GB2256808A - Golf bag. - Google Patents

Abstract

A golf bag has an upper end piece defining at least one opening 18, formed by a main member 10 and a secondary member 21 which extends around the opening as which is of a material more flexible than that of the main member 10. <IMAGE>

Description

GOLF BAG This invention relates to golf bags.

Golf bags which hold the various clubs used during the game in an orderly manner usually comprise a lower end piece connected to an upper end piece by a peripheral envelope which forms the bag proper. The lower end piece is closed to form the base of the bag, while the upper end piece forms a visible peripheral edge forming the open top of the bag through which the clubs are inserted.

Clubs are placed in the bag with their handles, generally called grips, resting on the base, while their heads project beyond the bag to be grasped by the player.

The shafts of the clubs are thus supported against the inner edge of the upper end piece or its compartments.

The various continuous movements of the bag, particularly when it is being carried by a player, cause constant rubbing between the shafts and the said edge of the end piece which is generally constructed of a rigid material.

This results in premature wear of the shafts, spoiling their appearance. This applies especially to modern composite materials which are used increasingly frequently.

The present invention addresses this disadvantage and as a solution it proposes a golf bag comprising an upper end piece defining at least one opening and including a main member surrounding said opening and a secondary member extending around the inner surface of the main member about said opening, the secondary member being constructed of a more flexible material than that of the main member.

With a bag according to the invention, the secondary member serves to protect the shafts of the clubs carried in the bag.

The main member can be of plastics material and the secondary member can be constructed of the same plastics material but of a lesser hardness. Alternatively the secondary member may be constructed of a different plastics material. Thus, the main member may be of a rigid plastics material of the acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene or other type, and the secondary member may be of a plastics material having a lower hardness coefficient, such as flexible polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, styrene-butadiene-styrene or synthetic rubber, such as thermoplastic rubber.

Preferably the secondary protective member is a peripheral member providing an inner protective wall which covers the inwardly facing surface of the mains member and which advantageously projects above the upper surface of the main member around the opening.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention the main component comprises a plurality of partitioned spaces of which at least one incorporates a secondary protective member which is for example moulded onto the main member, or injected simultaneously therewith.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be clear from the following description of some specific embodiments which are given merely by way of nonrestrictive examples, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a golf bag according to the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the golf bag; Figure 3 is a plan view of the bag top shown on a larger scale; Figure 4 is a cross-section along IV-IV in Figure 3; Figure 4a shows on an enlarged scale a detail of Figure 4; Figures 5, 6 and 7 are views similar to Figure 2 illustrating three variants; Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 4a showing a variant; Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing another variant; and Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 8 showing another embodiment.

The golf bag, which is indicated by a general reference number (1) comprises in a manner which is in itself known a lower end piece (2) in its lower part and an upper end piece (3) in its upper part. The lower and upper end pieces are connected together by a peripheral envelope (4) which forms the outer wall of the bag proper.

The upper end piece and the lower end piece are advantageously constructed of plastics material, whereas the peripheral envelope is of a rigid, semi-rigid or flexible material, such as a plastics sheet or leather.

The bag also includes a set of pockets (5), a carrying strap (6) and a handle (7) for carrying.

The lower end piece (2) comprises a lower peripheral edge (8) and a base member (9) to form both the surface on which the bag rests when it is placed vertically on the ground, and also a support for the grips (121) of the clubs (12) when these are placed in the bag.

The upper end piece (3) consists of an upper peripheral border (10) forming the top (11) of the bag through which the golf clubs (12) are placed within it.

In accordance with an advantageous arrangement of upper end piece (3), this comprises a main member (13) forming a frame and includes four partitioned spaces (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) in order that the clubs may be better arranged: a front partitioned space (14a), a rear partitioned space (14b), a left lateral partitioned space (14c) and a right lateral partitioned space (14d). The partitioned spaces are formed together with the upper peripheral border (10) by means of a set of walls comprising two transverse walls (14a, 15b) which are parallel to each other and are connected by a central wall (15c). Each partitioned space is thus bounded peripherally by the inner peripheral surface (16) of corresponding peripheral wall (17).

In accordance with the embodiment illustrated as an example, each partitioned space comprises a secondary protection member (18a, 18b, 18c, 18d) according to the invention, and these are constructed of a material which is more flexible than the material of which the associated main member (13) is constructed, and constitutes a peripheral member. Thus the inner surface (16) of peripheral wall (17) of partitioned space (14) comprises said secondary protective member (18) which projects into (IN) the corresponding partitioned space. Advantageously secondary protective member (18) also projects upwards (HA) in relation to the upper surface (20) of peripheral wall (17).

