Abstract:
A method to prepare for and conduct an exercise using free weights while minimizing the risk of injury to an individual during the acquisition, use, and return of the free weights includes the step of providing a plurality of cylindrically-shaped free weight plates and a staging station. Each of the free weight plates is mounted on edge in an upright orientation in one of a plurality of detent units of the staging station at a height above the ground. A first one of the free weight plates is manually grasped and rolled from the detent unit onto a horizontally oriented support surface of the staging station, manually removed from the support surface, utilized to perform an exercise, manually returned to the support surface, and manually rolled on the peripheral edge of the first one of the free weight plates from the support surface into one of the detent units.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     THE NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to exercise equipment and methodology. 
     More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus for storing and using free weights. 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     Racks for storing free weights are well known in the art. However, as has been demonstrated many times in the Patent Office, existing apparatus and methods often can be improved by utilizing an unidentified, unanticipated combination which provides functions that are unpredictable in view of the prior art. 
     Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to provide an improved system to store and utilize free weights. 
     Therefore, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved system to store and utilize free weights. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other, further and more specific objects and advantages of the invention are set forth below, in conjunction with the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevation view illustrating a free weight staging station constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the free weight staging station of  FIG. 1  illustrating the mode of operation thereof; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the free weight staging station of  FIG. 1  further illustrating the mode of operation thereof; and, 
         FIG. 4  is a front view illustrating the power zone of individuals of varying height. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, in accordance with the invention, we provide an improved method to prepare for and conduct an exercise using free weights while minimizing the risk of injury to an individual during the acquisition, use, and return of the free weights. The individual has a power zone. The improved method comprises the steps of providing a plurality of cylindrically-shaped free weight plates including a least one pair of said plates comprised of plates of equivalent shape, dimension, and weight, each of the free weight plates having a center of gravity and including a generally cylindrically shaped peripheral edge; and, providing a staging station. The staging station includes a horizontally oriented support surface located above the ground; and, a plurality of detent units each located above the ground and adjacent the horizontally oriented support surface and shaped and dimensioned to support one of the free weight plates in an upright orientation on a portion of said peripheral edge of the one of the plates such that the one of the free weight plates can be rolled on the peripheral edges of the one of the free weights out of the detent unit onto the horizontally oriented support surface, and such that the center of gravity of each of the free weight plates is at an elevation above the ground in the power zone of the individual. The improved method also includes the steps of mounting each of the free weight plates on edge in an upright orientation in one of the detent units of the staging station; manually grasping at least a first one of the free weight plates and rolling the first one of the free weight plates from the detent unit of the one of the free weight plates onto the horizontally oriented support surface; manually removing the first one of the free weight plates from the support surface; utilizing the first one of the free weight plates to perform an exercise; returning the first one of the free weight plates to the support surface; and, rolling the first one of the free weight plates on the peripheral edges of the first one of the free weight plates from the support surface into one of the detent units. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, we provide an improved method to prepare for and conduct an exercise using free weights while minimizing the risk of injury to an individual during the acquisition, use, and return of the free weights. The individual has a power zone. The improved method comprises the steps of providing a plurality of cylindrically-shaped free weight plates including at least one pair of the plates comprised of plates of equivalent shape, dimension, and weight, each of the plates having a center of gravity and including a cylindrically shaped peripheral edge; and, providing a staging station. The staging station includes a horizontally oriented support surface generally located above the ground at a first elevation; and, a plurality of detent units. The detent units are each located above the ground and adjacent to the horizontally oriented support surface and are shaped and dimensioned to support one of the free weight plates in an upright orientation on a portion of the peripheral edge of one of the plates such that each of the free weight plates can be rolled on the peripheral edge of the free weight plate out of the detent unit onto the horizontally oriented support surface; such that the center of gravity of each of the free weight plates is at a second elevation above the ground in the power zone of the individual; and, such that at least one of the free weight plates in a first one of the detent units is laterally offset from another of the free weight plates in a second one of said detent units. The horizontally oriented support surface maintains the center of gravity of each of the free weight plates above the ground in the power zone of the individual when each of the free weight plates is rolled on the peripheral edge of said free weight plate out of the detent unit onto the horizontally oriented support surface. The improved method also includes the steps of mounting each of the free weight plates on edge in an upright orientation in one of the detent units of the staging station; conducting a precision movement by manually grasping the first one of the free weight plates and rolling the first one of the free weight plates from the detent unit of the first one of the free weight plates onto the horizontally oriented support surface; conducting a gross movement by manually removing the first one of the free weight plates from the support surface and transferring the full plate load to the individual for transport; utilizing the first one of the free weight plates to perform an exercise; conducting a gross movement by manually returning the first one of the free weight plates on to the support surface; and, conducting a precision movement by manually rolling the first one of the free weight plates on the peripheral edges of the first one of the free weight plates from the support surface into one of the detent units. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Turning now to the drawings, which are presented by way of explanation and not limitation of the invention, and in which like reference characters refer to corresponding elements throughout the several views,  FIGS. 1 to 3  illustrate an apparatus and method in accordance with the invention. 
