Abstract:
A jogging machine comprises a base, a jogging platform, a linear actuator mounted on the jogging platform, an urging frame disposed between the base and the jogging platform, and at least one pull rod. The linear actuator actuates the urging frame to urge the jogging platform to change its inclination. The jogging platform is capable of being folded along a fixed path due to the linking of the urging frame and the pull rod.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to an exercise machine, and more particularly to a jogging machine comprising a jogging platform adjustable in elevation angle thereof to facilitate the folding of the jogging platform. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The jogging platform of the conventional jogging machine is pivoted at the front end thereof between two upright supports of the base of the jogging machine. The jogging platform is provided in the underside of the rear end with two support legs adjustable manually in length. The rear end of the jogging platform is rested on the ground surface by means of the two support legs. The inclination of the jogging platform is adjusted by adjusting the length of the two support legs, so as to enable the user of the jogging machine to attain various exercise effects. 
     In order to enhance the convenience of using the jogging machine, certain jogging machine makers have developed a jogging machine comprising a jogging platform adjustable in inclination by means of an electrically-powered connection rod mechanism, as shown in FIG.  1 . The jogging machine  2  is characterized by its jogging platform  70  which is pivoted with a linking frame  80  formed of two connection rods  81 , a displacement rod  82 , a reinforcing rod  83 , and two slide wheels  84 . The base  90  of the jogging platform  70  is provided with two slide rails  71  for accommodating the two slide wheels  84 . The base  90  is provided with an electric actuation device A for connecting the displacement rod  82  to drive the linking frame  80  to urge the jogging platform  70  to rise. Two elevation rods B are disposed between the base  90  and the jogging platform  70 . The inclination of the jogging platform  70  is adjusted by the actuation device A, the linking frame  80  in conjunction with the two elevation rods B. In addition, the jogging platform  70  can be folded. 
     According to the test done by this inventor of the present invention, this prior art jogging machine has the following drawbacks. 
     The electric actuation device A of the jogging machine  2  is mounted on the base  90  such that the actuation device A is located between the base  90  and the jogging platform  70 , thereby taking up a great deal of space of the base  90  to accommodate the jogging platform  70 . In addition, the bottom space of the jogging platform  70  is also reduced to limit the inclination adjustment of the jogging platform  70 . In other words, the downward space of the jogging platform  70  is limited. 
     In light of the actuation device A of the jogging machine  2  taking up the bottom space of the jogging platform  70 , the folding of the jogging platform  70  is apt to be interfered by the actuation device A. As a result, before the jogging platform  70  is folded, the actuation device A must be first started to raise the jogging platform  70  so as to facilitate the folding of the jogging platform  70 . 
     When the jogging platform  70  is being folded, the jogging platform  70  is swiveled upwards on the pivoting center of the two linking rods  81  to arrive at a predetermined position at which the jogging platform  70  is fixed by a fastening member that is mounted on a predetermined location of the base  90 . In the midst of the folding action, the position of the pivoting center of the jogging platform  70  is a factor determining the success of alignment of the jogging platform  70  with the fastening member. If the position of the pivoting center is excessively high, low, forward, or rearward, the jogging platform  70  will not be in alignment with the fastening member in the wake of the upward swiveling motion of the jogging platform  70 . As a result, the jogging platform  70  can not be securely located by the fastening member. As a result, before the jogging platform  70  is folded, the actuation device A must be started to raise the jogging platform  70  to a fixed position, so as to enable the jogging platform  70  to be in alignment with the fastening member upon the completion of folding the jogging platform  70 . It is therefore readily apparent that the folding process of the jogging platform  70  of the prior art jogging machine  2  is rather complicated and burdensome. 
