Patent Publication Number: US-6032999-A

Title: Golf club and accessory carrier

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention relates to carrying devices and, in particular, to a golf club and accessory carrier and holder which retains a plurality of golf clubs, balls and tees, a ball marker, and a score keeping pencil. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     A wide variety of means are utilized to retain and transport golf clubs and accessories during a round of golf. The devices range from mechanized golf carts and cumbersome golf bags to devices for carrying a few clubs. Although in tournament play as well as recreational matches it may be necessary to have a full set of golf clubs plus accessories and therefore a golf bag and cart, many times it is not necessary to carry a full set and less than eight clubs with a few accessories will suffice. In addition to greatly reducing the weight which must be carried during play, the expense of a full set of clubs and a bag may be prohibitive to the beginning golfer. In fact, youth golf club sets are typically configured with less than six clubs. Thus, it can be advantageous for the beginning golfer or when a quick practice round is desired for the veteran golfer, to carry and retain only a minimum number of clubs and accessories during the round. Generally, all that is required may be a driver, a putter, two irons, and a couple of balls and tees. In addition, when a golfer travels to a practice range or golf simulator, they often only bring a few clubs and accessories to use. 
     Noting the need for a simple device to carry a minimum number of golf clubs and accessories, prior art devices for this purpose have been developed and range widely in their versatility and function. Most prior art carriers utilize one or more tubes, which accept the shaft of the club, to carry several clubs. These tubes are generally aligned parallel to one another in order to separate the clubs and are relatively long to prevent the clubs from slipping out of the carrier. The length and width of these tubes increase the size and weight of the carrier and many such carriers approach the bulkiness of a golf bag. Moreover, the length of the tubes does not prevent the clubs from falling from the carrier when the device is inverted or tilted at a severe angle. Additionally, these carriers do not hold the clubs snugly in place allowing them to rotate around while transporting the carrier. This allows the club heads to hit each other causing damage. In addition, these parts are generally made of multiple components making them relatively expensive to manufacture and assemble, therefore they approach the cost of a conventional golf bag. 
     Other prior art devices utilize a series of clips that fit around the club shaft to retain the clubs. Generally, these clips are secured to a metal or plastic frame for support. However, in the devices of this type known to applicant, the grips of the clubs are prevented from contacting the ground and turf by driving one or more spikes into the turf to support the carrier. Repeatedly placing and removing the spiked carrier causes wear on the turf, which is undesirable at a golf course. Also such carriers depend upon good penetration of the spikes into the ground and if the ground is hard, this may be difficult to achieve. In addition, these carriers are made of multiple components making them relatively expensive to manufacture and assemble, therefore they approach the cost of a conventional golf bag. 
     Small golf bags have been manufactured that only hold a few clubs and accessories. The difficulty with such bags is that they do not firmly hold the clubs and therefore the clubs bang each other during transportation and can be damaged. In addition, these bags generally only contain one pocket for accessories. The user can not easily identify and retrieve the desired accessory because they are all mixed together. For example, if the user desires to quickly retrieve a small ball marker or a certain size tee to fit the conditions of the ground he must unzip the pocket and search through an array of balls, tees, ball markers, and pencils to find the one he needs. These bags are also expensive, bulky and difficult to load into an automobile making them impractical for the typical user. 
     There are also carriers with a rack type structure that allows the user to carry clubs and accessories. However, these carriers are generally made up of a number of individual components that must be assembled together. This greatly increases the cost of the units making them relatively expensive for the common golfer. In addition, generally these carriers are not designed to hold clubs, balls, tees, a ball marker and a pencil together in a compact package. The one-piece carriers of this type require expensive molds that incorporate slides and carns. 
     Therefore, a compact, lightweight, one-piece, partial golf club set and accessory carrier that can be easily and inexpensively molded is desired. The present carriers that will accommodate a partial set of golf clubs and accessories do not contain all of these qualities. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
     Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are: 
     1. to provide a golf club and accessory carrier that will allow clubs, balls, tees, a ball marker and pencil to be easily attached and detached; 
     2. to provide a carrier that is compact and convenient to carry; 
     3. to provide a carrier that is inexpensive to manufacture by making it from a single injection molded piece to offer the player an inexpensive alternative to a golf bag or expensive carrier; 
     4. to provide a carrier that will carry golf clubs, balls, tees, a ball marker and pencil that can be easily molded using a relatively inexpensive molding die that does not require any cams or slides to create the part; 
     Further objects and advantages are to provide a golf club and accessory carrier which is simple to use and convenient to transport. Another object and advantage is that this invention can also be made in a variety of sizes and colors. 
     Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. 
    
    
     DRAWING FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the present invention with golf clubs, balls, tees, a ball marker and a pencil attached to the carrier; 
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS 
     
         ______________________________________                                    
10      carrier         12     handle                                     
l4      hole                   end wall                   16a             
16b     end wall               clip                 l8a                   
l8b     clip                   bump                      20               
22      scallop                front recess           24a                 
24b     front recess           rear recess      26a                       
26b     rear recess            tee mount         28                       
30      marker mount           pencil mount      32                       
34      horizontal wall        front nib      36a                         
36b     rear nib               support flange         38                  
40      vertical support wall                                             
                               club     42a                               
42b     club                   tee                      44                
46      pencil                 ball marker             48                 
50      ball                                                              
______________________________________                                    
 
    
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with the present invention, a golf club and accessory carrying device, comprising a single piece plastic molded body. The body consists of a handle for carrying, a support structure, and a plurality of different flexible clips and holders to allow the attachment of golf clubs, tees, balls, a ball marker and pencil. 
     DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 shows a front perspective view of a basic version of the present invention, a golf club and accessory carrier 10. The carrier as a whole is formed as a one-piece element preferably composed of a plastic material. Carrier 10 comprises a handle 12 that extends between two planar end walls 16a and 16b. Handle 12 has an I-beam shape. The top of the handle has a flared out section that extends for most of its length. The bottom portion of handle 12 also has a flared out section that extends for the entire length of the handle ending at the inside surface of end walls 16a and 16b. A thin vertical wall connects the top and bottom flared portions of the handle as shown in the figure. This thin vertical wall also connects to the inside surface of the end walls. Two through holes 14 are located in the thin vertical section near the upper left and upper right corners of this vertical wall. 
     Planar end walls 16a and 16b have top and bottom portions and inner and outer surfaces and extend downwardly from the ends of handle 12 at a constant thickness. The end walls are shaped generally as Christmas trees. The tops of the end walls arc level with the top of the handle and configured with a round top portion supported by a thin neck section that flares out to a wider wall near the bottom of the handle. The end walls extend downward on an angle from the bottom of the handle such that they continue to increase in width for slightly more than half of their length. Then the end walls continue straight down at a constant width. Front recesses 24a and 24b and rear recesses 26a and 26b form cutouts in end walls 16a and 16b as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The bottom portion of the end walls is sufficiently wide for resting upon a ground surface when the carrier is deployed thereon. 
     Extending from the outside edge of end wall 16a are six bumps 20, three on the front outside edge and three on the back outside edge. The bumps have an approximate radius of five millimeters and protrude beyond the planar portions of the outside edge approximately one millimeter. The bumps are positioned such that they are approximately one millimeter above the center of the large radius on each clip 18b. 
     Cut into the outside edge of end wall 16b are six scallops 22, three on the front outside edge and three on the back outside edge as shown in FIG. 2. The scallops have a radius of approximately five millimeters and a depth below the planar portion of the front and back outside edges of end wall 16b approximately one millimeter. The scallops are positioned such that they are approximately one millimeter above the center of the large radius on each clip 18b. 
     Extending from the outer surfaces of end walls 16a and 16b are two identical clips 18a that have a width extending perpendicularly away from the outer surface of the end wall in which the clip is attached. This attachment configuration of clips 18a to the outer surface of the end walls greatly reduces the plastic mold tooling cost and complexity since the mold can be made without the need for any cams or slides. Each clip 18a is formed using a thin wall flexible geometry in which the wall thickness at the base of the clip that connects to the outside surface of the end wall is approximately four millimeters thick. The wall of clip 18a tapers thinner to around two millimeters thick approximately three quarters of the way up the clip. As shown in FIG. 1 the thin wall forming clip 18a extends parallel to the outer surface of the end wall in which it is connected and extends in a direction away from the center of the carrier. The thin wall forming the clip continues to extend beyond the outside edge of the wall approximately 10 millimeters and then turns upward along a large radius and extends along a straight portion at an angle inclined toward handle 12. The large radius of clip 18a is sized to be