Foldind treadmill offering buffering effect during folding and unfolding thereof

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to folding treadmills for indoor exercise and, more particularly, to one offering buffering effect during folding and unfolding thereof.

2. Description of Related Art

Treadmills are commonly used in limited spaces to provide exercise and fun by simulating outside terrain with a tread belt moving in circles. A conventional treadmill may be bulky and heavy, resulting in unnecessarily taking up more indoor space when not in use.

Though some efforts have been made to develop folding treadmills, which can be folded into smaller size for convenient storage, treadmills are still bulky and heavy. Therefore, during frequent folding and unfolding operations, treadmills are apt to bring danger to users. Especially during an unfolding operation, the potential danger may even serious due to the weight of the treadmill. Once there is any carelessness, such potential danger significantly related to safety concerns may substantially harm a user. Hence, a need exits for an improved folding treadmill without the foregoing disadvantage.

The present invention has been accomplished under these circumstances in view.

In view of that conventional folding treadmills lack for buffer structures and functions, the inventor of the present invention, urged by the motive of ameliorating the prior arts, has conducted repeated research and experiments to develop a folding treadmill offering buffering effect during folding and unfolding thereof. The disclosed subject matter primarily comprises a base that has a circular tread belt as well as a power cylinder therein such that the disclosed treadmill can have the base lifted upward or drawn downward by the cylinder so as to offer a buffering effect related to the lifting and lowering motions of the base.

On the other hand, in the present invention, it is also taken into consideration that if a simple “air cylinder” which implements variation of air pressure to control the stretch and retraction thereof is used as power cylinder of the present invention, since air molecules are unstable and uncontrollable, a user may be jammed accidentally when the pressure release of the air cylinder can not be stopped properly, or when the air cylinder stretches and retracts out of control to make the base fall or raise suddenly. Thus, the present invention implements the power cylinder having an oil-air cylinder chamber so as to alternately utilize oil pressure and air pressure. Thereupon, during a folding or unfolding operation of the disclosed treadmill, a phased-changeable deceleration resistance can be provided due to the velocity difference between air and oil so that safety on using the disclosed subject matter is enhanced.

Moreover, the present invention provides a simplified operating method that allows a user to easily fold or unfold the disclosed treadmill by lightly pulling the base to unbalance the pressure in the oil-air cylinder chamber. Thereby, the user can enjoy the pleasure of jogging while safe folding and unfolding operations are ensured with the advantage of simplified operating method and reduced manufacturing costs.

To achieve above object, the present invention provides a folding treadmill offering buffering effect during folding and unfolding operation, comprising a base that has a circular tread belt as well as a power cylinder therein. The power cylinder includes a pressurization chamber and an oil-air cylinder chamber loaded with pressured air and oil of a predetermined amount, whereby a phased-changeable deceleration resistance can be provided during folding and unfolding the treadmill due to velocity difference between air and oil and the buffering effect effective in both lifting and lowering of the base can be achieved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial schematic cross sectional view of the power cylinder according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross sectional view of the power cylinder according to the present invention showing a stretching motion thereof;

FIG. 3 is another schematic cross sectional view of the power cylinder according to the present invention showing a retracting motion thereof;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the folding treadmill according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing showing the folding motion of the folding treadmill according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 provides one embodiment of the folding treadmill according to the present invention folding; and

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Previous Patent Application:
Elliptical exercise machine
Next Patent Application:
Folding mechanism for a handrail frame assembly of a treadmill
Industry Class:
Exercise devices

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