Head cover for golf club
The golf club head cover design with strategically placed magnets and flexible bands stabilizes the closed position, addressing reliability issues in existing designs by enhancing magnetic force directionality and ease of use, suitable for various club types.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023110067
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-07-04
- Publication Date
- 2025-01-20
AI Technical Summary
Existing golf club head covers with hinges and magnets face issues with unintentional opening due to weak magnetic forces perpendicular to the opening and closing direction, making them unreliable for maintaining the closed position, especially under external forces.
A golf club head cover design featuring a hinge mechanism with magnets positioned on opposite sides of the shaft axis, combined with flexible bands and additional magnetic structures, ensures stable closure and easy attachment/removal, using a dual closed position maintaining system to resist lateral displacement and maintain the closed state effectively.
The design allows for reliable, easy attachment and removal of the head cover, maintaining the closed position securely even under external forces, and facilitates use by individuals with small hands or low grip strength, with transparent options for identifying the club head.
Smart Images

Figure 2025008144000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a head cover for a golf club. [Background technology]
[0002] A golf club head cover is a cover that houses and protects the head of a golf club. Known golf club head covers include those that include an elastic part such as a knitted fabric and are attached to and detached from the head by the elasticity of the material (e.g., Patent Document 1), those that include a flexible part and are provided with an openable and closable attachment opening that runs vertically through the flexible part (e.g., Patent Document 2), and those whose main body is composed of two relatively hard members that can be opened and closed by a hinge (e.g., Patent Document 3).
[0003] Golf club head covers with hinges can use relatively hard materials, and therefore can provide better head protection than those described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, which use knitted or flexible materials. The golf club head cover described in Patent Document 3 includes a pair of head covers joined by a hinge having a rotation axis parallel to the shaft, and a pair of magnets facing each other in the opening and closing direction to maintain the open and closed state of the hinge in a closed state. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-183821 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2016-202745 A [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-152662 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0005] However, in order to remove the golf club head cover described in Patent Document 3 from the head, it was necessary to support the golf club on a golf bag or the like, hold the left head cover member with the left hand, hold the right head cover member with the right hand, and move the pair of head cover members in the opening direction. In addition, when the head cover is in the closed position, a relatively strong magnetic force acts in the closing direction of the head cover, but the magnetic force in the direction in which the pair of magnets are displaced from each other, i.e., in the direction perpendicular to the opening and closing direction, is relatively weak. When the pair of magnets are displaced from each other, the magnetic force acting in the closing direction is also weakened. For this reason, when an external force acts in an oblique direction to the opening direction due to collision with another golf club, the pair of magnets are displaced from each other, weakening the magnetic force for maintaining the head cover in the closed position, and there is a risk that the head cover will open unintentionally.
[0006] In view of the above background, an object of the present invention is to provide a golf club head cover that opens and closes using a hinge, can be easily attached to and removed from the head, and can be reliably maintained in the closed position when opened and closed using the hinge. [Means for solving the problem]
[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one aspect of the present invention is a head cover (1) for a golf club (2) including a shaft (4) extending in a vertical direction and a head (3) extending in a first direction from an upper end side of the shaft, the head cover (1) comprising: a lower cover (11); an upper cover (12) that cooperates with the lower cover to accommodate the head; a hinge portion (13) that hinges the upper cover to the lower cover so that the upper cover can rotate relative to the lower cover between a closed position in which the head is accommodated and an open position in which the lower edge of the upper cover is separated from the upper edge of the lower cover to allow the head to be removed; and a first closed position maintaining structure (14) and a second closed position maintaining structure (15) that, in the closed position, act on the upper cover by a magnetic force to suppress rotation of the upper cover in an opening direction relative to the lower cover, The structure includes an inner engaging device (25) attached to the lower cover, a band (26) attached to the upper cover at its base end, and an outer engaging device (27) attached to the free end side of the band and abutting the inner engaging device from the outside in the closed position, a first magnet (31, 38) is arranged on one of the inner engaging device and the outer engaging device, and a second magnet (38, 31) or a ferromagnetic body attracted to the first magnet is arranged on the other of the inner engaging device and the outer engaging device, the band is flexible, the hinge portion is provided on the opposite side to the position where the shaft should be positioned in the first direction, and portions of the first closed position maintaining structure and the second closed position maintaining structure on which magnetic force acts are arranged on opposite sides to each other with respect to a line connecting the hinge portion and the position where the shaft should be positioned when viewed from above.
