U.S. patent application number 10/788419 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-24 for dumbbell.
Invention is credited to Klotzki, Ulrich.
Application Number | 20050065003 10/788419 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34315109 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050065003 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Klotzki, Ulrich |
March 24, 2005 |
Dumbbell
Abstract
The invention relates to a new design for a dumbbell with a
dumbbell handle element and at least one holder for removable
fastening of one or more weight disks on one end of the dumbbell
handle element.
Inventors: |
Klotzki, Ulrich;
(Neutraubling, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HOFFMAN, WASSON & GITLER, PC
2461 South Clark Street - Suite 522
Arlington
VA
22202
US
|
Family ID: |
34315109 |
Appl. No.: |
10/788419 |
Filed: |
March 1, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/107 ;
482/106 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 21/072 20130101;
A63B 21/0728 20130101; A63B 21/0605 20130101; A63B 21/075
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/107 ;
482/106 |
International
Class: |
A63B 021/072 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 3, 2003 |
DE |
203 03 414.7 |
Feb 14, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 007 264.7 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A dumbbell with a dumbbell handle element and with at least one
holder for removable fastening of one or more weight disks on one
end of the dumbbell handle element, wherein the at least one holder
comprises a casing, the interior of which is open on a front side
facing away from the dumbbell handle element for insertion and
removal of the weight disks, and that locking means are provided on
the casing that act in combination with the weight disks on their
outer circumference.
2. A dumbbell with a dumbbell handle element and with at least one
holder for removable fastening of one or more weight disks on one
end of the dumbbell handle element, wherein electronic circuitry is
provided for on the dumbbell handle element and/or on the at least
one holder.
3. A dumbbell with a dumbbell handle element and with at least one
holder for removable fastening of one or more weight disks on one
end of the dumbbell handle element, wherein the at least one holder
consists of a casing, the interior of which is open on a front side
facing away from the dumbbell handle element for insertion and
removal of the weight disks, and whereby locking means are provided
on the casing that act in combination with the weight disks on
their outer circumference, the locking means consist of at least
one swiveling locking element which locks the weight disks
accommodated in the interior in recesses with an edge area.
4. A dumbbell with a dumbbell handle element and with at least one
holder for removable fastening of one or more weight disks on one
end of the dumbbell handle element, wherein the at least one holder
consists of a casing, the interior of which is open on a front side
facing away from the dumbbell handle element for insertion and
removal of the weight disks, whereby locking means are provided on
the casing that act in combination with the weight disks on their
outer circumference, locking means are provided on the casing that
act radially upon the weight disks on their outer circumference,
the locking means consist of at least one swiveling locking
element, which locks the weight disks accommodated in the interior
in recesses with an edge area.
5. A dumbbell with a dumbbell handle element and with at least one
holder for removable fastening of one or more weight disks on at
least one end of the dumbbell handle element, comprising at least
one active or passive electric or electronic component in the
dumbbell handle element and/or in the at least one holder, the
electronic component acts in combination with an external
anti-theft device.
6. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 1, further comprising locking
means provided on the casing that act radially upon the weight
disks on their outer circumference.
7. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 6, wherein the locking means
consist of at least one swiveling locking element which locks the
weight disks accommodated in the interior of the casing by
interlocking on their outer circumference.
8. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 6, wherein the locking means
consist of at least one swiveling locking element, which locks the
weight disks accommodated in the interior in recesses with an edge
area.
9. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 8, wherein the edge area of the
weight disks is an outer circumference of these disks.
10. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 8, wherein the edge area
consists of an opening of the respective weight disk.
11. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 8, further comprising recesses
interlocking with the edge area of the weight disks formed on the
inner surface of the casing.
12. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 11, wherein the recesses
holding the edge area of the openings of the weight disks are
formed on a journal located in the interior of the casing.
13. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the interior of
the casing on an inner surface of an outer wall of the casing
and/or on a journal located in the interior, there is a
rubber-elastic bearing surface for the weight disks.
14. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 1, wherein the weight disks
are rubber-elastic at least on an area bearing against the casing
when the locking element is locked and/or against a journal located
in the casing
15. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking means
consist of at least one swiveling cam located on the casing.
16. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking means
consist of at least one swiveling locking element, which locks the
weight disks accommodated in the interior in recesses with an edge
area.
17. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 1, wherein locking means are
provided on the casing that act radially upon the weight disks on
their outer circumference.
18. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one
holder consists of a casing, the interior of which is open on a
front side facing away from the dumbbell handle element for
insertion and removal of the weight disks, and that locking means
are provided on the casing that act in combination with the weight
disks on their outer circumference.
Description
[0001] The invention refers to a dumbbell.
[0002] Dumbbells are known in the art in a wide variety of designs
and generally allow the exchange of weights or weight disks in
order to vary or adapt the total or training weight of the dumbbell
to individual preferences or requirements.
