Patent Publication Number: US-11654325-B2

Title: Barbell grips

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of the co-pending nonprovisional patent application, Ser. No. 16/782,028, filed Feb. 4, 2020. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to athletic equipment, and more particularly to angled barbell grips for attachment to a barbell or other weightlifting bar to provide an ergonomically optimized gripping surface for a user&#39;s hands. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     After strength training and lifting weights for 15 years, the inventor began to experience severe joint pain and discomfort during and after workouts. Eventually, the inventor sought help from a sports medicine chiropractor and physical therapist. Advice was provided to discontinue barbell exercises, and instead use dumb bells and weight machines. This would allow the inventor&#39;s arms to move independently of one another, and his wrist would be able to rotate to allow for a more neutral and natural grip upon a bar. The combination of these two factors lead to less pain and stress on the inventor&#39;s wrist, elbow, and shoulder and helped him avoid more serious injuries. After avoiding barbell exercises altogether, his pain and discomfort disappeared almost entirely. Although the pain relief was significant, the inventor missed the barbell movements to which he had grown so accustomed. Barbell exercises allow the user to move much more weight and truly push personal limits to help build more muscle and grow stronger. In order to resume barbell workouts, the inventor began to consider ways to allow his wrists to orient to the bar at a physiologically more neutral and natural angle to ensure that he maintain proper form and reduce unhealthy stress upon his joints. 
     Prior art weightlifting bars that are prevalent in most gyms have serious deficiencies, including static (immovable) gripping surfaces placed either too narrow or too wide for most users. The typical prior art bars include spaced-apart gripping surfaces that are either spaced too closely to one another (i.e., spaced too narrow) or spaced too far apart from one another (i.e., spaced too wide) to allow comfortable, ergonomic movement for many users. Because these prior art gripping surfaces are typically static—for example, comprising sections of circumferential knurling on the bar itself—these prior art bars and bar surfaces provide only a few predetermined options for hand placement. 
     Eventually, the inventor conceived of an idea for a barbell grip that would allow the user to (a) move a pair of barbell grips to a user-determined and selected optimal grip placement width, and to (b) rotate the barbell grips to a user-determined and selected optimal desired angle relative to the barbell. Most prior art barbell grips effectively increased the diameter of the bar but did not orient to the bar at an angle. The “thick grip” prior art products of enhanced diameter typically advertised that a larger diameter hand grip upon a bar would help stabilize a user&#39;s joints. While some stabilization might be afforded due to a tighter handgrip, hand placement with such prior art grips is still fully pronated, with palms down and substantially parallel to the bar, or supinated, with palms up and substantially parallel to the bar, just as they were when gripping a typical straight bar directly. In addition, these prior art thick grips can cause additional stress upon a user&#39;s wrist, elbow and shoulder joints, because when using them a user can no longer as easily slightly rotate their hands upon the bar to slightly ease pronation during use to at least slightly/minimally relieve such stress (albeit while also reducing the ability to lift heavier weights, or reducing the ability to endure a desired number of repetitive lifts). While an increased diameter bar grip by itself may somewhat help to engage more muscles throughout the upper body, it still does not solve the problem of pronation and suboptimal hand placement upon a bar and it does not allow a user to comfortably perform major lifts like bench pressing and bar bell rows. 
     All grips in the prior art known to the inventor that are capable of providing an angled grip surface comprise only one grip conformation, such that two identical grips of the same grip conformation must be placed upon a bar when used in two-handed bar exercises like bench presses. When two grips of the same conformation are placed upon a bar, one must be flipped or rotated around an axis transverse to the bar to achieve a mirrored angle. This forces the longitudinal slit in each grip to face in an opposite direction to the other grip, and thereby places one of the longitudinal slits against the palm of a user. This destabilizes the grip and creates a disparity between the grips in terms of feel to the user, especially when heavy weights are in use upon the bar. Such grips are also more prone to slipping off the bar and are difficult to align with one another with regard to angles relative to the bar. 