[0008] According to this embodiment, the hinge portion is disposed on the opposite side of the first direction from the position where the shaft should be disposed, so that the housed head can be easily removed from the head cover by holding the lower cover with one hand and pushing up the shaft with the other hand. Also, the second closed position maintaining structure can suppress relative displacement of the lower cover and the upper cover in the inward and outward directions with respect to the side surface of the lower cover in the closed position, increasing the reliability of maintaining the closed position. Also, the flexible band attached to the upper cover hangs down to the side surface of the lower cover, so that the first magnet and the second magnet or the ferromagnetic body can be disposed so as to be aligned in the inward and outward directions with each other in the closed position, even if the side surface of the upper cover does not overlap the side surface of the lower cover.
[0009] In the above aspect, the inner engaging device (25) includes a base plate (30) and a wall portion (32) protruding outward from the base plate, the wall portion having a U-shape opening toward the upper cover in the closed position when viewed from the outside, or including a pair of protrusions extending in the opening direction in the closed position, and the outer engaging device (27) may include a protrusion (37) that protrudes into a space surrounded or sandwiched between the wall portions.
[0010] According to this aspect, the wall portion restricts the lateral displacement of the outer engaging device relative to the inner engaging device along the outer surface of the lower cover, so that the lower cover and the upper cover are less likely to displace relative to each other in this direction when engaged in the closed position. Therefore, the relative positions of the first magnet and the second magnet or ferromagnetic body of the second closed position maintaining structure are less likely to shift, the magnetic force in the closing direction is maintained, and unintentional opening of the head cover is suppressed.
[0011] In the above aspect, in the closed position, the lower edge of the upper cover (12) abuts against the upper edge of the lower cover (11), and the first closed position maintenance structure (14) may have a third magnet (21, 23) arranged on one of the lower cover and the upper cover, and a fourth magnet (23, 21) or a ferromagnetic material attracted to the third magnet arranged on the other of the lower cover and the upper cover.
[0012] According to this configuration, the first closed position maintaining structure can be produced at lower cost than the second closed position maintaining structure.
[0013] In the above aspect, the device may further include a support portion (13) that is attached to the lower cover (11), allows a user's hand or finger to be inserted between the lower cover and the underside of the lower cover, and is configured to support the inserted hand or finger from below.
[0014] According to this configuration, because the support portion is provided, a user can securely hold the lower cover when applying external force between the lower cover and the upper cover in the opening direction, even if the user has small hands or weak grip strength.
[0015] In the above embodiment, the upper cover (12) may have a pair of elongated holes (34) extending in directions parallel to each other, and the base end side of the band (26) may be engaged with the upper cover by being formed in a ring shape passing through the pair of elongated holes.
[0016] This configuration allows for easy attachment and replacement of the band to the top cover.
[0017] In the above embodiment, the second closed position maintenance structure (15) may further include a tab (28) member attached to the outer surface of the free end side of the band (26) and extending toward the base end side of the band.
[0018] According to this configuration, when the head cover does not house a golf club, the user can easily open the head cover that is in the closed position by pulling the tab member.
[0019] In the above aspect, the first closed position maintaining structure (14) may include a recess (22a) recessed downwardly or a protrusion protruding upwardly provided in the lower cover (11), and a protrusion (24a) protruding downwardly provided in the upper cover and received in the recess of the lower cover or a recess recessed upwardly to receive the protrusion of the lower cover.
[0020] According to this configuration, the engagement of the protrusion with the recess in the closed position suppresses relative displacement of the lower cover and the upper cover in a direction perpendicular to the opening direction.
[0021] In the above embodiment, the top cover (12) may be at least partially transparent or translucent.
