Golf club head cover

Abstract

A golf club head cover comprising a chamber adapted to receive the head of a golf club, a shell depending from the chamber adapted to receive the shaft of a golf club, a means for selectively opening and closing the head cover, axial stiffening members and longitudinal stiffening members.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to golf club head covers. More particularly, this invention relates to golf club head covers used to protect woods or metal woods. It should be realized that the invention can be used as a head cover for irons as well.

[0002] Many golf club head covers presently are made from very soft and pliable materials that do not adequately protect the shaft of the golf club. Furthermore, traditional golf club head covers have a wide opening to accommodate the club head resulting in a large gap between the shaft of the club and the head cover. The problem with such golf club head covers is that when a golf club is placed into a bag, the open end of the golf club head cover encounters other clubs or club divider elements and often rides up the shaft, providing no protection to the shaft during its residence in the bag. This problem is particularly troublesome with woods which more and more frequently employ relatively low surface hardened graphite-type shafts. Also presently, golf club head covers are made of a singular type of material. Accordingly, a golf club head cover having a portion of the head cover that fits snugly around the shaft of the golf club, as well as the head of the golf club, is desirable. It would also be desirable to have a golf club head cover made from two different materials so that a more rigid material can surround the shaft portion of the golf club so that the golf club head cover will not slip off when the golf club is placed back into the golf bag.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] According to one embodiment, the golf club head cover of this invention comprises a housing or chamber adapted to receive the head of a golf club and optionally a portion of the shaft and hosel. The cover also includes a shell or neck adapted to receive a shaft portion of the golf club, the shell having stiffening members adapted to provide longitudinal stiffness and a means for selectively opening and closing.

[0004] The housing can be made of a pliable material. The housing may further comprise stiffening members adapted to provide axial stiffness to the housing.

[0005] The shell, which is connected to the housing, is adapted to receive the upper shaft portion of the golf club. The shell may have a general U-shaped cross section, which is most prominent in an open position. The shell and optionally a portion of the housing may be selectively opened and closed so that the golf club can be inserted into and taken out of the head cover. The shell may be made from a material that is more rigid than the material used to manufacture the housing.

[0006] Preferably the sidewalls are connected to one another at a closed edge and selectively opened along a second edge. Preferably the sidewalls are tapered, being narrower at their open end such that the sidewalls are closer to the shaft of the golf club at an end distal the housing and gradually increasing in distance away from the shaft at an end proximal the housing.

[0007] Stiffening members preferably form an element of the sidewalls of the shell. The stiffening members provide longitudinal stiffness to the shell portion of the head cover. The stiffening members may extend substantially the entire length of the sidewall.

[0008] The head cover further comprises a means to open and close the shell. This means could be a zipper, Velcro, buttons or other suitable fasteners. In the preferred embodiment, a zipper is used. The zipper is placed along the terminal edges of the sidewalls of the shell. The zipper runs along a longitudinal axis of the shaft of the club and approximately bisects an imaginary line extending from the chamber of the head cover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the inventive head cover.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a side view of the head cover.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a front view of the head cover.

[0012] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the head cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While this invention will be described in connection with the preferred embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents that may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention defined by the appended claims. The preferred embodiment disclosed is a golf club head cover for a wood-type golf club, but this disclosure and the appended claims are not limited to only wood-type golf club head covers and may fairly cover head covers for iron-type golf clubs as well. The references “front” and “rear” are used for a better understanding of the invention and with respect to the orientation of the golf club head. These terms cannot limit the scope of the invention as a function of the presentation thereof into space.

[0014] Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the inventive head cover A comprises a housing or chamber 2 and a shell or neck 4. The housing may be made from a pliable material which in the preferred embodiment is nubuck. Other materials with similar characteristics also may be used. The housing is shaped to receive the head of a golf club. The housing may also be shaped to receive the hosel and a portion of the shaft of a golf club. The exact shape that the housing takes is not as important as that it must be large enough to accommodate the head, and possibly hosel, and a portion of the shaft of a golf club. The housing is comprised of a top 20 and an outer wall 22. In the preferred embodiment, the top of the housing is somewhat circular and planar, however, it also may be shaped differently, such as arcuate or the like. The top of the housing is large enough in circumference to at least substantially surround the head of the golf club. The outer wall depends from the top surrounding at least a portion of the head of the golf club.

[0015] Forming an element of the outer wall are stiffeners 28. The stiffeners circumferentially surround the outer wall. The stiffeners can provide axial support to the outer wall. In the embodiment described in the figures, three stiffening members are located on each lateral side of the outer wall.

[0016] The shell or neck 4 comprises a first sidewall or leg 40 connected at a closed end 48 to a second sidewall or leg 42. The shell may have a generally U-shaped configuration when open or unzipped. The first sidewall 40 has a first terminal end 44 distal the closed end 48 and the second sidewall 42 has a second terminal end 46 also distal the closed end 48. The first terminal end and the second terminal end can be selectively opened and closed to allow the insertion and extraction of the golf club shaft.

