Information
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Patent Grant
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6398025
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Patent Number
6,398,025
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Date Filed
Tuesday, August 3, 199924 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, June 4, 200222 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
- Garbe; Stephen P.
- Mai; Tri M.
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 150 160
- D21 754
- 206 3152
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
A head cover capable of being used for receiving golf clubs of various kinds and various sizes, is disclosed. The head cover for golf clubs of this invention comprises a head protection part. The head protection part consists of an outer layer defining a cavity therein and a liner provided within the cavity to define a head pocket for receiving the head of a golf club therein. The liner consists of upper and lower parts, the upper and lower parts of the liner being integrated into a single structure with an elastic band loop interposed between the upper and lower parts. The head cover for a golf club of this invention covers more securely any kind of or any size of golf club head, is reduced in the production cost, and is convenient to the golfer in use.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to head covers for golf clubs designed to prevent golf clubs from being damaged and, more particularly, to a head cover capable of being used for receiving golf clubs of various kinds and various sizes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As well known to those skilled in the art, golf clubs are typically classified into two types; “woods” having large and voluminous heads, and “irons” having smaller and narrower heads. The “woods” are generally used for making long-distance drive shots, while the “irons” are generally used for making short-distance shots.
The “woods” and “irons” are manufactured to be of various sizes. Typically, individual golf clubs, having different sizes and different types, are selected by a golfer while golfing in accordance with physical characteristics of the golfer, landscape, and desired flying distances of golf balls. The “woods” have been typically classified into about five types in accordance with the sizes of the heads. However, in recent days, the head sizes of “woods” further vary in order to meet a golfer's fancy and desired flying distances, thus being classified into ten or more types. When carrying the “woods” and “irons” on a golf course or other areas, a golfer takes a golf bag with the clubs being received in the bag. In such a case, the clubs are positioned within the bag in a way such that the heads are directed upwardly, with the grips being positioned on the bottom of the bag. Therefore, the club heads may undesirably strike against each other, and so the heads, particularly, the heads of the “woods” may be impacted and damaged. In an effort to protect the heads of the “woods” the wood heads from being impacted or damaged, it is preferable to cover them with head covers.
FIGS. 1
to
3
show the construction of conventional head covers for golf clubs. As shown in the drawings, a conventional head cover
1
comprises a head protection part
2
, which defines a head pocket
3
for receiving and protecting the head
9
of a club
8
. An elongated shaft protection part
7
extends from the bottom of the head protection part
2
to a length and is used for receiving and protecting the shaft of the club
8
. In the head cover of
FIG. 1
, the head protection part
2
and the shaft protection part
7
are integrally formed through a knitting process using elastic yarns. In the head cover of
FIG. 2
, the outer layer of the head protection part
2
is made of woven fabric or synthetic fabric, with a cushionable sponge
5
being sewn to the interior surface of the woven fabric or synthetic fabric outer layer. Thereafter, the shaft protection part
7
is integrated with the bottom of the head protection part
2
through a sewing process. In the head cover of
FIG. 3
, a liner
6
, integrally extending from the top end of the shaft protection part
7
, is positioned within the head protection part
2
so as to somewhat tightly hold the club head
9
within the head protection part
2
.
However, the above head covers are problematic in that it is necessary for manufacturers to produce several types of head covers, having various sizes meeting the different head sizes, and for golfers to purchase the head covers at high cost. When the ten or more types of the heads of the “woods” are covered with inappropriately-sized covers respectively, the head covers may be undesirably removed from the heads and fail to effectively protect the wood heads from unexpected impact. In addition, since it is necessary for the manufacturers to produce such several types of covers, productivity while producing the covers is regrettably reduced. This finally results in an increase in the production cost of the head covers. Another problem, experienced in the conventional head covers, resides in that they force a golfer to cover the club heads with the head covers and to remove the covers from the heads one by one, thus being inconvenient to the golfer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a head cover for golf clubs, more securely covering any kind of or any size of golf club head, reduced in the production cost, and convenient to the golfer in use.
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a universally usable head cover for golf clubs, comprising: a head protection part consisting of an outer layer and a liner, the outer layer defining a cavity therein and a liner being provided within the cavity to define a head pocket for receiving the head of a golf club therein, the liner consisting of upper and lower parts, the upper and lower parts of the liner being integrated into a single structure with an elastic band loop interposed between the upper and lower parts.
The head cover for golf clubs of this invention comprises further an elongated shaft protection part for receiving a shaft of the golf club, the shaft protection part extending from the bottom end of the liner and being attached to the bottom end of the head protection part at its top end.
