U.S. patent application number 14/205246 was filed with the patent office on 2014-09-25 for protector for exercise bar.
The applicant listed for this patent is Philip Patti. Invention is credited to Philip Patti.
Application Number | 20140287886 14/205246 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51569553 |
Filed Date | 2014-09-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140287886 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Patti; Philip |
September 25, 2014 |
PROTECTOR FOR EXERCISE BAR
Abstract
An example protector for an exercise bar includes a housing made
of a pliable material. The example protector also includes an
attachment to secure the housing substantially in a center of an
exercise bar.
Inventors: |
Patti; Philip; (San Luis
Obispo, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Patti; Philip |
San Luis Obispo |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
51569553 |
Appl. No.: |
14/205246 |
Filed: |
March 11, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61803350 |
Mar 19, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/93 ;
29/428 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 21/4035 20151001;
A63B 2071/009 20130101; A63B 71/0054 20130101; Y10T 29/49826
20150115; A63B 23/03525 20130101; A63B 2071/0063 20130101; A63B
21/4043 20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/93 ;
29/428 |
International
Class: |
A63B 71/00 20060101
A63B071/00 |
Claims
1. A protector comprising: a housing made of a pliable material;
and an attachment to secure the housing substantially in a center
of an exercise bar.
2. The protector of claim 1, wherein the attachment to secure the
housing is also a cable attachment.
3. The protector of claim 1, wherein the attachment includes an
eye-bolt, a washer, and a nut.
4. The protector of claim 1, wherein the housing is substantially U
shaped, with a substantially upper portion and a substantially
rounded bottom portion.
5. The protector of claim 1, further comprising a sleeve.
6. The protector of claim 5, wherein the sleeve is assembled as a
single piece slid over a shaft of the exercise bar before bending
hand grip portions on each end of the exercise bar.
7. The protector of claim 5, wherein the sleeve includes two halves
that are separable to fit over the exercise bar.
8. The protector of claim 5, wherein the sleeve includes two halves
that are separable to fit over the sleeve.
9. The protector of claim 5, wherein the sleeve is permanently
secured to the exercise bar.
10. The protector of claim 1, wherein the housing is secured by a
snap fit.
11. The protector of claim 1, wherein the housing is secured by an
adhesive.
12. An exercise bar protector system comprising: an exercise bar; a
protector including a housing made of a pliable material, the
housing secured to the exercise bar.
13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a cable attachment,
the cable attachment securing the protector to the exercise
bar.
14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a cable attachment
on the exercise bar, the protector fitted around the cable
attachment.
15. The protector of claim 1, further comprising a sleeve.
16. The protector of claim 5, wherein the sleeve is assembled
between the exercise bar and the housing.
17. A method of providing a protector on an exercise bar, the
method comprising providing a pliable housing of the protector on
the exercise bar.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing a cable
attachment, the cable attachment securing the protector to the
exercise bar.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising fitting the pliable
housing of the protector around a cable attachment on the exercise
bar.
20. The method of claim 17, further comprising assembling a sleeve
between the exercise bar and the housing.
Description
PRIORITY CLAIM
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 61/803,350 filed on Mar. 19, 2013 titled
"Exercise Bar With Protector" of Philip Patti, hereby incorporated
by reference for all that is disclosed as though fully set forth
herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Pull down exercises can be used in strength training, e.g.,
to develop major back muscles, such as the latissimus dorsi (or
"lats). For this exercise, weights may be attached to a cable and
run through an overhead structure and down to a bar (e.g., a lat
bar), that may be pulled down to practice the desired exercise.
Cable attachments to these suspended bars may be made of steel
(e.g., solid or tubing). But if something fails (e.g., a broken
cable or connecting link) during an exercise, there is an instant
level of high momentum directed at the user's head, other body part
and/or other person standing nearby. The amount of weight and force
with which the bar is being pulled can cause a potentially severe
injury to the user.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example exercise bar with
protector.
[0004] FIG. 2 is a side view of the example exercise bar with
protector shown in FIG. 1.
[0005] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing components of
an example exercise bar protector.
[0006] FIG. 3a is an exploded perspective view showing components
of another example exercise bar protector.
