CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/779,819, filed on December 14, 2018, and is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to U.S. Design Application No. 29659336, filed on August 8, 2018, the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to an exercise bar, and in particular an exercise bar with an adjustable handle.

BACKGROUND

[0003] There are various types of exercise bars, such as a weight lifting bar, that has a bar and weights supported by the bar. One type of bar is a so-called Swiss bar.

Such a bar may include handles that are transverse to an axis of the bar and are permanently fixed to components of the bar. Users cannot change the angles of the handles to the axis of the bar or the positions of the handles in the bar.

SUMMARY

[0004] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides an exercise bar. The bar includes: a first end support; a second end support; a first handle support; and a second handle support. The second end support is spaced apart from the first end support in a first direction. The first handle support is located between the first end support and the second end support in the first direction. The second handle support is spaced apart from the first handle support in a second direction different from the first direction. The second handle support is located between the first end support and the second end support in the first direction. Each of the first handle support and the second handle support is configured to receive at least one of a plurality of adjustable handles.

[0005] Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a system. The system includes an exercise bar having: a first end support; a second end support; a first handle support; and a second handle support. The second end support is spaced apart from the first end support in a first direction. The first handle support is located between the first end support and the second end support in the first direction. The first handle support is provided with a first recess that is configured to removably support at least one of a plurality of handles. The second handle support is spaced apart from the first handle support in a second direction different from the first direction. The second handle support is located between the first end support and the second end support in the first direction. The second handle support is provided with a second recess that is configured to removably support the at least one of a plurality of handles. The second recess and the first recess preferably face each other. The plurality of handles preferably include at least a first handle of a first length, and at least a second handle of a second length longer than the first length. When the first and second recesses removably support the first handle, the first handle extends in the second direction. When the first and second recesses removably support the second handle, the second handle extends in a direction different than the second direction.

[0006] Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides an exercise bar. The bar includes: a first end support; a second end support; a first handle support; and a second handle support. The second end support is spaced apart from the first end support in a first direction. The first handle support is located between the first end support and the second end support in the first direction. The first handle support includes a first plurality of fixation points that are configured to support at least one of a plurality of handles. The second handle support is spaced apart from the first handle support in a second direction different from the first direction. The second handle support is located between the first end support and the second end support in the first direction. The second handle support includes a second plurality of fixation points that are configured to support the at least one handle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figs. 1-2 are perspective views of an exercise bar according to one embodiment.

[0008] Figs. 3 A and 3B are plan views of handles according to one embodiment.

[0009] Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along a line IV-IV in Fig. 1.

[0010] Figs. 5-6 are perspective views of an exercise bar according to one embodiment.

[0011] Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along a line VII- VII in Fig. 5.

PET ATT ED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] The description of illustrative embodiments according to principles of the present invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as“lower,”“upper,”“horizontal,” “vertical,”“above,”“below,”“up,”“down,”� ��top” and“bottom” as well as derivative thereof (e.g.,“horizontally,”“downwardly,”“upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as“attached,”“affixed,”“connected,”“coupled,� �“interconnected,” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. Moreover, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference to the exemplified embodiments. Accordingly, the invention expressly should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments illustrating some possible non-limiting combination of features that may exist alone or in other combinations of features; the scope of the invention being defined by the claims appended hereto.

[0013] This disclosure describes the best mode or modes of practicing the invention as presently contemplated. This description is not intended to be understood in a limiting sense, but provides an example of the invention presented solely for illustrative purposes by reference to the accompanying drawings to advise one of ordinary skill in the art of the advantages and construction of the invention. In the various views of the drawings, like reference characters designate like or similar parts.

[0014] Figs. 1-2 are perspective views of an exercise bar according to one embodiment.

[0015] Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the exercise bar 100 may be, but is not limited to, a weight lifting bar to support weights, such as weight lifting plates (not shown). The exercise bar 100 may be used with handles, for example, including handles 8 la, 8 lb, 82a, and 82b. In one example, users may grip the handles, and then lift and lower the exercise bar 100 with weights applied. While the handles may be cylindrically-shaped as shown, the handles may take the shape, form or texture of a variety of objects or combination of objects such as spheres, semi-cylindrical, grooved, notched, cubes, smooth or textured or a combination of the same, or any other grippable surface or shape. The handles may be similarly-shaped across the exercise bar 100 or be comprised of a combination of shapes as desired. The handles may protrude or recess from the surface of the exercise bar 100. The handles may exhibit rotational properties or slide freely along the length of sections containing a track (e.g., recesses 16, 18, 20, and 22 described below) and pin holes (e.g., fixation points 3,5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, and 17 described below). The handles may extend outside the dimensions of the exercise bar 100 yet remained anchored to the exercise bar 100. Thus, while certain shapes and configurations are described and shown, it will be understood that different shapes and/or combination of shapes may be utilized as desired.