       FIGS. 1 to 3  depict a staging station including a table  11  with ground contacting support legs  12  and  13 , horizontally oriented support surfaces  15  and  16 , upraised lip  14  extending around the periphery of surface  16 , upraised lip  17  extending around support surface  15 , and a plurality of concave detent units  18  ( FIG. 3 ). As would be appreciated by those of skill in the art, a staging station can be mounted on a wall, on a pillar, hanging from a ceiling, or from any other desired location. A plurality of cylindrically shaped free weights  20 ,  21 ,  30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  40 ,  41  are each seated in a detent  18  in an upright orientation. Each free weight  20 ,  21 ,  30 - 33 ,  40 ,  41  is spaced apart from and generally parallel to the other free weights  20 ,  21 ,  30 - 33 ,  40 ,  41 . The detent unit  18  for one free weight  20 ,  21 ,  30 - 33 ,  40 ,  41  is spaced apart from the detent unit(s) for adjacent free weights  20 ,  21 ,  30 - 33 ,  40 ,  41 . The weight and shape and dimension of each free weight can vary as desired. However, free weights  20  and  21  presently each weigh forty-five pounds; free weights  30 - 33  presently each weigh thirty-five pounds; and, free weights  40  and  41  each weigh twenty-five pounds. 
     Free weights  50  and  51  are stored on sloped shelf  52  and each weigh ten pounds. The shape and dimension of a shelf  52  can be varied as desired to facilitate the storage of weight on the shelf, the removal of weights from the shelf, and the return of weights to the shelf. Free weights  60  and  61  each weigh five pounds and are stored on sloped shelf  62 . The shape and dimension of a shelf  62  can be varied as desired to facilitate the storage of weights on the shelf, the removal of weights from the shelf, and the return of weights to the shelf. 
     Each detent unit, or slot,  18  has a flat, arcuate bottom surface that has a radius of curvature that generally is equivalent and conforms to the radius of curvature of the free weight  20 ,  21 ,  30 - 33 ,  40 ,  41  that seats in the detent unit. Accordingly, the radius of curvature of the concave bottom surface of a detent unit that receives and conforms to a portion of the arcuate convex peripheral edge of a forty-five pound weight  20 , 21  is greater than the radius of curvature of the concave bottom surface of a detent unit  18  that receives and conforms to a portion of the arcuate convex peripheral edge of a thirty-five pound weight  30  to  33 , i.e., the diameter of a forty-five pound cylindrical weight  20 ,  21  is greater than the diameter of a thirty-five pound cylindrical weight  30  to  33 . And, the diameter of a thirty-five pound weight  30  to  33  is greater than the diameter of a twenty-five pound weight  40 ,  41 . A detent unit  18  is shaped and dimensioned to receive and support a free weight  20 ,  21 ,  30 - 33 ,  40 ,  41  such that the free weight is maintained in an upright, free standing orientation comparable to that illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 3 . 