[0017] The shell is shaped and adapted to receive the shaft and perhaps a portion of the hosel and head of a golf club. The shell is made of a material that is more rigid than the housing. The shell, or neck portion, of the head cover can be made from a diamond check nylon or another suitable similar material. The shell depends from the housing 2 at a shell first end 50. A second end 52 of the shell is disposed distal the chamber.

[0018] The means for fastening the first terminal end 44 to the second terminal end 46 in the preferred embodiment is a zipper 8. It is understood that other fastening means such as snaps, Velcro fasteners, buttons and the like could be used to fasten the first terminal end to the second terminal end. The zipper runs along the shaft of the head cover in the shell portion of the head cover and may continue into the housing 2 essentially bisecting the housing. As best seen in FIG. 2 the terminal ends 44, 46 of the sidewalls or legs 40, 42 are tapered from a second end of the shell 52 to a first end of the shell 50. At the shell second end 52 the terminal ends are closer to the shaft of the golf club, then at the shell first end 50. The first terminal end 44, second terminal end 46 and zipper 8 gradually taper away from the shaft of the golf club towards the shell first end 50.

[0019] Not shown in the FIGS., the fastening means may also be located at the intersection of the first sidewall and the second sidewall, the intersection referred to in the FIGS. is closed end 48. In this embodiment, the closed end 48 could taper much the same as the terminal ends do in the embodiment shown in the FIGS. The fastening means could be located anywhere that allows a golf club to be easily inserted and taken out of the head cover.

[0020] A first stiffener 60 can be formed as an element of the first sidewall 40. A second stiffener 62 can also be formed as an element of the second sidewall 42. The stiffeners provide longitudinal support to the shell or neck portion of the head cover. One reason for providing the support is so that when the golf club is placed back into the golf bag the head cover will not tend to slip off if it hits other golf clubs or club dividing components in the golf bag while the golf club is entering into the golf bag. Inhibiting the cover from slipping off of the club as the golfer places it bag into the bag is also a reason for making the shell out of a stiffer material than the housing or chamber.

[0021] The stiffeners can be longitudinally oriented. The stiffeners can extend substantially the entire length and width of the sidewall. The stiffening members can be made of compressed ethylene vinyl acetate as well as other suitable materials that could provide the adequate support.

[0022] While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In light of the foregoing description, accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the impended claims.

Claims

1. A cover for protecting a head, hosel and a portion of a shaft of a golf club comprising:

a housing adapted to receive the head of the golf club, the housing comprised of a pliable material;

a shell having a general u-shaped cross section in an open position depending from the housing, the shell having sidewalls, a first open end and an opposed end connected to the housing;

stiffening members forming an element of the sidewalls; and

a means for selectively opening and closing the cover.

2. The cover according to claim 1 wherein the stiffening members are longitudinally oriented.

3. The cover according to claim 1 wherein the stiffening members are comprised of ethylene vinyl acetate.

4. The cover according to claim 1 wherein the stiffening members extend substantially the entire length of the sidewall.

5. The cover according to claim 1 wherein the means for selectively opening and closing the cover comprises a zipper.

6. The cover according to claim 1 further comprising stiffening members forming an element of the housing adapted to provide axial stiffness.

7. The cover according to claim 1 wherein the shell comprises a more rigid material than the housing.

8. A head cover for a golf club comprising:

a chamber;

a shell depending from the chamber, the shell comprising stiffeners and legs connected at one edge having opposed free edges, wherein the legs progressively narrow in diameter away from the chamber and wherein an imaginary line extending parallel to the free edges approximately bisects the chamber; and

a means for selectively fastening the free edges.

9. A head cover according to claim 8 further comprising axial stiffeners forming an element of the chamber.

10. A head cover according to claim 8 wherein the chamber comprises opposed free edges in line with the free edges of the shell.

11 A head cover according to claim 10 wherein the means for selectively fastening the free edges of the shell also selectively fastens the free edges of the chamber.

12 A head cover according to claim 8 wherein the chamber has a relatively planar top.

13. A head cover according to claim 8 wherein the legs are substantially planar.

14. A head cover according to claim 8 wherein the legs are arcuate.

15. A head cover according to claim 8 wherein the stiffeners are longitudinally oriented on the shell.

16. A head cover comprising:

a housing adapted to receive at least a portion of a head of an associated golf club, the housing comprised of a first material; and

a hollow neck portion depending from the housing, the neck portion comprised of a second less pliable material than the first material, the neck portion having a seam and stiffening members; and

a means for selectively fastening the seam.

17. A head cover according to claim 16 wherein the stiffening members extend substantially the entire length of the neck portion.

18. A head cover according to claim 16 wherein the seam extends into the housing.

19. A head cover according to claim 18 wherein the means for selectively fastening the neck seam also selectively fastens the housing seam.

20. A head cover comprising:

a means for receiving a head of an associated golf club;

a means for receiving a shaft of the associated golf club, the means for receiving the shaft attached to the means for receiving the head;

a means for opening and closing the means for receiving the shaft; and

a means for providing longitudinal stiffness to the means for receiving the shaft.

21. A head cover according to claim 20 further comprising a means for providing axial stiffness to the means for receiving the head of the golf club.