[0016] In the illustrated example, the bar 100 may include a first end support 2, a second end support 4 spaced apart from the first end support 2 in a first direction XI, and handle supports located between the first and second end supports 2 and 4 in the first direction XI.

[0017] The handle supports may include a first handle support 6b, a second handle support l2a, a third handle support 6c, and a fourth handle support l4a. In one example, the handle supports 6b and l2a may be spaced apart from each other in a second direction Yl different from the first direction XI. For example, the second direction Yl may be perpendicular to the first direction XI, or may be non-perpendicular to the first direction XI (e.g., an angle of the second direction Yl to the first direction XI may be 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 80 degrees, 120 degrees, or other degrees). The handle supports 6c and l4a may be spaced apart from each other in the second direction Yl.

Each pair of the handle supports 6b and l2a as well as 6c and l4a may together support at least one of the handles such as handles 8 la, 8 lb, 82a, and 82b.

[0018] In the illustrated example, the end supports 2 and 4 may each be a hollow cylinder, tube, sleeve, or other type of shape. The end supports 2 and 4 may be respectively configured to support weight lifting plates (not shown). Accordingly, each end support may be sized to receive one or more standard weight lifting plates, and may include bores for receiving pins for retaining such weight lifting plates on the

corresponding end support.

[0019] The handle supports 6b, l2a, 6c, and l4a may include at least one of a straight shape, a curved shape, and other types of shape. In the illustrated example, the handle supports 6b, l2a, 6c, and l4a are straight.

[0020] In the illustrated example, the end support 2, the handle support 6b, and the handle support l2a may be connected by a first connection portion 6a. The connection portion 6a may be located between the end support 2 and each of the handle supports 6b and l2a. Similarly, the end support 4, the handle support 6c, and the handle support l4a may be connected by a second connection portion 6d. The connection portion 6d may be located between the end support 4 and each of the handle supports 6c and l4a. Further, a connection portion 10 may be provided to connect the handle supports l2a and l4a, and a connection portion 8 may be provided to connect the handle supports 10, 6b, and 6c. The connection portions 6a, 6d, 10, and 8 may include at least one of a straight shape, a curved shape, and other types of shape. In the illustrated example, the connection portions 6a, 6d, and 10 may be U-shaped, and the connection portion 8 may be straight.

[0021] The end supports 2 and 4, and the handle supports 6b, 6c, l2a, and l4a, the connection portions 6a, 6d, 8, and 10 may be integrated together as one unit as shown by Figs. 1-2. Each of the end supports 2 and 4, and the handle supports 6b, 6c, l2a, and l4a, the connection portions 6a, 6d, 8, and 10 may be made of metal, such as a hard metal, or other type of material.

[0022] The handle supports 6b and l2a may be configured to removably support at least one of a plurality of handles that include handles 8la and 8 lb. The handles 8la and 8 lb may accommodate women and/or men, and may be made of rubber coated material, metal, some other material, or a combination thereof. The handles 8 la and 8 lb may have different lengths. Accordingly, the first handle 8 la has a first length and the second handle 8 lb has a second length longer than that of the first handle 8 la. In one example, as shown in Fig. 3 A, the handle 8 la may be provided with two fixation points (e.g., bores) 811 and 812 at opposite ends of the length of the handle 8 la. The fixation point 811 may be located at one end of the handle 8 la, while the fixation point 812 may be located at the other end of the handle 8 la. Similar to the handle 8 la, the handle 8 lb may be provided with two fixation points (e.g., bores) at opposite ends of the length of the handle 8 lb (not shown).

[0023] Referring to Fig. 1, the handle support 6b may be provided with a recess 16. The recess 16 may be configured to removably support at least one of the plurality of handles that include handles 8la and 8 lb. In one example, a dimension of the recess 16 of the handle support 6b in the first direction XI may be larger than a dimension of the recess 16 of the handle support 6b in a third direction Zl different from the first direction XI and the second direction Yl, thereby forming a slot. For example, the third direction Zl may be perpendicular to the first and second directions XI and Yl, or may be non perpendicular to the first and second directions XI and Yl (e.g., an angle of the third direction Zl to the first and second directions XI and Yl may be 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 80 degrees, 120 degrees, or other degrees). At a first side of the recess 16, as shown in Fig. 1, there are a plurality of fixation points 3, for example, including fixation point 3a. The fixation points 3 may be spaced apart from each other in the first direction XI. Each of the fixation points 3 may include a bore that passes through a part of the handle support 6b from the recess 16 to an outside of the handle support 6b. At a second side of the recess 16, as shown in Fig. 1, there are a plurality of fixation points 5, for example, including fixation point 5a. The second side of the recess 16 may be opposite the first side of the recess 16 in the third direction Zl, such that the combination of fixation points 3 and 5 may form bores passing completely through the handle support 6b in the third direction, each bore representing a discrete fixation point for a handle. The fixation points 5, similar to the fixation points 3, may therefore be spaced apart from each other in the first direction XI.

