Abstract:
A golfing accessory apparatus employs a longitudinally extensible and retractable pole upon which an umbrella unit is mounted for use in the usual fashion when an umbrella is desired. Mounts on both the handle end and the opposite end of the umbrella pole provide a means of attaching any one of a number of accessory devices as desired for the convenience and pleasure of a golfer. When used as a golf ball retriever, the umbrella unit may be completely removed from the pole so as not to impede use of the device for retrieval purposes.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED ART 
     This application claims the benefit of the prior filed, provisional application Ser. No. 60/158,972, filed Oct. 12, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a multi-purpose golf umbrella and, in particular, to a golf umbrella in which the umbrella unit may be removed from its supporting shaft to enable the shaft to be more effectively utilized as a ball retriever or for other purposes, and which has the capability of accommodating various accessory devices for the convenience and pleasure of a golfer. 
     Golf ball retrievers have been incorporated into umbrellas in an effort to provide the golfer with a dual purpose unit that may be conveniently attached to a golf bag during play. However, such devices can be awkward to use as a retriever due to the presence of the umbrella frame and canopy on the supporting shaft, which must be extended to a significant length for retrieval purposes. This is particularly the case when attempting to retrieve a ball from a water hazard in situations where the ball is difficult to reach. 
     Furthermore, such prior art devices do not provide a full range of accessories that are useful to the golfer during play, such as an adaptor for holding a score card, a seat for the player when delays are encountered, and the ability to support and accommodate other accessory devices that a golfer may wish to use during play. 
     It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a golf umbrella which may be used for various purposes other than to protect a golfer from sun and rain, and in which an important characteristic of the apparatus is the ability to remove the umbrella unit from its supporting shaft for functions where the presence of the umbrella unit would render the device cumbersome and awkward to operate. 
     Another important object of the invention is to provide a golf umbrella as aforesaid having an extensible shaft to which a ball-retrieving cup may be attached, wherein the umbrella unit may be temporarily removed from the shaft during use of the device as a retriever. 
     Still another important object is to provide such an apparatus which may be employed as an umbrella or as an extensible pole, with or without the umbrella, to which an accessory is secured. 
     Still another important object is to provide such an apparatus having a handle on the shaft thereof which accommodates the addition of an accessory device to the handle at the option of the user, whereby the apparatus may be employed as an umbrella or as a support to which an accessory is secured. 
     Still another important object is to provide such an apparatus in which the handle may be removed from the umbrella shaft and used exclusively as a handle for an accessory tool connected thereto, such as a brush for cleaning golf shoes and club heads, or a wrench for tightening or loosening spikes. 
     Furthermore, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a golf umbrella to which a weighted head may be secured at the option of the user, in a manner such that the apparatus may be employed as a warm-up club. 
     Yet another important object is to provide a golf umbrella that may also serve as a support or stand for a score card adaptor or a seat for use by the golfer during delays in play. 
     Other objects will become apparent as the detailed description proceeds. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the golfing accessory apparatus of the present invention, showing the umbrella in a closed condition and in an inverted orientation with the handle at the top. 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the handle of the apparatus showing the internal threads used for removably securing the handle to the shaft and which provide a connection for attaching an accessory device (not shown). 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view similar to FIG. 1 but showing a score card adaptor secured to the handle. 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view of the score card adaptor seen in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of a seat which may be supported by the apparatus as in FIG. 3 in place of the score card adaptor. 
     FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the seat of FIG.  5  and shows the threaded connector beneath the seat which is received by the handle of the apparatus. 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged, perspective view of the handle showing the internal threads at one end which releasably secure the handle to the umbrella shaft. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a brush which may be attached to the handle of FIG. 7 when the handle is removed from the umbrella shaft. 
     FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the apparatus showing the umbrella open, the canopy being broken away to reveal the pole and sliding collar components, the broken lines illustrating the position of the collar when the umbrella is closed. 
     FIG. 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational view of the collar and associated frame components of the umbrella when the canopy is open. 
     FIG. 11 is a detail showing the spring-loaded catch on the inner umbrella shaft that locks the inner and outer shafts together when retracted as in FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 12 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view of the upper end of the umbrella pole as seen in FIG. 9, showing the retainer releasably securing the umbrella unit to the inner shaft. 
     FIG. 13 is an exploded view of the apparatus with the umbrella unit removed and the inner shaft extended, to which a ball retriever cup is mounted. 
     FIG. 14 is an elevational view of the retriever cup. 
     FIG. 15 shows a metal ball with an internally threaded neck. 
     FIG. 16 shows the ball attached to the end of the umbrella apparatus opposite the handle to provide a weighted warm-up club. 
     FIG. 17 is an illustration of an accessory bag for the various accessory devices that may be used with the apparatus, such as those shown in FIGS. 4,  8 ,  14  and  15 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring initially to FIGS. 1-8, the golfing apparatus of the present invention employs an umbrella unit  20  having the usual canopy  22  shown closed in FIGS. 1 and 3. The umbrella unit  20  is inverted and thus a handle  24  is seen at the top joined to a collar  26  on the adjacent end of the umbrella pole  28  (FIG. 9) to be discussed hereinbelow. The handle  24  has an elongated grip configuration and is provided with a tapped opening  30  in its lower end (as viewed in FIG. 2) that receives a threaded stud  32  integral with collar  26  and projecting axially therefrom. A similar, aligned tapped opening  34  at the opposite end of handle  24  serves as a connection for an accessory device that, once mounted on handle  24 , is supported by the umbrella apparatus which typically is secured to a golf bag and thus, when carried in a golf cart, would be in the inverted, upright position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. 
