Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/06—User-manipulated weights
  • A63B21/072—Dumb-bells, bar-bells or the like, e.g. weight discs having an integral peripheral handle
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/06—User-manipulated weights
  • A63B21/0601—Special physical structures of used masses
  • A63B21/0602—Fluids, e.g. water
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/06—User-manipulated weights
  • A63B21/0601—Special physical structures of used masses
  • A63B21/0603—Fluid-like particles, e.g. gun shot or sand
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
  • A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
  • A63B2071/0694—Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/02—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices using resilient force-resisters
  • A63B21/04—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices using resilient force-resisters attached to static foundation, e.g. a user
  • A63B21/0442—Anchored at one end only, the other end being manipulated by the user
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/02—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices using resilient force-resisters
  • A63B21/055—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices using resilient force-resisters extension element type
  • A63B21/0552—Elastic ropes or bands
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/06—User-manipulated weights
  • A63B21/072—Dumb-bells, bar-bells or the like, e.g. weight discs having an integral peripheral handle
  • A63B21/0724—Bar-bells; Hand bars
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
  • A63B21/40—Interfaces with the user related to strength training; Details thereof
  • A63B21/4027—Specific exercise interfaces
  • A63B21/4033—Handles, pedals, bars or platforms
  • A63B21/4035—Handles, pedals, bars or platforms for operation by hand

