CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT DOCUMENTS

[001] This patent application claims the benefit of priority of Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2022900847, titled “WEIGHT LIFTING APPARATUS AND METHODS OF UTILISATION THEREOF”, filed on 31 March 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION

[002] This present invention relates generally to weight-lifting equipment such as barbells, particularly the present invention relates to a barbell pad or barbell cushion pad configured to be used with weight-lifting apparatuses such as barbells.

BACKGROUND

[003] Barbells with weights are commonly used in exercise and weight lifting. During various exercises, the barbell may rest on various parts of the body of a weight lifter, such as the shoulders or on the back of neck of the weight lifter while performing squats and hip thrusts.

[004] Various kinds of cushion pads and grip devices have been proposed in the past that are usually engaged or wrapped around a barbell to help protect the neck, shoulder, or any other area of the body that is used to withstand heavy weights. These exercises can include but are not limited to, squats, hip thrusts, and lunge exercises. Typically, barbell pads are mostly made up of foam material and configured in a cylindrical shape with a slot for longitudinally receiving a barbell bar such as one disclosed in US 10806987. The foam material provides a level of comfort and protection to the body part which is being used.

[005] Most barbell pads or grip devices currently made available have a circular crosssection and often fit loosely on the barbell bar and can slide back and forth, or even pose a risk of slippage or rolling down off the barbell. This can cause insecure placement of the bar on a user’s body when performing exercises as the looseness of the pad produces instability when placed on across the shoulders when performing lunges or across the hips when performing hip thrust exercises. Typically, they fail to provide a flat resting surface against the body.

[006] The present invention seeks to provide a barbell pad and methods of use thereof for performing various weight lifting exercises which will overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or at least provide an alternative.

SUMMARY

[007] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the barbell pad comprises an exterior surface having a longitudinal slot for receiving and retaining a barbell bar inside a longitudinal bore, and at least one exterior planar bearing surface oriented parallel with a longitudinal central axis of the barbell pad. The barbell pad is engageable singularly or in pairs with the barbell bar (107) for resting the at least one exterior planar bearing surface against a user’s body for performing a plurality of weight lifting exercises. The weight lifting exercises comprises at least but not limited to a front squat, a back squat, a hip thrust, and a lunge exercise.

[008] According to the same embodiment, the at least one planar bearing surface comprises a plurality of angularly offset planar bearing surfaces, each being parallel with the longitudinal central axis of the barbell pad. The plurality of angularly offset planar bearing surfaces comprises more than four angularly offset planar bearing surfaces. The at least one adjacent pair of the plurality of angularly offset planar bearing surfaces are offset by 60°.

[009] According to the same embodiment, the barbell pad is chamfered between at least one adjacent pair of the plurality of angularly offset planar bearing surfaces.

[010] According to the same embodiment, the at least one planar bearing surface of the barbell pad is perpendicular with a plane intersecting the longitudinal slot.

[Oil] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the barbell pad comprises a first barbell pad section, and a second barbell pad section, wherein each of the first barbell pad section, and the second barbell pad section comprises: an exterior surface having a longitudinal slot for receiving and retaining a barbell bar inside a longitudinal bore, and at least one exterior planar bearing surface oriented parallel with a longitudinal central axis of the barbell pad.

[012] According to the same embodiment, the barbell pad further comprises a bridge disposed between the first barbell pad section, and the second barbell pad section and wherein the longitudinal slots of the first barbell pad section, and the second barbell pad section intersect the bridge. The bridge is substantially an hourglass or concave-shaped.

[013] According to the same embodiment, in a longitudinal cross-section, the bridge has a narrower cross-section as compared to the first barbell pad section, and the second barbell pad section and wherein the barbell pad is engageable with the barbell bar for performing a plurality of weight lifting exercises.

[014] According to the same embodiment, the at least one planar bearing surface comprises a plurality of angularly offset planar bearing surfaces, each being parallel with the longitudinal central axis of the barbell pad.

[015] According to the same embodiment, the outer surface of each of the first barbell pad section, and the second barbell pad section is chamfered between at least one adjacent pair of the plurality of angularly offset planar bearing surfaces.