     The exploded view of FIG. 3 illustrates use of the apparatus to support an accessory device, a score card adaptor  36  being shown provided with a depending, threaded connector  38  received in the mating threaded opening  34  in handle  24 . It should be noted in FIG. 2 that reverse threads are used in the handle openings or receptacles  30  and  34 . 
     The adaptor  36  is a small clip board for holding a score card (not shown) and would typically be provided with a pencil holder and a row of grommet holes  40  for holding golf tees. Accordingly, the score card is held in the adaptor  36  at a location adjacent the top of the golf bag (not shown) where it may be conveniently used to keep score during play. 
     Another accessory device is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and comprises a padded seat  42  having a threaded connector  44  projecting from the bottom thereof which mates with the threaded opening  34  in handle  24 . This accessory would be used with the umbrella apparatus detached from the golf bag with its tip  46  resting on the ground, thereby providing a stand to support the seat  42  for use by the golfer during delays in play. 
     The handle  24  may also be removed from stud  32  and used separately as a handle for an accessory device connected thereto as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. The detached handle  24  can be used with any of a number of such devices, each of which would be provided with an externally threaded connector as shown at  48  projecting from a brush  50 . Part  48  and opening  30  having mating threads so that handle  24  may be readily joined to brush  50  and the same used for cleaning golf shoes, club heads and other things as desired. Other tools can likewise be provided such as a spike wrench (not shown) for tightening or removing spikes from the user&#39;s golf shoes. These tools and accessories in non-use may be conveniently stored in an accessory bag  51  illustrated in FIG.  17 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 9-12, the structure and operation of the umbrella unit  20  is shown. The pole  28  comprises a pair of tubular, telescoped, inner and outer shafts  52  and  54  respectively which are fully retracted in FIGS. 9,  10  and  12 . In addition to the canopy  22 , the umbrella unit  20  includes a conventional supporting frame that includes hinged ribs  56  radiating from a lower support ring  58  on a sliding collar  60  that receives outer shaft  54  and is moveable therealong to the full line position shown in FIGS. 9 and  10  where the umbrella is open, and the broken line position shown in FIG. 9 where the canopy  22  would be closed. As illustrated in FIG. 10, a button  62  on collar  60 , when depressed, swings a dog  64  against the bias of an internal spring (not shown) free of an opening in the wall of outer shaft  54  to release the umbrella and permit the sliding collar  60  to be shifted to the broken line position (as is conventional in umbrellas). 
     Until released, the inner and outer shafts  52  and  54  are locked against longitudinal movement by a spring-loaded catch  66  (FIG. 11) mounted in the wall of the inner shaft  52  and aligned with a slot  68  (FIG. 9) in the outer shaft  54 . Accordingly, the pole  28  comprising shafts  52  and  54  cannot be extended until catch  66  is depressed so as to clear the slot  68 . 
     The umbrella frame also includes an upper support ring  70  which is fixed at the top of the pole  28  as shown in detail in FIG. 12. A plurality of ribs  72  radiate therefrom and underlie the canopy  22 . An insert  74  secured within the upper end of inner shaft  52  has an integral, axially outwardly extending threaded element  76  which extends coaxially through ring  70  and projects thereabove. A retainer comprising a washer  78  and an internally threaded cap  80  is secured over element  76  and tightened in place to hold upper ring  70  on the upper end of the pole  28 . As will be appreciated hereinbelow, the threaded element  76  provides the mounting means for accessory devices when exposed by unscrewing and removing cap  80 . Removal of the cap  80  and washer  78  also permits the entire umbrella unit  20  to be removed from the pole  28  during accessory uses when the presence of the umbrella is not desired. Reinstallation of the umbrella unit  20  is readily accomplished by simply sliding the collar  60  over the outer shaft  54  and placing the upper ring  70  over the threaded element  76 , and replacing washer  78  and cap  80 . 
     FIG. 13 illustrates an accessory use where the umbrella unit  20  is removed from the pole  28 . The telescoping shafts  52  and  54  are fully extended and held by a conventional internal twist lock (not shown),which engages when the shafts  52  and  54  are rotated in opposite directions. A ball retriever cup  82  has openings  84  in its wall so it will not hold water and is mounted on the end of an L-shaped connecting arm  86  which is internally threaded to receive element  76  at the end of shaft  52 . Preferably, a swivel connector (not shown) would be provided on the end of arm  86  that connects to cup  82  to provide a swivel joint that permits cup  82  to maintain an orientation as shown with its mouth  88  opening upwardly for easier retrieval of a ball. As may be appreciated from FIG. 13, the extended pole  28 , being free of the umbrella unit  20 , may be easily manipulated for retrieval of a ball from a water hazard. 
     The threaded mounting element  76  on the end of inner shaft  52  may also be used as a mount for other accessory devices, such as a metal ball  90  as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. The neck  92  of the ball is tapped to receive threaded element  76 . As illustrated in FIG. 16, this provides a warm-up club for the golfer as the metal ball provides a weighted head and the presence of the closed canopy  22  adds air resistance to the swing. In this use, of course, the retaining cap  80  is removed from element  76  and the ball  90  mounted thereon, but the umbrella unit  20  remains in place. 
     From the foregoing it may be appreciated that the present invention is capable of providing a number of accessory uses for the umbrella apparatus due to its versatility achieved by providing mounts for accessory devices at both ends of the umbrella pole and the capability, as discussed above, of completely removing the umbrella unit from the apparatus when desired. It should also be appreciated that the apparatus could employ additional telescoping shaft sections, such as a three-stage, telescoping pole if additional extension is desired particularly for ball retrieval applications.