WO2008102389A9

WO2008102389A9 - Exerciser with adjusting unit on the handle

Info

Publication number: WO2008102389A9
Application number: PCT/IT2007/000122
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giorgio Parise
Original assignee: Cammax S A; Cammax Internat Ltd; Giorgio Parise
Priority date: 2007-02-21
Filing date: 2007-02-21
Publication date: 2008-11-06
Also published as: TW200944263A; WO2008102389A1

Abstract

An exerciser with at least one handle (50) and an adjusting unit for adjusting the exercise parameters includes a recess (10) defined in said handle (50), a frame (20) engaged with said recess (10) and having a space (23) defined therein, an adjusting device (30) comprising a roller (31) rotatably received in said space (23) such that a portion of the roller (31) is exposed out from a surface of the handle (50), and a control circuit board (40) suitable to transfer the commands from the adjusting device (30) to a control unit of the exerciser. In this way, the user is not obliged to remove his or her hand from the handle to operate the adjusting unit, thus avoiding the risk of injury related to such a movement that may result in a loss of balance, especially at high running speed, that may lead to a fall.

Description

"EXERCISER WITH ADJUSTING UNIT ON THE HAKDLE"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an exerciser with an adjusting unit for adjusting the exercise parameters, and in particular to a treadmill with an adjusting unit that includes a roller partially extending from a portion of the handle so as to be rotated to micro-adjust the exerciser. In the following, reference will be specifically made to a treadmill while it is clear that what is being said also applies to any other exerciser that may benefit from the possibility of adjusting the exercise parameters without removing the user's hands from the handles. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional treadmill generally includes one or more adjusting units for adjusting exercise parameters such as the speed and/or inclination of the endless belt. Such an adjusting unit essentially consists of an end cap, inserted into an end hole of a handle of the treadmill, and an adjusting member rotatably mounted to the end cap and electrically connected to a control circuit. By operating the adjusting member, the user is able to micro-adjust the exerciser, so as to control the speed of the endless belt (for example).

However the user's hand has to be removed from the handle to rotate the adjusting member, and the same applies when the adjusting unit is integrated in the control panel located at the center of the treadmill under the display that shows the operating parameters. This implies a risk of injury for the user since such a movement may result in a loss of balance, especially at high running speed, that may lead to a fall. The object of the present invention is to provide an exerciser with an adjusting unit which overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks. This object is achieved by means of an exerciser with an adjusting unit that includes a portion exposed on the surface of the handle, at a substantially central portion thereof, so that the user can easily operate the adjusting unit with a finger without removing his or her hand from the handle. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an exerciser with an adjusting unit that comprises a frame which is engaged with a recess defined in a handle of the exerciser and the frame has a space defined therein. The adjusting unit has a roller rotatably received in said space and a portion of the roller is exposed out from a surface of the handle. A positioning unit is connected to an outside of an end of the frame and restricts an angular movement of the roller. A control circuit board is connected with the adjusting unit such that when rotating the roller the commands are sent to the control unit of the exerciser via the control circuit board. The primary object of the present invention is to provide an exerciser with an adjusting unit wherein the user is not obliged to remove his or her hand from the handle to rotate the roller of the adjusting unit.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig.1 is a perspective view to show a treadmill with a pair of adjusting units according to the present invention; Fig.2 is an enlarged exploded view to show an adjusting unit of the present invention;

Fig.3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the adjusting unit of Fig.2;

Fig.4 is a front view of the adjusting unit of Fig.2 that shows how a control circuit board is connected to an end of the frame; Fig.5 is a rear view of the adjusting unit of Fig.2 that shows how a positioning unit is connected to the other end of the frame;

Fig.6 is a top plan view of the adjusting unit of Fig.2 showing that the frame includes speed indication marks formed thereon; and

Fig.7 is view similar to the preceding one that shows an alternative frame including inclination indication marks formed thereon. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, an adjusting unit for an exerciser of the present invention is connected to an handle 50 of the exerciser and comprises a frame 20 which is engaged with a recess 10 defined in the handle 50. The frame 20 has two positioning tubes 24 extending from an underside thereof, and the two positioning tubes 24 are engaged with two holes 11 defined through an inner bottom of the recess 10. Two bolts extend through the two holes 11 and are connected to the two positioning tubes 24 to position the frame 20.