[0007] FIG. 4 is a side view of an example exercise bar
protector.
[0008] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the example exercise bar
protector taken along lines 5-5 in FIG. 4.
[0009] FIG. 6 is top view of the example exercise bar
protector.
[0010] FIG. 7 is second cross sectional view of the example
exercise bar protector taken along lines 7-7 in FIG. 6.
[0011] FIG. 8a is a perspective view of another example exercise
bar with protector.
[0012] FIG. 8b is a side view of the example exercise bar with
protector shown in FIG. 8a.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Exercise "machines" are available for weight training and
provide the user with multiple exercises at a single station. These
exercise machines may include a plurality of weights connected via
a cable to an exercise bar. The exercise bar may be equipped any
desired weight. For example, if the user connects 300 pounds or
more of weight and is pulling down toward his or her head when
suddenly the cable breaks or is otherwise released (e.g., due to an
improper connection), the sudden loss of resistance and resulting
downward force can be a tremendous impact against the user's head
and/or other body part.
[0014] If a high strength aluminum or steel bar hits the user in
the head in any manner, the user could very likely be severely
injured or even killed. A protector is described, for example as it
may be used with an exercise bar such as, but not limited to a
"lat" bar. The protector may be a head protector, although it may
also protect other parts of the user's body and/or other people
(e.g., those standing nearby). In an example, the protector may
include a housing and a sleeve inside the housing. The housing may
be made of any suitable material, such as a pliable and/or soft
material (e.g., rubber or soft plastic or other similar resilient
material). If a user is hit in the same manner with this softer
material, the impact on the user's body may be uncomfortable, but
the potential for injury can be greatly reduced or even
eliminated.
[0015] Before continuing, it is noted that as used herein, the
terms "includes" and "including" mean, but is not limited to,
"includes" or "including" and "includes at least" or "including at
least." The term "based on" means "based on" and "based at least in
part on."
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example exercise bar with
protector. An exercise bar protector 100 is shown connected to an
exercise bar 101. The exercise bar 101 may be made of any suitable
material. In an example, the exercise bar 101 may be made of steel.
In another example, the exercise bar 101 may be made of aluminum
(e.g., a High Strength Aluminum). Aluminum reducing weight of the
bar. Other materials, however, such as steel may also be used. A
cable attachment 104 may be provided on the exercise bar 101.
[0017] The example protector 100 may include a housing 102 with an
inner sleeve 103 that surrounds the bar 101, e.g., at or near the
cable attachment 104. A ring or eye bolt of the cable attachment
104 is fitted through the top of the housing 102, so that a cable
(not shown) may connect to the ring or eye bolt during use.
[0018] FIG. 2 is a side view of the example exercise bar with
protector shown in FIG. 1. The protector 100 may be used with a lat
bar as shown, e.g., for overhead or other exercise. The protector
100 may protect the user's head or other body part during a pull
down or other exercise. By way of illustration, the protector 100
may protect the user's mouth (e.g., chin and/or mouth) and/or chest
when pulling in an upward direction during bicep exercises, or
protect the user's back and/or neck when pulling behind the user's
head. The protector 100 may be used during other exercises and/or
other types of exercise bars as well.
[0019] In an example, the protector 100 is provided substantially
in the center of an exercise bar 108. Materials for manufacture of
the protector 100 may include, but are not limited to polymers such
as natural or synthetic rubber or a similar elastomer, nitrile,
silicone, or a thermoplastic elastomer or polyurethane, or a
plastic such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), that may greatly reduce
the potential for injury to a user. A plasticizer such as a
phthalate may be added to the plastic or PVC to make it softer and
more flexible.
[0020] The protector 100 may be any suitable hardness. By way of
illustration, a durometer may be used to assess desired hardness,
which may be based in part on design considerations such as
end-user, exercise to be performed by the end-user, cost, and/or
other parameters. A durometer is a test used to assess hardness of
materials especially polymers, elastomers, and rubbers. These
hardnesses can be described as Shore hardness using various scales
as in for instance a Shore A hardness scale. In the Shore A
hardness scale a soft material such as a rubber band or an eraser
may have a Shore A hardness of between 20 and 40. A tire may have a
Shore A hardness of for example 70, and a shoe heel a hardness of
80. A skateboard wheel may have a hardness of 95. Natural rubbers
and neoprene have Shore A hardnesses ranging from 30-90, nitrile
from 40 to 100, acrylic from 50-85, and silicones from 40 to 80. As
such the material used for the protector 100 may have a Shore A
hardness of at least about 30 and not greater than about 95, or
even not greater than about 90.
