GB2278062A

GB2278062A - Golf bag

Info

Publication number: GB2278062A
Application number: GB9310318A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Michael Arkinson; Peter Brian Cleaver; Andrew Palmer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-05-19
Filing date: 1993-05-19
Publication date: 1994-11-23
Also published as: GB9310318D0

Abstract

A golf bag 1 has an axially rotatable disc assembly, as shown in figure 1, for locating and storing golf clubs 3. The shaft 3a of golf club 3 is gripped by three rubber rings 6c positioned at an associated notch in the disc assembly 2. A particular club 3 can be indexed opposite side opening 4, which is closable by a flap F, by appropriate rotation of the disc assembly 2, prior to extraction (see chain dotted lines) of said club 3 from the bag 1. Remote control of the indexing and club selection means is disclosed. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO GOLF This invention relates to improvements in or relating to golf and is more particularly concerned with a golf bag or carrier for golf clubs.

In known designs of golf bag the golf clubs are inserted into the bag through an open top thereof. The shafts of the clubs are received within the golf bag with the striking end or head of each club remaining on view so that the player can easily select the appropriate golf club for a particular stroke. Once a selection is made, the golf club is withdrawn from the bag generally in the reverse manner to its insertion by gripping the head and withdrawing the club shaft generally axially from the bag through the open top thereof.There tend to be problems with this design of golf bag in that the shafts of the clubs and/or the striking heads thereof may contact one another and, particularly during transportation of clubs in the bag, the clubs may become damaged owing to the generally loose retention of the clubs in the bag which allow them to knock against one another in a manner which should readily be envisaged. Such damage is more acute particularly where graphite clubs are used. Certainly, it is known to provide "socks" or covers which slip over the striking heads of the clubs in order to protect them but such measures do not protect the shafts of the clubs and in any event before using the club it tends to be tiresome to have to remove the sock before play.In order to provide some measure of organisation of the clubs in the golf bag it is known to provide a number of individual tubes within the bag each for receiving a respective golf club shaft. Thus, even though the golf club shafts may not come into contact with one another quite so readily as in previous designs they are still relatively loosely retained within the bag, able to move or rattle from side to side within the respective tube and to rotate within the tube and the striking ends of the clubs may still contact one another. Additionally, owing to the generally loose retention of the clubs within the golf bag, the clubs would fall out if the bag were tipped upside down, and the rattling of the clubs in the bag, more particularly during transport of the bag, may, at best, be an irritation if not a serious inconvenience.In any event, it is believed that a design of a golf club bag or carrier for golf clubs has not been optimised and that, owing to the popularity of the game in addition to the prestige and importance attached to golfing equipment such as the golf bag itself, a design of golf bag which helps to maintain the clubs in a more organised protected manner would be an important development.

An object of the present invention is to at least alleviate one or more of the aforementioned, or other, disadvantages associated with golf bags or golf club carriers or to provide a golf bag or golf club carrier which is improved in at least some respect.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a golf bag or golf club carrier comprising means for positively locating the golf clubs relative to one another in said bag or carrier in order to avoid contact between the clubs.

Preferably, the shaft of each club is gripped or held in position in the golf bag/carrier in such manner that axial rotation of the shaft and/or longitudinal movement of the shaft relative to the bag is restrained or prevented.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the means for positively locating the golf clubs comprises a rotatable disc assembly (preferably rotatable about the axis of the bag/carrier) with a series of notches or slots for receiving individual clubs and grip means is provided at each of the notches/slots. Preferably, the notches are spaced circumferentially around a disc of said rotatable disc assembly. This disc is, preferably, at an upper end of the carrier/bag. Where grip means is provided at each notch/slot as aforesaid, said grip means may be provided by any suitable means such as resiliently yielding gripping members (for example axially rotatable rubber rings which may or may not be spring loaded). The associated club shaft could be gripped by three such gripping members equiangularly spaced at an individual notch/slot.Preferably, each notch/slot is provided with a flared mouth for easy entry of the shaft into the notch.

