Adjustable dumbbell with nested weights

Abstract

An adjustable dumbbell includes a handle and two bells attached on each end. Each bell includes a housing having an interior surface, an intermediate weight having an exterior surface adapted to fit inside the interior surface of the housing, and an inner weight having an exterior surface adapted to fit inside an interior of the intermediate weight. A hole may be formed in each of the housing, the intermediate weight, and the inner weight. An adjustment pin secures the intermediate weight and/or the intermediate weight and the inner weight through the holes when positioned inside the housing. The adjustment pin includes a cap that is rotatable by a user between a first position where the cap fits the exterior surface of the bell, and a second position where at least a portion of the cap extends beyond the exterior surface to facilitate removal of the adjustment pin by the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a handle having a center portion, a first end and a second end; and   a bell attached on each of the first end and second end, respectively, each bell comprising:
 a housing; and 
 at least one removable weight adapted to fit in an interior of the housing. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each bell further comprises an adjustment pin adapted to hold the at least one weight inside the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the bell includes an indentation formed on an exterior surface of the bell; and
 wherein the adjustment pin includes a cap adapted to fit within the indentation.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein a portion of the exterior surface of the bell includes an exterior surface of the cap. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the cap is rotatable by a user within the indentation between a first position where the cap fits within the indentation and a second position where at least a portion of the cap extends beyond the indentation to facilitate removal of the adjustment pin by the user. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the indentation or the cap comprises at least one magnet and the other of the indentation or the cap comprises a magnet and/or a ferromagnetic material; and
 wherein magnet is configured to maintain the adjustment pin in position.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the housing comprises at least four flat sides around a perimeter of the housing, providing stability for the apparatus. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein a portion of the outer surface of the housing between the flat sides and the handle comprise one or more sloped exterior surfaces. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the housing comprises flat interior surfaces opposite the flat sides of the outer surface, and sloped interior surfaces opposite the sloped exterior surfaces. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one weight has an exterior surface comprising flat sides and sloped exterior surfaces corresponding to the interior surfaces of the housing. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein a first hole is formed in the weight, the first hole adapted to receive an adjustment pin to hold the weight in the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the weight includes an interior surface corresponding to an exterior surface of a smaller weight; and
 wherein a second hole is formed in the smaller weight, the second hole adapted to aligned with the first hole and receive the adjustment pin to hold the smaller weight in the housing.   
     
     
         13 . A method for using the apparatus of  claim 12 , comprising:
 selecting a dumbbell configuration comprising a light, medium, or heavy dumbbell configuration; and   implementing the selected dumbbell configuration;   wherein the light dumbbell configuration comprises an empty housing;   wherein the medium dumbbell configuration comprises the housing with the at least one weight positioned inside; and   wherein the heavy dumbbell configuration comprises the housing with the at least one weight positioned inside, and a smaller weight positioned inside the at least one weight.   
     
     
         14 . An adjustable dumbbell comprising:
 a handle having a center portion, a first end and a second end; and   a bell attached on each of the first end and second end, respectively, each bell comprising:
 a housing comprising an interior surface; 
 an intermediate weight having an exterior surface adapted to securely fit inside the interior surface of the housing; and 
 an inner weight having an exterior surface adapted to securely fit inside an interior of the intermediate weight. 
   
     
     
         15 . The adjustable dumbbell of  claim 14 , wherein a hole is formed in each of the housing, the intermediate weight, and the inner weight, and wherein each hole is aligned during nesting. 
     
     
         16 . The adjustable dumbbell of  claim 15 , further comprising an adjustment pin adapted to secure the intermediate weight and/or the intermediate weight and the inner weight when positioned inside the housing. 
     
     
         17 . The adjustable dumbbell of  claim 16 , wherein the housing comprises an exterior surface including an indentation;
 wherein the adjustment pin comprises a cap adapted to fit within the indentation; and   wherein the cap is rotatable by a user within the indentation between a first position where the cap fits within the indentation and a second position where at least a portion of the cap extends beyond the indentation to facilitate removal of the adjustment pin by the user.   
     
     
         18 . A method for using the adjustable dumbbell of  claim 14 , comprising:
 selecting a dumbbell configuration comprising a light, medium, or heavy dumbbell configuration; and   implementing the selected dumbbell configuration;   wherein the light dumbbell configuration comprises an empty housing;   wherein the medium dumbbell configuration comprises the housing with the intermediate weight positioned inside; and   wherein the heavy dumbbell configuration comprises the housing with the intermediate weight positioned inside, and the inner weight positioned inside the intermediate weight.   
     
     
         19 . A method comprising:
 providing an adjustable dumbbell comprising a handle having a center portion, a first end and a second end, and a bell attach on each of the first end and second end, respectively, each bell comprising a housing having an interior surface, the two bells and the handle having a first total weight;   positioning an intermediate weight having an exterior surface adapted to securely fit inside the interior surface of the housing, inside the housing; and   placing an adjustment pin through a portion of the housing and the intermediate weight to secure the intermediate weight therein;   wherein the handle and two bells, including the intermediate weight, has a second total weight that is larger than the first total weight.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising:
 removing the adjustment pin; and 
 removing the first weight from the housing; 
 wherein the handle and two bells has the first total weight, which is lighter than the second total weight.