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(11) | EP 2 022 538 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Saftey device for motorized fitness equipment |
| (57) A safety device for a motorized fitness equipment includes a socket (1) provided with two first and two second slots (11, 12); a conductive magnet (3) on bottom of each first slot (11); and a metal clip (121) in each second slot (12); a conductive device (4) containing two separate conductive terminals (43) each having a first and a second extensions (431, 432); the first extension (431) when connected to the first slot (11) being electrically connected to the magnet (3); and the second portion (432) being inserted into the second slot (12) and held by the metal clip (121) to constitute a circuit breaker by having the socket (1) to combine with or clear away from the conductive device (4).
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(a) Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention is related to a safety device for motorized fitness equipment, and more particularly, to a circuit breaker capable of executing emergency stop to the fitness equipment in operation.
(b) Description of the Prior Art:
[0002] A motorized fitness equipment relates to one that provides active revolution in a given pattern when electrically driven for a user to achieve physical exercise or activity in conjunction with the revolution such as found in a motorized treadmill or a power leg rehabilitation assisting devices. Taking the motorized treadmill for instance, operation of a running deck is not caused by running motion of its user; therefore, to prevent the user from falling down, a safety device is needed to immediately break the circuit to stop the running deck when the running speed of the user fails to keep in pace with the speed of the running deck.
[0003] A conventional safety device 9 applied in a motorized treadmill as illustrate din Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings is comprised of an accommodation trough 91 fixed to a control panel of the treadmill (not illustrated), a magnetic member 92 is placed in the trough 91, two conductive terminals 93 in circuit off status are disposed on one end of the trough 91, the trough 91 also contains a conduction device 94, and the conduction device 94 is provided with a conductive piece 95 to be conducted through both conductive terminals 93 in circuit off status when the conduction device 94 is placed into the trough 91. The conduction device 94 is disposed with another magnetic member 96 attracted to the magnetic member 92 disposed in the trough 91 for securing the conduction device 94 in the trough 91.
[0004] Where between the trough 91 and two conductive terminals 93 in circuit off status of the conventional safety device is related to a connected through space, even though the user upon feeling he/she is unable to keep up with the speed of the running deck has pulled the conductive device 94 out of the trough 91 is at the risk of falling down because that the user may fail to stop the running deck in time if any foreign object, e.g., liquid or other metal object) that is conductive happens to fall into the trough to conduct through both conductive terminals 93.
[0005] Furthermore, both of the trough 91 and the conductive device 94 are secured to each other in position by means of two magnetic members 92, 96, but both magnetic members 92, 96 are exposed in the air and are vulnerable to attract foreign matters to compromise magnetism after a longer period of operation to such extent that the conductive device 94 is prevented from being attracted in the trough 91 through normal magnetism thus to clear away from the trough 91; consequently, setting of the fitness equipment will be affected to cause quite a disturbance to the user.
[0006] Therefore, those problems found with the conventional safety device adapted to the motorized fitness equipment are the primary objectives the present invention attempts to solve.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a safety device for a motorized fitness equipment to correct those problems found with the prior art by means of having an structure to combine a socket and a conductive device to ensure the circuit is broken upon the conductive device clears away from the socket while avoiding easy break up between the socket and the conductive device in a non-emergency incidence.
[0008] To achieve the purpose, the present invention includes a socket fixed to a motorized fitness equipment, two first slots are disposed at the center of the socket, two second slots are respectively provided on two opposite outer sides of both first slots, both of the second slots are in circuit off status and each second slot contains a metal clip that is electrically connected to the motorized fitness equipment, and a conductive magnet is disposed at a bottom of each first slot; and a conductive device connected to a human body is provided with two separate conductive terminals in the conductive device with each conductive terminal having both ends respectively disposed with a first extension and a second extension in a same direction, two first extensions from both conductive terminals are connected into both first slots and electrically connected to the magnet while two second extensions from both conductive terminals are connected into both second slots of the socket and respectively held by both metal clips.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009]
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing an operating status of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is a safety device of fitness equipment of the prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0010] Referring to Figs. 1 through 4 for a structure of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and it is to be noted that the preferred embodiment is selected for the purpose of describing the present invention and that in now way those claims to be claimed hereunder are not limited by the preferred embodiment.
