Patent Publication Number: US-7585255-B1

Title: Folding treadmill with a positioning structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to treadmills and more particularly, to a folding treadmill that has a positioning structure for controlling positioning of the treadbase. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   A conventional folding treadmill generally comprises a base frame for positioning on the floor, a handrail fixedly mounted on and upwardly extending from the base frame, and a treadbase pivotally connected to the base frame and biasable relative to the base frame between a horizontal operative position and a vertical non-operative position. When the folding treadmill is not in use, the user can turn the treadbase upwards relative to the base frame from the horizontal operative position to the vertical non-operative position such that the treadbase can be rested on the handrail to save the storage space. 
   To avoid falling of the treadbase from the vertical non-operative position, lock means may be provided between the handrail and the treadbase for locking the treadbase in the vertical non-operative position. Alternatively, a retractable support member may be connected between the treadbase and the base frame and controlled by a lever control means or rotary control means to extend or retract, moving the treadbase to the horizontal operative position or the vertical non-operative position. However, the arrangement of the aforesaid lever control means or rotary control means is complicated, not convenient in operation. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a folding treadmill, which allows the user to set the treadbase between the operative position and the folded non-operative position conveniently. 
   To achieve this objective of the present invention, the folding treadmill is comprised of a base frame, a treadbase and a positioning structure. The base frame is provided with a stop member. The treadbase is pivotally coupled to the base frame and biasable relative to the base frame between a horizontal operative position and a vertical non-operative position. The positioning structure includes a control mechanism, a link and a stop mechanism. The control mechanism has a holder base, a pull slider and a control block. The holder base is fixedly mounted in a rear side of the treadbase. The pull slider, which has a beveled face, is mounted in the holder base and movable by an external force along a first direction. The control block is mounted in the holder base and movable by an external force along a second direction. The control block has a beveled face stopped against the beveled face of the pull slider. The link has a first end connected with the pull slider and a second end connected with the stop member of the stop mechanism. The stop member of the stop mechanism is mounted in a front side of the treadbase. Normally, the stop member extends out of the treadbase. When the treadbase is set in the vertical non-operative position, the stop member of the stop mechanism is stopped against the stop member of the base frame to stop the treadbase in the vertical non-operative position. When the control block is pressed by an external force to move the pull slider, the link is pulled by the pull slider to retract the stop member of the stop mechanism away from the stop member of the base frame for enabling the treadbase to be biased from the vertical non-operative position to the horizontal operative position. 
   Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a folding treadmill in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic side view of the folding treadmill of the present invention, showing that a treadbase of the treadmill is set in a horizontal operative position; 
       FIG. 3  is another schematic side view of the folding treadmill of the present invention, showing that the treadbase of the treadmill is set in a vertical non-operative position; 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic drawing of a part of the folding treadmill of the present invention, showing that a stop member of a stop mechanism of a positioning structure extends out of a tubular guide member; 
       FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 4  but showing that the stop member of the stop mechanism of the positioning structure is retracted inside the tubular guide member; 
       FIG. 6A  is a schematic drawing of a part of the folding treadmill of the present invention, showing that the stop member of the stop mechanism is stopped against a stop member at the base frame, and 
       FIG. 6B  is similar to  FIG. 6A  but showing that the stop member of the stop mechanism is retracted in the tubular guide member and spaced away from the stop member at the base frame. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , a folding treadmill  100  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a base frame  10 , a handrail  20  and a control console  21  mounted on the handrail  20 , a treadbase  30 , a support bar  40  and a positioning structure  50 . 
   The base frame  10  has opposite left and right frame parts for positioning on the floor stably and a stop member  11  provided at the left frame part. The stop member  11  has a stop face  111  disposed perpendicular to the floor, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6A . 
   The handrail  20  is affixed to the front side of the base frame  10  and extends upwards from the base frame  10  for holding by a user&#39;s hands. 
   The treadbase  30  is a rectangular structure having left and right tubular frame bars  31 , an endless belt  32  movably trained about rollers (not shown) that are rotatably set in parallel between the front and rear sides of the treadbase  30 , and a motor (not shown) mounted in the front side of the treadbase  30  for driving the endless belt  32  to rotate. The front side of the treadbase  30  is pivotally coupled to the base frame  10  so that the treadbase  30  can be alternatively set between a horizontal operating position, as shown  FIG. 2 , and a vertical non-operative position, as shown in see  FIG. 3 . 
