Golf bag with a top end with improved partitions

Abstract

A golf bag including an elongated body for receiving golf clubs and a top end member through which golf clubs are inserted into and removed from said elongated body, the golf bag being characterised by a tilting plane and a tilting direction along which said elongated body is generally tilted when the golf bag is being supported on its supporting stand or when said golf bag is being shoulder-carried in the ordinary course of usage, the top end member includes partitioning means and a collar portion surrounding said partitioning means, the partitioning means include a plurality of catch portions which are formed by a corresponding plurality of bifurcated catch members, said bifurcated catch member includes a first branch member and a second branch member which are convergent towards each other and form the catch portion between the convergent ends of said first branch member and the second branch member, said catch portions of the plurality of catch members being disposed so that, when said golf bag is being tilted generally along the tilting plane and along said tilting direction, the catch portions generally move along said tilting plane and the tilting direction in advance of the remaining portions of said bifurcated catch members and the shaft portion of a golf club received within a compartment defined by the bifurcated members will generally rest on said catch portions due to gravity.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to golf bags and, more particularly, to golf bags with a top end member with golf club partitioning means. The present invention also relates to a top end member of golf bags.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Golf is a very popular sporting game which is usually played on outdoor golf courses. In playing a golf game, many different golf clubs, for example, woods, irons and putters of different sizes, may be used by a player in order to impart optimal drives to the golf ball so that the game can be completed with a minimum number of strokes. Currently, a player is allowed to carry a maximum of 14 golf clubs when playing a standard golf game.

[0003] Golf clubs are usually kept together in a golf bag for storage, easy retrieval and convenient transportation to and from golf courses and between holes. In general, better quality golf bags are usually designed to allow easy, quick and selective retrieval of the various clubs during a game. Typically, a golf bag includes an elongated body with a moulded top end member and a moulded bottom end member disposed at the longitudinal ends and interconnected by the elongated enclosure. The top end member is usually supported from the bottom end member by a plurality of rigid stays which are usually distributed around the internal periphery of the bottom end member and which are typically rigid plastic posts extending between the top end member and the bottom end member.

[0004] Typically, golf clubs are stored in golf bags with the club heads protruding above a cushioned partitioning member integrally formed with the top end member with the handles resting on the upper surface of the bottom end member. As the bottom end member has to bear almost all the weight of the golf clubs, it must be reasonably strong and is usually moulded from hard plastics.

[0005] To avoid damage of the heads and shafts of golf club due to jiggling or rocking during transportation, golf bags have been provided with moulded top end members formed with a number of small compartments or ridges which are small enough to limit excessive and undesirable movements of the clubs to minimize collision between adjacent golf clubs and to alleviate possible damage to the club heads.

[0006] Golf bags with compartmentalized top end members to alleviate the likelihood of damage to golf clubs have been known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,513 describes a golf bag having a top end member formed with a plurality of compartments for receiving the heads of golf clubs. In the golf bag described in that patent, a plurality of wedge-shaped compartments are provided on the top end member so that the heads of the golf clubs can be received in correspondingly shaped compartments. Such a design lacks flexibility and can only accommodate golf clubs with heads corresponding to the specific shapes of the club head receiving compartments.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,581 describes a golf bag with a plurality of club receiving apertures and club head shields at its top end member. Club shafts are inserted into the golf bag through the apertures while golf heads are held in the head shields. The head shields are arranged into two corrugated rows with a plurality of semi-circular troughs for shielding the golf head. However, the club head shields of this design do not substantially alleviate the likelihood of jiggling and rocking during the transportation of golf bags as the golf clubs are generally and freely movable within the apertures and can slide and roll along the semi-circular portion defined by the head shields.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,024 describes a golf club in which a plurality of flexible tubes extend between the top end member and bottom end member so that golf clubs can be individually received in the compartments defined by the flexible tubes.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,585 describes a golf bag with an insert having a wall structure comprising a plurality of walls forming a plurality of substantially rectangular golf club receptacles so that the golf clubs can be individually stored in the receptacles with the club head protruding above the receptacles.

