Abstract:
Embodiments of this invention disclose flattened treadmills employing at least a medium roller mechanism for transforming rotational speeds of the rollers, so as to make the elevation of motor and the rollers equal to or lower than that of a conveyer belt.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The entire contents of China Patent Application No. 201310538355.1, filed on Nov. 4, 2013, from which this application claims priority, are expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a treadmill, and more particularly relates to a treadmill with flat configuration. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Nowadays, people tend to lack adequate exercise due to busy lifestyles. To the extent running has become popular as a simple and effective means for squeezing physical activity into a tight schedule, it is not always practicable. 
         [0006]      FIG. 1A  shows a conventional treadmill  10 , and  FIG. 1B  is a partially enlarged view of  FIG. 1A . Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , conventional treadmill  10  typically has a wide conveyor belt  12  allowing a user for walking or running in the same place, and a driving assembly  14  for driving the conveyor belt  12  to rotate. The driving assembly  14  includes a front roller  140  and a rear roller  141 . The conveyor belt  12  surrounds the front roller  140  and the rear roller  141 , and the rotation of the front roller  140  or the rear roller  141  can drive the conveyor belt  12  to rotate. The driving assembly  14  further includes a motor  142 , a small pulley  143 , a timing belt  144 , and a large pulley  145 . The motor  142  couples with the small pulley  143 , the small pulley  143  couples with the large pulley  145  via the timing belt  144 , and the large pulley  145  coaxially couples with an end of the front roller  140 . Accordingly, the rotation of the motor  142  will drive the small pulley  143 , which in turn drives the large pulley  145  via the timing belt  144 , and the large pulley  145  in turn drives the front roller  140  causing the rotation of the conveyor belt  12 . 
         [0007]    Conventional treadmill has a drawback that the elevation of the large pulley  145  and motor  142  is higher than the conveyor belt  12 , so that a motor housing  146  is needed to cover the motor  142  and the related components, as shown in  FIG. 1B . Because the motor housing  146  is protruded in relation to the conveyor belt  12 , the user frequently kicks the motor housing  146  and thus results in stumble of the user or the broke of the motor housing  146 . 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In one general aspect, the present invention relates to treadmills, and more particularly relates to a treadmill with flat configuration. 
         [0009]    In an embodiment of the present invention, a flattened treadmill is provided with a conveyor belt and a driving system. The endless conveyor belt allows a user for walking or running in the same place. The driving system drives the conveyor belt to rotate, comprising a front roller, a motor, a first wheel, a second wheel, and a medium wheel mechanism. The front roller is arranged under the conveyor belt and is surrounded by the conveyor belt. The motor has an elevation equal to or under than an elevation of the conveyor belt. The first wheel couples with the motor and has an elevation equal to or under than the elevation of the conveyor belt. The second wheel is arranged at a first end of the front roller and has a diameter equal to or smaller than a diameter of a second end of the front roller. The medium wheel mechanism couples with the first wheel and the second wheel. Whereby the motor drives the first wheel to rotate, the first wheel drives the medium wheel mechanism rotating, and the medium wheel mechanism drives the second wheel and the front roller rotating and thus causing the rotation of the conveyor belt. 
         [0010]    In an embodiment, the medium wheel mechanism comprises a large wheel and a small wheel coaxially connected with the large wheel. 
         [0011]    In an embodiment, the medium wheel mechanism comprises a large wheel having a diameter equal to a diameter of the second wheel. 
         [0012]    In an embodiment, the large wheel couples with the first wheel via a first linking member, and the small wheel couples with the second wheel via a second linking member. 
         [0013]    In an embodiment, the first linking member and the second linking member comprise a belt, a gear, or a timing belt. 
         [0014]    In an embodiment, the large wheel and the small wheel comprise a pulley, a sprocket, a gear, or a timing pulley, gear, or wheel. 
         [0015]    In an embodiment, the first wheel comprises a pulley, a sprocket, a gear, or a timing pulley, gear, or wheel. 
         [0016]    In an embodiment, the second wheel comprises a pulley, a sprocket, a gear, or a timing pulley, gear, or wheel. 
         [0017]    In an embodiment, the flattened treadmill further comprises a flattened housing for covering the motor, the first wheel, the second wheel, and the medium wheel mechanism. 
         [0018]    In an embodiment, the flattened housing having an elevation equal to the elevation of the conveyor belt. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1A  is a simplified front view showing a conventional treadmill. 
