GB2375490A

GB2375490A - A golf club bag

Info

Publication number: GB2375490A
Application number: GB0209504A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Robert Isabel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-04-26
Filing date: 2002-04-25
Publication date: 2002-11-20
Also published as: GB0209504D0; GB0110297D0

Abstract

A golf club bag comprises a head 1, a plurality of tubes 2, a base receiver 3, and a base cover 4 where the head comprises a moulding with a central elongate recess 10 with an upstanding side wall 11 which includes a series of channels 12 each having a flat base and diverging side walls to receive the head or blade of a golf club, with the shaft extending down through the recess 10. To the front and back of the recess 10 are provided further sets of apertures 13 and 14. The recess 10 and the sets of apertures 13 and 14 are associated with respective tubes for the club shafts. The tubes are supported at their lower ends by a receiver 3 and by foam plastic panels 20, 21, 22, 23 forming the bag body which may have a fabric covering. The receiver is connected to an outer base part 4 formed from a resilient moulding. The head 1 supports each club in a non-contacting manner and facilitates extraction for use. The base provides the necessary strength to absorb abuse in use and positively locates each tube in a fixed position to prevent displacement in use.

Description

Title : Golf Club Bags This invention relates to a golf club bag of the kind having a top head end which supports a plurality of golf club heads which locate inverted with the shafts extending down Into the bag.

This invention seeks to provide an improvement over the construction of golf bag disclosed in GB 2 068 741A. In the known construction a disadvantage is that the base of the bag was prone to damage and disconnection from the body of the bag through rough use. Further the top of the said bag was unsuitable for a number golf club heads which include blades to the irons. With the use of carbon shafts, particularly for the woods, there is a tendency for the shafts to wear through movement within the tubes of the bag.

Thus it is an object of this invention to provide an improved top for supporting the heads of the clubs and a stronger construction overall particularly with reference to the longitudinal tubes and the base. A further object is to prevent movement of the clubs and shafts within the tubes to an extent which might cause premature wear or damage.

According to this invention there is provided a golf club bag comprising a head with a plurality of apertures therein each to permit entry of the shaft portion of a golf club, being one of a set of such clubs, in an inverted disposition within the bag; tubes associated with the apertures to accommodate the length of the shaft of a club, each tube extending longitudinally within an outer casing of the bag to a base adapted to receive and support the tubes in a fixed

relationship, characterised by: a) the head including a central elongate shaped recess communicating with a tube or tubes, the recess having an upstanding wall with the top of the wall including a plurality of channels formed with a base and divergent sides to accommodate the heads of clubs with the shafts extending down through the recess; b) the base Including a receiver with upstanding formations to receive and retain the lower end of each of the tubes; c) the receiver being encased within a flexible, resilient cover; and d) a filler matenal enclosing the tubes and occupying, at least in part, the void between the said tubes and outer casing.

Preferably the recess communicates with a tube having an elongate arcuate section with sinuous walls serving to locate and separate the relevant shafts.

The tubes may be surrounded over their full length within the outer casing by a lightweight rigid support material such as an expanded polystyrene.

The tubes may be secured by adhesive to the head and to the receiver at the bottom which in turn is secured to the base cover.

An embodiment In accordance with this invention is described, by way of an example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein : Fig. 1 shows an opened-up side view with the outer casing and filler material removed and showing in detail the base and receiver,

Fig 2 shows a cross-section on ll-ll of Fig. 1 showing the filler but without the outer casing, Fig. 3 is a detail view of the head in perspective view, Fig. 4 IS a plan view of the head, Fig. 5 IS a side view of the head, and Fig. 6 is a perspective exploded view of the main components of a complete bag Referring to the drawings the golf club bag according to this invention includes a head 1, a plurality of tubes 2, a base receiver 3 and a base cover 4.

The head comprises a moulding with a relatively thin wall and of a resilient but self-supporting plastics material. The head has a central elongate recess 10 with an upstanding side wall 11 which includes a series of channels 12 each having a flat base and diverging side walls. Each channel 12 is shaped to receive the head or blade of a golf club with the shaft extending down through the recess 10. To the front and back of the recess 10 are provided further sets of apertures 13 and 14.

The recess 10 and the sets of apertures 13 and 14 are associated with respective tubes forming the assembly. The recess 10 has a single elongate shaped tube 15 with sinuous side walls defining seven positional locations each corresponding to a channel 12. The aperture sets 13 and 14 each have separate tubes 13a and 14a.

