Abstract:
A twisting treadmill comprised of a treading unit, a reciprocally turning member that also supports the treading unit, a transmission unit connecting the treading unit and the turning member; the user having both feet stepping upon the treading unit to simulate treading motion while twisting in conjunction with a rotary rhythmic device that reciprocally rotates for the user to achieve fitness purpose by treading and twisting exercises at the same time.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     (a) Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention is related to a fitness equipment, and more particularly, to an improved structure of a treadmill that simulates treading motion for its user to achieve treading and twisting exercise purposes at the same time.  
         [0003]     (b) Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     People today often use excuses such as poor weather, or tight schedule to lead a life with little or even no sports at all, and recognize the importance of keeping a proper amount of sports when they find their immunity is deteriorating and symptoms of chronic diseases. Even so, they are reluctant to spare certain time each day to work out at a specific site or purchase fitness equipment to work out in leisure time.  
         [0005]     To cope with the particular needs of the modern people who needs proper amount of workout while leading a busy life, fitness equipment simulating its best the outdoor workout patterns and allowing easy operation have been developed such as the one illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The prior art relates to a compact treadmill generally available in the market is essentially comprised of two pedals  21  that allow vertical movement axially pivoted to a base  10  and a hydraulic cylinder  22  or a parallel connection rod member is coupled to where between both pedals  21  and the base  10 . The user alternatively treads on both pedals  21  for a tread unit  20  to reciprocal move in simulation of walking movement to achieve the purpose of staying fit.  
         [0006]     However, the treadmill of the prior art gets too monotonous to encourage continuous use for its user. As a result, the fitness equipment winds up in storage room for good.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a twisting treadmill of fitness equipment to allow the user to achieve the purpose of staying fit by twisting and treading at the same time. To achieve the purpose, the present invention is related to rhythmic rotation equipment comprised of a treading unit, a turning member, and a transmission unit. The treading unit reciprocally ups and down; the turning member supports the treading unit and engages in reciprocal rotation; and the transmission connects the motions between the treading unit and the turning member. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a treadmill of the prior art.  FIG. 2  (A) is a schematic view showing an operating status of the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  (B) is a schematic view showing another operating status of the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a treading unit of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of a transmission unit of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the transmission unit provided with a damper of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view showing the operation of the treading unit of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view showing the operation of a turning member of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is an exploded view of a transmission unit of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 9  is an exploded view of a transmission unit of a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]     Referring to FIGS.  2 (A),  2 (B),  3 , and  4 , a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a mechanical construction with a base  10  as the primary member, a treading unit  20 , a turning member  30 , and a transmission unit. The treading unit  20  for being subject to the force applied by both feet of the user to proceed vertical motion pattern by simulating the stepping and pacing movement up and down. Meanwhile, a rhythmic rotation device is comprised of the treading unit  20 , the turning member  30  and the transmission unit  40 . As the rhythmic rotation device is operating and both feet of the user are stepping onto the treading unit  20  to have vertical motions, the turning member  30  and the treading unit  20  are engaging in reciprocal rotation for the user to achieve fitness results of twisting and treading at the same time.  
         [0018]     Within the rhythmic rotation device, the treading unit  20  serves as an active mechanism to provide vertical motions; the turning member  30  supports the treading unit  20  to become a passive member; and the transmission unit  40  converts kinetics from the treading unit  20  into that of a connection mechanism to drive the transmission  40  to engage in lateral rotation to secure the connected motions between the treading unit  20  and the turning member  30 .  
         [0019]     In the preferred embodiment, the turning member  30  is comprised of a turning table axially pivoted to the base  10 . A pair of parallel connection rods  23  to relatively engage in vertical oscillation is axially pivoted to the peripheral of the axis of the turning member  30 . Two pedals  21  are respectively provided at the distal ends of both parallel connection rods  23 . Through the connection of the pair of the connection rods  23 , the motion from the treading unit  20  when subject to the force applied by both feet of the user on both pedals  21  produces the motive results of alternatively vertical motion between two pedals  21  as illustrated in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0020]     In practice, the transmission unit  40  as illustrated in FIGS.  2 (A),  2 (B),  3 ,  4 , and  5 , is comprised of a segment gear  41  fixed to the axis at the middle of the pair of parallel connection rods  23 , and a conical gear  42  fixed to the base  10 . Wherein, the center of the conical gear  42  is where a vertical shaft  31  of the turning member  30  is provided. Both of the conical gear  42  and the segment gear  41  are engaged to each other. When both parallel connection rods  23  relatively oscillate up and down, the segment gear  41  laterally swings along with the axis and is forced to reciprocally roll along the surface of the teeth of the conical gear  42  since the conical gear  42  is dead thus to drive the turning member  30  and the treading unit  20  to engage in reciprocal movement.  
         [0021]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an upper lid to cover the mobile range at the center of both parallel connection rods  23  is fixed to the base  10  to improve the user safety. A damper  50  is disposed at where between the turning member  30  and the base  10 . A press plate  51  to produce packing force against the turning member  30  is provided to the damper  50  on the side of the base  10 . The press plate  51  at its end in relation to the base  10  is screwed to the base  10  by means of a bolt  52 ; and the end of the press plate  51  extends into a guide slot  32  of the turning member  30  by means of a pin  53  to provide positioning function depending on the displacement of the turning member  30 . Wherein, a plate  33  extends from the turning member  30  towards the press plate  51 . The packing by the press plate  51  and the base  10  against the extension plate  33  is adjusted by the torque of the bolt  52  to achieve the purpose of adjusting the amount of the force applied to the S twisting treadmill. One or a plurality of friction pad is further provided at where between the press plate  51  and the extension plate  33  as well as the extension plate  33  and the base  10  to improve the friction efficacy of the damper  50 .  
         [0022]     Furthermore, as illustrate din  FIG. 8 , the transmission unit  40  is comprised of a chain  43  fixed to the turning member  30  and a chain gear  44  fixed to the base  10 ; or alternatively as illustrated in  FIG. 9  the transmission unit  40  is comprised of a steel cable  45  fixed to the turning member  30  and a pulley  46  fixed to the base. Wherein, A stud  451  and a recess  461  that coupled to each other are respectively disposed to the steel care  45  and the surface of the pulley  40  to achieve the same transmission purpose of driving the turning member  30  to exercise reciprocal rotation.  
         [0023]     The prevent invention provides an improvement structure of a twisting treadmill, and the application for a utility patent is duly filed accordingly. However, it is to be noted that that the preferred embodiments disclosed in the specification and the accompanying drawings are not limiting the present invention; and that any construction, installation, or characteristics that is same or similar to that of the present invention should fall within the scope of the purposes and claims of the present invention.