     In  FIG. 1 , each free weight  20 ,  21 ,  30 - 33 ,  40 ,  41  is parallel to the other of free weights  20 ,  21 ,  30 - 33 ,  40 ,  41  and vertically oriented parallel planes extend through the free weights. 
     A detent unit  18  can extend above and/or below a support surface  15 ,  16 , as long as a free weight  20 ,  21 ,  30 - 33 , 40 ,  41  can be rolled from a surface  15 ,  16  into the detent unit. Accordingly, the detent unit and adjacent support surface  15 ,  16  can be formed such that a cylindrical shaped weight  20 ,  21 ,  30 - 33 ,  40 ,  41  rolls from a support surface  15 ,  16  directly down into a detent unit, or such that a cylindrically shaped weight  20 ,  21 ,  30 - 33 ,  40 ,  41  rolls from a support surface  15 ,  16  up and over a lip or ridge and then into a concave detent unit. 
     Free weights  20 ,  21 ,  30 - 33 ,  40 ,  41 ,  50 ,  51 ,  61  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 3  are each, in conventional fashion, cylindrically shaped with an aperture  53 ,  54  formed through the center. Aperture  53 ,  54  permits the free weight to be slid onto a storage rod that has an outer diameter that is slightly less than the diameter of aperture  53  and  54 . If a free weight has an octagonally, hexagonally, etc. shaped peripheral edge, the free weight is deemed for the purposes herein to be cylindrically shaped. In a similar manner, if a cylindrically shaped free weight has apertures other than a centrally located aperture  53 ,  54  formed through the free weight at locations intermediate the peripheral edge and the central aperture, the free weight is still deemed to be cylindrically shaped for the purposes herein. 
     Each detent unit  18  is, as noted, shaped and dimensioned to conform to a portion of the peripheral edge of a free weight  20 ,  21 ,  30 - 33 ,  40 ,  41 ,  50 ,  51 ,  61  such that detent unit  18  supports the free weight on edge in an upright orientation in the manner illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 3 . The shape and dimension of a detent unit  18  can, accordingly, vary as desired as long as these functions are performed and as long as a cylindrically shaped free weight can be rolled from a support surface  15 ,  16  into position on the detent unit  18 . For example, detent unit  18  can comprise a pair of spaced apart horizontally oriented rods that lie in a common horizontal plane and are spaced apart a distance sufficient for the peripheral edge of a cylindrical free weight to be seated on the rods and contact the rods at two separate locations on the periphery of the free weight so that the free weight will remain in a free standing, upright position comparable to the free standing positions illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 3 . As would be appreciated by those of skill in the art, the rods can not be spaced apart a distance greater than the diameter of the free weight that is intended to be seated on the rods. 
     In  FIGS. 1 to 3 , each detent unit  18  is spaced apart from adjacent detent units, which results in adjacent free weights being spaced apart from one another. This need not be the case. A single “wide detent unit” can, if desired, be utilized for free weights  30  to  33  of equivalent shape and dimension. Instead of only being wide enough to accept a single free weight  33 , as is the case with detent  18 , such a “wide detent unit” would permit two or more free weights  30  to  33  to be stored in the same wide detent unit. Free weights  30  to  33  stored in the same detent unit can, if the detent unit is sufficiently wide, be spaced apart or can abut and contact each other. The detent unit that is noted above and is comprised of horizontally oriented rods could use rods that are sufficiently long to permit two or more free weights to be stored on edge, side-by-side, in an upright orientation with at least portions of a circular face of each weight contacting one another. A cylindrically shaped free weight includes a pair of spaced apart, parallel, generally circular faces that co-terminate at the cylindrical peripheral edge of the free weight. 
