Interconnecting or Stackable Dumbbells

Abstract

Dumbbells that interconnect or stack upon each other without the need for a storage rack. The dumbbells include a top engagement member and a bottom engagement member, where the top engagement member is configured and shaped to accommodate and mate with the bottom engagement member. The top engagement member is preferably a protrusion having a generally flat face and a sloping sidewall, and the bottom engagement member is preferably a recess having a generally flat base and a sloping sidewall. The dumbbells may interconnect or stack flush with one another to form a column.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/028,202 filed on Feb. 13, 2008, the entire contents of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of exercise and weight training equipment, and more specifically, to dumbbells.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Dumbbells are commonly used for exercise and weight training in health clubs and home gyms. Small dumbbells, typically no more than ten pounds each, have generally spherical or cylindrical ends connected by a narrower handgrip portion. These dumbbells are often stored in horizontal or vertical racks, where the racks include saddles or similar structures for receiving the generally spherical or cylindrical ends. While these racks may be appropriate for gyms and health clubs, where large numbers of dumbbells are stored and displayed, they are typically unwieldy, expensive and unnecessary for a homeowner or retail location that needs to store or display a smaller number of dumbbells. As an alternative to a costly, space-consuming rack, the homeowner or retail store may simply lay the dumbbells on the floor. Because of their generally spherical ends, however, the dumbbells may roll, creating a potentially dangerous condition. There is a need in the art, therefore, for improved methods of storing dumbbells safely and without the need for a storage rack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a dumbbell comprising two enlarged weight members at either end of a more narrow handle, where each of the weight members comprises a top surface with a top engagement member and a bottom surface with a bottom engagement member, and where the top engagement member and bottom engagement member have complementary shapes, enabling the top engagement member to accommodate and mate with the bottom engagement member of a second dumbbell. In a preferred embodiment, the weight members are generally cylindrical or spherical.

In preferred embodiments the top engagement member is a protrusion located at the approximate center of the top surface of each of the weight members and the bottom engagement member is a recess located at the approximate center of the bottom surface of each of the weight members. In a preferred embodiment, the top surface, the bottom surface, the protrusion and the recess are all generally elliptical, although in other embodiments, all may be generally circular or have any other regular or irregular shape. In a preferred embodiment, the protrusion comprises a generally flat face, and the recess comprises a generally flat base, although in other embodiments, the protrusion may comprise a generally convex face, and the recess may comprise a generally concave base.

In additional embodiments, the present invention provides a pair of dumbbells, where each dumbbell comprises two enlarged weight members at either end of a handle, where each of the weight members comprises a top surface with a first engagement member and a bottom surface with a complementary second engagement member, and where the first engagement member of the first dumbbell accommodates and mates with the second engagement member of the second dumbbell, such that the first dumbbell is capable of stacking horizontally upon the second dumbbell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a top and front face of a dumbbell of according to the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a front view of the dumbbell of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B is a front view of the top engagement member of the dumbbell of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2C is a front view of the bottom engagement member of the dumbbell of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the dumbbell of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a bottom and front face of the dumbbell of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the dumbbell of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a top and front face of a pair of interconnecting or stackable dumbbells according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the pair of interconnecting or stackable dumbbells of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a bottom and front face of the pair of interconnecting or stackable dumbbells of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9A is a top view of a pair of interconnecting or stackable dumbbells according to the present invention;

FIG. 9B is a side outline view of the pair of interconnecting or stackable dumbbells of FIG. 9A, from the perspective of section A-A; and

FIG. 9C is a detail view of the interconnection of the pair of interconnecting or stackable dumbbells shown in FIG. 9B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The disclosed invention provides an interconnecting or stackable dumbbell, such that a plurality of interconnecting or stackable dumbbells may be arranged in a column without the use of a storage rack. The structure of the dumbbell of the disclosed invention also functions to prevent an individual dumbbell from rolling and creating a potentially dangerous condition. Each of the interconnecting or stackable dumbbells of the disclosed invention is configured with complementary top and bottom engagement members, such that the top engagement member of a first dumbbell accommodates and mates with the bottom engagement member of a second dumbbell, and the top engagement member of the second dumbbell accommodates and mates with the bottom engagement member of a third dumbbell, and so on, to form a column. Note that the dumbbells are not limited to any particular weight, and dumbbells of different weights may be stacked together.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a top and front face of a preferred embodiment of the dumbbell 10 of the present invention, FIG. 2A is a front view of the dumbbell 10 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a top view of the dumbbell 10 shown in FIG. 1.