[0003] An object of the invention is to present a dumbbell that has
an attractive outward appearance while enabling fast and easy
changing of the weight disks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] To achieve this goal, a dumbbell with a dumbbell handle
element and with at least one holder for removable fastening of one
or more weight disks on one end of the dumbbell handle element, is
embodied.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] The invention is described below in more detail based on the
drawings and a sample embodiment:
[0006] FIG. 1--a simplified representation in partial view of a
dumbbell according to the invention;
[0007] FIG. 2--an enlarged individual representation of one end of
the dumbbell in FIG. 1, together with several weights or weight
disks arranged there;
[0008] FIG. 3--a simplified representation in front view of the
dumbbell of FIG. 2;
[0009] FIG. 4--a representation similar to FIG. 2 of a further
possible embodiment of the invention; and
[0010] FIG. 5--a representation similar to FIG. 3 with a further
possible embodiment of the dumbbell according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The dumbbell, generally designated 1 in FIGS. 1-3, consists
essentially of a central, rod-shaped dumbbell element or handle
element 2, which merges into a cap-shaped or bell-shaped casings 3
and 4 at both ends.
[0012] For reinforcement of the dumbbell 1, there is a metal rod 5
in the hollow tube-shaped handle element 2, which extends into the
respective casing 3, or 4 at both ends, and is connected there with
a cylindrical disk-shaped plate 7 forming the bottom of the
interior space 6, of the respective casing 3, or 4. The plate is
made of metal, as is the rod 5. The longitudinal axis of the rod 5
defines the longitudinal axis L of the dumbbell 1. The two plates 7
are located on the same axis as this longitudinal axis.
[0013] The casings 3 and 4 are identical in the depicted embodiment
and are rotationally symmetrical to the longitudinal axis L and are
open on both front sides facing away from the handle element 2,
namely for inserting/removing disk-shaped weights or weight disks 8
into/from the respective casing 3 or 4.
[0014] By using a different number of weights 8 the total weight of
the dumbbell 1 can be varied at each end of the dumbbell. In the
depicted embodiment the casings 3 and 4 are designed so that there
is room for a maximum of five weights 8 in each casing. Other
embodiments are also conceivable.
[0015] The weights 8 are inserted and removed via the open front
side of the casing 3 or 4. The weights 8 are fixed in the interior
6 of the respective casing on the outside circumference of the
circular disk-shaped weight disks 8, which then are on the same
axis or parallel to the longitudinal axis L, whereby the first
weight disk 8 inserted in to the respective interior 6 lies flat
against the bottom of the plate 7 forming this space.
[0016] At least one casing 3 or 4, but preferably both casings,
accommodates electronic circuitry 9 with a corresponding power
supply (battery). Of this electronic circuitry 9, FIG. 1 also
depicts the display field 9.1 and a button or sensor 11 that can be
actuated for example by the thumb 10 of the user, which (button or
sensor) in this embodiment is located on the edge of the open side
of the respective casing 3 or 4. Pressing the button 11 causes, for
example, the total weight of the weight disks 8 accommodated in the
respective interior space 6 to be displayed on the display 9.1. For
this purpose, the electronic circuitry has several contacts 12, one
of which is reserved for each weight disk 8, so that the electronic
circuitry then displays the total weight corresponding to the
number of weight disks accommodated in the interior space 6.
Generally it is also possible to use the electronic circuitry for
further measurements, for example for a pulse measurement by means
of a sensor, etc. corresponding to the button 11 on the respective
casing 3 or 4.
[0017] As described, the rod 5 and the plates 7 are made of metal,
for example of steel. The two casings 3 and 4 and the dumbbell
element 2 surrounding the rod 5 are made of one piece from a
suitable, impact-resistant and stable plastic material.
[0018] As described above, the weight disks 8 are fixed in the
respective interior space on their outer circumference. For this
purpose, there is a cam 14 that can swivel on bearings in the outer
wall 13 of each casing surrounding the interior space 6, namely by
means of a cam axis 15 on a swivel axis SW, which is oriented
parallel to the longitudinal axis L, but which is radially offset
from this longitudinal axis. The cam 14, which extends in the
manner of a roller over the entire or nearly the entire axial depth
of the respective interior 6, is open on the inner surface of the
outer wall. The cam 14 in the depicted embodiment is made of one
piece with an actuating lever 16 extending radially from the cam
and with which the cam 14 can be swiveled on its cam axis 15,
namely between a position in which the actuating lever 16 is
completely contained within a peripheral groove 17 of the
respective casing, which is the position that locks the disk weight
8 in the respective casing, and a position in which the lever 16
extends beyond the periphery of the casing 3 or 4 and in which the
weight disks 8 are released.
[0019] Across from the cam 14 molded into the inner surface of the
outer wall 16 there are several groove-like recesses 18 that are
partially ring-shaped, extending concentric to the longitudinal
axis L, such that these recesses 18 are offset from each other in
the direction of the longitudinal axis L and extend on the
longitudinal axis L over an angle area greater than 90.degree..
