The present disclosure may be subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the present disclosure and its related documents, as they appear in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all applicable copyrights.
The present disclosure generally relates to golf equipment, and more particularly, to golf bags and methods to manufacture golf bags.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/055,281, filed on Jul. 22, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Golf bags are used to carry golf clubs and accessories. Some golf bags are tube-shaped and hold a set of golf clubs and include one or more pockets for holding golf balls, tees, gloves, rain gear, and other golf related equipment and accessories. Golf bags may include an open top end that is divided into a plurality of slots to allow an individual to organize and sort a plurality of golf clubs. A stand golf bag is a golf club bag that includes a stand. The stand may include a pair of support legs that allow the golf bag to stand upright on the ground so that golf clubs within the golf bag are readily accessible. The support legs may be retractable to make the golf bag easier to carry.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures may not be depicted to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of examples of the present disclosure.
In general, golf club bags and methods to manufacture golf club bags are described herein. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.
In the example of
The stand golf bag 10 may include a retractable stand assembly 25. The retractable stand assembly 25 may include a first bracket 22 and a second bracket 24 that are pivotally coupled to a collar 20. The collar 20 may be located at or proximate to the open top portion 14 of the body portion 12. The collar 20 may be an integral part of the divider 18 or provided separately. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.
The retractable stand assembly 25 may include a first leg 26 having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and a second leg 28 having a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end of the first leg 26 may be coupled to the first bracket 22 and thereby pivotally coupled to the body portion 12. The first end of the second leg 28 may be coupled to the second bracket 24 and thereby pivotally coupled to the body portion 12. The first and second legs 26 and 28 may be movable between a retracted position against the body portion 12 and a deployed position away from the body portion 12. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.
The retractable stand assembly 25 may include a push rod 30. The push rod 30 may be a Y-shaped push rod. The retractable stand assembly 25 may include a third bracket 32 located in the bottom portion 16. The push rod 30 may be connected to the first and second brackets 22 and 24 and be connected to the bottom portion 16 by way of the third bracket 32. Alternatively, the push rod 30 may be directly connected to the first and second legs 26 and 28 and connected to the bottom portion 16 by way of the third bracket 32. As shown in
The retractable stand assembly 25 may include a push rod retainer 36. The push rod retainer 36 may maintain the Y shape of the pushrod and retain the spring properties of the push rod 30 during deployment and retraction of the first leg 26 and the second leg 28. During deployment and retraction of the first and second legs 26 and 28, the push rod 30. When deploying the first and second legs 26 and 28, the push rod retainer 36 may prevent the push rod 30 from bowing outward from the body portion 12 (i.e., prevent expansion or excessive expansion of the Y shape of the push rod 30) and thereby aid in transferring force from the push rod 30 to the first and second brackets 22 and 24 to promote deployment of the first and second legs 26 and 28. Further, by maintaining the Y shape of the push rod 30 during deployment, the push rod retainer 36 assists in spring loading the push rod 30 for retraction of the first and second legs 26 and 28. When the golf bag 10 is picked up and carried, pressure applied to the push rod 30 by the ground surface is relieved, thereby allowing the spring force of the push rod 30 (i.e., spring loaded during deployment) to slide the push rod 30 downward and the first and second legs 26 and 28 to retract inward toward the body. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.
When the stand golf bag 10 is carried or set against the ground in an upright position, the first and second legs 26 and 28 may bias toward a retracted position with the legs drawn inward against or proximate to the body portion 12. In some instances, an individual may set the stand golf bag 10 against the ground with a rearward tilt, thereby causing the push rod 30 to be pressed upward due to interaction with a ground surface and thereby transfer an upward force against the first and second brackets 22 and 24, which causes the first and second legs 26 and 28 to deploy in an outward direction about the pivot points established between the first and second brackets 22 and 24 and the collar 20. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.
In one example, the retractable stand assembly 25 may include a first foot 40 that may be removably attached to the second end of the first leg 26, and a second foot 40 that may be removably attached to the second end of the second leg 28. Each of the first and second feet 40 and 42 may include a high friction sole, such as a rubber sole. In one example, shown in
To prevent the first and second legs 26 and 28 from drooping, sagging, or inadvertently deploying while the stand golf bag 10 is being carried or stood upright against the ground, the retractable stand assembly 25 may include a leg retention assembly 60 configured to retain the legs against the body portion 12. The leg retention assembly 60 may not be visible to an individual using the stand golf bag 10. The leg retention assembly 60 may include one or more magnets configured to facilitate contactless retention of the first and second legs 26 and 28 in a retracted position. The leg retention assembly 60 may not require manual actuation each time the golf bag is lifted from the ground and carried. For example, the leg retention assembly 60 may be free of any leg straps or clips that would require manual operation by an individual using the stand golf bag 10. The leg retention assembly 60 may be a hands-free leg retention system that may operate without intervention. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.
