Patent Publication Number: US-11648436-B2

Title: Exercise apparatus including weight bar

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 63/107,065, filed 29 Oct. 2020 and titled “Weight Bar”; Provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 63/116,714, filed 20 Nov. 2020 and titled “Weight Bar”; and Provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 63/214,192, filed 23 Jun. 2021 and titled “Weight Bar and Footplate”, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Resistance training is a form of physical exercise that typically involves using muscular strength to repeatedly move an object against a force opposing the movement. Weight training is a common form of resistance training. Weights are bulky and heavy, however, which can make it hard to keep and use a weight training apparatus at home. 
     Elastic bands can be used for resistance training. For example, an elastic band can be affixed to or supported by, e.g., a bar resembling one used in weight training. The bar and band are configured such that the exercise moves the bar in a direction causing the band to stretch, causing the band to exert a force on the bar opposing the movement. 
     Existing apparatus for resistance training with elastic bands has shortcomings. One such shortcoming is that changing the resistance level for any particular exercise my require using a different band or bands. An apparatus supporting a comprehensive program of resistance training may thus require an inconvenient number of bands to allow sufficient variation in resistance levels. 
     Another shortcoming is that existing means for attaching elastic bands to bars are unsatisfactory. Simply looping ends of an elastic band over the ends of a weight bar is insecure and typically unbalanced. 
     A bar may therefore have, e.g., hooks on its ends. Hooks may not fully secure a band in place during a movement, however; and sudden separation of a band from a bar may lead to a sudden unintended movement of the bar, possibly causing bodily injury or property damage. Hooks may also lead to asymmetrical loading of the bar, or, relatedly, to the band exerting its force in a direction that is not exactly as expected by the user, which can similarly lead to injury or damage, or even just inefficient or uncomfortable exercise. The band may also, e.g., bunch up in the places supported by the hooks, which may in turn lead to undue wear on the band, possibly leading to its premature failure. 
     Hooks have other disadvantages when used in this context. For example, the geometry means that more metal must be used to support a certain weight because the weight is supported from only one side. 
     There is therefore a need for an improved way of coupling an elastic band or bands to a bar for use in resistance training. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the invention relate to exercise apparatus for use in resistance training. The apparatus provides a stable and secure support for an elastic band as the element providing resistance against the exercise being performed. 
     According to embodiments of the invention, an apparatus is provided for use in resistance training. The apparatus comprises an elongated bar, a first pulley hub disposed near a first end of the bar, and a second pulley hub disposed near a second end of the bar, the second end being opposed to the first end. The apparatus also comprises two slings, each sling comprising an arm and two connectors extending from a respective end of the arm and terminating in a loop such that, for each sling, the two loops can be retained by one of the pulley hubs in a manner such that the sling is capable of supporting a resistance band during resistance exercise using the bar. 
     In an embodiment, each pulley hub is affixed to the bar in a manner preventing movement of the pulley hub relative to the bar. Alternatively, in an embodiment, each pulley hub is secured to the bar in a manner substantially preventing the pulley hub from moving lengthwise relative to the bar while allowing free rotation of the hub around the bar. 
     In an embodiment, each arm is a bar having two ends, each end having a hole passing through the bar in a transverse direction. In a further embodiment, each arm is substantially straight. In an alternative further embodiment, each arm is in the shape of an arc. 
     In an embodiment, each connector is a flexible cord. In a further embodiment, each connector is a flexible cord having its ends knotted together forming a bight in the cord such that the bight can pass through one of the holes in one of the arms but the knot cannot. 
     In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises an elastic resistance band. In a further embodiment, the apparatus comprises a footplate, the footplate having an upper side and a lower side opposed to the upper side, the lower side having one or more channels for retaining a resistance band. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    depicts a person using an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG.  2    depicts an elastic band such as may be used in connection with embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG.  3    depicts a weight bar according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG.  4    depicts in detail an end of a weight bar supporting a sling according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG.  5    depicts a sling according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG.  6    depicts a weight bar, a sling, and an elastic band in connection with an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG.  7    depicts a footplate according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG.  8    depicts a footplate according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG.  1    depicts an apparatus  100  in use by a person  110  according to an embodiment of the invention. (The depiction of a person in  FIG.  1    is meant only to illustrate the apparatus and its functions according to embodiments of the invention. Embodiments of the invention may include, e.g., devices and/or apparatus intended for use by persons and/or methods of use of such devices and/or apparatus by persons, but they do not encompass a human organism.) 
