Exercise baton with removable internal weights

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The subject invention generally pertains to exercise equipment and more specifically to a lifting bar with adjustable weight.

[0004] 2. Description of Related Art

[0005] Dumbbells and weights attached to bars have been around for many years. Such exercise bars come in a wide variety of styles to serve various functions. For simply building strength, a suitable bar may have externally mounted weights. External weights, however, can interfere with certain exercises meant for rehabilitation or for improving flexibility. Thus, a physical therapist or other professional trainers may have their clients use a simple rod, such as a broomstick, to perform exercises such as those used to improve range-of-motion.

[0006] Unfortunately, a broomstick or other wooden rod is often too light for many users. A heavier rod, such as a steel bar, can be used, but some may find it too heavy. Moreover, the weight requirement of any particular user may change, and a rod of a fixed weight may not meet that change. In some cases, reducing weight to accommodate conditions such as pain, tightness, spasms, injury, etc. may be as important to a user as the progressive addition of weight as the user improves.

[0007] Some exercise devices have provisions for adding or removing internal weights, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,157,827 and 5,876,312. In both devices, however, the internal weights appear able to shift when less than the maximum number of weights is installed. For the '827 device, it appears that a single internal weight could move sideways without first deforming the device's exterior. But deforming the exterior shifts the device's center of gravity off center. In the '312 device, the center of gravity appears able to shift axially when fewer than four balls are installed in any one chamber. Regardless of which direction the internal weights shift, the feel and sound of shifting weights may be an annoying distraction to many users.

[0008] To overcome the limitations of existing exercise bars, it is an object of the invention to provide a baton where incremental weights can be added or removed without significantly altering the baton's external shape.

[0009] A second object of the invention it to provide a baton than can separate into two pieces for easy transport and storage.

[0010] A third object is to provide baton with calibrated weights so that numeric weight used at specific dates can be recorded for scientific assessment of the user's progress. Such objective record can be especially useful for insurance claim purposes, as in cases of the baton's use in physical therapy. Further, by having measurable increments, the user has an incentive for progress.

[0011] A forth object is to provide an internal source of light for use in exercising, thereby providing visual entertainment, as in a group being drilled or as an added attraction for children, mentally impaired, and others.

[0012] A fifth object is to provide an internal source of light to distract the user, thereby reducing the boredom that often accompanies exercise routines, and thus helping the user to exercise longer.

[0013] A sixth object of the invention is to produce the baton of a clear plastic housing for the ease of viewing the weights and to enable light to shine out from inside the baton.

[0014] A seventh object is to evenly distribute the internal weights of a baton around its internal circumference with sufficient space for light to shine between adjacent weights.

[0015] An eighth object is to provide highly reflective weights to enhance the reflection of light.

[0016] A ninth object is to help keep a baton's internal weights from rattling or shifting.

[0017] A tenth object is to provide a weight divider that evenly distributes several weights within a baton so as to place the weights' cumulative center of gravity on a longitudinal centerline of a baton, regardless of the number of weights.

[0018] An eleventh object is to provide an exercise baton with internal weights that, if desired, can be offset to either end of the baton without affecting the exterior shape of the baton. In some cases, offset weights can be a benefit where there is a need for exercising one arm more than another.

[0019] These and other objects of the invention may be provided by a baton that includes a tube having within its interior several elongated weights. A divider inside the tube helps keep the weights properly distributed. Although a single embodiment may not necessarily achieve all of the above-listed objects of the invention, various forms of the invention may achieve various individual objects.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a front view of an exercise baton in use according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0021] FIG. 2 is an partially exploded view of the baton of FIG. 1 showing the baton separated and how internal weights can be changed.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3—3 of FIG. 1.

[0023] FIG. 4 is an end view of a divider used in the baton of FIG. 1.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5—5 of FIG. 3, but with only three weights installed.

[0025] An exercise baton 10, shown in FIGS. 1-3, includes two generally rigid tubes 12aand 12beach having an interior adapted to contain several elongated weights 14, such as ¼ inch diameter steel rods. However, more or less than two tubes are well within the scope of the invention.

