Treadmill Side Frame Curvature Enhances Cover Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional manual treadmills suffer from durability issues due to shape mismatches between side frames and covers, leading to potential damage when users step on the side covers, which are often made of plastic and may break due to gaps created by differing shapes.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a central frame with a curved top portion and side frames with corresponding curved shapes, along with side covers that match these shapes, ensuring close contact and enhanced durability by maintaining the side covers' integrity even when stepped on.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If side covers are made of plastic to reduce weight and cost, then manufacturing cost and weight are reduced, but durability deteriorates when users step on the side covers
Solution Approach 1:
The side frame's top portion is designed with a curved shape that precisely matches the curvature of the side cover. This curved geometry allows the rigid plastic side cover to conform to the frame's shape, distributing step loads more evenly across the cover's surface and preventing stress concentration that would lead to cracking or breaking.
2Adaptability or versatility
If side frame and side cover have different shapes, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but structural integrity deteriorates due to gaps between components
Solution Approach 1:
The side frame is designed with a localized curved top portion that specifically matches the curvature of the side cover. This local geometric adaptation ensures precise fitting and close contact between the frame and cover at the critical interface, eliminating gaps that would compromise structural integrity while allowing other portions of the frame to maintain their original design characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
By designing the side frame's top portion with a curved shape that corresponds to the side cover's curvature, the invention ensures that the rigid plastic cover and metal frame maintain close contact across their entire interface. This curved geometry eliminates gaps and prevents relative movement between components, enhancing the overall structural integrity of the treadmill.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a treadmill including a plurality of slats extending in a first direction and arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The frame structure supports both ends of each of the plurality of slats to allow the plurality of slats to be movable in the second direction. The frame structure includes a central frame having a top portion having a curved shape. The frame structure further includes a first side frame and a second side frame respectively arranged on both sides of the central frame. A top portion of each of the first and second side frames has a shape corresponding to the curved shape of the central frame.