Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BARBELL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF
FIELD
The present technology is a barbell system in which the weight plates attach
to one
another in any order with the only the first plate in direct contact with the
bar. Additionally,
it is a barbell system in which the weight plates include a sound and shock
reducing
bumper and there is an ergonomically designed handle.
BACKGROUND
United States Patent Application Publication No. 20220212052 discloses an
adjustable
dumbbell that includes weight plates that are selectively connectable to a
handle.
Unselected weight plates are secured to a cradle. To secure the unselected
weight plates
to the cradle, a latch in the cradle is inserted into an engagement surface
notch in the
weight plate. The unselected weight plates are individually actuated based on
which
weight plates are selected and connected to the handle. This is a complex
system for
retaining the unused plates and does not allow a user to releasably retain any
combination
of weight plates.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 20210016124 discloses a set
of
dumbbells that comprise a plurality of dumbbells of different weights with the
dumbbells
having a common length. A plurality of adder weights is provided with each
adder weight
having a cavity that is sized to receive the common length of any one of the
dumbbells.
Any one of the dumbbells is dropped down into the cavity of any one of the
adder weights.
A slide retainer is then slid into a slideway on the any one adder weight to
overlie the
dumbbell and secure the dumbbell to the any one adder weight. The slide
retainer has a
window therein to allow a user to reach through the slide retainer and grip a
hand grip of
the dumbbell. This system is directed to adjusting the weight of a weight
plate by adding
an adder plate.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 20200306578 discloses an
adjustable
barbell system that includes a base, two or more weights, a handle assembly,
an
additional weight, and selection assembly. The two or more weights may be
supported
by the base and grouped into a first set of weights associated with one end of
the barbell
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-08-22
system and a second set of weights associated with an opposing end of the
barbell
system. The handle assembly may be selectively fixedly joined to the first and
second set
of weights. The additional weight may be disposed distally of the handle
assembly. The
selection assembly may be secured to the additional weight. The selection
assembly may
include a selection member that may be linearly moveable between a selected
position
where the additional weight is operatively secured to the handle assembly and
an
unselected position where the additional weight is disengaged from the handle
assembly.
This is a complex system.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 20140243168 discloses a
weight plate
system for a barbell or dumbbell that includes a first plate adapted to be
mounted directly
on the bar of a barbell or dumbbell, with the plate having an outer perimeter
spaced
outwardly from the bar when mounted thereon. A second plate includes a center
hole
adapted for receiving the outer periphery of the first plate whereby the
second plate is
mounted in concentric relationship with the first plate. The center hole of
the second plate
defines an inner periphery of the second plate which is mated with the outer
periphery of
the first plate. The adjacent first and second plates have seating channels on
the outer
and inner periphery, respectively, for maintaining the plates in seated
relationship. A
locking system maintains the plates in the assembled relationship. Multiple
plates can be
mounted in concentric relationship in this manner. This system does not appear
to provide
any advantage over the prior art.
United States Patent Application Publication Nos. 20110294629 and 20100255963
disclose a selectorized dumbbell that has a handle that can be inserted into a
gap
between stacks of nested left and right weight plates. A selector determines
how many
left weight plates are coupled to the left end of the handle and how many
right weight
plates are coupled to the right end of the handle. Each weight plate is held
between a pair
of flexible arms on a forked carrier. The arms allow the weight plates to
deflect out of a
normal, substantially upright, orientation if an impact shock is delivered to
the dumbbell.
The arms are restored to their normal orientation once the impact shock
dissipates.
Alternatively, the weight plates may comprise a metallic inner weight plate
covered with
an elastomer encasement and with an integral elastomer lug attaching the
weight plates
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-08-22
to at least one interconnecting member. The selector may comprise a connecting
pin with
at least one flexible shock absorbing prong. This is a complex system.
What is needed is an easy to assemble barbell system. It would be preferable
if it included
an ergonomically designed handle and a bar. It would be preferable if the
ergonomically
designed handle rotated about the bar unless it is locked in place. It would
be preferable
if the weight plates could be affixed to the bar, with a stack of one or more
weight plates,
of which only the most proximal was directly attached to the bar. It would be
further
preferable if each weight plate included a sound and shock reducing bumper
about the
periphery of the weight plate.
SUMMARY
The present technology is an easy to assemble barbell system. It includes an
ergonomically designed handle and a bar. The ergonomically designed handle
rotates
about the bar unless it is locked in place. The weight plates are affixed to
the bar, with a
stack of one or more weight plates, of which only the most proximal is
directly attached
to the bar. Each weight plate includes a sound and shock reducing bumper about
the
periphery of the weight plate.
In one embodiment, a barbell system is provided for weight training, the
barbell system
comprising: a bar which includes two ends and a length therebetween, each end
including
a threaded first member; an ergonomic handle engaging the bar; and at least
two weight
plates, each weight plate including a periphery, a first face, a second face,
a centrally
located threaded second member on the first face for threaded engagement with
the
threaded first member and a centrally located threaded first member on the
second face
for threaded engagement with the threaded second member of a subsequent weight
plate.
In the barbell system, each weight plate may include a groove extending around
the
periphery and a bumper retained therein.
In the barbell system, each weight plate may include an annular indent
extending around
the first threaded mating member or the second threaded mating member and an 0-
ring
retained therein.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-08-22
In the barbell system, the ergonomic handle may be in rotatable engagement
with the
bar.
The barbell system may further comprise a multiplicity of ball bearings housed
between
the bar and the ergonomic handle.