[0021] The protector 100 may be provided on the bar 101 with or
without a sleeve 103. The sleeve 103 may be a metal, hard plastic,
or other suitable material, fitted inside the housing 102. The
protector 100 may be attached to the bar 101 according to any means
(e.g., adhesive or glue).
[0022] Before continuing, it is noted that the examples described
herein and shown in the drawings are provided for purposes of
illustration, and are not intended to be limiting. Other devices
and/or device configurations and/or operations of manufacture may
also be utilized.
[0023] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing components of
an example exercise bar protector 100. In this example, the housing
102 is configured to receive a sleeve 103. The sleeve 103 is made
to fit over an exercise bar (e.g., bar 101 shown in FIG. 1). A
cable attachment 104 may be fitted into an opening in the top of
the housing 105. Washer 106 is shown as it may seat the ring or eye
bolt 104. Nut 107 receives the end of the bolt inside the housing
(shown outside the housing for purposes of explanation). A hole 108
in the top of the sleeve 103 allows the bolt to pass therethrough.
Another hole (not shown) may be provided in the bottom of the
sleeve 103 to allow the bolt to be fitted through.
[0024] In the example shown, housing 102 fits over the sleeve 103.
The housing 102 can be secured (permanently or semi-permanently)
over the sleeve 103. For example, the housing 102 may be secured
over the sleeve 103 with a snap-fit, screws, and/or by other
suitable securement(s). One or more set screw 111 may be provided
through opening 110 in the housing 102 and/or sleeve 103 to connect
the protector and/or various parts thereof onto the exercise bar
101.
[0025] As described above, the protector 100 may be made of any
suitable material. In an example, the protector is a soft, pliable
material, such as rubber or soft plastic. The protector 100 may
include foam and/or other padding (not shown). Also as described
above, the protector 100 may be used to protect a user's head in
the event that a cable breaks. However, the protector may also
protect other parts of the user's body (e.g., the user's chin or
chest when being used as a pull-up bar).
[0026] FIG. 3a is an exploded perspective view showing components
of another example exercise bar protector. In this example, prime
(') reference numbers are used to refer to like components. It is
noted that the eye bolt 104' in this example bolts up from the
bottom. In addition, a roll pin may be installed at 300. Other
configurations are also possible.
[0027] FIG. 4 is a side view of an example exercise bar protector.
FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the example exercise bar
protector taken along lines 5-5 in FIG. 4. In this example, the
cable attachment 104 is threaded through a washer 106 and holes in
the sleeve 103, into nut 107 seated below the sleeve in the housing
102.
[0028] It is noted that the housing and/or sleeve may be provided
as a single portion or piece (e.g., molded as a unitary structure
or slide or otherwise fitted onto the exercise bar). In another
example, the housing and/or sleeve may be provided as portions or
pieces (e.g., two halves), such that the housing and/or sleeve may
be opened to be more readily fitted around the exercise bar, and
then assembled onto the exercise bar.
[0029] FIG. 6 is top view of the example exercise bar protector.
FIG. 7 is second cross sectional view of the example exercise bar
protector taken along lines 7-7 in FIG. 6. In this view, it can be
seen that the cable attachment 104 may be threaded through a washer
106, the housing 102, through the sleeve 103 and seated on nut
107.
[0030] It is noted that the protector 100 may be provided for any
of a wide variety of different types of exercise devices. FIG. 8a
is a perspective view of another example exercise bar 108 with
protector. FIG. 8b is a side view of the example exercise bar 108
with protector shown in FIG. 8a. In this example, the protector 100
is provided on a ring bar 108. Of course, the protector 100 (as
shown or modified) may be used with any suitable bar.
[0031] It is noted that the examples shown and described are
provided for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be
limiting. Still other examples are also contemplated.
* * * * *