GOLF BAG HAVING STAND ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A golf bag is provided that includes a bag body and a deployable stand assembly. The bag body defines an upper opening for receiving golf clubs and a bottom end including a base. The base defines the bottom end of the bag body and includes a first section, a second section and an intermediate section. The intermediate section is disposed between and hinged to both the first section and the second section. The bag includes a support assembly coupled to the bag body proximate to the upper opening and in operative communication with the base such that flexion of the base causes the support assembly to deploy to support the bag in an inclined position.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to golf bags and, more particularly, golf bags having a deployable stand assembly.

Golf bags are typically designed as elongated structures designed to receive golf clubs, having an open top end and a closed base, such that the club heads extend out the top of the bag. This enables convenient identification and selection of clubs during play. As a consequence, however, a fully loaded golf bag has the center of gravity located near the top of the bag, which promotes instability.

To compensate for instability, certain golf bags include a deployable stand to support the bag in an inclined position. Commonly referred to as stand bags, such bags commonly include a pair of straight legs pivotally attached proximate to an upper end of the bag coupled to a pedal proximate to the base of the bag via rods. In use, a user can deploy the legs by pressing down on the bag so that the pedal causes the rods to displace axially, forcing the legs to a deployed position. For example, during the course of play a golfer would set down the stand bag near the ball, causing the legs to deploy, and select a club. With the legs deployed, the bag is comparatively more stable.

Although such stand bags are generally effective, shortfalls exist. For example, current stand begs often require substantial force imparted by the user to cause the legs stands to deploy. In addition, on uneven ground, it can be difficult to impart such force, while maintaining bag stability. Moreover, current approaches hamper design esthetics of the bag.

It should be appreciated that there remains a need for a golf bag having a stand assembly that addresses these concerns. The present invention fulfills this need and others.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In general terms, the present invention provides a golf bag having a bag body and a deployable stand assembly. The bag body defines an upper opening for receiving golf clubs and a bottom end including a base. The base defines the bottom end of the bag body and includes a first section, a second section and an intermediate section. The intermediate section is disposed between and hinged to both the first section and the second section. The bag includes a support assembly coupled to the bag body proximate to the upper opening and in operative communication with the base such that flexion of the base causes the support assembly to deploy to support the bag in an inclined position, while ensuring that a substantial portion of the base remains in contact with the ground throughout the deployment process, facilitating smooth deployment of the stand.

More specifically, and by way of example in an embodiment of the invention, the first section, the second section and the intermediate section of the base are each independent structures. The intermediate section includes a first hinge portion on a first side of the intermediate section and a second hinge portion on a second side of the intermediate section. The first section includes a hinge portion coupled to the first hinge portion of the intermediate section to enable the first section to pivot relative to the intermediate section. The second section includes a hinge portion coupled to the second hinge portion of the intermediate section to enable the second section to pivot relative to the intermediate section.

In another embodiment of the invention, the base is formed of unitary construction and includes three sections partitioned by two hinge sections formed by lines of weakening extending parallel to one another across the base. These lines of weakening create flexion lines, which upon application of force onto the bag, causes the base sections to rotate relative to one another.

In an independent aspect of the invention, the golf bag includes a bag body having a base defining the bottom end of the bag body and a support assembly coupled to the bag body proximate to the upper opening and in operative communication with the base to deploy to support the bag in an inclined position. The support assembly includes a support formed of injection-molded material. The support is configured facilitate structural strength of the support, while enabling the support to be relatively lightweight.

In an exemplary embodiment, the support is formed of unitary construction, in which an upper portion is coupled to a pivot assembly disposed adjacent to the upper end of the bag body, and support includes two wishbone-type leg portions extending from an intermediate portion, the leg portions angled rearward from the intermediate portion about the bag body. The support can includes truss sections having a support portion angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the support.

For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain advantages of the invention have been described herein. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular preferred embodiment disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of a golf bag in accordance with the present invention, depicting a stand in a retracted position.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the golf bag of FIG. 1, depicting the stand in a deployed position.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the golf bag of FIG. 1, depicting the sidewall of the bag body in phantom.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the base the golf bag of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the base the golf bag of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a base for a second embodiment of a golf bag in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the base of FIG. 7.

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of a stand assembly for another embodiment of a golf bag in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a golf bag 10 having a bag body 12 and a support assembly 14 coupled to a base 16. The bag can be supported in both an upright position and in an inclined position. The base and the support assembly are configured to cooperatively support the bag in an inclined position. More particularly, the bag body defines an upper opening for receiving golf clubs and a bottom end. The base aids in defining the bottom end of the bag body. The base includes three sections, a front section 18, an intermediate section 20, and back section 22 coupled to each other via a first hinge assembly 24 between the front and the intermediate sections and a second hinge assembly 26 between the intermediate and the back section. The support assembly is in operative communication with the base such that flexion of the base causes the support assembly to deploy to support the bag in an inclined position, while ensuring that a substantial portion of the base remains in contact with the ground throughout the deployment process.

