Patent Publication Number: US-6659275-B1

Title: Head cover assembly for protecting heads of golf clubs from colliding with each other in a golf bag under carriage

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a golf bag, and more particularly to a head cover assembly for holding and protecting the heads of the golf clubs in a golf bag. 
     It has been unavoidable for the golf clubs, especially their heads to collide with each other while carrying them in a conventional golf bag, so that they tend to be scratched from the collision to impair their aesthetics. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf bag with a head cover assembly for holding and protecting the heads of the golf clubs from colliding with each other in the golf bag while being carried either by the golfer or in a cart. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, a head cover assembly for holding and protecting the heads of golf clubs from colliding with each other in a golf bag is provided. The assembly is designed to be inserted into a conventional golf bag and includes a frame having a top and a bottom part. A plurality of elastic head covers for covering the heads of golf clubs are attached to a holder fastened to the inside of the top frame part such that the head covers are fixed at suitable intervals, whereby the heads are respectively and fixedly held by the elastic head covers to make at least the heads substantially immovable in the golf bag. 
     Preferably, each of the elastic head covers comprises a head covering part for covering the head of a golf club, and an elongated elastic support strip connected to the head covering part. The elastic support strip is held by the head cover holder. 
     Preferably, the head cover holder comprises a pair of rigid mating plates for receiving the support strips between them, and catching device for firmly fixing the free end portions of the support strips. One of the mating plates is provided with a plurality of grooves for respectively receiving the elastic support strips so as to enable them to be freely stretched. 
    
    
     The present invention will now be described more specifically with reference to the drawings attached only by way of example. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ATTACHED DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view for illustrating the inventive head cover assembly attached to the top shaping part; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the inventive head cover assembly of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is another exploded view of the inventive head cover assembly for illustrating the catching blocks securely fixed in corresponding apertures formed in the lower portion of the one mating plate; and 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the inventive head cover assembly for illustrating the head covers with the elongated elastic support strips interposed between the mating plates. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Throughout descriptions in connection with the drawings, there are omitted detailed descriptions of the conventional parts not required to comprehend the technical concept of the present invention. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the inventive head cover assembly  200  is shown fastened to a top part  120  of a frame  100  that is covered with a suitable skin  102  such as fabric and leather to form a golf bag  104  for carrying golf clubs  106 . The head cover assembly  200  comprises a plurality of elastic head covers  220  for respectively covering the heads  108  of the golf clubs  106  and a rigid head cover holder  240  fastened to the inside of the top part  120 , as shown in FIG.  2 . The head cover holder  240  fixedly holds the head covers  220  arranged at suitable intervals. 
     Referring FIG. 2, each of the elastic head covers  220  includes a head covering part  221  for covering the head of a golf club  106 , and an elongated elastic support strip  223  connected to the head covering part. The elastic support strip  223  is held by the head cover holder  240 . The head covering part  221  has a tab  222 . 
     The head cover holder  240  comprises a pair of rigid mating plates  241  and  242  for receiving the support strips  223  between them. One  241  of the mating plates is provided with a plurality of grooves  243  for respectively receiving the support strips  223  so as to enable the elastic support strips  223  to be freely stretched. The other  242  is provided with a plurality of corresponding slits  244  for allowing view of the support strips  223  from the outside when mating the mating plates  241  and  242  with the support strips  223  interposed between them. 
     The other mating plate  242  is preferably provided with a plurality of protruding pins  245  in the surfaces around the slits  244 , which are caught by corresponding pin holes  246  provided in the ridges formed around the grooves  243  of the one mating plate  241 . 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the inventive head cover assembly for illustrating the relationships between the head covers  220  and head cover holder  240  and a catching device  247 . In the present embodiment, the catching device comprises a plurality of rectangular apertures  247  formed in the lower end portions of the grooves  243  of the one mating plate  241  and corresponding mating rectangular blocks  248 . Of course, although not shown in the drawings, the catching device may consist of a single elongated catching block securely fixed in a corresponding elongated aperture formed in the lower end portion of the one mating plate  241  so as to firmly press the free end portions of the support strips against the inside of the other mating plate  242 . 
     Hereinafter is described to accomplish the head cover assembly  200  with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The elongated elastic support strips  223  of the head covers  220  are respectively put into the grooves  243  of the one mating plate  241  with their free end portions  224  at least fully closing the rectangular apertures  247 . Then, the other mating plate  242  is mated with the one mating plate  241  with the protruding pins  245  fully inserted in and caught by the respective pin holes  246 . 
     Thereafter, the rectangular blocks  248  are respectively and securely fixed in the rectangular apertures  247  so as to firmly press the free end portions  224  of the support strips  223  against the inside of the other mating plate  242 . FIG. 4 illustrates a cross section of the head cover assembly with the elastic support strip  223  interposed between the mating plates  241  and  242 . In this case, the free end portions  224  may be arranged between the mating plates  241  and  242  with the ends slightly protruding from the outside of the one mating plate, as shown in FIG.  4 . Finally, the head cover assembly  200  is fastened to the top shaping part  120 . 
     When arranging the golf clubs  106  in the golf bag  104  provided with the inventive head cover assembly  200 , each golf club  106  is put into the golf bag  104  with the grip  108  positioned in the bottom of the bag. Then, the head covering part  221  is pulled upward with the tab  222  to resiliently extend the elastic support strip  223  so that the head of the golf club may be put into the head covering part  221 . Thereafter, releasing the tab  222 , the golf clubs are arranged substantially immovable in the golf bag by the resilient force of the elastic head covers  220 , so that the heads are prevented from colliding with each other during carrying the golf bag. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments accompanied by the attached drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing the gist of the present invention.