           [0020]      FIG. 1B  is a partially enlarged view of  FIG. 1A . 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a partially enlarged view showing a flattened treadmill according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is simplified front view showing the flattened treadmill according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a partially enlarged view showing a flattened treadmill according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0024]    Embodiments of the invention are now described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, instances of which are to be interpreted to be to scale in some implementations while in other implementations, for each instance, not. In certain aspects, use of like or the same reference designators in the drawings and description refers to the same, similar or analogous components and/or elements, while according to other implementations the same use should not. While the invention will be described in conjunction with these specific embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In the following description, numerous specific details are mechanism forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. The present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well-known process operations and components are not described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention. While drawings are illustrated in detail, it is appreciated that the quantity of the disclosed components may be greater or less than that disclosed, except where expressly restricting the amount of the components. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a simplified view showing a flattened treadmill  20  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. For clarity, some components are omitted. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the flattened treadmill  20  comprises a conveyor belt  22  and a driving system  24 . The conveyor belt  22  allows a user for walking or running in the same place, and the driving system  24  drives the conveyor belt  22  to rotate and comprises a front roller  240 , a rear roller  241 , a first wheel  242 , a second wheel  243 , a medium wheel mechanism  244 , and a motor  245 . 
         [0026]    The front roller  240  and the rear roller  241  are arranged under the conveyor belt  2  and are surrounded by the conveyor belt  22 . The motor  245  is arranged near to an end, typically the front end of treadmill  20 , and the elevation of which equals to or is below the elevation of the conveyor belt  22 . 
         [0027]    In this text, an elevation of a component means the elevation of the top portion, point, or surface of the component. According to the preferred embodiment, the first wheel  242  couples with the motor  245 , and the elevation of the motor  245  is below the elevation of the conveyor belt  22 . The second wheel  243  is arranged at a first end  240   a  of the front roller  240 . The diameter of the second wheel  243  is equal to or smaller than the diameter of the second end  240   b  of the front roller  240 , so that the elevation of the second wheel  243  is equal to or blow the elevation of the conveyor belt  22 . The medium wheel mechanism  244  couples with the first wheel  242  and the second wheel  243 . The medium wheel mechanism  244  employs a first linking member  246  to couple with the first wheel  242 , and employs a second linking member  247  to couple with the second wheel  243 . By doing so, the motor  245  drives the first wheel  242  to rotate, the first wheel  242  drives the medium wheel mechanism  244  rotating via the first linking member  246 , and the medium wheel mechanism  244  drives the second wheel  243  and the front roller  240  rotating via the second linking member  247  and thus causing the rotation of the conveyor belt  22 . 
         [0028]    The medium wheel mechanism  244  is used as a medium for the first wheel  242  and the second wheel  243 . The medium mechanism  244  can modulate the rotational speed of the second wheel  243 . The medium wheel mechanism  244  may comprise a large wheel  2440  and a small wheel  2442  coaxially connected with the large wheel  2440 . The first wheel  242  couples with the large wheel  2440  via the first linking member  246 , and the second wheel  243  couples with the small wheel  2442  via the second linking member  247 . Preferably, the diameter of the large wheel  2440  is greater than the diameter of the small wheel  2442  and the diameter of the first wheel  242 , and the diameter of the small wheel  2442  is equal to or approximates the diameter of the second wheel  243 . 
         [0029]    In this preferred embodiment, the second wheel  243  is arranged at the first end  240   a  of the front roller  240 . In another embodiment, the first end  240   a  of the front roller  240  is used as a wheel and is directly coupled with the small wheel  2442  via the second linking member  247 . 
         [0030]    The first wheel  242 , the second wheel  243 , the large wheel  2440 , and the small wheel  2442  may be a pulley, a sprocket, a gear, or a timing pulley, gear, or wheel. The first linking member  346  and the second linking member  247  may be a belt, a gear, or a timing gear or a timing belt corresponsive thereto. In this preferred embodiment, the first wheel  242 , the second wheel  243 , the large wheel  2440 , and the small wheel  2442  are pulleys, and the first linking member  246  and the second linking member  247  are belts. In another embodiment of this invention, the first wheel  242 , the first linking member  246 , and the large wheel  2440  are gears; the second wheel  243 , the small wheel  2442  are pulleys, and the second linking member  247  is belt. In addition, the first linking member  246  may be omitted, and the first wheel  242  directly engages the large wheel  2440 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  shows the flattened treadmill  20  according to the preferred embodiment of this invention. The flattened treadmill  20  may comprise a flat housing  26  covering motor  245 , the first wheel  242 , the second wheel  243 , the medium wheel mechanism  244 , the first linking member  246 , and the second linking member  247 . Because the elevations of these covered components are equal to or lower than the elevation of the conveyor belt  22 , the flat housing  26  can have a flat configuration, and therefore avoid the user being tumbled and the housing being broken. 
         [0032]      FIG. 4  shows another flattened treadmill  30  according to the preferred embodiment of this invention. The treadmill  30  differs from the treadmill  20  in that all of the wheels and linking members are gears, and the following describes the detail. The driving system  34  drives the conveyor belt  22  to rotate and comprises a front roller  340 , a rear roller (not shown), a first wheel  342 , a second wheel  343 , at least a medium wheel mechanism  344 , and a motor  345 . 
