Patent Application
20150126336
The entire contents of Taiwan Patent Application. No. 102220737, filed on Nov. 6, 2013, from which this application claims priority, are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a treadmill, and more particularly relates to a treadmill with flat configuration.
2. Description of Related Art
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.
The securing bars 11 are arranged on the plate 12 and at two sides of the running belt 12. For long-term reliability, the securing bars 11 are higher than the running belt 12, i.e., the securing bars 11 having an elevation higher than the elevation of the running belt 12. When the running belt 12 is operated, the operator usually kicks the elevated securing bars 11 and thus stumbles on the running belt 12.
In addition, an end of running belt 12 of the conventional treadmill 1 typically has a motor and a wheel assembly (not shown) for driving a front roller and a rear roller under the running belt 12, so as to drive the running belt 12 to rotate. Due to space limitation, a motor housing 18 to cover those elements has an elevation higher than the elevation of the running belt 12. Furthermore, the elevation of the securing bars 11 could be higher so as to match the protruded motor housing 18, and the further protruded securing bars 11 is dangerous for the operator.
In one general aspect, the present invention relates to treadmills, and more particularly relates to a treadmill with flat configuration.
In an embodiment of the present invention, a flattened treadmill is provided with a conveyor belt, two decorating bars, a supporting plate, a frame, a plurality of supporting rods, a plurality of buffering pads, a plurality of first fastening members, and a plurality of second fastening members. The endless conveyor belt allows a user for walking or running in the same place. The two decorating bars are arranged at a right and a left side of the conveyor belt respectively and have an elevation same as an elevation of the conveyor belt. The supporting plate is arranged below the conveyor belt to support the conveyor belt. The two decorating bars are arranged on the frame. The supporting rods are horizontally spaced at intervals below the supporting plate and inside of the frame. The buffering pads are arranged below the supporting rods. The first fastening members fix the supporting rods and the buffering pads. The second fastening members fix the supporting plate and the supporting rods.
In an embodiment, the supporting plate is made of wood or composite wood.
In an embodiment, the frame comprises at least a vertical portion and at least a horizontal portion.
In an embodiment, the first fastening members fix the supporting rods with the buffering pads and the horizontal portion.
In an embodiment, the supporting rods are not fixed with the frame.
In an embodiment, the two decorating bars are made of aluminum.
In an embodiment, the first fastening members and the second fastening members comprise screw and nut.
In an embodiment, the flattened treadmill further comprises a flat housing arranged at an end of the flattened treadmill and having an elevation same as the elevation of the conveyor belt.
In an embodiment, the flat housing covers at least some components of a driving system.
In an embodiment, the driving system drives the conveyor belt to rotate and comprises 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.
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.
In addition, the two ends of each supporting rods 26 are not fixed with the vertical portion 23a of the frame 23. Because the width of the supporting plate 25 is decreased, two second fastening members 29 are used to fix the supporting plate 25 with the two ends of each supporting rod 26, respectively. Preferably, the first fastening members 27 and the second fastening members 29 are screw/nut combination or the like components. According to the embodiment of this invention, the decorating bars 21 are arranged on the frame 23 and have much thinner thickness than the conventional configuration due to narrower supporting plate 25. Accordingly, the decorating bars 21 and the conveyor belt 22 have a same elevation.
In this embodiment, the flat housing 28 is used to cover a motor and components of a driving system (not shown). The driving system drives the conveyor belt 22 to rotate. The detail of the driving system may refer to Taiwan patent application no. 102220537, entitled “flattened treadmill,” the entire contents of this patent application are expressly incorporated herein by reference
For example, the driving system (not shown) may comprise a front roller, a rear roller, a first wheel, a second wheel, a medium wheel mechanism, and a motor. The front roller and the rear roller are arranged under the conveyor belt 22 and are surrounded by the conveyor belt 22. The motor is arranged near to the front end of treadmill 3, and the elevation of which is below the elevation of the conveyor belt 22. The first wheel couples with the motor and has an elevation below the elevation of the conveyor belt 22. The second wheel is arranged at a first end of the front roller, and the diameter of the second wheel is equal to or smaller than the diameter of the second end of the front roller, so that the elevation of the second wheel is equal to or blow the elevation of the conveyor belt 22. 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 22. The other features of the flattened treadmill 3 are same as the flattened treadmill 2 as shown in
Accordingly, embodiments of this invention provide flattened treadmills with narrower supporting plate 25 and thinner decorating bars 21 so as to save the material cost.
More importantly, embodiments of this invention provide flattened treadmills featuring in that the conveyor belt 22, the decorating bars 21, and even the flat housing all have a same elevation, i.e., a totally flattened configuration. Therefore, the safety of the user and the reliability of the treadmill are both significantly increased.
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.
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.
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.
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.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102220737 | Nov 2013 | TW | national |