The support assembly 14 is coupled to the base 16 by an actuator 30. The actuator includes a lower portion 30 attached to the front section 18 of the base and an upper portion 32 attached to an upper end 34 of the support 36. Inclination of the bag causes the base sections to hinge relative to one another, imparting force onto the actuator and resulting in deployment of the support (FIG. 2). The first and second hinges 24, 26 of the base facilitate smooth deployment of the support, even in when used on uneven, inclining or declining ground. In this manner, the golf bag enables stable support in a variety of situations.

With reference now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the support 14 is attached to a support hinge 38 disposed proximate to the upper end of the bag body. The upper end 34 of the support 36 includes a pair of end projections 40 that are received in a pair of pivot slots 42 of the hinge. The actuator 28 includes a pair of ends 44 that attach to the end projections 40 of the support, distally from the pivot slots 42. The support includes an intermediate portion 46 below the end projections. The width of the intermediate portion is less than the width of the support across the end portions. The support terminates in a pair of legs 48 that extend from the intermediate portion in a general wishbone configuration. The legs include a pair of enlarged ends 50 to provide a stable base in contact with the ground.

The support 36 is formed of unitary construction from molded polymer material, such as thermoplastic resin (TPR) perimeter with (EVA) intersection. In other embodiments, supports can be formed of other molded materials, to include but not limited to injection molding of polycarbonate, carbon fiber, nylon with fiberglass injection, fiberglass, and polymer-based materials. In addition, nanotech material fabrication can be used as an additive and/or used as a coating.

The support is 36 symmetrical about its longitudinal axis (L) and includes a plurality of truss members 52 that are angled relative to the longitudinal axis. The truss members facilitate structural strength of the support, while enabling the support to be relatively lightweight. The legs 48 are angled rearward relative to the intermediate portion 46. In this manner, the legs provide a measure of protection to the golf bag and its contents. Moreover, the legs are comparatively shielded, minimizing chances that they may snag on other objects, such as during transport.

The lower portion 30 of the actuator 28 attaches to a pivot 54 on the front section 18 of the base 16. A substantial portion of the actuator resides within the bag body. The actuator extends out of the bag body 12 through an opening 56 defined in an intermediate region thereof. In the exemplary embodiment, the actuator is formed of bent metal wire. However, in other embodiments, various other materials and configurations can be used sufficient to provide operative communication between the support and the base.

With reference now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the golf bag 10 further includes stays 58 extending from the base 16 to the throat structure 60 of the bag. The stays facilitate structural integrity of the bag throughout use. In the first embodiment, the sections (18, 20, 22) of the base are formed as independent structures attached to one another via hinges (24, 26). In this embodiment, the structures of the hinges are integrally formed in constituent with the unitary construction of the respective sections. In other embodiments, hinge structures can be formed separately and coupled to the base sections.

The base 16 includes an upper lip 62 that circumscribes the contact surface of the base and extends upward. In the exemplary embodiment, the sidewall of the bag body 12 attaches to the upper lip by a plurality of rivets disposed about the base. The upper portion of the sidewall attaches to the throat structure 60 (FIG. 1), thereby restricting access to the bag body interior to the upper open-end. The sidewall further includes a plurality of compartments for receiving a golfer's accessories to be accessible during play.

With reference now to FIGS. 6 and 7, a base 70 for a second embodiment of a golf bag is shown. In this embodiment, the base is formed of unitary construction and includes three sections (72, 74, 76) partitioned by two-hinge sections (78, 80) formed by lines of weakening extending parallel to one another across the base. These lines of weakening create flexion lines, which upon application of force onto the bag, causes the base sections to rotate relative to one another.

With reference now to FIG. 8, a third embodiment is shown having a support assembly 100 that includes multiple legs 102, preferably formed of molded polymer material, to aid in support of the bag. Each leg is attached to a separate pivot slot 104 proximate to the opening of the golf bag. Each leg includes a plurality of truss members 106 that are angled relative to the longitudinal axis. The truss members facilitate structural strength and durability of the support, while enabling the support to be relatively lightweight.

It should be appreciated from the foregoing that the present invention provides a golf bag having a bag body and a deployable stand assembly. The bag body defines an upper opening for receiving golf clubs and a bottom end including a base. The base defines the bottom end of the bag body and includes a first section, a second section and an intermediate section. The intermediate section is disposed between and hinged to both the first section and the second section. The bag includes a support assembly coupled to the bag body proximate to the upper opening and in operative communication with the base such that flexion of the base causes the support assembly to deploy to support the bag in an inclined position.

