U.S. patent application number 13/709439 was filed with the patent office on 2014-06-12 for pivotal unit for barbell.
The applicant listed for this patent is Jih Ming CHEN. Invention is credited to Jih Ming CHEN.
Application Number | 20140162850 13/709439 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50881572 |
Filed Date | 2014-06-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140162850 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHEN; Jih Ming |
June 12, 2014 |
Pivotal Unit For Barbell
Abstract
A barbell includes a rod and two tubular members are
respectively mounted to the two ends of the rod. Two pivotal units
are respectively located in the two tubular members and mounted to
the two ends of the rod. Each pivotal unit has a washer, a bearing,
a sleeve and a positioning member. The washer has a recess defined
in one side thereof. The bearing is securely connected to the
inside of the tubular member and a first end of the bearing
contacts the washer. The sleeve is located in the bearing and
securely mounted to the rod, a first end of the sleeve is movably
engaged with the recess of the washer. The positioning member is a
U-shaped manner and engaged with a groove defined in the rod. The
positioning member contacts two respective seconds of the sleeve
and the bearing.
Inventors: |
CHEN; Jih Ming; (Taichung,
TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
CHEN; Jih Ming |
Taichung |
|
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
50881572 |
Appl. No.: |
13/709439 |
Filed: |
December 10, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/104 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 21/0724 20130101;
A63B 21/0728 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/104 |
International
Class: |
A63B 21/072 20060101
A63B021/072 |
Claims
1. A barbell comprising: a rod having two grooves respectively
defined in two ends thereof, two tubular members respectively
mounted to the two ends of the rod, each tubular member having two
open ends, and two pivotal units respectively located in the two
tubular members and mounted to the two ends of the rod, each
pivotal unit having a washer, a bearing, a sleeve and a positioning
member, the washer having a recess defined in one side thereof, the
bearing being connected to the tabular member, a first end of the
bearing contacting the washer, the sleeve securely mounted to the
rod and located in the bearing, a first end of the sleeve being
movably engaged with the recess of the washer, the positioning
member being a U-shaped member and having an opening, the
positioning member connected to the rod and engaged with the groove
via the opening, the positioning member contacting two respective
seconds of sleeve and the bearing.
2. The barbell as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rod extends
through the two tubular members and as shoulder is formed in an
inner periphery or each of the two open ends of the tubular member,
the washer contacts the shoulder.
3. The barbell as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the two ends
of the rod extends beyond the positioning member and an end piece
is mounted to the end of the rod and connected to the open end of
the tubular member, the end piece contacts the positioning
member.
4. A barbell comprising: a rod having two grooves respectively
defined in two ends thereof, two tubular members respectively
mounted to the two ends of the rod, each tubular member having two
open ends, and two pivotal units respectively located, in the two
tubular members and mounted to the two ends of the rod, each
pivotal unit having a self-lubricating sleeve and a positioning
member, the self-lubricating sleeve mounted to the rod, the
positioning member being a U-shaped member and having an opening,
the positioning member connected to the rod and engaged with the
groove via the opening, the positioning member contacting the
self-lubricating sleeve.
5. The barbell as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rod extends
through the two tubular members and a shoulder is formed in an
inner periphery of each of the two open ends of the tubular member,
the self-lubricating sleeve contacts the shoulder.
6. The barbell as claimed in claim 4, wherein one of the two ends
of the rod extends beyond the positioning member and an end piece
is mounted to the end of the rod and connected to the open end of
the tubular member, the end piece contacts the positioning member.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a barbell, and more
particularly, to a pivotal unit for a barbell.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The conventional barbell is used for weight training and
generally comprises a rod with two pivotal units mounted to two
ends of the rod. Multiple weights are removably connected to the
two pivotal units. The user grabs the center of the rod and lifts
the barbell to train the muscles. The pivotal units ensure that the
weights are automatically adjusted to a balance status relative to
the rod so that the user does not need to rotate the rod by his/her
wrists and this action can easily injure the wrists.
