GOLF BAG DRAPE

Abstract

A golf bag cover includes a shaft having an upper end and a lower end and a drape element having a water resistant side and a water absorbent side and a hole through a generally central region of the drape element. The upper end of the shaft is inserted into the hole of the drape element, and an attaching element is attached at the upper end of the shaft to removably retain the drape element at the shaft. During use of the drape element as a cover for a golf bag, the shaft is disposed at or in the golf bag and the drape element is disposed at or above the golf clubs and substantially covers the golf clubs to limit water intrusion at the golf clubs during rainy weather conditions.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to golf and, more particularly, to a cover to protect golf clubs in a golf bag.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a drape element for a golf bag that may be selectively used as a golf towel and a golf club/bag cover. The drape element has a water resistant or waterproof side or surface or portion and a water absorbent side or surface or portion or liner, and is selectively disposed at a golf bag for use as a cover or towel. For example, during rainy weather conditions, the drape element may be attached at an end of a rod or shaft, which may be disposed at the golf bag, whereby the drape element (with its water resistant side up or out) covers the upper ends of the clubs in the golf bag and limits water intrusion at the clubs or bag. When used as a cover in this manner, the inner towel liner may still be used as a towel to dry the clubs or the golfer's hands. Optionally, for example, the drape element may be reversed and used primarily as a golf towel, such as during drier weather conditions.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes, and features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following description in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a golf bag drape assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing use of the golf bag drape of the present invention on an upright golf bag; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing use of the golf bag drape of the present invention on a carrying golf bag.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIG. 1, a golf bag drape or bag cover of the present invention includes a shaft or rod (such as a telescoping shaft or rod) and a cover or drape that is attachable at an upper end of the rod and that drapes over or covers the golf clubs in a golf bag when the rod is extended and inserted into the golf bag (such as along with the other clubs in the golf bag or in or at a side holder of the golf bag), such as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The drape or cover is retained at the upper end of the rod via a cap, which may be threaded onto a threaded end of the rod to retain a grommet of the drape thereat (such as between a washer or flange of the rod and a lower portion or flange of the threaded cap.

The drape or cover comprises a fabric portion, which is preferably a waterproof or water resistant material (such as a material of the types typically used for umbrella canopies or the like), and a towel portion or liner, which is preferably a water absorbent material (such as a material of the types typically used for golf towels). A hole is formed generally at a center of the drape or cover, and a grommet (such as a metal or plastic grommet or washer) is provided at the hole. Optionally, the drape may have reinforced material at and around the grommet to strengthen the drape.

Thus, to assemble the golf club/bag cover assembly, the upper end of the rod is inserted through the hole in the grommet and the cap (such as a golf ball shaped cap) is threaded onto the end of the rod and tightened to trap the grommet between the cap and a flange or larger diameter portion of the rod. As shown in FIG. 1, a lower or outer perimeter of the drape may include a weighted portion (such as a flexible material or weight or a plurality of weights sewn into or retained at and at least substantially around the lower perimeter of the drape) to help keep the drape in place around the golf bag when used in windy conditions (such as can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3). Optionally, the weighted perimeter may comprise a magnetic element so that the lower perimeter region of the drape may be magnetically retained at or near metal of the golf bag.

The shaft or rod preferably comprises a telescoping rod that has a golf club grip at its lower end (such as by utilizing aspects of the golf bag umbrellas described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,891, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference). The length of the rod or shaft may be adjustable between a stored or collapsed state of around 20 inches or thereabouts and a use or extended state of around 44 or 48 inches or thereabouts. Thus, when collapsed and not in use, the rod or shaft (with or without the drape attached thereto) may be stored in a side pocket of the golf bag.

