Golf bag and frame

Abstract

To provide a golf bag including legs allowing a user to displace them to an unfolded position for supporting a golf bag body and to easily displace the legs to the unfolded position, and frame for the golf bag.SOLUTION: A golf bag 1 includes a golf bag body 3 into which golf clubs are inserted, a frame body 15 for supporting the golf bag body such that an opening 7 is located on an upper side, a pair of legs 17, 17A and 17B pivotally supported by one side of the frame body so as to displace between a standby position and an unfolded position capable of supporting the frame body, an operation member 19 provided on an upper part in the other side of the frame body so as to displace in a prescribed direction, and a transmission member 49 extending in at least a part along a side edge of the opening by the displacement of the operation member so as to displace the legs from the standby position to the unfolded position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to golf bags and frames for golf bags. [Background technology]

[0002] A golf bag for storing golf clubs, which includes a retractable support member, is known (for example, Patent Document 1). The golf bag of Patent Document 1 includes a main body in which the golf clubs are stored and a frame that receives the main body.

[0003] The frame is provided with a pressing member rotatably provided at the bottom, and a support member (stand) rotatably connected to the frame.

[0004] When the golf bag is tilted, the pressing member provided at the bottom is pressed by the ground. This presses the support member via the elastic member, causing the support member to rotate and protrude from the frame into an open state. When the user holds the support member open and brings its tip into contact with the ground, the support member supports the golf bag in an inclined state relative to the ground. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3897693 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the ground on which the golf bag is placed is not necessarily flat. Therefore, in the golf bag of Patent Document 1, depending on the condition of the ground, even if the golf bag is tilted, the pressing members may not be pressed sufficiently, and the support members (legs) may not be opened.

[0007] In view of the above background, an object of the present invention is to provide a golf bag and a frame for a golf bag that have legs that can be displaced to an unfolded position to support the golf bag body, and that allow the legs to be easily displaced to the unfolded position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a golf bag (1) comprising a golf bag body (3) into which golf clubs are inserted, a frame body (15) that supports the golf bag body with an opening (7) located at the upper side, a pair of legs (17, 17A, 17B) pivoted on one side of the frame body so as to be displaceable between a standby position and an expanded position capable of supporting the frame body, an operating member (19) provided on an upper portion of the other side of the frame body so as to be displaceable in a predetermined direction, and a transmission member (49) extending at least in part along a side edge of the opening so as to displace the legs from the standby position to the expanded position by displacement of the operating member.

[0009] According to this aspect, since the operating member for displacing the legs to the extended position is provided on the upper part of the frame body, it is possible to provide a golf bag in which the legs can be easily displaced to the extended position. Furthermore, since the transmission member extends along the side edge of the opening, it is possible to prevent the opening from being narrowed by the transmission member.

[0010] In the above aspect, preferably, the frame body includes an upper frame (25) extending along the side edge of the opening of the golf bag body, and the transmission member is in the form of a wire extending along the upper frame.

[0011] According to this aspect, since the transmission member runs along the upper frame extending along the opening, it is possible to prevent the opening from being narrowed by the transmission member.

[0012] In the above aspect, preferably, the upper frame is formed of a hollow pipe material, and the transmission member is inserted into the interior of the upper frame.

[0013] According to this aspect, the opening of the golf bag body can be prevented from being narrowed by the transmission member.

[0014] In the above aspect, preferably, the upper frame has a pair of left and right frames (25A, 25B) arranged on the left and right, and the operating member is supported between the left and right frames by the two left and right frames so that it can be displaced between a front position where the legs are in the standby position and a rear position where the legs are in the deployed position.

[0015] According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a golf bag in which the operating member is easy to operate and which has a highly aesthetic design.

[0016] In the above aspect, preferably, the transmission member is connected to the legs at both ends and hooked to the operating member.

[0017] According to this embodiment, the two legs can be displaced to the deployed position by displacing one operating member.

[0018] In the above aspect, preferably, a support pillar (31) extending downward is provided at the other end of the upper frame, and the operating member and the support pillar are connected by a grip member (201).

[0019] According to this aspect, the legs can be easily operated by gripping the grip member.

[0020] In the above aspect, the operating member is preferably provided with a grip portion extending downward at the other end portion.

[0021] According to this embodiment, the legs can be easily operated by gripping the grip portion (19D).

[0022] In the above aspect, preferably, the frame body further includes a biasing member (53) for biasing the leg toward the standby position.

[0023] According to this aspect, even if the golf bag is slightly tilted, the legs are maintained in the standby position by the biasing force of the biasing member, so that, for example, it is possible to prevent the legs from being unintentionally displaced to the standby position when the golf bag is being transported.

[0024] In one aspect of the present invention to solve the above problems, a frame (5) for a golf bag (1) includes a frame main body (15) that supports a golf bag body (3) into which golf clubs are inserted with an opening (7) located at the upper side, a pair of legs (17, 17A, 17B) pivoted on one side of the frame main body so as to be displaceable between a standby position and an expanded position capable of supporting the frame main body, an operating member (19) provided on an upper portion of the other side of the frame main body so as to be displaceable in a predetermined direction, and a transmission member extending at least in part along a side edge of the opening so as to displace the legs from the standby position to the expanded position by displacement of the operating member.

