Exercise devices – Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof – Treadmill for foot travel
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-10
2001-08-14
Crow, Stephen R. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
Treadmill for foot travel
C482S051000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273843
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a walking exerciser, more particularly to a walking exerciser that is provided with an inclination adjustment mechanism for adjusting inclination of a treadmill body with respect to a horizontal frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional walking exerciser
10
is shown to include a base member
11
and an elongated treadmill body
12
. The base member
11
includes a horizontal frame
110
with front and rear portions (
111
,
112
), a pair of upright posts
14
,
15
that are disposed on and that extend upwardly from the front portion
111
of the horizontal frame
110
, and a handgrip member
16
attached to upper ends of the upright posts
14
,
15
. The treadmill body
12
is laid over the base member
11
, and has a front portion
121
connected pivotally to the front portion
111
of the horizontal frame
110
so that the treadmill body
12
can be turned upwardly on the base member
11
to a folded position, and a rear portion
122
that abuts against the handgrip member
16
when the treadmill body
12
is rotated to the folded position.
Some of the drawbacks of the aforesaid conventional walking exerciser are as follows:
1. Inclination of the treadmill body
12
relative to the horizontal frame
110
cannot be adjusted, thereby preventing the user from conducting vigorous training, such as walking on a steep slope, on the treadmill body
12
.
2. At the folded position, the treadmill body
12
is only propped against the handgrip member
16
. Thus, accidental collision to the treadmill body
12
may result in falling of the same over the horizontal frame
12
, thereby exposing a nearby person to the risk of injury.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a walking exerciser with a treadmill-body inclination adjustment mechanism and a locking device for locking the treadmill body at the folded position so that the aforesaid drawbacks encountered during use of the conventional walking exerciser can be eliminated.
Accordingly, the walking exerciser of the present invention includes a supporting member which has a horizontal frame with front and rear portions, and an upright frame that is disposed on and that extends uprightly from the horizontal frame, a treadmill body attached to and disposed over the horizontal frame, and an inclination adjustment mechanism. The inclination adjustment mechanism includes two rear links which have upper ends, and lower ends that are mounted pivotally on the rear portion of the horizontal frame and that are inclined forwardly and upwardly. The rear links are secured to each other. Two horizontal first pivots extend respectively through the upper ends of the rear links, and are further attached to the treadmill body, thereby connecting the rear links rotatably to the treadmill body. Two front links have lower ends, and upper ends that are sleeved rotatably on the horizontal first pivots, respectively, and are inclined forwardly and downwardly. Two slide slots are formed in the supporting member, and extend rearwardly from the front portion of the horizontal frame to the rear portion of said horizontal frame. Two sliding members are fixed respectively to the lower ends of the front links, and are received respectively and slidably within the slide slots in the supporting member. A connecting member interconnects the front links fixedly. A movable tube has a rear end that is connected pivotally to the connecting member, and a front end surface that is formed with a threaded hole in the tube. A threaded rod has a rear end portion that engages threadedly the threaded hole in the tube, and a front end portion. A second pivot extends in a direction parallel to the first pivots, and through the front end portion of the threaded rod, and connects the threaded rod rotatably to the treadmill body. A drive unit is disposed on one of the supporting member and the treadmill body, and is connected operably to the threaded rod for rotating the threaded rod. When the threaded rod is rotated to move the tube relative to the threaded rod, the sliding members move within the slide slots in the supporting member so as to move the lower ends of the front links toward and away from the lower ends of the rear links, thereby adjusting inclination of the treadmill body with respect to the horizontal frame of the supporting member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5184988 (1993-02-01), Dunham
patent: 5626538 (1997-05-01), Dalebout et al.
patent: 6042515 (2000-03-01), Wang
patent: 6110076 (2000-10-01), Hurt
patent: 6135925 (2000-10-01), Liu
Crow Stephen R.
Trop Pruner & Hu P.C.
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