AU2014100542A4 - Frame folding apparatus for a treadmill - Google Patents

Abstract

A frame folding apparatus for a treadmill includes a base, two supporting rods, and an armrest platform. The base has two connecting portions. One end of each supporting rod is respectively and pivotally mounted on the connecting portion by at least one first fastener. The armrest platform is pivotally connected to the other ends of the supporting rods by at least one second fastener. To fold the frame folding apparatus, a user just needs to loosen the fasteners, and then the armrest platform, the supporting rods and the base can be folded together rapidly and easily.

Description

1 FRAME FOLDING APPARATUS FOR A TREADMILL The present utility model relates to a treadmill and more particularly to a frame folding apparatus for a treadmill. With reference to Fig.7, the conventional treadmill 70 is widely used for 5 exercising and has a track 71 and a frame 72 mounted on the track 71. The track 71 has two fixing plates 711 respectively mounted on two sides of the track 71 and located at a front end of the track 71. Each fixing plate 711 has a sliding groove 712. The frame 72 has two sliding units 721 respectively inserted in the sliding grooves 712. When the sliding units 721 slide along the sliding grooves 10 712, the frame 72 can be pivoted relative to the track 71 and be folded together. Therefore, the treadmill 70 can be folded to reduce the volume for ease of storage. However, the fixing plates 711 and the sliding units 721 are additionally installed on the treadmill 70, such that the structure of the treadmill 70 is 15 complicated and the components of the treadmill 70 cost high. To overcome the shortcomings of the conventional treadmill, the present utility model provides a frame folding apparatus to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems. The main objective of the utility model is to provide a frame folding 20 apparatus for treadmill. A frame folding apparatus for a treadmill includes a base, two supporting rods and an armrest platform. The base has two connecting portions. One end of each supporting rod is respectively and pivotally mounted on the connecting portion by at least one first fastener. The armrest platform is pivotally mounted on the other ends of the supporting rods by at least one second 2 fastener. Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the utility model will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. 5 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a frame folding apparatus of a first preferred embodiment in accordance with the present utility model, shown mounted on a treadmill; Fig.2 is an enlarged side view in partial section of the frame folding apparatus in Fig. 1; 10 Fig. 3 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the frame folding apparatus in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is another enlarged exploded perspective view of the frame folding apparatus in Fig. 1 Fig. 5 is an operational side view of the frame folding apparatus in Fig. 15 1; Fig. 6 is another operational side view of the frame folding apparatus in Fig. 5 in a folded status; Fig.7 is an enlarged side view in partial section of a second embodiment of the frame folding apparatus in accordance with the present utility model; 20 Fig. 8 is an enlarged operational perspective view of the frame folding apparatus in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is an enlarged operational exploded perspective view of the frame folding apparatus in Fig. 7; and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a conventional treadmill.

3 With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, a preferred first embodiment of a frame folding apparatus A includes a base 10, two supporting rods 20 and an armrest platform 30. With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the base 10 includes a base frame 11 and 5 two connecting portions 12. The base frame 11 is U-shaped and has a top surface and two corners. The connecting portions 12 are mounted on the top surface of the base frame 11 and respectively located at the corners. Each connecting portion 12 is sloped, is tubular, is rectangular in cross-section, and has an abutment surface 121, two fixing holes 122, a pivot tube 123 and a shaft hole 124. 10 The abutment surface 121 is defined on a front side of the connecting portion 12. The fixing holes 122 are threaded holes and are formed through the abutment surface 121 at longitudinal intervals. The pivot tube 123 is formed inside the connecting portion 12. The shaft hole 124 is formed through the pivot tube 123 and two sides of the connecting portion 12. 15 The supporting rods 20 are respectively and pivotally mounted around outer peripheries of the connecting portions 12. The supporting rods 20 are elongated, are tubular, are rectangular in section, and each supporting rod 20 has a first end 21 and a second end 22. With reference to Fig. 3, the first end 21 has a front wall, a back wall, 20 two side walls, an inner wall, an escaping notch 211, two through holes 212, two first fasteners 213, two pivot holes 214 and a pivot shaft 215. The escaping notch 211 is formed in the back wall of the first end 21. The through holes 212 are formed through the front wall of the first end 21 and are respectively aligned with the fixing holes 122 of the connecting portions 12. The first fasteners 213 4 are bolts, are mounted through the through holes 212 and are connected with the fixing holes 122. The pivot holes 214 are respectively formed through the side walls and are aligned with the shaft hole 124. The pivot shaft 215 is mounted through the pivot holes 214 and the shaft hole 124. The inner wall is formed 5 inside the first end 21 and abuts the abutment surface 121. The first end 21 of the supporting rod 20 can be pivoted toward the escaping notch 211 because the pivot shaft 215 pivotally connects the first end 21 of the supporting rod 20 with the connecting portion 12. With reference to Figs. 2 and 4, the second end 22 has an inner space, an 10 inner periphery, a back wall, a recess 221, a pivot seat 222, an assembling hole 223 and two positioning holes 224. The inner space is defined inside the second end 22. The recess 221 is formed in the back wall of the second end 22. The pivot seat 222 protrudes from the inner periphery of the second end 22. The assembling hole 223 is formed through one of two side walls of the second end 15 22 opposite to the pivot seat 222 and is aligned with the pivot seat 222. The positioning holes 224 are respectively mounted through the two side walls of the second end 22 and are aligned with each other. With reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the armrest platform 30 is U-shaped, is connected to the second ends 22 of the supporting rods 20 and has a bottom 20 surface, two corners and two pivot portions 31. The pivot portions 31 are mounted on the bottom surface of the armrest platform 30, and are respectively located adjacent to the corners of the armrest platform 30, and each pivot portion 31 includes a pivot board 310, a board hole 311, a pivotal bolt 312, a positioning portion 313 and a second fastener 314.