[0025] According to this aspect, since the operating member for displacing the legs to the extended position is provided on the upper part of the frame body, it is possible to provide a frame for a golf bag that allows the legs to be easily displaced to the extended position. Furthermore, since the transmission member extends along the side edge of the opening, it is possible to prevent the opening from being narrowed by the transmission member. Effect of the Invention

[0026] According to the above aspects, it is possible to provide a golf bag and a frame for a golf bag that are provided with legs that can be displaced to an unfolded position to support the golf bag body, and that allow the legs to be easily displaced to the unfolded position. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf bag according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] A perspective view of the frame when the legs are in the standby position. [Diagram 3] A perspective view of the top of the frame seen from the front [Figure 4]A perspective view of the upper part of the frame seen from the rear [Diagram 5] A perspective view of the frame with the legs in the extended position [Figure 6] Exploded perspective view of the frame [Figure 7] FIG. 4A is an exploded perspective view of a joint between the urging member 53 and the connecting portion 43, and FIG. 4B is a side view of the joint. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the upper part of the frame of the golf bag according to the second embodiment, seen from the rear; [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the upper part of the frame of the golf bag according to the third embodiment, seen from the front; [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of an operating member according to a third embodiment; [Figure 11] Modification of the frame of the golf bag according to the third embodiment [Figure 12] Modification of the frame of the golf bag according to the third embodiment [Figure 13] Modification of the frame of the golf bag according to the third embodiment DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a golf bag and a frame for a golf bag according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0029] The golf bag 1 is primarily used by a user to carry golf clubs. In the following, an example will be described in which the golf bag 1 constitutes a so-called caddie bag.

[0030] <<First embodiment>> As shown in FIG. 1, the golf bag 1 has a golf bag body 3 and a frame 5.

[0031] The golf bag body 3 is bag-shaped with an opening 7. The golf bag body 3 may be made of a flexible cloth material. The golf bag body 3 is fixed to the frame 5 at appropriate positions to form a cylindrical shape with a bottom. The golf clubs are inserted into the golf bag body 3 through the opening 7 by the user and stored in the golf bag body 3. The outer circumferential surface of the golf bag body 3 may be provided with a shoulder belt (not shown) and a storage section for storing balls, tee markers, etc.

[0032] For the sake of convenience, the following description will be given by defining the up and down directions based on the state in which the opening 7 of the golf bag body 3 is located at the top, as shown in Figure 1. However, these directions are defined for the sake of convenience, and the present invention is not limited to these directions.

[0033] The opening 7 of the golf bag body 3 may be provided with an annular mouth frame 9. The mouth frame 9 may be covered with a cloth member. In addition, the golf bag body 3 may be provided with a plate-shaped partition wall 11 that divides the interior thereof. The partition wall 11 may be in any form as long as it divides the interior of the golf bag body 3.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 2, the frame 5 includes a frame body 15, and legs 17 and an operating member 19 provided on the frame body 15.

[0035] 1 and 2, the side where the legs 17 of the frame 5 are provided is defined as the front, and the front, back, left and right directions are defined based on this in the following description. However, these directions are defined for the convenience of explanation, and the present invention is not limited to these directions.

[0036] The frame body 15 forms the framework of the golf bag 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the golf bag body 3 is fixed at a suitable position to the frame body 15, and the frame body 15 supports the golf bag body 3 so that the opening 7 is located on the upper side.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 2, the frame body 15 includes a main portion 21 made of a pipe material and a sub-portion 23 connected to the main portion 21.

[0038] The main portion 21 includes an upper frame 25 constituting the upper portion, a lower frame 27 constituting the lower portion, a connecting portion 29 provided on the lower frame 27, and a plurality of supports 31 connecting the upper frame 25 and the lower frame 27. The upper frame 25 extends along the side edge of the opening 7 at the upper portion of the golf bag body 3, i.e., on the radially outer side of the mouth frame 9, and has a generally U-shape that opens in a predetermined direction. The lower frame 27 extends along the lower edge of the golf bag body 3 at the outer side of the lower portion of the golf bag body 3, and has a generally U-shape that opens in the same direction as the upper frame 25.

[0039] The upper frame 25 has a left frame 25A, a right frame 25B, and a rear frame 25C. The left frame 25A and the right frame 25B each extend substantially in the front-rear direction and are arranged at a distance from each other on the left and right. The rear frame 25C connects the rear end of the left frame 25A to the rear end of the right frame 25B.

[0040] The lower frame 27 also has a left frame 27A, a right frame 27B, and a rear frame 27C. The left frame 27A and the right frame 27B each extend substantially in the front-rear direction and are arranged at a distance from each other on the left and right sides. The rear frame 27C connects the rear end of the left frame 27A to the rear end of the right frame 27B. In this embodiment, the distance between the left frame 27A and the right frame 27B of the lower frame 27 is greater than the distance between the left frame 25A and the right frame 27B of the upper frame 25, and the width of the lower frame 27 in the left-right direction is greater than the width of the upper frame 25 in the left-right direction.

[0041] The connecting portion 29 extends left and right, and is connected at its left end to the left frame 27A of the lower frame 27 and at its right end to the right frame 27B of the lower frame 27. In this embodiment, the main portion 21 includes two connecting portions 29, a front connecting portion 29A and a rear connecting portion 29B, which are arranged side by side in the front and rear directions. The front connecting portion 29A and the rear connecting portion 29B connect the left frame 27A of the lower frame 27 and the right frame 27B of the lower frame 27, respectively.