[0003] FIGS. 7 and 8 disclose the conventional barbell and the rod
70 with proper flexibility and two pivotal units 80 are mounted to
two ends of the rod 70. Each of the two ends of the rod 70 has a
groove 71. A needle roller bearing 72, a first ring 73, two
positioning members 74, a second ring 75, two clips 76 and an end
piece 77 are mounted to the rod 70 and located in the opening 81 of
the tubular member of the pivotal unit 80. The two positioning
members 74 are engaged with the groove 71. The first ring 73
contacts one end of the needle roller bearing 72 and the other end
of the needle roller bearing 72 is in contact with a shoulder 82 in
the tubular member. By the needle roller bearing 72, the rod 70 is
rotatable relative to the tubular member of the pivotal unit 80.
The second ring 75 contacts the positioning members 74, and one of
the clips 76 contacts the second ring 75. By the positioning
members 74, the tubular member does not moved relative to the rod
70. The end piece 77 is cooperated with the other clip 76 to seal
the end of the barbell.
[0004] However, because the material of the needle roller bearing
72 is harder than that of the rod 70, so that when the rod 70 is
rotatable relative to the needle roller bearing 72, the rod 70 is
worn by the friction between the needle roller bearing 72 and the
rod 70. Besides, when the user puts the barbell to the floor, the
impact also makes the rod 70 by worn out by the needle roller
bearing 72. The pivotal unit 80 eventually cannot rotate smoothly
relative to the rod 70.
[0005] The two positioning members 74 are difficult to be engaged
with the groove 71 of the rod 70 when assembling the barbell. There
is not proper positioning design to position the two positioning
members 74 so that the assembling processes take a longer time.
[0006] There are too many parts involved in the pivotal unit and
the clips 76 are thin and not strong enough so that they are easily
deformed and the pivotal unit 80 may shift along the rod 70.
[0007] The present invention intends to provide a barbell which
improves the shortcomings mentioned in the conventional
barbell.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention relates to a barbell and comprises a
rod having two grooves respectively defined in two ends thereof and
two tubular members are respectively mounted to the two ends of the
rod. Two pivotal units are respectively located in the two tubular
members and mounted to the rod. Each pivotal unit has a washer, a
bearing, a sleeve, and a positioning member. The washer has a
recess defined in one side thereof. The bearing is securely
connected to the inside of the tubular member, and a first end of
the bearing contacts the washer. The sleeve is securely mounted to
the rod and located in the bearing, and it first end of the sleeve
is movably engaged with the recess of the washer. The positioning
member is a U-shaped member and has an opening. The positioning
member is connected to the rod and engaged with the groove via the
opening. The positioning member contacts two respective seconds of
the sleeve and the bearing.
[0009] Alternatively, the present invention provides a barbell and
comprises a rod having two grooves respectively defined in two ends
thereof. Two tubular members are respectively mounted to the two
ends of the rod. Each tubular member has two open ends. Two pivotal
units are respectively located in the two tubular members and each
pivotal unit has a self-lubricating sleeve and a positioning
member. The self-lubricating sleeve is mounted to the rod. The
positioning member is a U-shaped member and has an opening. The
positioning member is connected to the rod and engaged with the
groove via the opening. The positioning member contacts the
self-lubricating sleeve.
[0010] The pivotal unit has a sleeve which is securely mounted to
the rod and located within the bearing, the bearing and the sleeve
are made by harder material when compared with that of the rod.
Therefore, thanks to the sleeve mounted to the rod, the rod is not
worn by the nearing when the rod together with the sleeve are
rotatable relative to the bearing. The bearing and the sleeve can
also be replaced by a self-lubricating sleeve.
[0011] The number of the parts of the pivotal unit of the present
invention is reduced so that the barbell can be assembled
quickly.
