Protective Case for Golf Documents

Abstract

This application discloses a novel protective case for Golf Documents. Golfers typically use protective cases for yardage books or green guides and consult these documents frequently during a round of golf. The claimed invention uses a means for securing one of the covers to the Golf Documents and locks it into place within a sleeve built into the case. This allows the other cover for the Golf Documents to rest unsecured within a separate sleeve. When a golfer consults their Golf Documents, one cover is secured in place and the other moves freely within a protective sleeve. This allows the golfer to repeatedly open and close the book without damaging the Golf Documents.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

63/122,265—Provisional

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS

1) Field of the Invention

The invention relates to the sport of golf and golf paraphernalia. Specifically, this invention relates to cases used to carry yardage books, green guides, and scorecards (hereafter, collectively referred to as “Golf Documents”).

2) Description of Related Art

Yardage books and golf green guides are the most frequently used documents by a competitive golfer during a tournament or round of golf. There are numerous products on the market that offer a protective cover or case for Golf Documents but most of these inventions focus on scorecards (see Lame, U.S. D283175S) which have a smaller profile than cases capable of carrying yardage books and green guides (see KR200492254Y1). These cases also offer no way to secure the covers for the yardage books within the case. These cases are capable of carrying scorecards or other single page documents, which the user does not subject the scorecard to the abuse of flipping through pages multiple times during one hole.

Current cases and protective covers which are capable of housing yardage books and green guides are imperfect because the case itself often damages the Golf Documents from repetitive motions such as opening and closing of the case. Many products on the market offer a case that will loosely embrace both covers of the yardage book or green guides (see Costello US20080105718A1) or only one of the covers (see Gribovsky U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,573A). While these products protect the Golf Documents from external damage it creates a risk that the case itself will damage the Golf Documents. This is because one of the covers is left exposed within the protective case.

Many products currently depict a case which allows the Golf Documents to act as a flip book. A strap, elastic, ribbon, or sleeve is often used to secure the Golf Documents in place (Costello US20080105718A1) Often this strap is placed across one or both covers of the Golf Documents. The strap, elastic, ribbon, or sleeve can cause buckling of the Golf Documents from repeated opening and closing destroying the integrity of the binding of the Golf Documents. The ends of the Golf Documents can also be damaged from the friction from rubbing up against the ends of the cover. In the alternative, the ends of the Golf Documents can be left exposed and may be damaged from external elements and friction from the golfers' pockets.

There are other inventions outside the sport of golf that can be considered relevant as well. For instance there are many patents related to organizers or wallets which allow one to organize documents that get consulted numerous times, such as a water's order organizer wallet (see Ciarcia U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,520A) but these do not protect both covers and do not fix one of the covers in a fixed position.

3) Relevant Prior Art

a. US20080105718A1

b. U.S. D283175S

c. U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,573A

d. U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,520A

e. KR200492254Y1

f. US20060169731A1

g. JP3150229U

h. US20090255612A1

i. U.S. D550454S1

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An improvement to the protective case often used by professional and semi-professional golfers. This invention creates a compact protective case capable of holding the Golf Documents without the book getting damaged from repeated opening and closing. The case uses a means for securing one of the covers of Golf Documents in a fixed position (the “Fixed Cover”) and it allows the other cover (the “Free Cover”) to move freely within a protective sleeve. This protects the Golf Documents from damage that might be caused by repeatedly opening and closing the case. A flap is also included in the case and acts as additional storage and a bookmark within the documents.

DRAWING DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1: A view of the yardage book inside the protective case.

1. The protective cover for Golf Documents.

2. The edge of the yardage book.

3. A depiction of the greens/hole.

4. A small slot to hold a pencil or pen.

5. The line shows the opening for the Free cover.

6. The line shows the opening for the Fixed cover.

7. A pocket for a flap capable of storing additional documents.

8. The flap.

9. A rendering of a Greens Pin Location Sheet inside the flap.

FIG. 2: A rendering of the case laying completely open and flat.

10. The exterior of the Fixed Cover sleeve or pocket.

11. The opening to fit the Fixed Cover in.

12. The means for securing the fixed cover in place. In the preferred embodiment, as depicted in this image, a button and snap are used to secure the cover in place.

13. The opening for the Free Cover.

14. An additional opening to the free cover.

15. The extension flap.

16. An opening on the underside of the flap that allows a golfer to insert additional documents.

17. A second opening for the flap which allows for easy access.

18. The insert for a pen or pencil.

FIG. 3. This figure depicts the yardage book with the fixed cover secured in place and the Free Cover loose outside of its case.

19. The Free Cover of the Golf Documents Outside of the case.

20. The extension flap.

21. The opening slit for the Fixed Cover to enter the case.

22. The opening slit for the Free Cover to Enter the case.

23. An opening in the extension flap which allows the golfer to put in additional information.

24. A rendering found in a typical yardage book, depicting a typical yardage book.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Background

The claimed invention is a compact cover and case for Golf Documents which are commonly used during a golf match or tournament. Yardage books depict features, noted measurements, and slopes along the entire length of a hole. Green guides depict measurements and slopes directly on the golf green. Unlike scorecards, which are used by almost all golfers, yardage books and green guides are typically used only by professional and semi-professional golfers. These golfers typically use the yardage books and green guides in tournaments when rules forbid the golfer from using other devices. Many events ban the use of Global Positioning System (“GPS”) devices or laser instruments which allow the user to measure exactly how far they are from the green. Knowing the exact distance allows the golfer to choose the appropriate club to use for that situation. When GPS devices or laser instruments are unavailable the golfer must rely on yardage books and green guides to optimize their performance.

