Safe grip weights

Abstract

This design is placed and or positioned in the periphery of weight creating a semi-protective and semi-recessed area for insertion of a hand or hand like device. The size and shape of the area reduces the potential for unattended and damaging interaction between the hand and its digits or the hand-like devices and the sides of the mass. The curvature of the area along with the width being of sufficient size to facilitate grasping during human interaction of the opening are purposefully designed to ergonomically fit the hand and or hand like device for a plurality of uses. The functionality of the device is to generally distribute the stress and forces applied to the point of interaction between the human user and the contact area of the heavy and or cumbersome object. Substantially increasing the controllability during mass manipulation by purposeful human interaction. The depth of the barbell weight grip must be large enough to accommodate the thickness of the average adult human hand and ranges in most case from 1-3 inches. It may be reduced or enlarged during manufacture as necessary to accommodate non-average size users.

1 . A weight plate for mounting on a barbell or dumbbell, comprising: 
 a) a weight plate body having a central bore extending through said weight plate body;    b) at least one opening in radial relation with said central bore and sized to accommodate a human hand;    c) an inner face, said inner face of said weight plate body having a inner rim edge terminating at said opening;    d) an outer face, said outer face of said weight plate body having a continuous outer rim edge about the perimeter of said outer face; and,    e) a barbell grip located at the termination of said inner rim edge and adjacent said first opening and said outer rim edge.    
     
     
         2 . The weight plate of  claim 1 , wherein the depth of said at least one opening is substantially equal to the thickness of said barbell grip.  
     
     
         3 . The weight plate of  claim 1 , wherein the weight plate is cast, rubber coated or polyurethane coated.  
     
     
         4 . The weight plate of  claim 1 , wherein said inner rim edge terminates in two places along the perimeter of said weight plate to create a second opening about the perimeter of said weight plate body.  
     
     
         5 . The weight plate of  claim 1 , wherein the weight plates have interlocking means.  
     
     
         6 . The weight plate of  claim 4 , wherein the position of said openings around the perimeter of said weight plate are selected to be linear with said central bore of said weight plate.  
     
     
         7 . The weight plate of  claim 1 , wherein the weight plate comprises three or more openings about the perimeter of said weight plate.  
     
     
         8 . The weight plate of  claim 4 , wherein said one or more openings include edge surfaces which are rounded.  
     
     
         9 . The weight plate of  claim 7 , wherein said one or more openings include edge surfaces which are rounded.  
     
     
         10 . A weight lifting apparatus allowing engagement of at least one weight plate as described in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         11 . A weight lifting apparatus as described in  claim 10  allowing engagement of a plurality of weights.  
     
     
         12 . The weight lifting apparatus as described in  claim 11  characterized by the plate bodies of the weight plates having a space therebetween.  
     
     
         13 . A weight plate of  claim 1 , wherein there is an opening positioned at the termination point of each rim edge.