GB2327361A

GB2327361A - Partitioned insert for golf bags

Info

Publication number: GB2327361A
Application number: GB9715299A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jessie Li-Kuo Wang
Original assignee: WANG JESSIE LI KUO
Current assignee: WANG JESSIE LI KUO
Priority date: 1997-07-22
Filing date: 1997-07-22
Publication date: 1999-01-27
Also published as: GB9715299D0

Abstract

A partitioned insert made from a fabric for a golf club bag includes a tubular liner having within it a plurality of individual full-length compartments which are made up from strips and which are selectively attached to each other and to the interior wall of the liner. The making of the partitioning starts from the strips and an unrolled piece which will form the liner and involves sewing the strips in a given order starting from the centre of the partitioning and ending with the closing of the tubular liner.

Description

PARTITIONED INSERT FOR GOLF BAGS AND METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME The present invention generally relates to partitions for clubs in golf bags and, more particularly, to a method of fabricating a partitioned insert that may be placed into an empty golf bag for separating individual clubs.

Golf bags are generally provided with a few partitions comprising straps across the opening or mouth of the bag for separating the clubs, such as the "woods" and the "long irons" from the "short irons" and the putter. These strap partitions do not separate the clubs at the handle end, however, with the result that constant rubbing together of the leather or plastic grips damages the grips.

Many golfers prefer a better separation and provide individual long, light weight plastic tubes for each club. The tubes are a great advantage over the simple strap across the mouth of the bag because the long tubes isolate and protect the club handles. These tubes provide good separation of the club handles, but the club heads still gather in one side of the bag, making the shorter clubs a bit difficult to locate and causing scratching of all club heads.

U.S. Patent No. 5,573,112 disclosed a type of golf club partitions made of soft fabric. However, the partitions of U.S. Patent No.

5,573,112 can not remain in a tight state since its material is soft. As a result, the partitions may be deformed due to the weight of the clubs, and the clubs in the golf bag will rub one another and then be scratched and damaged.

One object of the present invention is to provide a partitioned insert that can be placed into an empty golf bag of any shape for, separating individual clubs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of fabricating an insert having compartments that are easy to form and which may be used in a golf bag having a rectangular, oval as well as circular cross section.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a partitioned insert for a golf club bag comprises a fabric liner having a plurality of individual full length compartments which are substantially equal in cross sectional area and which, together, occupy the full cross sectional area of the golf bag so that each club is adequately separated from adjacent clubs.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the fabrication of partitions of a golf bag insert is started near the center and the closing of the tubular outer fabric is left for a final step.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a golf bag having partitions in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an exploded view of Fig. 1, showing a partitioned insert and an empty golf bag into which the insert is to be inserted; Fig. 4 is taken along the line 4 - 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a plan view illustrating the initial steps in forming the partitions; Fig. 6 is a plan view illustrating the remaining steps in forming the partitions; Fig. 7 shows a portion of the top edge of a liner of the insert; Fig. 8 is taken along the line 8 - 8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is an enlarged plan view of another partitioned insert in accordance with the invention; and Figs. 10 to 16 are plan views of golf bag inserts of various shapes in accordance with the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, a golf bag 10 in which partitions 30 are placed in accordance with the invention is shown. The partitions 30 are made of fabric. A number of compartments 32 are defined in the bag 10 via the utilization of the partitions 30.

Fig. 2 shows a top view of the golf bag 10 in which the partitions 30 are placed. Four central compartments 322 are defined in the central part of the bag 10, and ten peripheral compartments 324 are defined along an inner periphery of the bag 10 surrounding the four central compartments 322.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an insert 20 and the golf bag 10 into which the insert 20 is to be inserted. The insert 20 comprises a liner 22 made of a sheet of fabric and a plurality of the partitions 30 made of fabric. The insert 20 is made to conform to the inner periphery of the bag 10 and is therefore substantially tubular with a circular section and of a length such that the bottom of the insert 20 abuts an interior bottom of the bag 10.

