Patent Publication Number: US-11642563-B2

Title: Adjustable dumbbell

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO THE RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon and claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. CN 202021678825.6, filed on Aug. 13, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention belongs to the field of exercise equipment, and more particularly, to an adjustable dumbbell. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Dumbbells have been designed to be weight adjustable in order to suit different user groups. In this case, the weight plates placed on the base are mounted on the grip as needed. At present, however, the disassembly and assembly for the weight plates of adjustable dumbbells available on the market entail cumbersome operations. 
     SUMMARY 
     In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a dumbbell with a simple disassembly operation and a secure structure. 
     In order to solve the technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution. An adjustable dumbbell includes a base, a grip, and a plurality of sets of dumbbell plate assemblies connected on both sides of the grip. The dumbbell plate assembly includes a rotating member, an adapter, a limiting member and a weight plate. The rotating member is configured to rotate with the grip. The limiting member is located between the rotating member and the adapter. The limiting member fits with and is connected to the adapter in a non-rotatable manner. The adapters of the plurality of sets of dumbbell plate assemblies are connected by a connecting block. One side of the limiting member facing the rotating member is provided with abutting ribs, and the other side of the limiting member facing the adapter is provided with a protrusion. An insertion hole is formed at a position of the adapter corresponding to the protrusion. The limiting member and the adapter are elastically connected. When the rotating member rotates, the rotating member abuts against the abutting ribs to drive the limiting member to translate, so that the protrusion is inserted into or separated from the insertion hole to connect or separate the limiting member and the adapter. 
     In the present invention, different numbers of dumbbell plate assemblies can be chosen and used flexibly to meet different needs of users. The plurality of sets of dumbbell plate assemblies are connected or separated only by rotating the grip, which is convenient to operate. Moreover, the structure for connecting the dumbbell plate assemblies to the grip is secure and effective, is not prone to separate, and thus has high safety performance. 
     Further, the abutting ribs on limiting members of the plurality of sets of dumbbell plate assemblies have different circumferential lengths decreasing from a position adjacent to the center of the grip to both sides of the grip. 
     Further, the number of the sets of dumbbell plate assemblies is four. When the grip is rotated in a circumferential direction through one complete rotation, the weight plate of each of the plurality of sets of dumbbell plate assemblies is connected to the adapter. The design is reasonable, and the grip is rotated through one complete rotation to connect or separate all the dumbbell plate assemblies, which satisfies the users&#39; habits. 
     Further, a side of the adapter facing the limiting member is provided with a positioning column, and an elastic member is sleeved on the positioning column. A positioning hole is formed at a position of the limiting member corresponding to the positioning column. The positioning column passes through the positioning hole. The two ends of the elastic member abut against the adapter and the limiting member, respectively, so that the limiting member and the adapter are elastically connected. The limiting member and the adapter are elastically connected, so that when the weight plate needs to be separated, the limiting member will automatically move away from the adapter, which is convenient to operate. 
     Further, a side of the rotating member facing the limiting member is provided with grooves that are arranged symmetrically, and a set of driving protrusions are formed between the grooves adjacent to each other. An end portion of the abutting rib is provided with an inclined surface. The driving protrusions abut against and slide along the inclined surface. The inclined surface is designed to enable the driving protrusions to slide smoothly to the side of the abutting rib, which is more effort-saving to operate. 
     Further, the adjustable dumbbell further includes a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism includes a fixing member, a movable member capable of rotating with the grip, and a locking member. A plurality of through holes are formed in the movable member along a circumferential direction. At least one set of elastic balls are arranged on the fixing member. When the movable member and the fixing member rotate relative to each other, the elastic ball partially falls into the through hole. The edge of the movable member is provided with convex teeth arranged at intervals. The through holes and the convex teeth are alternately distributed. When the locking mechanism is separated from the base, the locking member moves to be engaged between adjacent convex teeth to prevent the movable member from rotating. The locking mechanism prevents the plurality of sets of dumbbell plate assemblies from loosening and slipping during use to improve safety. 
     Further, the number of the through holes is ten. Abutting ribs arranged on a dumbbell plate assembly far away from the center of the grip are two symmetrically arranged arc convex ribs with a central angle of 36°. 
     Further, a clamping slot is formed at a position of the weight plate corresponding to the insertion hole, and the protrusion is inserted into the clamping slot. 
     Further, the weight plate includes a body with a first U-shaped notch, and a thin-walled portion extending from the first U-shaped notch. The thin-walled portion is provided with a second U-shaped notch. The connecting block is transversely inserted between second U-shaped notches of a plurality of weight plates, and the adapter is longitudinally inserted into the first U-shaped notch. The first U-shaped notch limits the axial translation of the adapter, so as to ensure the stability of the overall structure. 
