This disclosure relates generally to sports equipment, and relates more particularly to golf club bag support mechanisms and related methods.
Golf bag support mechanisms are often incorporated into or coupled to a golf bag to assist supporting the golf bag over a playing surface, while at the same angling golf clubs contained in the golf bag for easy identification, extraction, and insertion by a user. Although golf bag support mechanisms exist in retractable configurations, such mechanisms often degrade over time or under heavy loads. As a result, such mechanisms may fail to maintain a desired extension angle, may fail to properly support the golf bag over the playing surface, and/or may fail to maintain the golf clubs at an adequate angle for proper inspection, insertion, or removal from the golf bag. Considering the above, further developments in golf bag support mechanisms and related methods will enhance the utilities and features provided by golf bags.
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 golf clubs and their methods of manufacture. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn 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 embodiments of the golf clubs and their methods of manufacture. The same reference numerals in different figures denote the same elements.
The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of golf clubs and methods of manufacture described herein are, for example, capable of operation in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Furthermore, the terms “contain,” “include,” and “have,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.
The terms “left,” “right,” “front,” “back,” “top,” “bottom,” “side,” “under,” “over,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing permanent relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of golf clubs and methods of manufacture described herein are, for example, capable of operation in other orientations than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. The term “coupled,” as used herein, is defined as directly or indirectly connected in an electrical, physical, mechanical, or other manner.
In one embodiment, a golf bag support mechanism comprises a bracket and a first hinge member. The bracket can comprise a bracket wall comprising an outer bracket side and an inner bracket side opposite the outer bracket side, and a first dock adjacent to the outer bracket side of the bracket wall. The first hinge member can be configured for hinged coupling with the first dock, and can comprise a first top end, a first bottom end opposite the first top end, a first sidewall extended between the first top end and the first bottom end, a first protrusion at the first top end and comprising a stop portion, and a first bore bounded by the first sidewall. A first axis extends through a centerpoint of the first protrusion and between the first top end and the first bottom end. The first dock can comprise a first notch extending into the outer bracket side of the bracket wall. When the golf bag support mechanism is in a retracted configuration, a retracted angle exists between the first axis and the bracket wall, and the first protrusion is decoupled from the first notch. When the golf bag support mechanism is in an extended configuration, an extended angle greater than the retracted angle exists between the first axis and the bracket wall, and the stop portion of the first protrusion is received at the first notch.
In one example, a method for providing a golf bag support mechanism can comprise providing a bracket and providing a first hinge member. The bracket can comprise a bracket wall comprising an outer bracket side and an inner bracket side opposite the outer bracket side, and a first dock adjacent to the outer bracket side of the bracket wall, the first dock comprising a first notch extending into the outer bracket side of the bracket wall. The first hinge member can be configured to be hingedly coupled to the first dock. Providing the first hinge member can comprise providing a first top end, providing a first bottom end opposite the first top end, providing a first sidewall extended between the first top end and the first bottom end, providing a first protrusion at the first top end and comprising a stop portion, and providing a first bore bounded by the first sidewall. A first axis can extends through a centerpoint of the first protrusion and between the first top end and the first bottom end. The golf bag support mechanism can be configurable for a retracted configuration where a retracted angle exists between the first axis and the bracket wall, and where the first protrusion is decoupled from the first notch. The golf bag support mechanism can be also configurable for an extended configuration where an extended angle greater than the retracted angle exists between the first axis and the bracket wall, where the stop portion of the first protrusion is received at the first notch.