[016] According to another aspect of the present invention, a weight lifting method for performing a plurality of weight lifting exercises using at least one barbell pad comprises inserting a barbell bar through a longitudinal slot present on an exterior surface of the at least one barbell pad, applying weights to ends of the barbell bar, and lifting the barbell with the at least one exterior planar bearing surface bearing against user’s body.

[017] According to same aspect of the present invention, the plurality of weight lifting exercises is at least one of: a back squat and barbell lunge weight lifting exercise, wherein the at least one exterior planar bearing surface bears against one’s neck or shoulders; a hip thrust weight lifting, wherein the exterior planar bearing surface bears against user’s hips; and a front squat weight lifting, wherein the at least one exterior planar bearing surface bears against at least one of the user’s collarbones. [018] According to same aspect of the present invention, the at least one planar bearing surface comprises a plurality of angularly offset planar bearing surfaces, each being parallel with a longitudinal central axis of the barbell pad.

[019] According to same aspect of the present invention, the barbell pad further comprising a bridge disposed between a first barbell pad section, and a second barbell pad section and wherein the longitudinal slots of the first barbell pad section, and the second barbell pad section intersect the bridge.

[020] These and other features, advantages, and different embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description below, in light of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[021] For the present invention to be clearly understood and readily practiced, the present invention will be described in conjunction with the following figures, wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar elements, which figures are incorporated into and constitutes a part of the specification.

[022] FIG.l illustrates a top-perspective view of a barbell pad in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[023] FIG.2 shows a bottom perspective view of the barbell pad of FIG.1.

[024] FIG.3 shows an end view of the barbell pad of FIG.l.

[025] FIG. 4 and 5 show bottom perspective views of the barbell pad of FIG.1 , in accordance with some other embodiments of the present invention.

[026] FIG.6 illustrates a side perspective view of a barbell pad in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

[027] FIGS.7 and 8 illustrate the top perspective views of the barbell pad of FIG.6. [028] FIGS.9 illustrates a bottom perspective view of the barbell pad of FIG.6.

[029] FIGS. 10 and 11 show bottom perspective views of the barbell pad of FIG.6, in accordance with alternative embodiments of the present invention.

[030] FIGS.12-15 shows the barbell pad wrapped around the barbell bar for performing a front squat, a back squat, a hip thrust, and a lunge weight lifting exercise respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[031] Some embodiments, illustrating its features, will now be discussed in detail. The words “comprising,” “having,” “containing,” and “including,” and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open-ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items. It must also be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Although any methods, and systems similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments, the preferred methods, and systems are now described. The disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary.

[032] References to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “another embodiment”, “an example”, “another example”, “alternative embodiment”, “some embodiment”, and so on, indicate that the embodiment(s) or example(s) so described may include a particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element, or limitation, but that not every embodiment or example necessarily includes that particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element or limitation. Furthermore, repeated use of the phrase “in an embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[033] A barbell is a piece of exercise equipment used in weight training, weight lifting, and power lifting, consisting of a long bar, usually with weights attached at each end. Barbells range in length from 4 ft to above 8 ft, although bars longer than 7.2 ft are uncommon and used primarily by power lifters. The barbells are used for performing a variety of weight lifting exercises including but not limited to a front squat, a back squat, a hip thrust, and a lunge. The invention disclosure herein precludes a more detailed description of the barbell and designs related to barbell since the essence of the present invention is a barbell pad configured for use with different types of barbells currently in use all around by weight lifters or weight training users for performing a variety of weight lifting exercises.

[034] The various features and embodiments of the barbell pad will be better explained in conjunction with FIGS. 1-15.

[035] Referring to FIGS.1-3, the barbell pad 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The barbell pad 100 may be made of high-density foam or rubber, such as Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR). The barbell pad 100 defines a longitudinal barbell bar accepting slot 101 (hereinafter “a longitudinal slot 101”) leading to a central semi-cylindrical bore 102.