With further reference to FIG. 1, in a preferred embodiment, dumbbell 10 is a semi-rigid, hollow plastic vessel that is preferably filled with a mixture of sand, iron chips and concrete, and permanently sealed with plug 12 after filling. The weight of dumbbell 10 can be adjusted by varying the substance and/or volume of material used to fill the dumbbell 10. In alternate embodiments, dumbbell 10 can be filled with a mixture of sand and iron chips, ball bearings, or other relatively flowing substance. In additional embodiments, plug 12 may be removable by the user, and the dumbbell 10 may be filled with water or sand.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2A, and 3, in a preferred embodiment, dumbbell 10 includes two generally cylindrical weight members 11 connected by a narrower handle grip portion 13. Each of the weight members 11 includes a top engagement member 16 positioned on a top surface 15 of weight member 11.

FIG. 2B is a front view of the top engagement member 16 of dumbbell 10. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B, and 3, in a preferred embodiment, top engagement member 16 is a protrusion comprising a generally flat face 18 and a sidewall 17 between the face 18 and the top surface 15. In alternate embodiments, face 18 may have a generally convex shape.

As shown in FIG. 3, top surface 15, and top engagement member 16 are preferably generally elliptical in shape, although in other embodiments, top surface 15 and top engagement member 16 may have other shapes, including but not limited to generally circular, rectangular, square, or any other regular or irregular shape. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2A, and 3, top engagement member 16 is preferably located at the approximate center of top surface 15.

With reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, in a preferred embodiment, sidewall 17 slopes such that the diameter of top engagement member 16 at face 18 is smaller than the diameter of top engagement member 16 at top surface 15. In alternate embodiments, sidewall 17 may be generally vertical relative to face 18 and top surface 15.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a bottom and front face of the dumbbell 10 of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the dumbbell 10 shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, in a preferred embodiment, each of the weight members 11 of dumbbell 10 includes a bottom engagement member 26 positioned on a bottom surface 25 of weight member 11.

FIG. 2C is a front view of the bottom engagement member 26. As shown in FIGS. 2A, 2C, 4, and 5, in a preferred embodiment, bottom engagement member 26 is a recess comprising a generally flat base 28 and a sidewall 27 located between the base 28 and the bottom surface 25. Bottom engagement member 26 and top engagement member 16 have complementary shapes, enabling top engagement member 16 to accommodate and mate with bottom engagement member 26. In alternate embodiments, where face 18 of top engagement member 16 has a generally convex shape, base 28 of bottom engagement member 26 has a generally concave shape, to accommodate and mate with top engagement member 16.

As shown in FIG. 5, bottom surface 25, and bottom engagement member 26 are preferably generally elliptical in shape, to accommodate and mate with top engagement member 16. In other embodiments, bottom surface 25 and bottom engagement member 26 have the same shapes as top surface 15 and top engagement member 16, respectively, including but not limited to generally circular, rectangular, square, or any other regular or irregular shape, such that bottom engagement member 26 accommodates and mates with top engagement member 16. Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, bottom engagement member 26 is preferably located at the approximate center of bottom surface 25.

With reference to FIGS. 2A and 2C, in a preferred embodiment, sidewall 27 slopes such that the diameter of bottom engagement member 26 at base 28 is smaller than the diameter of bottom engagement member 26 at bottom surface 25. In alternate embodiments, sidewall 27 may be generally vertical relative to base 28 and bottom surface 25.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a top and front face of a pair of interconnecting or stackable dumbbells 20 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. FIG. 7 is a front view of the pair of interconnecting or stackable dumbbells 20 shown in FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a bottom and front face of the pair of interconnecting or stackable dumbbells shown in FIG. 6. Each of the dumbbells 10 in the pair of dumbbells 20 includes a top engagement member 16 and bottom engagement member 26, as described above. As shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B and 9C, top engagement member 16 is configured to accommodate and mate with bottom engagement member 26, such that one dumbbell 10 interconnects with or stacks upon a second dumbbell 10.

The claims should not be read as limited to the described order or elements unless stated to that effect. Therefore, all embodiments that come within the scope and spirit of the following claims and equivalents thereto are claimed as the invention.

Claims

1. A dumbbell comprising:

two enlarged weight members at either end of a handle, where each of the weight members comprises a top surface with a first engagement member and a bottom surface with a complementary second engagement member, and where the first engagement member accommodates and mates with a second engagement member of a second dumbbell.

2. The dumbbell of claim 1, where the top surface and the bottom surface each have a generally elliptical shape, and each of the first engagement members is a protrusion located at an approximate center of the top surface and each of the second engagement members is a recess located at an approximate center of the bottom surface.