[0011] In the preferred embodiment, a motorized treadmill is selected to represent a motorized fitness equipment. A safety device adapted to the motorized treadmill is comprised of a socket 1 fixed to a motorized treadmill 2. Two first slots 11 are disposed at a central location of the socket 1, and two second slots 12 electrically connected to the motorized treadmill 2 are respectively disposed on two opposite outer sides of both of the first slots 11. Each second slot 12 contains a metal clip 121 electrically connected to the motorized treadmill. The socket 1 has a conductive magnet 3 disposed on a bottom of each first slot 11.
[0012] A conductive device 4 is provided with a protruding portion 41 and the protruding portion is provided with a connection wire 5 extending to wrap up to a certain part, e.g., a waist, of a body of a user. The conductive device 4 also includes a body 42 containing two separate conductive terminals 43; and both ends of each conductive terminal 43 are respectively provided with a first extension 431 and a second extension 432 in a same direction. In the preferred embodiment, each second extension 432 from each conductive terminal 43 is slightly longer than each first extension 431. The first extension 431 of each of both conductive terminals 43 is inserted into each first slot 11 of the socket 1 and electrically connected with the magnet 3; meanwhile, each second extension 432 from each conductive terminal 43 is inserted into each second slot 12 of the socket and held by the metal clip 121.
[0013] Accordingly, with both first extensions 431 and both second extensions 432 from both conductive terminals in the conductive device 4 are respectively inserted into the both first slots 11 and both second slots 12, both second slots 12 otherwise in a circuit off status in the socket 1 turn into a circuit on status by having both conductive terminals of the conductive device 4 connecting through the magnet 3 disposed below both first slots 11 of the socket 1 to maintain the treadmill 2 in normal operation.
[0014] On the contrary, when the operation of the motorized treadmill 2 must be stopped due to threaten of danger appears in the course of running on a running deck of the motorized treadmill 2 by the user, the user may forthwith plug off the conductive device 4 from the socket 1 and the motorized treadmill will be immediately stopped since both second slots 12 of the socket turn into a circuit off status.
[0015] When the conductive device 4 is placed on the socket 1, the conductive device 4 will not be easily cleared away from the socket 1 by accident in any non-emergency incidence since the magnet 3 disposed below both first slots 11 and both metal clips 121 respectively disposed in each of both second slots 11 provide magnetic force and clamping force to support locate both first extensions 431 and both second extensions 432 of the conductive device 4. It is not necessarily for the user to reset the complicated exercise mode due to interruption of the circuit.
a socket (1) fixed to a motorized treadmill (2);
two first slots (11) disposed at a central location of the socket (1), and
two second slots (12) disposed on the opposite outer sides of the two first slots (11), each second slot (12) containing a metal clip (121) electrically connected to the motorized treadmill;
a conductive magnet (3) disposed in the socket (1) on a bottom of each first slot (11); and
a conductive device (4) having a body 42 containing two separate conductive terminals (43), the two ends of each conductive terminal (43) being respectively provided with a first extension (431) and a second extension (432) in a same direction, the first extension (431) of each terminals (43) being inserted into a respective first slot (11) of the socket (1) and electrically connected with the magnet (3), and each second extension (432) of each terminal (43) being inserted into a respective second slot (12) of the socket and held by the metal clip (121).
Amended claims in accordance with Rule 137(2) EPC.
a socket (1) fixed to the treadmill (2) and including a conductive magnet (3); and
a connecting device (4) with conductive terminals (43),
characterised in that
the socket (1) includes:two first slots (11) disposed at a central location of the socket (1), the magnet (3) being disposed at the bottom of the first slots (11); and
two second slots (12) disposed on opposite outer sides of the two first slots (11), each second slot (12) containing a metal clip (121) electrically connected to the treadmill (2); and
the connecting device (4) includestwo separate conductive terminals (43) each having two ends respectively provided with a first extension (431) and a second extension (432) in the same direction, the first extension (431) of each terminal (43) being adapted to be inserted into a respective first slot (11) of the socket (1) and electrically connected with the magnet (3), and the second extension (432) of each terminal (43) being adapted to be inserted into a respective second slot (12) of the socket and held by the metal clip (121).