Patent ID: 6579211
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
A treadmill, comprising:a base frame having front and rear ends; a treadbase disposed above said base frame, and having front and rear ends, left and right walls extending in a longitudinal direction from said front end to said rear end, and a first crossbar interconnecting said left and right walls; and a supporting unit that is disposed between said treadbase and said base frame and that includes spaced apart left and right rear legs which project upwardly and frontwardly from said rear end of said base frame to said treadbase and which have front ends pivoted to said front end of said treadbase anterior to said first crossbar so as to permit said treadbase to be turnable about a first axis that extends in a transverse direction relative to said longitudinal direction, and rear ends pivoted to said rear end of said base frame so as to permit said left and right rear legs to be turnable about a second axis that is parallel to said first axis, said treadbase being turnable about said first axis between a horizontal position, in which said treadbase lies on said base frame, and a folded position, in which said treadbase projects uprightly from said base frame, said supporting unit further including a second crossbar which interconnects said left and right rear legs and which is disposed between said first and second axes, and a hydraulic cylinder which includes a cylinder body pivoted to said second crossbar so as to permit said hydraulic cylinder to be turnable about a third axis that is parallel to said first axis, and a retractable piston projecting movably from said cylinder body and having a distal end which is distal from said cylinder body and which is connected to said first crossbar so that when said treadbase is turned from said horizontal position to said folded position, said piston of said hydraulic cylinder will be pulled to an extended state and said hydraulic cylinder will be turned so as to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to said base frame in order to support said treadbase which leans inclinedly against said distal end of said piston of said hydraulic cylinder, and said left and right rear legs will be turned upwardly and rearwardly via pulling action of said hydraulic cylinder, which results in lifting of said first axis together with said front end of said treadbase that is turning toward said base frame.