     The shortcomings of the prior art jogging machine  2  are due to the improper mechanical design and component disposition. For example, the actuation device A must be disposed on the base  90  due to the way by which the linking frame  80  and the two elevation rods B are disposed. In addition, the linking frame  80  is driven by the actuation device A from the underside of the jogging platform  70 . In light of the underside space of the jogging platform  70  being taken up, the inclination adjustment of the jogging platform  70  is thus obstructed. The folding process of the jogging platform  70  is also obstructed. The jogging platform  70  is pivoted with the linking frame  80  and the two elevation rods B in a simple manner, thereby causing the stop position of the jogging machine  2  to be easily affected by the pivoting position of the jogging platform  70  and the two linking rods  81  upon the completion of the folding of the jogging machine  2 . In other words, the jogging platform  70  can not be folded according to a fixed path because of the defective connection design of the jogging platform  70 , the linking frame  80 , and the two elevation rods B. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a jogging machine with a jogging platform which is electrically adjusted in its inclination and is immune from the interference of an actuation device of the jogging machine. The jogging platform is provided with a fixed path in which the jogging platform is folded and located. 
     The foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by a jogging machine comprising a base, a jogging platform, an urging frame, a linear actuator, and at least one pull rod. 
     The base is rested on the ground surface and is provided with two guide slots symmetrical to each other. The urging frame has a main support rod and an auxiliary support rod parallel to the main support rod, two side support rods connecting the main support rod and the auxiliary support rod, an input member mounted on the main support rod, and two rollers mounted on two side ends of the auxiliary support rod. The urging frame is pivotally mounted on the jogging platform such that the urging frame swivels on the axis of the main support rod, and that the two rollers are slidably located in the two guide slots to slide therein back and forth. The linear actuator is mounted on the jogging platform and is connected with the input member of the urging frame for actuating the input member, so as to enable the urging frame to swivel. The pull rod is pivoted at both ends with the main support rod and the base. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a conventional folding jogging machine. 
     FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the preferred embodiment as shown in FIG. 2 after the removal of some components. 
     FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of what is shown in FIG. 3 in another state. 
     FIG. 5 is a rear view of what is shown in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 6 shows a sectional view taken along the direction indicated by a line  6 — 6  as shown in FIG.  5 . 
     FIGS. 7-8 show respectively what is shown in FIG. 3 in the rising state according to the sectional direction of FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of what is shown in FIG. 3 in the state of FIG.  8 . 
     FIGS. 10-11 show respectively what is shown in FIG. 3 in the folding state according to the sectional direction of FIG.  6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in FIGS. 2-6, a jogging machine  1  of the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises the following component parts. 
     A base  10  has two parallel base rods  11  and two connection rods  12  for use in connecting respectively the front ends and the rear ends of the two base rods  11 . The two base rods  11  are provided in the inner wall of the front segment thereof with a guide slot  111 . The two guide slots  111  are symmetrical to each other. 
     A handrail frame  20  has two parallel support rods  21  mounted respectively on the top of the front segment of the two base rods  11  of the base  10 ; a cross rod  22  connecting the two support rods  21 ; two hand grips  23  fastened respectively to the top ends of the two support rods  21 ; and a fastening lock  24  mounted on the support rod  21 . 
     A jogging platform  30  has two parallel side rods  31  between which two rollers  32  are disposed; a jogging belt  33  running through the two rollers  32 ; and one set of drive device  34  having an electric motor  341  to drive the rollers  32 . 
     An urging frame  40  has a main support rod  41 , an auxiliary support rod  42  parallel to the main support rod  41 , two side support rods  43  connecting two sides of the main support rod  41  and the auxiliary support rod  42 , an input member  44  mounted securely on the main support rod  41 , and two rollers  45  mounted on two ends of the auxiliary support rod  42 . The two ends of the main support rod  41  are pivoted with the pivoting seats of the underside of the side rod  31  of the jogging platform  30 , thereby enabling the urging frame  40  to swivel on the axis of the main support rod  41 . The rollers  45  of the urging frame  40  are slidably disposed in the two guide slots  111  to slide back and forth. 
     A linear actuator  50  is formed of a motor  51 , and a speed changing output member  52  which has a transmission shaft  521  and a driven member  522  fitted over the transmission shaft  521 . The transmission shaft  521  is a guide threaded rod. The driven member  522  is a threaded sleeve. When the transmission shaft  521  turns, the driven member  522  is caused to move along the axial direction of the transmission shaft  521  by limiting the rotating of the driven member  522 . The linear actuator  50  is mounted on the jogging platform  30 . The driven member  522  is pivoted with the input member  44  of the urging frame  40 . 
