RUNNING MACHINE HAVING POWER MODE AND NON-POWER MODE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001]This application claims priority to Taiwanese Invention Patent Application No. 113149637, filed on Dec. 19, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

[0002]The disclosure relates to a treadmill, and more particularly to a running machine having a power mode and a non-power mode.

BACKGROUND

[0003]A conventional electrical running machine generally includes a frame unit having a front roller and a rear roller, a belt sleeved on the front roller and the rear roller, a driving motor disposed on the frame unit, and a transmission mechanism disposed between an output rotating shaft of the driving motor and the front roller. In this configuration, when the conventional electrical running machine is in a power mode, the driving motor may drive the front roller to actuate the belt to rotate cyclically via the transmission mechanism to control a running speed of a user. In contrast, in a non-power mode, the driving motor stops to operate actively. When the user runs, the belt is pushed to rotate cyclically, and the belt drives the output rotating shaft of the driving motor to rotate via the front roller and the transmission mechanism. In this way, by controlling a magnitude of a magnetic resistance force between a rotor and a stator inside the driving motor, resistance is generated against the belt. However, such a manner of utilizing the driving motor itself to generate the magnetic resistance force involves continuously energizing the driving motor, which consumes electric power. Furthermore, the driving motor is likely to malfunction.

[0004]In addition, a conventional non-power running machine utilizes a non-electromagnetic reluctance device to generate resistance. However, such conventional non-power running machine may not actively control the running speed of the user.

SUMMARY

[0005]Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a running machine with a power mode and a non-power mode that can alleviate at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.

[0006]According to the disclosure, the running machine with a power mode and a non-power mode includes a frame unit, a running belt unit, a power unit, and a resistance unit.

[0007]The running belt unit includes a front roller that is rotatably disposed at a front end portion of the frame unit, a rear roller that is rotatably disposed at a rear end portion of the frame unit, and a belt that is sleeved on the front roller and the rear roller. The power unit includes a driving motor that is disposed on the frame unit, and a transmission mechanism. The driving motor has a motor body and an output rotating shaft that is rotatably disposed on the motor body. The output rotating shaft has an output end portion and a resistance end portion that is opposite to the output end portion. The transmission mechanism is disposed between the output end portion and the front roller. The driving motor is switchable between a power mode in which the driving motor drives the front roller to rotate via the transmission mechanism, and a non-power mode in which the driving motor stops to operate actively. The resistance unit includes a non-magnetic flywheel that is disposed on the resistance end portion, and a permanent magnetic resistance module that is connected to the frame unit. The permanent magnetic resistance module is switchable between a non-active position in which the permanent magnetic resistance module is spaced apart from the non-magnetic flywheel, and an active position in which the permanent magnetic resistance module is adjacent to the non-magnetic flywheel. The permanent magnetic resistance module generates a magnetic resistance force against the nonmagnetic flywheel when the driving motor is in the non-power mode and when the permanent magnetic resistance module is in the active position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiment(s) with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is noted that various features may not be drawn to scale.

[0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a running machine with a power mode and a non-power mode according the disclosure.

[0010]FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of the embodiment omitting a running belt unit.

[0011]FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top view of FIG. 2.

[0012]FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3.

[0013]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG. 3.

[0014]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 3, illustrating a permanent magnetic resistance module of a resistance unit of the embodiment in a non-active position.

[0015]FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, partially enlarged view of FIG. 6.

[0016]FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the resistance unit, illustrating the permanent magnetic resistance module in the non-active position.

[0017]FIG. 9 is another fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 8, but viewed from a different angle.

[0018]FIG. 10 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the resistance unit.

[0019]FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 6, illustrating the permanent magnetic resistance module in an active position.

[0020]FIG. 12 is a fragmentary, enlarged view of FIG. 11.

[0021]FIG. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of the resistance unit, illustrating the permanent magnetic resistance module in the active position.

[0022]FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 6, but illustrating the permanent magnetic resistance module between the non-active position and the active position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023]Before the disclosure is described in greater detail, it should be noted that where considered appropriate, reference numerals or terminal portions of reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements, which may optionally have similar characteristics.

[0024]It should be noted herein that for clarity of description, spatially relative terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “upper,” “lower,” “on,” “above,” “over,” “downwardly,” “upwardly” and the like may be used throughout the disclosure while making reference to the features as illustrated in the drawings. The features may be oriented differently (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative terms used herein may be interpreted accordingly.

[0025]Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, an embodiment of the running machine 100 with a power mode and a non-power mode according to the disclosure includes a frame unit 10, a running belt unit 20, a power unit 30, a resistance unit 40, a sensor unit 50 (see FIG. 6), and a control unit 60 (see FIG. 7).

