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Weight plate setWeight plate set description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070184943, Weight plate set. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/771,594, filed Feb. 8, 2007. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]1. Field of the Invention [0003]This invention relates to fitness equipment and more particularly an improved weight lifting plate set utilizing a different number of handles in each plate, depending on the weight of the plate, for comfort, safety, and identification. [0004]2. Description of Related Art [0005]Because of the high cost of weightlifting machines with built-in weight stacks, many of the manufacturers of fitness equipment are selling a new type of weightlifting machine called a plate load machine. These plate load machines are generally less expensive than the traditional circuit machines because they do not come with an integral weight stack. The traditional weight stack has been replaced by pegs to which the weight lifter adds weight plates of varying weights in a similar manner to a traditional weight lifter adding weight plates to a barbell. Once the desired amount of weight has been added to the plate load machine, the bodybuilder is able to use the machine to perform his bodybuilding routine. [0006]Because in most fitness clubs there is generally a grouping of plate load machines that share the same weight plates, the weights are strewn across the room and the bodybuilder must hunt and gather the weights necessary for his weight lifting session. Since most 25 lb., 35 lb., and 45 lb. plates are close in size, it is difficult to tell from across the room, what weight the plates are without getting close enough to read the weight amount written on the plates. [0007]It is well known in fitness clubs that handle weight plates are safer than weight plates without handles because weight plates without handles have a tendency to slip out of hands. It is also well known in the fitness industry that, the heavier the weights, the more handles are needed for safety. This is one reason why, in recent years, the trend in weight plate manufacturing has been to increase the number of handles in weight plates. In following this trend, weight plate manufacturers have begun manufacturing weight plate sets in which every weight plate includes five, six, or seven handles, regardless of the size of the plate. By this practice, the finger openings are shrunk proportionally as the weight amount decreases. This makes all the weights in a weight lifting plate set look alike but, while the fingers of the average weightlifter fit comfortably into the opening of a 45 lb. plate with five handles, the fingers are generally squeezed, and the knuckles of the weightlifter are scraped, when transporting the 25 lb. plate with five handles. [0008]Conventional weight plates used with barbells are usually disc-shaped and have a generally central throughbore for mounting the weight onto a barbell or plate load machine. Weight plates are also typically made in different pound increments of 2-1/2, 5, 10, 25, 35, and 45 pounds for use in the United States or their kilogram equivalents for use in Europe and the rest of the world. Weight plates generally increase in diameter and thickness as the size of the weight plate increases. Most of the weight plates used in fitness clubs today can be coated with rubber or urethane to prevent the plates from damaging the equipment and facility when bumped or dropped. [0009]U.S. Pat. No. 2,244,351 to Venables discloses a barbell weight with a thick edge that can make the weights easier to transport. [0010]U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,502 to Anastasi et al. discloses a barbell weight plate having a pair of diametrically opposed, elongated oval openings disposed parallel to one another and equidistant from the central circular opening. [0011]U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,355 to Standish shows a weight plate with a thick rim that has at least one recess in the rim for insertion of a finger to aid in separating the weights. [0012]U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,319,176 and 6,702,723 to Landfair show a weight plate with two rotating handles for lifting and transporting weights. [0013]U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,765 to Wallace shows a weight plate with a smaller grip to make the plate easier for women to lift and transport. [0014]U.S. Pat. No. 6,746,380 to Lien shows a weight plate with opposite facing flanges for interlocking the weights. [0015]U.S. Pat. No. 6,991,590 to Vigiano shows a weight plate with an ergonomic gripping surface for easier transporting. [0016]U.S. Des. No. 354,322 to Vodhanel shows a four handle design weight plate. [0017]U.S. Des. 421,076 and U.S. Des. 424,140 to Lincir show three, five and seven handle designs. [0018]Although many improvements have been made to weight plates over the past couple of decades there are still significant drawbacks to the aforementioned weight plates. Some handle-weights used with barbells, floor exercising, and on plate loaded machines are difficult to grasp and uncomfortable to lift or transport because the finger openings are undersized for the user or oddly shaped and pinch the users fingers when they are transported or hoisted up off the floor. A perfect example of this is U.S. Des. 424,140 to Lincir. A circle is an elegant design but when used as a handle for transporting a 45 lb. weight plate across the room, it tends to pinch the user's fingers. There are a few design patents like, U.S. Des. 445,154 to Lincir, with two to six finger openings; however, these weight plate sets are manufactured and marketed with the same number of openings on their 45 lb., 35 lb., and 25 lb. weights rather than having a different number of openings on plates with different weights. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0019]In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of weight plates now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved weight plate and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved weight plate that has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a weight plate that is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof. [0020]The present invention essentially comprises a set of weight lifting plates which include openings used as handles. Each weight lifting plate is a disc-shaped plate body having a transverse central mounting hole therethrough and an outer peripheral surface. Each plate weighs between about 2.5 and 100 lbs. and preferably each weight has a different weight. The weights are formed from metal, plastic or a composite, or other suitable material, and are preferably made from iron or steel. The plates are preferably coated with urethane, rubber or powder paint. The openings are integrally formed within the plate body for receiving the hand or finger of a user. Each opening is formed between the central mounting hole and the outer peripheral surface and each plate having a different weight has a different number of openings. The openings preferably have the same cross-sectional shape and are formed in the plate at the same radial distance from the center throughbore. Each opening is also preferably spaced angularly at the same distance from each adjacent opening. In the preferred embodiment, the number of openings corresponds to the weight of the plate and increases accordingly. A particularly preferred embodiment includes three weight plates of 25, 35 and 45 lbs. The 25 lb. weight includes three openings, the 35 lb weight includes four openings and the 45 lb weight includes five openings. [0021]There have thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached. Continue reading about Weight plate set... Full patent description for Weight plate set Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Weight plate set patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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