     In an embodiment such as  FIG.  1    depicts, the apparatus  100  includes a weight bar  120 . The weight bar  120  supports slings  125  that in turn support an elastic band  130 . In an embodiment of the invention, the elastic band  130  is a continuous loop, e.g., as  FIG.  2    depicts, but it will be appreciated that other configurations are possible. For example, an elastic band in connection with an embodiment of the invention may be a straight band with looped ends (not pictured), which may be affixed, e.g., to an object to provide resistance to movement of a bar. 
     Returning to  FIG.  1   , the elastic band is threaded through features of the weight bar  120  and loops below a footplate  140 . As depicted, the weight of the user  110  standing on the footplate  140  traps the band  130  below the footplate  140 . As a consequence, raising the bar  120  stretches the band  130 , increasing the force resisting the movement. Lowering the bar  120  reduces the stretch and thus the force exerted by the band  130 . 
       FIG.  3    depicts an example of a weight bar  120  according to an embodiment of the invention. A weight bar  120  may be of any dimensions and made of any material consistent with its intended use. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, a weight bar  120  may be a solid bar of steel, with a substantially circular cross-section that is substantially uniform throughout the length of the bar. The bar  120 , for example, may be three to four feet long and one inch thick. 
     A weight bar  120  may be considered substantially circular for this purpose if it does not deviate from circularity to a degree that is perceptible during ordinary use. A bar may be considered substantially circular and substantially uniform despite the presence, in embodiments, of, e.g., knurling, tape, or other treatment to enhance grip applied, e.g., to discontinuous regions  210  of the bar. 
     Other shapes and dimensions are possible if desired. For example, a bar designed to handle, e.g., like a dumbbell, may be nine inches long. The bar  120  depicted in  FIGS.  1 - 3    is straight, but other bars (not pictured) may depart from this shape if desired. For example, barbells (not pictured) with a shape suited to bicep curls are known to the art, and a weight bar according to an embodiment of the invention may have a shape similar to such a barbell. 
     In embodiments of the invention, a weight bar  120  may have pulley hubs  220  at or near its ends, e.g., as  FIG.  3    depicts.  FIG.  4    depicts an end of a weight bar  120  and its pulley hub  220  in greater detail. As depicted, the pulley hub  220  is held on the end of the bar  120  by a thin cap  410  affixed to the end of the bar  120 . 
     A structure (not pictured) may be present on the far side of the pulley hub  220  to prevent the hub  220  from traveling toward the other end of the bar  120 . For example, a groove (not pictured) may be cut in the bar  120 , and a retaining ring (not pictured) may rest in the groove. Alternatively, this structure may be, e.g., a flanged projection of the bar  120  or a collar affixed to the bar by adhesive or welding or merely held in place by friction. (Any groove or projection or collar used to retain the pulley hub  220  may be disregarded in determining whether the cross-section of the bar is substantially uniform.) In such a configuration the pulley hub  220  may or may not be free, or substantially free, to rotate around the bar. 
     Alternatively, the pulley hub  220  itself may be fixed permanently to the bar  120  at or near the end of the bar  120 . 
     For the sake of balance, it may be desirable for the pulley hubs  220  to be placed as near as practical to the ends of the bar  120 . It will be appreciated, however, that the pulley hubs  220  need not be precisely at the ends of the bar  120  for the bar  120  to exhibit acceptable balance while in use. A pulley hub  220  may be considered near the end of the bar  120  while still being sufficiently far from the end of the bar  120  to permit the pulley hub  220  to be safely secured to the bar  120 . 
     Alternatively, in an embodiment of the invention (not pictured), the pulley hubs  220  may be spaced merely far enough to allow a user to hold the bar  120  securely during exercise. For example, when a dumbbell-like bar length is used, the pulley hubs may be separated by sufficient space for the bar to be gripped securely in one hand, possibly with sufficient extra margin for comfort, safety, or both. In exemplary embodiments of the invention, the inner edges of the pulley hubs  220  may be separated by a distance of, e.g., 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, or 8 inches. 
