GB2596148A

GB2596148A - Anchor weights adjustable dumbbell

Info

Publication number: GB2596148A
Application number: GB2009426.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Atkinson Phillip
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-06-19
Filing date: 2020-06-19
Publication date: 2021-12-22
Also published as: GB202009426D0

Abstract

A dumbbell having two casings each divided into two halves1, 2 and located on either end of a centre bar 3. Weight plates 12 are slotted onto the centre bar 3 and rotated 90° to secure them between ribs (6,7,8, fig 5) defining grooves within the casings. The top halves of the casing 1 are preferably rotated 180° under the bottom halves of the casing 2 to open. The bottom halves of the casings 2 may contain six top ribs (6, fig 5), six side ribs (7, fig 5), and three base ribs (8, fig 5) to define four grooves that may retain weight plates 12. The top half of the casing 1 is rotated 180° over the bottom half of the casing 2 to close the casings and secure the weight plates. Preferably the top and bottom halves of the casings comprise a self-closing feature (4, fig 2).

Description

Adjustable Dumbbell

This invention relates to a dumbbell with unique internal ribs and grooves designed to secure weight plates within two dumbbell casings.

An adjustable dumbbell is a type of sports equipment used for exercising and weight training. Traditionally a dumbbell consists of a short bar and a series of weight plates that can be added or removed equally at each end to adjust the load to be lighter or heavier. The individual weight plates usually have a central hole which is used to slide the bar through and secure the weights by spin lock devices or similar methods. It can be used individually, or in pairs, with one in each hand.

Existing conventional adjustable dumbbells of this type have been available for many years but do have some weaknesses. To begin with, it is important that the weight plates are secured before the start of the exercise to stop them dropping off, otherwise there is a risk that the weight plates could fall off causing possible injury to the user and/or damage to the dumbbell/weight plates or ground/floor. Furthermore, during repetition exercises the plates can sometimes rattle which can cause instability in which the user can lose their focus. Secondly, it can be time-consuming to add/remove weight plates which can slow down the momentum of the exercise session. Weight plates can be large; both in size and the actual number of individual plates involved and may require a stand or sufficient space for storage. Space is often at a premium in many homes and commercial premises, and there is an increasing lifestyle trend of more people exercising from home and having personal gym equipment.

To overcome these problems, the present invention proposes a centre bar that is ergonomically designed to provide a good grip, with two storage casings each made of two semi-circular arch housings. The bottom half of the casing on each side of the dumbbell has six top ribs, six side ribs and three base ribs designed to hold weight plates. This design allows the user to slot in, rotate and wedge the weight plates securely into position. The weight plates can be individually removed by twisting in the opposite direction and lifted out.

The top half of each dumbbell casing will be rotated 1800 under the bottom half of the casing to gain access to the weight plates inside. This invention proposes additional protection for the user as the weight plates cannot become dislodged or fall out of the casings. The two halves of the casing on each side of the dumbbell are kept secured by self-closing mechanisms located on the sides of each half of the casings.

The design and functionality of this invention means that the weight plates must be smaller and denser than traditional weight plates to allow them to fit inside the dumbbell.

The dumbbell is a fixed weight and therefore can be used with or without the weight plates inserted.

The top and bottom casings on each end of the dumbbell are exactly the same therefore any functionality described in or around the casings are the same on each side.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the dumbbell at its minimum weight with no weight plates inserted, with both casings in the closed position.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the dumbbell at its minimum weight with no weight plates inserted, with both casings in the open position by the top half of the casing having been rotated 180° under the bottom half of the casing.

Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view of one of the casings and centre bar. Figure 4 shows a close-up view of the flat and curved faces of the centre bar.

Figure 5 shows a cross sectional view of the bottom half of the casing, exposing the top, side and base ribs.

Figure 6 shows weight plates being slotted over the centre bar, with both casings in the open position. Figure 7 shows a side view of the 2.5kg weight plate. Figure 8 shows a side view of the 1.25kg weight plate.