slightly smaller than the radius of the shaft of golf club 42a. At the upper end of this straight inclined wall is a small radius that turns the thin wall at an angle inclined away from the handle forming a wide receiving opening for the shaft of club 42a between the inside surface of clip 18a and the outside edge of the end walls as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     Additionally, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, extending from the outer and inner surfaces of end walls 16a and 16b are twelve identical clips 18b that have a width extending perpendicularly away from the planar surface of the end wall in which clips 18b are attached. This attachment configuration of clips 18b to the outer surface of the end walls greatly reduces the plastic mold tooling cost and complexity since the mold can be made without the need for any cams or slides. Each clip 18b is formed using a thin wall flexible geometry in which the wall thickness at the base of the clip connected to the end wall is approximately four millimeters thick. The wall of clip 18b tapers thinner to approximately two millimeters thick approximately three quarters of the way up the clip. As shown in FIG. 1 the thin wall forming clip 18b extends parallel to the planar surface of the end wall in which it is connected and extends away from the center of the carrier. The thin wall forming the clip continues to extend beyond the outside edge of the end wall for approximately 10 millimeters and then turns upward along a large radius that is sized slightly smaller than the radius of the shaft of golf club 42b. Next the wall extends along a straight portion at an angle inclined toward the outside edge of the end wall. The thin wall forming clip 18b next turns outward along a large radius. The upper end of this large radius terminates in a small radius that turns the wall at an angle inclined away from the edge of the end wall forming a wide receiving opening for the shaft of club 42b between the inside surface of clip 18b and the outside edge of the end wall as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     Four tee mounts 28 extend perpendicularly outward from the outer surfaces of end walls 16a and 16b as shown in FIG. 1. Each tee mount is C-shaped having flexible walls forming a split through bore within them. The split bore of the tee mount has an inside diameter that is slightly smaller than the diameter of a typical golf tee. Each tee mount starts at the bottom of either front recess 24a or 24b and extends rearward approximately three millimeters. 
     A pencil mount 32 extends perpendicularly outward from the outer surface of end wall 16a. Pencil mount 32 is C-shaped having flexible walls forming a split through bore within it. The split bore of the pencil mount has an inside diameter that is slightly smaller than the diameter of a typical score keeping pencil. The pencil mount starts at the bottom surface of front recess 24a and extends rearward approximately three millimeters. 
     A marker mount 30 extends perpendicularly outward from the outer surface of end wall 16b. Marker mount 30 is C-shaped having flexible walls forming a split through bore within it. The split bore of the marker mount has an inside diameter that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the shaft on a typical ball marker. The marker mount starts at the bottom surface of front recess 24b and extends rearward approximately three millimeters. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a thin planar flexible horizontal wall 34 is formed from the inside surfaces of end walls 16a and 16b and extends between the walls. The wall is approximately one millimeter thick and extends fourteen millimeters rearward. Three protruding front nibs 36a and three protruding rear nibs 36b extend off of the bottom surface of the horizontal wall. Both the front and rear nibs are located near the front and rear outer edges of horizontal wall 34. Each pair of the front and rear nibs are spaced along the length of the horizontal wall extending between the end walls at a distance of slightly more than the diameter of a golf ball as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Front nibs 36a and rear nibs 36b are formed from the bottom surface of the horizontal wall and extend downward from the wall a distance of one millimeter. Both the front and rear nibs are spherical shaped with a radius of approximately one millimeter. Three U-shaped thin wall ball support flanges 38 are formed from the underside of horizontal wall 34 and extend downward. Each support flange 38 has a wall thickness of approximately one millimeter and a width beginning at the bottom of rear recesses 26a and 26b and extending forward approximately fourteen millimeters. A thin planar vertical support wall 40 is formed from the underside of support flanges 38 and extends downward, ending at the bottom of rear recesses 26a and 26b. The face of the vertical support wall begins at the bottom of rear recesses 26a and 26b and extends forward for approximately one millimeter. 
     In FIG. 3, the carrier is shown with all of the accessories attached. A golf club 42a is shown snapped into clips 18a. The shaft of club 42a is engaged between the inside surfaces of clips 18a and the outside edges of end walls 16a and 16b. A golf club 42b is also shown snapped into a top pair of clips 18b. The shaft of club 42b is engaged between the inside surfaces of clips 18b and the outside edges of end walls 16a and 16b. Four tees 44 are held in place by tee mounts 28 on the outer surfaces of the end walls. A pencil 46 is held in position by pencil mount 32 on the outer surface of end wall 16a. A ball marker 48 is held in position by marker mount 30 on the outer surface of end wall 16b. Three golf balls 50 are shown retained in position by horizontal wall 34, front nibs 36a and rear nibs 36b, and support flanges 38. 
