Exercise apparatus

[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/201,712, entitled “Exercise Apparatus,” filed Dec. 12, 2008.

[0002] The present invention generally relates to the field of exercise equipment.

[0003] The home fitness equipment industry is dominated by devices that require extensive space and often target only one particular type of exercise. The products include motorized treadmills, stationary bikes, stairclimbers, rowing machines, elliptical cross-trainers, free weights and similar equipment. The popularity of such home exercise equipment is due in part to the fact that it allows users to train in the privacy of their own home without the necessity of visiting a commercial gym. The cost of the available home exercise equipment makes acquisition unaffordable for a large segment of the target market. To save costs, the existing products ship with a limited ability to modify the work load of the product, i.e., to add or remove the weight or resistance of the equipment so that the user can effectively complete an exercise. Indeed some devices, such as free weights, lack the ability to modify the work load of an exercise except in large increments (5 lbs, 10 lbs, etc). In addition, some equipment only allows the user to perform one repetitive exercise, which often leads to boredom and a lack of consistent use by the equipment's owners. There is therefore a need for a flexible, innovative and affordable device that can be used in a variety of exercises while allowing the user to adjust the workload of the device in small increments. The current invention is just such a device.

[0004] In the preferred embodiments, the exercise apparatus includes a pair of end cap assemblies, a plurality of disk assemblies and a plurality of weight assemblies. The plurality of disk assemblies and the plurality of weight assemblies are preferably secured between the end cap assemblies, in an alternating fashion. Each of the end cap assemblies also includes a handle that is preferably aligned in the same plane the handle of the other end cap assembly.

[0011] FIG. 1 depicts an exercise apparatus 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention. The exercise apparatus 10 includes two end cap assemblies 200, a plurality of disk assemblies 100 and a plurality of weight assemblies 300. Each of the disk assemblies 100, end cap assemblies 200, and weight assemblies 300 are each generally disk shaped. The end cap assemblies 200 are positioned on opposite ends of the exercise apparatus 10, with the disk assemblies 100 and weight assemblies 300 alternately positioned between the end cap assemblies 200. While FIG. 1 depicts the exercise apparatus 10 in a disassembled and exploded view, each of the assemblies 100, 200, 300 are configured to connect together to complete a single exercise apparatus (see FIGS. 2 and 6).

[0012] FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of one end cap assembly 200. As depicted, the end cap assembly 200 includes an end cap 210, a spine 220, an end cap insert 230 and an end cap female connector 240. Each end cap 210 includes a handle 202 that extends across the end cap assembly 200 and is configured to allow a user to grasp the end cap assembly (and thereby the exercise apparatus 10). In the preferred embodiment, each end cap 210 is constructed of a foam with good tensile strength, such as a high density EVA foam. The spine 220 is constructed of plastic and provides additional support and strength to the handle 202. The spine 220 includes a pair of end cap connector bolts 222. The end cap insert 230 fits within the end cap 210 and is also constructed of a firm plastic to provide additional support to the end cap assembly 200. The end cap female connector 240 includes a pair of bolt receivers 242 and is positioned within the end cap insert 230. The spine 220, end cap insert 230 and end cap female connector are secured together via the end cap connector bolts 222 of the spine 220. When assembled (see FIG. 6), the end cap connector bolts 222 pass through the end cap insert 230 and into the bolt receivers 242 on the end cap female connector 240. In the preferred embodiment, the end cap connector bolts 222 are pressure fitted within the bolt receivers 242, but it will be understood that other means can be used to attach the end cap connector bolts 222, such as by using an adhesive or anchor bolt.

[0013] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of a disk assembly 100, which includes a foam disk 110 and a pair of female connectors 120. In the preferred embodiment, the foam disk 110 is constructed out of the same high density EVA foam from which the end cap 210 is constructed. A center hole 112 is cut into the foam disk 110 so that each of the female connectors 120 may be inserted into the foam disk 110. Each of the female connectors 120 include a plurality of slots 122, a plurality of tabs 124, and a plurality of locking flanges 126. Prior to inserting the female connectors 120 into the foam disk 110, the slots 122 and tabs 124 of one of the female connectors 120 in the disk assembly 100 are aligned with the respective tabs 124 and slots 122 of the other female connector 120, so that the tabs 124 of one female connector 120 can be inserted into the slots 122 of the other female connector 120 and vice versa.

[0014] FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of a weight assembly 300, which includes a pair of weights 320 and a male connector 310. The male connector 310 includes two sides 314. Each side 314 of the male connector includes a post 312 and a locking groove 316. Each locking groove 316 includes a plurality of locking ridges 318 and a plurality of groove entry points 319. Each of the weights 320 is secured within a separate side 314 of the male connector 310 by threadably engaging the weight 320 with the post 312, and continually rotating the weight 320 about the post 312 until it is fully secured within the side 314. Each weight 314 can be manufactured out of a variety of materials so that different weights 314 have different masses. In that way, a user can selectively choose to use weights 320 of a particular mass, and can thereby alter the total mass of weight assembly 300.

[0015] As depicted in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, the exercise apparatus 10 is assembled by alternately connecting weight assemblies 300 and disk assemblies 100 between two end cap assemblies 200. This assembly begins by selecting the weight assemblies 300 and disk assemblies 100 to be used in the exercise apparatus 10. The overall length of the exercise apparatus 10 can be increased by adding disk assemblies 100 and weight assemblies 300, and can be decreased by removing disk assemblies 100 and weight assemblies 300. Likewise, the overall mass of the exercise apparatus 10 can also be modified by removing a selected number of weights 320 from the male connectors 310 or by replacing the weights 320 that are secured within the male connectors 310 with heavier weights 320 constructed of material with a higher density. Alternatively, the mass of the exercise apparatus 10 can be modified by using weights 320 with a higher or lower mass in the selected weight assemblies 300.

[0016] The selected assemblies are connected together by connecting the male connectors 314 of the selected weight assemblies 300 to the female connectors 120 of the disk assemblies 100. In the preferred embodiment, this connection is accomplished by pressing the plurality of locking flanges 126 of the female connector 120 into the groove entry points 319 of a selected side 314 of a selected male connector 310 and rotating that male connector 310 so that the locking flanges 126 travel along and within the locking groove 316 of that side 314 of that male connector 310 until the locking flanges 126 reaches the locking ridges 318 of the locking groove 316. Additional rotational force is used to move the locking flanges 126 past the locking ridges 318. Once past the locking ridges 318, the locking flanges 126 cannot move within the locking groove 316 without using a substantial amount of rotational force in a direction opposite to that used to originally move the locking flange 126 past the locking ridge 318. It is in this manner that the selected male connector 314 and selected female connector 120, as well as their respective weight assembly 300 and disk assembly 100, are then effectively connected to each other.

[0017] It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of various embodiments of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and functions of various embodiments of the invention, this disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of structure and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the teachings of the present invention can be applied to other systems without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.