Weight Member Sliding Interlock for Barbell Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional weight training devices with dovetail and dovetail groove joints suffer from abrasion due to uneven distribution of gravity, leading to instability and difficulty in switching between barbell and dumbbell modes.
Innovation Solution
The weight member design features a split groove with first and second sides having mortises and tenons arranged in opposite directions, allowing sliding interlock between weight members, enhancing structural strength and dispersing gravity during training, enabling smooth switching between barbell and dumbbell modes without rotating the supporting table.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If dovetail and dovetail groove joints are used with joint structure at single center position, then assembly is simple, but gravity causes abrasion and structural strength is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The joint structure is segmented from a single center position to multiple positions (first and second joint structures at different locations). This segmentation distributes the gravitational load across multiple connection points, reducing abrasion at any single location while maintaining assembly simplicity through the use of standard mortise-tenon mechanisms at each segment.
2Device complexity
If joint structure is located at single center position, then device complexity is low, but gravity causes abrasion and stability is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The joint structure transitions from a single-point (0D) or line-based (1D) connection to a distributed multi-point arrangement across different spatial positions. This dimensional expansion allows the system to handle gravitational forces more effectively by creating a distributed load path, improving stability without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If weight members are held by hand and kept moving, then operational flexibility is good, but gravity causes abrasion on joint structure
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-position joint structure acts as a counterbalancing system that distributes the gravitational force (weight) across multiple connection points. This anti-weight arrangement reduces the concentrated load on any single joint, thereby minimizing abrasion during dynamic operations while preserving the flexibility needed for hand-held manipulation and movement.
Data Source
AI summary
A weight member and the use in barbell and dumbbell devices are provided, wherein the weight member has a first side and a second side opposite to each other, and a split groove through the first side and the second side. A first mortise and a first tenon are arranged on the first side, and a second mortise and a second tenon are arranged on the second side. The first mortise and the second tenon are arranged in opposite direction correspondingly, and the first mortise and the second tenon are opposite to each other and arranged correspondingly. When the weight members are assembled together, the first mortise and the first tenon of one weight member is sliding interlocked with the second tenon and the second mortise of another weight member respectively.