Definitions

• the present invention relates to exercise equipment and, specifically, weight training equipment.
• the invention relates to a device that is configured for use as both a weight plate and a kettlebell.
• BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003]
• Ubiquitous in gymnasia are weight plates that are configured to be mounted on bars. Such plates are generally annular-shaped objects comprising a disc having a central aperture for receiving the bar.
• weight plates are provided on opposite ends of the bar and the plates are then preferably locked in position with clamps or collars and the like.
• the combination of a bar and the associated weights is commonly referred to as a barbell.
• Weight plates are typically provided according to pre-set weights, allowing the user to select the desired combination of weight plates for performing the desired exercise.
• weight plates have been known for many decades, various improved versions continue to be proposed as exemplified by, for example, US Patent numbers 6,702,723 and 7,704,196. Due to their disc shaped structure, weight plates are usually mounted on a rack for storage, wherein the central aperture of the plates is positioned over a hook provided on the rack.
• weight plates may be used with a bar to form a barbell, as described above, it is also known to use one or more plates without a bar for performing certain resistance exercises.
• a chain, rope or other such tethering device may be connected through the central aperture of the weight plate, thus allowing the weight to be lifted, pulled or dragged by the user as needed.
• kettlebell In addition to the well known weight plates, another type of resistance training equipment that has also become common is the "kettlebell".
• kettlebells may be provided in various shapes, they generally comprise a weight having a flat base portion and a handle at the opposite end thereof. The body of a kettlebell is generally round; however, other shapes are also known.
• kettlebells In use, a user would typically grasp the handle of the kettlebell and perform lifting exercises such as dead lifts and the like.
• the flat base of the kettlebell allows the device to stand on a surface when not in use or between lifting procedures.
• kettlebells As with weight plates, kettlebells have also been known for many decades. Nevertheless, various improvements have been proposed for this device as well, such as those taught in US Patent numbers 7,81 1 ,212 and 7,883,452. [0006]
• Both weight plates and kettlebells offer unique advantages for resistance training since they allow a user to perform different types of exercises. For example, some strength training exercises that can be performed with kettlebells generally cannot be performed with weight plates and vice versa. However, due to space restrictions, gymnasia usually provide only one of such equipment.
• the present invention provides an exercise device that combines features of both a weight plate and a kettlebell.
• the invention provides a weight plate comprising: front and rear surfaces and top and bottom ends; an aperture extending between the front and rear surfaces; the top end of the weight plate including a handle; and, the bottom end comprising a flat surface.
• the weight plate may be hollow and adapted to be filled with a material to achieve a desired weight.
• the invention provides an exercise kit comprising at least one pair of weight plates, each of said weight plates comprising:
• the top end of the weight plate including a handle
• the kit may include a bar that is received within the apertures of the weight plates.
• the kit may include a plurality of weight plate pairs, of the same or different sizes.
• the kit may also include one pair of weight plates that are hollow and adapted to be filled with a material to achieve a desired weight.
• FIGS 4 and 5 are left and right elevations, respectively, of the weight plate shown in Figure 1.
• Figures 6 and 7 are top and bottom views, respectively, of the weight plate shown in Figure 1.
• DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0018] The present invention will now be described using various terms that would be understood by persons skilled in the art. Such persons would comprise individuals familiar with weight training devices and exercises such as personal trainers, strength conditioning coaches as well as experienced users of such devices. [0019] In the following description, the term "weight plate” will be used to describe the invention. Although, as discussed herein, the invention comprises a combination of features from both weight plates and kettlebells, it will be understood that the invention will be referred to herein as a "weight plate” for convenience.
• the weight plate according to an aspect of the invention is illustrated generally at 10 in the accompanying figures.
• the weight plate 10 comprises a generally disc- shaped object having front 12 and rear 14 surfaces, top and bottom ends and a thickness.
• the weight plate of the invention also includes an aperture 16, extending through the front 12 to rear 14 surfaces, so as to provide the weight plate with a generally annular-like shape.
• the aperture 16 may be generally centrally located on the weight plate 10 or, as described further below may be eccentrically located at a position closer to the top end of the plate 10.
• the front a rear surfaces, 12 and 14, of the weight plate 10 are generally flat so as to give the plate 10 its disc- or plate-like structure.
• the aperture 16 is provided to allow the weight plate 10 to be mounted on a bar as described above.
• the aperture 16 may be of any diameter as known in the art. Typically, the diameter of the aperture 16 would be sufficient to accommodate bars that are common equipment in gymnasia.
• the aperture 16 may also be of a size that is adapted to receive a bar of any given size, such as one that is sized to be only used with the weight plates of the present invention.
• the aperture 16 may be reinforced with a metal ring or the like (not shown) to account for excessive wear when used with a bar.
• the generally disc-shaped structure of the weight plate 10 and the provision of the aperture 16 allows the plate 10 to be used in the same manner as known weight plates, as described above. That is, the weight plate 10 of the present invention may be mounted on bar to form a barbell or mounted on a rack for storage.
• the weight plate is also provided with a handle 18.
• the handle 18 is integrally formed with or permanently connected to the body of the weight plate 10. It will be understood that such an orientation allows the handle 18 to be more rigid and therefore would permit the user to manipulate the weight plate 10 more efficiently.
• the handle 18 may equally be detachable or moveable (i.e. pivotable). As will be understood from the present description, the handle 18 serves the purpose of allowing a user to lift the device and, therefore, any handle shape or orientation that accomplishes such goal would be usable in the present invention.