[0010] While golf bags with compartmentalized top end members of the types mentioned above may facilitate more convenient retrieval from the golf bags as the shafts and head of the clubs are prevented from excessive movements or from being tangled in the golf bag, they do not provide much assistance in alleviating the jiggling and rocking of the clubs during transportations.

[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,433 describes another type of golf bag design in which the top end member is formed with ridges and valleys orientated and positioned such that when the golf bag is in a partially-reclined position, golf clubs will rest within the individual valleys between the ridges. However, golf clubs stored in such a golf bag will randomly move around within the compartments of the top end member and become tangled during transportation. Furthermore, once the golf clubs are moved out of the specific valleys as a result of excessive shaking, jiggling or rocking of the golf bag, it is unlikely that they will return to their originally assigned valleys.

[0012] Broadly speaking, there is a need to provide golf bags which alleviate the shortcomings associated with known golf bags in facilitating the convenient and orderly retrieval of the golf clubs as well as the stabilization of the golf clubs during transportation or when the golf bags are resting in a prescribed inclined position, for example, when supported by the stands.

[0013] More specifically, it will be desirable if there can be provided golf clubs which can facilitate easy, convenient and orderly retrieval of the golf clubs while at the same time providing means for restoring the golf clubs to their stable storage locations even after adverse displacement as a result of such as, excessive jiggling, rocking or shaking of the golf bags during transportation or other movements.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Therefore, it is a general object of the present invention to provide golf bags with stabilization means so that golf clubs can stabily rest on prescribed locations when the golf bag is resting on a prescribed inclined configuration and with enhanced stabilization while during being shoulder carried in the prescribed manner. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide golf bags with means for neat and orderly storage of the golf clubs so that a user can conveniently select and retrieve the desirable golf clubs from a bag while at the same time enhancing the stability of the golf clubs within a golf club when, for example, being shoulder-carried or when being rested in a prescribed inclined position. At a minimum, it is an object of the present invention to provide golf bags and top end members of golf bags for the choice and benefit of the public.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] According to the present invention, there is provided a golf bag including an elongated body for receiving golf clubs and a top end member through which golf clubs are inserted into and removed from said elongated body, said golf bag being characterised by a tilting plane and a tilting direction along which said elongated body is generally tilted when said golf bag is being supported on its supporting stand or when said golf bag is being shoulder-carried in the ordinary course of usage, said top end member includes partitioning means and a collar portion surrounding said partitioning means, said partitioning means include a plurality of catch portions which are formed by a corresponding plurality of bifurcated catch members, said bifurcated catch member includes a first branch member and a second branch member which are convergent towards each other and form said catch portion between the convergent ends of said first branch member and said second branch member, said catch portions of said plurality of catch members being disposed so that, when said golf bag is being tilted generally along said tilting plane and along said tilting direction, said catch portions generally move along said tilting plane and said tilting direction in advance of the remaining portions of said bifurcated catch members and the shaft portion of a golf club received within a compartment defined by said bifurcated members will generally rest on said catch portions due to gravity.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a top end member of a golf bag, said top end member includes partitioning means and a collar member surrounding said partitioning means, said collar member being generally oval-shaped with a major axis, said partitioning means include a plurality of catch portions which are formed by a corresponding plurality of bifurcated catch members, said bifurcated catch member includes a first branch member and a second branch member which are convergent towards each other and form said catch portion between the convergent ends of said first branch member and said second branch member, said first branch member and said second branch member being generally convergent towards a direction which is substantially parallel to said major axis.

[0017] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a golf bag with a top end member with the above characteristic features.

[0018] Preferably, said first and second branch members of said plurality of said bifurcated catch members being generally convergent towards planes which are parallel to said tilting plane.

