Weightlifting Barbell

Abstract

A weightlifting barbell includes a steel shaft and sleeves constructed of engineered plastic (e.g., POM, Teflon®, Nylon, UHMW, and the like). The engineered-plastic sleeve is relatively light weight and provides impact strength suitable for executing weightlifting exercises.

Claimed is: 
     
         1 . A barbell comprising:
 a shaft including a first end portion and a second end portion, the shaft constructed of alloy steel and including a length of at least about 132 cm and a shaft diameter in a range of about 25 mm to about 29 mm; and   a first sleeve attached to the first end portion and a second sleeve attached to the second end portion,
 wherein the first sleeve and the second sleeve each comprises:
 a proximal end oriented toward a central portion of the shaft and a distal end that is opposite the proximal end, and 
 a bore extending from the proximal end to the distal end, the bore receiving a respective end portion of the shaft, and 
 
 wherein the first sleeve and the second sleeve are constructed of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). 
   
     
     
         2 . The barbell of  claim 1 , wherein the bore of each sleeve includes one or more bore diameters between the proximal end and the distal end and wherein no diameter of the one or more bore diameters is less than any diameter of the shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The barbell of  claim 1  further comprising, a first retaining ring and a second retaining ring coupled to the shaft, wherein the first retaining ring impedes the first sleeve from moving axially inward toward a center-region of the shaft, and wherein the second retaining ring impedes the second sleeve from moving axially inward toward the center-region of the shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The barbell of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the bore of each sleeve comprises a proximal-end region having a first diameter and a central region, which is axially adjacent to the proximal-end region and includes a second diameter,   wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter, such that a first shoulder is positioned at an interface between the proximal-end region and the central region of the first sleeve and a second shoulder is positioned at an interface between the proximal-end region and the central region of the second sleeve, and   wherein the first retaining ring impedes the first sleeve by engaging the first shoulder and the second retaining ring impedes the second sleeve by engaging the second shoulder.   
     
     
         5 . The barbell of  claim 1 , wherein the respective bore of the first sleeve and the second sleeve includes a bore diameter that is in a range of about 0.2 mm-1.0 mm greater than the shaft diameter. 
     
     
         6 . The barbell of  claim 5 , wherein a portion of the bore that includes the bore diameter includes a length that is equal to or greater than about 17 cm. 
     
     
         7 . The barbell of  claim 1 , wherein the barbell is bearingless. 
     
     
         8 . The barbell of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first sleeve and the second sleeve includes a respective interior-wall surface, which circumscribes the bore, and wherein the respective interior-wall surface slides directly against the respective end portion of the shaft when the first sleeve and the second sleeve rotate about the shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The barbell of  claim 1  further comprising, a bearing positioned inside the bore, wherein the bearing at least partially circumscribes the respective end portion of the shaft. 
     
     
         10 . A barbell sleeve comprising:
 a sleeve body including a cylindrical weight-receiving portion having a first outer diameter between about 49 mm and about 51 mm and a cylindrical flange having a second outer diameter, which is larger than the first outer diameter, wherein the body is constructed of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE); and   a bore extending from a first end of the body to a second end of the body that generally opposes the first end.   
     
     
         11 . The barbell sleeve of  claim 10 , wherein the bore includes a first bore section having a first bore diameter and a second bore section that is axially adjacent to the first bore section and that includes one or more second bore diameters, and wherein the one or more second bore diameters are greater than the first bore diameter and the second bore section extends from the first bore section to one of the first end or the second end of the body. 
     
     
         12 . The barbell sleeve of  claim 11 , wherein the second bore extends from the first bore section to the first end of the sleeve body, and wherein the cylindrical flange is positioned at the first end, such that the cylindrical flange circumscribes at least part of the second bore section. 
     
     
         13 . The barbell sleeve of  claim 11 , wherein the first bore section includes a length that is at least half of a length of the cylindrical weight-receiving portion. 
     
     
         14 . A barbell comprising:
 a shaft including a first end portion and a second end portion, the shaft constructed of alloy steel and including a length of at least about 132 cm and a shaft diameter in a range of about 25 mm to about 29 mm; and   a first sleeve attached to the first end portion and a second sleeve attached to the second end portion,
 wherein the first sleeve and the second sleeve are each constructed of an engineered plastic and each comprises:
 a proximal end oriented toward a central portion of the shaft and a distal end that is opposite the proximal end, 
 a bore extending from the proximal end to the distal end, the bore receiving a respective end portion of the shaft, and 
 an internal bore surface that at least partially extends the length of the bore and that provides a bearing surface, which slides directly on the shaft when the sleeve axially rotates on the shaft. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The barbell of  claim 14 , wherein the engineered plastic includes polyoxymethylene (POM), nylon, Teflon, or ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW). 
     
     
         16 . The barbell of  claim 15 , wherein the engineered plastic is UHMW. 
     
     
         17 . The barbell of  claim 14 , wherein the bore of each sleeve includes one or more bore diameters between the proximal end and the distal end and wherein no diameter of the one or more bore diameters is less than any diameter of the shaft. 
     
     
         18 . The barbell of  claim 14  further comprising, a first retaining ring and a second retaining ring coupled to the shaft, wherein the first retaining ring impedes the first sleeve from moving axially inward toward a center-region of the shaft, and wherein the second retaining ring impedes the second sleeve from moving axially inward toward the center-region of the shaft. 
     
     
         19 . The barbell of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the bore of each sleeve comprises a proximal-end region having a first diameter and a central region, which is axially adjacent to the proximal-end region and includes a second diameter,   wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter, such that a first shoulder is positioned at an interface between the proximal-end region and the central region of the first sleeve and a second shoulder is positioned at an interface between the proximal-end region and the central region of the second sleeve, and   wherein the first retaining ring impedes the first sleeve by engaging the first shoulder and the second retaining ring impedes the second sleeve by engaging the second shoulder.   
     
     
         20 . The barbell of  claim 1 , wherein the barbell is bearingless.