[0024] The handles 8 la and 8 lb may be interchangeably or concurrently fixed to the handle support 6b by way of the fixation points. For example, a pin 85 (see Fig. 4) can be inserted through two corresponding aligned bores of the fixation points, such as through fixation points 3a and 5a which are aligned with each other, and through the bore of the fixation point 811 of one of the handles 8la and 8 lb. As shown in Fig. 4, the pin 85 may be fixed to the handle support 6b by a fixing member 89, such as a metal spring or other type of fixing member. When the pin is inserted into the bores of the fixation points 3a and 5a, so that it resides, at least partially in the bores of the fixation points 3a and 5a at the same time, the inserted pin 85 may be different from the length Dl + D3 + D3, shown in Fig. 1 of the bar 1.

[0025] Referring to Fig. 2, the handle support l2a may be provided with a recess 20 positioned opposite the recess 16 of handle support 6b. The recess 20 may be configured to removably support at least one of the plurality of handles that include handles 8la and 8 lb. The recess 20 and the recess 16 may face to each other. In one example, a dimension of the recess 20 of the handle support l2a in the first direction XI may be larger than a dimension of the recess 20 of the handle support l2a in the third direction, thereby forming a slot. At a first side of the recess 20, as shown in Fig. 2, there are a plurality of fixation points 11, for example, including fixation point 1 la. The fixation points 11 may be spaced apart from each other in the first direction XI. Each of the fixation points 11 may include a bore that passes through a part of the handle support l2a from the recess 20 to an outside of the handle support l2a. At a second side of the recess 20, as shown in Fig. 2, there are a plurality of fixation points 15, for example, including fixation point l5a. Accordingly, the fixation points 11 and 15 may be similar in form to the fixation points 3 and 5 of handle support 6b.

[0026] The handles 8 la and 8 lb may be interchangeably or concurrently fixed to the handle support l2a by way of the fixation points. For example, a pin (which may be the same as or similar to the pin 85 discussed above) can be inserted through two corresponding aligned bores of the fixation points, such as through fixation points 1 la and l5a which are aligned with each other, and through the bore of the fixation point 812 of one of the handles 8la and 8 lb. When the pin is inserted into the bores of the fixation points 1 la and l5a, so that it resides, at least partially in the bores of the fixation points 1 la and l5a at the same time, the inserted pin may be different from the length Dl + D3 + D3, shown in Fig. 2 of the bar 1.

[0027] When the recesses 16 and 20 removably support the handle 8 la, the handle 8 la may extend in the second direction Yl, and when the recesses 16 and 20 removably support the handle 8 lb, the handle 8 lb may extend in a direction different than the second direction Yl. In one example, the lengths of the handles 8 la and 8 lb may be configured such that when the handle 8 la is held by a first fixation point of the fixation points 3 of the handle support 6b, the handle 8 la may connect to a first fixation point of the fixation points 11 of the handle support l2a directly opposite the first fixation point of handle support 6b, and when the handle 8 lb is held by the first fixation point of the fixation points 3 of the first handle support 6b, the handle 8 lb may connect to a second fixation point of the fixation points 11 of the handle support l2a offset from the first fixation point of handle support 6b.

[0028] Relationships between the handle supports 6b and l2a discussed above may be similar to relationships between the handle supports 6c and l4a. The handle supports 6c and l4a may be configured to removably support at least one plurality of handles that include handles 82a and 82b. The handles 82a and 82b may accommodate women and/or men, and may be made of rubber coated and metal. The handles 82a and 82b may have different lengths. A handle 82a of the handles 82 has a first length. The first length of the handle 82a may be the same as the first length of the handle 8 la. A handle 82b of the handles 82 has a second length longer than the handle 82a. The second length of the handle 82b may be the same as the second length of the handle 8 lb. As shown in Fig. 3B, each handle 82 may be provided with two fixation points (e.g., bores) 821 and 822 at opposite ends of the length of the handle 82. The fixation point 821 may be located at one end of the handle 82, while the fixation point 822 may be located at the other end of the handle 82.

