Claims
- 1. A treadmill for storage against a wall comprising:
- (a) a base having a rear end and an opposing front end, said base configured to rest upon a support surface with its rear end abutting or in close proximity to said wall;
- (b) a deck having a rear end, an opposing front end and a continuous belt rotatably mounted thereon, the rear end of said deck being movably attached to said base so as to enable said deck to selectively rotate between an operational position, in which said deck is positioned for operation by a user positioned thereon, and a storage position, in which said deck is substantially upright, said deck having a continuous belt rotatably mounted thereon; and
- (c) a handrail movably attached between said base and said deck, said handrail being configured to fold into a compact storage configuration when said deck is moved from said operational position to said storage position and to unfold when said deck is moved from said storage position to said operational position such that said handrail extends above said front end of said deck when said deck is in said operational position thereby enabling a user to face away from the wall while exercising thereon, and wherein said deck can be moved between said operational position and said storage position without moving said base relative to said wall.
- 2. A treadmill as recited in claim 1, further comprising a fold-out means for attaching said handrail to said deck so as to enable said handrail to project above said deck when said deck is in said operational position and to automatically collapse into said compact storage configuration when said deck is rotated into said storage position, said fold-out means being configured such that said handrail is repositioned by a combination of pivotal movement and linear translation as said deck is selectively repositioned by pivotal movement from said storage position into said operational position.
- 3. A treadmill as recited in claim 1, wherein said base and said deck define a footprint when said deck is in said operational position and wherein said handrail and said deck remain entirely within said footprint as said deck is moved between said operational position and said storage position.
- 4. A treadmill for storage against a wall comprising:
- (a) a base;
- (b) a deck having a first end and an opposing second end, said second end being hingedly mounted to said base so as to enable said deck to selectively rotate between an operational position, in which said deck folds away from said wall and into a substantially level position, and a storage position, in which said deck folds up toward the wall and into a substantially upright position;
- (c) a continuous belt rotatably mounted on said deck, said belt having a top surface rotatable from said first end of said deck toward said second end of said deck; and
- (d) a handrail having a first end and an opposing second end, the second end of said handrail being movably attached between said base and said deck, said handrail being configured to fold into a compact storage configuration when said deck is moved from said operational position to said storage position and to unfold when said deck is moved from said storage position to said operational position such that said the first end of said handrail extends above the first end of said deck when said deck is in said operational position thereby enabling a user to face away from the wall while exercising thereon, and wherein said deck can be moved between said operational position and said storage position without moving said base relative to said wall.
- 5. A treadmill as recited in claim 4, wherein said treadmill further comprises a control panel connected to the first end of said handrail so as to provide a user interface relating to operation of said treadmill.
- 6. A treadmill as recited in claim 5, further comprising fold-out means for attaching said handrail to said deck so as to enable said handrail to project above the first end of said deck when said deck is in said operational position and to automatically collapse into a compact storage configuration when said deck is rotated into said storage position.
- 7. A treadmill as recited in claim 6, wherein said fold-out means comprises:
- (a) a leg having a proximal end rotatably attached to the second end of said handrail and a distal end rotatably attached to said base, said proximal end of said leg and the second end of said handrail being movably attached to said deck, thereby allowing said handrail to automatically collapse into a compact storage configuration when said deck is rotated from said operational position into said storage position; and
- (b) slider means, attached to said deck, for allowing linear translation of the second end of said handrail relative to said deck, when said deck is rotated into said storage position.
- 8. A treadmill as recited in claim 7, wherein said slider means comprises:
- (a) an elongated bracket attached to said deck; and
- (b) a wheel, rotatably attached to the second end of said handrail, said wheel being rotatably disposed in said elongated bracket allowing the second end of said handrail to linearly translate relative to said deck so as to make said handrail automatically collapse into a compact storage configuration when said deck is rotated into said storage position.
- 9. A treadmill as recited in claim 4, wherein said deck comprises a first side and a second side having a spaced apart relationship, said deck also comprising a first roller and a second roller extending laterally between said first side and said second side of said deck at opposite ends thereof.
- 10. A treadmill as recited in claim 9, further comprising drive means for supplying power to said deck to rotate said continuous belt.
- 11. A treadmill as recited in claim 10, wherein said second roller is operably coupled to said drive means.
- 12. A treadmill as recited in claim 4, further comprising incline means attached to said deck for varying the inclination of said deck relative to a support surface while said deck is in said operational position.
- 13. A treadmill as recited in claim 4, further comprising lift assistance means for applying a force urging said deck to move from said operational position to said storage position.
- 14. A treadmill as recited in claim 13, wherein said lift assistance means comprises a pneumatic cylinder rotatably attached at one end to said deck and the opposite end thereof being rotatably attached to said base.
