Abstract:
A weightlifting apparatus has multiple disc weights. Each disc weight has a round base and a round cover assembled on the round base. The round base has multiple locating slots formed therein. The round cover has multiple locating holes formed therethrough. When the locating slots align with the locating holes, lightweight weight plates or coins can be inserted into corresponding locating slots. When the locating slots misalign with the locating holes, the inserted weight plates or coins can be retained in the locating slots. Accordingly, easy weight adjustment and cost-saving effect can be achieved without requiring users to purchase an entire set of disc weights. With incremental fine weight adjustment of weight plates and coins, users can quickly adapt to the adjusted weight, and the exercise injury caused by large increment of weight adjustment can be avoided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a weightlifting apparatus, and more particularly to a weightlifting apparatus having multiple disc weights respectively mounted on two ends of a bar for weightlifting exercise and selectively added with weight plates or coins therein to achieve fine weight adjustment to the original disc weights. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Workout with disc weights, dumbbells, barbells and the like can build up muscle lines, muscle strength and endurance. In general, disc weights take a form of a single plate, and can be held with one hand or two hands in weightlifting exercise. 
         [0005]    The dumbbells pertain to small weightlifting equipment. Each dumbbell has a short metal bar and multiple weights respectively and adjustably mounted on two ends of the metal bar, and is good for weightlifting exercise with one hand. Each barbell has a long metal bar and multiple disc weights respectively and adjustably mounted on two ends of the metal bar, and is good for weightlifting exercise with two hands due to its heaviness. 
         [0006]    The disc weights are usually made of cast iron and have various choices of weight, for example 2.5 kg, 5 kg, 10 kg and so on, so that users can vary the combination of weight choices by selectively mounting the disc weights on two ends of the metal bar of a barbell based on personal workout preference. 
         [0007]    To have a complete combination of disc weights in weight adjustment, a whole set of disc weights having all kinds of weight choices is preferred to be available. However, buying a whole set of disc weights could be a financial burden to users. Furthermore, given the above choices of weight for disc weights as an example, the minimum weight adjustment is done by two 2.5 kg disc weights added on or removed from two ends of the metal bar. This means that 5 kg is the minimum weight adjustment users can add or reduce each time. Such a large increment in weight may overload users and easily cause muscle sprain and strain during weightlifting exercise. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    An objective of the present invention is to provide a weightlifting apparatus having multiple disc weights respectively mounted on two ends of a bar for weightlifting workout and selectively added with weight plates or coins therein to achieve fine weight adjustment to the original disc weights. 
         [0009]    To achieve the foregoing objective, the weightlifting apparatus has multiple disc weights. Each disc weight has a round base, an engagement tab and a round cover. 
         [0010]    The round base has an annular sidewall, an annular flange, at least one limiting rib, at least one sliding space, a center hole, multiple locating slots and a fixing slot. 
         [0011]    The annular flange is formed on and protrudes from the annular sidewall of the round base. 
         [0012]    Each one of the at least one limiting rib is formed on the annular sidewall of the round base, and has a fence portion, a stop portion and an opening. The fence portion is circumferentially formed on the annular sidewall. The stop portion is formed between one end of the fence portion and the annular flange. The opening is formed between the other end of the fence portion and the annular flange, and is opposite to the stop portion. 
         [0013]    Each one of the at least one sliding space is defined between the annular flange and a corresponding limiting rib. 
         [0014]    The center hole is centrally formed through the round base. 
         [0015]    The locating slots and the fixing slot are formed in one side of the round base opposite to the annular flange. 
         [0016]    The engagement tab has a slider and a lever. The slider is slidably mounted in the fixing slot of the round base. The lever is mounted on the slider and protrudes beyond the fixing slot. 
         [0017]    The round cover has a circuit board, an annular wall, an open chamber, at least one recess, at least one locating pin, a center hole, multiple locating holes and an arced hole. The annular wall is formed on a perimeter of the circular board. The open chamber is defined by the circular board and the annular wall. The at least one recess is formed in an inner wall of the annular wall and is equal to the at least one limiting rib in number. Each one of the at least one locating pin is formed on an inner wall of one of the at least one recess. The center hole is centrally formed through the circular board. The locating holes are formed through the circular board. The arced hole is formed through the circular board and has a curved end located at one end of the arced hole and communicating with the rest portion of the arced hole. 
