Running plate of running machine, production process of running plate and running machine

Abstract

The invention discloses a running board of a running machine, a production process of the running board and the running machine. The running board comprises the following components in percentage by mass: 15-25% of PA6; 45 to 55 percent of PA66 (Polyamide 66); 5-15% of glass fiber; 5 to 15% of polycarbonate; the running board of the running machine, which is provided by the invention, is good in wear resistance and lubricating property and long in service life, and the production process of the running board of the running machine and the running machine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of treadmill technology, and more particularly to a treadmill running board and its manufacturing process, and a treadmill. Background Technology

[0002] A typical treadmill includes a frame, base, control system, running belt, running board, motor, and front and rear rollers. The running board serves as the platform for running, providing a stable surface and reducing knee strain; therefore, its performance directly impacts the overall user experience. The running board usually consists of two layers: a base plate in the middle and two conductive and wear-resistant outer layers. The base plate is typically made of MDF, wood, or plastic. The conductive and wear-resistant layers reduce friction from the running belt over time and allow static electricity to be discharged through the base, preventing damage to the treadmill's electrical system.

[0003] According to existing technology, there is a wear-resistant treadmill running board and its manufacturing process, and a treadmill, with publication number CN115651486B. It includes a substrate and a wear-resistant layer disposed on the surface of the substrate. Epoxy resin is used as an adhesive to bond fillers, lubricants and other components together and firmly adhere to the substrate surface to form a wear-resistant layer. Since the wear-resistant layer is directly attached to the substrate surface, after the wear-resistant layer is worn away during use, the wear resistance and lubrication performance of the entire running board will be greatly reduced, resulting in a short service life and high cost. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the defects of the prior art and provide a treadmill running board with good wear resistance and lubrication performance and long service life, as well as its manufacturing process and treadmill.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is: a treadmill running board, comprising the following components by mass percentage: PA6 15~25%; PA66 45~55%; 5-15% glass fiber; Polycarbonate 5-15%; Toughening agent 5-15%.

[0006] With the above structure, the present invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art: The running board of the present invention is a composite material plastic running board, which is injection molded with PA6 and PA66 as the base material and polycarbonate, so that the entire running board has good wear resistance and self-lubricating effect. When the surface of the running board is worn, it does not affect the overall wear resistance and lubrication performance of the running board. It has good wear resistance and lubrication performance and long service life. In addition, the addition of glass fiber makes the injection molded running board corrosion resistant and less prone to deformation and mold when used in humid weather for a long time. The addition of toughening agent makes it less prone to cracking.

[0007] Preferably, the toughening agent is an active toughening agent, whose molecular chain contains active groups that can react with the matrix resin. It can form a network structure, increase a portion of the flexible chain, and thus improve the impact resistance of the composite material.

[0008] Preferably, the active toughening agent includes at least one of styrene-based block copolymers and carbon nanotubes. The styrene-based block copolymers form a micro-phase separation structure through physical mixing, improving the toughness and impact resistance of PC. When 1.5 wt% of carbon nanotubes are added to PC, the impact strength increases by 120%, while the volume resistivity decreases to 10 Ω·cm. 4 Ω·cm.

[0009] A manufacturing process for a treadmill running board as described in any of the above examples includes the following steps: S1: PA6 and PA66 are mixed in a certain proportion and then dried, with the moisture content controlled within 550~600ppm, to form the first mixture; S2: Glass fiber and polycarbonate are mixed in a certain proportion and then dried, with the moisture content controlled within 550~600ppm, to form a second mixture; S3: Mix the first mixture and the second mixture at high speed in a mixer; S4: Mix in a twin-screw granulator for 70-80 seconds to extrude granulated plastic; S5: Select a specific injection molding machine based on the weight of the product and the external dimensions of the mold. Control the temperature of the equipment at 350~400℃ and adjust it as required. Then, set the temperature control of the injection molding machine to 350~450℃, the pressure control to 50~70 bar, and the time control to 120~130 seconds, and feed the granular plastic into the injection molding machine for injection molding.

[0010] Preferably, in step S4, 1% to 2% of compounding agent is added during the mixing process to improve the material's processing performance, physical and mechanical properties, or extend its service life.

[0011] Preferably, the compounding agent includes at least one of flame retardant, antioxidant, and accelerator. The flame retardant gives the running board a flame-retardant effect; the antioxidant delays oxidative degradation and extends service life; and the accelerator increases the reaction rate of the first mixture and the second mixture in the compounding process.

[0012] A treadmill using a treadmill running board as described in any of the above descriptions, further comprising a front running board and a rear running board articulated together.

[0013] Preferably, the lateral gap between the front running board and the rear running board is 15~25um to reduce abnormal noise generated between the running boards.

[0014] Preferably, the radial distance between the upper surface of the front running board and the upper surface of the rear running board is 0~10um to reduce abnormal noise generated between the running boards. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0016] This invention provides a treadmill running board, which comprises the following components by weight percentage: PA6 15~25%; PA66 45~55%; 5-15% glass fiber; Polycarbonate 5-15%; Toughening agent 5-15%.