Although in the following description stitching is a preferred method of attachment, it is appreciated that other forms of attachment such as adhesion may be employed.

A finishing trim ring 28 may be sewn around the top of the insert 20 for attaching the insert 20 in the bag 10. Approximately an inch below the trim ring 28 are the top edges ofthe partitions 30 ofthe insert 20.

The partitions 30 are made of the same material as the liner 22, but cut into strips. The tubular liner initially is a rectangular sheet of fabric equal to the inside circumference of the golf bag 10. The partitions 30 together with the liner 22 define the compartments 32.

A disc of heavy fabric 23 may be stitched to the bottom of the partitions 30 to keep them separated and the disk is sewn around the bottom of the tubular liner 22.

The steps in forming the partitions 30 of the insert 20 are described with reference to Figs. 4 to 6. The partitions 30 are started from the center by first stitching together two strips along their longitudinal centerlines; the next steps are to stitch the other strips so as to enclose four central partitions and form three sides of eight substantially rectangular partitions and two sides of two triangular partitions (as shown in Fig. 5); and, the remaining steps are to sew the ten peripheral partitions 30 to a wide sheet of fabric that will become the tubular liner 22 (as shown in Fig. 6). The sewing order may be from "a" to "k" as shown in Fig. 4.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, a thin strip 24 is sewn across the edge of the rectangular sheet representing the top of the tubular liner 22. The thin strip 24 is made of a suitable material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), and provides a supporting force for the top of the liner 22. A fabric sheet 26 covers the thin strip 24. The fabric sheet 26 is covered by a foam material, such as sponge, and provides a protection effect against scratching or scarring by a sharp PVC edge. Along the top surface is the finishing trim ring 28 which is a resilient rubber or plastic U-shaped molding. The trim ring 28 is sewn to the thin strip 24 and its fabric sheet 26 only on the inner lip.

Eventually, when the tubular liner 22 is inserted into the golf bag 10, the trim ring 28 will cover the top edge of the bag 10 to both secure the liner 22 and provide a bag trim. It should be noted that the insert 20 is not permanently fastened into the golf bag 10, that is, the insert 20 can be removed from the bag 10 for washing or replacing with a new one.

Fig. 9 illustrates the fundamental partition patter of another insert in accordance with the invention. The basic partition pattern is comprised of a wide sheet of fabric sewn together at its edges at point "k" to form a tubular liner 22. Along each sidewall within the liner 22 are five individual compartments, each using the liner 22 as one wall, and the other walls of the sidewall compartments are formed by other sheets of folded fabric. The area between the two sidewall compartments is conveniently divided by sewing narrow lengths of fabric between the sidewall compartments.

It should be pointed out that the preceding is a description of the invention and not a method for its fabrication. Since the insert 20 has a length that is normally the length of the interior of a golf bag, the fabrication should be started near the center and the closing of the tubular outer fabric is left for a final step. Hence, after carefully laying out the shape and size of the golf bag and the desired number and sizes of compartments, the fabrication employs the following steps: 1. Provide a plurality of strips of partitions made of fabric having a length equal to the length of said golf bag.

2. Provide a wide sheet of fabric having a length equal to the length of said golf bag and a width equal to the inside circumference of said golf bag.

3. Stitch together strips of partitions along their longitudinal centerlines, starting from the center.

4. Stitch together the other strips of partitions so as to enclose a plurality of central partitions and form a plurality of peripheral partitions surrounding said plurality of central partitions, each of said plurality of peripheral partitions having an open side.

5. Sew together said plurality of peripheral partitions to said wide sheet of fabric forming a tubular liner.

6. Sew a fabric disc to cover the open bottom of the insert to prevent the partitions from moving up as golf clubs are being removed.

Referring to Figs. 10 to 16, various insert shapes and patterns that can be fabricated using this invention are shown. Figs. 10 to 12 are views illustrating the identical insert pattern of Fig. 9, Fig. 11 showing it adapted for a golf bag with a square or rectangular cross section and Fig.