In particular, the rotatable disc assembly may be such that individual clubs retained in associated notches can be rotated past a side opening in the bag/carrier to enable a particular club to be selected from the bag/carrier from the particular notch arranged opposite to the opening. Thus, clubs may be arranged in the golf bag/carrier in an organised, indexed way, each notch being for a particular golf club of a particular size thereby allowing the player to quickly and easily select a particular club and remove it from the golf bag merely by rotating the rotatable disc of said assembly relative to the bag until the appropriate club is positioned opposite the side opening. Once the club is positioned opposite the side opening it is an easy matter for the player to grip the club and overcome the resilient gripping force exercised by the gripping means at the notch/slot.Preferably, the rotatable disc assembly is designed so that rotatable movement is damped allowing the clubs to be indexed easily by hand but restraining repeated rotation of the disc with the clubs- about the axis during transport of the bag/carrier.

The rotatable disc assembly may comprise a lower cup-shaped disc which receives, in use, the handles of the golf clubs and/or an intermediate disc may be provided in between the upper disc and bottom of the golf bag/carrier in order to restrain movement of the golf clubs along their length. The intermediate disc may be provided with a suitable matrix of notches generally aligned with the notches on the upper disc. The disc assembly may comprise a main axial shaft mounted in a bearing attached to the bottom of the golf bag/carrier.

The upper disc and intermediate disc and/or lower cupshaped disc, where provided, are, preferably, rotatable in unison with said shaft. Additionally, a guide may be provided for easy rotation of the upper disc. It is possible that a locking device could be provided to prevent rotation of the disc assembly until it is desired for a particular club to be withdrawn from the bag, in which case the locking device could be temporarily disabled to allow a particular notch to be positioned opposite the side opening by rotation of the disc in order that the associated club can be extracted from the bag through said opening.

Where said such a side opening is provided in the bag as aforementioned, a cover may be provided in order to prevent the ingress of rain, dust and the like and it is possible that surface contact fastening means of a Velcro-type material could be used for securing the cover across the opening.

It is also possible that an automatic indexing system could be provided so that rotation of the disc assembly need not necessarily be by hand and this automatic system could be by any mechanical and/or electrical/electronic means and could, for example, be arranged to index one notch at a time opposite said side opening. Thus, it is possible that a remote control could be used to automatically index the selected club opposite said side opening prior to the player extracting the club from said bag. It is also possible that the grip means gripping the golf clubs in the notches could be automatically releasable by automatic retraction of the gripping means, once again by manual/electrical or electronic means rather than merely by the player pulling the club out from grip means at the notch/slots.Once again it is also possible that grip means could be automatically applied after a particular club has been introduced into a notch/slot.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a golf bag or golf club carrier provided with a side opening for laterally introducing the clubs into said bag/carrier and for laterally extracting the clubs from the bag/carrier.

It is believed, by this aspect of the present invention that clubs can be extracted from, or inserted into, the bag/carrier more easily than with previous designs.

Preferably, a cover is provided for the side opening which may utilise surface contact means such as a Velcrotype material.

The golf bag or golf club carrier may comprise indexing means, in use carrying clubs, so that a particular club or clubs may be positioned or indexed opposite the side opening for extraction from the bag/carrier through said opening. Once again, preferably, golf clubs may be introduced into said bag/carrier through said opening into indexing means opposite the opening.

The golf bag/carrier may comprise any of the features previously discussed in relation to the first mentioned aspect of the present invention.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a golf bag or golf club carrier having one or more of the following features: (a) grip means for gripping a golf club in the bag substantially preventing rotation and/or longitudinal movement and/or contact with other clubs in the bag; (b) a rotatable disc provided with means for locating a number of golf clubs in a golf bag; (c) a side opening for receiving clubs into the golf bag and for extraction therefrom; (d) movable indexing means able to move golf clubs in the golf bag to a position in which they can be conveniently extracted therefrom; (e) means to restrain golf clubs in a golf bag and/or to retain the clubs in the bag/carrier with the bag/carrier in an inverted position.

Many other advantageous features will be apparent from the following description and drawings.

An embodiment of a golf bag in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the somewhat diagrammatic accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of the golf bag; FIGURE 2 shows a sectional view of the golf bag; and FIGURES 3 and 4 show partial plan and side views of a rotatable selection disc of the golf bag.