     Therefore, there exists a need for a barbell grip that provides a solution to these deficiencies in the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention comprise, in part, a barbell grip that orients to the bar at an angle. This allows a user to perform exercises such as bench press and barbell row with a more neutral grip than previously possible using grip devices in the prior art. It provides a means to exercise without joint stress or pain during or after a workout. The grip of the present invention can be used with barbells (and other exercise devices that include a bar element) to perform exercises such as bicep curl variations, tricep extension variations, overhead presses, bench presses, and pull ups, among others. These exercises can be performed using a more natural and effective hand orientation than without the grip. The barbell grips of the present invention also allows the user to add a tremendous amount of variation to workouts by performing each selected exercise at several different user-determined hand placements and grip angles simply by moving the barbell grips across the bar to different positions and relative widths to one another, or by rotating the grips around the longitudinal axis of the bar. 
     Structurally, embodiments of the present invention typically comprise a substantially cylindrical, rubber or rubber-like, barbell grip with an Internal or Interior Bore that runs through the Main Body diagonally, a Slit Opening (Slit) that runs parallel to the exterior of the Main Body, and External Main Grooves in the outer surface of the barbell grip that follow and indicate the path of the Internal Bore. 
     The angled orientation of the grip to the bar allows the user to perform barbell exercises with a more natural grip, and the larger grip diameter helps stabilize joints and engage more muscle fibers. The barbell grip can be moved anywhere along the bar and the grips can be rotated to create the optimal grip width and angle for each individual user. 
     With more specificity, elements of embodiments of the present invention include: 
     An Internal Bore that runs through the Main Body at an angle so that the grip attaches to the bar at an angle and allows a more neutral and natural grip for the user performing barbell exercises. 
     An Exterior Main Groove (an elongated depression on the exterior surface of the Main Body) follows and traces the path of the underlying Internal Bore to indicate to the user how the barbell grip should be placed on the bar for optimal grip angle and orientation, and on which side of the bar each barbell grip should be placed. Without the External Main Groove as an indicator, it would be very difficult for the user to accurately discern the location and orientation of the Internal Bore that runs through the barbell grip, and thus how the barbell grip should be optimally placed upon the bar. 
     The Slit runs diagonal to the Internal Bore and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the Main Body. This allows the barbell grip to wrap around the bar fully so that each parallel cross section of the bar is supported by the barbell grip at several points. If the Slit were to run parallel to the Internal Bore, it would be much easier for the bar to accidently slip out of the barbell grip while in use. 
     While in use, the Slit of each barbell grip in a matched, cooperating pair can face the same direction because the barbell grips in such a pair are not structurally identical, rather, the barbell grips in a matched pair are typically substantially symmetrical to one another but have mirrored symmetry versus identically oriented structural elements. Thus, the barbell grips can be safely used with heavy weight mounted on the bar, and with exercises where weight is held over the user&#39;s body. For example, if one Slit were to be facing the user and the other were to be facing away while performing a bench press (in which the user lays on his or her back and pushes weight above his or her chest), there would be tremendous risk the weight would cause the bar to fall through the Slit and into the user&#39;s hand, or even through the user&#39;s hand causing serious injury. 
     Certain embodiments of the present invention may comprise a barbell grip having a generally cylindrical main body, the main body having a longitudinal axis, and having a generally circular first end and an opposing generally circular second end. An internal bore extends through the main body from the first end to said second end, the bore diverging from the longitudinal axis at an angle thereto. A slit cuts through or sections the length of the main body from an outer surface of the main body toward the interior of the main body to meet the internal bore. The slit is disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the main body. A first exterior main groove on the front of the main body extends from the first end to the second end of the main body and overlies the internal bore to thereby indicate the location and angle of the internal bore to a user. A second exterior main groove on the rear of the main body extends from the first end to the second end of the main body and similarly overlies the internal bore to also indicate the location and angle of the internal bore to a user. The aforementioned slit is completely or substantially disposed within this second exterior main groove. A first end flange is located proximate the first end and comprises a flared portion of increased diameter relative to the average diameter of the main body. A second end flange is located proximate the second end and comprises a flared portion of increased diameter relative to the average diameter of the main body. In other words, the flanges each have increased diameters relative to the diameter of the main body located between the flanges and extend radially outward from the surface of the main body at either end thereof. 