3. The dumbbell of claim 2, where each of the first engagement members is a generally elliptical protrusion and each of the second engagement members is a generally elliptical recess.

4. The dumbbell of claim 2, where each of the first engagement members is a generally circular protrusion and each of the second engagement members is a generally circular recess.

5. The dumbbell of claim 2, where the protrusion comprises a generally flat face and the recess comprises a generally flat base.

6. The dumbbell of claim 2, where the protrusion comprises a generally convex face and the recess comprises a generally concave base.

7. The dumbbell of claim 1, where the top surface and the bottom surface each have a generally elliptical shape, and where each of the first engagement members is a generally elliptical protrusion comprising a generally flat face and are located at an approximate center of the top surface, and each of the second engagement members is a generally elliptical recess comprising a generally flat base and located at an approximate center of the bottom surface.

8. The dumbbell of claim 1, where the top surface and the bottom surface each have a generally circular shape, and where each of the first engagement members is a generally circular protrusion comprising a generally flat face and are located at an approximate center of the top surface, and each of the second engagement members is a generally circular recess comprising a generally flat base and located at an approximate center of the bottom surface.

9. The dumbbell of claim 1, where the top surface and the bottom surface each have a generally elliptical shape, and where each of the first engagement members is a generally elliptical protrusion comprising a generally convex face and are located at an approximate center of the top surface, and each of the second engagement members is a generally elliptical recess comprising a generally concave base and located at an approximate center of the bottom surface.

10. The dumbbell of claim 1, where the top surface and the bottom surface each have a generally circular shape, and where each of the first engagement members is a generally circular protrusion comprising a generally convex face and are located at an approximate center of the top surface, and each of the second engagement members is a generally circular recess comprising a generally concave base and located at an approximate center of the bottom surface.

11. The dumbbell of claim 1, where each of the first engagement members comprises a generally flat face and a generally vertical sidewall between the face and the top surface, and where each of the second engagement members comprises a generally flat base and a generally vertical sidewall between the base and bottom surface.

12. The dumbbell of claim 1, where each of the first engagement members comprises a generally convex face and a generally vertical sidewall between the face and the top surface, and where each of the second engagement members comprises a generally concave base and a generally vertical sidewall between the base and bottom surface.

13. A pair of dumbbells, each dumbbell comprising:

two enlarged weight members at either end of a handle, where each of the weight members comprises a top surface with a first engagement member and a bottom surface with a complementary second engagement member;

where the first engagement member of the first dumbbell accommodates and mates with the second engagement member of the second dumbbell, such that the first dumbbell is capable of stacking horizontally upon the second dumbbell.

14. The pair of dumbbells of claim 12, where each of the top surfaces and each of the bottom surfaces have a generally elliptical shape, and where each of the first engagement members is a protrusion located at an approximate center of the top surface and each of the second engagement members is a recess located at an approximate center of the bottom surface.

15. The pair of dumbbells of claim 13, where each of the first engagement members has a generally elliptical shape and each of the second engagement members has a generally elliptical shape.

16. The pair of dumbbells of claim 12, where each of the top surfaces and each of the bottom surfaces have a generally elliptical shape, and where each of the first engagement members is a generally elliptical protrusion having a generally flat face located at an approximate center of the top surface and each of the second engagement members is a generally elliptical recess having a generally flat base located at an approximate center of the bottom surface.

17. The pair of dumbbells of claim 12, where each of the top surfaces and each of the bottom surfaces have a generally elliptical shape, and where each of the first engagement members is a generally elliptical protrusion having a generally convex face located at an approximate center of the top surface and each of the second engagement members is a generally elliptical recess having a generally concave base located at an approximate center of the bottom surface.

18. A dumbbell comprising:

two generally cylindrical weight members at either end of a handle, where each of the weight members comprises

a generally elliptical top surface with a generally elliptical first protrusion having a face and a sidewall located between the top surface and the face, the first protrusion located at an approximate center of the top surface, and

a generally elliptical bottom surface with a complementary generally elliptical second protrusion having a base and a sidewall located between the bottom surface and the base, the second protrusion located at an approximate center of the bottom surface, and

where the first protrusion accommodates and mates with a second protrusion of a second dumbbell.

19. The dumbbell of claim 17, where the first protrusion has a generally convex face and the second protrusion has a generally concave base.

20. The dumbbell of claim 17, where the first protrusion has a generally flat face and the second protrusion has a generally flat base.