| Actuator for controlling inclination of treadmill and inclination control device of treadmill -> Monitor Keywords |
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Actuator for controlling inclination of treadmill and inclination control device of treadmillRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, Involving User Translation Or Physical Simulation Thereof, Treadmill For Foot TravelActuator for controlling inclination of treadmill and inclination control device of treadmill description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070225126, Actuator for controlling inclination of treadmill and inclination control device of treadmill. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a treadmill, more particularly, to an actuator for stably controlling an inclination of the track part of a treadmill and an inclination control device of a treadmill. [0003] 2. Discussion of Related Art [0004] A treadmill known as a running machine is widely used indoors such as at home or in a sports center because it allows a user to effectively exercise by working or running on its endlessly rotating track belt even in the narrow space. In view that a user can exercise indoors using treadmill even in the cold winter, the demand for treadmills is recently drastically increasing due to the advantages of its safety and convenience because. [0005] By using a treadmill, the user thereof can strengthen the cardiopulmonary function and muscles of legs, and can control weight by consuming calories efficiently while running or walking on the treadmill. To maximize this exercise effect, a treadmill with an inclination control device came to be lately produced. [0006] More specifically, a treadmill generally comprises a track part on which user put their feet for running or walking, and an inclination control device for supporting the track part and to control the inclination. [0007] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional treadmill comprises a track part 10 on which user run or walk, a support part 20 located at a bottom of the treadmill for controlling the inclination of the track part 10 while sustaining the load or impact transmitted from the track part 10. [0008] The track part 10 has a support frame 11 which upholds weight of user; a belt rotating endlessly, which enables a user to run or walk continuously on the upper side of the track part 10; a pair of rollers 13 supporting both sides of the belt 12; a motor 14 as a driving unit for driving making one of the rollers 13 rotate; and connection part 15 linked with the actuator 30. [0009] The support part 20 includes a base frame 21 installed on the ground, and a support member 22, having its one end fixed to a base frame 21 and the other end 22a pivotally connected to a track part 10. [0010] The actuator includes a extendable rod 32, of which one end 32a is pivotally connected to a link member 15 of the track part 10, and of which the other end is pivotally connected to a base frame 21; and a driving part 31 to control the length of the extendable rod 32 by extending or contracting the extendable rod 32. [0011] The above conventional treadmill controls its inclination of the track part 10 by means of extending or contracting the extendable rod in the direction of 30a. In this case, the load or impact of user is concentrated on the part where user put their foot apart from the other end 22a of a fixed member by d1. That is, The load and/or impact is concentrated on the front part of the track part 10, and thus the load Fa of the actuator 30 will be obtained by the following equation in condition that the track part 10 is parallel to the ground. Fa'=F Equation 1 [0012] In general, since d2 is designed smaller than d1, the load Fa' applied on the actuator 30 is calculated by user's load F.sub.1 amplified by d1/d2. Besides, the actuator get more moment due to user's load F.sub.1 generated from exercise on the track. The conventional treadmill accordingly needs a big actuator to endure the load and it result in an unnecessary increase of manufacture costs and power consumption. [0013] Also, it is not desirable to install a big actuator in the narrow space between a track part 10 and a base frame 21, from view that a user feels safe when the distance between the base frame 21 and the track part 10 is as short as possible. As a solution for this problem, it can be considered that the actuator 30 is installed at both sides of the track part as a pair. However, if two actuators 30 are not exactly controlled with the same extended or the same contracted length, it causes to have a problem that track part 10 is widthwise inclined even by the small amount, whereby the user feels unstable and uncomfortable. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0014] The present invention has been made in view of the above and/or other problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide with an actuator for controlling an inclination of the track part of a treadmill, which is capable of stably controlling the inclination of the track part by simultaneously contracting or simultaneously extending a pair of extendable rods. [0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide an inclination control device of a treadmill, which minimizes the load and moment on the extendable rod of the actuator for controlling the inclination of the treadmill thereby enhancing durability as well as efficiently reducing the manufacturing cost. [0016] In order to achieve the above objects and another aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides an actuator for controlling the inclination of the track part of a treadmill comprising: a driving unit; a pinion rotatably driven by the driving unit; a belt formed to transmit the driving force from the pinion; a pair of driving pulleys engaging with the belt so as to receive the driving force from the pinion; a pair of screw rod combined with each of the driving pulley for rotating together with each of the driving pulley; and a pair of housings having female thread for engaging with each of the screw rod, whereby a pair of screw rods are simultaneously extruded from or simultaneously inserted into each of the housing by the same length. [0017] This is intended to control a pair of extendable rods including the screw rods and the housings to be extended or contracted by the same amount based on that the driving force from the driving unit is transmitted via the belt to a pair of the driving pulleys so that a pair of the driving pulleys rotates by the same amount. [0018] Herein, at least one idler pulley engaging the belt is additionally included thereby obtaining the higher wrapping angle of the pinion surrounded by the belt. Therefore, the friction between the pinion and the belt is increased, and the driving force can be transmitted to a driving pulley without any loss. [0019] Periodical grooves are formed on the outer sides of the pinion, the idler pulley and the driving pulley, and also, the periodical protuberances engaged with the grooves are formed so as to thoroughly remove any slip between the belt and the pulleys due to the increase of the friction, thereby precisely controlling the screw rod's displacement. [0020] It is effective to further comprising: a bracket for rotatably fixing the pinion, the idler pully, and the driving pulleys as one module; bracket hinges formed on both end sides the bracket to be pivotally combined with the track part of a treadmill; and housing hinges formed at each of the housings, whereby the actuator can be easily combined with a treadmill which realizes stable control of the inclination of the track part. [0021] Meanwhile, the actuator for controlling the inclination of a treadmill can use chain or gear instead of the belt as a power transmission means in order to embody the same function. [0022] That is, the treadmill can comprise a driving unit; a pinion rotatably driven by the driving unit; at least one pair of intermediate gear formed to transmit the driving force from the pinion; a pair of driving gears engaging with the intermediate gears so as to receive the driving force from the pinion; a pair of screw rod combined with each of the driving gear for rotating together with each of the driving gear; and a pair of housings having female thread for engaging with each of the screw rod, whereby a pair of screw rods are simultaneously extruded from or simultaneously inserted into each of the housing by the same length. Continue reading about Actuator for controlling inclination of treadmill and inclination control device of treadmill... 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