Hand-operable exercise bar

• US 7,314,438 B1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Issued: 01/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carol Clark, Rickie Clark
• Original Assignee: Carol Clark, Rickie Clark
• Inventors: Clark, Carol, Clark, Rickie
• Primary Examiner(s): Amerson; Lori
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganesan; Sundhara M
• Application Number:
  US11/291,471
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 482/91, 482/121, 482/102, 482/104, 482/105, 482/106, 482/107, 482/38, 482/62, 482/126, 482/108, 482/109, 482/49, 482/50, D21/665, D21/662, D21/681, D21/682
• US Class Current: 482/126
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/023 Wound springs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0455 having torsion element around its longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/06 User-manipulated weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/14 for wrist joints
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/16 for hands or fingers for teaching typing G09B13/00

Abstract

An exercise apparatus includes first and second handles that fit within a user'"'"'s hands and are formed from non-porous and water impermeable material. Each handle has a medially disposed end provided with a disc-shaped region and a central cylindrical region. The central region is intercalated between first and second disc-shaped regions and has a diameter smaller than corresponding diameters of the disc-shaped regions. Elongated and hollow shafts have lateral ends conjoined with the medial ends of the handles. The shafts have coextensive lengths and arcuate shapes. The lateral end is conjoined to the handles. A mechanism is included for attaching the shafts together such that the second shaft partially slides into the first shaft. Portable weight members are attached to the handles, against the central regions. A helical spring member is housed within one handle and abuts the first shaft, providing a resistive force against which the shaft is engaged.

Claims

1. A portable exercise apparatus for toning an upper muscular region of a body while a person is walking/jogging, said exercise apparatus comprising:

first and second handles suitably sized and shaped for fitting within left and right hands of a user respectively, said first and second handles being formed from non-porous and water impermeable material for resisting body fluid excretions during exercising procedures, each said first and second handles having medially disposed end portions provided with first and second spaced disc-shaped regions and a central cylindrical region monolithically formed with said first and second disc-shaped regions respectively, said central region being intercalated between said first and second disc-shaped regions and having a diameter smaller than corresponding diameters of said first and second disc-shaped regions for defining an annular path along an outer surface of said central region;

first and second elongated shafts having lateral ends directly conjoined with said medial ends of said first and second handles respectively, wherein said first and second shafts are hollow, said first and second shafts having coextensive longitudinal lengths and further having arcuate shapes extending intermediately between said first and second handles, said lateral end being statically and permanently conjoined to said first and second handles;

means for removably attaching said first and second shafts directly together such that said second shaft partially slides into said first shaft; and

a plurality of portable weight members removably attached directly to said first and second handles respectively, said weight members being directly positioned against said central regions and statically engaged therewith during exercising procedures;

wherein said first and second handles further comprise

a linear stop member monolithically formed with said first and second disc-shaped regions, said linear stop member bifurcating said central portion and providing a gripping surface against which said weight members are directly engaged and thereby maintaining said weight members at static positions;

wherein each of said central regions are counter sunk and offset from said first and second disc-shaped regions respectively, each of said weight members having opposed ends spaced apart and engaged with opposed faces of said stop members respectively wherein said weight members are medially positioned in between said first and second disc-shaped regions respectively.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said weight members are coextensively shaped and seated laterally of said first and second shafts.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said removably attaching means comprises:

a resiliently formed detent having first and second linear portions partially protruding outwardly from said second shaft; and

a plurality of rectangular members directly conjoined with said first and second linear portions, said rectangular members being resiliently adaptable between compressed and expanded positions for biasing said first and second linear portions outwardly through said second shaft respectively;

wherein said first shaft is provided with a plurality apertures formed therein and equidistantly spaced apart for simultaneously receiving said first and second linear portions therethrough.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second handles comprise:

a plurality of indentations selectively spaced along longitudinal lengths thereof for receiving metacarpals of the user thereon.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said rectangular members are housed within said second shaft.