A tournament can be a multi-day event, and the golfer may consult the Golf Documents multiple times during a single hole. As a result, the Golf Documents and the case are subject to considerable wear and tear. The case will be stuffed in a pants-pocket during the swing and will face friction against the golfer's body and clothing. The Golf Documents are susceptible to damage by design. They are made from lightweight materials so as not interfere with the golfers' swing. They are also designed to be edited, using a pen or pencil, and then discarded at the end of a tournament. Keeping them in good condition prolongs their usable life which is why a case is so important.

The Golf Documents can be easily destroyed but the goal is to make them last at least the entire length of the tournament. Often golfers will mark each hole on the Golf Documents where they lie after their last shot. As such, they can keep track of their shots throughout a multi-day tournament. Thus, it is important to protect the Golf Documents for the duration of the tournament, without having to pay for replacement documents.

By opening the case and consulting the Golf Documents numerous times, keeping it in their pockets during a swing and while walking, as well as flipping through the pages during a round of golf it can be crumpled up and destroyed. It would be problematic if the Golf Documents fell apart before the end of the round.

The Claimed Invention

The case itself is made from a flexible yet durable material that will protect the Golf Documents from external elements and normal wear and tear that the golfer will put it through. In the preferred embodiment the case is made from leather or synthetic leather material, however the cover or case can be any material which allows for a living, or integral, hinge. In one embodiment of the claimed invention, the cover is made from a quality alligator skin.

The case is divided into two symmetrical halves, connected by an integral hinge made from the same material as the two symmetrical halves. The case has an outer cover that may be decorated with images, monograms, or other decoration depending on the golfer's style. The internal side of the case has a sleeve on each half. Each sleeve has one opening near, and parallel to, the integral hinge. This allows the golfer to slide the cover for yardage books or green guides into each sleeve. With the covers fitted into each sleeve, the golfer only has to open the protective case in order to access the contents of the Golf Documents, rather than opening the cover to the case and then the cover to the Golf Documents. In another embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 2, the sleeves may have an additional opening on each half opposite the other opening. This would allow the golfer to combine multiple Golf Documents into one case. For instance, the golfer could put the cover to the green guide into the sleeve farthest from the integral hinge. The second opening can also allow for larger covers to be accommodated, giving the golfer flexibility depending on the size of the yardage book or green guide.

One of the symmetrical halves to the case has a means for securing one of the covers to the Golf Documents in a fixed position. This creates two distinct covers for the Golf Documents when it resides in the case; a Free Cover that is capable of moving freely within its protective sleeve when the golfer opens the case, and a Fixed Cover, which is secured in place and is not capable of moving within its sleeve. With one cover in a fixed position and the Free Cover capable of moving within a separate sleeve, the golfer has easier access to the Golf Documents and there is a lower risk that the covers get destroyed from normal use or external elements. The means for securing the Golf Documents in place may be visible on the outside of the case and on the internal sleeve with which the fixed cover is located.

The sleeves prevent the Golf Documents from being destroyed from the case itself when the ends of the Golf Documents bump against the protective ends of the case. It also provides an extra layer of defense against outside elements. With both covers of the Golf Documents secured via the case, the golfer can easily flip open the case repeatedly and not worry about the Golf Documents being destroyed. By securing the covers within the sleeves, there is no chance that the Golf Documents buckle. This typically occurs in other cases that use a strap (or another similar means for securing the Golf Documents in place) to secure the Golf Documents in place.

In one embodiment, the protective case also has a small insert that allows the golfer to store a pen or pencil as well as two slits to store a scorecard or green pin location: or other relevant documents such as money, an identification card or business card. This insert is attached to the end of one of the symmetrical halves (opposite the integral hinge dividing the halves) to the case via another integral hinge. This insert can also house another slot for a pencil and, when folded into the case, can act as a bookmark for the Golf Documents.

Preferred Embodiment

The preferred embodiment utilizes a leather material for the case. The means for securing the cover of the Golf Documents in a fixed position uses a snap button to pierce the cover for the Golf Documents. The snap would be located on the internal sleeve and the button would be embedded in the case. The golfer would insert the cover for the Golf Documents and press down on the snap, piercing the cover and locking into the button. Another potential embodiment uses a magnet to secure the fixed cover. While this does not pierce the cover of the book it does create a larger case in general. Magnets may also attract keys, divot tools or ball markers, or coins within the golfer's pockets. That is not desirable when the cover always needs to be in the golfer's possession during a tournament.

Claims

1) A protective case for Golf Documents comprising;

Two symmetrical halves connected by an integral hinge, each half having an exterior and interior side wherein,

a. the interior side of each symmetrical half has a sleeve capable of storing a cover for Golf Documents,

b. each sleeve has an opening parallel to and adjacent to the integral hinge,

c. one sleeve of the protective case has a means for securing the cover for the Golf Documents in a fixed position.

2) A protective case as in claim 1, wherein the protective case is made from a flexible and durable material.

3) A protective case as in claim 1, wherein the means for securing the cover is a snap button to fix the Golf Documents in place.

4) A protective case as in claim 1, wherein the means for securing the case uses a magnet to fix the Golf Documents in place.

5) A protective case in claim 1 further comprising an additional opening manufactured into the protective case to hold a writing utensil.

6) A protective case as in claim 1, further comprising;

an additional flap connected to the protective case via an additional integral hinge.

7) A protective case as in claim 2 wherein the case is manufactured from leather.

8) A protective as in claim 2 wherein the case is manufactured from alligator skin.

9) A protective case as in claim 7 wherein said additional flap has a sleeve with a horizontal or vertical opening to accept additional Golf Documents.

10) A protective case as in claim 7 further comprising an additional opening manufactured into the protective case to accept a writing utensil.