         [0018]    When the round cover is mounted on the round base, the at least one recess respectively corresponds to and aligns with the at least one limiting rib, an arc length of each one of the at least one recess is longer than that of each one of the at least one limiting rib, each one of the at least one locating pin is mounted in a corresponding sliding space through the opening of a corresponding limiting rib, the lever of the engagement tab is inserted in the curved end of the arced hole and is moved to one end of the arced hole opposite to the curved end so that the locating holes of the round cover respectively align with the locating slots of the round base. 
         [0019]    The locating holes of the round cover and the locating slots of the round base can be conveniently rotated to align or misalign with each other so that additional weight can be added to the disc weights by inserting multiple weight plates or coins into the locating slots and retaining the weight plates or coins in the locating slots. 
         [0020]    Additionally, easy fine weight adjustment can be achieved with the use of lightweight weight plates or coins. Users will not incur exercise injury during a weightlifting workout as a result of the fine weight adjustment. 
         [0021]    Moreover, as the weight of the disc weight can be adjusted with the insertion of the weight plates or coin into the corresponding locating slots, buying an entire set of disc weights with different weights is unnecessary and a cost-saving effect is achieved. 
         [0022]    Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a disc weight of a weightlifting apparatus in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is a side view in partial section of the disc weight in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the disc weight in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is an operational cross-sectional front view of the disc weight in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is an operational top view in partial section of the disc weight in  FIG. 1  added with weight plates; 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  is another operational cross-sectional front view of the disc weight in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a disc weight of a weightlifting apparatus in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 8  is an operational cross-sectional front view of the disc weight in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 9  is another operational cross-sectional front view of the disc weight in  FIG. 7 ; and 
           [0032]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the weightlifting apparatus in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0033]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 ,  6  and  10 , a first embodiment of a disc weight of a weightlifting apparatus in accordance with the present invention has a round base  10 , an engagement tab  20  and a round cover  30 . 
         [0034]    The round base  10  is disk-shaped, and has an annular flange  12 , at least one limiting rib  13 , a through hole  14 , a blocking pin  15 , at least one sliding space  16 , a center hole  17 , multiple locating slots  18  and a fixing slot  101 . The annular flange  12  is formed around and protrudes from an annular sidewall  11  of the round base  10 . Each one of the at least one limiting rib  13  is L-shaped and formed on the annular sidewall  11  of the round base  10 , and has a fence portion  132 , a stop portion  131  and an opening  133 . The fence portion  132  is circumferentially formed on the annular sidewall  11 . The stop portion  131  is formed between one end of the fence portion  132  and the annular flange  12 . The opening  133  is formed between the other end of the fence portion  132  and the annular flange  12 , and is opposite to the stop portion  131 . The through hole  14  is formed through the annular flange  12  and aligns with the opening  133  of one of the at least one limiting rib  13 . The blocking pin  15  is mounted through the through hole  14  to block the opening  133  of a corresponding limiting rib  13 . Each one of the at least one sliding space  16  is defined between the annular flange  12  and a corresponding limiting rib  13 . The center hole  17  is centrally formed through the round base  10 . The multiple locating slots  18  and the fixing slot  101  are formed in one side of the round base  10  opposite to the annular flange  12 . 
         [0035]    The engagement tab  20  has a slider  21 , a lever  22  and a spring  23 . The slider  21  is slidably mounted in the fixing slot  101 . The lever  22  is mounted on the slider  21  and protrudes beyond the fixing slot  101 . The spring  23  is mounted in the fixing slot  101 . One end of the spring  23  abuts against an inner wall of the fixing slot  101 , and the other end of the spring  23  abuts against one side of the slider  21 . 
         [0036]    The round cover  30  has a circular board  31 , an annular wall  32 , an open chamber  37 , at least one recess  33 , at least one locating pin  34 , a center hole  35 , multiple locating holes  36  and an arced hole  40 . The annular wall  32  is formed around a perimeter of the circular board  31 . The open chamber  37  is defined by the circular board  31  and the annular wall  32 . The at least one recess  33  is formed in an inner wall of the annular wall  32 , and is equal to the at least one limiting rib  13  in number. Each one of the at least one locating pin  34  is formed on an inner wall of one of the at least one recess  33 . The center hole  35  is centrally formed through the circular board  31 . The locating holes  36  and the arced hole  40  are formed through the circular board  31 . The arced hole  40  has a curved end  41  located at one end of the arced hole  40  and communicating with the rest portion of the arced hole  40 . 
