Patent Publication Number: US-2021162285-A1

Title: Golf club head cover

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a head cover for a golf club. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     A golf club head cover has heretofore been known for protecting the head of a golf club (such as a wood, iron, utility, or putter, for example) when the golf club is not used (Patent Document 1, for example). 
     The golf club head cover described in Patent Document 1 includes a main body bag portion in which the head of a golf club is put and a tongue portion that can be engaged with the main body bag portion so as to close an opening portion of the main body bag portion after the head is inserted through the opening portion. This golf club head cover is configured such that after the head is inserted into the main body bag portion through the opening portion, the tongue portion is engaged with the main body bag portion thereby to attach the golf club head cover to the head. 
     PRIOR ART DOCUMENT 
     Patent Document 
     [Patent Document 1] Registered Utility Model No. 3114460 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Problems to be Solved by the Invention 
     In the technique described in Patent Document 1, when the golf club head cover is attached to the head, the shaft of the golf club protrudes from a shaft penetrating portion provided at a peripheral edge portion of the opening portion. Incidentally, there are various types of golf clubs having different shaft positions with respect to the heads, for example, such as a putter with a center shaft and a right-handed or left-handed L-shaped putter. However, in the golf club head cover described in Patent Document 1, positions of the head storage space and the shaft penetrating portion are fixed; therefore, the golf club head cover can be attached only to a golf club having a head and a shaft corresponding to those positions and it is difficult to attach the golf club head cover to other types of golf clubs. 
     The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problem and an object of the present invention is to provide a golf club head cover that can be easily attached to any of the heads of various types of golf clubs having different shaft positions with respect to the heads. 
     Means for Solving the Problems 
     To solve the above problem, the present invention provides a golf club head cover comprising: a cover main body formed so as to house a head of a golf club, the cover main body having an opening that allows a shaft of the golf club to protrude outside in a state in which the head is housed; a lid part that opens and closes the opening; and an attaching means for attaching a peripheral edge portion of the lid part to a peripheral edge portion of the opening so as to bring the peripheral edge portion of the lid part into close contact with the peripheral edge portion of the opening, the attaching means being configured such that a close contact position of the peripheral edge portion of the lid part with respect to the peripheral edge portion of the opening varies in accordance with the position of the shaft protruding from the opening (Invention 1). 
     According to the invention (Invention 1), the close contact position of the peripheral edge portion of the lid part with respect to the peripheral edge portion of the opening can be varied in accordance with the position of the shaft protruding from the opening and, therefore, even when the head of a type of golf club is housed in the cover main body, for example, the peripheral edge portion of the lid part can be attached to the peripheral edge portion of the opening in a state in which the close contact position varies in accordance with the position of the shaft of that golf club. Thus, the golf club head cover can be easily attached to any of the heads of various types of golf clubs having different shaft positions with respect to the heads. 
     In the above invention (Invention 1), the attaching means may comprise: a first magnet provided on one of the peripheral edge portion of the lid part and the peripheral edge portion of the opening; and a second magnet or magnetic body provided on the other of the peripheral edge portion of the lid part and the peripheral edge portion of the opening, the second magnet or magnet body being attracted by the first magnet (Invention 2). 
     According to the invention (Invention 2), the attractive magnetic force between the first magnet and the second magnet or magnetic body allows the peripheral edge portion of the lid part to be attached to the peripheral edge portion of the opening in close contact with each other. 
     In the above invention (Invention 1, 2), the opening may be formed so as to be opened in a direction approximately perpendicular to the extending direction of the shaft (Invention 3). 
     According to the invention (Invention 3), the lid part can be attached to the peripheral edge portion of the opening so as not to be interrupted with the shaft as compared, for example, with the case in which the opening is formed so as to be opened in the same direction as the extending direction of the shaft. 
     In the above invention (Invention 1 to 3), the golf club head cover may be a head cover for a putter (Invention 4) . 
