Dynamic weight plate retention collar

Abstract

A barbell collar is described having a moveable piston disk, one or more energizers, and a body collar. Further, the barbell collar includes one or more dynamic, removable contact patches. In one embodiment, two of the contact patches are dynamic and can move in and out towards a barbell. The contact patches are configured to move inward towards a barbell or away from a barbell responsive to an action applied to adjustable fastener elements that can be hand tightened and adjusted from the outside of the barbell collar. The barbell collar is configured to prevent movement of weight plates from falling off of the ends of the barbell, and the barbell collar includes energizers (e.g., springs) that can absorb movement from the weight plates while loaded on the barbell.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a barbell body collar, wherein the barbell body collar comprises:
 a front surface; 
 a cavity extending through the barbell body collar;
 one or more fastener holes integrated into a top outer surface of the barbell body collar; 
 one or more contact pockets integrated into one or more interior side walls of the barbell body collar; 
 one or more contact patches, wherein the one or more contact patches is removably held inside of and retained within the one or more contact pockets integrated into the one or more interior side walls of the barbell body collar, wherein the one or more contact patches is removable and replaceable with another and removable contact patch, wherein the one or more contact patches slide out of the one or more contact pockets without needing to unfasten or disassemble the one or more contact patches from the one or more contact pockets in the barbell body collar to remove the one or more contact patches; and 
 one or more adjustable fasteners insertable into the one or more fastener holes integrated into the top outer surface of the barbell body collar, wherein the one or more adjustable fasteners are configured to adjust a position of the one or more contact patches, wherein the one or more adjustable fasteners is configured to cause one or more of the one or more contact patches to advance forward to bite down onto a barbell and to retract away from the barbell. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising, one or more energizers, wherein the one or more energizers are springs. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more energizers are wave springs. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more adjustable fasteners comprise a handle and an attachable rotatable screw, wherein the handle is configured to tighten and release the attachable rotatable screw and is accessible from an outer surface of the barbell body collar. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the barbell body collar comprises two dynamic contact patches that are configured to be dynamically moveable forward and back using the one or more adjustable fasteners and a third contact patch of the one or more contact patches is static and does not move forward and back. 
     
     
         6 . That apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the barbell body collar comprises at least one dynamic contact patch that is configured to be dynamically moveable forward and back using the one or more adjustable fasteners and another contact patch of the one or more contact patches is static and does not move forward and back. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a first pocket of the one or more contact pockets integrated on the barbell body collar is configured to receive a first contact patch of the one or more contact patches and is aligned with a first fastener hole of the one or more fastener holes and wherein a second pocket on the barbell body collar is configured to receive a second contact patch of the one or more contact patches and is aligned with a second fastener hole of the one or more adjustable fastener holes on the barbell body collar. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a contact patch of the one or more contact patches comprises a top surface that acts as a load bearing surface and a bottom surface that acts as a contact surface that contacts the barbell. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the contact patch of the one or more contact patches has a top surface that is wider in its width than an attached bottom element, wherein the attached bottom element protrudes down and away from the top surface of the contact patch. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein a lowermost surface of the attached bottom element is straight edged, concave shaped, or convex shaped. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the contact patch of the one or more contact patches is approximately T-shaped.