Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The presently disclosed subject matter is directed towards golf equipment holders. More particularly, the present invention is directed to golf equipment holders for attachment to golf carts. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Golf is a very popular game that is enjoyed by players of almost all ages. Golf is based on precision control, or attempted precision control, of a golf ball by a golf player using golf clubs to put the golf ball into a golf hole. Competing golf players make use of different clubs to hit golf balls from golf tees into golf holes along a golf course. The player with the lowest number of hits, called strokes, over the course of a hole, a game (usually 9 or 18 holes) or a match wins. 
         [0003]    While different golf courses have different designs, a feature that adds to the complexity of the game, golf is basically a rule driven game that all players are suppose to follow. An internationally standardized “Rules of Golf” controls almost every aspect of the game, from how to keep score to the number of clubs a player is allowed (13 clubs plus a putter). The controlling aspect of the rules of golf is fairness; no player is entitled to an unfair advantage over another player. The player comes as he is, plays the course as it is, and plays the ball as it lies. Based on those basic principles golfers almost always use “regulation” golf balls, tees, and clubs for fairness while attempting to obtain “fair” advantages over other players based on playing skills and experiences. 
         [0004]    As noted above golf is played by almost all ages. In fact, golf is played by many individuals with health problems and/or physical infirmities. To make golf accessible to more players many courses and organizations allow golf carts to carry golfers and their golf equipment over the golf course. 
         [0005]    Golf carts are motorized vehicles that are usually powered by propane, gas, or electricity. Operated like a car, a golf cart carries two to four players and their playing equipment. Typically a golf cart includes one or more attachments that retain a golf bag that carries the golf equipment to the cart for transportation over the golf course. 
         [0006]    While generally successful, golf carts are somewhat less then ideal carriers of golfing equipment. First, golf equipment is usually stored in golf bags, which tend to locate golf clubs more or less randomly within the bag. This makes it less than ideal when selecting which club to use on any given stroke. Sometimes a golf club might be missing, and the use of a golf bag makes it more difficult to determine which, if any, club is missing. Furthermore, using golf bags makes it somewhat difficult to obtain golf tees and other supplies while golfing. 
         [0007]    Therefore, a technique for carrying golfing equipment in a cart such that the golf equipment is readily accessible and visible would be beneficial. Even more beneficial would be a golf equipment holder that attaches to a golf cart and holds the golf equipment so that it is readily accessible and visible. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The principles of the present invention provide for golf equipment holders that attach to golf carts and that hold golf equipment so that it is readily accessible and visible to golf players. A golf equipment holder according to those principles includes an attachment for connecting to a golf cart. The golf equipment further includes a golf rack having a) an elongated top bracket with apertures disposed along its length along with a plurality of small holes, and b) an elongated bottom bracket having apertures disposed along its length. Down tubes are disposed between the top and bottom bracket apertures. The down tubes are configured to receive the shafts of golf clubs while the small holes are configured to receive inserts for holding golf tees. The down tubes beneficially include bumpers for protecting the golf clubs during transit and drain plugs for draining water. Beneficially a bumper can be removed to allow a down tube to hold an umbrella or a ball retriever. The golf equipment holder beneficially also includes a putter holder, a golf bag holder, a golf ball holder, and a golf shoe cleaner. The golf equipment holder attachment beneficially includes a pivot mount to provide better access to the golf equipment. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following detailed description and claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a golf equipment holder that is in accord with the principles of the present invention and that is attached to a golf cart; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a punched top “L” bracket used in the golf equipment holder illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a plug on the top end of a down tube used in the golf equipment holder illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a drain plug on the bottom end of a down tube used in the golf equipment holder illustrated in  FIG. 1 , 
           [0014]      FIG. 5A  is a side view of the golf equipment holder illustrated in  FIG. 1  illustrated in its fully upright position; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5B  is a side view of the golf equipment holder illustrated in  FIG. 1  illustrated in fully tilted downward; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a view of the golf equipment holder shown in  FIG. 1  having a golf bag holder attachment and holding golf clubs. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    The presently disclosed subject matter now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which a particular embodiment is shown. However, it should be understood that this invention may take many different forms and thus should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein. Note that in the figures like numbers refer to like elements throughout. 
