Golf bag with retractable wheel system

A mobile golf bag having telescoping wheel supports and wheels mounted to the bottom portion of the golf club container. The telescoping wheel supports have a first extended operable position and a second retracted storage position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to golf bags. More particularly, it relates 
to a golf bag having telescoping wheels for pulling the golf bag. 
2. The Prior Art 
While the golf bag is convenient for its portability, facilitating carrying 
around from location to location, it becomes quite cumbersome when using 
it on the golf course and carrying it from green to green. As a result, 
golf carts are frequently used on the golf course where the golf bag is 
placed in or attached to the cart to permit wheeling about the golf course 
during the game. While such carts have eased the burden of carrying the 
golf bag, it requires the need for additional cost in having a separate 
piece of equipment. The golfer must therefore transport both the golf bag 
and golf cart, store them, and continuously manipulate the two separately. 
It would be convenient if the golf bag itself would have the ability to be 
wheeled around the golf course. Present golf bags with wheeling capability 
provide the wheels on swing arms, and present a further burden to the user 
when carrying the bag due to the placement of the wheels when not in use. 
Thus, there is a need for a golf bag which provides the option of rolling 
the bag across the golf course while keeping the wheels conveniently out 
of the users way when carrying by hand or over the shoulder. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,612 to Larkin, discloses a rollable golf bag having an 
elongated golf bag container with a collapsible rolling assembly coupled 
to the container. The collapsible rolling assembly is movable between an 
extended position to permit rolling of the container, and a folded 
position to facilitate carrying of the container. Wheels connected on the 
rolling assembly are detachable and can be stored within a storage 
compartment of the container. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,071 to Widegren discloses a golf bag unit having 
extendible and retractable travelling wheels. The golf bag has a pull rod 
hingedly connected to a control rod. The control rod provides for manual 
compression of the compression spring when the wheels are retracted. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,150,881 to Van Skyock discloses a combination golf bag and 
cart which forms a complete unit. On one side of the golf bag is a rugged 
bracket which is fixed to a rigid end panel forming a part of the bag 
itself. The wheel supporting legs are pivotally mounted on the bracket and 
held in collapsed and extended positions by a rugged latch structure. 
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,647,762, 2,599,354, 4,890,856 and 5,267,750 to Jamieson et 
al, Stableford, Mursch et al., and Thompson respectively all disclose a 
folding golf bag carrier to which a bag may be readily attached to a golf 
bag. This frame extends the entire length of the bag and is attached to 
one face thereof. To the other face are pivoted a pair of legs adapted to 
extend normally downwardly in a divergent manner and having wheels at the 
bottom thereof. These legs can be collapsible into the golf cart to ease 
transport when not in use. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,726,094 to Leystra,. discloses an ash can with pivotally 
supported wheel arms. One end of the wheel arm is attached to the can 
while the other end attaches to the wheel. In this case, the wheel arm and 
the wheel can be folded up to a recessed portion on the trash can. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a 
mobile golf bag that has a telescoping wheel assembly for selectively 
rolling the golf bag across the ground. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a mobile golf bag that 
overcomes the shortfalls of the prior art. 
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a mobile golf bag that 
operates effectively, efficiently and reliably.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Turning now in detail to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows the mobile golf bag 10 
with an upper portion 12 and a lower portion 14. The upper portion 12 has 
an opening 18 for receiving golf clubs. Wheels 20a and 20b are shown in 
their retracted position and disposed on opposite sides of lower portion 
14. An extracting handle 22 provides manual means for extending wheel 20a 
from its retracted position into its extended operable position. A 
retractable U-shaped pull handle 16 has its straight ends disposed in 
holes 17 and 19 at the perimeter of opening 18 and allows mobile golf bag 
10 to be pulled across the ground and the golf course when the wheels are 
in their extended operable position. The mobility of golf bag 10 not only 
aids in movement along the golf course surface, but allows the bag to be 
rolled to and from the golf course from the owners automobile or 
elsewhere. Thus, preventing over exertion by the user in getting their 
golf clubs to the course. 
FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the mobile golf bag 10 with recessed 
portions 24a and 24b in lower portion 14. Wheels 20a and 20b are disposed 
within recessed portions 24a and 24b, respectively, when said wheels are 
within the retracted position. 
FIG. 3 shows the lower portion 14 of the second embodiment of the invention 
shown in FIG. 2 with wheels 20a and 20b in their extended operable 
position. Wheels 20a and 20b are connected to lower portion 14 through 
telescoping wheel supports 26 and 28, respectively. Telescoping wheel 
supports 26 and 28 are connected within lower portion 14 through holes 30a 
and 30b (not shown), respectively, in the exterior surface of said lower 
portion. In this embodiment, hole 30a is substantially centrally disposed 
in recessed portion 24a. 
