Spotting device for supporting a weightlifting barbell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11833386-B2
Application number	US-202217574187-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2022
Priority date	Jan 12, 2021
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

Various implementations include a spotting device for supporting a barbell, the spotting device including a base and an arm. The base has a base body with first end and a second end, at least one foot coupled to the second end of the base body, and a base longitudinal axis. The arm has an arm body with a first end and a second end, a coupler coupled to the first end of the arm body, and an arm longitudinal axis. The coupler is couplable to a portion of a barbell. One of the first end of the base body and the second end of the arm body defines a body opening extending partially through the one of the base body or the arm body, and the other of the second end of the arm body and the first end of the base body is slidably disposed within the body opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spotting device for supporting a weightlifting barbell, the device comprising:
a base having a base body, at least one foot, and a base longitudinal axis, wherein the base body has a first end and a second end opposite and spaced apart from the first end of the base body, wherein the at least one foot is coupled to the second end of the base body; and
an arm having an arm body, a coupler, and an arm longitudinal axis, wherein the arm body has a first end and a second end opposite and spaced apart from the first end of the arm body, wherein the first end of the arm body is coupled to the coupler, wherein the coupler is couplable to a portion of a weightlifting barbell,
wherein one of the first end of the base body and the second end of the arm body defines a body opening extending at least partially through the one of the base body or the arm body, and an other of the second end of the arm body and the first end of the base body is slidably disposed within the body opening,
wherein the coupler includes two coupler protrusions and a central axis,
wherein each coupler protrusion partially extends circumferentially around the central axis of the coupler,
wherein the coupler protrusions are biased toward a radially inward position and are urgable toward a radially outward position; and
wherein the coupler protrusions are integrally formed with the coupler, and wherein the coupler is integrally coupled to the arm body.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the coupler defines a coupler opening and a central axis, wherein the coupler opening extends through the coupler perpendicularly to the arm longitudinal axis.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the coupler opening is circular.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the base and arm are slidably coupled between a first position and a second position, wherein the device has a first length as measured from the central axis of the coupler to the at least one foot in the first position and a second length as measured from the central axis of the coupler to the foot in the second position, wherein the first length is at least two feet and the second length is five feet or less.

5. The device of claim 1 , further including a locking pin, wherein the base and the arm each define at least one locking pin opening, and wherein each locking pin is disposable within the at least one locking pin opening of the base and the at least one locking pin opening of the arm such that the arm and the base are coupled by the locking pin.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the other of the arm body and the base body includes a radially slidable protrusion, the radially slidable protrusion being biased toward a radially outward position by a spring force and is urgable toward a radially inward position, and the one of the base body and the arm body defines at least one protrusion opening.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein a guide protrusion extends radially inwardly from the body opening and the other of the arm body and the base body defines a longitudinally extending guide slot, and the guide protrusion is slidably disposable within the guide slot.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one foot includes at least two feet.

9. The device of any one of claim 8 , wherein the at least one foot includes three or more feet.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a plastic.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a metal.

12. The device of claim 1 , further including a locking clamp fixedly coupled to the one of the first end of the base body and the second end of the arm body, wherein the locking clamp is releasably couplable to the other of the second end of the arm body and the first end of the base body when the other of the second end of the arm body and the first end of the base body is disposed within the body opening.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the locking clamp comprises a post clamp.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the base further includes a base hub, wherein the second end of the base body is coupled to the base hub and the at least one foot is coupled to the base hub.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one foot is releasably couplable to the base hub.

16. The device of claim 14 , wherein the base hub has a first side wall and a second side wall opposite and spaced apart from the first side wall, wherein the first side wall defines a base hub opening, wherein the second end of the base body is disposed within the base hub opening such that the second end of the base body abuts the second side wall.

17. The device of claim 1 , wherein the base body has a circular cross-sectional shape in a plane perpendicular to the base longitudinal axis, wherein the arm body has a circular cross-sectional shape in a plane perpendicular to the arm longitudinal axis.

Assignees

• Univ Alabama

Inventors

• Esco Michael R
• Wright Will

Classifications

• A63B21/0783 Primary

  Safety features for bar-bells, e.g. drop limiting means · CPC title

• A63B21/0724

  Bar-bells; Hand bars · CPC title

• A63B2225/093

  Height · CPC title

• A63B2071/0072

  Limiting the applied force, torque, movement or speed · CPC title