Abstract:
A golf bag with a built-in assembly included a top molded member follow by wherein said molded top member includes a neck portion, a collar portion and a shoulder portion connecting said neck and collar portions, said neck portion includes a longitudinally extending circumferential wall which defines the inner aperture of said top member and a longitudinal part of which is surrounded by said enclosure, said collar portion includes a circumferential wall surrounding said neck portion and append which are laterally spaced apart for receiving a part of the stand assembly for connection to the top molded member.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a golf bag and, more particularly to a golf bag with a stand assembly for supporting a golf bag to stand at an inclination to the vertical. This invention also relates to a top moulded member of a golf bag with a stand assembly and method for making same.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Golf is a popular outdoor game with ever increasing popularity in many places around the world. A typical golf game is played on a course of 9, 18 or even 36 holes in which a golfer moves sequentially from one hole to another until all the holes have been attended. The distances between the holes can vary in length from about a hundred meters to several hundred meters. Some of the holes are flanked by rough areas which make it more difficult to play.  
           [0003]    In a golf game a golfer must use a golf club to strike a golf ball towards the target hole. Different clubs have different technical characteristics and are used for different situations. Typically, a golfer is allowed to carry up to 14 pieces of golf clubs in a golf bag. In order to strike a golf ball for a relatively long distance, a golfer has to make a big body swing or twist to impart more power to the ball for a long flight. After the hits, the golfer will move on to the landing position of the ball and prepare for the next strike. In moving between holes, many golfers prefer to carry the fully loaded golf bag by himself or herself to increase the exercise level of a golf game. Many expensive and good quality golf bags are provided with a stand assembly so that the golf bag can rest on its own in a nearly vertical position with its top opening facing the sky when a golfer is preparing for the next hit. A full set of golf equipment, including golf balls, clubs and other accessories, may weigh up to 10-15 kg. As the game involves considerably bodily movements covering up to several kilometers, a golfer may become tired and it is well known that many golfers habitually, but somehow unconsciously, lean and rest their body weight against an upstanding golf bag in order to obtain some rest in between movements following the golf ball.  
           [0004]    Golf bags with a built-in stand assembly are widely used because the stand assembly can provide a stable support to maintain the golf bag in an upright position while the golfer is preparing for the next strike. A typical stand for a golf bag usually includes a pair of retractable inverted V-shape legs which are attached to the rigid top collar of the golf bag and the angular width of which increases as the free ends move away from the bag. The stand assembly is usually attached to the top end of a golf bag by rivets and is typically designed and tested to withstand the maximum likely weight of a fully loaded golf bag which may be in the region of 15-25 kg. In order to share the weight equally between the legs of the stand assembly, the legs are always laterally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the tubular golf bag. This symmetry is desirable because otherwise the weight of a person leaning against the golf bag may produce undesirable torsion at the joints connecting the stand assembly and the golf bag. Such undesirable torsion may cause the legs to twist about the joint and result in undesirably distortion of the joint which further aggravates the non-symmetry about the axis of the bag. The non-symmetry when coupled with further and undesirable torsion at the joints may result in breakage of the joints and cause severe personal injuries. The leg symmetry is usually obtained and maintained by riveting a stand assembly to both the top and bottom parts of the golf bag with careful alignment procedures in order to ensure lateral symmetry.  
           [0005]    As non-symmetry of the legs may lead to personal injuries, an accurate and careful manufacturing and testing process is essential and this would inevitably increase the production costs and the lead-time for delivery. Furthermore, as a golf bag is constantly subject to weathering due to the outdoor nature of the game, the rivets may deteriorate and weaken after prolonged weathering. The joints with weakened rivets are more prone to breakage and may lead to personal injuries if a golfer habitually and improperly leans his or her weight against the supported golf bag. Hence, it would be desirable if a golf bag with strong top brackets for securing the stand assembly can be provided. Preferably, such a golf bag should be easily assembled without the need of tedious and precise alignment procedures.  
