Abstract:
A universal golf club securer and organizer for securing golf clubs in a fixed position in a golf bag which consists of a series of individual resilient clips having adjustable positions on a support bar thereby compensating for the width of any club in a set of golf clubs. The support bar is attached to a golf bag by means of a rod and clamp system which is adjustable to the height of any set of golf clubs.

Description:
This invention claims priority of Provision Application Ser. No. 60/057,951 filed Sep. 5, 1997. 
    
    
     In accordance with the present invention, a universal golf club securer and organizer includes two singular support bars upon which are attached numerous individual resilient clips for securing the head of a single golf club. Each golf club head securer is made of a strong yet resilient material which both holds the golf club firmly in place and allows easy insertion and extraction of a golf club head. Further, the golf club head securer is molded to fit any ironhead golf club. The minor variations between sets of golf clubs in size and contour are accommodated by the flexible nature of the resilient securing device. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the two singular support bars are made of a relatively stiff material which has been molded to be attached to a bag at an angle of approximately fifteen degrees from front to back. In this configuration, when the golf clubs are inserted into their proper securing device, the golfer is able to see each club at a glance. 
     A separate feature, a central holding unit made of the same relatively stiff material as the frame has other resilient clips which may be used to hold additional golf clubs such as the woods and the putter. This arrangement protects the woods and the putter from damage and keeps the golf club bag in balance. 
     Another aspect of the present invention includes a system designed to allow attachment of the frame of the club holder to golf club bags of varying sizes. Additionally, the system is adjustable to the height of any set of golf clubs. 
     The preferred embodiment of the invention may also include the following additional features: 
     1. The support bars and the securing devices may come in a variety of different colors. 
     2. The support bars and the securing devices may be integral with a golf club bag as one unit, or readily removable from the bag and transferred to a second bag. 
     3. The securing devices may have numbers imprinted thereon which correspond to the specific golf club number. 
     4. The frames may be made in different sizes and shapes to accommodate non-standard golf club bag openings, including circular. 
     Advantages of the present invention include the fact the clubs are secured and held in a manner that protects the clubs both during usage and during travel. Since the clubs are suspended either longitudinally across the bag mouth or in the separate central holder, the bag is always kept in balance. Another advantage is the organization of the clubs which the invention provides. This organization, combined with the physical angle-like form, allows for easy location and easy inventory of the clubs. Further, since each clubhead is protected and not allowed to move freely or rotate in the bag, the invention reduces or eliminates the noise typically made by clubs rattling and banging each other when carried in a golf bag. 
    
