Patent Publication Number: US-6216865-B1

Title: Golf bag with club separators

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates, to golf bags and, more particularly, to holder units at the top of the golf bag that are laterally expandable or separable for preventing the clubs from being damaged. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     As is well known to those skilled in the art, convention golf bags have structures only for carrying golf clubs, golf balls, and golf accessories, but do not for prevent golf clubs from being damaged by external impact or by rubbing or other contact among the golf clubs. 
     Since golf clubs are considered to be luxury items, prevention of damage to them is important. 
     According to recent research results, damage to golf clubs most often results not from contact or collision with an external objects, but results from contact between golf clubs themselves. When a golf club is inserted into or and removed from a golf bag, the shaft of the inserted golf club frequently comes into contact with the head of another golf club in the bag. In addition, the head of a shorter golf club frequently contacts the shaft of a longer golf club during carrying and movement of the golf bag. These contacts cause the shafts of the clubs to be damaged. 
     As shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 11, when a golf bag with multiple golf clubs is carried or moved, the shafts of longer golf clubs are situated within the swing range of the heads of golf clubs having shorter shafts. Therefore, damage to the club shafts occurs while the golf bag is being carried and moved and when a golf club is being inserted into or removed from the bag. 
     To overcome such problems by providing spaces between the golf clubs, at least 14 inches in width is required to arrange three golf clubs in a line, as depicted in FIG.  12 . However, since currently used golf bags are less than 10 inches across, the above-mentioned problems are not solved in this manner. 
     Incidentally, Club head covers have been used to eliminate such problems and to protect golf clubs from damage. Nevertheless, in the use of such a club head cover, it is troublesome to put the cover on the head of a golf club and to take the cover off the head of the golf club. Additionally, damage may occur to the shaft of a club inserted into a golf bag because adjacent golf clubs in the golf bag have to be lifted up or otherwise adjusted to allow space when a golf club is inserted into the golf bag. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a golf bag with holder units in the golf bag that are separable, for preventing golf clubs from being damaged. 
     The present invention provides a golf bag having a golf bag body open at its top and a lower support mounted to the lower end of the golf bag body. The bag comprises two or more divided holder units, the holder units being arranged and mounted to be separable and retractable in a lateral direction at the top end of the bag. In one form, guard plates are extended longitudinally to hold and separate the club heads. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view, of a golf bag according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view, of the upper portion of the golf bag of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a longitudinally sectioned perspective view, showing the upper portion of the golf bag of FIG. 1 with guard plates extended and holder units retracted; 
     FIG. 4 is a longitudinally sectioned perspective view, showing the upper portion of the golf bag of FIG. 1 with guard plates retracted and holder units separated; 
     FIG. 5 is a longitudinally sectioned view of a golf bag according to a second embodiment of the invention, with the holder units separated; 
     FIG. 6 is a longitudinally sectioned view like FIG. 5 with the holders units separated; 
     FIG. 7 is a front view of a golf bag according to a third embodiment of this invention, with holder units retracted; 
     FIG. 8 is a front like FIG. 7 with the holder units separated; 
     FIG. 9 a  is a perspective view of a support in a normal state according to the third embodiment; 
     FIG. 9 b  is a front view of FIG. 9 a;    
     FIG. 10 a  is a perspective view of a support in a separated state according to the third embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 10 b  is a front view of FIG. 10 a;    
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an arrangement of golf clubs in a conventional golf bag during carrying; 
     FIG. 12 is a diagram of a typical arrangement of golf clubs in a conventional golf bag; 
     FIG. 13 is a diagram of a desired arrangement of golf clubs in a golf bag in which the club heads do not contact adjacent club shafts. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In FIGS. 1-4, a golf bag A 1  according to the first embodiment A 1  invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, the golf bag A 1  is provided with holder units  2  in the bag body  9 . The holder units  2  extending from a top, open end T, to a middle portion M of the bag body  9 . Although the number of the holder units  2  is four in this embodiment, the number of club holder units  2  may be two, three, five or more. Each of the holder units  2  has four compartments  3 , thereby having sixteen compartments  3  in total in the bag. The compartments  3  are divided by lateral partitions  2   a.  The number of compartments  3  is not limited to sixteen, but is variable. Although each of the holder units extends from the top end T of the bag body  9  to the middle portion M of the bag body  9  in this embodiment, each of the holder units  2  may be longer or shorter than that of this embodiment. The upper portions of each of the holder units  2  are separated, but the lower portions are not. The spacing between the holder units  2 , obtained when the holder units  2  are separated, is regulated by varying the length of the controlling links  6 . 
