Patent Publication Number: US-9839825-B1

Title: Head cover for golf irons

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present patent document relates generally to protective covers for golf clubs and more particularly to a unitary head cover for a set of golf irons. 
     2. Background of the Related Art 
     Golf club head covers are known in the art. However, prior art head covers are typically individually fitted to each club head, which, when removed, may become lost. Although lanyards have been used to prevent loss of individual head covers, lanyards have the disadvantage of becoming tangled and, thus, irritating to the golfer. Therefore, there is a perceived need in the prior art for a golf club head cover that is not easily lost and lacks lanyards that may become tangled. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present head cover for golf irons, including wedges, solves the problems of the prior art by providing a head cover that includes a body portion having a length, a width, a first end and a second end, with a plurality of pockets spaced about the length of the body portion from the first end to the second end. The first end is opposite the second end along the length of the body portion. The body portion has a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The pockets may be spaced successively on the body portion, alternating between the first side and the second side. Each of the pockets is progressively sized and dimensioned to receive a head of a golf iron therein. The cover is also made from a neoprene material which both protects the irons and reduces noise and rattling when carrying the irons in a golf bag. 
     Accordingly, among the objects of the head cover is a head cover that prevents loss of individual head covers for golf irons. 
     Another object of the head cover is a head cover that prevents rattling of the golf irons. 
     Yet another object of the disclosed head cover is a head cover that lacks lanyards and therefore cannot become entangled. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
         FIG. 1  is an elevation view of a first side of an embodiment of the head cover; 
         FIG. 2  is an elevation view of a second side of an embodiment of the head cover; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of an embodiment of the head cover; and 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of golf irons being inserted into an embodiment of the head cover. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4 , a head cover for a set of golf irons is shown generally at  10 . The term “golf irons” includes numbered irons and wedges, such as sand wedges and lob wedges. The head cover  10  includes a body portion  12  having a length, a width, a first end  14  and a second end  16 . The first end  14  is opposite the second end  16  along the length of the body portion  12 . The body portion  12  has a first side  18  and a second side  20  opposite the first side  18 . A plurality of pockets  22  is spaced about the length of the body portion  12  from the first end  14  to the second end  16 . The pockets  22  may be spaced successively on the body portion  12 , alternating between the first side  18  and the second side  20 . Each of the pockets  22  is progressively sized and dimensioned to receive a head of one of the golf irons  24  in a set. As is known in the art, the lower numbered irons are slightly smaller and have a more vertical loft while the higher numbered irons are larger and have a more angled loft which gives them a wider profile. Accordingly, the pockets  22  are progressively sized to fit the progressively larger and larger irons from 2-PW. 
     It is an important feature of the invention that the head cover  10  protects and prevents rattling of the golf irons  24  while in a golf bag  26 . Furthermore, the act of sliding the head of the golf iron  24  into and out of a pocket  22  cleans the head of the golf iron  24  of debris, such as soil and grass collected on the head of the golf iron  24 . Accordingly, the head cover  10  also acts as a cleaning towel or wipe. 
     The body portion  12  may be made from a soft flexible material, such as neoprene or neoprene fabric. Other materials may be used as desired. In a typical golf bag, the length of the body portion  12  may be about 38″, width at the first end  14  about 4″, width at the second end  16  about 3″, and the thickness may be about ⅜″. Other dimensions may be used as appropriate for a particular set or number of irons. Decorative colors, prints and the like may be formed on the body portion  12  to enhance the appeal of the head cover  10 . The body portion  12  may include reinforcing  28  about an outer perimeter of the body portion  12  to prevent tearing and separation of the material of the body portion  12 . Additional reinforcing  28  may be formed at the opening of each pocket  22 . The reinforcing  28  may include additional, heavier edging material (piping) with added stitching to the body portion  12 . 
     The pockets  22  may be formed from material sewn or attached to the body portion  12 , or, alternatively, formed integrally with the body portion  12 . Although the openings of the pockets  22  on both the first side  18  and the second side  20  are shown all facing the first end  14 , some or all of the openings of the pockets  22  could be arranged to face the second end  16 . For instance, the openings of the pockets  22  on the first side  18  could be arranged to face the first end  14  while the openings of the pockets  22  on the second side  20  could be arranged to face towards the second end  16 . 
     In use, the head cover  10  is placed on the golf irons  24  while the golf irons  24  are stored in the golf bag  26 . Because the body portion  12  of the head cover  10  tapers from wider to narrower the pockets  22  are larger at the first end  14  and narrower at the second end  16 . As described hereinabove, golf irons with more loft are larger than golf irons with less loft because the angle of the face of the golf iron must be necessarily larger. The differently sized pockets  22  thus allow golf irons  22  of decreasing loft to be stored within the pockets  22  from largest loft starting at the pocket  22  nearest first end  14  to smallest loft at the pocket  22  nearest the second end  16 . Because the body portion  10  of the head cover  10  is a soft, flexible material, the head cover is folded between each golf iron  24  prior to insertion of each golf iron  22  into its respective pocket  22  (best seen in  FIG. 4 ). This folding arrangement provides added protection to the golf irons  24  and secures the head cover  10  in place over the set of golf irons  24 . 
     Therefore, it can be seen that the present invention provides a unique solution to the problem of providing a golf club head cover wherein individual covers will not become lost and that does not need or require a lanyard. 
     It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such modifications and changes are intended to be within the scope of the present invention except as limited by the scope of the appended claims.