     Detent units  18  preferably, but not necessarily, are formed such that adjacent free weights  20  and  21  are laterally offset from one another in the manner illustrated in  FIG. 3 . This permits an individual  60  to grasp with one hand  64  the edge  22  of one free weight  21  without pinching his fingers on the edges  23  and  24  of adjacent free weights. Individual  60  has arms  61  and  62  and hands  63  and  64 . The spacing  71  ( FIG. 1 ) between the faces of adjacent free weights also reduces the likelihood that a user will pinch his or her fingers while manually grasping and removing or replacing free weights from the staging station. 
     Support surfaces  15  and  16  can be located at any desired elevation above the ground, but preferably are located at an elevation that falls within the power zone of an individual  60 ,  70 ,  80  that is standing upright in the manner depicted in  FIG. 2 . It is further preferred that when a free weight  20 ,  21 , etc. is stored in a detent unit  18  on edge in an upright orientation in the manner illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the center of gravity (e.g., the central aperture formed through the free weight) be located in the power zone of an individual  60  standing upright adjacent to the table  11 . Handling weights in the power zone of an individual in accordance with the invention reduces the risk of injury to the individual and improves ambulation. 
     One method of use of the apparatus of  FIG. 3  comprises an upright individual  60  walking to the staging station  10  and performing a precision movement by manually grasping and rolling free weight  33  out of its associated concave detent  18  in the direction of arrow A onto support surface  16  to the position indicated in  FIG. 3  by dashed lines  33 A. The individual performs a precision motor movement because the free weight  33  is moved from a bounded storage location in which the free weight conforms to and fits in the storage unit, i.e. the detent unit, and is moved from the storage unit directly onto an adjacent support surface  16 . With the weight  33  on the support surface, the individual can manually pivot weight  33  in the direction indicated by arrow B and grasp the peripheral edge of the weight with hands  63  and  64  in the manner illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Throughout the precision movement encompassing removal of weight  33  from detent  18  to pivoting the free weight  33  to improve manual handling, the support surface  16  bears the majority of the free weight load. The precision movement may include an individual repositioning his or her hands  63 ,  64  on weight  33  before lifting or sliding weight  33 . Thus, the precision movement, which demands perception-driven action that is governed by visual inputs and taxes attentional resources, is performed with the benefit of load-support assistance and the individual is not required to counter the full gravitational force on the free weight during the precision movement. 
     Upon manipulation of the free weight  33  to a position indicated by dashed lines  33 A, movement of the weight  33  is no longer constrained by the detent unit  18  and the individual  60  can utilize kinesthetically-driven, gross motor movements to secure the free weight  33  while it is still in the power zone, to remove weight  33  from the support surface  16 , and to proceed to the desired exercise location. Gross motor movements are required and appropriate here because the individual must now support the full load of the free weight. Moreover, the movement restrictions during a gross motor movement are on the scale of meters and are much expanded in comparison to the significantly more restrictive movements associated with manipulating a weight  33  to insert it in and remove it from a detent  18 . 
     The ability of the staging station of the invention to provide precise movements is important because injuries tend to occur when an individual is holding above the ground a heavy free weight and is attempting to align the center aperture of the free weight with a rod on which the free weight is stored. Current art requires individuals to orchestrate strength and precision simultaneously, levying significant burdens on muscular endurance, fine motor movements, and visual attention. In the staging station of the invention, such alignment is carried out while the free weight is supported in large part by a surface  15  and  16 . 
     After the individual  60  removes free weight  33 , he or she places the free weight  33  on a bar bell or free weight machine and performs an exercise, or otherwise utilizes weight  33  to perform an exercise. After the exercise is completed, or at some other desired time, individual  60  performs a gross movement by carrying weight  33  to table  10  and placing weight  33  on surface  16 . The individual then performs a precise movement by, while the weight  33  is in an upright orientation on edge, aligning the weight  33  with detent  18  and rolling weight  33  on edge over surface  16  into detent  18  in an upright orientation with a lower portion of weight  33  seated in detent  18 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the power zone, indicated by arrows C, for a woman  70  of average height (about five feet), and, the power zone, indicated by arrows D, for a man  80  of average height (about six feet).