Weight Rack Accessory Coupling

The present invention relates to weight racks and accessories for use with weight racks. More specifically, the present invention relates to a coupling for releasably securing an accessory to a weight rack.

Weight racks are used by weightlifters to support and secure a wide variety of accessories used in exercising with weights and for resistance training. A conventional weight rack typically includes four or more upright rails, each of which is connected to another upright rail by a lateral brace. However, squat racks are also conventional weight racks and can have as few as two upright rails. Each upright rail generally includes a plurality of spaced-apart holes to facilitate the securing of accessories to the weight rack. Accessories that can be secured to a weight rack and used for exercise include, but are not limited to, J-cups, J-cups with rollers, lat pull down seats, safety spotter arms and dip handles.

One embodiment of the weight rack accessory coupling of the present invention comprises a first wall member having a top end, a bottom end spaced apart from the top end, a proximal edge intermediate the top end and the bottom end, a distal edge intermediate the top end and the bottom end and spaced apart from the proximal edge, an interior side intermediate the proximal edge and the distal edge, an exterior side intermediate the proximal edge and the distal edge and opposite the interior side, and a pin portion proximal to the top end of the first wall and intermediate the proximal edge and the distal edge. In one embodiment, the pin portion extends from the top edge of the first wall upwardly and away from the bottom edge of the first wall. The embodiment of the weight rack accessory coupling of the present invention further comprises a second wall member also having a top end, a bottom end spaced apart from the top end, a proximal edge intermediate the top end and the bottom end, a distal edge intermediate the top end and the bottom end and spaced apart from the proximal edge, an interior side intermediate the proximal edge and the distal edge, and an exterior side intermediate the proximal edge and the distal edge and opposite the interior side. The second wall member does not include a pin portion extending upwardly from the top edge as does the first wall member. The embodiment of the weight rack accessory coupling of the present invention further comprises an intermediate wall member also having a top end, a bottom end spaced apart from the top end, a first edge connected to the distal edge of the first wall member, a second edge connected to the distal edge of the second wall member, an interior side and an exterior side to which an accessory for use with a weight rack can be secured. The weight rack accessories that can be secured to the exterior side of the intermediate wall member include, but are not limited to, dip handles, a J-cup for supporting a barbell, a J-cup with roller(s) for supporting a barbell, a lat pull down seat with thigh rollers for retaining the user in the seat and safety spotter arms for supporting a barbell.

In one embodiment of the weight rack accessory coupling of the present invention, the interior side of the first wall, the interior side of the second wall and the interior side of the intermediate wall together form an open channel disposed intermediate the interior side of the first wall and the interior side of the second wall, and also intermediate the proximal edges of the first and second walls and the intermediate wall member, the open channel having an opening intermediate the proximal edges of the first wall and the second wall and sized to receive an upright rail of a conventional weight rack having a plurality of regularly spaced apertures therethrough. The embodiment of the weight rack accessory coupling further includes a pivot pin connected to the pin portion of the first wall, the pivot pin having a proximal end connected to the pin portion of the first wall and an intermediate portion terminating at a second end of the pivot pin. The pivot pin extends orthogonally from the interior side of the first wall and is sized to be received within the regularly spaced apertures of the upright rail of the weight rack. In one embodiment of the weight rack accessory coupling of the present invention, the proximal end of the pivot pin is welded to the pin portion extending upwardly from the first wall. In another embodiment of the weight rack accessory coupling of the present invention, the proximal end of the pivot pin is press fit into an aperture in the pin portion of the first wall. The pivot pin is sized for being received into the apertures that are regularly spaced along the upright rail of a conventional weight rack and to extend through an aperture on the entry face of the upright rail, through the upright rail and to emerge through an aperture in the face opposite the entry face. An embodiment of the weight rack accessory coupling of the present invention can then be pivoted about the pivot pin to receive the upright rail into the open channel of the coupling

One embodiment of the weight rack accessory coupling further comprises a releasable pin having a proximal end and a distal end, the releasable pin connected to the coupling by a tether member. In this embodiment, the first wall includes a first wall aperture proximal to the bottom end of the first wall and sized to receive the releasable pin upon insertion therein. This embodiment further includes a second wall aperture proximal to the bottom end of the first all, aligned with and spaced apart from the first wall aperture, the second wall aperture sized to receive the distal end of the releasable pin upon insertion through the first wall aperture and to and through the second wall aperture. The first wall aperture and the second wall aperture are disposed in positions proximal to the bottom end of the first wall and proximal to the bottom end of the second wall, respectively. The first wall aperture and the second wall aperture are aligned with apertures in each lateral face of an upright rail of a conventional weight rack by pivoting the weight rack accessory coupling about the inserted pivot pin to receive the upright rail into the open channel of the coupling.