     OPERATION--FIGS. 1,2,3 
     The manner in which the present invention, a golf club and accessory carrier 10, is used and the function of the individual components of the carrier will now be described. The top portions of end walls 16a and 16b are concave shaped to accept the shaft of golf club 42a. The shaft of club 42a is held between the concave shaped outside edges of the end walls and the inside surfaces of clips 18a as shown in FIG. 3. The round top edges of end walls 16a and 16b provide a lead-in area in which the shaft of club 42a can be guided into position between the inside surfaces of the clips and the outside edges of the end walls. As the end walls extend downward, they increase in width so that the user can more easily access each clip 18b since the clips follow the outside edge of the end wall in which they are attached. Therefore, the clips are horizontally offset from each other making them easier to access from the top. The bottom portions of the end walls are sufficiently wide for resting upon a ground surface when the carrier is deployed thereon. 
     Golf clubs 42a and 42b are installed on the carrier by first setting the carrier on a support surface standing up in the orientation shown in FIG. 2. The user grips handle 12 using one hand. This supports the top of the carrier and prevents it from tipping over. The other hand picks up club 42a by gripping the middle section of the shaft. The club is held above the carrier such that the hand that is gripping the club is approximately centered between clips 18a. The club is moved down until it makes contact between its shaft and the inside surfaces of snaps 18a and the outside edges of end walls 16a and 16b. The user applies downward force to the shaft of club 42a until clips 18a flex outward and allow the center of the shaft to pass beyond the narrowest opening between the inside of clips 18a and the outside edges of the end walls. Once the club shaft goes beyond this point, it snaps into the position shown in FIG. 3 and clips 18a spring back toward their original position but are still slightly flexed outward due to the shaft diameter preventing the clips from completely returning. In this way, clips 18a apply a clamp force onto the outside of the shaft of the club holding it securely in position on the carrier. 
     Club 42b is installed on carrier 10 by using one hand to grip handle 12 and the other to pick up club 42b by gripping the middle section of its shaft. The club is held above the carrier such that the hand gripping the club is approximately centered over two clips 18b that are located on opposing end walls at the same height. Club 42b is moved down until its shaft makes contact with the inside surfaces of snaps 18b and the outside edges of bump 20 and end wall 16b. The user applies downward force to the shaft of club 42b until clips 18b flex outward and allow the center of the shaft to pass beyond the narrowest opening between the inside of clips 18b and the outside edges of bump 20 and end wall 16b. Once the club shaft goes beyond this point, it snaps into the position shown in FIG. 3 and clips 18b spring back toward their original position but are still slightly flexed outward due to the shaft diameter preventing the clips from completely returning. In this way, clips 18b apply a clamp force onto the outside of the shaft of club 42b holding it securely in position. The procedure is repeated for each club 42b that is installed on carrier 10. 
     The front and back edges of end wall 16a have bumps 20 that are spaced at the same height as clips 18b on this end wall. In addition, the front and back edges of end wall 16b have scallops 22 that are spaced at the same height as clips 18b on this end wall as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. These features are designed to accommodate the tapered shaft of club 42b. Club 42b must be positioned so that the taper on the club shaft is going in the direction that corresponds to the bumps and the scallops on the edges of the each end wall. That is, the larger diameter portion of the club shaft is aligned with end wall 16b that contains scallops 22. The smaller diameter portion of the shaft is aligned with end wall 16a that contains bumps 20. The bumps reduce the opening space between the edges of end wall 16a and the inside surfaces of clips 18b. Scallops 22 increase the space between the edges of end wall 16b and the inside surfaces of clips 18b. The space between the scallops and the inside surface of clips 18b is greater than the space between the bumps and inside surface of clips 18b. When club 42b is snapped in place between the inside surface of clip 18b on end wall 16a and the outside edge of the bump, clip 18b flexes outward and applies a clamp load on the shaft of the club. Similarly, the scallops are sized to cause clips 18b on end wall 16b to flex outward approximately the same distance, due to the larger shaft diameter, when club 42b is snapped into position as in the case of clips 18b on end wall 16a that have bumps 20 to accommodate the smaller diameter shaft. Therefore, clips 18b on both end walls apply approximately equal clamp force on the club shaft even though the shaft diameter is larger in the position of end wall 16b and tapers down to a smaller diameter at end wall 16a. 
     While still holding onto handle 12 with one hand, one can use the other hand to pick up golf tee 44. The point end of tee 44 is held in the direction toward the front of carrier 10 and is aligned with the center of the bore of tee mount 28. The tee is moved rearward toward the tee mount until the outside of tee 44 comes in contact with the inside bore diameter of tee mount 28. Tee 44 is pushed into the bore of the tee mount forcing the walls of the tee mount to flex outward expanding its bore enough to accept the shaft of the tee. Tee 44 is snugly fit into tee mount 28 as shown in FIG. 3. The walls of tee mount 28 apply a clamp force on the outside of tee 44 keeping it in the position shown in FIG. 3. The same procedure is repeated to install the rest of tees 44 into the tee mounts. 