         [0037]    With reference to  FIG. 4 , when the round cover  30  is mounted on the round base  10 , the at least one recess  33  respectively corresponds to and aligns with the at least one limiting rib  13 . As the arc length of each one of the at least one recess  33  is longer than that of each one of the at least one limiting rib  13 , each one of the at least one locating pin  34  can be mounted in a corresponding sliding space  16  through the opening  133  of a corresponding limiting rib  13 . After the lever  22  of the engagement tab  20  is inserted in the curved end  41  of the arced hole  40  and is moved to depart from the curved end  41 , the round cover  30  can be rotated relative to the round base  10  so that the lever  22  can be moved relative to the round cover  30  to one end of the arced hole  40  opposite to the curved end  41 , and the locating holes  36  of the round cover  30  respectively align with the locating slots  18  of the round base  10 . 
         [0038]    With reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , after three weight plates  50  or coins are respectively inserted into three locating slots  18  through three corresponding locating holes  36  respectively aligning with the locating slots  18 , the round cover  30  can be rotated relative to the round base  10  so that the locating holes  36  misalign with the locating slots  18 . Additionally, the slider  21  of the engagement tab  20  is moved to the opposite end of the arced hole  40  and is pushed by the pre-compressed elastic force of the spring  23  to abut against a closed end of the curved end  41  of the arced hole  40  so as to engage the round cover  30  and the round base  10 . Due to the misalignment of the locating holes  36  and the locating slots  18 , the weight plates or coins are respectively retained in the locating slots  18 . Each of the at least one blocking pin  15  is further inserted into a corresponding through hole  14  to block the opening  133  of a corresponding limiting rib  13  and prevent the locating pin  34  from coming off from a corresponding sliding space  16 . 
         [0039]    With reference to  FIGS. 7 and 9 , a second embodiment of a disc weight of a weightlifting apparatus in accordance with the present invention differs from the first embodiment in the engagement tab  20 . The engagement tab  20  has a slider  21  and a lever  22 . The slider  21  is slidably mounted in the fixing slot  101 . The lever  22  is mounted on the slider  21  and through the arced hole  40  of the round cover  30 , and protrudes beyond the fixing slot  101 . The curved end  41  has two bumps being adjacent to the closed end of the curved end  41  and formed on two opposite inner walls of the curved end  41 . When being moved to the closed end of the curved end  41  of the arced hole  40 , the lever  22  abuts against the bumps and is held by the bumps. The lever  22  can be pushed to disengage from the bumps and moved to the end of the arced hole  40  opposite to the curved end  41 . In another embodiment, the bumps of the curved end  41  are replaced by a C-shaped retaining clip  24 , and a reduced neck  221  is formed at a junction between the lever  22  and the slider  21 . When the lever  22  is pushed to move to the closed end of the curved end  41  of the arced hole  40 , the reduced neck  221  is retained and positioned by the retaining clip  24  as shown in  FIG. 9 , and the locating slots  18  misalign with the locating holes  36 . 
         [0040]    With reference to  FIG. 8 , when the lever  22  is intended to disengage from the closed end of the curved end  41 , the lever  22  is pushed away from the curved end  41  and further into other portion of the arced hole  40 . The round cover  30  is then rotated relative to the round base  10  until the locating slots  18  align with the locating holes  36 . After weight plates  50  or coins are inserted into the corresponding locating slots  18  through the corresponding locating holes  36 , the round cover  30  is further rotated relative to the round base  10  until the reduced neck  221  is retained and positioned by the retaining clip  24  again. 
         [0041]    With further reference to  FIG. 10  and the foregoing drawings, the weightlifting apparatus in accordance with the present invention further has a bar  60 . The round bases  10  and round covers  30  are respectively mounted around two ends of a bar  60  so that the bar  60  penetrates through the center holes  17  of the round base  10  and the center holes  35  of the round covers  30  and a dumbbell or a barbell can be implemented. The round bases  10  of the disc weights can be securely and respectively mounted around the two ends of the bar  60  together by welding. 
         [0042]    With alignment and misalignment of the locating slots  18  of the round base  10  and the locating holes  36  of the round cover  30 , multiple weight plates or coins can be inserted into the corresponding locating slots  18  through the corresponding locating holes  36  of the round cover  30  and locked inside the corresponding locating slots  18 . Additionally, the weight plates or coins can be of different light weights, such as 100 g, 200 g and 500 g. Selection of type and number of the light weights can result in a desired fine weight adjustment without incurring excessive weight increment that may get the weight lifter injured. Furthermore, since using multiple lightweight weight plates or coins can adjust the weight of the disc weights incrementally, it is unnecessary for users to buy a full set of disc weights of different weights to achieve the same weight adjustment. 
         [0043]    Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.