[0042] The main section 21 has four pillars 31, namely a first pillar 31A, a second pillar 31B, a third pillar 31C, and a fourth pillar 31D. However, the present invention is not limited to the number of pillars 31 in the main section 21. The first pillar 31A and the second pillar 31B are arranged side by side on the left and right, and the third pillar 31C and the fourth pillar 31D are arranged side by side on the left and right in front of the first pillar 31A and the second pillar 31B, respectively.

[0043] The first support pillar 31A and the second support pillar 31B each extend downward, bend at the approximate center, extend diagonally forward and downward, and then bend again and extend downward. In other words, the first support pillar 31A and the second support pillar 31B each extend upward from the lower end, extend rearward and upward at the approximate center, and then bend again and extend upward. As a result, the first support pillar 31A and the second support pillar 31B each have a bulging portion 31E that bulges rearward at the upper portion. The first support pillar 31A and the second support pillar 31B are each connected to the upper frame 25 at their upper ends, and are each connected to the left and right ends of the rear connection portion 29B at their lower ends.

[0044] The third support pillar 31C and the fourth support pillar 31D each extend substantially linearly in the vertical direction. The third support pillar 31C and the fourth support pillar 31D each connect the left and right front ends of the upper frame 25 and the left and right front ends of the lower frame 27. However, the shape of these support pillars 31 may be set according to the shape and size of the golf bag body 3.

[0045] An accommodation space 32 for accommodating the golf bag body 3 is defined by the upper frame 25, the lower frame 27, the first support pillar 31A, the second support pillar 31B, the third support pillar 31C and the fourth support pillar 31D.

[0046] In this embodiment, the upper frame 25, the lower frame 27, the third support 31C, and the fourth support 31D are configured by connecting hollow pipe materials that have been bent to form a continuous form. The front connecting portion 29A and the rear connecting portion 29B are each configured by one pipe material, and are connected to the lower frame 27 at the left and right ends. The third support 31C and the fourth support 31D are also each configured by one pipe material, and are connected to the upper frame 25 at the upper end and to the rear connecting portion 29B at the lower end. The pipe materials that constitute the upper frame 25, the lower frame 27, the third support 31C, and the fourth support 31D may be connected by any method, such as fastening with screws or welding. The pipe materials that constitute the front connecting portion 29A, the rear connecting portion 29B, the third support 31C, and the fourth support 31D may also be connected to the upper frame 25 and the lower frame 27 by any method, such as fastening with screws or welding.

[0047] In this embodiment, the main portion 21 is constructed by fitting and connecting aluminum or resin parts to an aluminum pipe material, thereby making it possible to reduce the weight of the golf bag 1 while maintaining its strength.

[0048] The sub-section 23 is provided on the main section 21 for the purpose of reinforcing the main section 21 and configuring a functional section in the frame body 15. In this embodiment, the frame body 15 includes, as the sub-section 23, a first sub-section 33 and a second sub-section 35 provided in the front portion of the frame body 15, and a third sub-section 37 provided in the rear portion of the frame body 15.

[0049] The first sub-part 33 is provided on the front upper part of the main part 21. The first sub-part 33 extends left and right to connect the upper part of the third support 31C and the upper part of the fourth support 31D. In this embodiment, the first sub-part 33 includes a central part 33A having a main surface facing forward, a left end part 33B provided at the left end of the central part 33A and connected to the third support 31C, and a right end part 33C provided at the right end of the central part 33A and connected to the fourth support 31D. The first sub-part 33 may be made of a resin member or may be made of a metal member. In this embodiment, the first sub-part 33 is made of a resin member.

[0050] The second sub-part 35 is provided in the front center part of the main part 21. The second sub-part 35 extends left and right to connect the vertical center part of the third support 31C and the vertical center part of the fourth support 31D. In this embodiment, the second sub-part 35 includes a plate-shaped central part 35A having a main surface facing forward, a left end part 35B provided at the left end of the central part 35A and connected to the third support 31C, and a right end part 35C provided at the right end of the central part 35A and connected to the fourth support 31D. The second sub-part 35 may be made of a resin member or may be made of a metal member. In this embodiment, the second sub-part 35 is made of a metal pipe material.

[0051] The third sub-part 37 is provided at the rear of the main part 21. The third sub-part 37 includes a pair of horizontal parts 37A extending in the left-right direction and arranged in a pair vertically, and a vertical part 37B extending vertically and connected at the upper and lower ends to the approximately left-right center of the horizontal parts 37A. The upper horizontal part 37A is connected to the rear frame 25C of the upper frame 25. The upper horizontal part 37A is arranged to cover the outer peripheral surface of the rear frame 25C and is connected to the rear frame 25C. The lower horizontal part 37A is connected to the first support 31A at the left end and to the second support 31B at the right end. The third sub-part 37 forms a grip part for the user to lift the golf bag 1. In this embodiment, the third sub-part 37 is made of a resin member.

[0052] A pair of legs 17 are provided on the frame 5. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the legs 17 are pivotally supported on the front side of the frame body 15. As a result, the legs 17 are rotatably supported at their upper ends on the front of the frame body 15 by the rotation shaft 41. In this embodiment, the rotation shaft 41A of the leg 17 located on the left side (hereinafter, left leg 17A) is set to extend diagonally forward to the left, and the rotation shaft 41B of the leg 17 located on the right side (hereinafter, right leg 17B) is set to extend diagonally forward to the right. The left leg 17A is rotatably supported on the left side of the front part of the frame body 15, and the right leg 17B is rotatably supported on the right side of the front part of the frame body 15. In this embodiment, the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B are configured to be symmetrical.

