Patent Application
20240408460
In general, the present invention relates to organizers for holding common objects. More particularly, the present invention relates to organizers specifically designed for use golfers or other individuals who are utilizing a golf cart.
Golf is a highly popular recreational sport. When an average person plays golf, they bring many items with them. In addition to golf balls, golf tees, a score card and a pencil, the average golfer carries a variety of secondary objects in his/her pockets. For example, the average golfer may carry keys, glasses, sunscreen, a wallet, a divot fork, a hand towel, and a cell phone. Each of these items crowds the pockets of the golfer and can detract from the ability of the golfer to swing fully and/or play comfortably. It is for this reason that many golfers empty their pockets into either their golf bag and/or their golf cart prior to beginning play.
Carrying items in a golf bag is often inconvenient because the golf bag is held in the rear of a golf cart and is not readily accessible by a person sitting in a golf cart. Accordingly, it is often preferred to carry many highly used items in the golf cart. Golf carts are commonly equipped with various compartments for this purpose. However, golf carts are small and typically have very little suspension. As such, golf carts are known to tilt, shake, and bounce significantly as they are driven over the diverse landscape of a golf course. Accordingly, small items often fall out of golf carts and become lost. Furthermore, many items are forgotten in the compartments of the golf cart as the golf cart is returned at the end of play.
In the prior art there are devices that are intended to organize the many golf-related objects that are commonly used while playing golf. However, such organizers are designed to hold golf balls, golf tees, divot forks, score cards and pencils. They do not hold secondary objects that most people ordinarily carry. Such prior are organizers are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,199, 573 to Gribovsky and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0169731 to Matulewic. Other golf-related organizers are carried by the player and interfere with the freedom of movement required to comfortably play the game of golf. Such prior art organizers are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,530 to Antezak. Lastly, there are organizers that are intended to be placed in golf carts. However, such organizers are molded plastic consoles with open compartments that merely rest within a golf cart. Such prior art organizers are exemplified by U.S. Patent No. D396956 to Iversen. Such organizers are nearly as likely to be lost during play or forgotten in a golf cart as are the items they carry.
A need therefore exists for a carry device that can retain the items commonly carried by a person in a golf cart, wherein the items are accessible, but are highly secure and prominently positioned. A need also exists for a carry device rebound device that is easily installed into a golf cart and can be readily carried away from a golf cart after play. These needs are met by the present invention as described and claimed below.
The present invention is a golf cart organizer that attaches to the windshield of a golf cart and is retractable when not in use. The golf cart organizer has a rectangular sleeve that includes an inner layer and an outer layer that are joined along a common periphery. The common periphery includes a first long edge, a second long edge, a first short edge, and a second short edge. The rectangular sleeve can be flattened into an open configuration and rolled into a rolled configuration.
A plurality of pockets are formed on the inner layer that are accessible when the rectangular sleeve is in its open configuration. At least one bistable spring is set in the rectangular sleeve. Each bistable spring is stable when the rectangular sleeve is in open configuration. The bistable spring biases the rectangular sleeve into its rolled configuration when not in its open configuration.
The golf cart organizer has a hooked structure that is hooked over the windshield of the golf cart. The flexible sleeve is then unrolled. A suction cup is used to hold the flexible sleeve in its open configuration. Once mounted to the windshield, the inner layer has various pockets and retaining devices to hold common objects. Once the game of golf is over, the suction cup is detached from the windshield. The flexible sleeve can then be manipulated causing the bistable springs to coil. As the bistable springs coil, the entire flexible sleeve coils into the compact form.
For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Although the present invention golf cart organizer can be embodied in many ways, only one exemplary embodiment is illustrated. The exemplary embodiment is being shown for the purposes of explanation and description. The exemplary embodiment is selected in order to set forth one of the best modes contemplated for the invention. The illustrated embodiment, however, is merely exemplary and should not be considered a limitation when interpreting the scope of the appended claims.
Referring to
The flexible sleeve 12 and has an inner layer 24 and an outer layer 26, wherein the inner layer 24 and the outer layer 26 are bound together along their shared periphery and at other positions layer described. The outer layer 26 can be made of terrycloth or other towel material. In this manner, the outer layer 26 of the carry device can be used in place of a separate golf towel and can serve the same purposes as a traditional golf towel. Alternatively, the outer layer 26 can be made of a waterproof material to help protect the objects being held within the golf cart organizer assembly 10.
A variety of pockets and other retention features are provided on the inner layer 24 of the flexible sleeve 12. The pockets include a phone pocket 28 sized and shaped to hold a cell phone. The phone pocket 28 has a transparent or mesh fabric pocket wall 29 so that the light from the cell phone can be seen and the sounds from the cell phone can be heard. The phone pocket 28 has an opening 30 that is parallel to the first short edge 14 while facing the first short edge 14. A glasses pocket 32 is provided that is sized and shaped to hold glasses. The glasses can be reading glasses or sunglasses. An optional buttonhole 34 can be formed in the inner layer 24 of the flexible sleeve 12 above the glasses pocket 32. The buttonhole 34 enables one temple frame of the glasses to be inserted into the buttonhole 34. This ensures that the glasses cannot inadvertently fall out of the glasses pocket 32.
A secondary pocket 36 is positioned next to the glasses pocket 32. The combined width of the glasses pocket 32 and the secondary pocket 36 is equal to the full width W1 of the flexible sleeve 12. The secondary pocket 36 can be used to hold sunscreen, bug spray of the like.
A large utility pocket 38 is formed at the bottom of the flexible sleeve 12. The large utility pocket 38 has a width equal to the width W1 of the flexible sleeve 12. The large utility pocket 38 is large enough to hold a wallet and/or two boxes of golf balls. In addition, a key holder 40 is provided at the top of the flexible sleeve 12. The key holder 40 can be a set of elastic bands, as is shown, or a hook clip and/or small pocket.
Referring to
Referring to
A straight wire 56 is sewn into the flexible sleeve 12 along is second short edge 16. The straight wire 56 stiffens the second short edge 16 and prevents the width of the flexible substrate 12 from folding along the second short edge 16.
Two bistable springs 60 are provided. The bistable springs are stable when fully elongated and when coiled. At all points in between, the bistable springs 60 create a spring bias that biases the bistable springs 60 into their coiled condition. The two bistable springs 60 have a length nearly as long as the length of the flexible substrate 12. The bistable springs are positioned inside the flexible sleeve 12 between the inner layer 24 and the outer layer 26 near the long edges 18, 20 of the flexible sleeve 12. When the flexible substrate 12 is unrolled into its open configuration, the two bistable springs 60 unwind and stabilize into their straight configuration. In their straight configuration, the bistable springs 60 hold the flexible substrate 12 open into the configuration of
Referring to
Once the game of golf is over, the suction cup 44 is detached from the windshield 66. The flexible sleeve 12 can the be manipulated causing the bistable springs 60 to coil. As the bistable springs 60 coil, the entire flexible sleeve 12 coils into the compact form of
It will be understood that the embodiment of the present invention that is illustrated and described is merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art can make many variations to that embodiment. For instance, the size and shape of the rebound frame can be varied. All such embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.