     Further, the connecting block is fixedly connected to the adapters of the plurality of sets of dumbbell plate assemblies, and one end of the connecting block is connected to the fixing member. 
     The present invention has the following advantages. It is simple and effort-saving to connect or separate the weight plates. The locking structure is secure and effective, so that the overall structure is secure and thus improves safety during use. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of the present invention in an assembled state. 
         FIG.  2    is a top view of the present invention in the assembled state. 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional view of the present invention in the assembled state. 
         FIG.  4    is a first exploded view of the present invention. 
         FIG.  5    is an enlarged view of the structure of the portion A circled in  FIG.  4   . 
         FIG.  6    is a second exploded view of the present invention. 
         FIG.  7    is an enlarged view of the structure of the portion B circled in  FIG.  6   . 
         FIG.  8    is a first exploded view of the structure of a locking mechanism of the present invention. 
         FIG.  9    is a second exploded view of the structure of the locking mechanism of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     In order to make those skilled in the art better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the technical solution in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those having ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1 - 9   , an adjustable dumbbell includes the base  1 , the grip  2 , and a plurality of sets of dumbbell plate assemblies  3  connected on both sides of the grip  2 . When the grip  2  is rotated, the number of dumbbell plate assemblies  3  connected to the grip  2  is adjusted. 
     The dumbbell plate assembly  3  includes the rotating member  31 , the adapter  32 , the limiting member  33  and the weight plate  4 . The rotating member  31  fits with and is connected to the grip  2  in a non-rotatable manner. The rotating member  31  can rotate synchronously with the grip  2 . The limiting member  33  is located between the rotating member  31  and the adapter  32 . The limiting member  33  fits with and is connected to the adapter  32  in a non-rotatable manner. As shown in  FIGS.  5  and  7   , one side of the limiting member  33  facing the rotating member  31  is provided with the abutting ribs  331 , and the other side of the limiting member  33  facing the adapter  32  is provided with the protrusion  332 . The insertion hole  321  is formed at a position of the adapter  32  corresponding to the protrusion  332 . The shape and size of the insertion hole  321  are adapted to the shape and size of the protrusion  332 . 
     The limiting member  33  and the adapter  32  are elastically connected. Specifically, a side of the adapter  32  facing the limiting member  33  is vertically provided with the positioning column  322 , and an elastic member (not shown) is sleeved on the positioning column  322 . The positioning hole  333  is formed at a position of the limiting member  33  corresponding to the positioning column  322 . When the positioning column  322  passes through the positioning hole  333 , one end of the elastic member abuts against the adapter  32 , and the other end of the elastic member abuts against the limiting member  33 , so that the limiting member  33  and the adapter  32  are elastically connected and fitted with each other in a non-rotatable manner. 
     When an external force is applied to rotate the rotating member  31 , that is, in the present embodiment of the present invention, when the external force is applied to rotate the grip  2 , the rotating member  31  rotates synchronously, and the rotating member  31  abuts against the abutting ribs  331  to drive the limiting member  33  to translate along the grip  2 , so that the protrusion  332  is inserted into or separated from the insertion hole  321  to connect or separate the limiting member  33  and the adapter  32 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , a side of the rotating member  31  facing the limiting member  33  is provided with the grooves  311  that are arranged symmetrically. A set of driving protrusions  312  are formed between the grooves  311  adjacent to each other. The driving protrusions  312  can abut against the abutting ribs  331  to enable the limiting member  33  to translate. In order to enable the driving protrusion  312  to rotate to abut against a side of the abutting rib  331 , the end portion of the abutting rib  331  is provided with the inclined surface  334 , so that the driving protrusions  312  can slide along the inclined surface  334  until rotating to the side of the abutting rib  331 . 
     The abutting ribs  331  on the limiting members  33  of the plurality of sets of dumbbell plate assemblies  3  have different circumferential lengths. Specifically, when the abutting ribs  331  are closer to the center of the grip  2 , the abutting ribs  331  have greater circumferential lengths. When the abutting ribs  331  on the dumbbell plate assemblies  3  are far away from both sides of the center of the grip  2 , the abutting ribs  331  have gradually decreased circumferential lengths. In the present embodiment, the abutting ribs  331  are arranged symmetrically in pairs. The outermost abutting ribs  331  are two arc convex ribs with a central angle of 36°. The number of the sets of dumbbell plate assemblies  3  is four. Along the direction toward the center of the grip  2 , the abutting ribs  331  are a pair of arc convex ribs with a central angle of 72°, a pair of arc convex ribs with a central angle of 144°, a pair of arc convex ribs with a central angle of 216° or a pair of arc convex ribs with a central angle of 288°. Certainly, the specific value of the central angle is not limited thereto. Thus, when the grip  2  is rotated in the circumferential direction through one complete rotation, all four sets of dumbbell plate assemblies  3  are connected to the weight plates  4 . 