Thus the secondary member comprises an inner peripheral protective wall (21) the outer shape of which corresponds to the inner shape of the corresponding partitioned space and the outer dimensions of which correspond to the inner dimensions of the said partitioned space. This wall (21) extends vertically over a great distance, even the full height of the inner peripheral surface of the partitioned space. Internal wall (210) of secondary member (18) may have a curvature (c) as illustrated in Figures 4 and 4a. It will also be noted that the inner protective wall also extends beyond the plane (P) of upper surface (20) so as thus to cover the inner upper corner (21) of the partitioned space, thus forming an upper peripheral rubbing strip.

Secondary protective member (18) may be moulded onto main member (13), but the end piece may also be obtained by double injection moulding. The secondary member is moulded by injection of the material which is to form the protective member onto the first member. It will also be noted that the second member (18) can also be thermoformed onto the first member (13) or obtained by thermal sheathing.

It will also be noted that the secondary protective member can be manufactured independently of the main member to be nested into the corresponding partitioned space, and then secured by bonding, welding or clipping, as illustrated in Figure 8. It may also be attached by any other mechanical securing means, such as by screws, bolts or rivets.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 show an upper end piece (3) of a golf bag comprising four partitioned spaces (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d), but it goes without saying that the invention is not restricted to this type of end piece. In fact the end piece may comprise only a single space (14), as illustrated in Figure 6, or only two partitioned spaces (14a, 14b) as in the embodiment in Figure 5.

It should also be noted that the general shape of the end member may be of any shape, e.g. such as that illustrated by way of a variant in Figure 7, which shows a circular end piece.

As already specified, the secondary protective member (18, 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d) is constructed of a more flexible material than that of which the main member (13) is constructed. The secondary member must therefore be constructed of a material whose hardness is less than that of the main member which must be a sufficiently rigid material to form the framework and thus ensure the mechanical strength of the bag. Thus the main member (13) of the end piece may be of steel, aluminium alloy or plastics material, such as acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene, polycarbonate, polyamide, polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride.

The secondary protective member must be constructed of a more flexible abrasion-resistant material which is pleasant to the touch. Furthermore, when the said protective member is designed to be welded to the main member or moulded on or constructed by simultaneous injection moulding, the corresponding two materials must be compatible. By compatible materials are meant two materials which weld or bond together under specific temperature or pressure conditions well known to those skilled in the art. Thus the secondary protective member may be of the same material as that of which the main member is constructed, but of a lower hardness, or be of another more flexible compatible material. Thus it may be of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyamide, flexible polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane or thermoplastic rubber.

As illustrated particularly in Figures 4 and 4a, it will be seen that the shaft (120) of a club (12) placed in the bag does not rest on the main rigid member (13) but on the more flexible secondary member (18).

It may be provided, as illustrated in Figure 9, that the more flexible secondary protective member (18) covers the entire outer surface of the main member (13), or at least the part in contact with the outside environment.

Finally, Figure 10 illustrates a variant in which the secondary member comprises a continuous peripheral ring with a vertical wall which is attached to the main component by mechanical means such as rivets (30).

By a peripheral member is meant a circumferential component which is moulded into the shape in which it is finally used. This is advantageously continuous.

Of course the invention is not restricted to the embodiments described and illustrated by way of example, but also comprises all technical equivalents and their combinations.

Claims (13)

CLAIMS:-

1. A golf bag comprising an upper end piece defining at least one opening and including a main member surrounding said opening and a secondary member extending around the inner surface of the main member about said opening, the secondary member being constructed of a more flexible material than that of the main member.

2. A golf bag according to claim 1, wherein the main member is of plastics material, and the secondary member is constructed of the same plastics material but of lesser hardness.

3. A golf bag according to claim 1, wherein the main member is of plastics material and the secondary member is constructed of a different plastics material.

4. A golf bag according to claim 3, characterised in that the main member is of a rigid plastics material of the acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene type, and the secondary member is of a plastics material of a lower hardness coefficient.

5. A golf bag according to claim 3, wherein the secondary member is constructed of flexible polyvinyl chloride, or a synthetic rubber.

6. A golf bag according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the secondary member is an annular member comprising an inner protective wall covering the inwardly facing surface of the main member.

7. A golf bag according to claim 6, wherein the inner protective wall projects above the upper surface of the main member around said opening.

8. A golf bag according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the main member defines a plurality of openings at least one opening being surrounded by a secondary protective member.

9. A golf bag according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the secondary member is formed in its final shape.

10. A golf bag according to claim 9, wherein the secondary member is moulded directly onto the main member.

11. A golf bag according to claim 9, wherein the upper end piece is formed by simultaneous injection moulding of the secondary member and the main member.

12. A golf bag according to claim 9, wherein the secondary member is formed separately and secured to the main member by bonding, welding or mechanical connection means.

13. A golf bag substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.