In the barbell system, the ball bearings may be housed in a race.
In the barbell system, the ergonomic handle may include a releasable lock
which extends
through the handle to the bar, which when actuated, prevents the bar from
rotating.
In another embodiment, a weight plate is provided for use with a bar, the
weight plate
including a periphery, a first face, a second face, a centrally located
threaded second
member on the first face and a centrally located threaded first member on the
second
face for threaded engagement with the threaded second member of a subsequent
weight
plate.
The weight plate may include a groove extending around the periphery and a
bumper
retained therein.
The weight plate may include an annular indent extending around the first
threaded
mating member or the second threaded mating member and an 0-ring retained
therein.
In the weight plate, the annular indent may extend around the threaded second
mating
member.
In the weight plate, the threaded second member may be a male member and the
threaded first member may be a female member.
FIGURES
Figure 1 is a plan view of the barbell weight system of the present
technology.
Figure 2A is a plan view of the first face of a weight plate; Figure 2B is a
plan view of the
second face of the weight plate; and Figure 2C is an exploded side sectional
view of two
adjacent weight plates.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the ergonomic handle and the
bar of the
barbell weight system of Figure 1.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-08-22
Figure 4A is a cross sectional view of the releasable lock in the actuated
position; and
Figure 4B is a cross sectional view of the releasable lock in the closed
position.
DESCRIPTION
Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a
shorthand method
of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range,
unless otherwise
indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the
specification as if it
were individually recited herein. Where a specific range of values is
provided, it is
understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower
limit unless
the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limit of
that range
and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range, is included
therein. All
smaller sub ranges are also included. The upper and lower limits of these
smaller ranges
are also included therein, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the
stated range.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have
the same
meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the relevant art.
Although
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-07-24
any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can
also be
used, the acceptable methods and materials are now described.
A barbell system, generally referred to as 10 is shown in Figure 1. A stack of
weight
plates includes weight plates 12 of varying weight. Each weight plate has a
bumper 14
around the periphery 16. An ergonomic handle 18 extends between the most
proximal
plates 20. It has flared ends 22 which are pressed against the first plate
face 24. The
ergonomic handle 18 is made of a plastic polymer and may be three-
dimensionally
printed. The plastic polymer may be for example, but not limited to nylon,
poly-lactate
and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.
As shown in Figure 2A, the first face 24 includes an 0-ring 26 and a threaded
male mating
member 28 which is centrally located. As shown in Figure 2B the second face 30
includes
a centrally located threaded female mating member 32. As shown in Figure 2C
there is
a groove 34 around the periphery 16 for accepting the bumper 14 which in one
embodiment is an elastomeric 0-ring. In the preferred embodiment, there is
also an
annular indent 36 around the centrally located threaded male mating member 28
for
retaining the elastomeric 0-ring 26. In another embodiment, the annular indent
36 is on
the second face 30. The threads 38 can be seen in Figure 2C. It can be seen
that the
threaded female mating member 32 of one weight plate 12 threadedly mates with
the
threaded male mating member 28 of the next weight plate 12.
As shown in Figure 3, a bar 50 has a bar threaded female mating member 52 at
each end
54 and a length 56 therebetween. The bar threaded female mating member 52 is
for
threaded engagement with the threaded male mating member 28 of the first
weight plate
58. In this manner, only the first weight plate 20 is directly attached to the
bar 50 and
subsequent weight plates (n+1, n+2, etc.) are indirectly attached to the bar
50 by the
previous weight plate. The bar 50 is spaced apart from the ergonomic handle 18
with
ball bearings 60 which are located in a race 62 in the bar 50 in a preferred
embodiment
or the ergonomic handle 18 in another embodiment. The ball bearings 60 allow
for free
rotation of the ergonomic handle 18 about the bar 50.
In order to remove the first weight plate 20, the handle 18 must be fixed.
Accordingly, as
shown in Figure 4A, a releasable lock, generally referred to as 64 has a leg
66 which
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-08-22
extends through a slot 68 in the ergonomic handle 18 and presses against the
bar 50
when actuated. As shown in Figure 4B, when not actuated, the lever 70 of the
releasable
lock 64 is flush with the outer surface 72 of the ergonomic handle 18.
In use, a user selects the desired weight plates 12. The releasable lock 64 is
in the
actuated position. The user threads the first weight plates 20 onto each end
54 of the bar
50. The user then releases the releasable lock 64, allowing the ergonomic
handle 18 to
rotate freely about the bar 50. The user then threads the second weight plates
12 onto
the first weight plates 20, and so on until all the desired weight plates 12
have been added.
The 0-ring 26 prevents the weight plates 12 from banging against each other
and also
ensures that they do not stick to one another when being added or removed. The
bumpers 16 reduce the shock and noise when the barbell system 10 is dropped or
placed
on a surface. To remove weight plates 12, the user unthreads the weight plates
from one
another and then again locks the releasable lock 64 to remove the first weight
plate 20.
In an alternative embodiment, the ergonomic handle 18 is in fixed relation to
the bar 50.
The fixed ergonomic handle may be metal.
While example embodiments have been described in connection with what is
presently
considered to be an example of a possible most practical and/or suitable
embodiment, it
is to be understood that the descriptions are not to be limited to the
disclosed
embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications
and
equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the example
embodiment.
Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to ascertain using no more
than routine
experimentation, many equivalents to the specific example embodiments
specifically
described herein. Such equivalents are intended to be encompassed in the scope
of the
claims, if appended hereto or subsequently filed.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-08-22