       FIG.  4    also depicts a sling  125  suspended from a pulley hub  220  of a weight bar  120 , according to an embodiment of the invention. As depicted, the sling  125  is an assembly that comprises an arm  430 . The depicted arm  430  is curved into an arc, but in an alternative embodiment (not depicted), the arm may be substantially straight. At each end, the arm  430  terminates in a loop or opening  435 . In an embodiment such as  FIG.  4    depicts, a doubled cord  440  is passed through the opening  435  to serve as a connector between the sling  125  and the bar  120 . The ends  445  of the cord  440  are tied together to form a knot that is too large to pass through the hole  435 , and the bight of each cord  440  is threaded into the pulley hub  220 . 
     The knots at the ends  445  of the cords  440  may be any knot that is large enough and strong enough to support the arm  430  while the apparatus is in use. In an embodiment of the invention, for example, a figure-8 knot with two strands of rope may be used: a figure-8 knot retains more of the tensile strength of the cord than many other knots that might be used, and it fails by slipping—which may give warning of impending failure—rather than by collapsing catastrophically. 
     Although both an arc-shaped arm and a straight arm may be acceptable according to embodiments of the invention, an arc-shaped arm  430 , e.g., as  FIG.  4    depicts, may have an advantage of preventing bunching of the elastic band, e.g., in the corner between the arm  430  and a cord  440 . For example, in an embodiment such as  FIG.  4    depicts, the arm  430  may formed as an arc with a radius of 3-4 inches. 
       FIG.  5    depicts a sling  125  separated from the bar  120 , according to embodiments of the invention. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the pulley hubs  220  may be made of, e.g., ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene, and the cords  440  may be, e.g., UHMW polyethylene braided rope such as Dyneema SK78. UHMW polyethylene may be particularly well suited for this application due to its high strength, low friction, and resistance to abrasion. It will be appreciated, however, that any materials exhibiting satisfactory strength and other properties may be used. 
     Similarly, the arms  430  may be made of any material exhibiting sufficient strength, rigidity, and durability for the described use. In exemplary embodiments of the invention, the arms may be steel. 
     Further, the arms may have any dimensions consistent with the uses described in this application. In one exemplary embodiment, an arm  430  may be 6 1/16 inches long and (except at the holes  435 ) be ½ inch thick. The holes  435  may have any size and shape consistent with the required strength of the arm  430  and need to pass the cords  440 . In some embodiments of the invention, the holes may be shaped like, e.g., ovals, ellipses, rectangles with rounded corners, or similarly. In one embodiment, intended for use with 6 mm thick cords  440 , the holes may measure 8 mm by 16 mm. 
     Similarly, the cords  440  may be any length that is desired, and, indeed, using cords of varied lengths may allow fine-tuning of the force exerted by a particular elastic band during a particular exercise. In one embodiment, a cord may be, e.g., 5 inches from the top of the knot to the middle of the bight. Because of the bending of the cord  440  when placed over a pulley hub  220  to support the sling  220 , a cord with this dimensions may support the arm at a distance of about 3 inches from the center of the bar  120 . In embodiments of the invention, one or more spacers (not pictured) may be supplied for insertion between the knot and the bottom of the arm  430 , effectively shortening the cord  440 . 
       FIG.  6    depicts the relative positions of a weight bar  120 , a sling  220 , and an elastic band  130  in relative positions before the sling  220  is to be suspended from the pulley hub  220 . As depicted, the band  130  passes over the arm  430  of the sling assembly  125 , with one of the connecting cords  440  on each side of the band  130 . For exercise use, the depicted components may be assembled by slipping the bights of the cords  440  over the outer rim of the pulley hub  220 , which will then keep the cords  440  in position. 
     Because it is supported at both ends, an arm  430  as part of a sling assembly  125 , according to embodiments of the invention, may be effectively stronger than a hook of the same weight. This may in turn allow an arm  430  to support a band over more of its length than a comparable hook. As a consequence, an arm  430  such as depicted may lead to less bunching of a band, and therefore less friction and less wear on the band, than a comparable hook. For similar reasons, an arm  430  such as depicted may permit stacking—which is to say, using more than one band at a time—to achieve a greater range of resistances with a set of fewer bands. 
