U.S. patent application number 11/155737 was filed with the patent office on 2006-10-19 for weight-adjustable dumbbell.
Invention is credited to James Chen.
Application Number | 20060234843 11/155737 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37109232 |
Filed Date | 2006-10-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060234843 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chen; James |
October 19, 2006 |
Weight-adjustable dumbbell
Abstract
A weight-adjustable dumbbell includes a dumbbell base, which has
a plurality of locating holes, a plurality of weights, which are
detachably mountable on the dumbbell base, each having a plurality
of through holes corresponding to the locating holes of the
dumbbell bases, and a plurality of lock pins insertable into the
locating holes of the dumbbell base and the through holes of the
weights to selectively secure the weights to the dumbbell base.
Inventors: |
Chen; James; (Taichung
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BROWDY AND NEIMARK, P.L.L.C.;624 NINTH STREET, NW
SUITE 300
WASHINGTON
DC
20001-5303
US
|
Family ID: |
37109232 |
Appl. No.: |
11/155737 |
Filed: |
June 20, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/107 ;
482/108 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 21/00065 20130101;
A63B 21/0728 20130101; A63B 21/075 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/107 ;
482/108 |
International
Class: |
A63B 21/072 20060101
A63B021/072; A63B 21/075 20060101 A63B021/075 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 15, 2005 |
TW |
94205996 |
Claims
1. A dumbbell comprising: a dumbbell base having at least one
locating hole; a plurality of weights detachably mountable on said
dumbbell base, said weights each having at least one through hole
corresponding to the at least one locating hole of said dumbbell
base; and at least one lock pin insertable into the at least one
locating hole of said dumbbell base and the at least one through
hole of said weights to selectively secure said weights to said
dumbbell base.
2. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 1, wherein said weights each
have a slot and a mounting flange adjacent to the slot, said
mounting flange having two sidewalls and a top wall connected
between said sidewalls, said sidewalls being provided with the at
least one through hole of the respective weight, the mounting
flange of one of said weights being overlapped on the mounting
flange of another one of said weights to have each through hole of
each weight in alignment with one locating hole of said dumbbell
base when a number of said weights are attached to said dumbbell
base.
3. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 2, wherein said dumbbell base
comprises at least one open chamber in communication with said
locating holes for receiving the mounting flanges of said
weights.
4. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 1, wherein said weights each
comprise a locating pin, said locating pin having a recess at one
end thereof; wherein the locating pin of one of said weights is
positioned in the recess of the locating pin of another one of said
weights when a number of said weights are mounted on said dumbbell
base.
5. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dumbbell base
comprises a bar and two holder portions respectively provided at
two distal ends of said bar; the at least one locating hole of said
dumbbell is respectively defined in said holder portions.
6. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a
connecting rod fixedly connected between two of said weights for
supporting the others of said weights in said dumbbell base; said
dumbbell base comprises at least one groove for accommodating said
connecting rod.
7. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one
lock pin each comprises a shank, and a retaining device provided at
one end of said shank for securing the respective lock pin to said
dumbbell base.
8. The dumbbell as claimed in claim 7, wherein said retaining
device comprises at least one steel ball movably mounted in the
shank of the respective lock pin and a spring member mounted in the
shank of the respective lock pin to support said at least one steel
ball and to force said at least one steel ball partially out of the
periphery of the shank of the respective lock pin.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a dumbbell and more
particularly, to a weight-adjustable dumbbell.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] When making a body building exercise, a dumbbell is commonly
used to train the muscles. There are dumbbells that allow the user
to adjust the total weight. A weight-adjustable dumbbell generally
comprises a bar, a plurality of weights selectively detachably
mounted on the ends of the bar, and two screw caps respectively
threaded onto the ends of the bar to lock the loaded weights. When
adjusting the total weight of the dumbbell, the user must detach
the screw caps from the bar, and then remove some of the weights
from the bar or attach new weights to the bar, and then fasten the
screw caps to the bar again after loading of the selected weights.