In the example of
In the example of
An example second foot 42 is shown in
As described herein, the first foot 40 may be removably attached to the first leg 26, and the second foot 42 may be removably attached to the second leg 28. In one example, the first foot 40 and the second foot 42 may be removed from the first leg 26 and the second leg 28, respectively, and exchanged with another first foot 40 and another second foot 42. Accordingly, an individual may exchange the first and second feet 40 and 42. In one example, an individual may replace the first foot 40 and the second foot 42 due to wear and tear or damage (e.g., torn or cracked feet). In another example, an individual may replace the first foot 40 and the second foot 42 with another first foot 40 and second foot 42 having different sole frictional properties (e.g., replace feet with other feet having spikes). In another example, an individual may replace the first foot 40 and the second foot 42 for cosmetic or visual reasons (e.g., to change the color of the feet). In another example, an individual may replace the first foot 40 and the second foot 42 with larger feet to provide additional stability for the golf bag when the legs 26 and 28 are in the deployed position. In yet another example, an individual may replace the first foot 40 and the second foot 42 with feet made from different materials than the original feet, for example, to change the functional properties of the feet and/or to increase longevity of the feet. As also described herein, the retention portions 46 may be magnets and replaceable. Accordingly, an individual may replace the retention portions 46 with stronger magnets to increase the magnetic retention force of the first leg 26 and the second leg 28 against the body portion 12 and/or to prevent or reduce unintended deployment of the first leg 26 and the second leg 28. The replacement of the retention portions 46 with retention portions 46 having stronger magnets may be necessary with long term and repeated deployment and retraction of the first leg 26 and the second leg 28 due to possible reduction in the magnetic forces of the retention portions 46. Additionally, replacement of the retention portions 46 may be necessary due to wear and tear and/or damage. Thus, with the retractable stand assembly 25 having a replaceable first foot 40, a replaceable second foot 42, and replaceable retention portions 46 as described herein, the retractable stand assembly may be customized, modified, and/or repaired by an individual. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.
As described herein, the first retention portion 44 may couple to a corresponding magnetic and/or metal portion on the body portion 12 to retain the first leg 26 in a retracted position, and the second retention portion 46 may couple to a corresponding magnetic and/or metal portion on the body portion 12 to retain the second leg 28 in a retracted position. In one example, the body portion 12 may include a third retention portion 50, which may be a magnet or metal portion, and which may be disposed inside or outside the body portion 12 of the stand golf bag 10 and positioned to align or substantially align with the first retention portion 44 when the first leg 26 is in the retracted position. Likewise, in another example, the body portion 12 may include a fourth retention portion 52, which may be a magnet or metal portion, and which may be disposed inside or outside the body portion 12 of the stand golf bag 10 and positioned to align or substantially align with the second retention portion 46 when the second leg 28 is in the retracted position. The third and fourth retention portions 50 and 52 may be oriented to establish a magnetic attraction with the first and second retention portions 44 and 46, respectively. As a result, the magnetic attraction between the first and third retention portions 44 and 50, and the magnetic attraction between the second and fourth retention portions 46 and 52, may aid in retaining the first and second legs 26 and 28 in the retracted position and also serve to prevent drooping, sagging, or inadvertent deployment of the first and second legs 26 and 28 while the stand golf bag 10 is being carried or stood upright against the ground. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.
As described herein, the first retention portion 44 may couple to a corresponding magnetic and/or metal portion on the body portion 12 to retain the first leg 26 in a retracted position, and the second retention portion 46 may couple to a corresponding magnetic and/or metal portion on the body portion 12 to retain the second leg 28 in a retracted position. In the example of
In the example of
With respect to the example leg retention assemblies of
The terms “and” and “or” may have both conjunctive and disjunctive meanings. The terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more unless this disclosure indicates otherwise. The term “coupled,” and any variation thereof, refer to directly or indirectly connecting two or more elements chemically, mechanically, and/or otherwise. The phrase “removably connected” is defined such that two elements that are “removably connected” may be separated from each other without breaking or destroying the utility of either element.
The term “substantially” when used to describe a characteristic, parameter, property, or value of an element may represent deviations or variations that do not diminish the characteristic, parameter, property, or value that the element may be intended to provide. Deviations or variations in a characteristic, parameter, property, or value of an element may be based on, for example, tolerances, measurement errors, measurement accuracy limitations and other factors. The term “proximate” is synonymous with terms such as “adjacent,” “close,” “immediate,” “nearby”, “neighboring”, etc., and such terms may be used interchangeably as appearing in this disclosure.
The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may be implemented in a variety of embodiments, and the foregoing description of some of these embodiments does not necessarily represent a complete description of all possible embodiments. Instead, the description of the drawings, and the drawings themselves, disclose at least one embodiment, and may disclosure alternative embodiments.
As the rules of golf may change from time to time (e.g., new regulations may be adopted or old rules may be eliminated or modified by golf standard organizations and/or governing bodies such as the United States Golf Association (USGA), the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (R&A), etc.), golf equipment related to the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may be conforming or non-conforming to the rules of golf at any particular time. Accordingly, golf equipment related to the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may be advertised, offered for sale, and/or sold as conforming or non-conforming golf equipment. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.
Although certain example apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this disclosure is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this disclosure covers all apparatus, methods, and articles of articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.
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Number | Date | Country |
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Entry |
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Gatorfeet: https://www.amazon.com/Golf-Bag-Stand-Replacement-Feet/dp/B00ITV8PYK/ref=sr_1_31?crid=JYLRBEGOZX4R&keywords=magnetic+golf+replacement+feet&qid=1701378792&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=magnetic+golf+replacement+feet%2Csporting%2C172&sr=1-31 (Year: 2014). |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20220023727 A1 | Jan 2022 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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63055281 | Jul 2020 | US |