[0053] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B each include a connection portion 43 rotatably connected to the front left and right sides of the first sub-section 33, and a leg body 45 formed in a straight tube shape and connected to the connection portion 43 at one end (upper end). As shown in Fig. 4, the connection portion 43 and the first sub-section 33 are connected by a support 47 extending along the rotation shaft 41. One end of the support 47 is rotatably supported by the first sub-section 33, and the other end of the support 47 is preferably fixed to the connection portion 43. As a result, the connection portion 43 and the first sub-section 33 are connected to each other rotatably around the rotation shaft 41.

[0054] 2, in this embodiment, the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B are each provided at the other end (lower end) of the leg body 45 and equipped with a sealing member 45A (cap) that seals the opening of the leg body 45. The leg body 45 is preferably made of a metal (e.g., aluminum) pipe material, and the sealing member 45A is preferably made of a resin member.

[0055] Each of the legs 17 can be displaced by rotation between a standby position (also called a closed position) shown in Fig. 2 and an unfolded position (also called an open position or a spread position) shown in Fig. 5. When in the standby position, each of the legs 17 hangs down with its lower end positioned close to the golf bag body 3. On the other hand, when in the unfolded position, each of the legs 17 has its lower end positioned further forward than in the standby position and away from the golf bag body 3. When the legs 17 are in the unfolded position, if the golf bag 1 is tilted so that the lower end of each of the legs 17 abuts against the ground, both the frame 5 and the golf bag body 3 are supported by the legs 17.

[0056] The lower end of the left leg 17A is located further left and forward when in the deployed position than when in the standby position, and the lower end of the right leg 17B is located further right and forward when in the deployed position than when in the standby position. As a result, when the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B are both in the deployed position, the distance between the lower end of the left leg 17A and the lower end of the right leg 17B is longer than when the right leg 17B and the left leg 17A are both in the standby position.

[0057] The operating member 19 (also called a lever or handle) receives an operational input from a user for displacing the legs 17 from the standby position to the deployed position. The operating member 19 is supported on the upper rear side of the frame body 15 so as to be displaceable in the front-rear direction (see also Figs. 2 and 5).

[0058] 3, the operating member 19 is located between the left frame 25A and the right frame 25B of the upper frame 25. The operating member 19 is supported at both left and right ends by the left frame 25A and the right frame 25B so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the operating member 19 includes a central portion 19A extending in the left-right direction, a left end portion 19B that comes into sliding contact with the right side surface of the left frame 25A at the left end of the central portion 19A, and a right end portion 19C that comes into sliding contact with the left side surface of the right frame 25B at the right end of the central portion 19A.

[0059] In this way, the operating member 19 is provided to extend in the left-right direction between the left frame 25A and the right frame 25B (i.e., between the left and right frames). Therefore, the operating member 19 can be made relatively large, making it easier for the user to grip the operating member 19, improving the operability of the operating member 19. In addition, the operating member 19 does not protrude outside the frame body 15, improving the design of the golf bag 1.

[0060] As shown in Fig. 6, the left end 19B is tubular and matches the right side of the left frame 25A, and the right end 19C is tubular and matches the left side of the right frame 25B. As shown in Fig. 3, the left end 19B and the right end 19C are configured to be slidable on the left frame 25A and the right frame 25B, respectively. A grip 19D (grip portion) that a user can hook and hold with their fingers may be provided at the center of the front surface of the center portion 19A. Providing the grip 19D allows the operating member 19 to be easily pulled backward, making it easier to operate the leg 17.

[0061] 3 and 6, the frame 5 is provided with a transmission member 49 that transmits the operating force of the operating member 19 to each of the left and right legs 17. In detail, the transmission member 49 rotates each of the left and right legs 17 by rearward displacement of the operating member 19, thereby displacing them from the standby position to the deployed position.

[0062] Hereinafter, the position of the operating member 19 when the legs 17 are in the standby position will be referred to as the front position, and the position of the operating member 19 when the legs 17 are in the deployed position will be referred to as the rear position. The operating member 19 is supported between the left frame 25A and the right frame 25B so as to be displaceable between the front position and the rear position.

[0063] 6, the transmission member 49 includes a connecting member 51 that connects the operating member 19 and the left leg 17A, and the operating member 19 and the right leg 17B, respectively. The connecting member 51 may be formed of one or more wires (cord-like members, also called cables).

[0064] In this embodiment, the transmission member 49 is configured by a flexible cable (so-called Bowden cable) including a cylindrical outer casing and an internal cable housed inside the outer casing, and the internal cable corresponds to the connecting member 51.

[0065] 3, both ends of the connecting member 51 are connected to the legs 17. In this embodiment, the ends of the connecting member 51 extend downward from above the rotating shaft 41, passing in front of the rotating shaft 41, and are connected to the legs 17 (more specifically, the connection parts 43) below the rotating shaft 41. As a result, the tensile force of the connecting member 51 causes the legs 17 to rotate so as to be displaced from the standby position to the deployed position.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 4, the connecting member 51 is hooked at its central portion to the rear side surface of the operating member 19 and is connected to the operating member 19 .