[0019] Preferably, said catch portion of said bifurcated catch member being a generally V-shaped trough with said first and second bifurcated branch members forming the sides of said V-shaped trough.

[0020] Preferably, said V-shaped troughs are generally aligned with their vertices pointing along said tilting direction.

[0021] Preferably, all said V-shaped troughs on said partitioning means are generally disposed so that the bifurcated arms of said V-shaped troughs are convergent towards said titling plane and along said tilting direction.

[0022] Preferably, said plurality of bifurcated catch members are integrally moulded together in an interlocking manner, said bifurcated catch members being disposed with their respective first and second branch members convergent towards said tilting plane and along said tilting direction.

[0023] Preferably, a plurality of partitioning compartments are defined by said plurality of bifurcated catch members such that the first branch member and the second branch member of a bifurcated catch member form the partial periphery of two adjacent partitioning compartments.

[0024] Preferably, said partitioning means include a plurality of partitioning compartments, said partitioning compartment being surrounded by at least four side walls, wherein two of said side walls being formed by the first and second branch members of a catch member and the remaining side walls being formed by the branch members of catch members immediately adjacent to said partitioning compartment.

[0025] Preferably, said side walls of said partitioning compartment being generally being quadrilateral with one of the diagonal generally parallel to said tilting direction.

[0026] Preferably, the side walls of said partitioning compartment being generally rhombic with one of the diagonals being generally parallel to said tilting direction.

[0027] Preferably, said partitioning means include a plurality of partitioning compartments of generally rhombic shape such that one of the diagonals of said generally rhombic-shaped partitioning compartments being generally parallel to said tilting plane or said tilting direction.

[0028] Preferably, said first branch member and said second branch member of a bifurcated catch member being adjacent to the diagonal of said generally rhombic-shaped partitioning compartment which is generally parallel to said tilting plane or said tilting direction.

[0029] Preferably, said tilting plane and said titling direction being different when said golf bag is being rested on its supporting stand and when said golf bag is being shoulder-carried in the ordinary course of usage, said golf bag being characterised by a first set and a second set of tilting planes and titling directions corresponding respectively to the conditions when said golf bag is being rested on its supporting stand or when said golf bag is being shoulder-carried, said portioning means include a plurality of partitioning compartments including a plurality of bifurcated pairs of catch members, said bifurcated pairs of catch members defining a corresponding plurality of catch portions which are disposed so that when said golf bag is titled along any of said first or said second said of tilting planes or tilting directions, the shaft portion of a golf club received within a partitioning compartment will generally rest on one of said catch portions due to gravity.

[0030] Preferably, said V-shaped troughs are generally aligned with their vertices pointing along said major axis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained in more detail by way of examples and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:—

[0032] FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing a preferred embodiment of a golf bag with a stand of the present invention showing the relative positions of the shafts of golf clubs when the golf bag is resting on a prescribed inclined position,

[0033] FIG. 2a is a top plan view of a top end member of the golf bag of FIG. 1,

[0034] FIG. 2b is a side view of the top end member of FIG. 2a,

[0035] FIG. 2c is a front view of the top end member of FIG. 2a,

[0036] FIG. 3 illustrates the golf bag of FIG. 1 loaded with golf clubs when resting in its preferred inclined position when supported on a stand,

[0037] FIG. 4 illustrates the golf bag of FIG. 1 loaded with golf clubs when being shoulder-carried.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0038] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 2c, there is shown a preferred embodiment of a golf bag 1 of the present invention. The golf bag 1 includes a top end member 10, an elongated body 20, a bottom end member 30, a stand 40, a handle 50 and anchoring means.

[0039] The top end member 10 is generally connected to and supported by the bottom end member 30 by a plurality of stays. The bottom end member 30 is preferably moulded from hard plastics and generally includes a closed bottom part with an upstanding peripheral wall surrounding the closed bottom end. Typically, the bottom end member 30 is attached to the lower end of the elongated body 20 by stitching or sewing to the upstanding peripheral wall of the bottom end member.