     A link type moving device as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is mounted to upper portions of the holder units  2 , thus connecting the holder units  2  together. The link type moving device consists of a grip  4 , a vertical connecting rod  5  and multiple links  6 , the device forcing the holder units  2  to be separated or retracted. In this embodiment, a common moving pin P 1  in the links  6  is located above fixed pins P 2  in the links  6  in the retracted position. Consequently, when the moving hinge P 1  is moved downward, the holder units  21  are separated, or extended apart. At this time, three guard plates  7  are inserted into the spaces between the holder units  2 . The guard plates  7  are connected to the links  6 , thereby moving up and down together with the link type moving device. Further, each of the guard plates  7  is formed with club holding grooves  8  for holding a golf club within each groove  8  when retracted. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in accordance with the golf bag of this embodiment, when golf clubs are stored in the golf bag, the vertical connecting rod  5  and the guard plates  7  are raised up, thus holding the golf club heads within the groove  8  of the plates  7 . On the other hand, when a golf club is to be inserted into or removed from the golf bag A 1 , the vertical connecting rod  5  has to be pushed down. As the vertical connecting rod  5  is pushed down, the guard plates  7  descend down and, simultaneously, the pin P 1  coupled to the upper end of each of the links  6  descends down, thereby widening the spaces between the holder units  2 . 
     When spaces between the holder units  2  are widened as shown in FIG. 4, the added spacing L between golf clubs allows a golf club to be inserted into or removed from the golf bag Al without interference with the other golf clubs. Additionally, when the holder units  2  are spaced apart, the guard plates  7 , together with the links  6 , function to maintain the spaces between the holder units  2 . 
     After a golf club is inserted into or removed from the golf bag A 1 , the vertical connecting rod  5  is pulled up. As the vertical connecting rod  5  is pulled up, the guard plates  7  ascends and, simultaneously, the pin P 1  coupled to the upper end of each of the links  6  ascends thereby narrowing the spaces between the holder units  2 . As a result, the holder units  2  retract and the guard plates  5  ascend, and golf clubs are held by the guard plates  5  within the club holding grooves  8  for storage in the golf bag A 1 . 
     In FIGS. 5 and 6, a golf bag A 2  according to the second embodiment of this invention is illustrated. A link type moving device  40  is mounted to the upper portions of holder units  20 , thus connecting the holder units  20  together. The link type moving device  40  consists of four driven links  60  individually connected to one of the holder units  20  at one end, a vertical drive link  61  connected at one end to the other ends of the driven links  60 , and a locking hook  63  connected at one end to the other end of the vertical drive link  61 . 
     In this embodiment, a common moving pin P 1  of the links  60  is located below fixed pins P 2  of the links  60  in the retracted position contrary to the first embodiment. Consequently, when the pin P 1  is moved upwardly, the holder units  20  are separated or extended apart. That is, when the locking hook  63  is unlocked and the vertical drive link  61  is raised, the moving pin P 1  coupled to the upper end of each of the links  60  rises, thereby widening spaces between the holder units  20 . When spaces between the holder units  20  are widened as shown in FIG. 6, the added spacing between the holder units allows a golf club to be inserted into or removed from the golf bag A 2  without interference with the other golf clubs. After the golf club is inserted into or removed from the golf bag A 2 , the vertical connecting rod  61  may be pushed down, thus returning the holder units  20  back to the retracted position of FIG.  5 . 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 show a golf bag A 3  according to the third embodiment. The golf bag A 3  comprises three holder units  102  extending from a top surface  101  to a lower support  103 . Side walls  108  of three holder units  102  extend from the top  101  of the golf bag A 3  to the lower support  103 . The holder units  102  are connected together by two restrainer  106  limit the maximum spacing between the holder units  102  when separated. The lower support  103  has three parts arranged side by side, two outside parts  105 ,  105  of the support  103  being upwardly tapered from the centers at an angle of θ from the horizonal. The holder units  102  are separated or retracted by means of the lower support  103  and restrainers  106 . A locking strip  107  is provided on a surface of the golf bag A 3  to lock the golf bag A 3  in the retracted state. Therefore, the holder units  102  are separated by pivoting on the lower support  103 , with the spacing between the holder units  102  limited by the restrainer  106 . The retracted normal state of the golf bag A 3  is maintained by means of the locking strip  107 . The maximum spacing between the holder units  102  is preferably 5-50 mm. 
     When the locking strip  107  is locked and golf clubs are kept in the golf bag A 3  as shown in FIG. 7, the golf bag A 3  is stood uprightly and the locking strip  107  is unlocked to expand the golf bag A 3 . Since the holder units  102  have weight and two outside parts of the support  103  are inwardly tapered, the holder units are separated spontaneously at their tops. The holder units  102  are separated to the extent of angle θ and the extent of the separation at the top of the bag is limited by the restrainer  106 . When the holder units  102  are separated a golf club can easily be inserted into or removed from the golf bag A 3  without interference with the other golf clubs. After the golf club is inserted into or removed from the golf bag A 3 , the holder units  102 . The retracted golf bag A 3  is reduced in volume, thereby being easy to be stored and carried. 
     In the third embodiment, each restrainer  106  is made of a textile fabric, but it may be an elastic band, thus making easier the return of the holder units  102  to the retracted state. 
     Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.