Abstract:
A shoulder strap for carrying a bag such as a golf bag consists of a central portion formed into a substantially V-shaped shoulder pad with end portions formed into substantially inverted V-shaped panels. The ergonomic shape of the multiple V-shaped shoulder pad moves the line of action of the shoulder strap closer to the center line of a person&#39;s body. The shoulder pad may also include a plurality of elongate bearing pads that vary in height to accommodate the slope of a person&#39;s shoulder for greater comfort.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    This invention relates in general to sport and utility bags and, in particular, to shoulder straps for carrying sport and utility bags such as golf bags. 
         [0002]    Participants in the sport of golf often use golf bags to carry golf clubs, golf balls, tees and other equipment on the golf course. So-called cart bags are large, heavy bags designed to carry a full set of golf clubs plus accessories and even refreshments. As the name implies, cart bags are intended to ride on a golf cart rather than being carried from hole to hole. So-called carry bags, on the other hand, are relatively lightweight to facilitate the golfer carrying the bag and its contents for the entire round of golf. In spite of this, a fully loaded carry bag can still weigh twenty to thirty pounds or more. Consequently, a golf bag with an ergonomically designed strap would be of benefit. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of a golf bag strap incorporating features of the present invention; 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the golf bag strap of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the golf bag strap of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the golf bag strap of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the golf bag strap of  FIG. 3  taken along line  5 - 5 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the golf bag strap of  FIG. 4  taken along line  6 - 6 ; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the golf bag strap of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]      FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate an embodiment of a shoulder strap  10  incorporating features of the present invention in position on the shoulder of a person. Shoulder strap  10  comprises a shoulder pad  12  attached at its respective ends  14 ,  16  to a pair of straps  18 ,  20  which in turn are attached to a golf bag  22 . Golf bag  22  may be of any known type but preferably comprises a carry bag, and the straps  18 ,  20  may be of any known material and construction, e.g., synthetic webbing conventionally used in golf bag straps. 
         [0011]    Throughout the description and the claims, the terms “upper” and “lower” are used with reference to the vertically upward and vertically downward directions of shoulder strap  10  in use as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The term “inner” means in a direction adjacent the user&#39;s neck and the term “outer” means in a direction adjacent the user&#39;s arm. These terms are used as a matter of convenience to establish a frame of reference for describing the relative positions of the various components of the illustrative embodiment of the shoulder strap disclosed herein and are not intended to be limiting. 
         [0012]    As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , which are top and bottom views of the shoulder strap  10  of  FIG. 1 , shoulder strap  10  includes the shoulder pad  12  which has a flexible backing member  24  consisting of a central portion  26 , a first end portion  28 , and a second end portion  30 . Central portion  26  is formed substantially in the shape of a “V” with a first arm  32  having a longitudinal axis  34  that diverges at an obtuse angle from a longitudinal axis  38  of second arm  40  with both axes  34 ,  38  meeting at a central vertex  36 . The first and second arms  32 ,  40  of central portion  26  have inner edges  42  and  44  that form a substantially continuous concave inner edge. The outer edges  46  and  48  of first and second arms  32 ,  40  slope gradually towards each other then stop abruptly at apexes  50  and  52  which are separated by a shoulder bone cutout  54  comprising a substantially concave outward edge. 
         [0013]    First end portion  28  has a longitudinal axis  56  that diverges from longitudinal axis  34  of first arm  32  at an obtuse angle. Similarly, second end portion  30  has a longitudinal axis  58  that diverges from longitudinal axis  38  of second arm  40  at an obtuse angle. First end portion  28  and first arm  32  form a panel having a generally inverted “V” profile. Similarly, second end portion  30  and second arm  40  form a panel having a generally inverted V-shaped profile. These inverted V-shaped profiles complement the generally upright V-shaped profile of central portion  26 . This ergonomic shape shifts the line of action F 1  of the bag straps  18 ,  20  closer to the center line C of a person&#39;s body for greater comfort. With a conventional shoulder pad, the straps  18 , would have a line of action F 2 . 