[0026]As shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, the frame unit 10 includes a base frame 11 that extends in a longitudinal direction (X), a first mounting seat 12 that is disposed on the base frame 11, and a second mounting seat 13 that is disposed on the base frame 11 and that is located in front of the first mounting seat 12.

[0027]As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the running belt unit 20 includes a front roller 21 that is rotatably disposed at a front end portion of the base frame 11 of the frame unit 10, a rear roller 22 that is rotatably disposed at a rear end portion of the base frame 11 of the frame unit 10, and a belt 23 that is sleeved on the front roller 21 and the rear roller 22. In this embodiment, the belt 23 is a caterpillar-type belt.

[0028]As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, the power unit 30 includes a driving motor 31 that is disposed on the frame unit 10, and a transmission mechanism 32.

[0029]The driving motor 31 has a motor body 311, and an output rotating shaft 312 that is rotatably disposed on the motor body 311. The output rotating shaft 312 has an output end portion 313 that is located outside the motor body 311, and a resistance end portion 314 that is opposite to the output end portion 313 and that is located outside the motor body 311.

[0030]The transmission mechanism 32 is disposed between the output end portion 313 and the front roller 21. In this embodiment, the transmission mechanism 32 includes a driving wheel 321 that is disposed on the output end portion 313, a driven wheel 322 that is arranged coaxially with the front roller 21, and a transmission belt 323 that is sleeved on the driving wheel 321 and the driven wheel 322.

[0031]The driving motor 31 is switchable between a power mode and a non-power mode. When the driving motor 31 is in the power mode, the driving motor 31 drives the front roller 21 to rotate via the transmission mechanism 32. When the driving motor 31 is in the non-power mode, the driving motor 31 stops to operate actively.

[0032]As shown in FIGS. 6, 7, 8, the resistance unit 40 includes a non-magnetic flywheel 41 that is disposed at the resistance end portion 314, a driving module 42 that is disposed on the frame unit 10, and a permanent magnetic resistance module 43 that is connected to the frame unit 10. In this embodiment, the non-magnetic flywheel 41 is made of aluminum, and the driving module 42 is connected to the permanent magnetic resistance module 43. The permanent magnetic resistance module 43 is connected to the frame unit 10 via the driving module 42.

[0033]The driving module 42 is configured for driving the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 to move relative to the non-magnetic flywheel 41 between a non-active position (see FIGS. 6, 7) and an active position (see FIGS. 11, 12).

[0034]As shown in FIGS. 8, 9, 10, the driving module 42 includes a screw rod 44 that is pivotally disposed on the first mounting seat 12 of the frame unit 10, a swing arm 45 that is pivotally disposed on the second mounting seat 13 of the frame unit 10, an actuating motor 46 that is pivotally disposed on the swing arm 45, and a magnetic resistance mounting seat 47 that is disposed on the swing arm 45. The actuating motor 46 is electrically connected to the control unit 60 (see FIG. 7), and has an inner rotating member 461 that is rotatable and that threadably engages the screw rod 44. In this embodiment, the swing arm 45 includes two arm plates 451 that are spaced apart from each other in a horizontal direction (Y). The actuating motor 46 is an inner-rotor stepper motor. The magnetic resistance mounting seat 47 has two side plates 471 that are spaced apart from each other in the horizontal direction (Y).

[0035]The permanent magnetic resistance module 43 is disposed on the magnetic resistance mounting seat 47. In this embodiment, the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 includes a plurality of pairs of permanent magnets 431 that are disposed on inner sides of the side plates 471.

[0036]As shown in FIGS. 7 and 12, when the inner rotating member 461 of the actuating motor 46 rotates, the actuating motor 46 is movable relative to the screw rod 44 along a length of the screw rod 44 to cause the swing arm 45 to swing, so that the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 that is disposed on the magnetic resistance mounting seat 47 may be driven to switch between the non-active position (see FIGS. 6, 7) and the active position (see FIGS. 11, 12) by the swing arm 45.

[0037]As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, when the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 is in the non-active position, the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 is spaced apart from the non-magnetic flywheel 41. Projections of the permanent magnets 431 on an imaginary plane perpendicular to the horizontal direction (Y) do not overlap that of the non-magnetic flywheel 41. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, when the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 is in the active position, the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 is adjacent to the non-magnetic flywheel 41, and the projections of the permanent magnets 431 on the imaginary plane perpendicular to the horizontal direction (Y) overlap that of the non-magnetic flywheel 41. Thus, when the driving motor 31 is in the non-power mode and the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 is in the active position, the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 may be configured to generate a magnetic resistance force against the non-magnetic flywheel 41. It can be understood that adjusting a size of an area of an overlapping projection of the permanent magnets 431 with the non-magnetic flywheel 41 may adjust a magnitude of the magnetic resistance force generated by the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 against the non-magnetic flywheel 41. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 generates the greatest magnetic resistance force against the non-magnetic flywheel 41. As shown in FIG. 14, the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 generates a relatively small magnetic resistance force against the non-magnetic flywheel 41.