     Embodiments of a barbell grip according to the present invention may comprise a generally cylindrical main body having a longitudinal axis. The main body has a generally circular first end and an opposing generally circular second end. An internal bore extends through the main body from the first end to the second end, presenting a substantially circular opening at each end. The bore is not parallel to the longitudinal axis but diverges from the longitudinal axis at an angle thereto. A first exterior main groove extends from the first end to the second end and overlies the internal bore to indicate the location and angle of the internal bore to a user. The first exterior main groove comprises an area of reduced thickness of the main body. A slit cuts through or sections the main body from an outer surface thereof to the internal bore. The slit is disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the main body. The slit separates sections or portions of the main body that overlie the internal bore to form two generally triangular-shaped flaps. A portion of each of these flaps extends over and covers a portion of the internal bore in excess of the radius of the internal bore. 
     Other advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example several embodiments of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is an enlarged, front, right perspective view of a barbell grip. 
         FIG.  2    is a front, right perspective view of a pair or set of barbell grips having mirrored symmetry. 
         FIG.  3    is a front elevation of the barbell grips of  FIG.  2   , showing a right barbell grip and a left barbell grip having mirrored symmetry. 
         FIG.  4    is a rear elevation of the barbell grips of  FIG.  3   . 
         FIG.  5    is an elevation of the left or distal end of the left barbell grip of  FIG.  3   . 
         FIG.  6    is an elevation of the right or proximate end of the left barbell grip of  FIG.  3   . 
         FIG.  7    is an elevation of the left or proximate end of the right barbell grip of  FIG.  3   . 
         FIG.  8    is an elevation of the right or distal end of the right barbell grip of  FIG.  3   . 
         FIG.  9    is a top plan view of the of the barbell grips of  FIG.  3   . 
         FIG.  10    is a bottom plan view of the barbell grips of  FIG.  3   . 
         FIG.  11    is an elevation of the barbell grips of  FIG.  3    positioned and mounted in mirrored symmetry upon a weightlifting bar. 
         FIG.  12    is a front, right perspective view an alternative embodiment of a pair of barbell grips having mirrored symmetry. 
         FIG.  13    is a diagram of two barbell grips mounted upon a weightlifting bar. 
         FIG.  14    is a cross sectional diagram of a barbell grip  100 . 
         FIG.  15    is a diagram of a rear view of a barbell grip with shading applied to indicate portions of the surface of the barbell grip that overlie the bore. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
       FIG.  1    is an enlarged, front, right perspective view illustrating components of an embodiment of the barbell grip  100  of the present invention. The Main Body  110  of the barbell grip  100  is substantially cylindrical in shape with a diameter optimized to allow most adults to comfortably and securely wrap their hands at least partially or substantially around the barbell grip  100  when grasping or gripping it for use. Typically, the Main Body  110  has a large enough diameter relative to length so that the Internal Bore  120  can be at a 5 degree or greater angle to the exterior edge (or to the longitudinal axis) of the Main Body  110 , with the Internal Bore  120  reaching from one end of the Main Body  110  to the other to present an opening at either end of the Main Body  110 . 
     The increased diameter of the Main Body  110  (in comparison to a barbell or other weightlifting bar) benefits the user by more evenly distributing weight in the hand, engaging more hand and forearm muscles, and encouraging a tighter grasp which engages other muscle groups and stabilizes joints. Note that barbell grips  100  of the present invention are often used in pairs, particularly on elongated bars with weights located proximate the ends of such bars, such as bench press or curling bars (see  FIG.  13   ). Such pairs of barbell grips  100  are typically constructed so as to mirror one another&#39;s features, as shown in  FIGS.  2 - 4   , for example. While the barbell grips  100  may be used in any position desirable and comfortable to the user, the barbell grips  100  are typically positioned spaced apart upon a bar  125  at approximately shoulder width and in mirrored symmetry relative to one another, as shown in  FIG.  11  or  13   . It should be appreciated that although sometimes designated herein as right  100   a  or left  100   b  barbell grips, for ease and clarity of description when describing a cooperating, matched pair of barbell grips  100 , the position of the barbell grips  100  may be reversed for certain uses if desired. It should be further appreciated that barbell grips  100  described herein may be referenced using reference numeral  100  when referred to in general (as earlier in this sentence) or when referring to a single barbell grip  100 . When specifically referring to individual barbell grips  100   a  and  100   b  in a pair, reference numerals  100   a  and  100   b  may be used to distinguish between or otherwise identify the grips. 