In one embodiment, a golf bag can comprise a bag sidewall, first and second support legs, a bracket, first and second clevis pins; and first and second hinge members. The bracket can comprise (a) a bracket wall having an outer bracket side and an inner bracket side opposite the outer bracket side, the bracket wall configured to be coupled with, and substantially parallel to, the bag sidewall, (b) a first dock at the outer bracket side of the bracket wall, the first dock comprising a first notch extending into the outer bracket side of the bracket wall, and (c) a second dock at the outer bracket side of the bracket wall, the second dock comprising a second notch extending into the outer bracket side of the bracket wall. The first hinge member can be configured to be hingedly coupled to the first dock by the first clevis pin. The second hinge member can be configured to be hingedly coupled to the second dock by the second clevis pin. The first hinge member can comprises a first top end, a first bottom end opposite the first top end, a first protrusion centered at the first top end and comprising a stop portion. The stop portion can be rounded and can comprising one of a first protrusion end of the first protrusion, or a second protrusion end of the first protrusion, the second protrusion end being opposite the first protrusion end. The first hinge member also can comprise a first sidewall extended between the first top end and the first bottom end, a first axis extended through a centerpoint of the first protrusion and between the first top end and the first bottom end, and a first bore bounded by the first sidewall, extended into the first bottom end towards the first top end, and centered about the first axis. The first sidewall of the first hinge member can comprise a first sidewall end comprising a first hinge aperture, a second sidewall end opposite the first sidewall end, the second sidewall end comprising a second hinge aperture, a third sidewall end located between the first and second sidewall ends and towards the first protrusion end of the first protrusion, and a fourth sidewall end located between the first and second sidewall ends and towards the second protrusion end of the first protrusion. The first dock can comprises a first back wall comprising the first notch, and first and second ears coupled substantially perpendicular to, and at opposite ends of, the first back wall. The first ear can comprise a first ear aperture, and the second ear can comprise a second ear aperture. The first clevis pin can be insertable along a hinge axis of the first hinge member into a hinge position to hinge the first hinge member with the first dock. The hinge position can comprise the first clevis pin inserted into the first ear aperture, through the first hinge aperture, the first bore, and the second hinge aperture, and out the second ear aperture. A bottom portion of the first notch can be rounded complementarily with the stop portion of the first protrusion. The golf bag can be configurable for a retracted configuration where a retracted angle exists between the first axis and the bracket wall, and where the first protrusion is decoupled from the first notch. The golf bag can also be configurable for an extended configuration where an extended angle greater than the retracted angle exists between the first axis and the bracket wall, and where the stop portion of the first protrusion is received at the first notch. The first hinge member can be attachable to the first dock in either of (a) a first orientation wherein the third sidewall end faces the first back wall of the first dock when the golf bag is in the retracted configuration and the first protrusion end engages the first notch when the golf bag is in the extended configuration, or (b) a second orientation wherein the fourth sidewall end faces the first back wall of the first dock when the golf bag is in the retracted configuration and the second protrusion end engages the first notch when the golf bag is in the extended configuration.
Other examples and embodiments are further disclosed herein. Such examples and embodiments may be found in the figures, in the claims, and/or in the present description.
Turning now to the figures,
Golf bag support mechanism 100 is configure to permit legs 160 to extend between the retracted configuration of
In the present example, docks 3500 and 3600 are integral with bracket wall 3330, comprising a single piece, but there may be other embodiments where at least a portion of one of docks 3500 or 3600 are not be integral with bracket wall 3330. Dock 3500 is configured to receive and hingedly couple with hinge member 3100 via clevis pin 3410. Similarly, dock 3600 is configured to receive and hingedly couple with hinge member 3200 via clevis pin 3420. By hinging about clevis pins 3410 and 3420, hinge members 3100 and 3200 can be extended or retracted relative to bracket wall 3330 between retracted angle 190 (
As illustrated in
As shown in
As shown in
In the present example, protrusion 5150 of hinge member 3100 comprises a straight oval shape, where stop portion 5151 of protrusion 5150 is rounded, and where the bottom portion of notch 10531 is also rounded complementarily to stop portion 5151. Such roundness of the contact portions between notch 10531 and hinge member 3100 can permit contact stresses to be reduced by being better spread therebetween and by reducing areas of stress concentration, which can increase the load capacity of golf bag support system 100. There can be other embodiments, however, where protrusion 5150 can comprise other shapes, such as an oval, round, triangular, or flat shape. Such embodiments may also have their respective stop portions 5151 in a complementary shape, as well.
Notch 10531 extends completely through from the outer bracket side to the inner bracket side of bracket wall 3330 in the present example, such that part of stop portion 5151 of protrusion 5150 of hinge member 3100 extends through notch 10531 from the inner bracket side of bracket wall 3330 to or past the outer bracket side of bracket wall 3330. This arrangement permits protrusion 5150 to be taller and more robust than would otherwise be possible, and to reduce or spread out the contact stresses between stop portion 5151 and notch 10531 for better load capacity. In other embodiments, however, notch 10531 need not extend completely to the inner bracket side of bracket wall 3330.
