Weight plate

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to physical fitness equipment, and more specifically to an improved weight plate that may be used during weight lifting.

[0002] Free weight exercises generally require weight plates for use with barbells or dumbbells. The weight plates are typically disc-shaped and include a central opening for receiving a barbell or dumbbell bar through the central opening.

[0003] One major problem with free weight lifting and a cause of many accidental injuries is that it is difficult to pick up a weight plate, particularly disc-shaped plates having substantially flat sides. Most users can typically handle the lighter weights of 5 or 10 pounds without too much difficulty. But as the size and weight of the weight plate increases, one must be very careful to avoid injury. The problem, simply stated, is that a flat sided weight plate does not have a convenient hand hold to be grasped by the user for lifting it off of a flat surface, such as the floor or a stack of adjacent weight plates. Lifting a typical weight plate off of a flat surface requires that the user apply sufficient radial and frictional force on the periphery or outer perimeter of the disc-shaped plate to lift at least one side of the plate a sufficient distance off the flat surface to permit the user to place at least a portion of his fingers around the periphery and onto one side of the plate. Of course, the heavier the weight plate, the more difficult this lifting maneuver becomes. Lifting a weight plate according to the generally accepted method described above can cause injury if the weight plate slips out of the grasp of the user and falls on his or her toes or fingers.

[0004] Some weight plates include an upstanding circumferential flange about the periphery of the plate. This provides a raised surface that may be gripped by the user for lifting the weight plate. The same problems are encountered, however, when an individual attempts to lift the weight plate by its circumferential flange. A sufficient radial and frictional force must still be applied to lift the plate on its peripheral edge so that the user can grip the plate by wrapping his or her fingers and thumb about the upstanding flange and outer edge of the plate.

[0005] The problems noted above are not encountered solely when exercising with free weights. Many exercise apparatus require the weight plates be added or removed to vary the resistance provided by the exercise apparatus. The typical weight plate is not only difficult to lift off a flat surface, as noted above, but is also difficult to hold and raise up, perhaps to chest level, to mount the weight plate on an exercise apparatus. Likewise, removing a weight plate from a relatively high position on an exercise apparatus is also difficult and, if not done with care, may result in injury to the individual removing the weight plate.

[0006] Yet another constraint on the design of weight plates is control of manufacturing costs. Intricate plate designs typically cost more to manufacture than a standard weight plate, thus creating a unit cost that the market is unwilling to bear. What is needed is a simple solution to the above noted problems that also minimizes manufacturing costs. The weight plate of the present disclosure satisfies this need.

[0007] A weight plate having integrally formed handles is provided. The weight plate has a weight plate body having an outer periphery, a first side, and a second side that is substantially flat. The weight plate also has a central bore extending axially through the body, a raised flange member forming a portion of the outer periphery on the first side, and at least one handle opening extending axially through the body and radially through at least a portion of the outer periphery. Each handle opening in cooperation with the raised flange member define a handle sufficient for a human hand to grip. Where multiple handle openings are employed, including two, three, and four handle openings, the handle openings are equiangularly spaced apart. Additionally, each handle opening includes edge surfaces which are rounded to improve the comfort of the user.

[0008] A more complete understanding of the present disclosure may be obtained with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first side of an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the first side of the illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the second side of the illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] The present disclosure will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the disclosure is shown. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein.

[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a weight plate 10 in accordance with certain teachings of the present disclosure is shown. Weight plate 10 may be cast, rubber coated, and/or polyurethane coated. Weight plate 10 has a first side 15 and a second side 17 and includes a substantially flat body 11 defined by a first planar surface 12 and a second planar surface 14. The planar surfaces 12, 14 are generally opposed and define the axial thickness T of weight plate 10. FIGS. 1 and 2 depict the first side 15 of weight plate 10, while FIG. 3 depicts the second side 17 of weight plate 10. A centrally located bore 16 defines the rotational axis of plate 10 and is adapted to receive a mounting member (not shown), such as a barbell or a dumbbell bar. The bore 16 is further defined by an integrally formed collar 18 which projects outwardly from the first planar surface 12 and adds axial length to bore 16. Support ribs 19 may also be used to provide further support for collar 18. It is understood that the diameter of bore 16 may vary to accommodate various diameter sizes of mounting members to be received through bore 16, and will generally vary between 1 to 2 inches to accommodate most standard bars.