12 showing it adapted for an oval configuration.

Fig. 13 is a view showing a simple modification resulting in fifteen compartments for a golf bag with a rectangular cross-section. And Fig.

14 illustrates the circular insert of Fig. 10 with an additional vertical partition in the center section that results in a total of sixteen compartments.

Fig. 15 shows the usual five sidewall compartments on each side of the insert but with the vertical center section inserts of Fig. 14 aligned for a total of sixteen compartments. And Fig. 16 also shows the dual five sidewall compartments rearranged with the central section partitions to form an insert with fifteen compartments.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

Claims:

1. A full length partitioned insert of fabric for a golf bag, said insert comprising: a tubular liner made of a sheet of fabric and conforming to the interior of said golf bag, said liner having an interior sidewall; and a plurality of partitions made of strips of fabric and being attached together and attached to the interior sidewall of said tubular liner, wherein the length of said insert is equal to the length of said golf bag so that the bottom of said insert abuts the interior bottom of said golf bag, a plurality of compartments being defined within said insert by said tubular liner and said plurality of partitions.

2. The insert of Claim 1, wherein said plurality of partitions are stitched together and stitched to the interior sidewall of said tubular liner.

3. The insert of Claim 1, further comprising a thin strip being attached across the edge of a rectangular sheet representing the top of said tubular liner.

4. The insert of Claim 3, wherein said thin strip is covered by a protection sheet.

5. The insert of Claim 4, wherein a trim ring is attached to said thin strip and said protection sheet around the top of said insert for attaching said insert to said golf bag.

6. The insert of Claim 3, wherein said thin strip is made of polyvinyl chloride.

7. The insert of Claim 4, wherein said protection sheet is fabric covered by a foam material.

8. The insert of Claim 5, wherein said trim ring is made of resilient material.

9. The insert of Claim 5, wherein said trim ring is U-shaped.

10. The insert of Claim 1, further comprising a disc being attached to the bottom of said plurality of partitions to keep them separated, said disk being attached around the bottom of said tubular liner.

11. The insert of Claim 10, wherein said disk is made of heavy fabric.

12. The insert of Claim 1, wherein said insert has fourteen compartments.

13. The insert of Claim 1, wherein said insert has fifteen compartments.

14. The insert of Claim 1, wherein said insert has sixteen compartments.

15. The insert of Claim 1, wherein said insert is placed within said golf bag, said insert being removable from said golf bag.

16. A method of fabricating a partitioned insert for a golf bag, said method comprising steps of: providing a plurality of strips of partitions made of fabric having a length equal to the length of said golf bag; providing a wide sheet of fabric having a length equal to the length of said golf bag and a width equal to the inside circumference of said golf bag; attaching together strips of partitions along their longitudinal centerlines, starting from the center; attaching together the other strips of partitions so as to enclose a plurality of central partitions and form a plurality of peripheral partitions surrounding said plurality of central partitions, each of said plurality of peripheral partitions having an open side; attaching together said plurality of peripheral partitions to said wide sheet of fabric forming a tubular liner and defining a plurality of compartments; and placing said insert formed by said tubular liner and said plurality of partitions within said golf bag, said insert being removable from said golf bag.

17. The method of Claim 16, further comprising the step of attaching a thin strip of polyvinyl chloride across the edge of a rectangular sheet representing the top of said tubular liner.

18. The method of Claim 17, further comprising the step of applying a protection sheet on said thin strip, said protection sheet being fabric covered by a foam material.

19. The method of Claim 18, further comprising the step of attaching a trim ring to said thin strip and said protection sheet around the top of said tubular liner, said trim ring being U-shaped and made of resilient material.

20. The method of Claim 16, further comprising the step of attaching a disc of heavy fabric to the bottom of said plurality of partition to keep them separated, said disk being attached around the bottom of said tubular liner.