Attachable golf club cleaning brush

Abstract

Improvements in a golf club cleaning device made to be easily removed from a specially designed clip that attaches to the golf bag, back of a golf cart, pant belt, or any item that would be useful to have a cleaning brush. The brush has bristles on two opposing side made with different materials such as Nylon and Brass. The clip further includes retention means for golf tees and also include retention means for a golf ball marker.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to applicant's provisional application Ser. No. 60/865,153 filed Nov. 9, 2006 and claims incorporation by reference herein.

DESCRIPTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to improvements in a golfers cleaning brush. More particularly, the present brush has a handle configured in the shape of a golf club. The golf club cleaning brush also includes a clip that allows the brush to be secured to the outside of a golf bag. The brush slides onto a clip that attaches to the golf bag, golf cart, belt, or any item what would be useful to have a cleaning brush attached.

2. Background of the Invention

Most golfers will need to clean the head of their golf club at one time or another. Sometimes the golf club needs to be cleaned in an area where there is limited or no water. In these situations one of the more practical ways of cleaning the golf club head is with a brush that can clean the debris from the surface and grooves of the club. In the ideal situation the brush should be easily located near the golfer and even more preferably mountable on a golfer's pants, golf cart or golf bag. Some patents have been issued on products that provide some of features and functions required, exemplary examples of these patents are identified herein.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,357 issued Sep. 5, 200 to Richard Halloran discloses an Extendable golf brush. The invention is basically a two sided brush attached to an extendable tether. The tether has a fastening arm that allows the brush to be secured to a pants loop or similar thin strap. While this patent discloses a securable brush it requires that the user be tethered to the brush, and the user must be within the measured distance of the fastening arm on the extendable tether. The handle of the brush is a flat formed part and does not have any similarity to a golfing product.

U.S. Design Patent number D382,116 issued Aug. 12, 1997 to Anthony Norlli discloses a Golf Club Brush that resembles a full length golf putter with bristles on the sides of the putter faces. While this design patent shows a golf club with an incorporated brushing surface there is no mechanism for temporally securing the brush to a surface for easy accessibility. In addition the elongated handle makes gripping the club near the bristles difficult and reduces the ability of the user to apply higher level of force on the bristle to ensure complete cleaning of a golf club face.

U.S. Design Patents numbers D522,247 and D522,756 issued Jun. 6, 2006 and Jun. 13, 2006 to Joseph Moore respectively discloses a Golf Grill Brush Device and a Golf Putter Basting Brush Device. These brushes have a typical golf handle and bristles placed at the end of the shaft. In both embodiments the patents describe the use of the brush as a cooking tool used for basting or cleaning a grill surface.

What is needed is a golf head cleaning brush having bristles of different types to provide for different cleaning amounts. The golf head cleaning brush should also have a handle shaped and configured like the handle of a golf club. The brush should also allow for quick accessibility that allows it to be secured and removed quickly from a variety of mounting surfaces. The proposed attachable golf club cleaning brush satisfies these requirements with a brush that is easily removed, has a handle shaped similar to a golf club handle and with bristles of different stiffness factors.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the attachable golf club cleaning brush to provide a brush with a handle configured like a golf club handle. This shape is the most familiar for a golfer and makes the brush appear like the clubs a golfer will carry and does not make the brush seem out of place when being used by a golfer. The shape is preferably tapered from the end to the bristles, and with the placement of the bristles on the sides of the handle the golfer can apply the desired amount of force required to clean the face of a golf club.

It is an object of the attachable golf club cleaning brush to provide a brush with an easily removable attachment mechanism. The brush is removably mountable on a hanger and is slid onto the hanger where it is available for quick use. The hanger has a clip type gripping portion that allows the clip to be securable onto a surface such as is commonly available on a golf bag or on a golf cart. It can also include a magnet or Velcro to allow the clip to hold on a metallic surface.