- 15. A treadmill comprising:
- (a) a support structure comprising
- (i) a base having a rear end and an opposing front end, said base configured to rest upon a support surface with its rear end abutting or in close proximity to said wall;
- (ii) a deck having a front end, a rear end, a left side and a right side, said deck having an endless belt positioned between said left side and said right side, the rear end of said deck being hingedly mounted to said base so as to enable said deck to selectively rotate between an operational position, in which said deck is positioned for operation by a user positioned thereon, and a storage position, in which said deck is substantially upright;
- b) a control panel for providing a user interface relating to operation of said treadmill; and
- (c) means for coupling said control panel to said support structure, wherein said control panel and said coupling means fold into a compact storage configuration when said deck is moved from said operational position to said storage position and unfold when said deck is moved from said storage position to said operational position such that said control panel extends above said front end of said deck and is visible to a user positioned on said deck and facing away from said wall when said deck is in said operational position, thereby enabling the user to face away from the wall while exercising thereon, and wherein said deck can be moved between said operational position and said storage position without moving said base relative to said wall.
- 16. A treadmill as recited in claim 15, wherein said coupling means further comprises:
- (a) a handrail having a front end and an opposing rear end, wherein the front end of said handrail is connected to and supports said control panel; and
- (b) fold-out means for attaching said handrail to said deck so as to enable said handrail to project above the front end of said deck when said deck is in said operational position and to automatically collapse into a compact storage configuration when said deck is rotated into said storage position.
- 17. A treadmill as recited in claim 16, wherein said fold-out means comprises:
- (a) an elongated support having an upper end rotatably attached to said handrail and a lower end rotatably attached to said deck; and
- (b) a leg having a proximal end rotatably attached to the rear end of said handrail and a distal end rotatably attached to said base, said proximal end of said leg and the rear end of said handrail being movably attached to said deck to allow said handrail to linearly translate relative to said deck while automatically collapsing into a compact storage configuration when said deck is rotated from said operational position into said storage position; and
- (c) slider means, attached to the rear end of said handrail, for allowing linear translation of said handrail relative to said deck.
- 18. A treadmill as recited in claim 15, wherein said continuous belt extends between said rear end and said front end of said deck.
- 19. A treadmill comprising:
- (a) a support structure comprising
- (i) a base having a rear end and an opposing front end, said base configured to rest upon a support surface with its rear end abutting or in close proximity to said wall;
- (ii) a deck having a front end, a rear end, a left side and a right side, said deck having an endless belt positioned between said left side and said right side, the rear end of said deck being hingedly mounted to said base so as to enable said deck to selectively rotate between an operational position, in which said deck is positioned for operation by a user positioned thereon, and a storage position, in which said deck is substantially upright;
- (b) a handrail having a rear end and a front end;
- (c) fold-out means for attaching the rear end of said handrail to said support structure so as to enable the front end of said handrail to project above the front end of said deck when said deck is in said operational position and to automatically collapse into a compact storage configuration when said deck is rotated into said storage position; and
- (d) a control panel connected to the second end of said handrail providing a user interface for operation of said treadmill,
- wherein said deck can be moved between said operational position and said storage position without moving said base relative to said wall.
- 20. A treadmill as recited in claim 19, wherein said fold-out means comprises:
- (a) a leg having a proximal end rotatably attached to the rear end of said handrail and a distal end rotatably attached to said base, said proximal end of said leg and the rear end of said handrail being movably attached to said deck to allow said handrail to automatically collapse into a compact storage configuration when said deck is rotated from said operational position into said storage position by a combination of rotational movement and linear translation relative to said deck; and
- (b) slider means, attached to the rear end of said handrail, for allowing linear translation of said handrail relative to said deck.
- 21. A treadmill as recited in claim 19, wherein said base is capable of stably supporting the treadmill when said deck is in either said operational position or said storage position and when said deck is being repositioned therebetween.
- 22. A treadmill as recited in claim 21, wherein said base comprises a body and a stabilizer member attached thereto.
- 23. A treadmill as recited in claim 19, further comprising a pneumatic cylinder rotatably attached at one end thereof to said deck and at the opposite end thereof being rotatably attached to said base.
- 24. A treadmill as recited in claim 19, wherein said handrail comprises:
- (a) a pair of uprights movably connected to said deck, said pair of uprights being configured to project above said deck when said deck is in said operational position and to automatically collapse into substantial alignment with said deck when said deck is rotated into said storage position; and
- (b) a pair of handles attached to said uprights.
Parent Case Info
This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/959,237, filed Oct. 28, 1997 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,834.
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
5746682 |
Hung |
May 1998 |
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Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
959237 |
Oct 1997 |
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