Portable Exercise Device

Abstract

A weighted dumbbell having a housing 4, 34 with a substantially cylindrical envelope in a first configuration, and convertible into an abdominal roller in a second configuration, the dumbbell including two elongate handles 8 located along an axis of said housing, said handles being lodged within the housing 34 in the first configuration and being slidable in mutually opposite directions along the axis, such that in the second configuration the handles 8 extend outwardly from said housing and the housing 4, 34 is rotatable about the axis with respect to the handles.

1 . A weighted dumbbell having a housing with a substantially cylindrical envelope in a first configuration, and convertible into an abdominal roller in a second configuration, the dumbbell including two elongate handles located along an axis of said housing, said handles being lodged within the housing in the first configuration and being slidable in mutually opposite directions along the axis, such that in the second configuration the handles extend outwardly from said housing and the housing is rotatable about the axis with respect to the handles. 
     
     
         2 . A dumbbell according to  claim 1 , wherein outward sliding of the elongate handles is facilitated by springs. 
     
     
         3 . A dumbbell according to  claim 2 , wherein a compression spring is mounted within each elongate handle. 
     
     
         4 . A dumbbell according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the elongate handles are lockable in the first configuration and releasable therefrom by rotating the elongate handles about the axis, such that at least one element on the handle is engaged with and disengaged from an element that cannot rotate relative to the housing. 
     
     
         5 . A dumbbell according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one handle element is constrained to slide within a channel in the housing at a first angular position, when the elongate handle is being slid into the handle, the handle element being rotatable for engagement once the elongate handle is substantially within the housing. 
     
     
         6 . A dumbbell according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , comprising a pushbutton mechanism, such that pushing each elongate handle into the housing causes a handle element to latch the elongate handle in the first configuration, and subsequent pushing of the elongate handles releases the respective handle elements for deployment of the elongate handles to the second configuration. 
     
     
         7 . A dumbbell according to  claim 1 , including bearings for rotation of the housing about the axis in the second configuration. 
     
     
         8 . A dumbbell according to  claim 7 , wherein one bearing is provided adjacent each end of the housing. 
     
     
         9 . A dumbbell according to  claim 8 , wherein the bearings have frustoconical surfaces engageable by correspondingly shaped surfaces on the elongate handles. 
     
     
         10 . A dumbbell according to  claim 1 , including at least one dumbbell handle, within the cylindrical envelope. 
     
     
         11 . A dumbbell according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one dumbbell handle is formed by a bridge element supported radially outwardly from a central core of the dumbbell. 
     
     
         12 . A dumbbell according to  claim 1 , wherein the weight of the dumbbell is adjustable. 
     
     
         13 . A dumbbell according to  claim 12 , including first and second pairs of annular weights that can be inserted into and removed from positions surrounding the handles, the weights all having equal external diameters. 
     
     
         14 . A dumbbell according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the weights can be viewed from the outside of the dumbbell when the weight is in place in the dumbbell. 
     
     
         15 . A dumbbell according to  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the weights can be viewed from the outside of the dumbbell when the weight is in place in the dumbbell. 
     
     
         16 . A dumbbell according to  claim 7 , wherein the bearings have frustoconical surfaces engageable by correspondingly shaped surfaces on the elongate handles. 
     
     
         17 . A dumbbell according to  claim 1 , wherein the elongate handles are lockable in the first configuration and releasable therefrom by rotating the elongate handles about the axis, such that at least one element on the handle is engaged with and disengaged from an element that cannot rotate relative to the housing. 
     
     
         18 . A dumbbell according to  claim 17 , wherein the at least one handle element is constrained to slide within a channel in the housing at a first angular position, when the elongate handle is being slid into the handle, the handle element being rotatable for engagement once the elongate handle is substantially within the housing. 
     
     
         19 . A dumbbell according to  claim 1 , comprising a pushbutton mechanism, such that pushing each elongate handle into the housing causes a handle element to latch the elongate handle in the first configuration, and subsequent pushing of the elongate handles releases the respective handle elements for deployment of the elongate handles to the second configuration.