Referring to the FIGURES of the drawings, a golf bag 1 has an external appearance which is generally similar to known golf bags but is provided with means 3, in the form of an axially rotatable disc assembly 2, for positively locating and storing golf clubs 3 (only one shown in solid lines in FIGURES 1 and 2) in an organised way. Clubs 3 may be retained in the bag 1 in such a manner that they are restrained from contacting one another, the shaft 3a of each club being held in a manner which substantially prevents axial rotation of the shaft or longitudinal movement of the shaft relative to the bag in a manner which will be explained later.

As should be evident more particularly in FIGURE 1, the golf bag 1 additionally has means 4 in the form of an elongate side opening, which allows clubs to be introduced laterally into the golf bag 1 and to be removed therefrom in similar fashion. FIGURE 1 depicts a golf club 3 in chain dotted lines which may be introduced generally laterally through the side opening 4 into position in the golf bag by way of a sideways swinging movement generally in the direction of arrow "A".

The rotatable selection disc assembly 2 which can also be thought of as an organising or indexing system comprises a main shaft 5 arranged along the axis la of the bag 1, on which are mounted three disc members 6,7 and 8; the lower end 5a of the main shaft 5 is connected to the bottom "b" of the golf bag 1 by means of a ball joint 9 in a manner which should be self-explanatory from FIGURE 2. Any convenient or suitable joint or journal bearing may be provided that yields a universal type or at least rotary movement. The main shaft 5 terminates some distance away from the top of the bag and the upper disc member 6 is arranged to rotate with the main shaft 5 about axis la.As will be evident from the FIGURES, disc member 6 has a series of generally circumferentially spaced, notches 6a for receiving an associated shaft 3a of a golf club 3 which is introduced thereinto in a manner generally radially of the disc member 6 in the direction of the arrow "B" as shown more particularly in FIGURE 3. Each notch 6a has a flared mouth 6b for easy location of the shaft 3a in the notch and each notch is provided with three generally equiangularly spaced axially rotatable rubber gripping members 6c in the form of resilient washers or rings mounted on fixed pins 6d that project upwardly from a disc member 6, shown best in FIGURE 4.The notches 6a have a U-shaped portion 6'a adjoining the flared mouth 6b and the U-shaped portion has a semi-circular bottom which is slightly larger than the diameter of the shaft 3a so that the shaft 3a can be snugly received in the receiving notch 6a being held or gripped tightly by the three rubber resilient washers or rings 6d, as shown more particularly in FIGURE 3. Any suitable means may be provided for locating the shafts 3 in the respective notches 6a in order to positively locate them and preferably restrain them from axial rotation as well as from longitudinal motion. Disc member 6 is received in a circular guide means 10 attached to the inner wall of the golf bag 1, said guide means taking up movement of the disc member 6 that would otherwise occur owing to the ball joint 9. It is possible that the rubber rings 6 may be solid and nonrotatable or they could be spring-loaded. In any event the grip means should be such as to allow the free introduction of a shaft 3a into and out of an associated notch 6a without causing damage to the shaft but should retain the shaft sufficiently to restrain loose or arbitrary movement relative to the other shafts.

The lower disc member 8 is cup-shaped and, as with discs 6 and 7 has an external diameter closely matching the internal diameter of the golf bag 1. Disc member 8 is cup-shaped in order to receive the handles 3b (only one shown in FIGURE 2) of the golf clubs 3 a manner which should be self-evident from FIGURE 2. Once again the disc member 8 is arranged to rotate with the shaft 5.

Intermediate disc 7 also rotates on the shaft 5 and is provided with a series of notches 7a (see FIGURE 1 which shows two notches 7a) generally of V-shaped form for snugly receiving the associated shaft 3. The notches 7a are not provided with means to grip the shaft although it is possible that such means could be provided if preferred.

FIGURE 1 also provides means for covering the side opening 4, said means being in the form of flap "F" (shown in the open position in FIGURE 1) which may be closed across opening 5 and held thereto by means of surface contacting means (for example VELCRO type material) S provided on the flap and golf bag respectively. Any alternative means of closing off the opening 4 may be provided.