The circumferential surface of the liner is divided into a plurality of sections, with the elastic band loop being positioned within at least one of the sections.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1
is a longitudinal sectional view, showing a conventional head cover for golf clubs;
FIG. 2
is a longitudinal sectional view, showing another conventional head cover for golf clubs;
FIG. 3
is a longitudinal sectional view, showing a further conventional head cover for golf clubs;
FIG. 4
is a partially cut away perspective view, showing a universally usable head cover for golf clubs according to the preferred embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 5
is a longitudinal sectional view, showing the universally usable head cover of the embodiment; and
FIG. 6
is a longitudinal sectional view, showing the universally usable head cover of the embodiment in use.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference to
FIGS. 4
,
5
, and
6
, the construction of a universally usable head cover for golf clubs according to the preferred embodiment of this invention will be described in the following.
FIG. 4
is a partially cut away perspective view, showing a universally usable head cover for golf clubs according to the preferred embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 5
is a longitudinal sectional view, showing the universally usable head cover for golf clubs of the embodiment. And,
FIG. 6
is a longitudinal sectional view, showing the universally usable head cover for golf clubs of the embodiment in use.
As shown in
FIGS. 4-6
, a universally usable head cover for golf clubs according to the preferred embodiment of this invention comprises a head protection part
10
and an elongated shaft protection part
50
. The head protection part
10
defines a cavity, while the elongated shaft protection part
50
extends from the bottom end of the head protection part
10
to a length.
The head protection part
10
consists of the outer layer
21
and a liner
30
.
The outer layer
21
is made of woven fabric or synthetic fabric, with a cushionable sponge
22
being sewn to the interior surface of the woven fabric or synthetic fabric outer layer
21
. In addition, an identification tag (not shown) for identifying the type and/or size of the golf club
100
may be attached to the outer surface of the outer layer
21
. An identification mark may be put on the identification tag.
The liner
30
, defining a head pocket
11
within the head protection part
10
for receiving and protecting the head
101
of a golf club
100
, is provided fully within the cavity of the head cover defined by the cushionable sponge
22
sewn to the outer layer
2
, so as to tightly hold the club head
101
within the head pocket
11
. Although the liner
30
may be made of knit cloth, it also may be made of the same woven fabric or synthetic fabric as for the outer layer
21
.
An elastic band loop
40
is provided at the liner
30
to be tightened around the neck
102
of the golf club
100
. In such a case, the liner
30
consists of the upper and lower parts. The upper and lower parts of the liner
30
are integrated into a single structure with an elastic band loop
10
interposed between said upper and lower parts.
The circumferential surface of the liner
30
may be divided into a plurality of sections. The elastic band loop
40
may be positioned within at least one of the sections.
The elongated shaft protection part
50
extends from the bottom end of the liner
30
and is attached to the bottom end of the head protection part
10
at its top end. The shaft protection part
50
is made of knit cloth, the woven fabric, or synthetic fabric, as in the case of the liner
30
.
In
FIG. 6
, a longitudinal sectional view, showing the universally usable head cover of the embodiment in use is illustrated.
With reference to the drawing, the operation of the universally usable head cover of the embodiment will be described in the following.
When a golf club is inserted into the a head pocket
11
defined by the liner
30
, the elastic band loop
40
is extended to receive the head
101
of a golf club
100
. Since the band loop
30
is made of elastic material, the liner
30
is capable of receiving a head
101
of a golf club
100
regardless of its type and its size.
On the other hand, the elastic band loop
30
is tightened around the neck
102
of a golf club
100
while the head
101
of the golf club
100
is in the upper part of the liner
30
. Since the band loop
30
is made of elastic material and its normal diameter is smaller than any of the diameters of the necks of general golf clubs, the band loop
30
is capable of being tightened around the neck
102
of the golf club
100
. As a result of being tightened around the neck
102
of a golf club
100
, the head cover of this invention is prevented from being undesirably removed from the head
101
of a golf club
100
.
As described above, the present invention provides a head cover for a golf club, more securely covering any kind of or any size of golf club head, reduced in the production cost, and convenient to the golfer in use.
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.
Claims
- 1. A universally usable head cover for wood clubs, comprising:a rigid outer layer having a cavity for accommodating a head of the wood club; a liner provided within said cavity for enclosing the head and protecting the head from damage; said liner containing only one elastic band loop interposed between upper and lower portions of said liner for elastically holding the neck of the wood club; and at least one elongated shaft protection part for accommodating a shaft of said wood club, said shaft protection part extending from a bottom end of said outer layer and having a passage for guiding the head of said wood club into said cavity.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
98-14571 |
Aug 1998 |
KR |
|
US Referenced Citations (9)