[0067] 3, the connecting member 51 is disposed along the upper frame 25 (more specifically, the left frame 25A and the right frame 25B) between the end portion and the central portion. As a result, the transmitting member 49 (more specifically, a part of the transmitting member 49) is disposed along the upper frame 25 and extends along the side edge of the opening 7 of the golf bag body 3.

[0068] The left frame 25A and the right frame 25B of the upper frame 25 are provided with through holes 55 at appropriate positions for introducing the connecting member 51 into the interior. The portion of the connecting member 51 that runs along the left frame 25A of the upper frame 25 enters the interior of the left frame 25A through the through holes 55. As a result, at least a portion of the portion of the connecting member 51 that runs along the left frame 25A of the upper frame 25 is inserted into the interior of the left frame 25A of the upper frame 25. The portion of the connecting member 51 that runs along the right frame 25B of the upper frame 25 enters the interior of the right frame 25B through the through holes 55. At least a portion of the portion of the connecting member 51 that runs along the right frame 25B of the upper frame 25 is also inserted into the interior of the right frame 25B of the upper frame 25.

[0069] When the operating member 19 moves from the front position (see FIG. 2) to the rear position (see FIG. 5), the central portion of the connecting member 51 is pulled rearward. As a result, both ends of the connecting member 51 are pulled rearward, and the left and right legs 17 rotate about the rotation shafts 41, respectively, and are displaced from the standby position to the deployed position.

[0070] 2, the frame 5 is further provided with a biasing member 53. The biasing member 53 biases the legs 17 toward the standby position. The biasing member 53 may be formed of a torsion coil spring or various elastic members provided on the rotation shafts 41 of the left and right legs 17, respectively.

[0071] The biasing member 53 may be configured to bias the lower ends (outer ends) of the left and right legs 17 in a direction approaching each other. When in the deployed position, the distance between the lower end of the right leg 17B and the lower end of the left leg 17A is longer than when in the standby position, so that by biasing the lower ends (outer ends) of the left and right legs 17 in a direction approaching each other, the right leg 17B and the left leg 17A are each biased by the biasing member 53 toward the standby position.

[0072] In this embodiment, the biasing member 53 is formed of a bent solid metal rod-shaped member. The rod-shaped member functions as an elastic member that biases the lower ends (outer ends) of the left and right legs 17 in directions toward each other.

[0073] Specifically, the biasing member 53 includes a left half 53A connected at its left end to the left leg 17A and extending downward to the right, a right half 53B connected at its right end to the right leg 17B and extending downward to the left, and a central portion 53C extending left and right and connecting the lower end of the left half 53A and the lower end of the right half 53B. The biasing member 53 (specifically, the upper end of the left half 53A) is connected at its left end below (the lower end side) the rotation shaft 41 of the left leg 17A, and the biasing member 53 (specifically, the upper end of the right half 53B) is connected at its right end below (the lower end side) the rotation shaft 41 of the right leg 17B.

[0074] When the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B are displaced from the standby position to the deployed position, the upper end of the left half portion 53A and the upper end of the right half portion 53B are pulled in a direction away from each other. Therefore, the biasing member 53 exerts a biasing force to bring the upper end of the left half portion 53A and the upper end of the right half portion 53B closer to each other. As a result, the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B are biased to be in the standby position.

[0075] In this embodiment, both ends of the urging member 53 are inserted into through holes provided in the connection portion 43, thereby connecting the urging member 53 to the connection portion 43. The connecting member 51 is connected to the end of the urging member 53, thereby connecting the connecting member 51 to the connection portion 43.

[0076] FIG. 7(A) shows an exploded perspective view of a coupling portion 101 of a biasing member 53 and a connecting portion 43 according to another embodiment, and FIG. 7(B) shows a side view of the coupling portion 101 (see the area within the two-dot chain line).

[0077] 7(A) and 7(B), a cylindrical collar 103 is provided at a coupling portion 101. An end of the urging member 73 passes through an inner hole 103A of the collar 103 and a through hole 43A provided in the connecting portion 43, in that order. A sealing member 105 is provided at the insertion end of the urging member 73. This prevents the urging member 73 from falling out of the through hole 43A of the connecting portion 43.

[0078] As shown in Fig. 7(A), the collar 103 includes a cylindrical collar body 107 having a through hole 107A, and a cylindrical tubular member 109 inserted into the through hole 107A of the collar body 107. The collar body 107 may be made of a rubber member. The tubular member 109 is made of a metal member. An inner hole 109A of the tubular member 109 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the biasing member 73. The biasing member 73 is inserted into the inner hole 109A of the tubular member 109, and a sealing member 105 is provided at the insertion end, so that the collar 103 is rotatably supported on the end of the biasing member 73.

[0079] A groove 107B is formed on the outer periphery of the collar body 107. An annular hook portion 51A is coupled to the end of the connecting member 51. The hook portion 51A is received in the groove 107B of the collar body 107, whereby the connecting member 51 is hooked to the collar 103. In this way, the connecting member 51 is coupled to the end of the biasing member 53.