The tubes are supported at their lower ends by a receiver 3 which has a series of upstanding formations 30 which engage the tubes and are secured thereto by an adhesive if necessary or otherwise supported by mechanical

contact. This receiver 3 is a plastics moulding being rigid to impart strength.

The receiver IS connected to an outer base part 4 formed from a resilient moulding. This connection may be by and adhesive. The base provides the necessary strength to absorb abuse In use and positively locates each tube in a fixed position to prevent displacement in use.

Referring to Fig. 2 the tubes 2 are embraced and supported by a filler material, such as an expanded polystyrene, manufactured in four blocks 20,21, 22 and 23 which assemble together as shown around the tubes and which together define the profile of the casing from the head 1 to the base 4.

The filler is covered by a suitable material, such as a fabric, forming the outer casing (not shown). This arrangement provides a strong but light weight construction overall. A particular advantage is the protection afforded to the shafts of the clubs which do not come into contact during transport.

In a modification strap eyes 60 (Fig. 6) may be moulded into the head and the base as required and with reinforcements if necessary. The configuration of the head construction using the upstanding wall1 and the channels permits a wide range of different club styles to be accommodated and provides adequate distancing from the locations 13 and 14 to permit any selected club to be identified and removed individually. A further feature is that the upstanding part 11,12 augments the strength when-the head is formed from a relatively thin walled moulding, that is the head is not of a solid construction As shown in Fig. 6 the filler material 20,21, 22, 23 IS pre-moulded and shaped to conform to and hold the tubes The tubes may include an insert of a

velour material to cushion the shafts of the clubs, particularly the woods. The material may be provided only on the sides of the tubes against which the shafts normally rest when the bag is carried.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1 A golf club bag comprising a head with a plurality of apertures therein each to permit entry of the shaft portion of a golf club, being one of a set of such clubs, In an Inverted disposition within the bag, tubes associated with the apertures to accommodate the length of the shaft of a club, each tube extending longitudinally within an outer casing of the bag to a base adapted to receive and support the tubes in a fixed relationship, wherein : a) the head includes a central elongate shaped recess communicating with a tube or tubes, the recess having a side extending to form an upstanding wall with the top of the wall including a plurality of channels formed with a base and divergent sides to accommodate the heads of clubs with the shafts extending down through the recess; b) the base includes a receiver with upstanding formations to receive and retain the lower end of each of the tubes ; c) the receiver is encased within a flexible resilient cover; and d) a filler material enclosing the tubes and occupying at least in part the void between the said tubes and outer casing.

2 A golf club bag in accordance with claim 1, wherein the recess communicates with a tube having an elongate arcuate section with sinuous walls serving to locate and separate the relevant shafts.

3 A golf club bag in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein the tubes are surrounded over their full length within the outer casing by a lightweight rigid

support material such as an expanded polystyrene.

4. A golf club bag in accordance with claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the tubes are secured by adhesive to the head and to the receiver at the bottom which in turn IS secured to the base cover.

5. A golf club bag according to any preceding claim, wherein the top of the upstanding wall includes a plurality of channels with different profiles and with the bases thereof being progressively raised to accommodate the heads of different sized clubs.

6. A golf club bag according to any preceding claim, wherein the central elongate shaped recess communicates with a single tube of complementary elongate form in cross section, on or both side walls of the tube being of a sinuous shape to restrain movement of a club shaft.

7. A golf club bag according to any preceding claim, wherein the tubes are supported at their lower ends by the receiver which has a series of upstanding formations which engage the ends of the tubes.

8 A golf club bag according to claim 6, wherein the tubes are secured to the receiver by an adhesive or supported therein by mechanical contact.

9. A golf club bag according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the receiver is a plastics moulding and is rigid to impart strength.

10. A golf club bag according to claim 6,7 or 8, wherein the receiver is connected to an outer base part formed from a resilient plastics moulding, the connection preferably being through an adhesive.

11. A golf club bag according to any preceding claim, wherein the tubes are

embraced and supported by the filler material comprising four blocks of an expanded plastics material which assemble together around the tubes and which together define the profile of the casing from the head to the base

12. A golf club bag according to any preceding claim, wherein the filler is covered by a fabric material forming the outer casing.

13. A golf club bag according to any preceding claim, wherein a strap connection eyes are moulded into the head and the base.

14 A golf club bag as described herein and exemplified with reference to the drawings.