[036] The pad 100 is substantially cylindrical in shape with an exterior surface 140. The exterior surface 140 is defined by the presence of at least one exterior planar bearing surface 103 parallel with a longitudinal central axis 104 of the pad 100 or bore 102. The at least one exterior planar bearing surface 103 lies flat against one’s body when the pad 100 is in use with the barbell as will be described in further detail below, reducing pressure points and reducing the likelihood of the pad 100 rolling across the user’s body. The exterior surface 140 may include any number of exterior planar bearing surfaces 103 (although six planar surfaces are shown referred to as 103a-103f) for example, one, two, three, four, five, six, and so on. The exterior surface 140 of the pad 100 comprises a plurality of angularly offset planar bearing surfaces 103a-103f forming substantially a semi-hexagonal cross section for the pad 100. Further, the pad 100 may define parallel planar end surfaces 105.

[037] The barbell pad 100 shown in FIGS.1-3 may be formed in variable lengths. In a preferred embodiment, the pad 100 is made between 5 and 15 cm long, preferably 8 cm.

[038] Further, the plurality of angularly offset planar bearing surfaces 103a-103f are offset by a certain predefined angle and oriented parallel with the longitudinal central axis 104 of the pad 100. The planar bearing surfaces 103a-103f allow weight lifters (users of pad 100 in general) to quickly find a flat spot/planar surface 103 on the pad 100 without having to rotate the barbell too much during various weight lifting positions or exercises. [039] In an example embodiment, the pad 100 preferably comprises more than four angularly offset planar bearing surfaces (although six surfaces 103a-103f are shown in figures) and, in the preferred embodiment shown, the pad 100 is generally semi-hexagonal in longitudinal cross-section wherein at the planar bearing surfaces 103a-103f are angularly offset by 60°.

[040] The pad 100 includes chamfered edges 106 connecting adjacent planar bearing surfaces 103 as seen in FIG.l to further reduce the rolling or slippage probability for the barbell during different weight lifting positions. In some other embodiment, the pad 100 may be configured without any chamfer edges 106 (not seen in figures).

[041] According to the embodiment, a planar bearing surface 103a among a plurality of planar bearing surfaces angularly offset planar bearing surfaces 103a-103f is disposed perpendicularly with a plane intersecting the longitudinal slot 101 so as to lie horizontally flat in opposition against a barbell bar inserted vertically through the slot 101.

[042] In longitudinal cross-section, the notch or slot 101 may narrow from an outer width W greater than a diameter of the bore 102 to an inner width w less than a diameter of the bore 102 as best seen in FIG.l and 3. For example, for a standard limbic sized barbell having a diameter of 32 mm, the outer width W may be greater than 32 mm whereas the inner width w may be less than 32 mm. As is apparent from FIGS.l and 3, the narrower inner width w interfacing the larger diameter bore 102 creates two edges which bear inwardly against the barbell bar to retain the barbell bar within the bore 102.

[043] The outer width W being greater than the diameter of the barbell bar allows the barbell bar to be inserted into the longitudinal slot 101 without having to manually prise open the slot 101 whereafter the slot 101 expands as the barbell bar squeezes through the narrower width w until the slot 101 closes around the barbell bar.

[044] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, alternative embodiments of the barbell pad of FIG.l are shown. FIG.4 shows the barbell pad 400, that’s formed similar to the pad 100, however in the embodiment shown in FIG.4, the exterior surface 140 of the pad 400 does not include any planar bearing surfaces 103a- 103f and chamfer edges 106, forming substantially a semi- circular cross section for the pad 400. Further, FIG.5 shows the barbell pad 500 substantially similar to FIG.4, however, in this embodiment, the barbell pad 500 has an hourglass or concave-shaped exterior surface extending concavely from its radial sides, forming substantially a semi-circular cross section for the pad 500.

[045] Referring to FIGS.6-9, a further embodiment of the barbell pad according to the present invention is shown. As seen, the barbell pad 600 comprises a pair of the barbell pads (of FIG.l), namely a first barbell pad section 100a, and a second barbell pad section 100b joined by a bridge or connector 109 therebetween and wherein the longitudinal slot 101 intersects the pair of barbell pads 100 and the bridge 109. According to this embodiment, the bridge or connector 109 is substantially concavely shaped or hourglass shaped. The bridge 109 narrows in longitudinal cross-section towards a midpoint forming an hourglass shape thereof. The slots 101 and bores 102 of the pad sections 100a, and 100b are collinearly arranged.