     As described above, there are various types of putters having different shaft positions with respect to the heads, for example, such as a putter with a center shaft and a right-handed or left-handed L-shaped putter. According to the invention (Invention 4), the golf club head cover can be easily attached, for example, to the head of each of a putter with a center shaft, a right-handed L-shaped putter, a left-handed L-shaped putter, etc. 
     Effect of the Invention 
     According to the golf club head cover of the present invention, the golf club head cover can be easily attached to any of the heads of various types of golf clubs having different shaft positions with respect to the heads. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a view schematically illustrating the basic configuration of a golf club head cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2( a )  is a front view of the golf club head cover in a state in which the opening is opened, and  FIG. 2( b )  is a side view of the golf club head cover in a state in which the opening is opened. 
         FIG. 3( a )  is a front view of the golf club head cover in a state in which the opening is closed, and  FIG. 3( b )  is a side view of the golf club head cover in a state in which the opening is closed. 
         FIGS. 4( a ) and 4( b )  are views for describing an example of the case in which the close contact position of the peripheral edge portion of the lid part with respect to the peripheral edge portion of the opening varies in accordance with the position of the shaft when the head of the golf club is housed. 
     
    
    
     EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the appended drawings. Note, however, that this embodiment is merely an example and the present invention is not limited to this. 
       FIG. 1  is a view schematically illustrating the basic configuration of a golf club head cover (referred to as a “head cover,” hereinafter) according to an embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 2( a )  is a front view of the head cover in a state in which the opening is opened, and  FIG. 2( b )  is a side view of the head cover in a state in which the opening is opened.  FIG. 3( a )  is a front view of the head cover in a state in which the opening is closed and  FIG. 3( b )  is a side view of the head cover in a state in which the opening is closed.  FIGS. 4( a ) and 4( b )  are views for describing an example of the case in which the close contact position of the peripheral edge portion of the lid part with respect to the peripheral edge portion of the opening varies in accordance with the position of the shaft when the head of the golf club is housed. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a head cover  10  according to the present embodiment is to protect a head H of a golf club (such as a wood, iron, utility, or putter, for example) and includes a bag-like cover main body  11  and a lid part  12 . The cover main body  11  may be formed such that a storage space for housing the head H extends in the length direction (Y direction in the figure). The lid part  12  is configured to open and close an opening  11   a  that is formed on one end side in the length direction of the cover main body  11  for the head H to be inserted into the storage space. 
     The peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a  of the cover main body  11  and the peripheral edge portion of the lid part  12  may be provided with a plurality of first magnets  13  and a plurality of second magnets (illustrated in  FIGS. 2( a ) and 2( b )  to  FIGS. 4( a ) and 4( b ) ) for attaching the peripheral edge portion of the lid part  12  to the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a . Here, the plurality of first magnets  13  and the plurality of second magnets  14  represent an example of the “attaching means” of the present invention. 
     In the present embodiment, the lid part  12  may be integrally formed with the cover main body  11  at the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a  of the cover main body  11 . The present embodiment will be described with an exemplary case in which the head cover  10  is a head cover for a putter (a mallet-type putter, for example). 
     The cover main body  11  may have a shape and sizes (width (dimension in the X direction in the figure), length (dimension in the Y direction in the figure), and height (dimension in the Z direction in the figure) that allow the head H to be housed in the internal storage space. The cover main body  11  may be formed so as to house only the head H or may also be formed so as to house not only the head H but also the neck (not illustrated) of the golf club and the base portion (portion on the head H side) of a shaft S. 
     The width (dimension in the X direction in the figure) and height (dimension in the Z direction in the figure) of the opening  11   a  may be set to dimensions that allow the head H to be inserted through the opening  11   a . In the present embodiment, when the head H of the golf club is housed in the storage space in the cover main body  11 , the shaft S of the golf club protrudes from the opening  11   a  to the outside of the cover main body  11 . Here, the opening  11   a  may be formed so as to be opened in a direction (Y direction in the figure) approximately perpendicular to the extending direction (Z direction in the figure) of the shaft S. This allows the lid part  12  to be attached to the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a  so as not to be interrupted with the shaft S as compared, for example, with the case in which the opening  11   a  is formed so as to be opened in the same direction (Z direction in the figure) as the extending direction of the shaft S. 