[0080] The second sub-portion 35 is provided with a storage portion 57 for storing the urging member 53. The storage portion 57 cooperates with the second sub-portion 35 to form a pocket 59 for storing a part of the lower portion of the urging member 53 (more specifically, the lower portion of the left half portion 53A and the lower portion of the right half portion 53B). By storing a part of the lower portion of the urging member 53 in the pocket 59, the lower portion of the urging member 53 is prevented from protruding forward.

[0081] In addition, the biasing member 53 is provided with a holding member 61 that holds the left half portion 53A and the right half portion 53B in a state where they are close to each other. The holding member 61 is configured to be slidable in the vertical direction relative to the left half portion 53A and the right half portion 53B. The holding member 61 may be configured by screwing together a front member 61A provided on the front side of the left half portion 53A and the right half portion 53B and a rear member 61B provided on the rear side of the left half portion 53A and the right half portion 53B. By changing the position of the holding member 61 in the vertical direction, the user can set the biasing force exerted by the biasing member 53 to an appropriate magnitude.

[0082] Next, the operation of the golf bag 1 and frame 5 thus constructed will be described.

[0083] When the golf bag 1 is in an upright position with the opening 7 facing upward, as shown in FIG. 1, both the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B are in the standby position.

[0084] When the user grips the operating member 19 and pulls it backward, the connecting member 51 hooked to the rear surface of the operating member 19 is pulled backward. As a result, the left and right ends of the connecting member 51 are pulled, and the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B rotate around the corresponding rotation shafts 41. When the operating member 19 is pulled to the rear position, the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B each assume the extended position.

[0085] While holding the operating member 19 and maintaining it in the rear position, the user tilts the upper part of the golf bag 1 forward, causing the lower ends of the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B to abut on the ground, respectively. As a result, as shown in Fig. 5, the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B are opened, and the frame 5 and the golf bag body 3 are supported by the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B with their respective lower ends abutting on the ground.

[0086] Next, when the user tilts the front end of the golf bag 1 backward to stand the golf bag 1 up, the biasing force of the biasing member 53 causes the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B to rotate from the deployed position and hang down to a standby position waiting to be deployed.

[0087] When the upright golf bag 1 is slightly tilted forward, the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B are maintained in a standby position close to each other by the biasing force of the biasing member 53. This makes it possible to prevent the legs 17 from being unintentionally opened when the golf bag 1 is being carried.

[0088] Next, the effects of the golf bag 1 and frame 5 thus constructed will be described.

[0089] In this manner, by operating the operating member 19, the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B can be displaced (moved) simultaneously from the standby position to the deployed position.

[0090] The operating member 19 is provided on the upper frame 25, and is therefore located at the upper part of the frame body 15. Therefore, the operation for opening the legs 17 is easier than when the member to be operated to open the legs 17 is provided at the lower part of the frame body 15. Also, the legs 17 are located at the front side (one side) of the frame body 15, and the operating member 19 is located at the rear side (the other side) of the upper part of the frame body 15. Therefore, compared to when the operating member 19 is located at the front side of the upper part of the frame body 15, the operating member 19 can be operated without impeding the movement of the legs 17 to the deployed position.

[0091] Since a portion of the connecting member 51 extends along the frame main body 15 (specifically, the upper frame 25), the connecting member 51 is not disposed so as to cross the opening 7 of the main body in a top view, and the opening 7 of the golf bag main body 3 can be prevented from being narrowed by the connecting member 51. This makes it easy to store golf clubs in the golf bag 1.

[0092] The upper frame 25 is made of a hollow pipe material, and the connecting members 51 are inserted into the left frame 25A and the right frame 25B of the upper frame 25. This prevents the connecting members 51 from being exposed, improving the design of the golf bag (and the frame 5), and more reliably preventing the opening 7 of the golf bag body 3 from being narrowed by the connecting members 51.

[0093] Both ends of the connecting member 51 are connected to the left and right legs 17, respectively, and the center portion is hooked onto the rear side surface of the operating member 19. Therefore, by pulling one operating member 19 backward, the user can simultaneously displace both the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B to the deployed position.

[0094] In this embodiment, the connecting member 51 is formed of a single wire, so that the number of fixing parts for fixing the wires can be reduced compared to when the transmission member 49 is formed of two wires, one wire connecting the operating member 19 and the left leg 17A and one wire connecting the operating member 19 and the right leg 17B, and the structure of the frame 5 is simplified.

[0095] <<Second embodiment>> 8, the golf bag 1 and the frame 5 for the golf bag 1 according to the second embodiment are different from those of the first embodiment in that the operating member 19 is provided in the third sub-section 37 and in the arrangement structure of the connecting member 51, but other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment. Therefore, a description of the same configuration as the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0096] The operating member 19 is supported by the third sub-section 37 so as to be vertically displaceable. The operating member 19 may include a protruding portion 63 that protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the lateral portion 37A of the third sub-section 37.

[0097] The connecting member 51 is a wire-like member similar to the first embodiment, and both ends are connected to the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B, respectively. The connecting position between the connecting member 51 and the left leg 17A and the connecting position between the connecting member 51 and the right leg 17B may be similar to the first embodiment. The connecting member 51 is configured to pass through the insides of the left frame 25A, the right frame 25B and the rear frame 25C of the upper frame 25.

[0098] The central portion of the connecting member 51 is hooked to the operating member 19. When the left and right legs 17 are in the standby position, and the user presses down the operating member 19, the central portion of the connecting member 51 is pulled downward. As a result, both the left and right ends of the connecting member 51 are pulled rearward, and the left and right legs 17 rotate and move to the deployed position.

[0099] Next, the effects of the golf bag 1 and the frame 5 for the golf bag 1 thus constructed will be described.

[0100] The operating member 19 for opening the legs 17 is disposed on the upper portion of the frame body 15. Therefore, the user can easily open the legs 17. Furthermore, since the connecting member 51 is configured to pass through the inside of the upper frame 25, the opening 7 of the golf bag body 3 can be prevented from being narrowed by the transmission member 49.

[0101] <<Third embodiment>> 9, the golf bag 1 and the frame 5 for the golf bag 1 according to the third embodiment are different in the configuration of each of the support pole 31 and the third sub-part 37, and in that a grip member 201 that connects the operating member 19 and the support pole 31 is provided instead of the grip 19D, but the other configurations are the same. Therefore, a description of the other configurations will be omitted.

[0102] The frame body 15 includes a main portion 21 made of a pipe material, and a first sub-portion 33 and a second sub-portion 35 (not shown) joined to the main portion 21. The first sub-portion 33 and the second sub-portion 35 are similar to those in the first embodiment.

[0103] Similar to the first embodiment, the main portion 21 includes an upper frame 25, a lower frame 27 (not shown), and a plurality of support columns 31. Similar to the first embodiment, the upper frame 25 extends along the side edge of the opening 7 of the golf bag body 3. The upper frame 25 is made of a hollow pipe material, and the transmission member 49 is inserted into the upper frame 25 via a through hole 55, similar to the first embodiment.

[0104] In this embodiment, the main section 21 includes a pair of left and right front support columns 31F located at the front of the frame body 15, and one rear support column 31G located at the rear of the frame body 15. The front support columns 31F perform the same functions as the third support column 31C and the fourth support column 31D of the first embodiment. The rear support column 31G is connected to the rear end of the upper frame 25, specifically, to the left and right central portions of the rear frame 25C. The rear support column 31G extends rearward from the upper frame 25, and then further extends downward and is connected to the lower frame 27.

[0105] The third sub-portion 37 is provided on the upper part of the rear support 31G. The third sub-portion 37 is tubular and covers the outer surface of the upper part of the rear support 31G.

[0106] As in the first embodiment, the upper frame 25 includes a pair of left and right frames 25A and 25B (together, left and right frames) and a rear frame 25C, and is U-shaped in top view. The left frame 25A and the right frame 25B each extend in the front-rear direction, and the rear frame 25C connects the rear end of the left frame 25A to the rear end of the right frame 25B.

[0107] The operating member 19 is supported between the left frame 25A and the right frame 25B so as to be slidable back and forth by each of the left frame 25A and the right frame 25B. As in the first embodiment, when the operating member 19 is in the front position, the two legs 17 are in the closed standby position. When the operating member 19 is in the rear position rearward of the front position, the two legs 17 are in the open deployed position.

[0108] In this embodiment, the operating member 19 has a pair of left and right joining portions 19E and a connection portion 19F that connects the left and right joining portions 19E. The joining portions 19E extend along the left frame 25A and the right frame 25B, respectively, and are slidably joined to the left frame 25A and the right frame 25B, respectively.

[0109] Fig. 10 shows an exploded perspective view of the joint 19E. As shown in Fig. 10, each joint 19E is formed by joining two half cylindrical members 19G with screws 19H. A groove 19J for accommodating the transmission member 49 is provided in the lower part of the cylindrical member 19G. By joining the two cylindrical members 19G, a through hole 19K for accommodating the transmission member 49 is formed. When the joint 19E is joined to the upper frame 25, the through hole 19K extends along the left frame 25A and the right frame 25B.

[0110] The connecting portion 19F is formed of a linear member that is U-shaped and opens forward when viewed from above. Both ends of the connecting portion 19F are connected to the joining portion 19E. The connecting portion 19F is preferably configured to be elastically deformable in response to a load applied to its rear end.

[0111] The connecting portion 19F is shaped like a pipe and has one through hole (not shown) that communicates with the through hole 19K of the left connecting portion 19E and the through hole 19K of the right connecting portion 19E. The transmitting member 49 is inserted through the through hole 19K of the left connecting portion 19E, the through hole of the connecting portion 19E, and the through hole 19K of the right connecting portion 19E. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, the transmitting member 49 is disposed inside the connecting portion 19E of the operating member 19 so as to be aligned with the left frame 25A and the right frame 25B.

[0112] The grip member 201 connects the operating member 19 and the rear support column 31G. The grip member 201 is rotatably coupled to the rear support column 31G. In this embodiment, the grip member 201 is coupled at its upper end to the rear edge of the operating member 19, and is coupled at its lower end to the rear support column 31G rotatably about an axis 203 extending in the left-right direction.

[0113] The grip member 201 may be coupled to the operating member 19 in any manner as long as it is coupled to the operating member 19 so as not to prevent the operating member 19 from being displaced between the front position and the rear position. For example, if the connection portion 19F is elastically deformable by the displacement of the operating member 19 between the front position and the rear position, the operating member 19 and the grip member 201 may be fixed to each other. Also, a through hole for inserting the connection portion 19F may be provided at the upper end of the grip member 201 so as to extend in the left-right direction, and the connection portion 19F may be inserted into the through hole. In this way, the connection portion 19F may be coupled to the operating member 19 so as to be slidable in the left-right direction.