This adjusting procedure is complicated. Further, if the end caps
are not fastened tight or the weights are not evenly arranged on
the two ends of the bar, the user may be unable to keep the
dumbbell in balance when lifting the dumbbell, thereby causing an
accident.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention has been accomplished under the
circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to
provide a dumbbell, which allows the user to adjust the total
weight of the dumbbell conveniently.
[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned object, the weight-adjustable
dumbbell provided by the present invention comprises a dumbbell
base having at least one locating hole; a plurality of weights
detachably mountable on the dumbbell base, the weights each having
at least one through hole corresponding to the at least one
locating hole of the dumbbell base; and at least one lock pin
insertable into the at least one locating hole of the dumbbell base
and insertable into the at least one through hole of the weights to
selectively secure the weights to the dumbbell base.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a weight-adjustable weight
according to the present invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the weight-adjustable dumbbell
according to the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a front view of the weight-adjustable dumbbell
according to the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a side view of the weight-adjustable dumbbell
according to the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a top view of the weight-adjustable dumbbell
according to the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG.
4.
[0013] FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG.
3.
[0014] FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG.
3.
[0015] FIG. 9 is a schematic drawing of the present invention,
showing a number of weights separated from the dumbbell base.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] Referring to FIG. 1, a weight-adjustable dumbbell in
accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a
dumbbell base 11, a plurality of weights 21-29, and two lock pins
91. The weights 21-29 are respectively arranged at two sides of the
dumbbell base 11. The two lock pins 91 are detachably fastened to
the dumbbell base 11 at two sides.
[0017] Referring to FIGS. 2 through 5, the dumbbell base 11
comprises a bar 12, and a holder portion 13 at each of the two
distal ends thereof. Each holder portion 13 has a recess 14 at each
of the front and back sides, a groove 15 at the bottom side, a
plurality of locating holes 16 symmetrically arranged at two sides
at different elevations in a staggered manner between the two
recesses 14, numerical marks 19 marked in the front recess 14
corresponding to the locating holes 16 for indicating the total
weight of the weight-adjustable dumbbell, a substantially inverted
U-shaped stop plate 17 mounted in the back recess 14 around the
corresponding locating holes 16, and an open chamber 18 at an outer
side in communication between the locating holes 16. Further, the
total weight of the dumbbell base 11 is about 5 lbs.
[0018] The weights 21-29 are heavy plates each having a weight
about 2.5 lbs. The weights 21-29 each have a slot 31-38, and a
substantially inverted U-shaped mounting flange 4148 adjacent to
the slot 31-38. The substantially inverted U-shaped mounting flange
4148 has two sidewalls 51-58 and a top wall 61-68 connected between
the sidewalls 51-58. The weights 21-29 have a different pitch
between the sidewalls 51-58 and a different elevation among the top
walls 61-68. Further, a connecting rod 39 is connected between the
two outer weights 29.
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, when the weights 21-29 are set
in the dumbbell base 11 at two sides, the mounting flanges 41 of
the weights 21 are respectively received in the open chambers 18 of
the two holder portions 13 of the dumbbell base 11; the mounting
flanges 42 of the weights 22 are respectively inserted through the
slots 31 of the weights 21 into the space between the two sidewalls
51; the mounting flanges 43 of the weights 23 are respectively
inserted through the slots 32 of the weights 22 into the space
between the sidewalls 52; the mounting flanges 44-48 of each of the
other weights 24-28 are respectively inserted through the slots
33-37 of each of the weights 23-27 in the space between the
corresponding sidewalls 53-57. When assembled, the mounting flanges
41-48 are attached to one another in proper order to keep the top
walls 61-68 vertically spaced from one another at a predetermined
distance, and the top side of the connecting rod 39 is spaced from
the top wall 68 of the weight 28 at a distance.
[0020] The top wall 61-68 of the mounting flange 41-48 has a
downwardly extending pointed locating pin 81. The locating pin 81
has a head 82 protruding over the top side of the top wall 61-68.