FIG. 4 shows the lower portion 14 of the first embodiment of the invention 
with wheels 20a and 20b in their extended position. Wheels 20a and 20b are 
connected to lower portion 14 through telescoping wheel supports 32 and 
34, respectively. Telescoping wheel supports 32 and 34 are connected 
within lower portion 14 through holes 36a and 36b (not shown), 
respectively, in the exterior surface of said lower portion. 
Telescoping wheel supports 26, 28, 32 and 34 are piston/cylinders that have 
a first retracted position and a second extended position. Handles 22a and 
22b (not shown) disposed on wheels 20a and 20b, respectively, are used to 
extend and retract telescoping wheel supports 26, 28, 32 and 34. When 
telescoping wheel supports 26, 28, 32 and 34 are pulled in the direction 
23 toward their extended position, at a point in which said wheel supports 
are approximately half extended, they will automatically extend into their 
fully extended position. When the telescoping wheel supports are pushed in 
the direction 25 toward their retracted position, at a point in which said 
wheel supports are approximately half retracted, they will automatically 
retract into their fully retracted position. 
FIGS. 5 and 6 show a third modified embodiment of the invention where the 
telescoping wheel supports are biased in the extended position and 
retaining doors 40 and 46 are used to maintain said telescoping wheel 
supports and wheels 20a and 20b in their retracted position. Retaining 
doors 40 and 46 are disposed in lower portion 14 and enclose recessed 
portions 24a and 24b, respectively. Retaining doors 40 and 46 are flexible 
and are slidably mounted within said lower portion. A handle 42 is used to 
raise and lower retaining door 40 to provide access to wheel 20a. A lock 
44 within door 40 secures said door in the closed position. 
Retaining doors 40 and 46 retain and enclose wheels 20a and 20b, 
respectively, within recessed portions 24a and 24b, respectively. This 
feature allows for the retention of the wheels in their retracted position 
while enclosing and preventing any dirt or other foreign material from 
being discarded from the wheels and recessed portions during times when 
the golf bag is being carried in a car or other circumstances where the 
wheels are not being used. 
A storage compartment 47 for balls, tees and other accessories, is provided 
in lower portion 14 and has a flexible door 48 for enclosing said 
compartment. A handle 50 allows for opening and closing of door 48. A lock 
52 secures door 48 in the closed position and prevents unauthorized access 
thereto. 
FIGS. 7 and 8 show a fourth modified embodiment of the invention where the 
telescoping wheel supports are biased in the extended position and 
U-shaped retaining brackets 70a and 70b (not shown) are user to retain 
telescoping wheel supports and wheels in the retracted position. Retaining 
U-shaped bracket 70a is pivotally secured to lower portion 14 at pivot 
connection point 72. When in the closed position, bracket 70a fits over 
wheel 20a, in its retracted position, and is secured to lower portion 14 
with a securing pin 74a and securing eyelet 76. Securing pin 74a and 
securing eyelet 76 are permanently affixed to lower portion 14 at a point 
below wheel 20a such that bracket 70a secures said wheel in the retracted 
position. In the closed position, bracket 70a secures wheel 20a against 
the exterior surface of lower portion 14. Any suitable known fastener 
capable of securing bracket 70a would also be sufficient. 
U-shaped retaining brackets 70a and 70b (not shown) have a second open 
position whereby wheels 22a and 22b are in their extended operable 
position. As shown in FIG. 8, bracket 70a is rotated about pivot 
connection point 72 and secured at its opposite end 73 to upper portion 12 
of the golf club container. Securing pin 74b and securing eyelet 76b 
secure the opposite end 73 of bracket 70a to upper portion 12. When 
disposed in this second open position, bracket 70a can be used as a handle 
for carrying or moving the golf bag. 
A storage compartment 77 is provided in the lower portion 14 and has a 
front panel 78 flush with the exterior surface of lower portion 14 and a 
handle for opening and closing said compartment. A lock 79 secures storage 
compartment 77 in a closed position. 
FIG. 9 shows the securing pin 74a of the invention. Securing pin 74a has a 
pivot connection point 84 at which it is connected to the golf bag. A 
spring 86 and locking member 88 provide a secured loop 92 within hook 90 
where a securing eyelet is securely retained. Pin 74b has the same 
configuration as pin 74a. 
While four embodiments of the present invention have been shown and 
described, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may 
be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the 
invention as defined in the appended claims.