[0040] The elongated body 20 is usually made from a flexible material such as, for example, fabrics, leather, nylon, polyester or suitable flexible materials. The flexible elongated body 20 is a generally hollow cylindrical body with an upper aperture for connecting to the top end member 10 and a lower aperture for connecting to the bottom end member 30. Thus, the flexible enclosure generally extends along a longitudinal direction and surrounds the top end member 10 and the bottom end member 30, thereby defining a substantial portion of the golf club storage space.

[0041] A handle 50 is usually provided on the outer surface of the elongated body 20 so that the golf bag can be hand-carried by a user. Usually, anchoring or fastening means for attachment to a shoulder-carrying strap or should carrier system are also provided on the outside of the elongated body 20 so that the golf bag can be attached to a shoulder carrier and shoulder-carried for a longer distance. In general, the golf bag will be tilted along a preferred or pre-determined tilting plane or tilting direction when being shoulder-carried by a preferred shoulder-carrying strap, as illustrated in FIG. 4 or when hand carried.

[0042] The golf bag 1 may be optionally provided with a supporting stand 40 which is preferably retractable and more preferably automatically retractable to facilitate convenient usage. When the golf bag 1 is resting on its supporting stands as illustrated in FIG. 3, it generally tilts along a preferred or prescribed tilting plane and tilting direction. For example, when the golf bag is tilted in the manner shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the top end member 10 of the golf bag tilts along the clockwise direction along the tilting plane as shown in the figures.

[0043] The top end member 10 is preferably substantially rigid to give a permanent form and is preferably covered by a cushioning material to protect the delicate and fragile shafts of golf clubs from being damaged. In order to facilitate neat and orderly storage as well as easy and convenient selection and retrieval of golf clubs already stored in the golf bag 1, partitioning means are provided on the top end member 10.

[0044] In the present embodiment, the top end member 10 includes a top collar member 11 and partitioning means. The partitioning means include a moulded partitioning grid member 12 which is formed with a plurality of compartments 13 for receiving golf clubs. Preferably, at least 14 compartments are formed by the partitioning grid 12 and the top collar member 10 so that the maximum of 14 golf clubs maximumly allowable by a standard game can be individually stored in each of the compartments. Of course, more or fewer compartments can be provided without loss of generality. Preferably, the partitioning grid and the top collar member are integrally moulded together as a unity piece for enhanced robustness and enhanced productivity due to the ease of manufacturing. In a preferred form, the partitioning grid member is generally symmetric about the plane of tilting.

[0045] In addition, the partitioning grids are formed with a plurality of catch portions 14. Each catch portion 14 includes a bifurcated catch member having a first branch member 15 and a second branch member 16 which are generally convergent towards each other and forming a catch member 14 between their convergent ends. The catch portions are generally arranged so that, when the golf bag 1 is being tilted generally along the tilting plane and along the tilting direction, the catch portion 14 will generally move in advance of the remaining portions of the bifurcated catch members. With this arrangement, the shaft portions of golf clubs stored within the partitioning compartments defined by the bifurcated catch members will generally rest on the catch portions due to gravity when the golf bag is tilted as illustrated in the manner shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0046] It will be noted from the Figures that the first 15 and the second 16 branch members of the bifurcated catch members are generally convergent towards planes which are generally parallel to the tilting plane, that is, the plane along which the golf bag tilts when being utilized in the manner as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0047] To allow attachment of the golf bag to the shoulder-carrying straps or shoulder carriers, anchoring means are usually provided on the outside of the elongated body 20. Typically but not necessarily, the anchoring means and the supporting stand are generally configured so that the tilting planes of the golf bag in both configurations are substantially identical or parallel.