In use, in order to load the golf clubs 3 into the golf bag after the flap F is opened, first of all the handle 3b of a golf club is introduced into the bag 1 at the bottom of the opening 4 at the angle as generally shown in chain dotted lines in FIGURE 1. The shaft 3 is located into a selected notch 7a in the intermediate disc 7 and the club moved laterally of the golf bag 1 into the mouth 6b of a selected receiving notch 6a against the grip means 6c and finally into the semi-circular bottom portion of the U-shaped section of the notch 6a as shown more particularly in the lower notch of the disc member 6 as depicted in FIGURE 3.The rotation disc assembly 2 can then be rotated about the axis la (the rotation could be by moving a handle fixed to the central shaft 5 or simply by moving the disc 6 directly or one of the golf clubs attached thereto) until another selected notch is appropriately positioned relative to the opening 4 before the introduction of another golf club.

Similarly, a golf club can be removed from the bag 1 by rotating the rotation disc assembly 2 until the appropriate club is aligned relative to the opening 4 and the club can be removed from the bag in a manner generally reverse to the introduction of a club into said opening.

It is envisaged that the rotation disc assembly 5 will not be freely rotatable about the axis la to the extent that during transportation the disc assembly is continuously spinning backwards and forwards around the axis. Rather it is envisaged that some resistance to motion or damping of the rotation disc assembly about the axis will be provided so that it can be rotated to index the desired club opposite the aperture 4 when desired with seemingly the minimum amount of effort without unnecessary swinging movement constantly taking place.

It is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be unduly limited by the particular choice of terminology and that a specific term may be replaced by any equivalent or generic term. Further, it is to be understood that individual features, method or functions relating to the golf bag or golf club carrier or indexing means might be individually patentably inventive. The singular may include the plural and vice versa.

Claims

1. A golf bag or golf club carrier comprising means for positively locating the golf clubs relative to one another in said bag or carrier in order to avoid contact between the clubs.

2. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 1 in which the shaft of each club is gripped or held in position in the golf bag/carrier in such manner that axial rotation of the shaft and/or longitudinal movement of the shaft relative to the bag is restrained or prevented.

3. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the means for positively locating the golf clubs comprises a rotatable disc assembly with a series of notches or slots for receiving individual clubs and grip means is provided at each of the notches/slots.

4. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 3 in which the disc assembly is rotatable about the axis of the bag/carrier.

5. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4 in which the notches are spaced circumferentially around a disc of said rotatable disc assembly.

6. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 5 in which the disc is at an upper end of the carrier/bag.

7. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 6 in which said grip means is provided by resiliently yielding gripping members.

8. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 7 in which the gripping members are axially rotatable rubber rings.

9. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 8 in which the rings are spring loaded.

10. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 7 to 9 in which the associated club shaft can be gripped by three gripping members equiangularly spaced at an individual notch/slot.

11. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 10 in which each notch/slot is provided with a flared mouth.

12. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 11 in which the rotatable disc assembly is such that individual clubs retained in associated notches can be rotated past a side opening in the bag/carrier.

13. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 12 in which the rotatable disc assembly is designed so that rotatable movement is damped.

14. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 13 in which the rotatable disc assembly comprises a lower cup-shaped disc which receives, in use, the handles of the golf clubs.

15. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 14 having an intermediate disc provided in between said upper disc of said rotatable disc assembly and a bottom of the golf bag/carrier.

16. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 15 in which the intermediate disc is provided with a matrix of notches generally aligned with the notches on the upper disc.

17. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 16 in which the disc assembly comprises a main axial shaft mounted in a bearing attached to a, or the, bottom of the golf bag/carrier.

18. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 17 when dependent from Claim 15 in which the upper disc and intermediate disc and/or lower cup-shaped disc, where provided, are rotatable in unison with said shaft.

19. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 18 in which a guide is provided for easy rotation of the upper disc.

20. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 19 in which a locking device is provided to prevent rotation of the disc assembly until it is desired for a particular club to be withdrawn from the bag/carrier.

21. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 12 or any claim dependent therefrom in which a cover is provided for the side opening.

22. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 21 in which surface contact fastening means is used for securing the cover across the opening.

23. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 22 in which an automatic indexing system of the disc assembly is provided.

24. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 23 when dependent from Claim 12 in which said automatic indexing system is arranged to index one notch at a time opposite said side opening.

25. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 24 in which a remote control is used to automatically index the selected club opposite said side opening.

26. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 25 in which the automatic indexing is by mechanical and/or electrical electronic means.

27. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 3 or any claim dependent therefrom in which the grip means gripping the golf clubs in the notches is automatically releasable by automatic retraction of the gripping means.

28. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 27 in which the automatic releasing is by manual/electrical or electronic means.

29. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 27 or Claim 28 in which the grip means is automatically applied after a particular club has been introduced into a notch/slot.

30. A golf bag or golf club carrier substantially as herein described with reference to the FIGURES of the accompanying drawings.

31. A golf bag or golf club carrier provided with a side opening for laterally introducing the clubs into said bag/carrier and for laterally extracting the clubs from the bag/carrier.

32. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 31 in which a cover is provided for the side opening.

33. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 32 in which the cover is fastened to the side opening using surface contact means.

34. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 31 to 33 comprising indexing means, in use carrying clubs, so that a particular club or clubs may be positioned or indexed opposite the side opening for extraction from the bag/carrier through said opening.

35. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 34 in which golf clubs can be introduced into said bag/carrier through said opening into indexing means opposite the opening.

36. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 31 to 35 comprising means for positively locating the golf clubs relative to one another in said bag or carrier in order to avoid contact between the clubs.

37. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 36 in which the shaft of each club is gripped or held in position in the golf bag/carrier in such manner that axial rotation of the shaft and/or longitudinal movement of the shaft relative to the bag is restrained or prevented.

38. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 36 or Claim 37 in which the means for positively locating the golf clubs comprises a rotatable disc assembly with a series of notches or slots for receiving individual clubs and grip means is provided at each of the notches/slots.

39. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 38 in which the disc assembly is rotatable about the axis of the bag/carrier.

40. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 38 or Claim 39 in which the notches are spaced circumferentially around a disc of said rotatable disc assembly.

41. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 40 in which the disc is at an upper end of the carrier/bag.

42. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 38 to 41 in which said grip means is provided by resiliently yielding gripping members.

43. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 42 in which the gripping members are axially rotatable rubber rings.

44. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 43 in which the rings are spring loaded.

45. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 42 to 44 in which the associated club shaft can be gripped by three gripping members equiangularly spaced at an individual notch/slot.

46. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 38 to 45 in which each notch/slot is provided with a flared mouth.

47. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 38 to 46 in which the rotatable disc assembly is designed so that rotatable movement is damped.

48. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 38 to 47 in which the rotatable disc assembly comprises a lower cup-shaped disc which receives, in use, the handles of the golf clubs.

49. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 40 to 48 having an intermediate disc provided in between said upper disc of said rotatable disc assembly and a bottom of the golf bag/carrier.

50. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 49 in which the intermediate disc is provided with a matrix of 'notches generally aligned with the notches on the upper disc.

51. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 38 to 50 in which the disc assembly comprises a main axial shaft mounted in a bearing attached to a, or the, bottom of the golf bag/carrier.

52. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 51 when dependent from Claim 48 in which the upper disc and intermediate disc and/or lower cup-shaped disc, where provided, are rotatable in unison with said shaft.

53. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 41 to 52 in which a guide is provided for easy rotation of the upper disc.

54. A bag or carrier as claimed in any one of Claims 38 to 53 in which a locking device is provided to prevent rotation of the disc assembly until it is desired for a particular club to be withdrawn from the bag/carrier.

55. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 38 or any claim dependent therefrom in which the grip means gripping the golf clubs in the notches is automatically releasable by automatic retraction of the gripping means.

56. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 55 in which the automatic releasing is by manual/electrical or electronic -means.

57. A bag or carrier as claimed in Claim 55 or Claim 56 in which the grip means is automatically applied after a particular club has been introduced into a notch/slot.

58. A golf bag or golf club carrier having one or more of the following features: (a) grip means for gripping a golf club in the bag/carrier substantially preventing rotation and/or longitudinal movement and/or contact with other clubs in the bag/carrier; (b) a rotatable disc provided with means for locating a number of golf clubs in the golf bag/carrier; (c) a side opening for receiving clubs into the golf bag/carrier and for extraction therefrom; (d) movable indexing means able to move golf clubs in the golf bag/carrier to a position in which they can be conveniently extracted therefrom; (e) means to restrain golf clubs in a golf bag/carrier and/or to retain the clubs in the bag/carrier with the bag/carrier in an inverted position.