Switches on handlebars of treadmills

Abstract

A switch for treadmill is connected to each of the two distal ends of the U-shaped handlebar and includes a base piece fixed to the handlebar and a rotatable cap which is rotatably mounted to the base piece. A variable resistor is received in the base piece and the rotatable cap is connected to a shaft on the variable resistor so that when the user rotates the rotatable cap, the resistance of the variable resistor is changed to set the function of the treadmill.

1 . A switch for treadmill which comprises a running belt unit connected between two posts of bases and a U-shaped handlebar is connected across the two posts, the switch comprising: 
 a base piece having a first end inserted into one of two distal ends of the handlebar and a variable resistor fixedly received in the base piece, a shaft rotatably extending from the resistor, and    a rotatable cap rotatably mounted to a second end of the base piece and a tube extending from an inside of the rotatable cap, the shaft fixedly connected to the tube.    
   
   
       2 . The switch as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shaft includes a flat surface defined in an outer periphery thereof and the tube includes an embracing member located longitudinally therein, the embracing member embracing the shaft and shaped to match with the flat surface of the shaft.  
   
   
       3 . The switch as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a first shoulder is defined in an inner periphery of the first end of the base piece and the variable resistor is connected to a PC board which is fixed to the first shoulder by screws.  
   
   
       4 . The switch as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the base piece includes a first skirt portion extending from an outer periphery of the first end of the base piece and a first annular groove is defined between the first skirt portion and the outer periphery of the base piece, the first annular groove adapted to receive the distal end of the handlebar.  
   
   
       5 . The switch as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the base piece includes a second skirt portion extending from an outer periphery of the second end of the base piece, the rotatable cap rotatably mounted onto the second skirt portion.  
   
   
       6 . The switch as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable cap includes a plurality of ridges extending longitudinally on an outer periphery of the rotatable cap.  
   
   
       7 . The switch as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a second shoulder is defined in an inner periphery of the second end of the base piece and the tube includes hooking ends extending from an outer periphery of the tube, a gap defined between the tube and the embracing member, the hooking ends of the tube engaged with the second shoulder.  
   
   
       8 . The switch as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the PC board includes a plurality of notches defined in a periphery thereof and a plurality of blocks extending from the inner periphery of the first end of the base piece, the blocks engaged with the notches of the PC board.