• the body of the weight plate 10 may preferably include indents or depressions 20 and 22 provided on one or both the front 12 and rear 14 surfaces thereof.
• the indents 20, 22 serve to facilitate the manipulation of the weight plate 10 during use and allowing the user to more easily grasp the handle 18. It will be understood the indents 20 and 22 are optional as they facilitate manipulation of the weight plate 10 and do not affect the operation of the device.
• the weight plate 10 is provided with curved, convex sides 24 and 26. That is, the sides 24 and 26 are preferably curved outwardly in extending between the top and bottom ends of the weight plate 10. This provides the weight plate 10 with the aforementioned generally disc-shaped appearance.
• the sides 24 and 26 are also preferably convex in shape extending between the front 12 and rear 14 surfaces.
• the shape of the sides 24, 26 is primarily aesthetic in nature and it will be understood that any other shape or configuration may be possible.
• the sides 24 and 26 may be curved from the top to bottom ends of the weight plate 10 as described above but may comprise flat ends instead of the above mentioned convex shape.
• the weight plate 10 of the invention may be formed of any material.
• the weight plate 10 may comprise a forged or moulded metal such as steel or the like.
• the weight plate 10 may be made in a manner similar to known weight plates.
• Such a forged or moulded structure would include the handle 18 as mentioned above.
• the weight plate 10 may comprise a painted outer surface or may be coated with any known material such as rubber, plastic etc.
• the weight plate 10 of the invention may comprise a hollow structure that can be filled with a material to provide the desired weight.
• the weight plate may be provided with at least one fill port 28, preferable at or proximate to the upper end thereof.
• the port 28 allows for the interior of the weight plate 10 to be filled with any solid or liquid material such as water, sand, or any other material that can provide the desired weight.
• the weight plate 10 would preferably include at least one window 30 or other such visual aid to view the material being filled within the plate 10.
• the weight plate 10 is shown with one window 30; however it will be understood that any number of windows may be provided at different locations over the surfaces of the weight place, such as the front surface 12, rear surface 14, the sides 24 and 26, or any combination thereof.
• the window or windows 30 may include suitable indicia 31 to indicate to the user the amount or volume of material contained in the weight plate 10 or the amount of material being poured into the weight plate 10 as it is being filled.
• suitable indicia may preferably be used to correlate the volume of the filling material with the overall weight of the plate 10. It will be understood that different indicia may be used for different filling material based on the density of the filling material. Thus, one indicia may be used where water is the filling material and another indicia may be used where the filling material in of a greater density, such as sand or metal (e.g. lead) pellets.
• the weight plate 10 may be provided with multiple indicia to accommodate different filler material.
• the weight plate 10 of the invention includes a base 32.
• the base 32 of the weight plate 10 comprises a flat surface.
• such a flat surface allows the weight plate 10 to be positioned in standing position on the floor or shelf etc.
• the weight plate 10 of the invention can be used in the same manner as kettlebell.
• the base 32 of the plates may be used to rest the barbell on a surface, thereby preventing rolling of the barbell.
• the aperture 16 of the weight plate 10 may be provided eccentrically, or off-center and located closer to the top end thereof, that is, closer to the handle than the base. More precisely, the aperture 16 according to this embodiment is positioned above the center of gravity of the weight plate 10 and closer to the top end of the plate 10.
• the weight plate 10 may optionally be provided with an attachment means 34, such as an eyelet, hook or the like that is, for example, formed with or secured to the weigh plate 10.
• the attachment means 34 is provided close to the top end of the plate 10.
• the attachment means 34 may be used to connect the weight plate 10 to a connecting device such as a cable, chain, cord, rope or the like.
• the weigh plate 10 may be connected to a bungee cord or other similar elastic connector. In this way, the weight plate 10 may be carried, dragged or pulled etc. so as to allow for a variation in the exercise program for the user.
• the weight plates 10 may be provided in the form of a kit.
• a kit may comprise any number of weight plates 10, typically of different weights and/or sizes.
• the kit would comprise weight plates that are provided in pairs so that they may be used on opposite ends of a bar.
• the aperture 16 of the weight plate 10 may be of any size.
• the aperture 16 may be sized to receive bars of a standard diameter (i.e. weight bars commonly used in gyms), it would also be possible for the aperture 16 to be sized to receive a specifically designed bar, namely one that is designed solely for use with the weight plates 10 described herein.
• kits comprising any number and weights of the weight plates 10 and weight bars such as those specially designed or adapted for use with the plates 10. Such bars may be of one or more lengths.
• the kits of the invention may also comprise one or more pairs of the fillable embodiment of the weight plate 10 as discussed above. Such a kit could, for example, comprise one pair of fillable weight plates 10 and one or more bars. The fillable nature of the weight plate 10 would allow the user to adjust the weight of the bar to any desired value thereby avoiding the need for multiple weight plates.
• kit may also include one or more pairs of solid weight plates of a pre-set weight.
• kits of the invention may include one or more connecting devices for connecting to the attachment 34 of the weight plate 10. As discussed above various types of connecting devices may be used with the weight plates 10 of the invention. [0038]

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Orthopedic Medicine & Surgery (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Rehabilitation Tools (AREA)
• Table Devices Or Equipment (AREA)
• Food-Manufacturing Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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Cited By (16)

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• 2013
  • 2013-06-04 WO PCT/CA2013/050428 patent/WO2013181757A2/fr not_active Ceased

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