[0012] The present invention will become more obvious from the
following description when taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration
only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view to show the barbell of the
present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded view to show the barbell of the
present invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the barbell or the
present invention;
[0016] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the pivotal
unit of the barbell of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view to show the
sleeve, and the recess of the washer of the pivotal unit of the
barbell of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the second
embodiment of the pivotal unit of the barbell of the present
invention;
[0019] FIG. 7 is an exploded view to show the conventional barbell,
and
[0020] FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the conventional
barbell.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0021] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the barbell 1 of the present
invention comprises a rod 10 with proper flexibility and two
grooves 11 are respectively defined in two ends of the rod 10. Two
tubular members 20 are respectively mounted to the two ends of the
rod 10 and the weights 12 are mounted to the tubular members 20.
Each tubular member 20 has two open ends 21 and a stop 13 is
connected to the end away from the distal end of the rod 10 so as
to position the weights 12.
[0022] Two pivotal units 30 are respectively located in the two
tubular members 20 and mounted to the two ends of the rod 10. Each
pivotal unit 30 has a washer 31, a bearing 32, a sleeve 33, a
positioning member 34 and an end piece 35. The rod 10 extends
through the two tubular members 20 and a shoulder 22 is formed in
the inner periphery of each of the two open ends 21 of the tubular
member 20. The washer 31 has a recess 311 defined in one side
thereof. The bearing 32 is securely connected to the inside of the
tubular member 20, and a first end of the bearing 32 contacts the
washer 31 which contacts against the shoulder 22. The sleeve 33 is
securely mounted to the rod 10 and located in the bearing 32 which
directly contacts the sleeve 33 instead of the rod 10. The A first
end of the sleeve 33 is movably engaged with the recess 311 of the
washer 31 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The positioning member 34 is a
U-shaped member and has an opening 341. The positioning member 34
is connected to the rod 10 and engaged with the groove 11 via the
opening 341. The positioning member 34 contacts two respective
seconds of the sleeve 33 and the bearing 32. One of the two ends of
the rod 10 extends beyond the positioning member 34 and the end
piece 35 is mounted to the end of the rod 10 and connected to the
open end 21 of the tubular member 20. The end piece 35 contacts the
positioning member 34 so as to position the pivotal unit 30 along
the axial direction thereof.
[0023] It is noted that another pivotal unit 30 are located in the
inner end of each tubular member 20, wherein the inner end is
located away from the end piece 35 and cooperated with the stop 13,
so that the pivotal unit 30 in the inner end of the tubular member
20 comprises the bearing 32, the sleeve 33 in the bearing 32 and
the washer 31 the recess 311.
[0024] The sleeve 33 is made by the same material as the bearing
32, and the sleeve 33 is securely mounted to and co-rotated with
the rod 10, so that when the rod 10 is rotatable relative to the
bearing 32, the rod 10 is protected from being worn out by the
bearing 32. The recess 311 provides a space for the sleeve 33 so
that the sleeve 33 is not securely restricted by the washer 31 and
the positioning member 34 from the two ends thereof, and the sleeve
33 is rotatable relative to the bearing 32.
[0025] The positioning member 34 is a single member which can be
easily and quickly engaged with the groove 11 of the rod 10 by the
opening 341. This allows the assemblers to quickly assemble the
barbell. The bearing 32 is ensured not to move axially by the
washer 31 and the positioning member 34. The end piece 35 is
connected to the open end 21 to the tubular member 20 and the end
piece 35 contacts the positioning member 34 so that the pivotal
unit 30 is well positioned.
[0026] FIG. 6 shows the second embodiment of the pivotal unit 300
which comprises a self-lubricating sleeve 330 and a positioning
member 34 only. The self-lubricating sleeve 330 is mounted to the
rod 10 and the positioning member 34 contacts the self-lubricating
sleeve 330. The end piece 35 is connected to the open end 21 of the
tubular member 20 and contacts the positioning member 34 so that
the pivotal unit 30 is well positioned. The self-lubricating sleeve
330 and the tubular member 30 are rotatable relative to the rod 10
without the need of the sleeve as mentioned in the previous
embodiment.
[0027] While we have shown and described the embodiment in
accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those
skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without
departing from the scope of the present invention.
* * * * *