The head 82 has a top recess 83. When the weights 21-29 are set in
the dumbbell base 11 at two sides, the heads 82 of the locating
pins 81 at the top walls 61 are respectively received in respective
open chamber 18 in the holder portions 13; the bottom ends of the
locating pins 81 at the top walls 61 are respectively received in
the recesses 83 of the locating pins 81 at the top walls 62; the
bottom ends of the locating pins 81 at the top walls 62 are
respectively received in the recesses 83 of the locating pins 81 at
the top walls 63; the bottom ends of the locating pins 81 at the
top walls 63-67 are respectively received in the recesses 83 of the
locating pins 81 at the top walls 64-68; the; the bottom ends of
the locating pins 81 at the top walls 68 are respectively received
in respective holes 84 at the connecting rod 39. Therefore, the
weights 21-29 are secured together by means of the locating pins
81.
[0021] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the sidewalls 51-58 of the
mounting flanges 4148 each have at least one through hole 71-78
corresponding to each other, and the connecting rod 39 between the
two weights 29 has two through holes 79. When the weights 21-29 are
set in the dumbbell base 11 at two sides, the through holes 71-78
of the mounting flanges 4148 and the through holes 79 of the
connecting rod 39 are in communication with the respective locating
holes 16 at the dumbbell base 11, and the topmost through holes
71-78 of the mounting flanges 41-48 are respectively communicated
with one of the locating holes 16 at the holder portion 13.
[0022] As shown in FIGS. 5-8, each lock pin 91 has a round shank
93, a head 94 at one end of the round shank 93, and a retaining
device 95 at the other end of the round shank 93. The retaining
device 95 is comprised of two steel balls 96 and a spring member
97. The steel balls 96 are movably mounted in the round shank 93
and partially forced out of the periphery of the round shank 93 by
the spring member 97.
[0023] The round shank 93 of each of the lock pins 91 can be
respectively inserted through the locating holes 16 of the dumbbell
base 11 and the through holes 71-79 of the weights 21-29, keeping
the head 94 of each of the lock pins 91 respectively received in
the recess 14 at the front side of the holder portion 13 at each of
the two distal ends of the dumbbell base 11 and the retaining
device 95 of each of the lock pins 91 respectively suspending in
the recess 14 at the back side of the holder portion 13 at each of
the two distal ends of the dumbbell base 11. Therefore, the steel
balls 96 of each lock pin 91 are forced outwards by the respective
spring member 97 into engagement with the inside wall of the
respective recess 14 to lock the weights 21-29 to the dumbbell base
11.
[0024] Referring to FIGS. 3-8 again, if the locating pins 91 are
set in the locating holes 16 corresponding to "50" of the numerical
marks 19, the round shanks 93 of the locating pins 91 are
respectively inserted through the through holes 71-79 corresponding
to the corresponding locating holes 16 and positioned in the
respective holder portions 13, joining the weights 21-29 to the
dumbbell base 11. When the user holds the bar 12 of the dumbbell
base 11 to lift the weight-adjustable dumbbell, the weights 21-29
are carried by the dumbbell base 11 by means of the lock pins 91
and the locating pins 81, therefore the user can proceed with an
about 50 lbs weight training.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 9, if the user wishes to proceed with an
about 30 lbs weight training, the user must insert the lock pins 91
in the through holes 16 corresponding "30" of the numerical marks
19. At this time, the round shanks 93 of the lock pins 91 are
respectively inserted through the through holes 71-75 to secure the
weights 21-25 to the dumbbell base 11. When the user lifts the
dumbbell base 11, the weights 21-25 are moved with the dumbbell
base 1, making a 30 lbs weight training. Because the weights 26-28
are supported on the connecting rod 39 between the weights 29 and
attached to one another, the weights 26-29 are prohibited from
biasing, and the user can conveniently load and unload the weights
21-29. Further, when the lock pins 91 are mounted in the through
holes 16 corresponding to "5" of the numerical marks 19, the lock
pins 91 are positioned in the holder portions 13 of the dumbbell
base 11, and the user can use the weight of 5 lbs of the dumbbell
base 11 itself to make a weight training.
[0026] Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been
described in detail for purposes of illustration, various
modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention
is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
* * * * *