The pivot pin of the weight rack accessory coupling is connected to the first wall and protrudes into a channel formed intermediate the first wall and the second wall. This enables the use of pivot pins that include a head. A pivot pin with a head may be inserted into a pivot pin aperture and welded in place without presenting an obstruction on the exterior side of the intermediate wall of the weight rack accessory coupling that might interfere or obstruct movement of barbells landing in or being lifted from the accessory that is secured to the upright rail by the weight rack accessory coupling.

The tether member that secures the releasable pin to the weight rack accessory coupling is preferably a flexible member having a first end connected to the releasable pin and a second end connected to one of the first wall, the second wall and the intermediate wall. The tether member may be, for example, but not by way of limitation, a chain, a cable or a wire. The tether member is for convenience to keep the releasable pin from being lost or misplaced.

Further benefits and aspects of embodiments of the weight rack accessory coupling of the present invention will become evident upon review of the detailed description of an embodiment that follows and of the drawings of an embodiment appended hereto.

is a perspective view of an embodiment of a weight rack accessory couplingfor securing an accessory (not shown) to an upright rail (not shown) of a conventional weight rack. The weight rack accessory coupling (hereinafter referred to as “coupling”)includes a first wallhaving an interior side, an exterior side(not shown in), a top end, a bottom end, a proximal edge, a distal edge, an upwardly extending pin portionand a releasable pin aperturetherein. The weight rack accessory couplingoffurther includes a second wallhaving an interior side(not shown in), an exterior side, a top end, a bottom end, a proximal edge, a distal edgeand a releasable pin aperturetherein that is aligned with the releasable pin apertureof the first wall. The weight rack accessory couplingoffurther includes an intermediate wallhaving an interior side, an exterior side(not shown in), a top end, a bottom end, a first edgeconnected to the distal edgeof the first wall, a second edge(not shown in) connected to the distal edgeof the second wall, and a downwardly extending portion. The weight rack accessory couplingoffurther includes a pivot pinextending orthogonally to the interior faceof the first walland towards the second wall, the pivot pinhaving a proximal endconnected to a pin portionof the first walland a distal endspaced apart from the proximal end. The first wall, the second walland the intermediate walltogether form an open channelin the weight rack accessory coupling. At least a portion of the open channelincludes a square or rectangular cross-section intermediate the first walland the second wall, and adjacent to the intermediate wall, to receive the upright rail of the weight rack.

The weight rack accessory couplingoffurther includes a releasable pinhaving a proximal endand a distal end. The diameter of the releasable pinis less than the diameter of the releasable pin apertureof the first wall and less than the diameter of the releasable pin apertureof the second wall. The diameter of the releasable pinis also less than the diameter of the regularly spaced apertures of the upright rail of the weight rack to which the weight rack accessory couplingof the present invention is releasably securable.

is a perspective view of the weight rack accessory couplingofrotated and positioned to engage an adjacent upright railof a conventional weight rack The upright railincludes an interior face, a frontal faceand an exterior face(not shown in). The interior face, the frontal faceand the exterior faceof the upright railhave regularly spaced aperturesandthat are larger in diameter than the pivot pinand the releasable pinof the weight rack accessory coupling. The aperturesin the interior faceand the aperturesin the exterior faceare horizontally aligned to provide regularly spaced pairs of aperturesand.

shows the weight rack accessory couplingafter it is rotated to position the open channelto be downwardly disposed and the exterior sideto be upwardly disposed and the pivot pinis aligned for insertion into a selected apertureA in the interior faceof the upright rail, and from there further through the selected pair of aperturesanduntil the distal endemerges from the selected apertureof the selected pair of aperturesand.shows that the upwardly extended pin portionof the first wallof the weight rack accessory couplingextends above and beyond the top endof the intermediate walland the top endof the couplingto facilitate insertion of the pivot pinin the manner illustrated in.reveals the exterior side, the top endand the bottom endof the intermediate wallof the weight rack accessory coupling. As will be illustrated in connection with the discussion of the appended drawings, a variety of weight rack accessories can be connected or coupled to the exterior sideof the weight rack accessory couplingto enable those accessories to be firmly secured to the weight rack upright railby use of the coupling.