     The lid part  12  has a shape and sizes that allow its peripheral edge portion to be attached to the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a . In the present embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the case in which the lid part  12  is formed in a flat plate shape will be described as an example, but embodiments of the present invention are not limited to this case. For example, the lid part  12  may be formed with a recessed portion that can accommodate a part of the head H of the golf club. 
     Examples of the material of the cover main body  11  and the lid part  12  include, but are not limited to, materials having a cushioning property (e.g., leather, synthetic leather, cloth, non-woven fabric, knit, etc.). The cover main body  11  may be formed of different materials on the outside and the inside (e.g., synthetic leather on the outside and raised fabric on the inside, etc.), and a cushioning material, for example, may be provided between the material on the outside and the material on the inside in order to enhance the effect of protecting the head H. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 2( a ) and 2( b ) , a plurality of first magnets  13  may be provided at intervals on the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a  of the cover main body  11 . The number and magnetic force of the first magnets  13  may be appropriately set in accordance, for example, with the ease of opening and closing operations for the lid part  12 . 
     In addition, a plurality of second magnets  14  that attract the plurality of corresponding first magnets  13  may be provided on the peripheral edge portion of the lid part  12 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 3( a ) and 3( b ) , each of the plurality of second magnets  14  may be provided at a position facing each of the plurality of first magnets  13  when the lid part  12  is attached to the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a  so as to close the opening  11   a . This allows the peripheral edge portion of the lid part  12  to be attached to the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a  in close contact with each other by the attractive magnetic force between the plurality of first magnets  13  and the plurality of second magnets  14 . The number and magnetic force of the plurality of second magnets  14  may be appropriately set in the same manner as that for the first magnets  13 . 
     In the present embodiment, the plurality of first magnets  13  and the plurality of second magnets  14  are provided at respective intervals, so that, as will be described later, the close contact position of the peripheral edge portion of the lid part  12  with respect to the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a  varies in accordance with the position of the shaft S protruding from the opening  11   a.    
     A method of attaching the head cover  10  configured as described above to the head H of the golf club will be described. First, when the opening  11   a  is opened as illustrated in  FIG. 1  and  FIGS. 2( a ) and 2( b ) , the head H of the golf club is inserted into the cover main body  11  through the opening  11   a . Here, the head H of the golf club is inserted into the cover main body  11  in a state in which the shaft S of the golf club extends in a direction (Z direction in the figure) approximately perpendicular to the opening direction (Y direction in the figure) of the opening  11   a.    
     Then, as illustrated in  FIGS. 3( a ) and 3( b ) , when the lid part  12  is moved so as to close the opening  11   a , the plurality of second magnets  14  provided on the peripheral edge portion of the lid part  12  attracts the plurality of first magnets  13  provided on the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a , and the lid part  12  is thereby attached to the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a  so that the peripheral edge portion of the lid part  12  comes into close contact with the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a.    
     Here, as illustrated in  FIG. 4( a ) , the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a  and the peripheral edge portion of the lid part  12  are not in close contact with each other at a place at which the shaft S is interposed between the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a  and the peripheral edge portion of the lid part  12 , but at other places, the plurality of second magnets  14  attracts the plurality of first magnets  13  thereby to bring the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a  and the peripheral edge portion of the lid part  12  into close contact with each other; therefore, the lid part  12  can be prevented from being easily detached from the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a , and the head cover  10  can be stably attached to the head H of the golf club. 
     Moreover, as illustrated in  FIG. 4( b ) , even when the head cover  10  is attached to another type of golf club with a different position of the shaft S with respect to the head H, the place at which the shaft S is interposed between the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a  and the peripheral edge portion of the lid part  12  is different from the place in the case of  FIG. 4( a ) , but at other places, the plurality of second magnets  14  attracts the plurality of first magnets  13  thereby to bring the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a  and the peripheral edge portion of the lid part  12  into close contact with each other (i.e., the close contact position varies as compared with the case of  FIG. 4( a ) ); therefore, the lid part  12  can be prevented from being easily detached from the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a , and the head cover  10  can be stably attached to the head H of the golf club. 
