Abstract:
A golf bag with a built-in assembly included a top moulded member wherein the moulded top member includes a neck portion, a collar portion and a shoulder portion connecting the neck and collar portions, the neck portion includes a longitudinally extending circumferential wall which defines the inner aperture of the top member and a longitudinal part which is surrounded by the enclosure, the collar portion includes a circumferential wall surrounding the neck portion and appendages which are laterally spaced apart for receiving a part of the stand assembly for connection to the top moulded member.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a golf bag and, more particularly to a golf bag with a stand assembly for supporting a golf bag to stand at an inclination to the vertical. This invention also relates to a top moulded member of a golf bag with a stand assembly and method for making same. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Golf is a popular outdoor game with ever increasing popularity in many places around the world. A typical golf game is played on a course of 9, 18 or even 36 holes in which a golfer moves sequentially from one hole to another until all the holes have been attended. The distances between the holes can vary in length from about a hundred meters to several hundred meters. Some of the holes are flanked by rough areas which make it more difficult to play. 
     In a golf game a golfer must use a golf club to strike a golf ball towards the target hole. Different clubs have different technical characteristics and are used for different situations. Typically, a golfer is allowed to carry up to 14 pieces of golf clubs in a golf bag. In order to strike a golf ball for a relatively long distance, a golfer has to make a big body swing or twist to impart more power to the ball for a long flight. After the hits, the golfer will move on to the landing position of the ball and prepare for the next strike. In moving between holes, many golfers prefer to carry the fully loaded golf bag by himself or herself to increase the exercise level of a golf game. Many expensive and good quality golf bags are provided with a stand assembly so that the golf bag can rest on its own in a nearly vertical position with its top opening facing the sky when a golfer is preparing for the next hit. A full set of golf equipment, including golf balls, clubs and other accessories, may weigh up to 10-kg. As the game involves considerably bodily movements covering up to several kilometers, a golfer may become tired and it is well known that many golfers habitually, but somehow unconsciously, lean and rest their body weight against an upstanding golf bag in order to obtain some rest in between movements following the golf ball. 
     Golf bags with a built-in stand assembly are widely used because the stand assembly can provide a stable support to maintain the golf bag in an upright position while the golfer is preparing for the next strike. A typical stand for a golf bag usually includes a pair of retractable inverted V-shape legs which are attached to the rigid top collar of the golf bag and the angular width of which increases as the free ends move away from the bag. The stand assembly is usually attached to the top end of a golf bag by rivets and is typically designed and tested to withstand the maximum likely weight of a fully loaded golf bag which may be in the region of 15-25 kg. In order to share the weight equally between the legs of the stand assembly, the legs are always laterally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the tubular golf bag. This symmetry is desirable because otherwise the weight of a person leaning against the golf bag may produce undesirable torsion at the joints connecting the stand assembly and the golf bag. Such undesirable torsion may cause the legs to twist about the joint and result in undesirably distortion of the joint which further aggravates the non-symmetry about the axis of the bag. The non-symmetry when coupled with further and undesirable torsion at the joints may result in breakage of the joints and cause severe personal injuries. The leg symmetry is usually obtained and maintained by riveting a stand assembly to both the top and bottom parts of the golf bag with careful alignment procedures in order to ensure lateral symmetry. 
     As non-symmetry of the legs may lead to personal injuries, an accurate and careful manufacturing and testing process is essential and this would inevitably increase the production costs and the lead-time for delivery. Furthermore, as a golf bag is constantly subject to weathering due to the outdoor nature of the game, the rivets may deteriorate and weaken after prolonged weathering. The joints with weakened rivets are more prone to breakage and may lead to personal injuries if a golfer habitually and improperly leans his or her weight against the supported golf bag. Hence, it would be desirable if a golf bag with strong top brackets for securing the stand assembly can be provided. Preferably, such a golf bag should be easily assembled without the need of tedious and precise alignment procedures. 
