Exercise weight bar with rotating handle and cam selection device
View Patent ↗An exercise weight system includes an exercise weight bar, a plurality of weights selectively connectable to the exercise weight bar, and a cradle for holding the exercise weight bar and weights. The exercise weight bar has a rod having a longitudinal axis and a selector positioned on the rod such that the selector is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the rod. The exercise weight bar includes an engagement system that permits a user to selectively secure one or more weights to the rod. The engagement system includes one or more weight engagement members and a binary cam system that selectively moves the one or more weights engagement members between a first position and a second position to selectively engage or disengage various combinations of the one or more weights when the selector is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the rod.
1. An exercise weight system comprising:
a rod having a longitudinal axis;
one or more weights selectively securable to the rod;
a selector rotatable relative to the one or more weights; and
an engagement system that selectively secures the one or more weights to the rod, the engagement system comprising a cam system having a cam surface configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the rod and one or more weight engagement members, wherein rotation of the selector relative to the weights causes the cam system to selectively move the one or more weight engagement members to selectively engage or disengage the one or more weights.
2. The exercise weight system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more weight engagement members comprise one or more collars positioned about the rod such that the one or more collars are rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the rod.
3. The exercise weight system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more weight engagement members are linked to the selector, wherein rotation of the selector moves the one or more weight engagement members between a first position and a second position to selectively engage or disengage the one or more weights.
4. The exercise weight system of claim 3 , wherein each of the one or more weights comprises one or more engagement surfaces and each of the one or more weight engagement members comprises one or more engagement surfaces, wherein the engagement surfaces of the one or more weights and the engagement surfaces of the weight engagement members engage one another only when the weight engagement members are in the first position.
5. The exercise weight system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more weight engagement members pivot between the first and second positions.
6. The exercise weight system of claim 5 , wherein the cam system comprises one or more collars mounted on the rod such that the one or more collars are rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the rod, each of the one or more collars comprising the cam surface.
7. The exercise weight system of claim 6 , wherein the cam system further comprises a cam follower on each of the weight engagement members, wherein the cam followers engage the cam surfaces on the one or more collars.
8. The exercise weight system of claim 7 , wherein each of the cam surfaces comprises at least one high portion and at least one low portion.
9. The exercise weight system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one high portion and at least one low portion rotate about the axis of the rod as the selector rotates about the axis of the rod.
10. The exercise weight system of claim 8 , wherein the cam followers alternatingly engage the high and low portions of the cam surfaces as the selector is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the rod, thereby moving the one or more weight engagement members between the first position and the second position.
11. The exercise weight system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one high portion is aligned with a first position along the length of the rod and the at least one low portion is aligned with a second position along the length of the rod.
12. The exercise weight system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one high portion is disposed radially further away from the rod than the at least one low portion.
13. The exercise weight system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more weight engagement members pivot between the first and second positions in a direction that is at least partially along the length of the rod.
14. The exercise weight system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more weight engagement members are pivoted further away from the rod when the one or more weight engagement members are in the first position, and wherein the one or more weight engagement members are pivoted closer to the rod when the one or more weight engagement members are in the second position.
15. The exercise weight system of claim 1 , wherein a biasing member biases the one or more weight engagement members toward the first position.
16. An exercise weight system comprising:
a rod having a longitudinal axis;
one or more weights selectively securable to the rod;
a selector positioned on the rod such that the selector is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the rod, the selector being graspable during the performance of an exercise; and
an engagement system that selectively secures the one or more weights to the rod, the engagement system comprising:
one or more weight engagement members positioned about the rod, each of the one or more weight engagement members having at least one cam surface formed thereon, the one or more weight engagement members being movable along at least a portion of the rod between first and second positions;
one or more cam followers linked to the selector such that rotation of the selector about the longitudinal axis of the rod causes the one or more cam followers to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the rod, each of the one or more cam followers engaging at least one of the cam surfaces of the one or more weight engagement members, wherein the engagement between the cam followers and the cam surfaces causes the one or more weight engagement members to move between the first and second positions as the selector and cam followers are rotated about the longitudinal axis of the rod, wherein the one or more weight engagement members disengage the one or more weights when the one or more weight engagement members are in the first position, and the one or more weight engagement members engage and secure the one or more weights to the rod when the one or more weight engagement members are in the second position.
17. The exercise weight system of claim 16 , wherein the cam surfaces of each of the one or more weight engagement members comprises at least one high portion and at least one low portion, wherein the one or more weight engagement members are moved to the first position when the cam followers engage the low positions, and wherein the one or more weight engagement members are moved to the second position when the cam followers engage the high positions.
18. An exercise weight system comprising:
a rod having a longitudinal axis;
one or more weights selectively securable to the rod;
a selector mounted on the rod and being rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the rod, the selector being graspable during the performance of an exercise; and
an engagement system that selectively secures the one or more weights to the rod, the engagement system comprising:
one or more collars positioned about the rod and being rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the rod, the one or more collars being linked to the selector such that rotation of the selector about the longitudinal axis of the rod causes the one or more collars to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the rod, each of the one or more collars having at least one cam surface formed thereon,
one or more weight engagement members that pivot between first and second positions relative to the rod, each of the one or more weight engagement members comprising a cam follower that engages at least one of the cam surfaces of the one or more collars, wherein the engagement between the cam followers and the cam surfaces causes the one or more weight engagement members to pivot between the first and second positions as the selector and collars are rotated about the longitudinal axis of the rod, wherein the one or more weight engagement members disengage the one or more weights when the one or more weight engagement members are in the first position, and the one or more weight engagement members engage and secure the one or more weights to the rod when the one or more weight engagement members are in the second position.
19. The exercise weight bar of claim 18 , wherein the weight engagement members pivot between the first and second positions in one or more planes that are generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod.