Patent Abstract:
An accessory support system comprising an accessory clip ( 11 ) and an accessory support ( 31 ), the accessory clip ( 11 ) comprising a body adapted to be supported by support means and having clip engagement means ( 24 ), said clip engagement means ( 24 ) being adapted to receive and removably engage the accessory support ( 31 ) to thereby support the accessory support ( 31 ), the accessory support being adapted to removably receive and support at least one accessory and having corresponding support engagement means ( 48 ) adapted to co-operate with the clip engagement means ( 24 ).

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a system for supporting accessories.  
       BACKGROUND ART  
       [0002]     In many activities, it is necessary to have readily at hand a certain accessory which must be put aside for a short time while some other activity is undertaken. The sport of golf is an example of an activity which demands that the player hold a number of different objects at various times during the game but which must be put aside at other times. Example of such articles include a tee and a green-marker. Until now there has not been a convenient means to hold such accessories so that they are retained on the player in a convenient manner when required but can be placed elsewhere at other times.  
       DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Accordingly there is disclosed an accessory support system comprising an accessory clip and an accessory support, the accessory clip comprising a body adapted to be supported by support means and having clip engagement means, said clip engagement means being adapted to receive and removably engage the accessory support to thereby support the accessory support, the accessory support being adapted to removably receive and support at least one accessory and having corresponding support engagement means adapted to co-operate with the clip engagement means.  
         [0004]     According to a preferred feature of the invention, the accessory clip comprises a pair of opposing members, the members being resiliently biased to engage one another to thereby provide the support means.  
         [0005]     According to a preferred feature of the invention the clip engaging means comprises an attachment means mounted on an external face of the accessory clip, and the support engaging means comprises a complementary attachment means mounted on an external face of the accessory support.  
         [0006]     According to a preferred embodiment, the clip engaging means and the attachment means comprise complementary pads of hook and loop fastener material adhesively retained to the accessory clip and the accessory support, respectively.  
         [0007]     According to a preferred embodiment, the accessory support comprises a tee support adapted to support at least one golf tee. According to a preferred embodiment, the tee support comprises a body with a plurality of apertures, each aperture adapted to receive and support a golf tee.  
         [0008]     According to a preferred embodiment the accessory support comprises a green marker support adapted to support a green marker. According to a preferred embodiment the green marker support comprises a body member and a pair of opposing, clasping members, the clasping members being resiliently biased to engage the body member and adapted to receive the green marker there between.  
         [0009]     The invention will be more fully understood in light of the following description of two specific embodiments. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1A  is side elevation of an accessory clip according to the first embodiment;  
         [0012]      FIG. 1B  is front elevation of an accessory clip according to the first embodiment;  
         [0013]      FIG. 1C  is plan view of an accessory clip according to the first embodiment;  
         [0014]      FIG. 1D  is rear elevation of an accessory clip according to the first embodiment;  
         [0015]      FIG. 1E  is an upper rear perspective view of an accessory clip according to the first embodiment;  
         [0016]      FIG. 1F  is a lower rear perspective view of an accessory clip according to the first embodiment;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2A  is side elevation of an accessory support according to the first embodiment;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2B  is front elevation of an accessory support according to the first embodiment;  
         [0019]      FIG. 2C  is plan view of an accessory support according to the first embodiment;  
         [0020]      FIG. 2D  is rear elevation of an accessory support according to the first embodiment;  
         [0021]      FIG. 2E  is an upper rear perspective view of an accessory support according to the first embodiment;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2F  is an upper front perspective view of an accessory support according to the first embodiment;  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing an accessory clip and an accessory support aligned for attachment according to the first embodiment;  
         [0024]      FIG. 4A  is side elevation of an accessory support according to the second embodiment showing a green marker aligned for insertion;  
         [0025]      FIG. 4B  is rear elevation of an accessory support according to the second embodiment showing a green marker aligned for insertion;  
         [0026]      FIG. 4C  is an upper rear perspective view of an accessory support according to the second embodiment showing a green marker aligned for insertion;  
         [0027]      FIG. 4D  is an upper rear perspective view of an accessory support according to the second embodiment showing a green marker inserted;  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing an accessory clip and an accessory support aligned for attachment according to the second embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0029]     The first embodiment of the invention is directed to an accessory support system comprising an accessory clip and an accessory support adapted to support golf tees that may be used while playing the game of golf.  
         [0030]     The embodiment of the accessory clip is shown in  FIGS. 1A  to  1 F. The clip  11  comprises a front, substantially planar member  12  and an opposed, rear, substantially planar member  14 . The two members  12  and  14  are interconnected by a curved connection member  16  integral with the front and rear members. The connection member  16  biases the front member  12  and the rear member  14  into engagement along a line of contact  18 . The rear member  14  terminates in a projecting portion  20  extending from approximate the line of contact  18  away from the front member  12 .  