[0022] According to this configuration, when the head cover accommodates the head of a golf club, the user can see the sole of the head through the transparent or translucent portion and can identify the golf club. Effect of the Invention
[0023] According to the above aspects, it is possible to provide a golf club head cover that opens and closes using a hinge, which can be easily attached to and removed from the head, and which can be reliably maintained in the closed position when opened and closed using the hinge. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf club head cover according to an embodiment (closed position); [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf club head cover according to an embodiment (open position); [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf club head cover according to an embodiment, viewed from below (closed position); [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a golf club head cover according to an embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0025] Hereinafter, a golf club head cover 1 (hereinafter referred to as "head cover 1") according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0026] As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the head cover 1 accommodates the head 3 of the golf club 2. The golf club 2 includes a shaft 4 and the head 3 attached to the tip of the shaft 4 via a hosel 5 (socket). In the following description, the extension direction of the shaft 4 is defined as the up-down direction, and the side of the shaft 4 to which the head 3 is attached is defined as the upper side, on the assumption that the head cover 1 is removed and attached when the golf club 2 is taken out of a golf bag (not shown) and inserted into the golf bag. The golf club 2 according to the embodiment is a driver, and the head 3 includes a face 6 which is a surface that hits the ball, a sole 7 which constitutes an upper surface (a surface that contacts the ground when the user holds the golf club 2), and a back surface 8 which is a surface opposite to the face 6. The back surface 8 has a U-shaped or V-shaped outline when viewed from above. The head 3 extends in a first direction obliquely upward from the upper end side of the shaft 4 so as to form a lie angle. The first direction when viewed from above roughly coincides with the direction of the bisector of the angle between the face 6 and the back 8 on the shaft 4 side of the golf club 2 housed in the head cover 1. The direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the first direction is referred to as the second direction.
[0027] The head cover 1 includes a lower cover 11, an upper cover 12, a hinge portion 13 that hinge-couples the upper cover 12 to the lower cover 11 so as to be displaceable between a closed position and an open position, a first closed position maintaining structure 14 and a second closed position maintaining structure 15 that suppress rotation of the upper cover 12 in the opening direction in the closed position, and a lower band 16 attached to the lower surface of the lower cover 11. The first closed position maintaining structure 14 and the second closed position maintaining structure 15 are located closer to the shaft 4 than the hinge portion 13 when viewed from above, and are disposed on opposite sides in the second direction across a line connecting the shaft 4 and the hinge portion 13. It is preferable that the first closed position maintaining structure 14 is provided on the back surface 8 side of the head 3, and the second closed position maintaining structure 15 is provided on the face 6 side of the head 3. In the following description, the terms "opening direction" and "closing direction" refer to the relative rotation directions of the lower cover 11 and the upper cover 12 due to the hinge coupling at the point of interest.
[0028] The lower cover 11 and the upper cover 12 are preferably injection molded products made of a relatively hard resin. The lower cover 11 and the upper cover 12 cooperate to accommodate the head 3 of the golf club 2. The lower cover 11 and the upper cover 12 combined with each other in the closed position form a hollow portion that accommodates the head 3 and an insertion hole 17 through which the upper part of the shaft 4 is inserted. The inner surfaces of the lower cover 11 and the upper cover 12 have a shape that follows the outer shape of the head 3 to be accommodated. The portion of the lower cover 11 and the upper cover 12 combined with each other in the closed position that defines the insertion hole 17 has a cylindrical shape that tapers downward.
[0029] In the closed position, the upper edge of the lower cover 11 and the lower edge of the upper cover 12 are in contact with each other. The lower cover 11 includes a main body 11a that cooperates with the upper cover 12 to accommodate the head 3, a protrusion 11b that is provided on the upper edge of the main body 11a so as to be flush with the inner surface of the main body 11a and extend along the circumferential direction, and a widened portion 11c that is provided to bulge outward from the main body 11a at the upper edge of the main body 11a and a portion of the circumferential direction in the vicinity of the upper edge. The upper cover 12 includes a main body 12a that cooperates with the lower cover 11 to accommodate the head 3, a protrusion 12b that is provided on the lower edge of the main body 12a so as to be flush with the outer surface of the main body 12a and extend along the circumferential direction, and a widened portion 12c that is provided to bulge outward from the main body 12a at the lower edge of the main body 12a and a portion of the circumferential direction in the vicinity of the lower edge of the main body 12a. In the closed position, the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion 11b of the lower cover 11 and the inner peripheral surface of the protrusion 12b of the upper cover 12 abut against or face each other. The widened portions 11c, 12c are arranged to overlap each other in the closed position, and are portions for attaching the first closed position maintaining structure 14. It is preferable that the protrusions 11b, 12b are not provided in the circumferential section in which the widened portions 11c, 12c are provided. The upper cover 12 may be wholly or partially transparent or translucent so that the head 3 housed in the head cover 1 can be seen.