It is an object of the attachable golf club cleaning brush to provide a brush with golf tee lifting, turf repair, cleat or spike wrench. This multifunctional tool is incorporated within the handle of the brush and is easily deployed to perform the desired function. The tool further provides for a golf ball marking spot that is easily installed and removed from the bottom of the brush as needed.

It is another object attachable golf club cleaning brush to provide a brush with bristles of different stiffness rates. The different stiffness bristles allows the brush to be used to remove debris of different types based upon the type of dirt. The different bristles are also usable on different types of clubs from woods to irons. The brush is also usable to clean debris from a golf ball or golf shoes.

It is still another object of the attachable golf club cleaning brush to provide a brush with features that allow for holding golf tees. The sides of the hanger have holes that allow for a plurality of golf tees to be stored for easy availability when needed. Typically the bulk of the tees are stored in a golf bag and that must be opened every time a tee is needed. Placing multiple tees in the brush clip reduces the amount of time and effort required to open a golf bag and remove a tee.

Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an isometric exploded view of the Golf Club Cleaning Device showing the various parts and the interaction of the components.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the Golf Club Cleaning Device.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the Golf Club Cleaning Device.

FIG. 4 shows a top view of the Golf Club Cleaning Device.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the Golf Club Cleaning Device shown in an assembled configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an isometric exploded view of the Golf Club Cleaning Device showing the various parts and the interaction of the components. The golf club cleaning brush is designed to attach to a clip that is attached to the outside of a golf bag 100, pant belt, golf cart, or any item that would be useful to have a cleaning brush. The clip 20 has a spring type 21 open loop with teeth 24 that grip the golf bag or other similar item. The clip is designed to hold tightly onto an object. The clip may be made to clip onto a pack pocket of clothing. The back of a golf cart. The back of a pulling cart. A lower extension nipple 25 extends on the bottom of the clip on the side opposing the clip to help retain the clip. It is also contemplated that the clip has a magnet inserted within the clip to hold the clip onto a metallic surface. The clip 20 holds or attaches to a bag 100 and has a receiver 23 to hold the golf club handle and cleaning brush. It has a receiving area for the brush. The clip also has an area 22 to hold golf tees 110. The back of the brush has an area the sticks out 32 designed to fit into the clip 23. Several different embodiments are contemplated for securing the brush to the clip. In one embodiment a magnet is incorporated. In another embodiment a tapered dovetail is used. In still another embodiment temporary securing means such as Velcro or other similar means is utilized. In the preferred embodiment a hanging lip extends from the back side of the brush and is engaged in an open hole 23 on the clip. 20

The brush has a mating holder 32 to retain the golf brush in an upright position making it easy for a user to remove the brush from the clip 23. The clip is the brush holder. The brush fits into the clip 20 while not in use. The brush has two sets of bristles 31 and 33 used to clean golf clubs. The bristles can be made to withdraw into the brush. One of the bristles is preferably nylon and the other is preferably brass but other bristle material are contemplated including but not limited to stainless steel, hair, and polyester. In the preferred embodiment the bristles are oriented in a slightly downward angle to increase the amount of force a user can exert on the brush. The downward angle also allows any debris in the brush to be more easily cleared with gravity when the brush is being stored. The front of the brush has an indent 37 for a domed logo to be placed. The logo can be interchangeable. The brush part has a handle 30 shaped like a golf grip. The head has two sets of brushed. The head is made out of ABS plastic. In the preferred embodiment the gripping portion of the handle is made from a molded ABS material the gripping portion could be wrapped, or molded in a separate molding operation where the gripping portion is a more flexible rubber type material. The brush may be made to insert into itself. They may be made with a variety of different brushes allowing the user to place brush into a pocket or bag.