The frame 20 includes a first flap 21 and a second flap 22, and a space 23 is defined between the first and second flaps 21, 22. The first flap 21 is flush with an outer side of the handle 50 and the second flap 22 is flush with a top surface of the handle 50. The second flap 22 has indication marks formed thereon.

An adjusting device 30 has a roller 31 which is a cylindrical roller rotatably received in the space 23, and a portion of the roller 31 is exposed out from the surface of the handle 50. A bearing 33 is co-axially connected to the roller 31 so that the roller 31 can be smoothly rotated. The roller 31 is located longitudinally along the handle 50 so that the user can conveniently rotate the roller 31 with a finger without removing his/her hand from the handle.

The adjusting unit preferably includes a positioning unit 32 that is better illustrated referring to Fig.5. The positioning unit 32 is connected to an outside of an end of the frame 20 so as to restrict the angular movement of the roller 31, and it includes a wheel 321 and a flexible plate 322. The wheel 321 includes teeth 323 defined in an outer periphery thereof and is co-axially connected with the roller 31 by a screw. The flexible plate 322 has one end fixed to the frame 20, and the other end of the flexible plate 322 has a protrusion 324 which is removably engaged with one of the teeth 323 of the wheel 321. Therefore, when rotating the roller 31 the wheel 321 is co-rotated and the protrusion 324 is quickly moved over the teeth

323 and finally engaged with one of the teeth 323. The protrusion 324 restricts the angular movement of the roller 31, in order to prevent undesired changes in the adjustment of the operating parameters due to vibrations or shocks that might cause the rotation of the roller 31. Further referring to Fig.4, a control circuit board 40 is connected to the other end of the frame 20 and the adjusting device 30 is electrically connected to the control circuit board 40. Therefore, commands coming from the adjusting device

30 are sent to the control unit of the exerciser (not shown) via the control circuit board 40.

Fig.6 shows that the frame 20 includes speed indication marks formed thereon for a treadmill, so that when rotating the roller 31 according to the direction of the arrow next to the "+" mark, the speed of the endless belt increases, and when rotating the roller 31 according to the direction of the arrow next to the "-" mark, the speed of the endless belt decreases.

Fig.7 shows an alternative frame 20 that includes inclination indication marks formed thereon, so that when rotating the roller 31 according to the direction of the arrow next to the upward arrow mark, the inclination of the endless belt increases, and when rotating the roller 31 according to the direction of the arrow next to the downward arrow mark, the inclination of the endless belt decreases.

Obviously, the two different frames 20 may be located in corresponding recesses 10 formed in the two handles 50 of the treadmill, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

While we have shown and described the above embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

For example, if a shorter roller 31 is used and/or the handle 50 is wider, the adjusting device 30 might be arranged transversely to the handle 50 rather than longitudinally as illustrated above.

Claims

CLAMS

1. An exerciser with at least one handle (50) and an adjusting unit for adjusting the exercise parameters, characterized in that it includes a recess (10) defined in said handle (50), a frame (20) engaged with said recess (10) and having a space (23) defined therein, an adjusting device (30) comprising a roller (31) rotatably received in said space (23) such that a portion of said roller (31) is exposed out from a surface of said handle (50), and a control circuit board (40) suitable to transfer the commands from said adjusting device (30) to a control unit of the exerciser.

2. The exerciser as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it further includes a positioning unit (32) connected to an outside of an end of the frame (20) and suitable to restrict the angular movement of the roller (31).

3. The exerciser as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the positioning unit (32) includes a wheel (321) co-axially connected with the roller

(31) and having teeth (323) defined in an outer periphery thereof, and a flexible plate (322) having one end fixed to the frame (20) and the other end having a protrusion (324) which is removably engaged with one of said teeth (323) of said wheel (321).

4. The exerciser as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame (20) has two positioning tubes (24) extending from an underside thereof and said two positioning tubes (24) are engaged with two holes (11) defined through an inner bottom of the recess (10).

5. The exerciser as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame (20) includes a first flap (21) and a second flap

(22), said first flap (21) being flush with an outer side of the handle (50) and said second flap (22) being flush with a top surface of the handle (50).

6. The exerciser as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the second flap (22) has indication marks formed thereon.

7. The exerciser as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a bearing (33) is co-axially connected to the roller (31).

8. The exerciser as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the roller (31) is a cylindrical roller and is located longitudinally along the handle (50) at a substantially central portion thereof.

9. The exerciser as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it includes two handles (50) and two adjusting units with different frames (20) located in corresponding recesses (10) formed in the two handles (50).