     Thus, the head cover  10  according to the present embodiment can be easily attached to any of the heads H of various types of golf clubs having different positions of the shafts S with respect to the heads H. 
     When the head cover  10  is released from the head H, the peripheral portion of the lid part  12  is pulled away from the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a  thereby to put the opening  11   a  into a state of being opened, and the head H is taken out from the cover main body  11 . This allows the head cover  10  to be easily released from the head H. 
     As described above, according to the head cover  10  of the present embodiment, the close contact position of the peripheral edge portion of the lid part  12  with respect to the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a  can be varied in accordance with the position of the shaft S protruding from the opening  11   a ; therefore, even when the head H of a type of golf club is housed in the cover main body  11 , for example, the peripheral edge portion of the lid part  12  can be attached to the peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a  in a state in which the close contact position varies in accordance with the position of the shaft S of the golf club. Thus, the head cover  10  can be easily attached to any of the heads H of various types of golf clubs having different positions of the shafts S with respect to the heads H. 
     The head cover  10  of the present embodiment may be used for any of golf clubs such as a wood, an iron, a utility, and a putter, for example, but it is effective to use the configuration of the present embodiment particularly when the head cover  10  is a head cover for a putter. That is, there are various types of putters having different positions of the shafts S with respect to the heads H, for example, such as a putter with a center shaft and a right-handed or left-handed L-shaped putter, but as described above, the head cover  10  of the present embodiment can be easily attached, for example, to the head H of each of a putter with a center shaft, a right-handed L-shaped putter, a left-handed L-shaped putter, and the like; therefore, it is extremely effective to use the configuration of the present embodiment for the head cover for a putter. 
     The embodiment heretofore explained is described to facilitate understanding of the present invention and is not described to limit the present invention. It is therefore intended that the elements disclosed in the above embodiments include all design changes and equivalents to fall within the technical scope of the present invention. 
     In the above embodiment, the description has been made for an exemplary case in which the plurality of first magnets  13  and the plurality of second magnets  14  are provided, but the present invention is not limited to this case. For example, as substitute for one of the plurality of first magnets  13  and the plurality of second magnets  14 , magnetic bodies (such as iron plates, for example) that are attracted by the other of the plurality of first magnets  13  and the plurality of second magnets  14  may be provided. 
     In the above embodiment, the description has been made for an exemplary case in which the plurality of first magnets  13  and the plurality of second magnets  14  are provided, but the number of the first magnets  13  and/or the second magnets  14  may be one. In this case, the first magnet  13  may be continuously provided over the entire peripheral edge portion of the opening  11   a , and/or the second magnet  14  may be continuously provided over the entire peripheral edge portion of the lid part  12 . 
     In the above embodiment, the description has been made for an exemplary case in which the plurality of first magnets  13  and the plurality of second magnets  14  are provided as the attaching means, but the attaching means may also be, for example, a hook-and-loop fastener, a seal, a button, a hook, or the like. 
     In the above embodiment, the description has been made for an exemplary case in which the lid part  12  is formed integrally with the cover main body  11 , but the lid part  12  may also be formed separately from the cover main body  11 . 
     In the above embodiment, the description has been made for an exemplary case in which the cover main body  11  is formed such that the head H of the golf club is inserted through the opening  11   a , but, for example, the cover main body  11  may also be provided with a slit for inserting the head H of the golf club separately from the opening  11   a.    
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The golf club head cover of the present invention can be suitably used as a golf club head cover that can be easily attached to any of the heads of various types of golf clubs having different shaft positions with respect to the heads, and the industrial applicability thereof is very high. 
     DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
           10  Golf club head cover 
           11  Cover main body
         11   a  Opening   
     
           12  Lid part 
           13  First magnet 
           14  Second magnet 
         H Head 
         S Shaft