating shaft are provided with a wing panel. The other end of the wing panel is supported by a pneumatic cylinder. Meanwhile, the center of the wing panel is pivotally connected with a top rod such that another end of the top rod pushes a rotating disc movable with the handrail. In addition, the center of the rotating shaft is connected with an auxiliary support having ground-touching rollers. Meanwhile, the pivot joints among the pneumatic cylinder, the wing panel and the top rod are disposed at a position of the same axle line. In this way, a potential great shear stress created between the supporting elements can be eliminated when the treadmill is folded in a folded position. Thus, the service life of the supporting elements can be extended.

Claims

1. A side-supporting type folding mechanism for a treadmill, comprising:

a base frame;

a pivotable handrail located at a front end of the base frame;

a transmission motor set disposed at one side of the base frame;

a transmission belt in cooperation with the transmission motor;

a front roller and a rear roller for rotating a continuous moving belt;

a lifting motor at the front end of the base frame, the lifting motor being configured for changing the vertical position of an adjusting support to adjust the supporting inclination of the base frame;

a rotating shaft extending across the base frame and between two lower ends of the pivotable handrail;

two connecting pins located at both sides of the base frame, the two connecting pins being configured for connecting the pivotable handrail and the rotating shaft respectively;

two pneumatic cylinders, each pneumatic cylinder having one end attached to the base frame;

two wing panels, both sides of the rotating shaft being connected to a first end of each respective wing panel while the other end of each respective wing panel is pivotally connected to each respective pneumatic cylinder;

two top rods and two rotating discs, wherein a center of each wing panel is pivotally connected with a first end of each respective top rod such that another end of each top rod pushes each respective rotating disc, wherein each rotating disc is attached to an opposed side of the pivotable handrail so as to be pivotable with the pivotable handrail; and

an auxiliary support having ground-touching rollers, wherein a center of the rotating shaft is connected with the auxiliary support having the ground-touching rollers, so that pivot joints among each pneumatic cylinder, each wing panel and each top rod are disposed at a position of a same axle line on respective sides of the side-supporting type folding mechanism.

2. The side-supporting type folding mechanism for a treadmill as recited in claim 1, wherein the handrail is moved in direction of the base frame when each respective rotating disc is pushed by each respective top rod, and wherein a handle is simultaneously moved in direction of the base frame by a coupling support rod within the handrail.

3. The side-supporting type folding mechanism for a treadmill as recited in claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism in cooperation with locking holes in each respective rotating disc for achieving an active locking effect, wherein the locking mechanism consists of a pull ring, a connecting rod, a cross type connecting rod, two lateral locking pins and two springs.