[0029] The structure of the opposing handle supports 6c and l4a is similar to the structure of the handle supports 6b and l2a, as stated above. Elements 6c, 18, 7, 7a, 9, and 9a may correspond to the elements 6b, 16, 3, 3a, 5, and 5a, respectively. Elements l4a, 22, 13, l3a, 17, and l7a may correspond to the elements l2a, 20, 11, l la, 15, and l5a, respectively. Handles 82a and 82b may correspond to the handles 8 la and 8 lb, respectively. [0030] The fixation points 3a, 5a, 1 la, and l5a, etc. of the handle supports are not limited to bores shown in Figs. 1-2, but may include projections (not shown).

[0031] In one example, each of the end supports 2 and 4 may have a length D3, which may be, but is not limited to, about sixteen inches plus or minus one inch. The length of the combination of the handle supports 6b and 6c and the connection portions 6a and 6d may be about Dl, which may be, but is not limited to, fifty -two inches.

[0032] Referring to Fig. 1, in at least one embodiment the connection portion 10 may provide a crescent curve (for clearance of the head/chin) in the center of the bar 100 for overhead pressing that makes an overhead press movement more efficient, safe, and advantageous to weight lifters.

[0033] In one example, the distance between the handle supports 6b and l2a and the distance between the handle supports 6c and l4b may be about D2, which may be, but is not limited to, between one hundred fifteen and one hundred sixty millimeters. The bar 100 may have a total length (equal to D3 + Dl + D3 shown in Fig. 1), which may be, but is not limited to, eighty-four inches plus or minus two inches. The weight of the unloaded bar 1 may be, but is not limited to, fifty pounds in at least one embodiment.

[0034] In one example, the distance Dl between the end supports 2 and 4 may be, but is not limited to, about fifty -two inches. Each of the end supports 2 and 4 may have a length D3, which may be, but is not limited to, sixteen inches plus or minus one inch. Each of the sleeves or cylinders 2 and 4 may have a sleeve outer diameter, which may be, but is not limited to, 49.75 millimeters. The width D5 of the head chin clearance or connection portion 10 may be, but is not limited to, eight inches, plus or minus two inches. The depth D6 of the head/chin clearance may be, but is not limited to, about 3.5 inches, plus or minus 0.5 inches.

[0035] In one example, the most narrow pin position in Fig. 1, i.e. the pin position corresponding the openings of fixation points 3 and 5 may be, but is not limited to, 8.5 inches from the connection portion 8 plus or minus two inches. The widest pin position, such as the pin position for openings 3a and 5a, may be, but is not limited to, forty-four inches, plus or minus two inches. The distance between adjacent pin positions, or adjacent openings of fixation points 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, and 17 may be, but is not limited to, one inch, plus or minus 0.5 inches. The rail diameter or diameter of each of portions 6a-6d, l2a-b, and l4a-b may be, but is not limited to, thirty millimeters.

Dimensions of the elements of the bar are not limited to the dimensions described here, and may have other dimensions.

[0036] In the present embodiment, the recesses 16 and 20 may be configured to removably support at least one handle, for example, including the handles 8 la and 8 lb, to easily be switched in and out and position to be adjusted effortlessly. Therefore, users can easily change and adjust the angles of the handle to the direction XI and/or the positions of the handle in the bar 1. The recesses 18 and 22 may be configured to removably support at least one handle, for example, including the handles 82a and 82b, to easily be switched in and out and position to be adjusted effortlessly. Therefore, users can easily change and adjust the angles of the handle to the direction XI and/or the positions of the handle in the bar 1.

[0037] Each of the recesses 16, 18, 20, and 22 may be thirteen millimeters tall, eighteen millimeters deep and runs a length of D4, and provide an adjustable portion of the bar 100 (i.e. from most narrow to most wide pin position).

[0038] Figs. 5-6 illustrate perspective views of another example of an exercise bar of one embodiment. Fig. 7 illustrates a cross sectional view of the exercise bar of Fig. 5.

[0039] The bar lOOa in Figs. 5-6 is substantially the same as the bar in Figs. 1-2, other than that the bar lOOa in Figs. 5-6 does not include the fixation points (e.g., bores)

5, 15, 9, and 17 shown in Figs. 1-2 and that the bar lOOa in Figs. 5-6 includes connection portions 51 instead of the connection portions 8 and 10 in the bar 100 in Figs. 1-2.

[0040] While the present invention has been described at some length and with some particularity with respect to the several described embodiments, it is not intended that it should be limited to any such particulars or embodiments or any particular embodiment, but it is to be construed with references to the appended claims so as to provide the broadest possible interpretation of such claims in view of the prior art and, therefore, to effectively encompass the intended scope of the invention. Furthermore, the foregoing describes the invention in terms of embodiments foreseen by the inventor for which an enabling description was available, notwithstanding that insubstantial modifications of the invention, not presently foreseen, may nonetheless represent equivalents thereto.