     Two pull rods  60  are pivoted at two ends with the inner wall of the rear segment of the two base rods  11  and two ends of the main support rod  41 . The pull rods  60  are provided with a caster  61  which is located in proximity of the point at which the pull rods ( 6 ) are respectively pivoted to the base rods  11 . 
     The use and the operational principle of the jogging machine  1  are described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 6-11. 
     As shown in FIG. 6, under the state of ordinary use, the jogging platform  30  of the jogging machine  1  is rested on the ground surface by means of two casters  35  which are rotatably engaged to the rear end of the jogging platform  30 . The driven member  522  of the linear actuator  50  is located at the base portion of the transmission shaft  521 . The urging frame  40  and the two pull rods  60  are almost horizontally disposed between the jogging platform  30  and the base  10 . In light of this state, the front segment of the jogging platform  30  is accommodated between the two base rods  11  of the base  10  such that the underside of the midsegment of the two side rods  31  is rested against the rear connection rod  12 . The jogging platform  30  is in the horizontal state. The user stands on the jogging belt  33  of the jogging platform and then starts the electric motor  341  to drive the jogging belt  31 , so as to enable the user to begin the jogging exercise. 
     As shown in FIGS. 7-9, the user may raise the jogging platform  30  to be in the state of angle of elevation to enhance the exercise energy by starting the linear actuator  50  as to cause the transmission shaft  521  to turn forward, thereby causing the driven member  522  to move toward the end of the transmission shaft  521 . The input member  44  is thus actuated to turn the entire urging frame  40  to swivel downward to enable the rollers  45  to slide toward the rear end of the guide slots  111 . By means of the guidance of the two pull rods  60 , the urging frame  40  pushes the front segment of the jogging platform  30  to rise. As a result, the jogging platform  30  is so slanted that the user of the machine is required to expend a greater exercise energy, as shown in FIG.  8 . The inclination of the jogging platform  30  is controlled by controlling the actuating direction and the actuating range of the linear actuator  50 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 4,  10  and  11  when the jogging machine  1  is not in use, the rear end of the jogging platform  30  is raised to rest against the handrail frame  20 . The jogging platform  30  can be securely located on the handrail frame  20  by the fastening lock  24 , thereby reducing the storage space of the jogging machine  1 , as shown in FIG.  4 . In the midst of folding the jogging platform  30 , the linear actuator  50  and the input member  44  of the urging frame  40  are stationary. For this reason, when the rear end of the jogging platform  30  is raised, the input member  44  is forced to actuate the entire urging frame  40  to swivel forward on the pivoting center of the urging frame and the two pull rods  60 , thereby enabling the slide wheel of the urging frame  40  to slide toward the rear end of the guide slot  111 . The jogging platform  30  is pushed by the urging frame  40  to move upward along the swiveling trackt of the pull rod  60 , as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. It is therefore apparent that the swiveling center of the jogging platform  30  rises along a fixed arcuate path at the time when the jogging platform  30  is being folded. The folding track of the jogging platform  30  is a fixed track. 
     The jogging machine  1  of the present invention has advantages, which are summarized as follows. 
     In light of the mechanical pattern and the structural design of the urging frame  40  and the pull rods  60 , the linear actuator can be mounted on the jogging platform  30  such that the linear actuator  50  does not take up the bottom space of the jogging platform  30 . As a result, the linear actuator  50  does not interfere with the inclination adjusting and the folding of the jogging machine  1 . 
     In light of the linear actuator  50  being mounted on the jogging platform  30 , the jogging platform  30  is provided with a greater bottom space which enhances the degree of freedom of the designs of the urging frame  40  and the two pull rods  60 . 
     In light of the folding track of the jogging platform  30  being a fixed track, the jogging platform  30  is moved to rest against the handrail frame  20  along the fixed path such that the jogging platform  30  is located at a fixed position by the fastening lock  24  of the handrail frame  20 .