[0017] This invention utilizes a mixture of PA6 and PA66 wear-resistant plastics as a base material, then incorporates polycarbonate for injection molding into a running board. The polycarbonate provides the running board with self-lubricating properties, resulting in a running board with excellent wear resistance and lubrication. Glass fiber contributes high strength, high modulus, and low elongation, along with corrosion resistance, good chemical stability, a large specific surface area, mold resistance, and non-flammability. Toughening agents enhance the running board's impact resistance and extend its service life; specifically, the toughening agent improves the toughness and impact resistance of the polycarbonate. Existing wear-resistant treadmill running boards attach a wear-resistant layer to a base plate to increase wear resistance and lubrication. The base plate is typically made of MDF, solid wood, or phenolic resin board. However, due to the poor wear resistance and lubrication of the base plate itself, these properties significantly decrease after the wear-resistant layer wears away, affecting the running board's lifespan. In contrast, the running board of this invention uses the same material for every part, so surface wear does not affect its wear resistance and lubrication, resulting in a long service life. Since this invention is integrally injection molded and does not need to be attached to a substrate, there is no need to add resin materials to improve adhesion.

[0018] This invention incorporates compounding agents during the mixing process to improve material processing performance, physical and mechanical properties, or extend service life. Adding compounding agents to PA6, PA66, glass fiber, polycarbonate, and toughening agents allows for better integration of these components, resulting in injection-molded products with excellent wear resistance, lubrication, corrosion resistance, resistance to mold, and high impact strength, eliminating the need for additional resins and coupling agents. The injection-molded products are specifically designed for treadmill running boards, particularly for folding treadmills. The compounding agents include at least one of flame retardants, antioxidants, and accelerators. Flame retardants provide flame retardancy; antioxidants delay oxidative degradation and extend service life; and accelerators increase the reaction rate of the first and second mixtures during mixing. Suitable compounding agents are added according to specific application requirements. Example

[0019] The treadmill running board of this embodiment comprises the following components by weight percentage: 15% PA6, 45% PA66, 13% glass fiber, 13% polycarbonate, and 13% toughening agent; wherein the active toughening agent includes styrene block copolymers.

[0020] The manufacturing process of the treadmill running board in this embodiment includes the following steps: S1: PA6 and PA66 are mixed in a certain proportion and then dried, with the moisture content controlled within 550ppm, to form the first mixture; S2: Glass fiber and polycarbonate are mixed in a certain proportion and then dried, with the moisture content controlled within 550ppm, to form a second mixture; S3: Mix the first mixture and the second mixture at high speed in a mixer; S4: Mix in a twin-screw granulator for 70 seconds, extrude granulated plastic, and add 1% antioxidant during the mixing process; S5: Select a specific injection molding machine based on the weight of the product and the external dimensions of the mold. Control the temperature of the equipment at 350℃ and adjust it as required. Then, set the temperature, pressure, and time of the injection molding machine to 350℃, 50 bar, and 120 seconds, and feed the granular plastic into the injection molding machine for injection molding.

[0021] The treadmill of this embodiment has the treadmill running board described above, with a lateral gap of 15µm between the front running board and the rear running board, and a vertical distance of 3µm between the upper surface of the front running board and the upper surface of the rear running board. Example

[0022] The treadmill running board of this embodiment comprises the following components by weight percentage: 20% PA6, 40% PA66, 10% glass fiber, 10% polycarbonate, and 10% toughening agent; wherein the active toughening agent includes styrene block copolymers.

[0023] The manufacturing process of the treadmill running board in this embodiment includes the following steps: S1: PA6 and PA66 are mixed in a certain proportion and then dried, with the moisture content controlled within 570ppm, to form the first mixture; S2: Glass fiber and polycarbonate are mixed in a certain proportion and then dried, with the moisture content controlled within 570ppm, to form a second mixture; S3: Mix the first mixture and the second mixture at high speed in a mixer; S4: Mix in a twin-screw granulator for 75 seconds, extrude granulated plastic, and add 1.5% antioxidant during the mixing process; S5: Select a specific injection molding machine based on the weight of the product and the external dimensions of the mold. Control the temperature of the equipment at 370℃ and adjust it as required. Then, set the temperature control of the injection molding machine to 400℃, the pressure control to 60 bar, and the time control to 125 seconds. Feed the granular plastic into the injection molding machine for injection molding.

[0024] The treadmill of this embodiment has the treadmill running board described above, with a lateral gap of 20µm between the front running board and the rear running board, and a vertical distance of 5µm between the upper surface of the front running board and the upper surface of the rear running board. Example

[0025] The treadmill running board of this embodiment comprises the following components by weight percentage: 25% PA6, 55% PA66, 5% glass fiber, 5% polycarbonate, and 5% toughening agent; wherein the active toughening agent includes styrene block copolymers.

