Selectorized dumbbell having shock absorbing system

• US 20080032873A1
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PowerBlock Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: PowerBlock Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Olson, Gregory S., Towley, Carl K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,771,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/106
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0063 Shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00065 by increasing or reducing the number of resistance units
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/063 Weight selecting means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/075 with variable weights , e.g. weight systems with weight selecting means for bar-bells or dumb-bells
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials

Abstract

A selectorized dumbbell has a handle that can be inserted into a gap between stacks of nested left and right weight plates. A selector determines how many left weight plates are coupled to the left end of the handle and how many right weight plates are coupled to the right end of the handle. Each weight plate is held between a pair of flexible arms on a forked carrier. The arms allow the weight plates to deflect out of a normal, substantially upright, orientation if an impact shock is delivered to the dumbbell. The arms are restored to their normal orientation once the impact shock dissipates. This allows the impact shock to be absorbed without damaging the dumbbell or while minimizing damage to the dumbbell.

Claims

1. A selectorized dumbbell, which comprises:

(a) a combination including a plurality of nested weights, a handle, and a selector that couples a selected number of the weights to the handle; and

(b) a shock absorbing system placed somewhere in the combination of nested weights, handle, and selector.

2. The dumbbell of claim 1, wherein the shock absorbing system is placed in the nested weights.

3. The dumbbell of claim 1, wherein each nested weight comprises:

(a) at least one rigid weight plate; and

(b) a weight frame that carries the weight plate, the weight frame having rigid and flexible portions, and wherein the shock absorbing system comprises the flexible portions of the weight frames of the plurality of nested weights.

4. The dumbbell of claim 3, wherein the rigid portion of each weight frame includes a weight selection section that coacts with the selector to determine whether or not the weight frame is coupled to the handle.

5. The dumbbell of claim 3, wherein the flexible portion of each weight frame is interposed between the weight plate and the rigid portion of each weight frame.

6. The dumbbell of claim 5, wherein the flexible portion of each weight frame comprises at least one flexible arm on which the weight plate is carried.

7. The dumbbell of claim 5, wherein the flexible portion of each weight frame comprises a pair of flexible arms between which the weight plate is at least partly sandwiched.

8. A selectorized dumbbell, which comprises:

(a) a plurality of nested weights, a handle, and a selector that couples a selected number of the weights to the handle; and

(b) wherein each nested weight comprises;

(i) at least one rigid weight plate; and

(ii) a weight frame with rigid and flexible portions, wherein the weight frame carries the weight plate on the flexible portion thereof to permit the weight plate to move relative to the rigid portion of the weight frame in response to an impact shock.

9. The dumbbell of claim 8, wherein the rigid portion of each weight frame includes a weight selection section that coacts with the selector to determine whether or not the weight frame is coupled to the handle.

10. A selectorized dumbbell, which comprises:

(a) a stack of nested left weight plates separated by a gap from a stack of nested right weight plates,

(b) a handle that can be inserted into the gap between the weight plate stacks;

(c) a selector that determines how many left weight plates are coupled to a left end of the handle and how many right weight plates are coupled to a right end of the handle; and

(d) wherein each weight plate is carried on at least one flexible member, wherein the members are configured to allow the weight plates to deflect out of a normal orientation if an impact shock is delivered to the dumbbell and to subsequently restore the weight plates to their normal orientation once the impact shock dissipates.

11. A selectorized dumbbell, which comprises:

(a) a plurality of nested weights, a handle, and a selector that couples a selected number of weights to the handle; and

(b) wherein each nested weight comprises;

(i) a forked carrier having a pair of spaced arms; and

(ii) a weight plate held between the arms of the carrier.

12. The dumbbell of claim 11, wherein the arms of the carrier are flexible to permit the weight plates to flex out of a normal orientation and to return to the normal orientation to thereby absorb impact shocks.

13. The dumbbell of claim 11, further including a horizontal hub extending between the arms of the carrier, wherein the weight plate has a hole that is concentrically received on the hub to secure the weight plate to the carrier.

14. The dumbbell of claim 13, wherein each of the arms of the carrier includes a stub shaft that forms a portion of the horizontal hub with the stub shafts entering the hole in the weight plate from opposite sides of the hole.

15. The dumbbell of claim 13, further including a fastener passing through the horizontal hub of the carrier for holding the arms of the carrier together to secure the weight plate therebetween.

16. The dumbbell of claim 11, wherein the arms of the carrier extend upwardly from a base.

17. The dumbbell of claim 16, wherein each weight includes a left carrier holding a left weight plate and a right carrier holding a right weight plate, wherein the left and right carriers are spaced apart from one another and are secured, respectively, to the left and right ends of at least one interconnecting member that joins the left and right carriers together.

18. The dumbbell of claim 17, wherein the left and right ends of the interconnecting member are releasably received in slots in the bases of the left and right carriers.

19. The dumbbell of claim 17, wherein the bases of the carriers and the interconnecting member form a substantially rigid weight frame, and wherein the arms of the carriers are flexible relative to the rigid weight frame.

20. A selectorized dumbbell, which comprises:

(a) a plurality of nested weights, a handle, and a selector that couples a selected number of the weights to the handle; and

(b) wherein each nested weight comprises;

(i) a pair of weight plates;

(ii) a weight frame for carrying the weight plates in a spaced apart orientation, wherein the weight frame comprises;

a pair of carriers, wherein each carrier has a base and at least one arm projecting upwardly from the base with the weight plate being secured to the arm such that each carrier holds one weight plate; and

a pair of elongated interconnecting members extending between and releasably connected to opposite front and back sides of the bases of the pair of carriers to join the carriers together and hold the carriers in the spaced apart orientation, wherein each interconnecting member has a substantially flat, planar cross-sectional profile and is secured to an angled portion of the carrier in a manner that causes the cross-sectional profile of the interconnecting member to angle outwardly away from the base of the carrier as the interconnecting member rises from a bottom edge to a top edge thereof.