Patent Publication Number: US-6709370-B1

Title: Weightbench dumbbell support apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. design application Ser. No. 29/161,714, filed on May 30, 2002. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of dumbbell supports in general. In particular, the present invention relates specifically to a weight bench and dumbbell support apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Known Art 
     As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a dumbbell support may be used to support a dumbbell off of a weight bench. Details of a typical dumbbell support are contained in U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,964, issued to Hayden on Jul. 20, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,723 issued to Santoro on Mar. 12, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,050 issued to Santoro et al. on Nov. 27, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,908 issued to Morgan on Jul. 8, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 5,928,118 issued to Rosenthal on Jul. 27, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,967 issued to Kecala on Oct. 15, 1985; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,460 issued to Marsh on Mar. 10, 1998. Each of these patents is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     These prior art patents are very limited in their teaching and utilization, and an improved dumbbell support is needed to overcome these limitations. What is needed then is an improved weight bench dumbbell support for providing variable positioning and support for dumbbells and improved weigh bench performance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an improved weight bench with dumbbell support. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a dumbbell holder is provided for an elongated weight bench that includes side attachment tubes. 
     The dumbbell holder includes a vertical supporting arm adapted to attach to the side attachment tube of a weight bench. A dumbbell cross support is attached to the vertical supporting arm. The cross support has a first connecting point and distal connecting point. An initial weight support cup is attached to the first connecting point. The initial weight support cup has a first weight vertical support and a first side support, and is constructed so that the first side support defines a first side movement limit for the dumbbell. This side support secures the dumbbell so that the dumbbell will not fall or slide out of the dumbbell holder. Additional side supports may be utilized, and separate weight support cups may be used for each side of the dumbbell. When using multiple weight support cups, a handle aperture may be formed by spacing of the two weight support cups. 
     Another improvement teaches that the vertical support may be made as a radially symmetrical support so that the dumbbell may be fixed in positioned at various angles to the weight bench. A perpendicular support allows the use of the dumbbell as a standard cross bar type of arrangement common seen for doing bench presses with barbells. A parallel arrangement may also be used from the bench for exercises such as butterflies done from a horizontal position. 
     Yet a further improvement may be had using a second vertical support attached to the opposite side of the weight bench. The use of a separate independent support creates a usable gap above the bench so that a parallel arrangement of two dumbbells in the holders allows for elbow bends above the bench. The separate independent support and a perpendicular arrangement allows for additional exercises or ranges of motion such as a below bar extension on elevated push ups. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention, along with features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear or become apparent by reviewing the following detailed description of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the following drawings, which form a part of the specification and which are to be construed in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals have been employed throughout wherever possible to indicate like parts in the various views: 
     FIG. 1 is an environmental view of a weight bench with dumbbell support with a portion of the weight bench shown in dashed lines for clarification of the construction of the apparatus; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view thereof, taken generally from the opposite side of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view thereof, taken generally oppositely to FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view thereof, taken generally from the opposite side of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan view thereof; 
     FIG. 7 is a front elevational view with the opposite side being a mirror image thereof; 
     FIG. 8 is a side elevational view with the opposite side being a mirror image thereof; and, 
     FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view thereof. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in FIG. 1, a dumbbell  100  is usually constructed utilizing a first end weight  102  and a second end weight  104  connected by a handle  106 . 
     As detailed in FIGS. 1-9, a dumbbell holding apparatus  108  is constructed for attachment to an elongated weight bench  110 . The elongated weight bench  110  includes a bench seat  112  supported by a bench support frame  114 . The bench support frame  114  of the elongated weight bench  110  has a first side  116  with a first side attachment tube  120  and a second side  118  having a second side attachment tube  122 . The dumbbell holding apparatus  108  utilizes a vertical supporting arm  124  constructed with an elongated extension  126  having an extension shape  128  that is shown as a square tube. The extension shape  128  is preferably constructed with radial symmetry  130  such that the elongated extension  126  may be rotated for positioning inside the attachment tubes  120 ,  122  for adjusting the angular relationship of the dumbbell  100  to the elongated weight bench  110 . The vertical supporting arm  124  is also constructed with vertical positioning apertures  132  so that the vertical supporting arm  124  may be held in position with a locking pin  140 . The connection of the vertical supporting arm  124  to the side attachment tubes  120 ,  122  is shown as a vertically and angularly adjustable attachment  134 . This vertically and angularly adjustment attachment  134  utilizes an extension mating shape  136  which also has radial symmetry  138  for connection with the vertical supporting arm  124  such that the vertical supporting arm  124  may be rotated to adjust the angular relationship of the dumbbell  100  to the elongated weight bench  110 . 
     The vertical supporting arm  124  is adapted to support a dumbbell cross support  142 . The dumbbell cross support  142  is constructed as a first cross arm  144  and a second cross arm  146  connected by a top  148  and a bottom  149 . The dumbbell cross support  142  defines a first connecting point  150  and a distal connecting point  151 . An initial weight support cup  152  is attached at the first connecting point  150 . The initial weight support cup  152  includes a first weight vertical support structure  154  and a first weight side support structure  158 . The first weight vertical support structure  154  is constructed as a curved plate  156  to provide vertical and longitudinal support to the dumbbell  100 . The first weight side support structure  158  is constructed as a raised outer side wall  160  and a recessed inner side wall  162 . The first weight side support structure  158  is adapted to define left and right weight side movement limits  164 ,  165  so that the dumbbell  100  is supported within the initial weight support cup  152  and is controlled from falling out of the side initial weight support cup  152 . This control of the weight position is important for controlling the dumbbell  100  when the dumbbell is used as a handle grip while in initial weight support cup  152 . 