         [0018]    The present invention is described herein with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 6 . Specifically, the present invention is a golf equipment holder  10  that attaches to a golf cart  12  and that holds golf equipment so that it is readily accessible and visible to golf players. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates a golf equipment holder  10  that is attached to a golf cart  12 . As shown the golf equipment holder  10  uses two slightly different golf racks, a back rack  14 A and a front rack  14 B. It should be understood that two golf racks  14  are not specifically required. A golf equipment holder  10  that is in accord with the present invention might have only one golf rack  14 , or it might have more than two golf racks  14 . 
         [0020]    Still referring to  FIG. 1 , each of the golf racks  14 A and  14 B are comprised of an elongated top “L” bracket  20  and an elongated bottom “L” bracket  22 . Turning now to  FIG. 2 , each of the top “L” brackets  20  includes  14  punched apertures  26  disposed along the length of the top “L” bracket  20  and a plurality of small holes  28  that are located on one side of the top “L” bracket  20 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the number of small holes  28  on each of the top “L” brackets  20  does not have to be the same. However, referring back to  FIG. 2 , for ease of fabrication, top “L” brackets  20  having the same number of small holes  28  will usually be preferable. Beneficially, the  14  apertures  26  are grouped into two sections, one section  30  having  7  apertures  26  and the other section  32  having  7  apertures  26 . The two sections  30  and  32  are noticeably separated by a space  36 . The purpose of grouping the apertures  26  as shown is explained subsequently. Beneficially the bottom “L” bracket  22  is almost the same as the top “L” bracket  20  except that the bottom “L” bracket  22  does not need a putter holder  40  or the small holes  28 . For ease of assembly, punching (or drilling) of the holes and apertures, and low weight it is beneficial that the top “L” bracket  20  and the bottom “L” bracket  22  are made of aluminum or from an aluminum alloy. 
         [0021]    Turning back to  FIG. 1 , between the top “L” bracket  20  and the bottom “L” bracket  22  are twenty-eight ( 28 ) down tubes  50 . Those down tubes  50  are used to hold and protect golf clubs (see  FIG. 6 ), umbrella&#39;s, and ball retrievers when being transported. For cost, ease of assembly and fabrication, and low weight it beneficial that the down tubes  50  are comprised of plastic, aluminum, or an aluminum alloy. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , on the top of each down tube  50  is a bumper  52  having an “X” shaped opening  54 . Referring now to  FIG. 4 , at the bottom of each down tube  50  is a plug  58  having a drain hole  60 . To aid assembly and for best performance (see below) it is beneficial that the bumpers  52  are comprised of polyurethane or rubber. The plugs  58  are beneficially comprised of a hard plastic. 
         [0023]    As previously noted the two golf racks  14 A and  14 B are slightly different. Referring now once again to  FIG. 1 , the major difference between the racks  14 A and  14 B is that the down tubes  50  of the two racks are slightly offset. That is, when looking straight onto the racks  14 A and  14 B from their front the first down tube  50  of the front rack  14 B, shown as having a position  62 , is to the left of the first down tube  50  of the back rack  14 A, shown as position  66 . Preferably, looking straight onto the two racks  14 A and  14 B the first down tube  50  of the back rack  14 A is midway between the first and second down tubes  50  of the rack  14 B, shown as positions  62  and  64 . 