The top 32 of the brush has a hole 35 designed to hold a ball marker 36. The ball marker has a lower pin that slides into the hole 35 to frictionally retain the marker when not in use. In one embodiment the bottom of the gripping portion has a removable tool that is slid out or unscrewed from the bottom 34 of the gripping portion of the handle. The tool has multiple functions 41 and is usable as a golf tee lifting device, turf repair, cleat or spike wrench formed in the elongated forked end 42. This multifunctional tool is incorporated within the handle of the brush and is easily deployed to perform the desired function.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the Golf Club Cleaning Device and FIG. 3 shows a side view of the Golf Club Cleaning Device. In FIG. 2 the indent 37 for the logo is clearly visible. It is contemplated that the logo can be molded into this area or that the logo can exist as an adhesively backed part that is adhered to the logo area 37. It is also contemplated that a polishing surface can be placed in the logo area to allow for polishing of a golf club head surface. The top portion of the clip 20 that connects the brush to another object. From the side profile FIG. 3 the loop spring 21 of the clip is shown with the gripping teeth 24. The extension lip 25 is shown to allow the clipped material to be more securely captured. Four holes 22 are used to store golf tees making them easily accessible when needed. The handle 30 is also visible with the bottom closure of the handle 40 and the optional tool device 41. The bristles of the brush 31 and 33 are shown on opposite facing sides of the brush. The top of the brush 35 has a recess for the storage of a ball marking spot.

FIG. 4 shows a top view and FIG. 5 shows an assembled isometric view of the Golf Club Cleaning Device. From FIG. 5 the logo face 37 is shown. The bristles on the opposing sides of the brush are shown as items 31 and 33. The hole for retaining the ball marker 35 is clearly shown and has slots placed on opposite sides of the hole to allow the hole to spread to retain the ball marker. The clip 20 and the open portion spring portion 21 is visible in FIG. 5 along with the gripping teeth 24. At the bottom of the brush the handle is shown with the closure on the bottom with the multipurpose tool 41 stored within the brush handle.

In another embodiment it is contemplated that the bristles of the brush are retractable into the handle of the brush. In this configuration the handle is extended or from the head of the brush to extend or retract the bristles.

Thus, specific embodiments of an attachable golf club cleaning brush have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A golfer's cleaning brush comprising:

an elongated tapered handle having a visual appearance of the gripping portion of a golf club;

bristles placed at opposing sides at the tapered end of the elongated tapered handle;

an attachment mechanism for removably securing the elongated tapered handle to a clipping means;

a clipping means that provides for collapsible pinching of the clipping means to secure the clipping means on a thin wall.

2. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 wherein the brush is retained on the attachment mechanism with a tapered dovetail feature.

3. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 wherein the brush is retained on the attachment mechanism with Velcro.

4. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 wherein the brush is retained with a finger that extends through an open hole in the clip.

5. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 wherein the brush is retained on the attachment mechanism with at least one magnet.

6. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 wherein the clipping means has at least one tooth to grip the thin wall.

7. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 wherein at least one set of bristles is nylon.

8. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 wherein at least one set of bristles is brass.

9. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 that further includes a retention means for retaining a golf ball marker.

10. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 that further includes a multipurpose tool that is storable within the handle of the brush.

11. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 10 wherein the multipurpose tool is used as a golf tee lifting device, turf repair, cleat or spike wrench.

12. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 that further includes at lest one hole in the attachment mechanism for the retention of at least one golf tee.

13. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 that further includes at least one surface for the placement of a logo or molded insert.

14. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 wherein the bristles are placed at a downward angle that is tipped towards the handle.

15. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 wherein the attachment means on the brush can be clipped over a thin material loop separately from the clipping means.

16. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 that further includes a polishing area exists on the head of the brush between the bristle sides.

17. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 wherein the bristles are retractable into the handle of the brush.

18. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 wherein the clipping means is an open clip with a spring clip that provides clamping on a thin walled surface.

19. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 wherein the removal of the brush from the clipping means is by sliding the brush along the clipping means.

20. The golfer's cleaning brush according to claim 1 wherein the clipping means includes securing features for the retention of at least one golf tee.