[046] In longitudinal cross-section, the bridge 109 preferably has a narrower cross-section than that of the pad sections 100a, and 100b located on either side, including for ergonomically accommodating the neck when the barbell pad 600 is placed across user’s shoulders.

[047] Whereas the bridge 109 is shown as having a longitudinal axis semicircular crosssection in FIG.6. In alternative embodiments (not shown), the bridge 109 may further comprise at least one planar bearing surface 103 similar to the pads 100 on either side.

[048] Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, alternative embodiments of the barbell pad of FIG.6 are shown. FIG.10 shows the barbell pad 1000, that’ s formed similar to the pad 600, however in the embodiment shown in FIG.10, the pad sections 100a, and 100b on either side do not include any planar bearing surfaces 103a-103f and chamfer edges 106. In other words, the pad sections 100a, and 100b (of FIG.4) are disposed on either side of the bridge 109 in this embodiment. Further, FIG.ll shows the barbell pad 1100 substantially similar to FIG.10, however, in this embodiment, the barbell pad 1100 embodies pad sections 100a, and 100b (of FIG.5) on either side of the bridge 109.

[049] A weight lifting method using the barbell pads 100, 600 may comprise inserting a barbell bar 107 through the longitudinal slot 101, applying weights to the ends of the barbell bar 107 and lifting the barbell with the at least one exterior planar bearing surface 103 bearing against user’s body as better understood from the FIGS.12-15.

[050] In one embodiment, a pair of barbell pads 100 (of FIG.l) may be used with the barbell bar 107. In this regard, FIG.12 shows a method of performing front squat lifting using the pair of barbell pads 100 wherein a barbell bar 107 is inserted through respective slots 101 of the separate pair of barbell pads 100, desired weights 108 are applied to ends of the barbell bar 107 and the barbell bar 107 is then lifted with the pair of pads 100 spaced apart so that their respective planar bearing surfaces 103 press against user’s collarbones. Although not shown, instead of using separate pair of pads 101 to perform the front squat, the user can also use the barbell pad 600 to perform a front squat and back squat, however, the use of pair of separate pads 100 provides a better user experience and comfort for at least front squat exercise.

[051] Likewise, the separate pair of pads 101 may also be used for back squat weight lifting or the barbell lunge weight lifting wherein the separate pair of pads 100 lie across respective shoulders or for the hip thrust weight lifting wherein the separate pair of pads 100 are separated or positioned spaced apart to interface each hip.

[052] The barbell pad 600 of FIG.6 may also be used for performing exercises such as front and back squats, hip thrust barbell lunge weight lifting. FIG.13-15 in particular show the use of barbell pad 600 with the barbell for performing back squats, hip thrust, barbell lunge weight lifting respectively. For example, for the hip thrust weight lifting exercise shown in FIG.14, the barbell 107 may be inserted into the slot 101 running across the bridge 109 and the adjacent cushion pad sections 100a, 100b. Weights 108 may be applied to ends of the barbell 107 and hip thrust exercises may be performed with the cushion pads 100 positioned by the bridge 109 so that the cushion pads 100 lie over each hip.

[053] Some of preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described hereinabove, the pad 100, and 600 may also be modified to accommodate magnets (disposed at the interior of the central bore within the longitudinal slot, straps, etc. to further offer better attachment of the pad with the barbell bar within the bore/longitudinal slot 101. Further, one or more of the afore-mentioned embodiments discussed above may be combined to improve manufacturability, user experience, aesthetics, etc. Further, the components / parts of the pad 100 or 600 may be made using variety of material that’s bio-compatible and may be made in different dimensions and thus use of material and size of the pad 100 or 600 should not be construed to be a limiting factor.

[054] The preceding description has been presented with reference to various embodiments. Persons skilled in the art and technology to which this application pertains will appreciate that alterations and changes in the described structures and methods / steps of operation can be practiced without meaningfully departing from the principle, spirit and scope of the present invention.