Rotating Weight Tree Arms for Safer Plate Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional weight racks, or 'weight trees,' are static and require users to bend over to access heavy weight plates, increasing the risk of injury during lifting and transport.
Innovation Solution
A rotatable weight tree configuration with vertically extending pegs that allow weight plates to be stored at a comfortable standing height, featuring a central shaft and tree components that rotate about a vertical axis, enabling easy access and reducing the need for physical strain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If weight plates are stored on traditional static weight racks, then heavy weight plates can be accommodated on the bottom of the rack, but users must bend over to access them, increasing the risk of injury
Solution Approach 1:
The weight rack transitions from a static structure to a dynamic one with rotatable arms that can move between storage and access positions. The arms rotate about vertical axes to bring weight plates from peripheral storage positions to central access positions, eliminating the need for users to bend over and reducing injury risk while maintaining safe storage configuration.
2Ease of operation
If weight plates are stored higher up on the rack, then users can access them more easily, but heavy weight plates would interfere with lighter weight plates stored above
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable arms allow the rack to dynamically reconfigure its weight plate arrangement. During storage, arms are positioned peripherally to prevent interference between plates of different weights. During access, arms rotate to bring the required plate to a central position, temporarily changing the arrangement to facilitate easy access without causing interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack is divided into multiple independent rotatable arms, each capable of rotating independently about its vertical axis. This segmentation allows each arm to be positioned optimally for its specific weight plate, enabling heavy plates to be stored on outer portions while lighter plates are stored on inner portions, preventing interference while maintaining accessibility.
Data Source
AI summary
The present embodiments are directed to a rack adapted to support a plurality of weighted plates. Such a rack is commonly known as a “weight tree” or “plate tree” due to the extensions that branch out from the center of the rack. The embodiments described herein may feature extensions that rotate about a central vertical axis so that weight plates stored on the weight tree are easily accessible to a user. In further embodiments, the weight tree may be assembled/disassembled so that individual components of the weight tree may be elsewhere employed, such as on another weight tree or on lifting equipment (e.g., a Smith machine, bench press, squat rack, etc.) adapted to receive such components.