     A conventional golf bag includes a moulded top collar member, a moulded bottom member, a supporting structure extending between the top and bottom moulded members and an enclosure. The supporting structure usually comprises a plurality of rigid and strong stays which are usually thin metal posts. Golf clubs are usually placed within the golf bag with the handles resting on the bottom member, the shafts resting against the edges hard-plastic moulded top member and the heads exposing above the bag. It is well-known that the hard plastic edges on the top collar is unfriendly to graphite shafts. Many good golf clubs come with a graphite shaft. When a golfer carries a golf bag from one position to another, the golf clubs jolt and bounce within the golf bag with their shafts agitating against the inner edges of the hard plastic top moulded member which can be very damaging to the expensive golf clubs. To alleviate such likely shaft damages, a cushioning member which is friendly to graphite shafts is usually wrapped around the top collar member to protect the shafts. 
     However, as a stand assembly is usually pivotally attached to the top mould member of the golf bag which is usually the only suitable part of the golf bag which is solid enough to receive the stand assembly, a part of the cushioning material proximate to the pivoted joints has to be removed or left as a flap to allow pivotal movement of the stand assembly to and from the golf bag. The exposure of the bare top member with the metallic rivets or the overhanging flap member is somewhat unsightly and noncompatible with an otherwise well designed and expensive golf bag and is therefore undesirable. Hence, it would be desirable if a golf bag with a built-in stand assembly and a cushioned top member can be provided without either a flap member or the removal of a portion of the cushioning member proximate to the stand assembly junction. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a golf bag with a built-in stand assembly in which the stand assembly can be easily and robustly attached to the golf bag without a tedious alignment process and with a joint that is not immediately exposed to a user in his normal position. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cushioned top moulded member of a golf bag in which there is no need to provide remove a portion of the cushion member expose the joint or to allow for a flap member proximate to the joint between the stand assembly and the golf bag to allow for pivotal expansion of the stand assembly. It is a further object of the present invention to at least provide a useful choice of a golf bag and a top member of a golf bag to the general public. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a moulded top member of a golf bag which bag includes the top moulded member, a moulded bottom member, a supporting structure connecting said top member and said bottom moulded member, an enclosure extending between the top and bottom members and enclosing said supporting structure and a stand assembly, wherein said moulded top member includes a neck portion, a collar portion and a shoulder portion connecting said neck and collar portions, said neck portion includes a longitudinally extending circumferential wall which defines the inner aperture of said top member and a longitudinal part of which is surrounded by said enclosure, said collar portion includes a circumferential wall surrounding said neck portion, wherein a top bracket for securing said stand assembly to said golf bag is formed between said collar portion and said neck portion, and a cushioning member having a first and a second end is secured on said top member, said first end is secured on said collar portion, said second end is secured on said neck portion and the portion of the cushioning member between said first and second ends covers said shoulder portion. 
     Preferably, a moulded member means for releasably securing said cushioning member is formed on the underside of said moulded member. 
     Preferably, one end of said cushioning member includes a semi-rigid portion. 
     Preferably, the means for securing said cushioning member includes a channel formed between said neck and collar portion. 
     Preferably, a bracket for receiving said stand assembly is integrally moulded on said top member between the circumferential walls of said neck and collar portions. 
     Preferably, the second end of said cushioning member is secured onto the outside of the circumferential wall of said neck portion which is not surrounded by said collar portion. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a moulded top member of a golf bag which includes the top moulded member, a closed moulded bottom member, a supporting structure connecting said top and bottom moulded members, an enclosure extending between the top and bottom members and enclosing said supporting structure and a stand assembly, wherein said moulded top member includes a neck portion and a collar portion, said neck portion includes a longitudinally extending circumferential wall which defines the inner aperture of said top member and a longitudinal part of which is surrounded by said enclosure, said collar portion includes a circumferential wall surrounding said neck portion, wherein means for attaching said stand assembly to said golf bag is formed between said collar portion and said neck portion, and means for releasably securing one end of a cushion member for alleviating agitation of golf clubs against said moulded top member during use of the golf bag is provided on the underside of said top moulded member. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained in greater details by way of examples and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a golf bag of the present invention in which the stand assembly is fully retracted to one side of the golf bag; 
     FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the top moulded member of the golf bag of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the top moulded member of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is the bottom view of the top moulded member of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of the legs of the stand assembly of the golf bag of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is the top view of the bottom moulded member of the golf bag of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is the bottom view of the bottom moulded member of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom moulded member of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 9 is a side view of the golf bag of FIG. 1 with the stand assembly fully extended and resting on ground (symmetry not accurately shown); 
     FIG. 10 shows a pattern of the cushioning material for wrapping the top moulded member of the present invention; 
     FIG. 11 is a side view of the cushioning member when sewn; 
     FIG. 12 a  is a perspective view of the partly cushioned top moulded member after the cushioning material of FIG. 11 has been inserted to the underside of the top moulded member of the golf bag; 
     FIG. 12 b  is a cross sectional view of the collar member of FIG. 12 a  taken along lines  12 — 12  in FIG. 12 a;    
     FIG. 13 a  shows the cushioning member after it has been inserted into the top moulded member and folded once; 
     FIG. 13 b  is a cross sectional view of the cushioning member of FIG. 13 a  taken along lines  13 — 13  of FIG. 13 a;    
     FIG. 14 a  shows the cushioning member of FIG. 13 after it has been folded twice; 
     FIG. 14 b  is a cross sectional view of the cushioning member of FIG. 14 a  taken along lines  14 — 14  of FIG. 14 a;    
     FIG. 15 a  shows the cushioning member after it has been folded three times and sewn onto the bottom of the neck portion of the top moulded portion; and 
     FIG. 15 b  is a cross sectional view of the cushioning member of FIG. 15 a  taken at lines  15 — 15  of FIG.  15 =a. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-9 in which there is shown a preferred embodiment of a golf bag of the present invention, the golf bag  10  generally includes a tubular body  20 , a top moulded member  30 , a bottom moulded member  40 , a stand assembly  50  and a supporting structure connecting the top and bottom moulded member. The top moulded member is a substantially tubular member moulded preferably of hard plastic which includes a neck and a collar portion. 
     The neck portion  101  includes a longitudinally extending circumferential wall  71  which defines the inner aperture  72  of the top moulded member  30  and also the top opening of the golf bag through which golf clubs are inserted or removed. The collar portion  102  includes another substantially longitudinally extending circumferential wall  73  which surrounds a longitudinal part of the neck portion  101 . The neck and collar portions  101 ,  102  are joined together by a rounded shoulder portion  32 . Brackets  33  for securing the stand assembly  50  onto the golf bag  10  are formed on the top moulded member  30  because the part of a golf bag between the top and bottom moulded members usually only comprises a thin supporting structure enclosed by a flexible enclosure which is not strong enough to support the stand assembly. 
     In the present embodiment, the top brackets  33  are formed underneath the rounded shoulder portion  32  and in the space between the circumferential walls  71 ,  73  of the neck and collar portions  101 ,  102  which are provided specifically for the brackets  33  so that the actual joints are substantially concealed for aesthetic considerations as well as for shielding from direct weathering. The brackets  33  are preferably integrally moulded with the top moulded member  30  to provide for extra strength and robustness to withstand the weight of a leaning golfer. 
     In the present preferred embodiment, each of the brackets  33  includes a pair of parallel socket walls which are integrally moulded to the circumferential walls of the collar and neck portion and the underside of the shoulder portion which joins the two circumferential walls. Unlike a bracket used in a conventional golf bag in which the bracket is only attached to outside surface of the top member, each of the top brackets  33  in the present embodiment is integrally moulded to the two strong circumferential walls  71 ,  73  of the top moulded member  30 , giving the bracket  33  an overall strength which is similar to that of the top moulded member  30 . Furthermore, to separate different types of golf clubs stored within the golf bag, a partitioning structure which divides the top opening into a plurality of areas is also preferably integrally moulded on the top moulded member. 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 6,  7 , and  8 , the bottom moulded member  40  includes a base portion and an integrally moulded circumferential wall extending longitudinally from the periphery of the base portion. The base portion is preferably made of a strong and hard plastic material as all the weight of the golf clubs carried in the golf bag are born by the base portion. To allow for a simple and easy attachment of the retraction mechanism of the stand assembly  50  to the golf bag, a bottom bracket  43  is preferably integrally moulded onto the outside of the circumferential wall. The bottom bracket  43  in this preferred embodiment is disposed so that when the top and bottom moulded members  30 ,  40  are properly assembled, the top and bottom brackets are aligned so that when the stand assembly is secured to the brackets, the stand assembly  50  is laterally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the golf bag. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the stand assembly  50  includes a pair of legs  51 ,  52  and a retraction mechanism. The pair of legs  51 ,  52  are preferably laterally symmetrical to each other and are secured within the bracket channels  33  which are defined by the respective bracket walls by fastening means  34 ,  35 . In the present embodiment, the bracket channels  33  are disposed at an angle to each other such that the channels move away from each other as they extend away from the circumferential wall of the neck portion. As the pivotal movements of the legs  51 ,  52  are guided and confined by the orientation of the bracket channels  33 , the free ends of the legs  51 ,  52  spread to form a stable base as the free ends of the legs move pivotably away from the golf bag  10 . 