         [0031]     As shown in  FIG. 1B  the front member  12  is substantially rectangular as is the rear member  14  as shown in  FIG. 1D . As seen in  FIG. 1A  the projecting portion  20  extending away from the front member  12  provides an open mouth  22  adapted to receive a material slid between the two members  12  and  14  of the clip  11  to be therefore be engaged thereby along the line of contact  18 . The clip is thus adapted to be received by a suitable piece of the apparel of the golfer such as a belt or the upper hem of his trousers or perhaps a shirt pocket. It may also be affixed to a suitable support such as a portion of the golf bag.  
         [0032]     The front member  12  is provided with an engagement means  24  in the form of hook and loop fastener material adhering to the front member  12  by suitable adhesive.  
         [0033]     To enhance the aesthetic appeal, the clip is optionally made from a clear plastics material, as shown in  FIG. 1F .  
         [0034]     The accessory support of the first embodiment comprises a tee support  31 . The tee support comprises a planer member  32 , a transverse member  34  extending at one side of the main member  32  and a foot member  36  extending outwardly and obliquely from the main member at the lower edge of the main member.  
         [0035]     As shown in  FIG. 2A , the transverse member  34  comprises a first sub-member  35  and a second sub-member  38  supported from the first sub-member  35  by a curved linkage  40 . A series of three apertures  42  penetrate through the first sub-member  35 . Corresponding axially aligned holes  44  also penetrate the second sub-member  38 . Corresponding axially aligned arcuate cut outs  46  cut the edge of the foot member  36 .  
         [0036]     As shown in  FIG. 3  it can be seen that the tee support is adapted to receive golf tees which are inserted to pass into the apertures  42  in the first sub-member  35  and pass through apertures  44  in the second sub-member  38  and abut the cut outs  46  in the foot  36 .  
         [0037]     The planar member  32  is provided with a pad  48  of hook and loop fastener material adhered to the member by suitable adhesive. In this way the tee support is adapted to engage the accessory clip to thereby be supported by the accessory clip which may be attached to the golfer as mentioned earlier. When not in use, the tee support is adapted to be attached to a further accessory clip which perhaps is mounted onto the golfers club bag or trolley. In this way the golfer can readily remove the tee support holding a plurality of tees from the accessory clip attached to the golf buggy, then attach the tee support to the accessory clip on his apparel at the time he is preparing to tee off and afterwards return it to the buggy quickly and ready for future use.  
         [0038]     The second embodiment of the invention is directed to an accessory support system comprising an accessory clip and an accessory support adapted to support a green marker that may be used while playing the game of golf.  
         [0039]     The accessory clip of the second embodiment is identical to the accessory clip of the first embodiment and will not be described again. The accessory support of the second embodiment comprises a marker support  61  adapted to support a green marker  62 . As shown in  FIG. 4 A  to D the marker support  61  comprises a clip substantially similar to the accessory clip  11  except the rear member  74  is substantially divided into two portions  63  and  64  by an elongated slot  65  centrally dividing the member from the mouth  22 . As shown in the  FIGS. 4A  to  4 F, a typical green marker  62  comprising a disc portion  66  and a pin portion  68  may be slid into the marker support  61 , the outward planer face of the disc portion  66  being aligned with the inner face of the front member  72  while the pin portion  68  is substantially aligned with the axis of the slot  65 . As is shown, the marker may be slid between the front and rear members to be engaged thereby.  
         [0040]     The marker support further comprises a pad of hook and loop fastener  70  adhered to the front member  58  by a suitable adhesive. Thereby the marker support is easily adapted to be engaged to the accessory clip to be supported thereby. Again as per the tee support, when not in use the marker support may be removed from the accessory clip worn by the golfer and replaced on another accessory clip associated with the club bag.  
         [0041]     It will be appreciated that this novel accessory support system is readily adapted to support a range of accessories by the design of appropriate accessory support members adapted to engage the accessory clip. There is thereby provided a most useful system for supporting accessories at one location when required but which enables them to be securely supported at an alternative location at other times in a way wherein they will not be lost.  
         [0042]     An additional advantage of the system is provided by the accessory clip. When not in use to support an accessory support, it may alternatively be used to support items which themselves have cooperating engagement means. An example of such an item is the glove of a golfer. These are nowadays usually manufactured with a portion of hook and loop fastener material to retain the wrist support to the glove. When the glove is removed, the golfer may attach it quickly and directly to the cooperating engagement pad of the accessory clip to hold it securely thereto. As is well known, the glove may thereafter readily be removed from engagement of the hook and loop fastener merely by pulling with appropriate force.  
         [0043]     Modifications and variations as would be known to the skilled addressee are considered to be within the scope of this invention and it should be appreciated that the present invention need not be limited to the particular scope of the embodiment described above.  
         [0044]     Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0