       FIG.  2    is a front, right perspective view of a pair or set of barbell grips  100   a  and  100   b  having mirrored symmetry to one another.  FIG.  3    is a front elevation showing the right barbell grip  100   a  and left barbell grip  100   b  of  FIG.  2   , and  FIG.  4    is a rear elevation of the barbell grips  100   a  and  100   b  of  FIG.  3   . 
     With further reference to the figures, and in particular the diagram in  FIG.  14   , the Internal Bore  120  in each barbell grip  100  is oriented at a 5 degree or greater angle to the exterior surface of the Main Body  110  so that the Internal Bore  120  runs diagonally through the Main Body  110  relative to both the exterior surface of the Main Body  110  and to the longitudinal axis of the Main Body  110 .  FIG.  14    is a cross sectional diagram of a barbell grip  100  illustrating that the Internal Bore longitudinal axis  170  (shown in a dotted line) deviates at angle from the Main Body longitudinal axis  180  (shown in a dashed line). In addition, the Slit  130  (not shown) is substantially coplanar with the Main Body longitudinal axis  180 , and is not coplanar with the Internal Bore longitudinal axis  170 , typically intersecting with the Internal Bore longitudinal axis  170  only at a point  185  generally midway along such axis  170 . The angle of the Internal Bore  120  relative to the Main Body  110  allows the Main Body  110  to be oriented at the same angle to a weightlifting bar  125  (e.g. barbell, curling bar or bench press bar) to allow for a more neutral grip while performing weightlifting exercises, which helps to more naturally align joints to avoid unhealthy pain and stress. 
     As may be most readily observed in  FIGS.  4  and  15   , the Slit  130  runs substantially parallel to the exterior surface of the Main Body  110  (and also to the longitudinal axis of the Main Body  110 ) and from one corner of the Internal Bore  120  on one end (when viewed in cross section), to a diagonally opposing corner of the Internal Bore  120  on the other end. The Slit  130  is oriented to the Internal Bore  120  at an angle so that the Main Body  110  remains securely attached to a bar  125  while in use. 
     The Exterior Main Groove  140  overlies the Internal Bore  120 , and indicates the direction and angle of the Internal Bore  120  so that the user can discern and visualize the location and angle of the Internal Bore  120 , and thereby better understand how to attach the barbell grip  100  to the weightlifting equipment to achieve the desired grip angle. Typically, one such Exterior Main Groove  140  is located on each opposite side of the Main Body  110 , so that each barbell grip  100  has two Exterior Main Grooves  140  (a first Exterior Main Groove  140   a  and a second Exterior Main Groove  140   b ) located on opposing sides of the Main Body  110 , each indicating the location and angle of the underlying Internal Bore  120 . This disposition of the Exterior Main Grooves  140  allows a user to readily align a barbell grip  100  in a desired and selected location upon a weightlifting bar regardless of the barbell grip  100  orientation. The first Exterior Main Grooves  140   a  are located on the front of the barbell grips  100 , and the second Exterior Main Grooves  140   b  are located on the rear of the barbell grips  100  and are sectioned by the Slit  130 , as shown in  FIGS.  3 - 8   . Exterior Main Grooves  140  also add texture to the exterior surface of the Main Body  110 , thus reducing the possibility of the user&#39;s hand slipping during use of the barbell grip  100 .  FIG.  9    is a top plan view of the of the barbell grips  100   a  and  100   b  of  FIG.  3   , and  FIG.  10    is a bottom plan view of these barbell grips. 
