US20070281831A1 - Treadmill having vibration damping function for its handlebars - Google Patents

Abstract

A treadmill includes a tread board, two uprights mounted on two opposite sides of the tread board, two handlebars each pivotally mounted on a respective one of the uprights, and two vibration damping devices each mounted between a respective one of the uprights and a respective one of the handlebars to provide a vibration damping effect to the respective handlebar. Thus, each of the vibration damping devices provides a vibration damping effect to the respective handlebar to prevent vibration from being transmitted to the user's two hands directly so as to protect the user's two hands during the exercising process.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention
• The present invention relates to a treadmill and, more particularly, to a treadmill having a vibration damping function for its handlebars.
• 2. Description of the Related Art
• A conventional treadmill comprises a tread board, two uprights mounted on two opposite sides of the tread board, and two handlebars each secured on a respective one of the uprights. Thus, a user's two hands can hold the handlebars during the exercising process to prevent the user from being falling down. However, the user's two hands have to partially support the user's weight during movement of the user's body and are subjected to vibration transmitted by the handlebars during the exercising process, so that the user's two hands are easily hurt during a long-term utilization. In addition, the handlebars are secured on the uprights, so that the handlebars cannot be moved to correspond to upward and downward movement of the user's two hands, thereby easily providing an uncomfortable sensation to the user.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a treadmill, comprising a tread board, two uprights mounted on two opposite sides of the tread board, two handlebars each pivotally mounted on a respective one of the uprights, and two vibration damping devices each mounted between a respective one of the uprights and a respective one of the handlebars to provide a vibration damping effect to the respective handlebar.
• The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a treadmill having a vibration damping function for its handlebars.
• Another objective of the present invention is to provide a treadmill, wherein when a user's two hands apply a force on the handlebars, each of the handlebars is pivoted relative to the respective upright, so that the handlebars are movable upward and downward to correspond to upward and downward movement of the user's two hands, thereby providing a comfortable sensation to the user.
• A further objective of the present invention is to provide a treadmill, wherein each of the vibration damping devices provides a vibration damping effect to the respective handlebar to prevent the vibration from being transmitted to the user's two hands directly so as to protect the user's two hands during the exercising process.
• Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a treadmill in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is a partially side plan view of the treadmill as shown inFIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 is a schematic operational view of the treadmill as shown inFIG. 2 in use.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• Referring to the drawings and initially toFIGS. 1 and 2, a treadmill in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises atread board11, twouprights12 mounted on two opposite sides of thetread board11, twohandlebars13 each pivotally mounted on a respective one of theuprights12, and twovibration damping devices14 each mounted between a respective one of theuprights12 and a respective one of thehandlebars13 to provide a vibration damping effect to therespective handlebar13.
• Each of thehandlebars13 has a front side pivotally mounted on an upper end of the respective upright12. The front side of each of thehandlebars13 is provided with a downward extendingpivot ear131 pivotally mounted on the upper end of the respective upright12 by apivot shaft121. Each of thevibration damping devices14 is mounted between a mediate portion of the respective upright12 and a mediate portion of therespective handlebar13. The mediate portion of each of theuprights12 is provided with a forward extending protrudingear122, the mediate portion of each of thehandlebars13 is provided with a downward extending protrudingear132, and each of thevibration damping devices14 is mounted between the protrudingear122 of the respective upright12 and the protrudingear132 of therespective handlebar13.
• In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of thevibration damping devices14 includes ahydraulic cylinder142 retractably mounted between the mediate portion of the respective upright12 and the mediate portion of therespective handlebar13, and anelastic member141 mounted on thehydraulic cylinder142.
• Alternatively, each of thevibration damping devices14 includes an elastomeric member mounted between the mediate portion of the respective upright12 and the mediate portion of therespective handlebar13. Preferably, the elastomeric member is made of rubber or plastic material.
• In operation, referring toFIG. 3 with reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, when a user's two hands apply a force on thehandlebars13, each of thehandlebars13 is pivoted relative to the respective upright12, so that thehandlebars13 are movable upward and downward to correspond to upward and downward movement of the user's two hands, thereby providing a comfortable sensation to the user. At this time, each of thevibration damping devices14 provides a vibration damping effect to therespective handlebar13 to prevent the vibration from being transmitted to the user's two hands directly so as to protect the user's two hands during the exercising process.
• Accordingly, when a user's two hands apply a force on thehandlebars13, each of thehandlebars13 is pivoted relative to the respective upright12, so that thehandlebars13 are movable upward and downward to correspond to upward and downward movement of the user's two hands, thereby providing a comfortable sensation to the user. In addition, each of thevibration damping devices14 provides a vibration damping effect to therespective handlebar13 to prevent the vibration from being transmitted to the user's two hands directly so as to protect the user's two hands during the exercising process.
• Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims (12)

1. A treadmill, comprising:

a tread board;

two uprights mounted on two opposite sides of the tread board;

two handlebars each pivotally mounted on a respective one of the uprights;

two vibration damping devices each mounted between a respective one of the uprights and a respective one of the handlebars to provide a vibration damping effect to the respective handlebar.

2. The treadmill in accordance withclaim 1, wherein each of the handlebars has a front side pivotally mounted on an upper end of the respective upright.

3. The treadmill in accordance withclaim 2, wherein the front side of each of the handlebars is provided with a downward extending pivot ear pivotally mounted on the upper end of the respective upright by a pivot shaft.

4. The treadmill in accordance withclaim 1, wherein each of the vibration damping devices is mounted between a mediate portion of the respective upright and a mediate portion of the respective handlebar.

5. The treadmill in accordance withclaim 4, wherein the mediate portion of each of the uprights is provided with a forward extending protruding ear, the mediate portion of each of the handlebars is provided with a downward extending protruding ear, and each of the vibration damping devices is mounted between the protruding ear of the respective upright and the protruding ear of the respective handlebar.

6. The treadmill in accordance withclaim 4, wherein each of the vibration damping devices includes a hydraulic cylinder retractably mounted between the mediate portion of the respective upright and the mediate portion of the respective handlebar.

7. The treadmill in accordance withclaim 6, wherein each of the vibration damping devices further includes an elastic member mounted on the hydraulic cylinder.

8. The treadmill in accordance withclaim 4, wherein each of the vibration damping devices includes an elastomeric member mounted between the mediate portion of the respective upright and the mediate portion of the respective handlebar.

9. The treadmill in accordance withclaim 8, wherein the elastomeric member is made of rubber material.

10. The treadmill in accordance withclaim 8, wherein the elastomeric member is made of plastic material.

11. The treadmill in accordance withclaim 8, wherein when a user's two hands apply a force on the handlebars, each of the handlebars is pivoted relative to the respective upright, so that the handlebars are movable upward and downward to correspond to upward and downward movement of the user's two hands.

12. The treadmill in accordance withclaim 11, wherein each of the vibration damping devices provides a vibration damping effect to the respective handlebar to prevent vibration from being transmitted to the user's two hands directly so as to protect the user's two hands.

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