[0038]As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the sensor unit 50 is connected to the second mounting seat 13 of the frame unit 10, and includes a first sensor switch 51 that is disposed on the second mounting seat 13, and a second sensor switch 52 that is disposed on the second mounting seat 13 and that is spaced apart from the first sensor switch 51. In this embodiment, each of the first sensor switch 51 and the second sensor switch 52 is a limit switch.

[0039]As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, when the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 is in the non-active position, one of the arm plates 451 of the swing arm 45 of the driving module 42 triggers the first sensor switch 51, and the control unit 60 activates the driving motor 31, thereby switching the driving motor 31 to the power mode. For example, after the running machine 100 of this embodiment is turned on, the control unit 60 may drive the driving module 42 to automatically set the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 back to the non-active position so as to permit the driving motor 31 to be activated. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, when the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 is in the active position, the one of the arm plates 451 of the swing arm 45 of the driving module 42 triggers the second sensor switch 52, and the control unit 60 (see FIG. 7) is unable activate the driving motor 31, thereby keeping the driving motor 31 in the non-power mode. For example, the control unit 60 (see FIG. 7) does not supply power to the driving motor 31 or locks the driving motor 31. Thus, when the driving motor 31 is in the power mode, the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 is in the non-active position to prevent the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 from generating the magnetic resistance force against the non-magnetic flywheel 41, so as to prevent the driving motor 31 from operating actively under an improper resistance force to thereby produce a mechanical safety mechanism.

[0040]In addition, it may be understood that an electrical safety mechanism may be employed in other variations of the present embodiment. That is to say, when the control unit 60 is operated to control operation of the driving motor 31, the control unit 60 may delay activation of the driving motor 31. The control unit 60 may first cause the driving module 42 to drive the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 to switch to the non-active position within a delay time, and the control unit 60 may activate the driving motor 31 after the delay time, thereby switching the driving motor 31 to the power mode. As such, an undesirable resistance force applied to the driving motor 31 during active operation may also be prevented.

[0041]As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the control unit 60 is connected to the frame unit 10. The control unit 60 is electrically connected to the driving motor 31, the actuating motor 46 of the driving module 42, and the first sensor switch 51 and the second sensor switch 52 of the sensor unit 50. In this embodiment, the control unit 60 is a control panel.

[0042]Thus, as shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, when the driving motor 31 is in the power mode, the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 (see FIG. 7) is in the non-active position (see FIG. 7), and the driving motor 31 may drive the front roller 21 via the transmission mechanism 32 to actuate the belt 23 to rotate cyclically, thereby controlling a running speed of a user.

[0043]On the contrary, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 11, when the driving motor 31 is in the non-power mode, the driving motor 31 stops to operate actively, and the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 is in the active position. Thus, when the user runs to force the belt 23 to rotate cyclically, the belt 23 may drive the non-magnetic flywheel 41 to rotate via the front roller 21, the transmission mechanism 32 (see FIG. 5), and the output rotating shaft 312. During this process, the permanent magnetic resistance module 43 may generate a magnetic resistance force against the rotating non-magnetic flywheel 41, thereby increasing resistance of the user running to force the belt 23 to rotate, so as to produce a training effect on the user.

[0047]In summary, the running machine 100 with a power mode and a non-power mode according to the disclosure not only has two different operation modes (i.e., the power mode and the non-power mode), but also may avoid the problem of the driving motor 31 being prone to malfunction, and may reduce power consumption. Furthermore, the driving motor 31 is prevented from being subjected to improper resistance when operating actively, thus producing the safety mechanism for protecting the driving motor 31, thereby achieving the object of the disclosure.

[0048]In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiment(s). It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number and so forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be further appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of various inventive aspects; such does not mean that every one of these features needs to be practiced with the presence of all the other features. In other words, in any described embodiment, when implementation of one or more features or specific details does not affect implementation of another one or more features or specific details, said one or more features may be singled out and practiced alone without said another one or more features or specific details. It should be further noted that one or more features or specific details from one embodiment may be practiced together with one or more features or specific details from another embodiment, where appropriate, in the practice of the disclosure.

[0049]While the disclosure has been described in connection with what is(are) considered the exemplary embodiment(s), it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment(s) but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.