[0048] Referring more specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2a, it will be noted that the catch portions 14 are generally angular troughs which are preferably V-shaped troughs with the angular portion or vertices pointing along the tilting direction when used in the manner of FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0049] In another perspective, it will be noted that the partitioning means include a plurality of partitioning compartments 13 which are defined by a plurality pairs of bifurcated catch members with the first branch member 15 and the second branch member 16 also forming the partial periphery of the two adjacent partitioning compartments. Thus, in this preferred embodiment, a plurality of quadrilateral partitioning compartments are formed by the partitioning grid 12 in which each partitioning compartment includes a bifurcated catch member having a first branch member 15 and a second branch member 16 which are convergent towards each other and defining a catch portion between their convergent ends.

[0050] More specifically, although not necessarily, the quadrilateral partitioning compartments are generally of rhombic shape with one of its diagonals parallel to the tilting plane. Thus, the top end member 10 of the present preferred embodiment includes a partitioning grid having a plurality of rhombic partitioning compartments integrally moulded together in an interlocking manner with the top collar portion so that the diagonals of the generally rhombic shaped compartments are substantially parallel to the tilting planes. In yet another perspective, it will be noted that the top end member 10 is generally oval-shaped with a major axis which is generally parallel to the tilting planes. In this context, the major axis generally means the axis which defines the largest dimension across the top end member 10.

[0051] It will further be observed from the illustrations of FIGS. 3 and 4 that when the golf bag is being carried or rested in the preferred manners, the shafts will generally rest at the bottom of the V-shaped troughs due to gravity. Furthermore, when the shafts of the golf clubs are moved out of the catch portions as a result of excessive jiggling, rocking or shaking of the golf bag, the shafts will return to the stable positions, namely, the catch portions defined by the convergent ends of the bifurcated catch members, once the adverse conditions have been removed.

[0052] With the catch portions or the catch members arranged according to the various forms of the present inventions, it will be noted that the golf clubs are optimally spaced and stored within the top end member of the golf bag. Specifically, the golf shafts will be stowed automatically in their respective catch portions once the golf bag is titled along the tilting plane or the tilting direction. More specifically, the shafts will be stowed in the catch portions so that the shafts are maintained at optimal and predetermined separations to alleviate head collisions. In this regard, the distances between adjacent catch portions, especially catch portions along a line parallel to the tilting plane or the tilting direction, should be slightly larger than the lateral span of the club heads.

[0053] While the present invention has been explained by reference to the preferred embodiments described above, it will be appreciated that the embodiments are only examples provided to illustrate the present invention and are not meant to be restrictive on the scope or ambit of the present invention. More specifically, this invention should be determined from the general principles and spirit of the invention as described above. In particular, variations or modifications which are obvious or trivial to persons skilled in the art, as well as improvements made on the basis of the present invention, should be considered as falling within the scope and boundary of the present invention. Furthermore, while the present invention has been explained by reference to a golf bag of specific designs, it should be appreciated that the invention can apply, whether with or without modification, to other golf bags in general.

Claims

1. A golf bag including an elongated body for receiving golf clubs and a top end member through which golf clubs are inserted into and removed from said elongated body, said golf bag being characterised by a tilting plane and a tilting direction along which said elongated body is generally tilted when said golf bag is being supported on its supporting stand or when said golf bag is being shoulder-carried in the ordinary course of usage, said top end member includes partitioning means and a collar portion surrounding said partitioning means, said partitioning means include a plurality of catch portions which are formed by a corresponding plurality of bifurcated catch members, said bifurcated catch member includes a first branch member and a second branch member which are convergent towards each other and form said catch portion between the convergent ends of said first branch member and said second branch member, said catch portions of said plurality of catch members being disposed so that, when said golf bag is being tilted generally along said tilting plane and along said tilting direction, said catch portions generally move along said tilting plane and said tilting direction in advance of the remaining portions of said bifurcated catch members and the shaft portion of a golf club received within a compartment defined by said bifurcated members will generally rest on said catch portions due to gravity.

2. A golf bag according to claim 1, wherein said first and second branch members of said plurality of said bifurcated catch members being generally convergent towards planes which are parallel to said tilting plane.

