Abstract:
A zippered storage compartment for a golf bag leg support using two zipper pulls, both tracking down to open the storage compartment after which one zipper pull alternately tracks up and down in coordinated relation to the alternating non-use and in-use condition of the leg support as occurs after most golf shots, and the other zipper pull tracks up to close the compartment at the end of the golf round to contribute to obviating damage to the leg support during the intervals between golf rounds.

Description:
The present invention relates to improvements for golf bag leg supports, the improvements more particularly providing a storage compartment for the leg supports during off the golf course non-use and, primarily for appearance sake, also on the golf course during alternating opening and closing of the support legs. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     After a golf round, it is desirable to stow the golf bag support legs in a storage compartment both for appearance sake and also to minimize any contact of the legs or their leg-opening wire spring mechanism that might result in damage. As illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,283,412 for “Golf Bag Support” to W. H. Bright on May 10, 1942, a compartment centrally located on the rear surface of the golf bag is zippered open to release the legs from their storage condition within the compartment so as to partake of alternating pivotal traverses into opening and closing movements through the zipper opening. The length portions of cooperating panels of the compartment adjacent the zipper teeth which bound therebetween the zipper opening however are in the path of movement of the leg-opening and leg-closing pivotal traverses, and consequently contact with these panels and, although nominal, this contact adversely effects the operation of the legs. Even more of an inconvenience, the zipper opening remains open during play and is a repository for debris. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a golf bag leg mechanism storage compartment overcoming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. 
     More particularly, it is an object to coordinate the opening and closing of the support legs with the opening and closing of the storage compartment so that there is no interference with the operation of the support legs and, in fact, the closing of the zipper openings of the storage compartment facilitates the closing of the support legs, all as will be better understood as the description proceeds. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings should not be construed as limiting the invention to the example shown and described, because those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains will be able to devise other forms thereof within the ambit of the appended claims. 
     FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of the zipper components for the leg storage compartment for a golf bag according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the golf bag with an exposed leg mechanism that in use is stored within a compartment formed by an attached panel component; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the golf bag with the attached component-forming panel component; 
     FIG. 4A is a left rear perspective view projected from FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 4B is a right rear perspective view projected from FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the movement of the leg components into golf bag supporting positions; 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the leg components in a tripod golf bag supporting configuration; and 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 are similar perspective views of the golf bag zipper components as a result, respectively, of descending and ascending movements. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     It is a common popular practice to provide a tripod leg support, generally designated  10 , in attached relation, as at  12 , to the rear surface  14  of the circular wall  16  of a golf bag  18  so that the golf clubs  20  are readily accessible in the storage area  22  bounded by the circular wall  16 . Mobility requires, of course, that the left  24  and right leg  26  of the tripod retract back from their open angular golf bag-supporting depicted positions, as noted at  28 , into flat out-of-the way positions, as at  30 , against the golf bag rear surface  14 . The opening and closing of the legs  24  and  26  occurs after most fairway golf shots as the golfer moves down a fairway to a putting green. This repetitive alternating operating mode of the legs  24 ,  26  is achieved in a well known manner, as exemplified by that described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,377 for “Golf Bag Stand” issued on Oct. 13, 1992 in which the upper ends  32  of the legs  24 ,  26  are mounted on spaced apart pivots  32  and  34  adjacent a top of the golf bag  18  so as to partake of opposite pivotal traverses  36  between the noted open and closed positions  28  and  30  in response to leg-operating means, generally designated  38 , including a lower lever component  40  which when the golf bag  18  is grounded, as at  42 , is effective to open the legs  24 ,  26  and when the golf bag  18  is raised, preparatory to movement down the fairway, is effective to retract the legs  24 ,  26  under spring urgency, into their flat position against the bag  18 , as noted at  30 . 
     In the combination, by attachment  12 , of the tripod leg support  10 , to the golf bag  18 , the closed leg position  30  is advantageously positioned in an out of the way storage compartment construction on the rear  14  of the golf bag  18  to thereby significantly contribute to providing a neat appearance to the golf bag during play as well as during travel to and from the golf course, as well as providing other significant benefits, as will now be described in detail. 