     A second weight support cup  166  is also utilized. The second weight support cup  166  includes a second weight vertical support structure  168  manufactured as a curved plate  170 . The second weight support cup  166  also includes a second weight left side support structure  172  which also includes a raised outer side wall  174  and a recessed inner side wall  176 . The second weight side support structure  172  is also adapted to provide a second weight left side movement limit  178  and second weight right side movement limit  179  for controlling the movement of the dumbbell  100 . The initial weight support cup  152  and the second weight support cup  166  are separated by a distanced defining a handle aperture  180  as is known in the prior art for use with dumbbells  100 . This not only allows for gripping of the dumbbell  100  for pickup, but provides a hand positioning location when the dumbbell  100  is used in its seated position. 
     As is shown in the drawings, a first vertically independent dumbbell holder  200  and a second vertically independent dumbbell holder  202  may be utilized to form an obstruction-free aperture  204 . Utilizing the vertically and angularly adjustable attachment  134  previously described, this allows for the arrangement of the dumbbells  100  in a parallel  206  or perpendicular  208  arrangement. Other arrangements may also be utilized by changing the radial symmetry of the elements of the vertically and angularly adjustable attachment  134 . Alternative embodiments may be constructed by utilizing only the angle adjustments to form a first angularly adjustable holder connection and a second angularly adjustable holder connection to allow for angular adjustment of the dumbbells in relation to the elongated weight bench. Yet a further embodiment may be constructed utilizing only the vertical adjustments to form a first vertically adjustable holder connection and a second vertically adjustable holder connection such that the dumbbells may be vertically adjusted in relation to the weight bench. However, the preferred embodiment utilizes a first vertically and angularly adjustable holder connection  218  and a second vertically and angularly adjustable holder connection  220  so that both angle and height adjustments may be made to the dumbbells  100  in relation to the elongated weight bench  110 . 
     By allowing the dumbbells  100  to be angularly adjusted in relation to the elongated weight bench  110 , different exercises requiring different positions of the dumbbells  100  may be performed. When the dumbbells  100  are placed in a perpendicular relationship to the elongated weight bench  110 , the dumbbells  100  are positioned in the standard bench press-type of arrangement. When the dumbbells  100  are adjusted to be perpendicular to the elongated weight bench  10 , the dumbbells  100  are positioned for an exercise such as a horizontal butterfly. The vertical adjustment of the dumbbells  100  combined with the spaced relationship of the dumbbells  100  allows for additional exercises to be performed on the weight bench  110 . By having the dumbbells  100  perpendicular to the elongated weight bench an in-air pushup may be performed with the user placing his hands on each of the consecutive dumbbells  100 . The user may then perform an in-air pushup and may actually extend below the line formed by the handles  106  of the dumbbells  100  to obtain an additional range of motion. Furthermore, when the dumbbells  100  are arranged parallel to the elongated weight bench the dumbbells  100  in the capturing sockets  152 ,  166  may be utilized to allow for elbow dips and other types of exercises requiring this type of support. While these examples of exercises are by no means meant to limit the application of the present invention, these examples are provided for understanding of the advantages of the present invention over the prior art designs. 
     Reference numbers refer to the following: 
     a dumbbell  100   
     first end weight  102   
     second end weight  104   
     a handle  106   
     A dumbbell holding apparatus  108   
     an elongated weight bench  110   
     a bench seat  112   
     a bench support frame  114   
     a first side  116   
     a second side  118   
     first side attachment tube  120   
     second side attachment tube  122   
     a vertical supporting arm  124   
     an elongated extension  126   
     an extension shape  128   
     radial symmetry  130   
     vertical positioning apertures  132   
     a vertically and angularly adjustable attachment  134   
     an extension mating shape  136   
     radial symmetry  138   
     locking pin  140   
     a dumbbell cross support  142   
     a first cross arm  144   
     a second cross arm  146   
     a top  148   
     a bottom  149   
     a first connecting point  150   
     a distal connecting point  151   
     an initial weight support cup  152   
     a first weight vertical support structure  154   
     a curved plate  156   
     a first weight side support structure  158   
     a raised outer side wall  160   
     a recessed inner side wall  162   
     first weight left side movement limit  164   
     first weight right side movement limit  165   
     a second weight support cup  166   
     a second weight vertical support structure  168   
     a curved plate  170   
     a second weight side support structure  172   
     a raised outer side wall  174   
     a recessed inner side wall  176   
     a second weight left side movement limit  178   
     a second weight left side movement limit  179   
     a handle aperture  180   
     a first vertically independent dumbbell holder  200   
     a second vertically independent dumbbell holder  202   
     an obstruction free aperture  204   
     parallel  206   
     perpendicular  208   
     a first vertically and angularly adjustable holder connection  218   
     a second vertically and angularly adjustable holder connection  220   
     From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention well adapted to obtain all the ends and objects herein set forth, together with other advantages which are inherent to the structure. It will also be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. Many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.