Treadmill with removable handles and relative assembly method

Abstract

Described is a treadmill ( 1 ) comprising a frame ( 2 ) having uprights ( 3 ) for supporting a control panel ( 5 ) equipped with a user interface; a belt ( 4 ) trained around rotatable rollers, defining a treadable surface ( 4 a ); a motor connected to at least one of the rollers for moving the belt ( 4 ); at least one handle ( 7 ) connected to a corresponding upright ( 3 ) and having a grip portion ( 7 a ) which can be accessed by the user, wherein the treadmill ( 1 ) comprises a shape coupling between the handle ( 7 ) and the upright ( 3 ) and a lock/release mechanism ( 16 ) for manually coupling and uncoupling the handle ( 7 ) with respect to the upright ( 3 ).

1 . A treadmill comprising:
 a frame equipped with uprights;   a belt looped on rotary rollers, forming a treadable surface;   at least one handle connected to a corresponding upright and comprising a grip portion accessible to the user;   a shape coupling between the handle and the upright and a lock and release mechanism for manually coupling and uncoupling the handle relative to the upright.   
     
     
         2 . The treadmill according to  claim 1 , wherein said shape coupling comprises a taper coupling with interference fit. 
     
     
         3 . The treadmill according to  claim 1 , wherein said shape coupling comprises a slot-in coupling between a tooth and a corresponding slot. 
     
     
         4 . The treadmill according to  claim 1 , wherein the shape coupling comprises a guide forming a contact surface for the handle. 
     
     
         5 . The treadmill according to  claim 4 , wherein said contact surface is facing towards a treadmill supporting surface and is angled relative to said surface about an axis perpendicular to a line along which the upright extends and to a line of insertion and removal of the handle in/from the upright. 
     
     
         6 . The treadmill according to  claim 1 , wherein the shape coupling comprises a reference profile, comprising at least one straight portion defining a first axis of rotation about which the handle is rotatable to produce the shape coupling. 
     
     
         7 . The treadmill according to  claim 6 , wherein said straight portion is formed by the upright at an upper end of the shape coupling, distal from a treadmill supporting surface. 
     
     
         8 . The treadmill according to  claim 1 , wherein the lock and release mechanism comprises a hook connected to the handle and a pin connected to the frame. 
     
     
         9 . The treadmill according to  claim 8 , wherein said hook is connected to a movable lever, which can be operated by the user, pivoting at the handle and rotatable about a second axis of rotation for moving said hook towards or away from the pin. 
     
     
         10 . The treadmill according to  claim 9 , wherein the lock and release mechanism comprises a first elastic element operating in conjunction with the lever and the hook to keep them in a predetermined position relative to one another in the absence of external forces. 
     
     
         11 . The treadmill according to  claim 10 , wherein the lock and release mechanism comprises a second elastic element designed to:
 oppose the rotation of the lever in a releasing direction until a predetermined angular position of the lever has been reached, beyond which said second elastic element promotes the rotation of the lever in the releasing direction;   define at least one angular position of stable equilibrium for said lever;   oppose the rotation of the lever in a locking direction until a predetermined angular position of the lever has been reached, beyond which said second elastic element promotes the rotation of the lever in the releasing direction.   
     
     
         12 . The treadmill according to  claim 8 , wherein the pin of the lock and release mechanism is connected to the upright in a lower zone of the shape coupling, proximal to a treadmill supporting surface. 
     
     
         13 . The treadmill according to  claim 1 , wherein the upright forms a shaped hollow seat for housing a corresponding coupling portion of the handle by means of said shape coupling. 
     
     
         14 . The treadmill ( 1 ) according to  claim 13 , wherein the upright is oriented along a longitudinal axis and the shaped hollow seat ( 8 ) is elongated in said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         15 . The treadmill according to  claim 1 , wherein the grip portion of the handle is “U”-shaped. 
     
     
         16 . The treadmill ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the grip portion ( 7   a ) of the handle has a first and a second end, and wherein the treadmill ( 1 ) comprises a coupling portion ( 7   b ) configured for connecting the handle ( 7 ) to the upright ( 3 ) and having an elongate shape, wherein the coupling portion ( 7   b ) of the handle ( 7 ) connects said first and second end of the grip portion ( 7   a ). 
     
     
         17 . The treadmill according to  claim 1 , wherein the treadmill is foldable by rotation of the uprights relative to the treadable surface. 
     
     
         18 . A method for assembling a treadmill, comprising a connection of at least one handle to a corresponding upright of a frame of the treadmill, wherein said connection is removable and comprising the following steps:
 coupling of the handle to the upright by means of a shape coupling between the handle and the upright;   activation of a lock and release mechanism for stably fixing the handle to the upright.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said coupling step comprises the following steps:
 positioning one end of the handle on a reference profile made on the top of a shape coupling portion formed by the upright;   rotating the handle about a first axis of rotation defined by the reference profile for producing a shape coupling.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , comprising a step of rotating the upright relative to the treadable surface, for moving the treadmill into an open operating position, from a closed folded position.