           [0006]    A conventional golf bag includes a moulded top collar member, a moulded bottom member, a supporting structure extending between the top and bottom moulded members and an enclosure. The supporting structure usually comprises a plurality of rigid and strong stays which are usually thin metal posts. Golf clubs are usually placed within the golf bag with the handles resting on the bottom member, the shafts resting against the edges hard-plastic moulded top member and the heads exposing above the bag. It is well-known that the hard plastic edges on the top collar is unfriendly to graphite shafts. Many good golf clubs come with a graphite shaft. When a golfer carries a golf bag from one position to another, the golf clubs jolt and bounce within the golf bag with their shafts agitating against the inner edges of the hard plastic top moulded member which can be very damaging to the expensive golf clubs. To alleviate such likely shaft damages, a cushioning member which is friendly to graphite shafts is usually wrapped around the top collar member to protect the shafts.  
           [0007]    However, as a stand assembly is usually pivotally attached to the top mould member of the golf bag which is usually the only suitable part of the golf bag which is solid enough to receive the stand assembly, a part of the cushioning material proximate to the pivoted joints has to be removed or left as a flap to allow pivotal movement of the stand assembly to and from the golf bag. The exposure of the bare top member with the metallic rivets or the overhanging flap member is somewhat unsightly and non-compatible with an otherwise well designed and expensive golf bag and is therefore undesirable. Hence, it would be desirable if a golf bag with a built-in stand assembly and a cushioned top member can be provided without either a flap member or the removal of a portion of the cushioning member proximate to the stand assembly junction.  
         OBJECT OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a golf bag with a built-in stand assembly in which the stand assembly can be easily and robustly attached to the golf bag without a tedious alignment process and with a joint that is not immediately exposed to a user in his normal position. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cushioned top moulded member of a golf bag in which there is no need to remove a portion of the cushion member expose the joint or to allow for a flap member proximate to the joint between the stand assembly and the golf bag to allow for pivotal expansion of the stand assembly. It is a further object of the present invention to at least provide a useful choice of a golf bag and a top member of a golf bag to the general public.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a moulded top member of a golf bag which bag includes the top moulded member, a moulded bottom member, a supporting structure connecting said top member and said bottom moulded member, an enclosure extending between the top and bottom members and enclosing said supporting structure and a stand assembly, wherein said moulded top member includes a neck portion, a collar portion and a shoulder portion connecting said neck and collar portions, said neck portion includes a longitudinally extending circumferential wall which defines the inner aperture of said top member and a longitudinal part of which is surrounded by said enclosure, said collar portion includes a circumferential wall surrounding said neck portion, wherein a top bracket for securing said stand assembly to said golf bag is formed between said collar portion and said neck portion, and a cushioning member having a first and a second end is secured on said top member, said first end is secured on said collar portion, said second end is secured on said neck portion and the portion of the cushioning member between said first and second ends covers said shoulder portion.  
           [0010]    Preferably, a moulded member means for releasably securing said cushioning member is formed on the underside of said moulded member.  
           [0011]    Preferably, one end of said cushioning member includes a semi-rigid portion.  
           [0012]    Preferably, the means for securing said cushioning member includes a channel formed between said neck and collar portion.  
           [0013]    Preferably, a bracket for receiving said stand assembly is integrally moulded on said top member between the circumferential walls of said neck and collar portions.  
           [0014]    Preferably, the second end of said cushioning member is secured onto the outside of the circumferential wall of said neck portion which is not surrounded by said collar portion.  
           [0015]    According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a moulded top member of a golf bag which includes the top moulded member, a closed moulded bottom member, a supporting structure connecting said top and bottom moulded members, an enclosure extending between the top and bottom members and enclosing said supporting structure and a stand assembly, wherein said moulded top member includes a neck portion and a collar portion, said neck portion includes a longitudinally extending circumferential wall which defines the inner aperture of said top member and a longitudinal part of which is surrounded by said enclosure, said collar portion includes a circumferential wall surrounding said neck portion, wherein means for attaching said stand assembly to said golf bag is formed between said collar portion and said neck portion, and means for releasably securing one end of a cushion member for alleviating agitation of golf clubs against said moulded top member during use of the golf bag is provided on the underside of said top moulded member. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained in greater details by way of examples and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a side view of a golf bag of the present invention in which the stand assembly is fully retracted to one side of the golf bag;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the top moulded member of the golf bag of FIG. 1;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a top view of the top moulded member of the golf bag of FIG. 2;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is the bottom view of the top moulded member of FIG. 2;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a side view of the legs of the stand assembly of the golf bag of FIG. 2;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is the top view of the bottom moulded member of the golf bag of FIG. 2;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 is the bottom view of the member of FIG. 6;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom moulded member of FIG. 6;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 is a side view of the golf bag of FIG. 1 with the stand assembly fully extended and resting on ground (symmetry not accurately shown);  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 10 shows a pattern of the cushioning material for wrapping the top moulded member of the present invention;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 11 is a side view of the cushioning member when sewn;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the partly cushioned top moulded member after the cushioning material of FIG. 11 has been inserted to the underside of the top moulded member of the golf bag;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 13 shows the cushioning member after it has been inserted into the top moulded member and folded once;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 14 shows the cushioning member of FIG. 13 after it has been folded twice; and  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 15 shows the cushioning member after it has been folded three times and sewn onto the bottom of the neck portion of the top moulded portion. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0032]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 9  in which there is shown a preferred embodiment of a golf bag of the present invention, the golf bag  10  generally includes a tubular body  20 , a top moulded member  30 , a bottom moulded member  40 , a stand assembly  50  and a supporting structure connecting the top and bottom moulded member. The top moulded member is a substantially tubular member moulded preferably of hard plastic which includes a neck and a collar portion.  
         [0033]    The neck portion includes a longitudinally extending circumferential wall  71  which defines the inner aperture  72  of the top moulded member and also the top opening of the golf bag through which golf clubs are inserted or removed. The collar portion includes another substantially longitudinally extending circumferential wall  73  which surrounds a longitudinal part of the neck portion. The neck and collar portions are joined together by a rounded shoulder portion  32 . Brackets for securing the stand assembly onto the golf bag are formed on the top moulded member because the part of a golf bag between the top and bottom moulded members usually only comprises a thin supporting structure enclosed by a flexible enclosure which is not strong enough to support the stand assembly.  
         [0034]    In the present embodiment, the top brackets  33  are formed underneath the rounded shoulder portion  32  and in the space between the circumferential walls of the neck and collar portions which are provided specifically for the brackets so that the actual joints are substantially concealed for aesthetic considerations as well as for shielding from direct weathering. The brackets  33  are preferably integrally moulded with the top moulded member to provide for extra strength and robustness to withstand the weight of a leaning golfer.  
         [0035]    In the present preferred embodiment, each of the brackets includes a pair of parallel socket walls which are integrally moulded to the circumferential walls of the collar and neck portion and the underside of the shoulder portion which joins the two circumferential walls. Unlike a bracket used in a conventional golf bag in which the bracket is only attached to outside surface of the top member, each of the top brackets in the present embodiment is integrally moulded to the two strong circumferential walls of the top moulded member, giving the bracket an overall strength which is similar to that of the top moulded member itself. Furthermore, to separate different types of golf clubs stored within the golf bag, a partitioning structure which divides the top opening into a plurality of areas are also preferably integrally moulded on the top moulded member.  
         [0036]    The bottom moulded member includes a base portion and an integrally moulded circumferential wall extending longitudinally from the periphery of the base portion. The base portion is preferably made of a strong and hard plastic material as all the weight of the golf clubs carried in the golf bag are born by the base portion. To allow for a simple and easy attachment of the retraction mechanism of the stand assembly to the golf bag, a bottom bracket is preferably integrally moulded onto the outside of the circumferential wall. The bottom bracket in this preferred embodiment is disposed so that when the top and bottom moulded members are properly assembled, the top and bottom brackets are aligned so that when the stand assembly is secured to the brackets, the stand assembly is laterally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the golf bag.  
         [0037]    The stand assembly  50  includes a pair of legs  51 ,  52  and a retraction mechanism. The pair of legs  51 ,  52  are preferably laterally symmetrical to each other and are secured within the bracket channels  33  which are defined by the respective bracket walls by fastening means. In the present embodiment, the bracket channels  33  are disposed at an angle to each other such that the channels move away from each other as they extend away from the circumferential wall of the neck portion. As the pivotal movements of the legs are guided and confined by the orientation of the bracket channels, the free ends of the legs spread to form a stable base as the free ends of the legs move pivotably away from the golf bag  10 .  
         [0038]    The retraction mechanism includes a bifurcated arm  61  which is attached to the top part of the legs. Another end of the bifurcated arm is connected to a linkage lever which is in turn connected to a spring biased plank member  65 . The plank member  65  is secured to the lower bracket  43  of the bottom moulded member  40  by a fastening means  45  which allows pivotal movement of the plank member  65  about the axis of the fastening means. The operation of the retractable legs is as follows. When the pair of legs  51 ,  52  move away from the golf bag  10 , the bifurcated arms  61  are pulled upwards, thereby drawing the non-fastened end of the planked member  65  upward about the axis of the fastening means. This increases the spring bias at the plank member  65  which automatically retracts the bifurcated arms  61  when the force restraining the legs has been removed.  
         [0039]    The supporting structure includes a plurality of stay members  21  which extend between the top and bottom moulded members. Each stay member  21  is typically a rigid and robust post supporting the top moulded member from the bottom moulded member. A plurality of longitudinal extending stay channels  49  adapted to receive the stay members in a substantially upright direction are distributed on the base portion of the bottom moulded member to distribute the weight transmitted from the top moulded member through the stay members. A plurality of longitudinally extending stay channels  49  are formed on the underside of the top moulded member corresponding to the positions of the stay chambers on the bottom moulded member. In addition to providing accommodation to the stay members, the stay channels  49  on both the top and bottom moulded members also serve as preformed positioning means for the relative alignment of the top and bottom brackets which are required to achieve and maintain a substantially lateral symmetry of the stand assembly. As the stay channels  49  are preferably integrally moulded on the top and bottom moulded members, the high accuracy of present day moulding technology would have no difficulty in ensuring accurate and expedient relative alignments of the top and bottom brackets to ensure lateral symmetry of the stand assembly to enhance safety and durability without undue and tedious alignment procedures.  
         [0040]    To complete the golf bag body, and as the golf body is not required to sustain any significant weight, an enclosure made preferably of a flexible material, such as leather, cloth or canvas can be used to wrap around the supporting structure. The top part of the enclosure is preferably attached to the neck portion  71  of the top moulded member and immediately abutting the lower side of the circumferential wall of the collar portion  73  for aesthetic considerations. Similarly, the lower part of the enclosure is preferably attached to the circumferential wall of the bottom moulded member.  
         [0041]    In the ordinary use of a golf bag, golf clubs are placed inside a golf bag with handles resting on the bottom portion, heads protruding from the top moulded member and shafts resting against the inner edge of the partition structure of the top moulded member. The shafts of many expensive golf clubs are made of graphite and it is well-known that graphite shafts are vulnerable to damage by agitation with hard plastic. To alleviate the potential damages which may result from such agitations, the top moulded member, which is usually made of a hard plastic material, is usually wrapped with a cushioning material such as foam, leather, velvet, cloth or a combination of suitable cushioning materials. In order that the cushioning member does not hinder or obstruct the pivotal movement of the stand assembly about the top bracket, part of the cushioning member proximate to the top bracket is either totally removed or left as a flap member. However, this is somewhat unsightly and affect the overall aesthetic appearance of the golf bag and may affect the popularity or market acceptance of a golf bag even if it offers superior technical benefits. This undesirable feature of a convention golf bag is somewhat alleviated in the preferred embodiment to be described below.  
         [0042]    Referring more particularly to FIGS.  1 - 4  and the description above, the top moulded member includes an inner neck portion and an outer collar portion. When the golf bag has been completely enclosed by the body enclosure, the lower outer portion of the circumferential wall of the neck portion will be enclosed by the golf bag enclosure. Only the outside circumferential wall of the collar portion remains exposed on the outside of the golf bag. To provide cushioning for the top moulded member, a pattern of cushioning material following an appropriate shape and configuration as shown for example in FIG. 10 is first prepared. The cushioning member  90  is preferably made of a flexible material which is graphite friendly such as leather, cloth or velvet and preferably with a layer of foam or other soft materials. The upper edge of the cushioning member is preferably reinforced by a semi-rigid beam  91  to make that portion of the cushioning member semi-rigid for the reasons below. When the ends of the cushioning member is sewn together, the top reinforced edge of the cushioning member will generally follow the shape of the receiving channel formed on the underside of the top moulded member  30 . The lower portion of the cushioning member is preferably provided with a plurality of slit openings  92  so that the flexible portion of the cushioning member  90  can be wrapped around the shoulder portion  32  and the partitioning structure.  
         [0043]    Referring now to FIG. 4, a circumferential channel  35  is formed along the inside of the lower end of the circumferential wall of the collar portion. The width of the channel is preferably about the same as that of the semi-rigid beam  91  of the cushioning member for good retention of the beam. The semi-rigid beam on the cushioning member is first inserted into the channel  35  as shown in FIG. 12. Once the upper reinforced portion  91  of the cushioning member is received within the receiving channel  35 , the remaining part of the cushioning member is bent upwards about the lower edge of the collar wall.  
         [0044]    After the semi-rigid beam  91  has been received within the slot and the remaining portion of the cushioning member has been bent for about 180°, it will be substantially locked by the channel. The cushioning member is then bent again to pass over the shoulder portion and then to bring the cushioning member inside the neck aperture. Finally, the lower portion of the cushioning member is bent once again and the lower-most portion will be secured onto of the outside of the circumferential wall of the neck portion which is below the collar portion. As the brackets for receiving the stand assembly is formed within the space enclosed by the inner neck portion, the outer collar portion and the shoulder portion, the brackets are substantially concealed from the sight of an ordinary golfer in his or her ordinary standing position as the joints between this stand assembly and the top moulded member are substantially concealed by the collar and shoulder portion proximate to the bracket.  
         [0045]    In addition to being more aesthetically pleasing, since the stand assembly joints are hidden under the top moulded member, the fastening means are also shielded from direct weathering for enhanced safety and durability. Furthermore, as the top portion of the cushioning member is reinforced by a semi-rigid beam, the top part of the cushioning member will be securely retained within the receiving channel after the remaining portion of the cushioning member has been bent. With this arrangement, the cushioning member can be secured to the top moulded member with a single sewing as compared to multiple sewings required in the conventional way of attaching a cushioning member to the top member of a golf bag.  
         [0046]    While the present invention has been explained by reference to an embodiment of a golf bag in which the top and bottom moulded members are provided with brackets which are integrally moulded, it should be appreciated by person skilled in the art that the bottom bracket does not usually subject to excessive force and may be replaced by a bracket which is not integrally moulded to the bottom moulded member without loss of generality. In addition, while the preferred embodiment is shown with a circumferential receiving channel for releasably securing the reinforced end of the cushioning member it should be appreciated that both ends of the cushioning members can be sewn onto the top moulded member without loss of generality and without affecting the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, while the present invention has been explained by reference to the preferred embodiments, it should be appreciated that the various features described above may be combined, isolated or rearranged with appropriate modifications or variations without affecting the scope of the invention.