AU2014100544A4 - Frame folding apparatus for a treadmill - Google Patents

Abstract

A frame folding apparatus for a treadmill includes a base, two supporting rods, an armrest platform and multiple fasteners. The base has two connecting portions. The supporting rods are respectively and pivotally mounted on one end 5 of each connecting portion. The armrest platform is pivotally mounted on the other ends of the connecting portions. The fasteners are respectively mounted through the connecting portions, the supporting rods, and the armrest platform. 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 10 together rapidly and easily.

Description

I 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 a treadmill. The frame folding apparatus includes a base, two supporting rods, an armrest platform and multiple fasteners. The base has two connecting portions. The supporting rods are respectively and pivotally mounted on one end of each connecting portion. The armrest platform is pivotally mounted on the other ends of the connecting portions. The fasteners are 2 respectively mounted through the connecting portions, the supporting rods, and the armrest platform. Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the utility model will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in 5 conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a frame folding apparatus 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 operational perspective view of the frame folding apparatus in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is another enlarged operational 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; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a conventional treadmill. With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of a frame 20 folding apparatus includes a base 10, two supporting rods 20, an armrest platform 30 and multiple fasteners 40. With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the base 10 includes a base frame 11 and two connecting portions 12. The base frame 11 is U-shaped and has a top surface and two corners. The connecting portions 12 respectively protrude from the top 3 surface of the base frame 11 and are respectively located at the corners. Each connecting portion 12 is tubular, is rectangular in cross section, and has a first escaping recess 121, a first inserting hole 122, a front face and a rear face. The first escaping recess 121 is formed in the rear face of the connecting portion 12. 5 The first inserting hole 122 is formed in the front face of the connecting portion 12. With reference to Figs. 2 and 3, the supporting rods 20 are respectively and correspondingly mounted in the connecting portions 12. Each supporting rod 20 is elongated, is tubular, is rectangular in cross section, and has a first end 10 21, a second end 22, a first abutment flange 23, a first pivot pin 24, a front side and a rear side. The first end 21 is tubular, is rectangular in cross section, and has a first fixing hole 211 formed through the first end 21 .The width of the first end 21 is smaller than the width of the connecting portion 12. The first fixing hole 211 is a threaded hole, is located at the front side of the supporting rod 20, and is 15 aligned with the first inserting hole 122. The second end 22 has a second escaping recess 221 and a second inserting hole 222. The second escaping recess 221 is formed through the front side of the supporting rod 20. The second inserting hole 222 is formed through the rear side of the supporting rod 20. The first abutment flange 23 is formed around the periphery of the 20 supporting rod 20, is adjacent to the first end 21, and abuts against a top end of the connecting portion 12. The first pivot pin 24 is horizontally inserted through the connecting portion 12 and the first end 21 of the supporting rod 20.The supporting rods 20 can be pivoted toward the first escaping recesses 121. With reference to Figs. 2 and 4, the armrest platform 30 is U-shaped and 4 is mounted on tops of the supporting rods 20 and has two extending tubes 31, two pivot portions 32, two second abutment flanges 33, two second pivot pins 34, a bottom, and two corners. The extending tubes 31 are mounted on the bottom of the armrest platform 30 and are respectively located at the corners. Each pivot 5 portion 32 is rectangular in cross section and protrudes from a bottom end of the extending tube 31 and has a second fixing hole 321 and a rear side. The width of the pivot portion 32 is smaller than the width of the extending tube 31. The second fixing hole 321 is formed in the rear side of the pivot portion 32 and is a threaded hole. The second abutment flanges 33 are respectively formed on the 10 bottom ends of the extending tubes 31 and respectively abut against the second ends 22 of the supporting rods 20. Each second pivot pin 34 is horizontally inserted through the second pivot portion 32 and the second end 22 of the supporting rod 20. The armrest platform 30 can be pivoted toward the second escaping recess 221. 15 Each fastener 40 has a threaded end 41. The fasteners 40 are respectively and correspondingly inserted through the first inserting holes 122 and the second inserting holes 222, and the threaded ends of the fasteners 40 are respectively screwed in the first fixing holes 211 and the second fixing holes 321. With reference to Fig. 5 and 6, when the fasteners 40 connected with the 20 second end 22 and the armrest platform 30 are loosened, the armrest platform 30 can be pivoted toward the front side of the supporting rod 20. After the armrest platform 30 is folded, the fasteners 40 connected with the first end 21 and the base 10 are loosened as well, such that the supporting rods 20 and the armrest platform 30 can be pivoted toward the rear side of the supporting rod 20.

5 Therefore, the armrest platform 30, the supporting rods 20 and the base 10 can be folded together. The frame folding apparatus has a two-step folding structure that adopts an integrated structure design without additional components for rapid folding and ease in use. 5 Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present utility model have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with 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 10 the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims (4)

1. A frame folding apparatus comprising: a base including a base frame having a top surface; two connecting portions protruding from two sides of the top surface of the base frame and each connecting portion having a front face; a rear face; a first escaping recess formed in the rear face; and a first inserting hole formed through the front face ; two supporting rods being elongated, respectively and correspondingly mounted in the connecting portions, and each supporting rod having a front side; a rear side; a first end pivotally connected with the connecting portion and having a first fixing hole aligned with the first inserting hole; and a second end having a second escaping recess formed through the front side of the supporting rod; and a second inserting hole formed through the rear side of the supporting rod; an armrest platform mounted on tops of the supporting rods and having a bottom; two pivot portions protruding from the bottom of the armrest 7 platform and correspondingly and pivotally connected with the second ends of the supporting rods, and each pivot portion having a rear side ; and a second fixing hole formed through the rear side of the pivot portion and aligned with the second inserting hole; and multiple fasteners respectively and correspondingly inserted through the first inserting holes and the second inserting holes, and fixed in the first fixing holes and the second fixing holes.

2. The frame folding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a width of the first end of the supporting rod is smaller than a width of the connecting portion of the base; and each supporting rod has a first abutment flange formed around a periphery of the first end of the supporting rod, and the first abutment flange is adjacent to the first end and abuts against a top end of a corresponding connecting portion.

3.The frame folding apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the armrest platform further includes two extending tubes respectively mounted on the bottom of the armrest platform; each pivot portion protrudes from a bottom end of the extending tube, and a width of the pivot portion is smaller than a width of the extending tube; and each extending tube has a second abutment flange formed on the bottom end of the extending tube and abutting against the second end of a corresponding one of the supporting rods.

4. The frame folding apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, 8 wherein each fastener has a threaded end, the first fixing holes and the second fixing holes are threaded holes, the threaded ends of the fasteners are correspondingly and respectively screwed in the first fixing holes and the second fixing holes; the supporting rods, the connecting portions and the pivot portions are rectangular in cross section.