Combination golf club headcover and beverage cooler

Abstract

The present invention is a combined beverage cooler and golf club cover for both covering the head of a golf club or for supporting a drink. The invention comprises a hollow foam cylinder connected to a hollow fabric sleeve. The present invention is configured to fit into a golf cart drink holder while supporting a beverage. The shaft protector extending from the club head cover is configured to fold into the head cover when the invention is being used as a beverage cooler.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit and priority from provisional application No. 60/628,863, filed on Nov. 16, 2004, entitled, “Improved Golf Cover/Drink Cooler,” which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present general inventive concept relates to a dual-purpose device, which can be used both as a protective cover for golf clubs and an insulated beverage cooler.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Millions of people throughout the world play golf. Because golf is typically played in warmer weather, the prevention of dehydration and sunstroke is important. Therefore, the availability of cool beverages is always a concern. Additionally, most golfers use golf club head covers to protect their woods from damage. The present invention is capable of both keeping beverages cool and protecting a golfer's woods from being damaged. There has been at least one patent directed to combination golf club cover and drink cooler. U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,898, to Miller, has an issue date of Mar. 31, 1992. The patent is directed to a combination golf club cover and beverage insulator which comprises a unitary device. The outer cover has two sections, a first section which receives the golf club head, and a second section which houses the insulating device which receives the beverage. The insulator is a cylindrical sleeve open at both ends which allows the club to pass through the insulator to the furthermost portion of the golf club cover. Once the cover is removed, a beverage can conveniently be placed within the insulator.

However, Applicant's invention has very different form from that of Miller's invention. As a result, Miller's invention does not appear capable of performing all of the functions that Applicant's invention is capable. Unlike Miller's invention, Applicant's invention uses a foam cylinder as the actual head cover and has structural features, such as a fold-in shaft protector and a contoured foam cylinder. These novel improvements allow the Applicant's invention, when being used as a beverage cooler, to be received by standard drink holding apparatuses found in most vehicles, including golf carts. Additionally, Applicant's foam headcover provides an increased level of protection for the head of a golf club as compared to the level of protection provided by Miller's fabric headcover.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an aspect of the present general inventive concept to provide a dual-purpose device that can be used both as a golf club headcover and also an insulated beverage cooler. The invention protects a golf club's head and shaft as a regular cover utilizing a thicker protective head cover and an attached sleeve made from thinner material which protects the shafts of the clubs. By simply folding the thinner shaft cover inside the thicker head cover, the device becomes a beverage cooler for both bottles and cans. The protective headcover can be designed and sized to fit into standard golf cart cup holders. The foam rubber insulation provides both the necessary protection for golf clubs and the ability to regulate beverage temperature.

The present invention may include a hollow foam cylinder, or other suitable shape that may have the proper dimensions to either receive a club head of a single golf club or a beverage container, having a closed end and an open end. The circumference of the open end of the hollow foam cylinder can be large enough to receive either the head of a golf club or a standard beverage container. The hollow foam cylinder can also have an attached cylindrical fabric shaft protector for protecting a golf club's shaft from dents and scratches. The cylindrical fabric shaft protector can be folded into the open end of the hollow foam cylinder so that a beverage container can simultaneously be received by both of the hollow foam cylinder and the cylindrical fabric shaft protector.

In a further embodiment, the invention is a combined beverage cooler and golf club cover comprising: an insulative cover configured to protect a golf club head and also being configured to support a beverage and sized fit into a standard drink holder commonly found on golf carts; and a shaft protector extending from the insulator cover and being configured to fold into the head cover when used as a drink holder.

In still a further embodiment, the invention is a combined beverage cooler and golf club cover comprising: a cylindrical insulative cover configured to protect a golf club head and also being configured to support a beverage and sized fit into a standard drink holder commonly found on golf carts; and a shaft protector extending from the club head cover and being configured to fold into the head cover when used as a beverage cooler.

Those and other aspects of the present general inventive concept will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the following detailed description of the general inventive concept together with the following drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a cutaway perspective view of the structure of the present invention, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention receiving a golf club, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the present invention receiving a beverage container, according to an embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention receiving a beverage container and being received by a drink holder in a golf cart, according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

The present general inventive concept relates to a dual-purpose insulated beverage cooler that may also function as a head cover for a golf club.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dual-purpose device that may act as both an insulative beverage cooler and head cover for a golf club, according to an embodiment.

In an embodiment of the present general inventive concept, a dual-purpose device can consist of two pieces. A first piece 100 that can be made from an insulative material such as foam polyurethane or another suitable material known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The first piece 100 can be roughly cylindrical in shape, with a hollow center, having a first closed end 101 and a first open end 103. The first closed end 101 can be tapered to allow the device to be placed in cup holders (not pictured) having a circumference less than that of the maximum circumference of first piece 100. The hollow center (not pictured) of the first piece 100 can have a sufficient volume to receive either a beverage container (not pictured) or the head of a golf club (not pictured).