     The retraction mechanism includes a bifurcated arm  61  which is attached to the top part of the legs  51 ,  52 . Another end of the bifurcated arm  61  is connected to a linkage lever  62  which is in turn connected to a spring biased plank member  65 . The plank member  65  is secured to the lower bracket  43  of the bottom moulded member  40  by a fastening means  45  which allows pivotal movement of the plank member  65  about the axis of the fastening means. The operation of the retractable legs is as follows. When the pair of legs  51 ,  52  move away from the golf bag  10 , the bifurcated arms  61  are pulled upwards, thereby drawing the non-fastened end of the plank member  65  upward about the axis of the fastening means  45 . This increases the spring bias at the plank member  65  which automatically retracts the bifurcated arms  61  when the force restraining the legs has been removed. 
     The supporting structure includes a plurality of stay members  21  which extend between the top and bottom moulded members. Each stay member  21  is typically a rigid and robust post supporting the top moulded member from the bottom moulded member. A plurality of longitudinal extending stay channels  49  adapted to receive the stay members  21  in a substantially upright direction are distributed on the base portion of the bottom moulded member  40  to distribute the weight transmitted from the top moulded member  30  through the stay members  21 . A plurality of longitudinally extending stay channels  39  are formed on the underside of the top moulded member corresponding to the positions of the stay channels  49  on the bottom moulded member  40 . In addition to providing accommodation to the stay members  21 , the stay channels  39 ,  49  on both the top and bottom moulded members also serve as preformed positioning means for the relative alignment of the top and bottom brackets which are required to achieve and maintain a substantially lateral symmetry of the stand assembly. As the stay channels  39 ,  49  are preferably integrally moulded on the top and bottom moulded members, the high accuracy of present day moulding technology would have no difficulty in ensuring accurate and expedient relative alignments of the top and bottom brackets to ensure lateral symmetry of the stand assembly to enhance safety and durability without undue and tedious alignment procedures. 
     To complete the golf bag body, and as the golf body is not required to sustain any significant weight, an enclosure made preferably of a flexible material, such as leather, cloth or canvas can be used to wrap around the supporting structure. The top part of the enclosure is preferably attached to the wall  71  of the neck portion of the top moulded member and immediately abutting the lower side of the circumferential wall  73  of the collar portion for aesthetic considerations. Similarly, the lower part of the enclosure is preferably attached to the circumferential wall of the bottom moulded member  40 . 
     In the ordinary use of a golf bag, golf clubs are placed inside a golf bag with handles resting on the bottom portion, heads protruding from the top moulded member and shafts resting against the inner edge of the partition structure of the top moulded member. The shafts of many expensive golf clubs are made of graphite and it is well known that graphite shafts are vulnerable to damage by agitation with hard plastic. To alleviate the potential damages which may result from such agitations, the top moulded member, which is usually made of a hard plastic material, is usually wrapped with a cushioning material such as foam, leather, velvet, cloth or a combination of suitable cushioning materials. In order that the cushioning member does not hinder or obstruct the pivotal movement of the stand assembly about the top bracket, part of the cushioning member proximate to the top bracket is either totally removed or left as a flap member. However, this is somewhat unsightly and affects the overall aesthetic appearance of the golf bag and may affect the popularity or market acceptance of a golf bag even if it offers superior technical benefits. This undesirable feature of a convention golf bag is somewhat alleviated in the preferred embodiment to be described below. 
     Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1-4 and the description above, the top moulded member  30  includes an inner neck portion  101  and an outer collar portion  102 . When the golf bag has been completely enclosed by the body enclosure, the lower outer portion of the circumferential wall  71  of the neck portion  101  will be enclosed by the golf bag enclosure. Only the outside circumferential wall  73  of the collar portion  102  remains exposed on the outside of the golf bag  10 . To provide cushioning for the top moulded member  30 , a pattern of cushioning material following an appropriate shape and configuration as shown for example in FIG. 10 is first prepared. The cushioning member  90  is preferably made of a flexible material which is graphite friendly such as leather, cloth or velvet and preferably with a layer of foam or other soft materials. The upper edge of the cushioning member  90  is preferably reinforced by a semi-rigid beam  91  to make that portion of the cushioning member semi-rigid for the reasons below. When the ends of the cushioning member are sewn together, the top reinforced edge of the cushioning member  90  will generally follow the shape of the receiving channel  35  formed on the underside of the top moulded member  30 . The lower portion of the cushioning member  90  is preferably provided with a plurality of slit openings  92  so that the flexible portion of the cushioning member  90  can be wrapped around the shoulder portion  32  and the partitioning structure. 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, which is a view of the underside of the top moulded member  30 , a circumferential channel  35  is formed along the inside of the lower end of the circumferential wall  73  of the collar portion. The width of the channel  35  is preferably about the same as that of the semi-rigid beam  91  of the cushioning member for good retention of the beam. The semi-rigid beam  91  on the cushioning member  90  is first inserted into the channel  35  as shown in FIG. 12 a . Additional detail can be found in FIG. 12 b , which is a perspective view of the top moulded member after the semi-rigid beam  91  has been inserted into the receiving channel  35 . Once the upper reinforced portion  91  of the cushioning member  90  is received within the receiving channel  35 , the remaining part of the cushioning member is bent upwards about the lower edge of the collar wall  73 , as may be seen by reference to FIGS. 13 a  and  13   b . 
     After the semi-rigid beam  91  has been received within the slot  35  and the remaining portion of the cushioning member  90  has been bent for about 180°, it will be substantially locked in place by the channel  35 . As shown in FIGS. 14 a  and  14   b , the cushioning member  90  is then bent again to pass over the shoulder portion  32  and then to bring the cushioning member inside the neck aperture. The slit openings  92  allow the cushioning member  90  to fit over the partioning structure within the neck aperture. Finally, the lower portion of the cushioning member  90  is bent once again and the lower-most portion will be secured onto the outside of the circumferential wall  71  of the neck portion which is below the collar portion. As the brackets  33  for receiving the stand assembly are formed within the space enclosed by the wall of the inner neck portion  71 , the wall of the outer collar portion  73 , and the shoulder portion  32 , the brackets  33  are substantially concealed from the sight of an ordinary golfer in his or her ordinary standing position as the joints between this stand assembly and the top moulded member are substantially concealed by the collar and shoulder portion proximate to the bracket. 
     In addition to being more aesthetically pleasing, since the stand assembly joints are hidden under the top moulded member  30 , the fastening means  34 ,  35  are also shielded from direct weathering for enhanced safety and durability. Furthermore, as the top portion of the cushioning member  90  is reinforced by a semi-rigid beam  91 , the top part of the cushioning member  90  will be securely retained within the receiving channel  35  after the remaining portion of the cushioning member has been bent. With this arrangement, the cushioning member  90  can be secured to the top moulded member  30  with a single sewing as compared to multiple sewings required in the conventional way of attaching a cushioning member to the top member of a golf bag. 
     While the present invention has been explained by reference to an embodiment of a golf bag in which the top and bottom moulded members are provided with brackets which are integrally moulded, it should be appreciated by person skilled in the art that the bottom bracket does not usually subject to excessive force and may be replaced by a bracket which is not integrally moulded to the bottom moulded member without loss of generality. In addition, while the preferred embodiment is shown with a circumferential receiving channel for releasably securing the reinforced end of the cushioning member it should be appreciated that both ends of the cushioning members can be sewn onto the top moulded member without loss of generality and without affecting the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, while the present invention has been explained by reference to the preferred embodiments, it should be appreciated that the various features described above may be combined, isolated or rearranged with appropriate modifications or variations without affecting the scope of the invention.