     In order to prevent the adapter  32  from rotating in the circumferential direction, the adapters  32  of the plurality of sets of dumbbell plate assemblies  3  are fixedly connected by the connecting block  5 . 
     The dumbbell further includes the locking mechanism  6 . As shown in  FIGS.  8  and  9   , the locking mechanism  6  includes the fixing member (a plate)  61  sleeved on the grip  2 , the movable member  62  capable of rotating synchronously with the grip  2 , and the locking member (a bracket)  63 . A plurality of through holes  621  are formed in the movable member  62  along the circumferential direction. At least one set of elastic balls  611  are arranged on the fixing member  61 . When the movable member  62  and the fixing member  61  rotate relative to each other, the elastic ball  611  partially falls into the through hole  621  to limit the position of the fixed member  61  and the movable member  62 , such that the fixed member  61  and the movable member  62  are fitted with each other in a non-rotatable manner. In the present embodiment, one end of the elastic ball  611  is connected to a spring, and the spring extends into the fixing member  61 . The number of one set of elastic balls  611  is two, and the number of the through holes  621  is ten, so that the through holes  621  and the elastic balls  611  are engaged in five movement path modes. One of the five movement path modes serves as an initial state, and the other four movement path modes are configured to connect four weight plates  4 , respectively. 
     The edge of the movable member  62  is bent to form the convex teeth  622 . A gap is formed between the adjacent convex teeth  622 . The through holes  621  and the convex teeth  622  are alternately distributed, that is, the through hole  621  and the gap are arranged directly opposite to each other. 
     The locking member  63  is movably connected to the fixing member  61 . In the initial state, that is, when the dumbbell plate assembly  3  is placed on the base  1 , the locking member  63  is pushed upward by the unlocking block  11  on the base  1 , so that the locking member  63  is not engaged into the gap between the convex teeth  622 , and the movable member  62  can rotate freely at this time. When the locking mechanism  6  and the dumbbell plate assembly  3  are separated from the base  1 , the locking member  63  moves downward to be engaged into the gap between the convex teeth  622 , so as to prevent the movable member  62  from rotating, thereby preventing the grip  2  from rotating in the circumferential direction. 
     When the movable member  62  rotates in the circumferential direction until the elastic ball  611  falls into the through hole  621 , one set of dumbbell plate assemblies  3  are connected to the weight plate  4  to supply a sensation to the hand of the user. 
     The clamping slot  41  is formed at a position of the weight plate  4  corresponding to the insertion hole  321 . The protrusion  332  passes through the adapter  32  and is then inserted into the clamping slot  41 . The size and shape of the clamping slot  41  are adapted to the size and shape of the protrusion  332 . 
     A notch is formed at the top of the weight plate  4 . The weight plate  4  includes the body  42  with the first U-shaped notch  421  and the thin-walled portion  43  extending from the first U-shaped notch  421 . The thin-walled portion  43  is provided with the second U-shaped notch  431 . In this arrangement, the connecting block  5  is inserted between the second U-shaped notches  431  of the plurality of weight plates  4 . The connecting block  5  is fixedly connected to the adapters  32  of the plurality of sets of dumbbell plate assemblies  3 . One end of the connecting block  5  is fixedly connected to the fixing member  61 , and the other end of the connecting block  5  is fixedly connected to the limit disc  7  on the outer side of the dumbbell. The adapter  32  is inserted into the first U-shaped notch  421 , so that the first U-shaped notch  421  limits the position of the adapter  32 . 
     In use, the plurality of sets of dumbbell plate assemblies  3  are placed on the base  1 , and the grip  2  is rotated, so that the weight plates  4  of one set of dumbbell plate assemblies  3  adjacent to the center of the grip  2  are connected to the grip  2 . Specifically, the rotating member  31  is rotated to enable the driving protrusion  312  to slide along the inclined surface  334  to the side of the abutting rib  331 , so that the limiting member  33  translates in the direction away from the rotating member  31 , and then the protrusion  332  on the limiting member  33  is inserted into the insertion hole  321  of the adapter  32  to be inserted into the clamping slot  41  of the weight plate  4 , so as to connect the weight plate  4 . The grip  2  continues to be rotated, so that the weight plates  4  of the second set of dumbbell plate assemblies  3  of the grip are connected to the grip  2 . Different numbers of weight plates  4  are connected as needed, or all the weight plates  4  are connected to the grip  2 . 
     When the weight plate  4  needs to be removed, it is only necessary to reversely rotate the grip  2 . In this case, under the action of the elastic member, the limiting member  33  moves away from the adapter  32 , and the protrusion  332  is separated from the insertion hole  321 . 
     The above specific embodiments are used to explain the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. Any modifications and changes made to the present invention within the spirit and the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.