     In embodiments of the invention, an optional base plate (or, equivalently, a platform plate, foot plate, or footplate) may support a user with the elastic band, e.g., running singly or doubled through the base plate. Alternatively, if a plate is not used, in connection with embodiments of the invention, a user may, e.g., stand on the bands directly. It will be appreciated that use of a base plate as described may be preferable in connection with exercises using high loads. 
     Other variants are possible. For example, in embodiments of the invention, a platform (not pictured) with hooks on its upper and/or (if the platform is raised) lower surfaces may anchor the bands during exercise. The user may, e.g., stand on the platform, pressing it against the floor while moving the bar to stretch the band during the exercise. As another example, a door anchor may be used to anchor one or more bands during an exercise. 
       FIGS.  7  and  8    depict multiple views of a footplate  140  according to an embodiment of the invention. The views of  FIG.  7    include views of the depicted footplate  140  from above (a), one side (b), below (c), end-on (d), and in perspective from above (e). The figures depict an example footplate  140  with an upper surface that is 23.99 inches×12.00 inches and that is 2.00 inches high. (Unless explicitly stated otherwise, no dimension of the depicted footplate, given in this disclosure, is critical; in embodiments of the invention, a footplate  140  and any component of a footplate may have any dimension or dimensions consistent with its intended functions.) 
     The footplate  140  as depicted comprises multiple channels  710 ,  720  to constrain the position of one or more elastic bands (not pictured) while the footplate is in use. As depicted, the center channel  710  has lips  730  that are curved along a radius of 3.5 inches when viewed from above, spanning a 4.15 inch wide channel. It will be appreciated that when a band is under tension, this shape may tend to pull the band to the center, making band placement between sets more consistent. 
     A footplate  140  according to embodiments of the invention may be made out of any material, and through any process of manufacture, consistent with the intended function of the footplate  140 . In one exemplary embodiment, a footplate  140  may be made of UHMW polyethylene, and the surface may be polished, e.g., to a 500-1000 grit finish. This polishing, or a similar surface treatment, may reduce the surface friction of a band against the UHMW of the footplate  140 , which may improve the smooth travel of latex bands along the surface. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the lip  730  may project beyond the surface of the center channel  710 . This configuration may, e.g., reduce the surface contact of the footplate  140  with the band, further reducing friction between the band and the footplate  140 . 
     Returning to  FIG.  1   , it depicts a bar  120 , elastic band  130 , and footplate  140 , according to an embodiment of the invention, being used for resistance training. In the depicted configuration, the band is “singled”, which is to say that only one thickness of the band  130  passes under the footplate  140 . As depicted, when a band is singled, another thickness of the band  130  is suspended directly under the bar  120 . For many exercises, a band may be “doubled” (not pictured), with both thicknesses passing under the footplate  140 . It will be appreciated that doubling the band causes the band to stretch more for a given movement than it does in a singled configuration, thereby increasing the resistance for that exercise. 
     As depicted, a thickness of the band  130  passes underneath a footplate  140 , but use of a footplate  140  may be optional in embodiments of the invention. For example, a variant of the exercise that  FIG.  1    depicts may be performed by passing a singled or doubled band beneath directly beneath either or both of the user&#39;s feet. As another example, a chest press may be performed with a singled or doubled band passing behind the user&#39;s back, again, without use of a footplate  140 . 
     Other objects may be used with a bar, slings, footplate and elastic band or bands according to embodiments of the invention. For example, for a bench press exercise, a yoga block or other object (not pictured) may be used to prop up one end of a footplate  140 . The user may lie down, resting the upper body against the floorplate  140  with the head at the raised end. If the singled or doubled band  130  passes under the raised end of the floorplate  140 , the user may experience a greater range of motion while doing the exercise than would be experienced if the user were to lie flat on the floor. 
     Many resistance exercises may be performed with an apparatus according to embodiments of the invention as described herein. A non-limiting use of examples may include bench press, close-grip bench press, overhead press, tricep extension, deadlift, bent over rows, curls, Ferro curls, shrugs, front squat, back squat, split squats, calf raises, hack squats (aka reverse deadlifts), trap deadlifts (with two dumbbell-like bars, or “handles”), Arnold curls (with one handle and one footplate), and one-arm dumbbell row (with handle and footplate).