         [0014]    Outer edges  60  and  62  of first and second end portions  28 ,  30  blend smoothly into the generally concave outer edge of first and second arms  32 ,  40 . The inner edge  64  of first end portion  28  converges with the inner edge  42  of first arm  32  to form an apex  66  separating inner edge  64  of first end portion  28  from the substantially continuous concave inner edge formed by inner edges  42  and  44 . Similarly, the inner edge  68  of second end portion  30  converges with inner edge  44  of second arm  40  at an apex  70 , which separates inner edge  68  from the continuous concave inner edge formed by inner edges  42  and  44 . Since flexible backing member  24  is intended to support the weight of the bag  22 , it is therefore preferably made of a high-strength fabric, such as ballistic nylon, aramid or similar high-strength fabrics and is preferably of multi-layer construction enabling flexible backing member  24  to be stitched to bag straps  18  and  20  while concealing the terminus of bag straps  18  and  20 . 
         [0015]    With particular reference to  FIGS. 3-5 , shoulder strap pad  12  includes a plurality of elongate bearing pads  72 ,  74 ,  76  stitched to flexible backing member  24  and arranged generally parallel to the longitudinal axis  78  of shoulder strap  12 . Elongate bearing pad  72  is bent slightly concave inward while elongate bearing pad  76  is bent slightly concave outward, thus the convex surfaces of elongate bearing pad  72  and  76  are facing each other. Elongate bearing pad  74  is essentially straight. As shown in  FIG. 5 , elongate bearing pads  72 ,  74  and  76  each have a thickness “t 1 ,” “t 2 ” and “t 3 ,” respectively. The thickness t 1  is greater than the thickness t 2  and the thickness t 2  is greater than the thickness t 3 . All of the thicknesses, t 1 , t 2  and t 3 , are greater than the thickness “w” of flexible backing member  24  and therefore stand proud of (i.e. extend beyond) both the top surface  78  and the bottom surface  80  of flexible backing member  24 . 
         [0016]    Preferably elongate bearing pads  72 ,  74  and  76  are formed of a medium density polyurethane elastomer, but may be formed of any suitably resistant elastomeric material. The tapered and curved arrangement of bearing members  72 ,  74  and  76  allows the shoulder strap pad  12  to take up the user&#39;s shoulder slope and prevent the shoulder strap  10  from sliding off the user&#39;s shoulder, while the shoulder cutout  54  prevents the shoulder pad  12  from pressing against the top of the user&#39;s shoulder. Slots  82  and  84  formed in flexible backing member  24  allow elongate bearing pads  72 ,  74  and  76  to flex independently, thus allowing shoulder strap pad  12  to conform to the movements of a person. 
         [0017]    Chest and back pads  86  and  88  are attached to the bottom surface  80  of flexible backing member  24  and space flexible backing member  24  away from the person&#39;s chest and back. The chest and back pads  86 ,  88  reduce chafing of the shoulder pad  12  against the person, help secure the shoulder pad  12  by fixing the two points to keep the strap  10  from sliding horizontally off the person&#39;s shoulder and allow an air space between the strap  10  and the person&#39;s body for cooler comfort. Preferably chest pad  86  and back pad  88  are formed of a low durometer closed-cell polyurethane or similar material used for soft padding, and are generally rectangular in shape with a large central recess  90  for added comfort. 
         [0018]    With reference to  FIG. 7 , in an alternative embodiment, elongate bearing pad  72  is stitched to flexible backing member  24  so that it is in tension while elongate bearing pad  76  is stitched to flexible backing member  24  so that it is in compression. This arrangement causes elongate bearing pad  76  to bow upward. This causes central portion  26  of shoulder pad  12  to assume a roughly conical shape more nearly matched to the slope of the user&#39;s shoulder. 
         [0019]    Although certain illustrative embodiments and methods have been disclosed herein, it will be apparent from the foregoing disclosure to those skilled in the art that variations in modifications of such embodiments and methods may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, although the illustration embodiment includes three elongate bearing pad members, more or less than three bearing pad members are considered within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention should be limited only to the extent required by the appended claims and the rules and principles of applicable law.