Exercise weight plate with integral retaining mechanism.

Abstract

A a robust weight plate of a size similar to industry-standard components integrated with a retaining mechanism capable of engaging an industry-standard weight bar to form a barbell or a dumbbell assembly.

Description

[0001]The present invention relates to exercise equipment and in particular to bar-mounted weights, in the category of freeweights that includes dumbbells and barbells.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Barbells and dumbbells are devices that are widely used in exercise. They are generally configured as a tubular bar, with a plurality of removable weight plates slidably mounted on both ends of the bar. To configure the device to a particular weight, the user adds or removes a desired number of weight plates.[0003]For safety, it is necessary to secure the installed weights to the bar to prevent them from falling off and potentially causing injury. The most common way to secure the weight plates is with a dedicated clamp or locking collar, one on each end, which is installed after all the desired weight plates are mounted on the bar. Examples of such clamps are taught by Strnad in U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,109, by Whittington, et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,268 and others. Torsional spring cla...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a way to secure industry-standard weight plates to a bar in a fitness equipment industry. The weight plate is designed to be durable and easily installed, with a mechanism that attaches it securely to the bar. This mechanism allows multiple weight plates to be stacked together, forming a barbell or dumbbell assembly. The weight plate can be easily verified through visual inspection, and it can be constructed with high-viscosity markings or coloring to ensure its installation. Overall, the invention provides a simple yet effective solution for securely attaching weight plates to a bar in fitness equipment.

Problems solved by technology

There are several drawbacks to the method of securing weight plates with separate clamps, in particular as it relates to commercial gym operators who must keep and maintain a large number of units for multiple simultaneous users.

The individual clamps may get lost, damaged or misplaced.

Additionally, due to their generally small size the typical clamps are easily obscured from view by the much larger weight plates, making it difficult for a gym attendant to quickly visually verify that a user has properly installed the clamps, especially from a distance.

In a busy gym with many users configuring and reconfiguring equipment as they exercise, it may not be possible to ensure or verify proper clamp use.

The disadvantage of specifically configured matching bar and weight plate solution is that such solutions are typically specific to a single vendor and not interchangeable or compatible with others.

It is not practical for most gym operators to change out existing inventory, or to mix industry-standard equipment with proprietary equipment.

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