   The support bar  40  is a retractable bar formed of, for example, a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder and operable to adjust the length. The support bar  40  has one end connected to the bottom side of the treadbase  30  and the other end connected to the base frame  10 . When the treadbase  30  is lifted from the horizontal operating position toward the vertical non-operative position, the support bar  40  is pulled to extend the length. When the treadbase  30  is set in the vertical non-operative position, the support bar  40  supports the treadbase  30  in the vertical non-operative position, prohibiting the treadbase  30  from falling down. When the treadbase  30  is biased from the vertical non-operative position toward the horizontal operative position, the support bar  40  buffers the speed of the movement of the treadbase  30 . 
   The positioning structure  50 , as shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , is installed in the left tubular frame bar  31  of the treadbase  30 , and includes a control mechanism  51 , a link  52 , and a stop mechanism  53 . 
   The control mechanism  51  has a holder base  511 , a pull slider  512 , and a control block  513 . The holder base  511  is affixed to the left tubular frame bar  31  of the treadbase  30  and disposed near the rear side of the treadbase  30 , having a sliding passage  516  axially disposed in communication with the axial inside space of the left tubular frame bar  31  of the treadbase  30  and an opening  517  in communication between the sliding passage  516  and the space outside the left tubular frame bar  31  of the treadbase  30 . The pull slider  512  is mounted in the sliding passage  516  of the holder base  511  and can be driven by an external force to move in a first direction. According to the present preferred embodiment, the pull slider  512  can be driven to move along the axial direction of the left tubular frame bar  31  of the treadbase  30 . Further, the pull slider  512  has a beveled face  514  disposed at one end thereof and sloping at a predetermined angle. The control block  513  is mounted in the opening  517  of the holder base  511  and movable by an external force in a second direction. According to the present preferred embodiment, the control block  513  is movable in a transverse direction relative to the left tubular frame bar  31  of the treadbase  30 . Further, the control block  513  has a beveled face  515  stopped against the beveled face  514  of the pull slider  512  in a complementary manner. According to the present preferred embodiment, the aforesaid first direction and second direction are perpendicular to each other; however, this arrangement is just an example but not a limitation. 
   The link  52  is a steel rope axially inserted into the inside of the left tubular frame bar  31  of the treadbase  30 , having one end fixedly connected with the pull slider  512 . 
   The stop mechanism  53  is comprised of a guide member  531 , a stop member  532  and a spring member  533 . The guide member  531  is a hollow cylindrical member fixedly mounted inside the left tubular frame bar  31  of the treadbase  30  and disposed adjacent to the front side of the treadbase  30 , having the axial hole disposed in communication with the axial inside space of the left tubular frame bar  31  of the treadbase  30  and an inside annular flange  534  disposed inside the axial hole. The stop member  532  is a rod member mounted in the axial hole of the guide member  531  and connected with the other end of the link  52  and axially movable along the axial hole of the guide member  531  by the link  52 . Further, the stop member  532  has an outside annular flange  535  extending around the periphery thereof. The spring member  533  is sleeved onto the stop member  532  and stopped between the inside annular flange  534  of the guide member  531  and the outside annular flange  535  of the stop member  532  to impart an outward pressure to the stop member  532 . 
   After understanding of the component parts of the folding treadmill  100  and their related mounting arrangement, the operational features of the folding treadmill  100  are outlined hereinafter. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  6 A, when the treadbase  30  is set in the vertical non-operative position, the support bar  40  is stopped between the treadbase  30  and the base frame  10  to hold the treadbase  30  in position and to prohibit the treadbase  30  from falling down. At this time, the stop member  532  is forced out of the guide member  531  by the spring member  533  and stopped against the stop face  111  of the stop member  11 , assuring positive positioning of the treadbase  30  in the vertical non-operative position. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  5  and  6 B, when wanting to move the treadbase  30  from the vertical non-operative position to the horizontal operative position, a user can press the control block  513  of the positioning structure  50  to force the beveled face  515  of the control block  513  against the beveled face  514  of the pull slider  512  and to further move the pull slider  512  along the axial direction of the left tubular frame bar  31  of the treadbase  30  toward the rear side of the treadbase  30 , causing the link  52  to pull the stop member  532  away from the stop member  11  toward the inside of the guide member  531  and to compress the spring member  533 . At this time, the user can bias the treadbase  30  from the vertical non-operative position to the horizontal operative position. When the treadbase  30  reaches the horizontal operative position, the user can then release the hand from the control block  513 , enabling the spring member  533  to push the stop member  532  out of the guide member  531 . 
   Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.