As seen in
The present example also shows top wall 3700 (
In addition, insertion end portion 13412 of clevis pin 3410 is devoid of a retention mechanism, such as a cotter pin mechanism or an arrowhead tip mechanism, to keep clevis pin 3410 from sliding out of ear aperture 9521 or hinge aperture 7120. Instead, clevis pin 3410 comprises a retention groove 13413 between head end portion 13411 and 13412, where retention groove 13413 at least partially circumscribes clevis pin 3410. A distance between retention fingers 8181-8182 (
Returning to
As can be seen in
Moving along,
Block 15100 of method 15000 comprises providing a bracket comprising a bracket wall, a first dock with a first notch, and a second dock with a second notch. In some examples, the bracket can be similar to bracket 3300 (
Block 15200 of method 15000 comprises providing a first hinge member with a first protrusion configured to engage the first notch when the golf bag support mechanism is at an extended configuration. In some examples, the first hinge member can be similar to hinge member 3100 (
Block 15300 of method 15000 comprises providing a second hinge member with a second protrusion configured to engage the second notch when the golf bag support mechanism is at the extended configuration. In some examples, the second hinge member can be similar to hinge member 3200 (
Block 15400 of method 15000 comprises providing a first clevis pin configured to hinge the first hinge member to the first dock. In some examples, the first clevis pin can be similar to clevis pin 3410 (
Block 15500 of method 15000 comprises providing a second clevis pin configured to hinge the second hinge member to the second dock. In some examples, the second clevis pin can be similar to clevis pin 3420 (
In some examples, one or more of the different blocks of method 15000 can be combined into a single block or performed simultaneously, and/or the sequence of such blocks can be changed. For example, blocks 15200 and 15300, and/or blocks 15400 and 15500, may be performed simultaneously. As another example, blocks 15200 and 15300 can be performed prior to block 15100. In the same or other examples, some of the blocks of method 15000 can be subdivided into several sub-blocks. For example, block 15100 can be subdivided into sub-blocks, each providing a different one of the bracket wall, the first dock, and the second dock. There can also be examples where method 15000 can comprise further or different blocks. As an example, method 15000 can comprise another block for providing a golf club bag and/or for attaching the bracket to the golf club bag. In addition, there may be examples where method 15000 can comprise only part of the steps described above. For instance, in some examples, blocks 15300 and 15500 may not be needed, and the bracket of block 15100 need not comprise the second dock with the second notch. Other variations can be implemented for method 15000 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
Although the golf bag support mechanisms and related methods herein have been described with reference to specific embodiments, various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Additional examples of such changes have been given in the foregoing description. Other permutations of the different embodiments having one or more of the features of the various figures are likewise contemplated. Accordingly, the specification and drawings herein are intended to be illustrative of the scope of the disclosure and is not intended to be limiting. It is intended that the scope of this application shall be limited only to the extent required by the appended claims.
The golf bag support mechanisms and related methods discussed herein may be implemented in a variety of embodiments, and the foregoing discussion of certain of these embodiments does not necessarily represent a complete description of all possible embodiments. Rather, the detailed description of the drawings, and the drawings themselves, disclose at least one preferred embodiment, and may disclose alternative embodiments.
All elements claimed in any particular claim are essential to the embodiment claimed in that particular claim. Consequently, replacement of one or more claimed elements constitutes reconstruction and not repair. Additionally, benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described with regard to specific embodiments. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element or elements that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced, however, are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all of the claims, unless such benefits, advantages, solutions, or elements are expressly stated in such claims.
As the rules to 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.
While the above examples may be described in connection with a golf club bag, the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may be applicable to other types of bags or items designed to carry other equipment. Alternatively, the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may be applicable to other bags or utensils to carry different kinds of sports equipment, such as hockey sticks, tennis rackets, fishing poles, ski poles, etc.
Moreover, embodiments and limitations disclosed herein are not dedicated to the public under the doctrine of dedication if the embodiments and/or limitations: (1) are not expressly claimed in the claims; and (2) are or are potentially equivalents of express elements and/or limitations in the claims under the doctrine of equivalents.
This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/268,160, filed on Oct. 7, 2011, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/478,448, filed on Apr. 22, 2011. The contents of the disclosures listed above are incorporated herein by reference.
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Child | 14256277 | US |