[0026] The manufacturing process of the treadmill running board in this embodiment includes the following steps: S1: PA6 and PA66 are mixed in a certain proportion and then dried, with the moisture content controlled within 600ppm, to form the first mixture; S2: Glass fiber and polycarbonate are mixed in a certain proportion and then dried, with the moisture content controlled within 600 ppm to form a second mixture; S3: Mix the first mixture and the second mixture at high speed in a mixer; S4: Mix in a twin-screw granulator for 80 seconds, extrude granulated plastic, and add 2% antioxidant during the mixing process; S5: Select a specific injection molding machine based on the weight of the product and the external dimensions of the mold. Control the temperature of the equipment at 400℃ and adjust it as required. Then, set the temperature control of the injection molding machine to 450℃, the pressure control to 70 bar, and the time control to 130 seconds. Feed the granular plastic into the injection molding machine for injection molding.

[0027] The treadmill of this embodiment has the treadmill running board described above, with a lateral gap of 25 μm between the front running board and the rear running board, and a vertical distance of 10 μm between the upper surface of the front running board and the upper surface of the rear running board.

[0028] Existing folding treadmills, led by Kingsmith and Xiaomi, use a layer of melamine-impregnated paper attached to MDF for support. To solve the noise and creaking between the front and rear running boards during running, a flexible PA film is attached to the front and rear running boards. However, air bubbles and misalignment can occur when attaching the PA film, making the manufacturing process complicated.

[0029] Examples 1, 2, and 3, as well as the Mijia treadmill running board (Xiaomi folding treadmill) of the prior art, were tested for abnormal noise and impact (the test requirement was 200,000 times). The relevant test results are shown in Table 1. The principle of this invention is that the running board is a composite material plastic running board, using PA6 and PA66 as the base material and injection molded with polycarbonate. This results in good wear resistance and self-lubricating properties. Even after some wear on the surface, the overall wear resistance and lubrication performance of the running board are not affected, leading to good wear resistance, lubrication performance, and a long service life. Additionally, the addition of glass fiber makes the injection-molded running board corrosion-resistant and less prone to deformation and mold growth during long-term use in humid weather. The addition of toughening agents further reduces the likelihood of cracking. Existing running boards deform during the rainy season; when the deformation exceeds 3mm, it severely affects foot feel and reduces the user experience. Furthermore, humid weather can cause mold growth on the cross-section of the running board.

[0030] The running board of the Mi Home treadmill makes a rattling noise after each use and when it is stored away. This is because when the user is running, the PA film adhesive near the joint between the front and rear running boards sticks together with the density running board under the influence of gravity. When folded for storage, the PA film adhesive at the joint between the front and rear running boards separates from the density running board due to the hinge angle limitation, causing the rattling noise.

[0031] Based on the above solutions, if various modifications or variations to the present invention do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims and equivalent technologies of the present invention, then the present invention also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A treadmill running board, characterized in that: It comprises the following components by mass percentage: PA6 15~25%; PA66 45~55%; 5-15% glass fiber; Polycarbonate 5-15%; Toughening agent 5-15%.

2. A treadmill running board according to claim 1, characterized in that: The toughening agent is an active toughening agent.

3. A treadmill running board according to claim 2, characterized in that: The active toughening agent includes at least one of styrene-based block copolymers and carbon nanotubes.

4. A manufacturing process for a treadmill running board as described in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: It includes the following steps: S1: PA6 and PA66 are mixed in a certain proportion and then dried, with the moisture content controlled within 550~600ppm, to form the first mixture; S2: Glass fiber and polycarbonate are mixed in a certain proportion and then dried, with the moisture content controlled within 550~600ppm, to form a second mixture; S3: Mix the first mixture and the second mixture at high speed in a mixer; S4: Mix in a twin-screw granulator for 70-80 seconds to extrude granulated plastic; S5: Select a specific injection molding machine based on the weight of the product and the external dimensions of the mold. Control the temperature of the equipment at 350~400℃ and adjust it as required. Then, set the temperature control of the injection molding machine to 350~450℃, the pressure control to 50~70 bar, and the time control to 120~130 seconds, and feed the granular plastic into the injection molding machine for injection molding.

5. The manufacturing process of a treadmill running board according to claim 4, characterized in that: In step S4, a compounding agent is added during the mixing process.

6. The manufacturing process of a treadmill running board according to claim 5, characterized in that: The compounding agent includes at least one of flame retardant, antioxidant, and accelerator.

7. A treadmill using a treadmill running board as described in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: It also includes a front running board and a rear running board that are hinged together.

8. A treadmill according to claim 7, characterized in that: The lateral gap between the front running board and the rear running board is 15~25um.

9. A treadmill according to claim 7, characterized in that: The radial distance between the upper surface of the front running plate and the upper surface of the rear running plate is 0~10um.