         [0033]    The front roller  340  and the rear roller are arranged under the conveyor belt  2  and are surrounded by the conveyor belt  22 . The motor  345  is arranged near to an end, typically the front end of treadmill  20 , and the elevation of which is equal to or under than the elevation of the conveyor belt  22 . 
         [0034]    The first wheel  342  couples with the motor  345 , and the elevation of the motor  345  is below the elevation of the conveyor belt  22 . The second wheel  343  is arranged at a first end  340   a  of the front roller  340 . The diameter of the second wheel  343  is equal to or smaller than the diameter of the front roller  340 , so that the elevation of the second wheel  343  is equal to or blow the elevation of the conveyor belt  22 . The medium wheel mechanism  344  couples with the first wheel  342  and the second wheel  343 . The medium wheel mechanism  344  employs a first linking member  346  to couple with the first wheel  342 , and employs a second linking member  347  to couple with the second wheel  343 . By doing so, the motor  345  drives the first wheel  342  to rotate, the first wheel  342  drives the medium wheel mechanism  344  rotating via the first linking member  346 , and the medium wheel mechanism  344  drives the second wheel  343  and the front roller  340  rotating via the second linking member  347  and thus causing the rotation of the conveyor belt  22 . 
         [0035]    The medium mechanism  344  can modulate the rotational speed of the second wheel  343 . The medium wheel mechanism  344  may comprise a large wheel  3440  and a small wheel  3442  coaxially connected with the large wheel  3440 . The first wheel  342  couples with the large wheel  3440  via the first linking member  346 , and the second wheel  343  couples with the small wheel  3442  via the second linking member  347 . Preferably, the diameter of the large wheel  3440  is greater than the diameter of the small wheel  3442  and the diameter of the first wheel  342 , and the diameter of the small wheel  3442  is equal to or approximates the diameter of the second wheel  343 . 
         [0036]    In this embodiment, the first wheel  342 , the second wheel  343 , the large wheel  3440 , the small wheel  3442 , the first linking member  346 , and the second linking member  347  are gears. In addition, the flattened treadmill  30  may comprise a flat housing  36  covering motor  345 , the first wheel  342 , the second wheel  343 , the medium wheel mechanism  344 , the first linking member  346 , and the second linking member  347 . The other features of this invention may be same as mentioned in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . In another embodiment, the first linking member  346  is omitted, and the first wheel  342  directly engages with the large wheel  3440 . 
         [0037]    Accordingly, embodiments of this invention employ the medium wheel mechanism to modulate the rotational speed, so that the elevation of all wheels and the related components can be lower than the elevation of the conveyor belt. A flattened treadmill is thus can be achieved to increase safety and decrease damage. 
         [0038]    The intent accompanying this disclosure is to have each/all embodiments construed in conjunction with the knowledge of one skilled in the art to cover all modifications, variations, combinations, permutations, omissions, substitutions, alternatives, and equivalents of the embodiments, to the extent not mutually exclusive, as may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. Corresponding or related structure and methods disclosed or referenced herein, and/or in any and all co-pending, abandoned or patented application(s) by any of the named inventor(s) or assignee(s) of this application and invention, are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, wherein such incorporation includes corresponding or related structure (and modifications thereof) which may be, in whole or in part, (i) operable and/or constructed with, (ii) modified by one skilled in the art to be operable and/or constructed with, and/or (iii) implemented/made/used with or in combination with, any part(s) of the present invention according to this disclosure, that of the application and references cited therein, and the knowledge and judgment of one skilled in the art. 
         [0039]    Conditional language, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that embodiments include, and in other interpretations do not include, certain features, elements and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments, or interpretations thereof, or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment. 
         [0040]    All of the contents of the preceding documents are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Although the disclosure herein refers to certain illustrated embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments have been presented by way of example rather than limitation. For example, any of the particulars or features mechanism out or referenced herein, or other features, including method steps and techniques, may be used with any other structure(s) and process described or referenced herein, in whole or in part, in any combination or permutation as a non-equivalent, separate, non-interchangeable aspect of this invention. Corresponding or related structure and methods specifically contemplated and disclosed herein as part of this invention, to the extent not mutually inconsistent as will be apparent from the context, this specification, and the knowledge of one skilled in the art, including, modifications thereto, which may be, in whole or in part, (i) operable and/or constructed with, (ii) modified by one skilled in the art to be operable and/or constructed with, and/or (iii) implemented/made/used with or in combination with, any parts of the present invention according to this disclosure, include: (I) any one or more parts of the above disclosed or referenced structure and methods and/or (II) subject matter of any one or more of the inventive concepts mechanism forth herein and parts thereof, in any permutation and/or combination, include the subject matter of any one or more of the mentioned features and aspects, in any permutation and/or combination. 
         [0041]    Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, which is intended to be limited solely by the appended claims.