EXERCISE DEVICE

• US 20070287611A1
• Filed: 02/26/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Escape Fitness Limited
• Original Assignee: Escape Fitness Limited
• Inventors: Januszek, Richard Zdzislaw
• Granted Patent: US 7,922,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/107
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0063 Shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0728 with means for fixing weights on bars, i.e. fixing olympic discs or bumper plates on bar-bells or dumb-bells

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an exercise device, includes the steps of providing a bar having an end portion; providing a collar for receiving the end portion; forming a weight section about the collar to form a weight assembly including a weight section and a collar; mounting the weight assembly on the end portion; providing a first securing member; and securing the weight assembly to the bar using the first securing member. The weight section is formed about the collar by casting.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an exercise device, comprising the steps of:

providing a bar, the bar comprising an end portion;

providing a collar for receiving the end portion;

forming a weight section about the collar to form a weight assembly comprising the weight section and the collar;

mounting the weight assembly on the end portion;

providing a first securing member; and

securing the weight assembly to the bar using the first securing member.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the weight section is formed about the collar such that the collar is fixed relative to the weight section.

3. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the collar has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the collar is axially fixed relative to the weight section.

4. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the weight section extends inwardly of a portion of the collar to fix the collar relative to the weight section.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the collar comprises an outer surface, and the method further comprises forming at least one channel in the outer surface of the collar.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first securing member comprises an end plate, and further comprising the step of engaging the end plate with the weight assembly to at least axially secure the weight assembly to the end portion.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the end plate comprises a central aperture, and the end portion of the bar comprises a projection, and further comprising the step of locating the projection within the central aperture of the end plate.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of securing the end plate to the end portion by welding the end plate to the projection.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of securing the end plate to the end portion by flaring the projection to retain the end plate against the weight assembly.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of providing a resilient member, and applying a force to the first securing member to compress the resilient member prior to the step of securing the first securing member to the end portion, such that the resilient member remains compressed when the first securing member is secured to the end portion and the force is removed from the first securing member.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the weight assembly further comprises an outer skin, and wherein the resilient member comprises a resilient portion of the outer skin.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a second securing member to further secure the weight assembly to the bar.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second securing member comprises the collar.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein an interference fit exists between the collar and the end portion.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of providing a third securing member for securing the weight assembly to the bar, and securing the weight assembly to the bar using the third securing member.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the third securing member comprises a weld.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the weight section about the collar comprises the step of casting the weight section about the collar.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the weight section is cast iron.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the exercise device is a dumbbell.

20. An exercise device comprising:

a bar, the bar comprising an end portion;

a weight assembly mounted on the end portion; and

a first securing member for securing the weight assembly to the bar;

wherein the weight assembly comprises a collar and a weight section formed about the collar, the collar being adapted to receive the end portion of the bar to mount the weight assembly on the bar.

21. The exercise device of claim 20, wherein the weight section is formed about the collar such that the collar is fixed relative to the weight section.

22. The exercise device of claim 20, wherein the collar has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the collar is axially fixed relative to the weight section.

23. The exercise device of claim 20, wherein a portion of the weight section extends inwardly of a portion of the collar to fix the collar relative to the weight section.

24. The exercise device of claim 20, wherein the collar comprises an outer surface about which the weight section is formed, the outer surface having at least one channel into which a portion of the weight section extends.

25. The exercise device of claim 24, wherein at least one said channel extends around at least part of the periphery of the collar.

26. The exercise device of claim 24, wherein at least one said channel extends along the length of the collar.

27. The exercise device of claim 20, wherein the first securing member comprises an end plate for engaging with the weight assembly to at least axially secure the weight assembly to the end portion.

28. The exercise device of claim 27, wherein the end plate comprises a central aperture, and the end portion comprises a projection located within the central aperture of the end plate, and wherein the projection cooperates with the end plate to secure the weight assembly to the end portion.

29. The exercise device of claim 28, wherein the projection is welded to the end plate.

30. The exercise device of claim 28, wherein the projection is flared to retain the end plate against the weight assembly.

31. The exercise device of claim 20, further comprising a resilient member which is compressed when the first securing member is secured to the end portion of the bar to secure the weight assembly to the bar.

32. The exercise device of claim 31, wherein the resilient member comprises an outer skin of the weight assembly.

33. The exercise device of claim 27, wherein the end plate is rotationally fixed relative to the weight assembly.

34. The exercise device of claim 20, further comprising a second securing member for securing the weight assembly to the bar, wherein the second securing member comprises the collar.

35. The exercise device of claim 34, further comprising a third securing member for securing the weight assembly to the bar.

36. The exercise device of claim 35, wherein the third securing member is a weld.

37. The exercise device of claim 20, wherein an interference fit is provided between the collar and the end portion.

38. The exercise device of claim 20, wherein the weight section is cast about the collar.

39. The exercise device of claim 20, wherein the exercise device is a dumbbell.

40. A method of manufacturing an exercise device, comprising the steps of:

providing a bar comprising an end portion and a locating member;

providing a weight assembly;

providing a resilient member;

mounting the weight assembly on the end portion;

providing an end plate for cooperating with the locating member to secure the weight assembly to the bar;

applying a force to the end plate to cause the end plate to compress the resilient member;

securing the end plate to the end portion while the resilient member is compressed; and

removing the force once the end plate is secured to the end portion;

wherein the compressed resilient member applies a force to urge the weight assembly against the locating member.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the resilient member comprises a resilient portion of an outer skin of the weight assembly.

42. (canceled)

43. (canceled)