The drape may be reversed to provide the towel side at the outer or upper portion of the drape, such as for use in dry conditions when the golfer wants to use the towel for drying a cleaned golf ball or for wiping his or her clubs or the like. Optionally, the drape may include a second grommet at or near the first center grommet, whereby, when the drape is not attached at the rod for use in the rain, the drape may be clipped or attached at a typical clip of a golf bag (that may insert through both holes and grommets to attach to the drape) and used primarily as a towel. Then, when it rains during a round of golf, the golfer may readily unclip the drape or “towel” from the golf bag and attach the drape or “rain cover” to the rod (where the rod end or the cap is inserted into and through one of the holes or grommets), whereby the rod or shaft may be extended and inserted into the golf bag. The drape may then lay over the clubs to cover the clubs, with the water resistant side up and the weighted perimeter of the drape assisting in causing the lower perimeter portion of the drape to drop or hang down below the upper end of the golf bag to cover and protect the clubs.

Thus, the present invention provides a golf bag/club cover that can be used to protect the golf clubs, such as during rainy conditions. The drape comprises an umbrella-like material to deflect rain from the clubs so the clubs do not get wet, and comprises a towel portion or liner that the golfer may use to dry his or her hands or clubs, with the towel portion staying relatively dry in the rain because it is inside or below the outer waterproof or water resistant portion of the drape. The drape or drape element may be selectively used as a towel or a golf club cover, depending on the golfing conditions, and when not used as a golf club cover, the shaft or rod may be stowed in a pocket of the golf bag, if desired, while the drape or drape element may find use as a towel attached at the golf bag. When rain starts to fall, the drape may be readily attached (if not already attached and stored that way) at the shaft end via the threaded cap (or may be otherwise attached at the shaft end, such as via a snap attachment of the cap onto the shaft end or the like), and the shaft may be extended, whereby the drape and shaft assembly is transformed into a golf bag cover to protect the clubs and bag from the elements. The upper end of the shaft may insert through the hole or grommet for attachment of the cap at the upper end of the shaft, or optionally the cap may include a shaft portion that is inserted through the hole or grommet for attachment (such as via threaded or snap or interference fit attachment) to the upper end of the shaft (with the upper end of the shaft having a flange or lip or larger diameter region or end where the grommet contacts to limit the grommet and drape from sliding down the shaft).

Changes and modifications to the specifically described embodiments may be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.

Claims

1. A golf bag cover comprising: a shaft having an upper end and a lower end;a drape element comprising a water resistant side and a water absorbent side and a hole through a generally central region of said drape element;an attaching element configured to attach at said upper end of said shaft;wherein said upper end of said shaft is disposed at said hole of said drape element and wherein said attaching element is attached at said upper end of said shaft to removably retain said drape element at said upper end of said shaft;wherein, during use of said golf bag cover as a cover during rainy weather conditions, said shaft is disposed at or in a golf bag and said drape element is disposed at or above the golf clubs and substantially covers the golf clubs; andwherein, when said drape element is attached at said upper end of said shaft, said water resistant side comprises the upper or outer side of said drape element so that said drape element limits water intrusion at the golf clubs during rainy weather conditions.

2. The golf bag cover of claim 1, wherein said attaching element threadedly attaches at said upper end of said shaft, and wherein a threaded end portion of said upper end of said shaft is inserted through a grommet at said hole to threadedly retain said drape element at said upper end of said shaft portion.

3. The golf bag cover of claim 1, wherein said shaft comprises a telescoping shaft that (i) is extendable to an extended state for use with said drape element as a cover for covering golf clubs in a golf bag and (ii) is collapsible to a collapsed state for storage in the golf bag.

4. The golf bag cover of claim 1, wherein said drape element comprises a weighted perimeter region.

5. The golf bag cover of claim 1, wherein said drape element is reversible so said drape element can selectively have its towel side comprise the upper or outer side of said drape element.

6. The golf bag cover of claim 1, wherein said drape element comprises a second hole for attachment of said drape element at a golf bag for use as a golf towel.

7. The golf bag cover of claim 6, wherein, when used as a golf towel, a clip at a golf bag is inserted through said hole and said second hole to attach said drape element at the golf bag.

8. The golf bag cover of claim 6, wherein, when said drape element is attached at the golf bag for use as a golf towel, said shaft is collapsed to a storage state for storage in said golf bag.