[0026] Each tube 12aand 12bincludes a fixed end cap 16aand 16brespectively. Caps 16aand 16bcan be fixed to their respective tube by a variety of ways including, but not limited to, adhesive, press-fit, conventional fastener, etc. Both caps have a centrally located threaded hole. A pin 18 fixes one end of a threaded fastener 20 to cap 16bwhile an opposite end screws into the threaded hole of cap 16a. Thus, caps 16aand 16b, pin 18, and threaded fastener 20 provide a connection 22 that releasably connects tubes 12aand 12b, with the assembly process being depicted by arrow 24 of FIG. 2.

[0027] Referring further to FIGS. 4 and 5, two dividers 26aand 26bare held fixed within tube 12aand another two dividers 26cand 26dare similarly held within tube 12b. As with the tubes, the use ofjust one divider is well within the scope of the invention. However, two axially spaced dividers in each tube work well in supporting opposite ends of weight 14. The dividers can be held fixed within their respective tube by any of a variety of ways including, but not limited to adhesive, press-fit, conventional fastener, etc. Each divider includes several chambers 28a-f, each of which are adapted to receive a weight 14. The dividers also include a central chamber 28gthat can hold a weight slightly shorter than weight 14 or can be left open.

[0028] Chambers 28a-gare positioned to evenly space and distribute weights 14 within tubes 12aand 12b. In particular, the chambers can keep several weights' individual center of gravity (i.e., the center of gravity of one weight) radially offset relative to a longitudinal centerline 30 of tubes 12aand 12b, yet the collective center of gravity (i.e., the center of gravity of a group of weights) can still be maintained substantially on centerline 30. This provides a comfortably balanced baton regardless of the number of weights 14, including cases where no weights 14 are installed. For one weight, the weight is place in chamber 28g; for two weights, chambers 28aand 28bare used; three weights use chambers 28b, 28dand 28f(see FIG. 5); four weights use chambers 28b, 28c, 28eand 28f, five weights use chambers 28a, 28b, 28d, 28eand 28g; six weights use 28a-f, and seven weights use 28a-g.

[0029] A threaded cap 32 at one end of each of tubes 12aand 12ballow weights 14 to be added and removed. The process of adding and removing weights is shown FIG. 2 with reference to tube 12a; however, the process is the same for tube 12b, but with the weights being added or removed from the opposite end of baton 10. Pin 18 fixes threaded fastener 20 to cap 32. Fastener 20, in turn, screws into a threaded bore 34 of divider 26aor 26bto hold cap 32 snugly against tube 12aor 12b. An O-ring 36 can be used to provide some friction and axial resilience that helps keep cap 32 from accidentally unscrewing. O-ring 36 can also be used on connection 22 to serve a similar function.

[0030] Upon screwing caps 32 in place, an inside axial face of cap 32 pushes each weight 14 against an opposite facing, resiliently compressible pad 38. This help keep weights 14 from rattling back and forth axially (i.e., in a direction parallel to centerline 30 and perpendicular to a radial direction). In some cases, it may be desirable to install more weights in tube 12athan tube 12bto exercise a person's one arm than another.

[0031] In some embodiments of the invention, a light source 40 is installed inside tubes 12aand 12b, and the tubes are made of a plastic material that can transmit light (e.g., transparent or translucent polycarbonate, acrylic, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, etc). Tubes 12aand 12bare preferably transparent, so one can readily see how many weights 14 are inside. Light source 40 is schematically illustrated to encompass any light emitting object including, but not limited to, a strontium coated tube, a photoluminescent rod, incandescent light, fluorescent light, tube light, light emitting diode, etc. When baton 10 includes light source 40, weights 14 are preferably polished to a highly reflective finish and sufficiently spaced apart to allow light to pass between adjacent weights 14.

[0032] Although the invention is described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications are well within the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be determined by reference to the claims that follow.