     An End Flange  150  is located on each end of the Main Body  110 , and is raised or flared to have a larger diameter than the portion of the Main Body  110  located between the End Flanges  150  (or to have a larger diameter than the average diameter of the Main Body  110 ), to help ensure that the user&#39;s hands remain in place while performing exercises. When the barbell grip  100  is in use, the user&#39;s index and pinky fingers will typically rest near or against the inside of each End Flange  150 , and often upon the Exterior End Grooves  160  described below. The barbell grips  100  have first End Flanges  150   a  located at the first, proximate ends  115  and have second End Flanges  150   b  located at second, distal ends  117 , as indicated in  FIG.  3   . 
       FIGS.  5  through  8    illustrate left and right ends of each of the left  100   b  and right  100   a  barbell grips shown in  FIGS.  2 - 4   . Each barbell grip  100  comprises a substantially circular first end and an opposing substantially circular second end. For purposes of clarity, and with reference to the orientation shown in  FIGS.  2 - 4   , the first ends will be referred to as proximate ends  115  and the second ends will be referred to as distal ends  117 , as they are positioned relative to one another in  FIGS.  2 - 4    and also  FIGS.  9 - 11   .  FIG.  5    is an elevation of the left or distal end  117  of the left barbell grip  100   b  of  FIG.  3   .  FIG.  6    is an elevation of the right or proximate end  115  of the left barbell grip  100   b  of  FIG.  3   .  FIG.  7    is an elevation of the left or proximate end  115  of the right barbell grip  100   a  of  FIG.  3   .  FIG.  8    is an elevation of the right or distal end  117  of the right barbell grip  100   a  of  FIG.  3   . 
     Exterior End Grooves  160  are located along the circumference of the Main Body  110  proximate and inward of the End Flanges  150 . Exterior End Grooves  160  also help ensure that a user&#39;s hands remain in place while performing exercises. When the barbell grip  100  is in use, a portion of the user&#39;s index and pinky fingers will typically rest within the Exterior End Grooves  160 . The Exterior End Grooves  160  typically wrap all the way around the circumference of the Main Body  110 , but in certain embodiments may only partially wrap around the entire circumference or be broken or interrupted by other Main Body  110  structures. The barbell grips  100  have first Exterior End Grooves  160   a  located inward of the first End Flanges  150   a  and have second Exterior End Grooves  160   b  located inward of the second End Flanges  150   b , as indicated in  FIG.  3   . 
       FIG.  12    is a front, right perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a pair of barbell grips  200   a  and  200   b  having mirrored symmetry. As shown, the End Flanges  250  of these grips are not flared as are the End Flanges  150  of the previously described embodiment, but rather are of similar or identical diameter to a substantial portion of the rest of the Main Body of these grips  200   a  and  200   b.    
       FIG.  13    is a diagram showing two barbell grips  100  (shown in solid lines) attached in spaced apart arrangement upon a weightlifting bar  125  having a plate weight  127  mounted on either end (shown in phantom lines). As shown, the barbell grips  100  are not identical but have mirrored horizontal symmetry, whereby, although the Internal Bore  120  is not visible in this figure, its position (and the position of the barbell grips  100  upon the bar  125 ) is clearly indicated by the Exterior Main Grooves  140 . By mirrored horizontal symmetry, the inventor means that two paired barbell grips  100  typically have mirrored features relative to one another if viewed next to one another and positioned so that the barbell grip  100  longitudinal axes are aligned horizontally and with one another. 
     As shown in  FIG.  15   , sections of the Main Body  110  of the grip  100  that overlie the Internal Bore  120  and are separated from one another by the Slit  130  may be described as flaps  190  that cooperate to cover a bar held within the Bore  120 . Because of the novel design of the flaps  190 , which further distinguishes the grip  100  from the prior art, a portion of each flap extends to cover a substantial width of a bar  125  held within the Bore  120 , and often covers in excess of the radius of the bar  125  (which is typically closely approximate to the radius of the Bore  120 ). Because the Slit  130  traverses (transits/extends) over the Bore  120  and bar  125  at angle to the longitudinal axis of each, which creates these flaps  190  having more extended coverage of the underlying surface of the bar, a system is created that locks the barbell grip  100  to the bar  125  whether the barbell grip  100  is positioned with the flaps  190  covered by the palm of the user&#39;s hand or (more typically) by the fingers of the user. 
     It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable equivalents thereof.