Adjustable incline system for exercise equipment
AssigneeWeslo, Inc.
InventorsWilliam T. Dalebout, S. Ty Measom, Scott R. Watterson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A support system for use in adjusting the incline of exercising equipment such as treadmills is disclosed. The system includes a pair of linked support legs pivotally mounted to one end of the equipment's frame. A length-adjustable gas spring is pivotedly associated with the linked support legs and the treadmill. Control means are provided to adjust the orientation of the spring, thereby controlling the elevation of the exercising equipment and hence its incline.
Claims19
An adjustable incline system in combination with an exercise apparatus operable in different angular orientations, said combination comprising:
- a support means pivotally mounted to an exercise apparatus for supporting said apparatus;
- an adjustable pneumatic spring means mechanically associated with said support means and said apparatus for applying a force against said support means, thereby urging said support means outwardly away from said apparatus, thereby adjusting the incline of said apparatus, said pneumatic spring means including an actuation pin adapted for controlling said force exerted by said pneumatic spring means;
- and
- control means, mechanically associated with said pneumatic spring means, for operating said actuation pin, said control means including a control member, linkage means and an actuating lever member, said actuating lever member being actuated via said control member and said linkage means so as to mechanically engage said actuation pin, said actuating lever member being displaceable to effect a corresponding displacement of said actuation pin.
An adjustable incline system in combination with an exercise apparatus operable in different angular orientations, said combination comprising:
- a pair of support legs spacedly positioned apart from one another, each support leg having a first end pivotally mounted to said exercise apparatus, each support leg having a second opposite end fitted with a rotatably mounted wheel;
- an elongate connection bar mounted at its ends to said support legs and extending therebetween;
- an adjustable pneumatic spring mounted on said apparatus, said pneumatic spring having a piston rod capable of longitudinal displacement extending therefrom which is mounted on said connection bar, said pneumatic spring having an actuation pin which controls a pneumatic pressure within said pneumatic spring and thereby controls said piston rod displacement;
- an actuating lever mechanically associated with said actuation pin, an angular rotation of said actuating lever in a first direction effecting a depression of said actuation pin;
- a cable, having a proximal end and a distal end, said cable being connected on said actuating proximal end to said lever;
- and
- a control member mounted on said apparatus, said cable distal end being fixedly mounted to said control member, wherein said control member actuates said actuating lever which adjusts said actuating pin of said pneumatic spring causing thereby a raising or a lowering of said apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.