     Using the same method as described for installing tees 44, pencil 46 is press fit into pencil mount 32 and ball marker 48 is press fit into marker mount 30. Again, on both the pencil mount and marker mount, the walls of the mounts flex outward while the pencil or the ball marker is pushed into their respective positions shown in FIG. 3. As in the case with tee mount 28, the walls of both the pencil mount and the marker mount apply a clamp force on the pencil or ball marker they are holding to keep them securely in position. 
     Front recesses 24a and 24b form cutouts in the front edge of end walls 16a and 16b to enable the tee mounts, pencil mount and ball marker mount to be recessed into the carrier. This ensures that the tees, pencil and ball marker will not extend beyond the front edge of the end walls. Therefore, these components cannot contact the leg of the user while the carrier is being transported. Rear recesses 26a and 26b form cutouts in the back of the end walls to make the carrier look more balanced. 
     While the carrier is resting on a support surface in the orientation shown in FIG. 1 and the user&#39;s hand has the handle gripped, three golf balls 50 can be installed. One at a time, each ball 50 is held in one hand in front of the U-shaped opening created by support flange 38 and horizontal wall 34. Ball 50 is then moved backward until the diameter of the ball contacts the inside surface of support flange 38 and front nib 36a. The ball is then forced into the position shown in FIG. 3 by pushing it into the opening created between the inside surface of the U-shaped support flange and the bottom surface of the horizontal wall. Front nib 36a stays in contact with the diameter of ball 50 and forces horizontal wall 34 to flex upward to allow ball 50 to slide past the front nib. Vertical support wall 40 serves to prevent support flange 38 from flexing downward or bowing sideways while the ball is forced into position. Once the middle of the ball moves beyond the front nib)the horizontal wall partially springs back to its original position. Ball 50 is moved backward until it contacts rear nib 36b. This position, shown in FIG. 3, traps ball 50 between front nib 36a, rear nib 36b, the bottom surface of the horizontal wall and the inside surface of the support flange. It should be noted that the ball could also be installed from the back of the carrier in which case the procedure would be the same, only the ball would contact rear nib 36b first and would be horizontally moved forward until it contacted front nib 36a. The procedure is repeated for each of the balls that are installed in the carrier. 
     The method in which the carrier is transported is simple and straightforward. Using one hand to grip handle 12, the user can pick up the carrier and allow it to hang at their side similar to the way a brief case is carried. To provide assistance in holding the carrier, holes 14 in the handle can be used for attaching a carrying strap. This allows the user to transport the carrier and all of the components attached to it using a shoulder strap. This is convenient for carrying a large number of clubs for a long distance such as in an 18-hole golf game. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, end walls 16a and 16b extend downward from the side of handle 12 and provide a support structure in which clips 18a and 18b, tee mounts 28, pencil mount 32, marker mount 30, and the ball retainer extend. 
     SUMMARY, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE 
     Accordingly, the reader will see that the golf club and accessory carrier device of this invention can be used for golf activities easily and conveniently, can be transported just as easily using one hand, and can transport and store golf clubs, balls, tees, a score keeping pencil and a ball marker. Furthermore, this invention has the additional advantages in that 
     (a) it provides a carrier that is inexpensive to manufacture by making it from a single injection molded piece to offer the player a low cost alternative to a golf bag; 
     (b) it provides a carrier that will carry up to seven golf clubs, three balls, four tees, a ball marker and a pencil that can be easily manufactured using a relatively inexpensive molding die that does not require any cams or slides due to the configuration of the retention clips; 
     (c) it permits a partial set of golf clubs, three balls, four tees, a ball marker and a pencil to be carried in a compact package size that is not bulky; 
     (d) it permits golf clubs, balls, tees, a ball marker and a pencil to be quickly located and easily attached and detached from the carrier; 
     (f) it provides a golf club carrier in which the clubs are firmly held in position and are not allowed to rotate or swing relative to each other or bang together causing club head and shaft damage; 
     Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example the handle could be other shapes such as round, oval, square, pistol gripped, or flat; the side walls could be made to have a constant width, a varying thickness, a box or round shape; the retention clips could be shaped differently; more clips could be added, some could be eliminated; the carrier could have more or less tee, pencil and ball marker holders; these holders could be completely enclosed holes rather than the C-shaped bores described; the front and rear recesses could be eliminated in the end walls; the carrier could add or delete some or all of the ball holders, etc. 
     Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.