[0014] The opposed planar surfaces 12, 14 terminate at an outer periphery 20 of plate body 11. Although FIGS. 1-3 show a substantially circular outer periphery, any periphery shape may also be used, including any polygonal-shaped. The first side 15 of weight plate 10 also includes a flange member 22 integrally formed therewith and forming a portion of the outer periphery 20 that extends outwardly from the first planar surface 12.

[0015] In the weight plate shown in FIGS. 1-3, weight plate 10 includes three handle openings 24 formed in the plate body 11 and extending at least partially to the outer periphery 20. Although the Figures show three handle openings 24, any number of equiangularly spaced handle openings, including but not limited to one, two, three, or four handle openings, may be used. The handle openings 24 are disposed extending through body 11 and through at least a portion of the outer periphery 20 (best illustrated in FIG. 3). Although the size of these handle openings 24 may vary depending on the size, weight, and other design particulars of a specific weight plate, each handle opening 24 should be less than about 20%, and more preferably less than about 10%, of the total area of the weight plate body plate, which is calculated as the area of each opening 24 extending through plate body 11 as a percentage of the area of the plate body 11. For clarity, the area of plate body 11 if the plate were circular as shown in FIGS. 1-3 would be simply π*D²/4, where D is the diameter of plate body 11. For non-circular plates, the total area of the plate body 11 is would be calculated in an analogous manner.

[0016] A recess 26 having a defined axial thickness is formed between each handle opening 24 and the adjacent raised flange member 22. Each recess 26 in conjunction with the corresponding handle opening 24 and the raised flange member 22 form a handle 28 that is dimensioned in such a way that is sufficient for a human hand to grip. For example, handle 28, opening 24, and recess 26 may be sized to receive at least a portion of one or more fingers of a human hand extending therethrough. The axial thickness of recess 26 may be controlled by many means known in the art, including but not limited to increasing or decreasing the size of the flange member 22 at the locations corresponding to handle openings 24. Recess 26 may be of any axial thickness, but is preferably less than about one inch, and more preferably less than about 0.5 inch.

[0017] Sharp edges may be eliminated by rounding the edges of the handle openings 24. Likewise, the raised flange member 22 may be rounded to avoid scratching or gouging the floor or harming the user in the event that the weight plate 10 is brushed against the user's body.

[0018] One of ordinary skill should appreciate that the handle 28 may be grasped in several ways, including but not limited to: (1) placing one or more fingers through recess 26 first, then wrapping the fingers about handle 28 through opening 24 while wrapping the thumb around the outer periphery 20 to secure the grip, or (2) placing one or more fingers through opening 24 first, then wrapping the fingers about handle 28 through recess 26 while wrapping the thumb around the outer periphery 20 to secure the grip.

[0019] Another aspect of the present disclosure is the substantially flat nature of second surface 14 of the plate body 10. Accordingly, manufacturing costs are reduced by providing a second surface 14 that is substantially flat and contains no integral features that would be difficult and expensive to mill. No support collar or support ribs are required as with first surface 12. No flange member is required on the second side 17 of the weight plate 10 since the handles 28 are formed using the first flange member 22 on the first side 15 of the weight plate 10.

[0020] It will be apparent to one of skill in the art that what is described herein is a novel weight plate having integrally formed handles. While the disclosure has been described with references to specific preferred embodiments, it is not limited to these embodiments. The disclosure may be modified or varied in many ways and such modifications and variations as would be obvious to one of skill in the art are within the scope and spirit of the disclosure and are included within the scope of the following claims.