     More particularly, appropriated attached, by sewing  59  to the bag rear surface  14 , is a longitudinally oriented rectangular panel  44  having opposite edges  46  and  48  in covering relation at the attachment site  12  over the retracted legs  24 ,  26 , said edges  46 ,  48  being in alignment  50  and  52  (FIGS. 4A,  4 B) with a cooperating pivot  32  and  34  (FIG. 2) so that an opening leg pivotal traverse is along a panel edge  46 , and along the edge  48  of the panel  44 . The facing portions of the bag rear surface  14  and the panel  44  bound therebetween a storage compartment  54 . 
     Cooperating with the panel edges  46  and  48  are left and right flaps  56  and  58  appropriately attached, as by sewing or adhesive  59 , to the golf bag  18  in positions outwardly adjacent the panel edges  46  and  48  so edges  60  and  62  on the flaps  56 ,  58  bound therebetween left and right openings  64  and  66  into the storage compartment  54 . 
     Interengaging and disengaging zipper teeth  68  on strips, and of known construction and operating mode, are deployed on the opening-bounding edges  46 ,  60  and  48 ,  62 . A first pair of zipper pulls  70  and  72  jointly tracking along the zipper teeth  68  is selected to have an operating mode causing interengaging of said zipper teeth  68  in response to descending movement  74 , and a second pair of zipper pulls  76  and  78  jointly tracking below said first pair along said zipper teeth  68  is selected to have an opposite operating mode in which, in response to said descending movement  74 , any engaged or interconnected zipper teeth  68  is disengaged. Thus, assuming that the lower second zipper pulls  76  and  78  and the upper first zipper pulls  70  and  72  are at starting positions of movement adjacent the top of the golf bag  18 , the urging of these zipper pulls in descending movement alternately cause the opening and closing of the openings  64  and  66 ; the zipper pulls  76  and  78  causing the opening and the zipper pulls  70  and  72  causing the closing. 
     In practice, the alternate opening and closing of the openings  64 ,  66  of the storage compartment  54  are coordinated to the alternate opening and closing of the legs  24 ,  26  with the consequence that the storage compartment  54  has utility obviating untidiness in the appearance of the tripod leg support  10  as well as preventing possible damage to exposed legs  24 ,  26  of the tripod support  10 . 
     More particularly, at a site on the fairway for a golf shot, the golfer will use the zipper pulls  76  and  78  to open the openings  64  and  66  and then ground the golf bag  18  causing the opening of the legs  24 ,  26  and the projection thereof through the openings  64 ,  66 , a happenstance of the vertical alignment  50 ,  52  of the pivots  32 ,  34  and the zipper-controlled openings  64  and  66 . 
     After the golf shot, the golf bag  18  is raised resulting in the retraction under spring urgency of the legs  24 ,  26  back through the openings  64 ,  66  into the storage compartment  54 , this retraction possibly being only partial with the distal ends  80  of the legs  24 ,  26  not completely making entry filly into the storage compartment  54 . The golfer will then close the openings  64 ,  66  using the first pair of zipper pulls  70  and  72 , wherein descending movement along the length portion  82  coincident with the distal ends  80  will cam the distal ends into the storage compartment  54 . 
     During the remainder of play, alternate ascending  84  and descending movement  74  of only the first pair of zipper pulls  70  and  72  will open and close the openings  64  and  66  in coordinated relation to the opening and closing of the legs  24 ,  26 . In preparation for travel from the golf course, and coincidentally also for travel to the golf course, the user is instructed to have both pairs of zipper pulls  70  and  72 , and  76  and  78  in their starting positions adjacent the top of the golf bag  18 . Ties  86  and  88  are connected in spanning relation between each pair of the zipper pulls are provided to facilitate their movement in unison. Also, if left in their position adjacent the bottom of the golf bag, a position vulnerable to snagging, with an undesirable result. The position adjacent the upper end of the golf bag obviates the snagging problem. 
     While the apparatus for practicing the within inventive method, as well as said method herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the detail of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.