3. A golf bag according to claim 1, wherein said catch portion of said bifurcated catch member being a generally V-shaped trough with said first and second bifurcated branch members forming the sides of said V-shaped trough.

4. A golf bag according to claim 3, wherein said V-shaped troughs are generally aligned with their vertices pointing along said tilting direction.

5. A golf bag according to claim 3, wherein all said V-shaped troughs on said partitioning means are generally disposed so that the bifurcated arms of said V-shaped troughs are convergent towards said titling plane and along said tilting direction.

6. A golf bag according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of bifurcated catch members are integrally moulded together in an interlocking manner, said bifurcated catch members being disposed with their respective first and second branch members convergent towards said tilting plane and along said tilting direction.

7. A golf bag according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of partitioning compartments are defined by said plurality of bifurcated catch members such that the first branch member and the second branch member of a bifurcated catch member form the partial periphery of two adjacent partitioning compartments.

8. A golf bag according to claim 6, wherein said partitioning means include a plurality of partitioning compartments, said partitioning compartment being surrounded by at least four side walls, wherein two of said side walls being formed by the first and second branch members of a catch member and the remaining side walls being formed by the branch members of catch members immediately adjacent to said partitioning compartment.

9. A golf bag according to claim 8, wherein said side walls of said partitioning compartment being generally being quadrilateral with one of the diagonal generally parallel to said tilting direction.

10. A golf bag according to claim 8, wherein the side walls of said partitioning compartment being generally rhombic with one of the diagonals being generally parallel to said tilting direction.

11. A golf bag according to claim 1, wherein said partitioning means include a plurality of partitioning compartments of generally rhombic shape such that one of the diagonals of said generally rhombic-shaped partitioning compartments being generally parallel to said tilting plane or said tilting direction.

12. A golf bag according to claim 11, wherein said first branch member and said second branch member of a bifurcated catch member being adjacent to the diagonal of said generally rhombic-shaped partitioning compartment which is generally parallel to said tilting plane or said tilting direction.

13. A golf bag according to claim 1, wherein said tilting plane and said titling direction being different when said golf bag is being rested on its supporting stand and when said golf bag is being shoulder-carried in the ordinary course of usage, said golf bag being characterised by a first set and a second set of tilting planes and titling directions corresponding respectively to the conditions when said golf bag is being rested on its supporting stand or when said golf bag is being shoulder-carried, said portioning means include a plurality of partitioning compartments including a plurality of bifurcated pairs of catch members, said bifurcated pairs of catch members defining a corresponding plurality of catch portions which are disposed so that when said golf bag is titled along any of said first or said second said of tilting planes or tilting directions, the shaft portion of a golf club received within a partitioning compartment will generally rest on one of said catch portions due to gravity.

14. A top end member of a golf bag, said top end member includes partitioning means and a collar member surrounding said partitioning means, said collar member being generally oval-shaped with a major axis, said partitioning means include a plurality of catch portions which are formed by a corresponding plurality of bifurcated catch members, said bifurcated catch member includes a first branch member and a second branch member which are convergent towards each other and form said catch portion between the convergent ends of said first branch member and said second branch member, said first branch member and said second branch member being generally convergent towards a direction which is substantially parallel to said major axis.

15. A top end member according to claim 14, wherein said catch portion of said bifurcated catch member being a generally V-shaped trough with said first and second bifurcated branch members forming the sides of said V-shaped trough.

16. A top end member according to claim 15, wherein said V-shaped troughs are generally aligned with their vertices pointing along said major axis.

17. A top end member according to claim 15, wherein all said V-shaped troughs on said partitioning means are disposed so that the bifurcated arms of said V-shaped troughs are generally convergent towards a direction parallel to said major axis.

18. A golf bag including a top end member of claim 14.

19. A golf bag including a top end member of claim 15.

20. A golf bag including a top end member of claim 16.