    
     Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and from the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf bag embodying the device of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the support bar, support bar clip and clubhead securers. 
     FIG. 3 a  is a form perspective view and FIG. 3 b  is a side perspective view of the rod and clamp 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the support bar, support bar clip and club head securer adjusted to receive an angled iron. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring more particularly to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a depiction of a universal golf club securer and organizer  8  attached by means of rods  50  and clamps  52  to a support bar  12  of the golf bag  10 . Placing the shafts of the irons into the inner recesses of the golf club bag  10  and the heads of the golf club irons  16  into the golf club head securer  40 , the irons  14  are neatly spaced longitudinally from front to back of the golf club bag so that the irons  14  are held securely in place at all times. 
     Securing the clubs in place has several advantages. First, if the golf bag  10  is upset or used for long distance transportation, the clubs will remain secure and in place. Second, the club heads are protected from scratching and chipping. Third, the clubs  14  are easy to find and return to the same location because each has a proper position in the universal golf club securer and organizer  8 . This also helps with keeping a constant inventory of the clubs and reduces the likelihood that clubs will be lost. 
     The support bars  12  of the universal golf club securer and organizer  8 , as can be seen from FIG. 1 in a preferred embodiment, are straight tubular rods with rounded ends. Each support rod has several golf club head securers  40  mounted upon it. The head securers are attached to the support rod by the support rod clip  60  which slides along the support bar  12  allowing various configurations of the head securers. The ultimate formation of the golf club head securers  40  allows the user to see all the clubs at one time. Additionally, this configuration puts the heads in a longitudinal and angular formation which is particularly attractive. 
     Located in the center of the bag between the two separate singular support bars is a central inner holder  30  with clips  32  into which golf clubs such as the woods  18  and the putter  19  may be inserted. FIG. 1 shows the golf club woods  18  held in the clips  32  of the central inner holder  30  and extending above the irons  16 . 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the universal golf club securer and organizer  8  in place in the golf bag  10  and containing a set of golf clubs  14 ,  18 , and  19 . The irons  14  are held in place by contoured-like securers  40  longitudinally across the golf bag  10 . The woods  18  and putter  19  are situated within the clips  32  of the separate central inner holder  30  which is mounted to extend across the central opening  22  of the golf bag  10 . The typical diameter or width of a rim of a golf bag opening  62  may be approximately eight to ten inches. By using several rods  50  and clamps  52  (as best seen in FIG. 3) the two singular support bars may be used to fit any standard round or square shaped or sized golf bag  10 . The rods  50  and lamps  52  will be discussed in greater detail in conjunction with FIG.  3 . 
     The singular support bars  12  of the golf club securer and organizer is made of a relatively stiff material. In its preferred embodiment, the two singular support bars is molded out of a firm plastic or rubber material, other materials which could be effective used to make a frame include, for example, a lightweight metal or fiberglass. These materials are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     The two singular support bars  12  in the preferred embodiment are approximately parallel and define a central opening  22 . However, the two singular support bars  12  may be angled symmetrically toward a lower portion  23  and be spaced further apart at an upper portion  25  of the golf bag  10 . 
     Each support bar  12  has at least one golf club head securer  40  mounted upon it. By inserting the locking device  44  through the bore  26  (as best seen in FIG. 2) the golf club head securer  40  is fastened to the support bar clip  60 . Alternatively, other methods of mounting, such as glues or mating recesses, known to those skilled in the art, could be used by way of illustrative examples. 
     Located within or extending across the central opening  22  is a central inner holder  30 . As shown, the central inner holder is attached to the lower portion  23  and upper portion  25  of the golf bag  10 . The central inner holder  30  is preferably formed of the same stiff material as the support bar  12 . The central inner holder  30  and the support bar  12  may be a single unit or may be formed separately and secured together. 
     The support bar  12  is attached to the rim of a golf bag  22  by a series of rods  50  and clamps  52 . In the preferred embodiment, the rods  50  (as best seen in FIG. 3) are made of a sturdy material such as steel or aluminum. The rods consist of two longitudinal portions. The portions of the rod should be long enough to allow for both the varied width of the openings of a golf bag  10  and for the varying heights of golf club sets. A set of essentially flattened hook-shape clamps  52  are provided to secure the rod  50  to the rim of the golf club bag  10 . The clamps are made of a sturdy high-strength metallic material such as engineered plastic, steel, or aluminum. 
     This rod  50  and clamp  52  (as best seen in FIG. 3) system of joining the golf club securer and organizer  8  to the golf bag  10  is only meant to be exemplary. Another method could involve the use of extension rings in which either several rings of uniform size or rings of the height desired are provided to be secured between the frame  20  and the rim of the golf bag  10 . In addition, the frame  20  could be permanently attached to the golf bag  10 . 
     FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a golf club head securer  40  and the adjacent portion of the support bar  12 . The securer is made of a resilient material which, in the preferred embodiment, is a plastic or rubber material. The upper portion of the securer  40  is an opening of the general shape of the head of a golf club iron  16 . A golf club iron is pressed into the golf club head securer  40  from above, and is held in place by the spring action of the resilient golf club head securer. The golf club head securer may be rotatably attached to the support bar clip  60  which then is attached to the support bar  10  so that the angle of the golf club head securer with respect to the support bar can be changed to allow for differences in angles in the heads of golf club irons. A bolt, screw, or other fastener  44  is inserted through the opening  26  in the base of the support bar clip  60  for rotatably attaching the clip to the support bar. The support bar clip  60  with the golf club head securer  40  may be adjusted along the support bar  12  to adequately accommodate various size golf club irons in succession. 
     In conclusion, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to that precisely as described herein-above and as shown in the accompanying drawings. More specifically, the support bars could take shapes other than straight (such as curved or bowed) in order to accommodate various styles of golf club bags. Further, the club holders can be of various colors or numbered for easier club identification. The materials discussed are meant to be exemplary and could be exchanged with any other material suitable for the intended purpose. Numbering on the holders corresponding to the numbers of the specific golf club could be added to the exterior or top surface of the holders. Also the contour of the fingers of the securers can be modified to hold woods or the putter or separate adapters specifically designed to hold clubs or items other than irons can also be mounted to the support bars. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the arrangements precisely as shown and described herein-above.