is the perspective view ofafter the pivot pinis inserted through the selected pair of aligned aperturesandin the interior faceand the exterior facethe upright railof a conventional weight rack. This movement positions the open channelof the weight rack accessory couplinginto alignment with the upright railof the weight rack to enable installation of the weight rack accessory couplingonto the weight rack upright railby rotation of the weight rack accessory couplingabout the inserted pivot pinas indicated by the arrowA.

is the perspective view ofafter the weight rack accessory couplingis rotated ninety degrees about the pivot pinto introduce (a section of) the upright railinto the open channelof the weight rack accessory coupling. In this position, the first wall apertureand the aligned second wall aperture(not shown in) are aligned with the selected pair of aperturesandin the upright rail.further shows the releasable pinpositioned in alignment with the first wall apertureand, therefore, in alignment with the second wall apertureand the selected pair of aperturesandof the upright rail.

is the perspective view ofafter the releasable pinis inserted through the first wall aperture(not shown in) of the weight rack accessory coupling, through the second pair of aligned aperturesand(not shown in) in the opposing facesandof the upright railof the conventional weight rack and through the third wall aperture(not shown in). In this position, any load applied to the weight rack accessory couplingis now supported by the pivot pinand the releasable pinwhich are, in turn, supported in the secured position by the first pair of aperturesandand second pair of aperturesandin which the pivot pinand the releasable pin, respectively, reside.

is a perspective view of the embodiment of the weight rack accessory couplingofafter a J-cupfor supporting a barbell (not shown) is secured to the exterior sideof the intermediate wallof the weight rack accessory coupling.

is a perspective view of the embodiment of the weight rack accessory couplingofafter a J-cupwith a rollerfor rollably supporting a barbell (not shown) is secured to the exterior sideof the intermediate wallof the weight rack accessory coupling.

is a perspective view of the embodiment of the weight rack accessory couplingofafter a lat pull down seatwith thigh rollersfor supporting a user while performing exercises is secured to the exterior sideof the intermediate wallof the weight rack accessory coupling. The angled square tubular supportmay be, in one embodiment, welded to the exterior sideof the intermediate wall.

is a perspective view of the embodiment of the weight rack accessory couplingofafter a dip handle assemblyincluding a pair of dip handlesA andB for supporting a user while performing exercises is secured to the exterior sideof the intermediate wallof the weight rack accessory coupling.

is a perspective view of the embodiment of the weight rack accessory couplingofafter a safety spotter armfor intercepting and supporting a barbell (not shown) is secured to the exterior sideof the intermediate wallof the weight rack accessory coupling.

The preceding paragraphs discuss weight rack accessories that can be secured to an upright rail of a weight rack by securing the accessory to the exterior sideof the intermediate wallof the weight rack accessory coupling. It will be understood that accessories may also be secured to the exterior sideof the first wall, to the exterior sideof the second wall, or to two or more of the exterior sideof the first wall, the exterior sideof the second walland the exterior sideof the intermediate wallof the weight rack accessory coupling. In the embodiment of the weight rack accessory couplingof, the exterior sideof the first walland the exterior sideof the second wallhave open surface area intermediate the first wall apertureand the pivot pinand intermediate the second wall apertureand the top endof the second wall, respectively. Accessories may be connected to the couplingon the exterior sideand/or in one or both of these open surface areas.

In one embodiment of the weight rack accessory couplingof the present invention, the first walland/or the second wallmay be bifurcated into a top portion and a bottom portion. For the first wall, the top portion may include the pin portionand the bottom portion may include the first wall aperture. For the second wall, the top portion may be near the top endof the second walland the bottom portion may include the second wall aperture.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The terms “preferably,” “preferred,” “prefer,” “optionally,” “may,” and similar terms are used to indicate that an item, condition or step being referred to is an optional (not required) feature of the invention.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or steps plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed.

The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but it is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.