Although the invention has been disclosed in detail with reference only to the exemplary embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various other embodiments can be provided without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is defined only by the claims set forth below.

Claims

1. A golf bag, comprising:

a bag body defining an upper opening for receiving golf clubs and a bottom end;

a base defining the bottom end of the bag body, the base including a first section, a second section and an intermediate section disposed between and hinged to both the first section and the second section; and

a support assembly coupled to the bag body proximate to the upper opening and in operative communication with the base such that flexion of the base causes the support assembly to deploy to support the bag in an inclined position.

2. A golf bag as defined in claim 1, wherein the base includes a first hinge assembly that pivotally couples the first section to the intermediate section.

3. A golf bag as defined in claim 1, wherein the base includes a second hinge assembly that pivotally couples the second section to the intermediate section.

4. A golf bag as defined in claim 1, wherein the first section, the second section and the intermediate section define a support surface of the base for contacting the ground.

5. A golf bag as defined in claim 1, wherein the base defines a first flexion line between the first section and the intermediate section.

6. A golf bag as defined in claim 1, wherein the base defines a second flexion line between the second section and the intermediate section.

7. A golf bag as defined in claim 1, wherein the first section is formed of unitary construction and includes a hinge portion that attaches to a hinge portion of the intermediate section to enable the first section to pivot relative to the intermediate section.

8. A golf bag as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the first section, the second section and the intermediate section are each independent structures;

the intermediate section including a first hinge portion on a first side of the intermediate section and a second hinge portion on a second side of the intermediate section;

the first section including a hinge portion coupled to the first hinge portion of the intermediate section to enable the first section to pivot relative to the intermediate section; and

the second section including a hinge portion coupled to the second hinge portion of the intermediate section to enable the second section to pivot relative to the intermediate section.

9. A golf bag as defined in claim 1, wherein the base defines a first flexion line between the first section and the intermediate section, and the base defines a second flexion line between the second section and the intermediate section.

10. A golf bag as defined in claim 9 wherein the base is formed of unitary construction.

11. A golf bag, comprising:

a bag body defining an upper opening for receiving golf clubs and a bottom end;

a base defining the bottom end of the bag body, the base having three segments couple to each other, each segment of independent structure, including

a first segment having a first hinge portion,

a second segment having a second hinge portion, and

an intermediate segment disposed between the first segment and the second segment, the intermediate segment having a first hinge portion coupled to the first hinge portion of the first section, forming a first hinge to enable the first section to pivot relative to the intermediate section, the intermediate segment having a second hinge portion coupled to the second hinge portion of the second section, forming a second hinge to enable the second section to pivot relative to the intermediate section; and

a support assembly coupled to the bag body proximate to the upper opening and in operative communication with the base such that flexion of the base causes the support assembly to deploy to support the bag in an inclined position.

12. A golf bag as defined in claim 11, wherein the first segment, the second segment and the intermediate segment define a support surface of the base for contacting the ground.

13. A golf bag as defined in claim 11, wherein the support is formed of unitary construction, the support having an upper portion coupled to a pivot assembly disposed adjacent to the upper end of the bag body, an elongated intermediate portion and two wishbone-type leg portions extending from the intermediate portion, the leg portions angled rearward from the intermediate portion about the bag body.

14. A golf bag as defined in claim 11, wherein the support includes a truss section having a support portion angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the support.

15. A golf bag as defined in claim 11, wherein the support includes a truss section having a plurality of support portions angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the support.

16. A golf bag, comprising:

a bag body defining an upper opening for receiving golf clubs and a bottom end;

a base defining the bottom end of the bag body; and

a support assembly coupled to the bag body proximate to the upper opening and in operative communication with the base to deploy to support the bag in an inclined position, the support assembly including a support formed of injection-molded material.

17. A golf bag as defined in claim 16, wherein the support is formed of unitary construction, the support having an upper portion coupled to a pivot assembly disposed adjacent to the upper end of the bag body, an elongated intermediate portion and two wishbone-type leg portions extending from the intermediate portion, the leg portions angled rearward from the intermediate portion about the bag body.

18. A golf bag as defined in claim 16, wherein the support includes a truss section having a support portion angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the support.

19. A golf bag as defined in claim 16, wherein the support includes a truss section having a plurality of support portions angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the support.

20. A golf bag as defined in claim 16, wherein the support includes a pair of legs, each leg formed of unitary construction of injection-molded material, each leg having an upper end coupled to a pivot proximate to the upper end of the bag body.