Barbell

Abstract

A barbell includes a bar, a sleeve assembly comprising a sleeve having an axial bore with a proximal bore portion extending inward from a proximal opening, where an end portion of the bar is received in the axial bore. The inner surface of the proximal bore portion has a groove extending radially outwardly, and the groove is spaced distally from the proximal opening. A bushing is received in the proximal bore portion and fixed against axial movement with respect to the sleeve assembly, and the bushing has an axial passage receiving the bar therethrough. The bushing has an engaging surface received within the groove and engaging a surface of the groove to retain the bushing within the proximal bore portion and to resist axial movement of the bushing toward the proximal opening. The bushing permits the sleeve assembly to be freely rotatable with respect to the bar.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A barbell comprising:
 a bar assembly comprising a bar having a first end portion and a second end portion;   a first sleeve assembly comprising a first sleeve having a first axial bore with a first proximal opening, a first proximal bore portion extending inward from the first proximal opening, a first distal bore portion, and a first central bore portion extending between the first proximal bore portion and the first distal bore portion, wherein the first end portion of the bar is received in the first axial bore and extends through the first proximal bore portion and the first central bore portion to the first distal bore portion, wherein the first axial bore has a first inner diameter that is smaller at the first central bore portion than at the first proximal bore portion, and wherein the first proximal bore portion has a first groove spaced distally from the first proximal opening; and   a first proximal bushing received in the first proximal bore portion of the first sleeve and fixed against axial movement with respect to the first sleeve assembly, the first proximal bushing having a first tubular bushing body defining a first axial passage receiving the bar therethrough, wherein the first tubular bushing body has a first outer surface engaging the first sleeve and a first inner surface engaging the bar within the first axial passage, and wherein the first proximal bushing further has a first engaging surface received within the first groove and engaging a first proximal groove surface of the first groove to retain the first proximal bushing within the first proximal bore portion and to resist axial movement of the first proximal bushing toward the first proximal opening with respect to the first sleeve;   wherein the first proximal bushing permits the first sleeve assembly to be freely rotatable with respect to the bar, and   wherein the first outer surface and the first inner surface are polymer surfaces.   
     
     
         2 . The barbell of  claim 1 , wherein the first groove is an annular groove, and the first proximal bushing has an annular shoulder extending radially outward from the first outer surface and defining the first engaging surface. 
     
     
         3 . The barbell of  claim 2 , wherein the first proximal bushing has an annular ramped surface extending from a distal end of the first proximal bushing to the annular shoulder, wherein the annular ramped surface is angled outwardly with respect to the first outer surface of the first proximal bushing from the distal end to the annular shoulder. 
     
     
         4 . The barbell of  claim 1 , wherein the first engaging surface is spaced proximally from a distal end of the first proximal bushing. 
     
     
         5 . The barbell of  claim 1 , wherein the first proximal bushing has a shoulder extending radially outward from the first outer surface and defining the first engaging surface, and a ramped surface extending from a distal end of the first proximal bushing to the shoulder, wherein the ramped surface is angled outwardly with respect to the first outer surface of the first proximal bushing from the distal end to the shoulder. 
     
     
         6 . The barbell of  claim 1 , wherein the first sleeve assembly is freely rotatable with respect to the bar by the first sleeve and the first proximal bushing rotating around the bar. 
     
     
         7 . The barbell of  claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the first proximal bushing engages a second surface of the first groove to resist axial movement of the first proximal bushing toward the first distal bore portion with respect to the first sleeve. 
     
     
         8 . The barbell of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first distal bushing received in the first distal bore portion of the first sleeve and engaged with the bar assembly at the first end portion of the bar, the first distal bushing further having second outer surface engaging the first sleeve and a second inner surface engaging the bar assembly,   wherein the first distal bushing further permits the first sleeve assembly to be freely rotatable with respect to the bar, and   wherein the second outer surface and the second inner surface are polymer surfaces.   
     
     
         9 . The barbell of  claim 8 , wherein the bar assembly further comprises a first barrel engaged with the first end portion of the bar, wherein the second inner surface of the first distal bushing engages the first barrel. 
     
     
         10 . The barbell of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second sleeve assembly comprising a second sleeve having a second axial bore with a second proximal opening, a second proximal bore portion extending inward from the second proximal opening, a second distal bore portion, and a second central bore portion extending between the second proximal bore portion and the second distal bore portion, wherein the second end portion of the bar is received in the second axial bore and extends through the second proximal bore portion and the second central bore portion to the second distal bore portion, wherein the second axial bore has a second inner diameter that is smaller at the second central bore portion than at the second proximal bore portion, and wherein the second proximal bore portion has a second groove spaced distally from the second proximal opening; and   a second proximal bushing received in the second proximal bore portion of the second sleeve and fixed against axial movement with respect to the second sleeve assembly, the second proximal bushing having a second tubular bushing body defining a second axial passage receiving the bar therethrough, wherein the second tubular bushing body has a second outer surface engaging the second sleeve and a second inner surface engaging the bar within the second axial passage, and wherein the second proximal bushing further has a second engaging surface received within the second groove and engaging a second proximal groove surface of the second groove to retain the second proximal bushing within the second proximal bore portion and to resist axial movement of the second proximal bushing toward the second proximal opening with respect to the second sleeve;   wherein the second proximal bushing permits the second sleeve assembly to be freely rotatable with respect to the bar, and   wherein the second outer surface and the second inner surface are polymer surfaces.   
     