5 The pivot board 310 protrudes from the bottom surface of the armrest platform 30 and extends into the inner space of the second end 22 of the supporting rod 20. The board hole 311 is formed through the pivot board 310 and is aligned with the pivot seat 222 and the assembling hole 223. The pivotal bolt 5 312 is mounted through the board hole 311 and is connected with the pivot seat 222. The positioning portions 313 are tubular, are respectively mounted on the bottom surface of the armrest platform 30, are located adjacent to the pivot board 31, and are aligned with the positioning holes 224 of the second ends 22. The second fasteners 314 are bolts, are respectively inserted through the positioning 10 holes 224 and the positioning portions 313, so as to fix the armrest platform 30 on the second ends 22 of the supporting rods 20. With reference to Fig. 5 and 6, when the second fasteners 314 are loosened, the armrest platform 30 can be pivoted toward a rear side of the supporting rod 20. After the armrest platform 30 is folded, the first fasteners 213 15 on the first end 21 and the base 10 are loosened, such that the supporting rods 20 and the armrest platform 30 can be pivoted toward the rear sides of the supporting rods 20. Therefore, the armrest platform 30, the supporting rods 20 and the base 10 can be folded together. With reference to Figs.7 to 9, in a second embodiment of the frame 20 folding apparatus Al in accordance with the present utility model, the elements and effects of the second embodiment are same as those of the first embodiment except for two supporting rods 20A and an armrest platform 30A. Each supporting rod 20A also has the first end 21 and the second end 22. The first ends 21 of the supporting rods 20A are respectively and pivotally 6 connected to inner peripheries of the connecting portions 12. Each second end 22 has a positioning hole 225 formed through a front side of the second end 22. Each side of the bottom surface of the armrest platform 30A further has a positioning plate 32 and two side plates 33. The positioning plate 32 protrudes 5 from the bottom surface of the armrest platform 30 and is perpendicular to the pivot board 310. The positioning plate 32 has a through hole 321 and a second fastener 322 mounted through the through hole 321 and the positioning hole 225.The side plates 33 protrude from the bottom surface respectively at two side edges of the armrest platform 30A and are parallel to the pivot board 310. The 10 side plates 33 respectively abut the two sides of the second end 22 of the supporting rod 20A. When the second fastener 322 of each positioning plate 32 is removed, the armrest platform 30A can be pivoted toward the rear sides of the supporting rods 20 as the first preferred embodiment. 15 The frame folding apparatus has two-step folding structure that adopts an integrated structure design without additional components for rapid folding and ease in use. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present utility model have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with 20 details of the structure and function of the utility model, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the utility model to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims (5)

1. A frame folding apparatus comprising: a base including a base frame having a top surface and two corners; and two connecting portions being tubular, mounted on the top surface of the base frame and respectively located at the corners; two supporting rods being elongated and tubular, respectively mounted on the connecting portions, and each supporting rod having a first end pivotally connected with the connecting portion and having multiple first fasteners respectively and detachably fastening the first end with the connecting portion ; and a second end being opposite to the first end of the supporting rod and having an inner space and multiple second fasteners; and an armrest platform mounted on the second ends of the supporting rods by the second fasteners and having a bottom surface; two corners; and two pivot portions respectively mounted on the bottom surface of the armrest platform and located adjacent to the corners of the armrest platform, each pivot portion extending into the inner space of the second end of a corresponding one of the supporting rods and pivotally connected with the second end.

2. The frame folding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporting rods are respectively mounted around and abutting outer 8 peripheries of the connecting portions; the first fasteners of each supporting rod are respectively inserted into a front side of the connecting portion and are connected with the supporting rod.

3. The frame folding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporting rods are respectively mounted in the connecting portions and abut an inner periphery of a corresponding connecting portion; and the first fasteners of each supporting rod are respectively inserted into the front side of the supporting rod and are connected with the connecting portion.

4. The frame folding apparatus as claimed in any one of claims I to 3, wherein each pivot portion of the armrest platform has a positioning portion mounted on the bottom surface of the armrest platform; the second fasteners of each supporting rod are inserted through an outer periphery of the supporting rod and are connected with the positioning portion; each side of the bottom surface of the armrest platform further has two side plates respectively protruding from the bottom surface at two side edges of the armrest platform and abutting respectively two sides of the second end of the corresponding supporting rod.

5. The frame folding apparatus as claimed in any one of claims I to 3, wherein each side of the bottom surface of the armrest platform further has a positioning plate protruding from the bottom surface of the armrest platform and abutting the front side of the corresponding supporting rod; 9 the second fasteners of each supporting rod are inserted through the positioning plate and are connected with the front side of the supporting rod.