Exercise equipment

Abstract

Exercise equipment comprising a grippable handle at which said exercise equipment can be lifted by a user, and at least one docking assembly connected to the grippable handle. The docking assembly has opposing arms that define a slot in which at least one weight plate can be removably mounted. At least one locking member is located on the docking assembly to capture and/or lock at one weight plate to the docking assembly once received in the slot.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A weight plate for use with or as part of exercise equipment, said weight plate including a central mounting region by which said weight plate can be mounted to a docking assembly of a weight bar such that the plane of the weight plate is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bar. 
     
     
         2 . The weight plate of  claim 1  wherein the central mounting region of the weight plate is defined by a handle that extends in a direction that substantially bisects the weight plate. 
     
     
         3 . The weight plate of  claim 2  wherein said weight plate has at least one outer gripping region comprising an opening of the weight plate that defines a handle with and at the perimeter of the weight plate for gripping by a user in use. 
     
     
         4 . The weight plate of  claim 3  wherein said at least one outer gripping region comprises two diametrically opposed openings of the weight plate which define handles with and at the perimeter of the weight plate for gripping by a user in use. 
     
     
         5 . The weight plate of  claim 3  wherein said weight plate is configured such that said at least one outer gripping region can be gripped by a user while the weight plate is mounted to the docking assembly of a weight bar. 
     
     
         6 . The weight plate of  claim 1  wherein said weight plate has one or more of:
 a. multifaceted perimeter shape having at least one substantially straight side, 
 b. a non-circular perimeter shape with at least one substantially straight side, 
 c. a polygonal perimeter shape, 
 d. a four sided perimeter shape, and 
 d. a substantially square perimeter shape. 
 
     
     
         7 . The weight plate of  claim 6  wherein weight distribution of said weight plate is such that it will bias the weight plate, when rotated freely about an axis passing through the centre of the plate, to a rotational position where a straight side of the perimeter shape is parallel to the floor. 
     
     
         8 . The weight plate of  claim 7  wherein the weight distribution to bias said rotation is effected by a variation in weight distribution of the plate at or near the perimeter of the plate. 
     
     
         9 . The weight plate of  claim 3  in combination with one or more like weight plates, said weight plates comprising a set of weight plates, each weight plate being of a different weight ranging between 1 kg and 12 kg, wherein one or more of
 a. each weight plate in the set is of a different perimeter shape, 
 b. all of the weight plates in the set have identical mounting regions, and 
 c. two or more of said weight plates in the set are configurable in a stack such that at least one of said weights plates registers in a recessed area of a face of an immediately adjacent larger weight in the stack. 
 
     
     
         10 . The weight plate of  claim 3  in combination with one or more like weight plates, said weight plates comprising a set of weight plates, each weight plate being of a different weight ranging between 1 kg and 12 kg, each weight plate having a notional outer diameter (irrespective of whether the perimeter or the weight plate is round or not) within which the weight plate extends,
 and said set of weight plates being shaped and configured to be mounted to said docking assembly in a stacked manner adjacent each other, so that the mounted weight plate having the largest notional outer diameter presents its handle in a manner graspable by the user without the opening of the grippable region being fully obstructed by an adjacent weight plate of the stack. 
 
     
     
         11 . An assembly comprising a weight plate as claimed in  claim 1  and a weight bar, said weight bar having at least one docking assembly to which said weight plate is mounted such that the plane of the weight plate is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bar, and wherein said docking assembly comprises at least one locking member to lock the weight plate to the docking assembly.
 and wherein said docking assembly is engaged with the bar in manner to allow the weight plate to rotate freely relative to the bar. 
 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 11  wherein said docking assembly is engaged with the bar in manner to allow the docking assembly to rotate freely relative to the bar while the locking member is engaged to lock the weight plate to the docking assembly. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12  wherein the locking member is movable by manipulation of a release catch to permit removal of the weight plate from the docking assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 11  wherein said weight plate has one or more of:
 a. a multifaceted perimeter shape having at least one substantially straight side, 
 b. a non-circular perimeter shape with at least one substantially straight side, 
 c. a polygonal perimeter shape. 
 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 12  wherein said weight plate has one or more of:
 a. a four sided perimeter shape, and 
 b. a substantially square perimeter shape. 
 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 11  wherein the weight distribution of said weight plate is such that it will bias the weight plate, when rotating freely about the longitudinal axis of the bar, to a rotational position where a straight side of the perimeter shape is parallel to the floor. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 16  wherein the weight distribution to bias said rotation is effected by a variation in weight distribution of the plate at or near the perimeter of the plate. 
     
     
         18 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said docking assembly defines a slot, said slot being dimensioned to receive the mounting region of the weight plate in a sliding manner. 
     
     
         19 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 18  comprising a plurality of said weight plates, said slot being dimensioned to serially receive the mounting regions of said plurality of weight plates into the depth of the slot. 
     
     
         20 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 18  wherein the central mounting region of the weight plate is defined by a handle which extends in a direction that substantially bisects the weight plate.