     
         11 . The barbell of  claim 1 , wherein the first proximal bushing is formed of a polymer material. 
     
     
         12 . A barbell comprising:
 a bar having a first end portion and a second end portion;   a first sleeve assembly comprising a first sleeve having a first axial bore defined by a first inner bore surface, with a first proximal opening and a first proximal bore portion extending inward from the first proximal opening, wherein the first end portion of the bar is received in the first axial bore and extends through the first proximal bore portion, wherein the first proximal bore portion has a first groove extending radially outwardly on the first inner bore surface, and wherein the first groove is spaced distally from the first proximal opening; and   a first proximal bushing received in the first proximal bore portion of the first sleeve and fixed against axial movement with respect to the first sleeve assembly, the first proximal bushing having a first axial passage receiving the bar therethrough, wherein the first proximal bushing has a first outer surface engaging the first sleeve and a first inner surface engaging the bar within the first axial passage, and wherein the first proximal bushing further has a first engaging surface received within the first groove and engaging a first surface of the first groove to retain the first proximal bushing within the first proximal bore portion and to resist axial movement of the first proximal bushing toward the first proximal opening with respect to the first sleeve;   wherein the first proximal bushing permits the first sleeve assembly to be freely rotatable with respect to the bar.   
     
     
         13 . The barbell of  claim 12 , wherein the first outer surface and the first inner surface are polymer surfaces. 
     
     
         14 . The barbell of  claim 12 , wherein the first proximal bushing is formed of a polymer material. 
     
     
         15 . The barbell of  claim 12 , wherein the first axial bore has a first inner diameter that is smaller at the first central bore portion than at the first proximal bore portion. 
     
     
         16 . The barbell of  claim 12 , wherein the first groove is an annular groove, and the first proximal bushing has an annular shoulder extending radially outward from the first outer surface and defining the first engaging surface. 
     
     
         17 . The barbell of  claim 16 , wherein the first proximal bushing has an annular ramped surface extending from a distal end of the first proximal bushing to the annular shoulder, wherein the annular ramped surface is angled outwardly with respect to the first outer surface of the first proximal bushing from the distal end to the annular shoulder. 
     
     
         18 . The barbell of  claim 12 , wherein the first engaging surface is spaced proximally from a distal end of the first proximal bushing. 
     
     
         19 . The barbell of  claim 12 , wherein the first proximal bushing has a shoulder extending radially outward from the first outer surface and defining the first engaging surface, and a ramped surface extending from a distal end of the first proximal bushing to the shoulder, wherein the ramped surface is angled outwardly with respect to the first outer surface of the first proximal bushing from the distal end to the shoulder. 
     
     
         20 . The barbell of  claim 12 , wherein the first sleeve assembly is freely rotatable with respect to the bar by the first sleeve and the first proximal bushing rotating around the bar. 
     
     
         21 . The barbell of  claim 12 , wherein the first proximal bushing engages a second surface of the first groove to resist axial movement of the first proximal bushing toward the first distal bore portion with respect to the first sleeve. 
     
     
         22 . An assembly for connection to a bar of a barbell, the assembly comprising:
 a sleeve assembly comprising a sleeve having an axial bore defined by an inner bore surface and extending from a proximal opening to a distal opening, the axial bore comprising a proximal bore portion extending inward from the proximal opening, a distal bore portion extending inward from the distal opening, and a central bore portion extending between the proximal bore portion and the distal bore portion, wherein the axial bore is configured to receive an end portion of the bar inserted through the proximal bore portion and the central bore portion to the distal bore portion, wherein the axial bore has an inner diameter that is smaller at the central bore portion than at the proximal bore portion and at the distal bore portion, and wherein the proximal bore portion has an annular groove extending radially outwardly on the inner bore surface, and wherein the annular groove is spaced distally from the proximal opening; and   a bushing received in the proximal bore portion of the sleeve and fixed against axial movement with respect to the sleeve assembly, the proximal bushing having a tubular bushing body defining an axial passage configured for receiving the bar therethrough, wherein the tubular bushing body has a cylindrical outer surface engaging the sleeve and a cylindrical inner surface configured for engaging the bar within the axial passage, and wherein the proximal bushing further has a shoulder extending radially outward from the cylindrical outer surface and received within the annular groove, the shoulder having an engaging surface engaging a proximal groove surface of the annular groove to retain the proximal bushing within the proximal bore portion and to resist axial movement of the proximal bushing toward the proximal opening with respect to the sleeve, wherein at least the cylindrical inner surface and the cylindrical outer surface of the bushing are polymer surfaces.   
     
     
         23 . The assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the shoulder is an annular shoulder, and the bushing further comprises an annular ramped surface extending from a distal end of the bushing to the annular shoulder, wherein the annular ramped surface is angled outwardly with respect to the cylindrical outer surface of the bushing from the distal end to the annular shoulder. 
     
     
         24 . The assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the bushing further comprises a ramped surface extending from a distal end of the bushing to the shoulder, wherein the ramped surface is angled outwardly with respect to the cylindrical outer surface of the bushing from the distal end to the shoulder. 
     
     
         25 . The assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the bushing is formed of a polymer material.