         [0024]    Referring now back to  FIG. 2 , as noted above the “L” shaped brackets  20  (and  22 ) have a space  36  between sections  30  and  32 . Those spaces  36 , one on each of the tracks  14 A and  14 B, divide the golf equipment holder  10  such that there are 14 down tubes to the left of the spaces  36  and 14 down tubes to the right of the space  36 . As the “Rules of Golf” mandate that no player can use more than 13 clubs (plus one putter) the golf equipment holder  10  visually separates one golfer&#39;s equipment from another. The extra down tube  50  on each side of the space allows a golfer to carry an umbrella or a ball retriever. 
         [0025]    The small holes  28  shown in  FIG. 2  are used to hold golf tees. As golf tees would tend to bounce out of the small holes if placed directly into the small holes  28 , compression inserts  29  are inserted into the small holes  28  as shown in  FIG. 6 . Golf tees are then inserted into the compression inserts  29 . The compression inserts are beneficially comprised of either rubber or polyurethane. 
         [0026]    Referring now back to  FIG. 1 , each of the racks  14 A and  14 B includes at least one putter holder  70 . Beneficially the putter holder  70  for the back rack  14 A is on one side of the golf equipment holder  10  while the putter holder  70  for the front rack  14 B is on the other side. Another useful feature of the golf equipment holder  10  is the golf shoe brushes  72  disposed between the bottom “L” shaped brackets  22 . Those brushes enable golfers to clean the bottoms of their golf shoes. Additionally, a golf ball holder  37  can be attached to one or both top “L” brackets  20  (see  FIG. 2 ), preferably in the space  36 . 
         [0027]    Referencing  FIG. 6 , in operation a player places his or her clubs  95  into the down tubes  50 , preferably either to the left of the space  36  or to the right of that space. This is accomplished by turning the golf clubs upside down and inserting the shafts through the “X” shaped apertures  54  (labeled in  FIG. 3 , not labeled in  FIG. 6  for clarity) of the bumpers  52 . The bumpers  52 , being comprised of non-scratching material such as polyurethane or rubber, prevent scratching and marring of the golf club  95  shafts as the golf cart  12  (see  FIG. 1 ) is driven over the golf course. The “X” shaped apertures  54  unavoidably allow rain water into the down tubes  50 . However, the drain  60  in the plug  58  (see  FIG. 4 ) at the bottom of each down tube  50  drains that water out. 
         [0028]    To assist players, particularly shorter players, the golf equipment holder  10  attaches to a golf cart in such a way that the golf equipment holder  10  can be tilted forward, beneficially at an angle of about  15  degrees.  FIG. 5A  shows the golf equipment holder  10  attached to a golf cart  12  via a foot operated pivotal mount  80  on a shaft  82  that connects to the golf cart  12 .  FIG. 5A  shows the golf equipment holder  10  in a fully upright orientation, while  FIG. 5B  shows the golf equipment holder  10  tilted forward. 
         [0029]    While  FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate a tilt mechanism for attaching the golf equipment holder  10  to a golf cart  12 , other tilting mechanisms will also work. In particular, if the golf equipment holder  10  becomes excessively heavy the act of tilting the golf equipment holder  10  using the pivot mount of  FIG. 5A and 5B  may become too difficult for some users. Counter-balancing the pivot mount  80 , limiting the range of tilt, or using a different tilt mechanism are envisioned. Additionally, some golf equipment holders in accord with the principles of the present invention may not include a tilt mechanism. In such cases the attachment of a golf equipment holder to a golf cart may be performed very differently. 
         [0030]    The golf equipment holder  10  can beneficially be modified to include additional accessories. For example,  FIG. 6  illustrates a golf bag holder  97  attached to the back of the golf equipment holder  10  on a top “L” bracket using a mounting bracket  99 . 
         [0031]    Again, it should be understood that the golf equipment holder  10  is simply an embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that while the figures and the above description illustrate the present invention, they are exemplary only. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. Others who are skilled in the applicable arts will recognize numerous modifications and adaptations of the illustrated embodiments that remain within the principles of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is to be limited only by the appended claims.

Technology Category: 1