Weight lifting plate

Abstract

A weight plate for use with a barbell or dumbbell which incorporates a plurality of handgrips formed near the peripheral surface of the weight plate. The handgrips have a transverse width and radial height sized to provide a convenient gripping point for individuals with smaller hands, such as women, children, or smaller men. These small circumference handgrips are indented from the outside edges of the weight plate to allow for more convenient manipulation of the weight when the weight abuts against a solid obstruction, such as another weight plate on a weight stack. This indentation of the hand grips also provides protection for the hands and fingers of a weight lifter manipulating the weight plate in a weight lifting environment. The location of the handgrips of the present invention also facilitate the lifting and transport of the weight plate in the weight lifting environment, by reducing the stresses on the weight lifter's shoulder joints.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A weight plate for physical fitness including: 
 a plate body formed with a central throughbore and having a plate periphery;    said body further formed with solely a triad of spaced apart elongated handle openings disposed generally equiangularly and positioned radially outwardly from said central throughbore and at least midway out from the center of the body to said radial periphery, said openings having respective outboard edges cooperating with said plate to define a triad of integral handle elements for grasping by a single hand to effect transport of said weight plate.    
     
     
         2 . A weight plate for physical fitness according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 said body is formed of a metallic material.  
 
     
     
         3 . A weight plate for physical fitness according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 said body includes a protective coating thereon.  
 
     
     
         4 . A weight plate for physical fitness according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 said body includes a chrome plating thereon.  
 
     
     
         5 . A weight plate for physical fitness according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 said respective openings are oval shaped and positioned on said body so that the fingers of a human hand can pass therethrough and allow a thumb to wrap around said plate periphery.  
 
     
     
         6 . A weight plate for physical fitness according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 said plate body is disc-shaped.  
 
     
     
         7 . A weight plate for physical fitness according to  claim 7  wherein: 
 said plate periphery is substantially circular.  
 
     
     
         8 . A weight plate for physical fitness according to  claim 7  wherein: 
 said plate periphery is substantially polygonal.  
 
     
     
         9 . A weight apparatus including: 
 a plate body formed with a central throughbore and having a plate periphery;    said body further formed with solely a triad of spaced apart elongated handle openings disposed generally equiangularly and positioned radially outwardly from said central throughbore and at least midway out from the center of the body to said radial periphery, said openings having respective outboard edges cooperating with said plate to define a triad of integral handle elements for grasping by a single hand to effect transport of said weight plate;    a bar having respective ends wherein: 
 said central throughbore is complementally sized for slidable receipt on one of said bar ends.  
   
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for use in physical fitness, comprising: 
 a weight plate having a central mounting hole passing transversely through the plate;    said plate having a peripheral surface;    said plate having a plurality of elongated openings spaced angularly around the central mounting hole and located between said central mounting hole and said peripheral surface;    a plurality of handgrips formed integrally with said plate, each of said handgrips sized and adapted to comfortably accommodate a user's hand and being located between one of said elongated openings and said peripheral surface; and    the angular spacing between the centers of each of the elongate openings is less than 180°.    
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 said handgrips have an octagonal cross-section.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 said handgrips have a rectangular cross-section.    
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 said handgrips have a circular cross-section.    
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 said weight plate has beveled edges along said handgrips.    
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 said plate is comprised of iron.    
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein: 
 said iron plate is coated with rubber.    
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein: 
 said iron plate is chrome plated.    
     
     
         18 . The weight plate of  claim 10 , wherein said plurality of openings comprises three openings; and 
 each opening has a center located at an angle of approximately 120° with respect to each other.    
     
     
         19 . The weight plate of  claim 18 , wherein the weight plate has a first transverse width in an area between the openings; 
 said three handgrips each having a second transverse width, and    said second transverse width is less than said first transverse width.    
     
     
         20 . The weight plate of  claim 18 , wherein; 
 said peripheral surface of said plate is generally flat at locations adjacent to said three handgrips and arcuate between the flat locations.    
     
     
         21 . The weight plate of  claim 20 , wherein the elongate opening has a substantially flat surface at the handgrip, and the elongate opening surface is longer than the flat portion of the peripheral surface.  
     
     
         22 . The weight plate of  claim 21 , wherein the elongate opening has a pair of substantially parallel elongate surfaces, and the parallel surfaces have substantially the same lengths.  
     
     
         23 . The weight plate of  claim 22 , wherein the parallel surfaces each have first and second ends, and a first arcuate surface extends between the first ends of the parallel surfaces and a second arcuate surface extends between the second ends of the parallel surfaces.  
     
     
         24 . The weight plate of  claim 19 , wherein the difference between the first and second transverse widths is large enough to accommodate the bony portions of a human hand.  
     
     
         25 . The weight plate of  claim 24 , wherein the difference between the first and second transverse widths is at least ½ inch.  
     
     
         26 . The weight plate of  claim 10 , wherein a first flat surface is formed on the perimeter surface at one of the handgrips and a second flat surface is formed on a side of the handgrip facing the elongate opening, and the second flat surface is longer than the first flat surface.