[0030] 1 and 4, the hinge portion 13 is provided on the opposite side in the first direction from the position where the shaft 4 should be disposed. The hinge portion 13 includes a pair of lower hinge pieces 18 that protrude in the first direction from the outer surface of the lower cover 11 and are spaced apart from each other in the second direction, an upper hinge piece 19 that protrudes from the outer surface of the upper cover 12 and protrudes between the pair of lower hinge pieces 18, and a hinge shaft 20. The pair of lower hinge pieces 18 and the upper hinge piece 19 are provided with through holes 18a, 19a that are aligned with each other, and the hinge shaft 20 is inserted through the through holes 18a, 19a, so that the upper cover 12 and the lower cover 11 can rotate relatively around the hinge shaft 20 between a closed position (see FIG. 1) and an open position (see FIG. 2) with respect to each other. The open position is preferably a position where upper cover 12 is rotated 90° to 180° in the open direction from the closed position. Lower hinge piece 18 is preferably molded integrally with lower cover 11, and upper hinge piece 19 is preferably molded integrally with upper cover 12.
[0031] The first closed position maintaining structure 14 includes a lower magnet 21 attached to the widened portion 11c of the lower cover 11, a lower cap 22 disposed above the lower magnet 21 and fixed to the widened portion 11c, an upper magnet 23 attached to the widened portion 12c of the upper cover 12, and an upper cap 24 disposed below the upper magnet 23 and fixed to the widened portion 12c. The widened portion 11c of the lower cover 11 has a recess 11d on its upper surface, the lower magnet 21 is disposed within the recess 11d, and the recess 11d is blocked by the lower cap 22. Similarly, the widened portion 12c of the upper cover 12 has a recess 12d on its lower surface, the upper magnet 23 is disposed within the recess 12d, and the recess 12d is blocked by the upper cap 24. The lower magnet 21 and the upper magnet 23 are arranged so that in the closed position, a magnetic force that attracts each other in the vertical direction acts, and so that they overlap each other when viewed from the rotation direction of the lower cover 11 or the upper cover 12 in the closed position. It is preferable that a recess 22a is provided on the upper surface of the lower cap 22, and a protrusion 24a that protrudes into the recess 22a in the closed position is provided on the lower surface of the upper cap 24.
[0032] The second closed position maintenance structure 15 includes an inner engagement device 25 attached to the lower cover 11, a band 26 attached to the upper cover 12 at its base end side, an outer engagement device 27 attached to the free end side of the band 26, and a tab member 28 attached to the free end side of the band 26.
[0033] The inner engaging device 25 is attached to a side surface of the lower cover 11. The side surface of the lower cover 11 to which the inner engaging device 25 is attached is a flat surface that is approximately parallel to the vertical direction when the lower cover 11 is placed so that its upper edge is approximately horizontal, and has a through hole 29 for attaching the inner engaging device 25. This flat surface preferably extends to the upper edge of the lower cover 11 directly above. The inner engaging device 25 includes a circular, flat-plate-shaped substrate 30, an inner magnet 31 embedded in the substrate 30, and a wall portion 32 protruding outward from the surface of the substrate 30.
[0034] The outline of the substrate 30 is larger than the outline of the through hole 29. The wall portion 32 is inserted into the through hole 29 from the inside, and the surface of the substrate 30 abuts against the peripheral portion of the through hole 29 on the inner surface of the lower cover 11 and is fixed by means of adhesion, welding, or the like. It is preferable that the peripheral portion of the through hole 29 on the inner surface of the lower cover 11 be formed as a recess 33 so that the back surface of the substrate 30 is flush with the inner surface of the lower cover 11.
[0035] 2 and 4, the wall 32 surrounds the inner magnet 31 when viewed from the outside (the direction perpendicular to the substrate 30) and has a U-shape that is open in the opening direction. Instead of a U-shape, the wall 32 may be open not only in the opening direction but also in the closing direction and may have a pair of protrusions extending in the opening and closing direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the wall 32 protrudes outward from the outer surface of the lower cover 11 in the peripheral portion of the through hole 29.
[0036] As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the band 26 has a predetermined width. The upper cover 12 is provided with a pair of long holes 34 extending parallel to the width direction of the band 26. The base end side of the band 26 is folded back and inserted into the pair of long holes 34, and the tip of the folded back part is fixed to the part of the band 26 overlapping the tip by sewing or hook-and-loop fastener or the like to form a ring, and the band 26 is attached to the upper cover 12. The band 26 has flexibility to the extent that it sags due to the weight of the outer engaging device 27 attached to its free end side. The free end side of the band 26 is provided with a through hole 26a for attaching the outer engaging device 27. Hereinafter, with respect to the band 26, the surface that abuts against the upper cover 12 and the lower cover 11 is referred to as the back surface, and the surface opposite to the back surface is referred to as the outer surface.