Said first piece 100 can be attached to a second piece 102. The second piece 102 can be made from a knitted fabric or other suitable material. The second piece 102 can be tubular in shape, having both an opening at a first end 105 and an opening at a second end 107 and a hollow center throughout. The second piece 102 can be capable of folding into the hollow center (not pictured) of the first piece 100 when the device is being used as a beverage cooler.

The first piece 100 and second piece 102 can be attached to one another so that there exists a continuous hollow opening (not pictured) that includes the hollow center (not pictured) of the first piece 100 and the hollow center (not pictured) of the tubular second piece 102. Access to said continuous hollow opening can be made through the opening at the second end 107 of the second piece 102.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the structure of the present invention, including a cutaway perspective view of the first piece 200, according to an embodiment.

The hollow center 202 of the first piece 200 can be of sufficient volume to receive either a beverage container (not pictured) or the head of a golf club (not pictured).

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention receiving a golf club, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 depicts the present invention, in its capacity as a head cover, protecting a standard golf club 303. The present invention is placed over the golf club 303 through the opening (not pictured) at the second end 307 of the second piece 302, and is slid down over the club until the top of the golf club 303 reaches the inside of the first closed end 301 of the first piece 300. The insulative material from which the first piece 300 can be constructed, whether that be polyurethane or some other suitable material, acts to protect the head of the golf club 303. The second piece 302 extends downward over a shaft 305 of the golf club 303 to protect said shaft 305 from damage caused by contact between said shaft 305 and other clubs (not pictured), particularly irons.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the present invention receiving a beverage container, according to an embodiment.

When being used as a beverage cooler, the second piece 402 of the present invention can be folded inside of the first piece 400 resulting in a cylindrical opening (not pictured). The cylindrical opening can be of sufficient size to contain a beverage container 401, so that the top of the beverage container 401 protrudes from the cylindrical opening. The beverage container 401 can be a bottle, can, or other suitable container.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention receiving a beverage container and being received by a drink holder in a golf cart, according to an embodiment.

When the present invention is being used as a drink cooler, the tapered first closed end 503 of the first piece 500 can be received by a standard drink holder 501 found on many golf carts. However, the present invention can be just as easily received by drink holders commonly found in cars and elsewhere.

The present invention has been described with reference to the enclosed preferred embodiments. It is to be appreciated that the true nature and scope of the invention is to be determined with reference to the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A combined beverage cooler and golf club cover comprising:

a first piece, made of insulating foam or similar material known to one of ordinary skill in the art, having a first end and a second end and a hollow center of sufficient size and shape to receive and cover a head of a golf club or a beverage container; and

the first piece being closed at the first end and having an opening at said second end of sufficient size and shape to receive the head of a golf club or a beverage container into the hollow center of the first piece.

2. The combined beverage cooler and golf club cover described in claim 1, wherein the second end of the first piece is attached to a second piece that functions to protect the shaft of a golf club, said second piece further comprising:

a fabric tube having a first end and a second end being made from material suitable for protecting the shafts of golf clubs;

the fabric tube having a hollow center of sufficient volume to receive either a head of a golf club or a beverage container;

the fabric tube having openings, at both its first end and second end, each of sufficient size and shape to receive either the head of a golf club or a beverage container; and

the first end of said second piece being attached to the second end of said first piece so as to create a continuous cavity created by the hollow center of the first piece and the hollow center of the second piece.

3. The combined beverage cooler and golf club cover described in claim 1, wherein the first piece is of a sufficient size and shape to be capable of receiving a beverage container while simultaneously being received by a vehicle's drink holder.

4. The combined beverage cooler and golf club cover described in claim 2, wherein the first piece is of a sufficient size and shape to be capable of receiving a beverage container while simultaneously being received by a vehicle's drink holder.

5. The combined beverage cooler and golf club cover described in claim 2, wherein the second piece is capable of folding inside the hollow center of the first piece, when the invention functions as a beverage cooler.

6. A combined beverage cooler and golf club cover comprising:

a first piece, made of insulating foam or similar material known to one of ordinary skill in the art, having a first end and a second end and a hollow center of sufficient volume to receive and cover a head of a golf club or a beverage container;

the first piece having an opening at said second end capable of receiving the head of a golf club or receiving a beverage container into the hollow center;

the first end of the first piece being closed and having a sufficient size and shape to be capable of receiving a beverage container while simultaneously being received by a vehicle's drink holder;

the second end of the first piece is attached to a second piece that functions to protect the shaft of a golf club, further comprising:

a fabric tube having a first end and a second end, and having a hollow center of sufficient volume to receive a head of a golf club or, alternatively, a beverage container;

the fabric tube having openings, at both its first end and second end, each of sufficient size to receive either the head of a golf club or a beverage container;

the first end of said second piece being attached to the second end of said first piece so as to create a continuous cavity created by the hollow center of the first piece and the hollow center of the second piece;

the second piece being made from material suitable for protecting the shafts of golf clubs; and

the second piece being capable of folding inside the hollow center of the first piece, when the invention functions as a beverage cooler.