Figure 9 shows a perspective view of the weight plates being rotated and wedged into the grooves in the base of the bottom casings.

Figure 10 shows a general view of all weight plates rotated in place, with both casings in the open position.

Figure 11 shows a perspective view of all weight plates rotated in place, with both casings in the closed position.

In figure 1, both the casings 1, 2, are closed. The centre bar 3 extends into both the top half of casing 1 and bottom half of the casing 2 and attached via fitting 5.

In figure 2, when the top half of casing 1, which is slightly larger than the bottom half of casing 2, is rotated 180° it rolls under the bottom half of casing 2 and will be secured into place via self-locking devices 4, positioned on the inside of the top half of casing 1 and on the outside of the bottom half of casing 2. Now that the casings are in an open position, the three base ribs 8 in the bottom half of casing 2 are exposed.

Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the casing 1,2 and centre bar 3. The centre bar 3 comprises of two flat faces 11 to ensure the bottom half of casing 2 cannot rotate. Components rest in-between the top half of casing 1 and bottom half of casing 2 to ensure that friction is minimized during rotation.

Figure 4 shows the centre bar 3 with each end comprising of a flat face 11 on the top and bottom to ensure the bottom half of casing cannot rotate. Each end of the centre bar 3 comprises of two curved sides 14 which allow for the weights to smoothly rotate around into the grooves and lock into place.

Figure 5 shows the ribs used to direct and hold the weight plates in place. The top ribs 6 are location aids to visually see where to place the weight plates before rotating them into place. The side ribs 7 keep the weight plates aligned as they are rotated by the user. The base ribs 8 are curved to help the weight plates wedge into the middle and outer grooves 10, 9 as they are rotated.

Figure 6 shows the positioning of the weight plates 12, 13 to fit over the centre bar 3. The weight plate 12 that weighs 1.25kg is slotted over the centre bar 3 and rotated 900 in either direction into one the two outer grooves 9 in each casing 1,2. The weight plate 13 that weighs 2.25kg is slotted over the centre bar 3 and rotated 900 in either direction into one of the two middle grooves 10.

Figure 7 shows the side view of the weight plates 13 where the central edges are slightly wider than the bottom edges to wedge into the middle grooves.

Figure 8 shows the side view of the weight plates 12 where the central edges are slightly wider than the bottom edges to wedge into the outer grooves.

Figure 9 shows an embodiment of the weight plate 12 fully rotated 90° and wedged into the one of the outer grooves 9 and the weight plate 13 fully rotated 90° and wedged into one of the middle grooves 10.

Figure 10 shows a further embodiment of all the weight plates 12, 13 fully secured in the dumbbell due to being rotated 90° and wedged into all middle and outer grooves 9, 10. Both casings 1, 2 are in the open position.

Figure 11 shows all the weight plates 12, 13 fully secured in the dumbbell due to being wedged into all the middle and outer grooves 9, 10. Both casings 1,2 are in the closed position.

Claims

Claims 1 An adjustable dumbbell that comprises of two storage casings on each side of the dumbbell that are split into two halves, top and bottom, connected by a bar through the centre of the casings which one or more weight plates are loaded onto and then rotated 900 within the internal ribs and concave grooves at the bottom of the casing to allow the weight plates to be safely secured into place, thus increasing the overall weight of the dumbbell.
2 An adjustable dumbbell according to claim 1, wherein the weight plates are enclosed in a casing that is made up of two halves, top and bottom which opens and closes by manually rotating the top half 1800 under/over the bottom half at each end of the dumbbell.
3 An adjustable dumbbell according to claim 1, wherein the top and bottom halves of the casings on each end of the dumbbell contain a self-closing feature on one side of the top half of the casing and on both sides of the bottom half of the casing which come into contact when the top half of the casing is rotated to the closed position.
4 An adjustable dumbbell according to claim 1, wherein each weight plate rests on the flat face of the bar running through the centre of the casings to add extra stability when adding or removing the weight plates to/from the dumbbell.