[0020] Each recess 18 serves to hold an edge area of a weight disk
8. With cams 14 located in the non-locking position, the desired
number of weight disks 8 can thus be inserted into the interior 6
of the respective casing 3 or 4, namely such that these disks lie
flat against each other and the first disk lies flat against the
plate 7. Afterwards, the cam 14 is swiveled into the locking
position by means of the lever 16, which then fixes the individual
weight disks 8 in the corresponding groove-shaped recesses 18 and
therefore holds them in the respective casing 3 or 4. The recesses
18 extend across a sufficiently large angle area for locking of the
weight disks 8 in the respective casing, so that these disks are
pressed with their edge area located across from the respective
recess 18 by the cam 14 into the corresponding recess 18. For
improved locking, the cam 14 can likewise be provided with the
recesses 19 corresponding to the recesses 18 or can be
rubber-elastic at least on their outside circumference, so that the
weight disks 8 press into the cam 14 when it is locked and
therefore achieve additional anchoring 8 on the cam 14.
[0021] A special feature of the dumbbell 1 is that it is not
necessary to line up the weight disks 8 on a stud or bolt. The
advantage of the dumbbell 1 consists for example in the fact that
this dumbbell can be manufactured with an attractive appearance,
that the weight disks 8 are protected in the respective casing 3 or
4 and that the disks can be changed easily and quickly.
[0022] FIG. 4 shows as a further possible embodiment a dumbbell 1a,
which differs from the dumbbell 1 essentially in that the weight
disks 8a corresponding to the weight disks 8 are each provided with
a central opening 20, and that the bar 5a corresponding to the bar
5 forms a journal 21 on both ends on the same axis as the
longitudinal axis L and extending over nearly the entire axial
length of the interior 6 of the respective casing 3 or 4, on which
(journal) the individual weight disks 8a can be placed with their
openings 20. For each weight disk 8 the journal 21 is provided with
a ring-shaped groove 22. This is used to hold an edge area of the
opening 20 of the respective weight disk 8a.
[0023] As depicted, the journal 21 has a maximum diameter that is
smaller than the diameter of the opening 20. The weight disks 8a
are likewise inserted with the cam 14 in the non-locking position.
After insertion of the desired number of weight disks 8, the cam 14
is moved into the locking position, which causes this cam to bear
against the edge of the weight disks 8 and to press them with the
edge of their openings 20 radially into a groove 22, where they are
fixed so that the weight disks 9a are anchored in the respective
casing 3 or 4.
[0024] It is assumed above that the casings 3 and 4 are designed to
be rotationally symmetrical, for example bell-shaped in relation to
the longitudinal axis L of the dumbbell 1 or 1a. FIG. 5 shows as a
further possible embodiment a dumbbell 1b corresponding to the
dumbbell 1a, in which the two casings 3 and 4, and also the weight
disks 8b, are square in shape. Other shapes are also conceivable
for the casings and the weight disks.
[0025] The invention was described above based on sample
embodiments. It goes without saying that further modifications and
adaptations are possible, without abandoning the underlying
inventive idea on which the invention is based. For example, it is
also possible to provide a rubber-elastic material on the
respective surfaces instead of the recesses 18 and 22 or to
manufacture the respective surfaces or the casing of a
rubber-elastic material, so that the weight disks 8 press with
their outside circumference into this material after swiveling the
cam 14 into the locking position or can be pressed with the edge of
their openings 20 into this material, thereby being held in
place.
[0026] Generally it is also possible to design the electronic
circuitry so that a standardized or individual training program
created for the respective user and stored in memory of the
electronic circuitry can be started for example via the button 11,
after which the sequence is displayed to the user in the display 9
or via an acoustic transmitter of the electronic circuitry. Other
applications for the electronic circuitry are also conceivable.
[0027] Furthermore, the electronic circuitry can also be part of a
theft protection system, for example in cooperation with a sensor
device located at an exit of a training center, which produces an
acoustic and/or a visual alarm signal in the event that the
dumbbell is stolen. Instead of electronic circuitry or an active
electric component or also in addition to this, a passive element
can be provided for in the dumbbell that works together with a
stationary device for example at an exit of a training or fitness
center, namely in the same manner as anti-theft devices in retail
stores.
[0028] Reference List
[0029] 1, 1a, 1b dumbbell
[0030] 2 pipe or sleeve-like dumbbell element
[0031] 3, 4 casing
[0032] 5, 5a bar
[0033] 6 casing interior
[0034] 7 plate
[0035] 8, 8a, 8b weight disk
[0036] 9 electronic circuitry
[0037] 9.1 display
[0038] 10 thumb
[0039] 11 button or sensor
[0040] 12 contact
[0041] 13 peripheral wall
[0042] 14 cam
[0043] 15 swivel axis of extender
[0044] 16 lever
[0045] 17 peripheral groove
[0046] 18, 19 recess
[0047] 20 opening
[0048] 21 journal
[0049] 22 groove
* * * * *