[0114] Next, the effects of the golf bag 1 and the frame 5 for the golf bag 1 thus constructed will be described.

[0115] When the user grips the grip member 201 and the rear support 31G, the grip member 201 rotates around the lower end so that the upper end moves rearward (see the arrow in FIG. 9), and the operating member 19 moves rearward. As a result, the operating member 19 moves from the front position to the rear position, and the legs 17 move from their standby positions to their deployed positions. When the user stops gripping the grip member 201 and the rear support 31G, the legs 17 move from their deployed positions to their standby positions due to the biasing force of the biasing member, gravity, and the like, as in the first embodiment.

[0116] In this way, by gripping the grip member 201 and the rear support 31G, the operating member 19 can be moved rearward, so that the user can operate the leg 17 easily.

[0117] Although the description of the specific embodiment has been completed above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and its modified examples, and can be modified in a wide range of ways. The specific configuration, arrangement, quantity, and specific control mode of each member or part can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0118] In the above embodiment, the frame body 15 is not provided with wheels, but a pair of left and right wheels may be provided on the lower part of the frame body 15. When the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B are both in the extended position, both the left and right wheels may be configured to be unable to rotate. This makes it possible to prevent the wheels from rotating when the frame 5 and the golf bag body 3 are supported by the left leg 17A and the right leg 17B.

[0119] In the third embodiment, the rear support 31G extends rearward at its upper end and then extends downward, but this is not limited to the above. As shown in Fig. 11, the rear support 31G may extend downward directly from the upper frame 25.

[0120] In the above third embodiment, three support pillars are provided in the main part 21, but the present invention is not limited to the number of support pillars. For example, as in the first embodiment, four support pillars 31 may be provided in the main part 21 as shown in Fig. 12. In that case, a third sub-part 37 similar to the first embodiment may be provided in the support pillar 31 arranged at the rear of the frame main body 15.

[0121] In the first embodiment described above, the first support pillar 31A and the second support pillar 31B are each configured to be joined at their upper ends to the upper frame 25, but this is not limited to the embodiment. For example, as shown in a modified example of the third embodiment in Fig. 13, the first support pillar 31A and the second support pillar 31B may each be bent at their upper ends to extend along the lower edge of the upper frame 25, and joined to the lower edge of the upper frame 25 (specifically, the left frame 25A and the right frame 25B, respectively).

[0122] As shown in FIG. 13, the first support 31A and the second support 31B may each be bent at the joint with the upper frame 25, extend downward in a direction sloping backward, and then extend downward in a direction sloping forward, and be joined to the lower frame 27 (not shown).

[0123] In the above embodiment, at least a part of the transmission member 49 extends along the edge of the opening 7, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. The transmission member 49 may extend along the edge of the opening 7 over the entire length, or may be in any embodiment as long as the transmission member 49 does not cross the center of the opening 7. Specifically, for example, the transmission member 49 may be configured to extend along a position offset downward from the edge that defines the opening 7. At least a part of the transmission member 49 may extend along the outer edge of the member (such as a sheet-like member or a resin member) that constitutes the golf bag body 3. At least a part of the transmission member 49 may extend along the inner edge of the member that constitutes the golf bag body 3. In addition, at least a part of the transmission member 49 may be housed inside the member that constitutes the golf bag body 3.

[0124] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the vertical length of the golf bag body 3, or the size and shape of the opening 7. Additionally, the present invention is not limited to the number of clubs accommodated in the golf bag 1. In the above embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to the golf bag 1 constituting a caddy bag has been described, but the present invention is applicable to any bag for accommodating golf clubs. The golf bag 1 may constitute a so-called caddy bag, or may constitute, for example, a case (so-called golf club case) used by a user to select and carry one or several golf clubs. [Explanation of symbols]

[0125] 1: Golf bag 3: Golf bag body 5: Frame 7:Aperture 15: Frame body 17: Legs 17A:Left leg 17B:Right leg 19: Operation member 19D: Grip (grip part) 25: Top frame 25A: Left frame 25B: Right frame 49: Transmission parts 53: Pressing member 201: Grip material

Claims

1. a golf bag body into which golf clubs are inserted; a frame body that supports the golf bag body so that an opening is located on the upper side, The frame body is an upper frame extending along a side edge of the opening and constituting an upper portion of the frame body; a lower frame that constitutes a lower portion of the frame body; a first support pillar and a second support pillar on the front left and right sides extending in the vertical direction and connecting the upper frame and the lower frame to each other; a rear third support pillar extending in the vertical direction and connecting the upper frame and the lower frame to each other; The third support includes a bent portion at an upper portion thereof that extends rearward to form a grip portion for lifting the golf bag.

2. A golf bag as described in claim 1, further comprising a resin gripping member covering the outer surface of the folded portion.

3. A golf bag body into which golf clubs are inserted; a frame body supporting the golf bag body with an opening positioned at an upper side; a pair of legs pivotally supported on one side of the frame body so as to be displaceable between a standby position and an extended position capable of supporting the frame body; an operating member provided on an upper portion of the other side of the frame body so as to be displaceable in a predetermined direction; a transmission member that displaces the legs from the standby position to the deployed position in response to displacement of the operating member, The transmission member includes a flexible cable connecting the leg and the operating member.

Images