Weight lifting device

• US 6,736,765 B2
• Filed: 05/01/1998
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fitness Products International LP (Peloton Interactive, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Precor Strength Incorporated
• Inventors: Gibson, Ronald S., Wallace, Richard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULCAHY, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US09/071,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20010049324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,209 Days
• Field of Search: 482/50, 482/93, 482/106-110, D21/680
• US Class Current: 482/106
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/072 Dumb-bells, bar-bells or the like , e.g. weight discs having an integral peripheral handle
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0783 Safety features for bar-bells, e.g. drop limiting means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children

Abstract

A weight plate for use with a barbell or dumbbell which incorporates a plurality of handgrips formed near the peripheral surface of the weight plate. The handgrips have a transverse width and radial height sized to provide a convenient gripping point for individuals with smaller hands, such as women, children, or smaller men. These small circumference handgrips are indented from the outside edges of the weight plate to allow for more convenient manipulation of the weight when the weight abuts against a solid obstruction, such as another weight plate on a weight stack. This indentation of the hand grips also provides protection for the hands and fingers of a weight lifter manipulating the weight plate in a weight lifting environment. The location of the handgrips of the present invention also facilitate the lifting and transport of the weight plate in the weight lifting environment, by reducing the stresses on the weight lifter'"'"'s shoulder joints.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in physical fitness, comprising:

a weight plate having a central mounting hole passing transversely through the plate;

said plate having a peripheral surface;

said plate having a plurality of elongated openings spaced angularly around the central mounting hole and located between said central mounting hole and said peripheral surface; and

a plurality of handgrips formed integrally with said plate, each of said handgrips sized and adapted to comfortably accommodate a user'"'"'s hand and being located between one of said elongated openings and said peripheral surface;

wherein

the angular spacing between the centers of each of the elongate openings is less than 180°

; and

said peripheral surface of said plate is generally flat at locations adjacent to said handgrips and arcuate between the flat locations.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said handgrips have an octagonal cross-section.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said handgrips have a rectangular cross-section.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said handgrips have a circular cross-section.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said weight plate has beveled edges along said handgrips.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said plate is comprised of iron.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

said iron plate is coated with rubber.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

said iron plate is chrome plated.

9. The weight plate of claim 1, wherein said plurality of openings comprises three openings;

and

each opening has a center located at an angle of approximately 120°

with respect to each other.

10. The weight plate of claim 9, wherein the weight plate has a first transverse width in an area between the openings;

said three handgrips each having a second transverse width, and

said second transverse width is less than said first transverse width.

11. The weight plate of claim 10, wherein the difference between the first and second transverse widths is large enough to accommodate the bony portions of a human hand.

12. The weight plate of claim 11, wherein the difference between the first and second transverse widths is at least 2 inch.

13. The weight plate of claim 1, wherein the elongate opening has a substantially flat surface at the handgrip, and the elongate opening surface is longer than the flat portion of the peripheral surface.

14. The weight plate of claim 13, wherein the elongate opening has a pair of substantially parallel elongate surfaces, and the parallel surfaces have substantially the same lengths.

15. The weight plate of claim 14, wherein the parallel surfaces each have first and second ends, and a first arcuate surface extends between the first ends of the parallel surfaces and a second arcuate surface extends between the second ends of the parallel surfaces.

16. The weight plate of claim 1, wherein a first flat surface is formed on the perimeter surface at one of the handgrips and a second flat surface is formed on a side of the handgrip facing the elongate opening, and the second flat surface is longer than the first flat surface.

17. A dual-purpose weight plate, comprising:

a generally disk-shaped plate having a centrally-positioned opening adapted to accommodate a weight lifting barbell; and

a plurality of elongate handles integrally formed with the plate, each handle located adjacent an elongate opening extending through the plate, and each handle additionally having a center, the centers angularly spaced less than 180°

from each other handle center and less than 120°

from at least one other handle center so that when a weight lifter grasps the plate by any two handles when the plate is generally vertically oriented, both hands of the weight lifter can simultaneously be oriented with the palm facing at least partially downward, and the weight lifter can selectively choose between at least two possible hand orientations depending on which two handles the weight lifter grasps;

wherein the weight plate is adapted to be used with the barbell and is also adapted to be used alone to simultaneously utilize the shoulder and back muscle groups of the weight lifter when lifted using two handles.

18. The weight plate of claim 17, wherein:

each elongate handle has a substantially uniform transverse width.

19. The weight plate of claim 17, wherein each of the elongate handles has a longitudinal axis, and the angle formed by the axes of two adjacent elongate handles is about 60°

.

20. The weight plate of claim 17, wherein each of the elongate handles has at least one flat surface portion.

21. An apparatus for use in physical fitness, comprising:

a weight plate having a central mounting hole passing transversely through the plate;

said plate having a peripheral surface;

said plate having three elongated openings spaced angularly around the central mounting hole and located between said central mounting hole and said peripheral surface;

three handgrips formed integrally with said plate, each of said handgrips sized and adapted to comfortably accommodate a user'"'"'s hand and being located between one of said elongated openings and said peripheral surface; and

the angular spacing between the center of one of the elongate openings and the center of the closest adjacent elongate opening is approximately 120°

;

wherein said peripheral surface of said plate is generally flat at locations adjacent to said three handgrips and arcuate between the flat locations.

22. The weight plate of claim 21, wherein the weight plate has a first transverse width in an area between the openings;

said three handgrips each having a second transverse width, and

said second transverse width is less than said first transverse width.