[0037] As shown in FIG. 4, the outer engaging device 27 includes a circular flat-plate-shaped substrate 36, a protruding portion 37 that protrudes from the surface of the substrate 36 and enters the through-hole 26a from the outer surface side of the band 26, and an outer magnet 38 embedded in the protruding portion 37. The protruding portion 37 preferably includes a reduced diameter portion 37a on the substrate 36 side. The substrate 36 is attached to the band 26 by means of adhesion, a mounting plate (not shown) that cooperates with the substrate 36 to clamp the band 26, or other means. In the closed position, the protruding portion 37 enters a space defined by being surrounded or sandwiched by the wall portion 32, and its tip abuts against the surface of the substrate 30 of the inner engaging device 25. The outer magnet 38 is arranged in such a direction that a magnetic force that attracts the inner magnet 31 acts when the outer engaging device 27 approaches the inner engaging device 25 from the outside.
[0038] In the closed position, the inner magnet 31 and the outer magnet 38 are attracted to each other by magnetic force, and in an engaged state in which the protrusion 37 projects into the space defined by the wall 32, it is preferable that the length of the band 26 is set so that there is some play in the length of the band 26, i.e., the tensile force generated in the extension direction of the band 26 is weak and the band 26 is slightly bent. As a combination of the inner engaging device 25 and the outer engaging device 27, for example, a magnetic snap sold by Fidlock GmbH (Germany) can be used.
[0039] The tab member 28 is held at its base end between the outer surface side at the free end of the band 26 and the base plate 36 of the outer engaging device 27, and has a through hole 28a through which the protrusion 37 passes. The tab member 28 has a free end portion that extends from its own base end side toward the base end side of the band 26. The free end portion of the tab member 28 has a length and width sufficient to allow the user to pinch it with their fingers.
[0040] As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the lower band 16 extends in a direction overlapping with the first direction when viewed from the top-bottom direction. The lower cover 11 is provided with two pairs of long holes 39 extending in the second direction for attaching both ends of the lower band 16 in the extension direction. Each end of the lower band 16 in the extension direction is folded back and inserted into a corresponding pair of long holes 39, and the tip of the folded back part is fixed to the part of the lower band 16 overlapping the tip by sewing or the like to form a ring, and is attached to the lower cover 11. The length of the lower band 16 is set so that a gap is generated between the middle part of the lower band 16 in the extension direction and the lower surface of the lower cover 11, through which the user can insert his / her hand or finger. The lower band 16 may be configured to have elasticity in its extension direction and to generate such a gap by stretching the lower band 16. The lower band 16 functions as a support part that supports the user's hand or finger to assist in gripping the lower cover 11 when the user grips the lower cover 11. Instead of the lower band 16, a string with both ends attached to the lower cover 11, or a rod, pipe, plate, or the like with both ends or one end attached to the lower cover 11 may be used as the support.
[0041] A method of using the head cover 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. To open the head cover 1 in the closed position when the head 3 of the golf club 2 is not stored, the user holds the lower cover 11 with one hand, pinches the tab member 28 with the other hand, and moves the lower cover 11 and / or the upper cover 12 in the opening direction. The user can hold the lower cover 11 with a force applied in the opening direction by grasping it with the hand and / or by inserting a hand or fingers between the underside of the lower cover 11 and the lower band 16 and supporting the hand or fingers on the lower band 16.
[0042] The method of removing the golf club 2 from the head cover 1 in the closed position with the head 3 of the golf club 2 housed therein may be the same as the method of opening the head cover 1 described above, but it may also be a method of holding the lower cover 11 in one hand and the shaft 4 of the golf club 2 in the other hand, moving the golf club 2 upward, and pushing the upper cover 12 in the opening direction with the head 3.
[0043] To accommodate the head 3 in the head cover 1, the user first places the head cover 1 in the open position. Next, the user holds the lower cover 11 with one hand and the shaft 4 with the other hand, and places the lower part of the head 3 (the part on the crown side) in the lower cover 11. Next, the user gently shakes the lower cover 11 with the head 3 placed thereon in a first direction to move the upper cover 12 in the closing direction. At this time, the protruding part 37 (see FIG. 4) of the outer engaging member 27 is subjected to a magnetic force acting between the inner magnet 31 and the outer magnet 38 as it approaches the closed position, and enters the space defined by the wall part 32.
[0044] The effects of the head cover 1 will be described with reference to Figs.
[0045] Since the hinge portion 13 is located on the opposite side in the first direction from the position where the tip of the shaft 4 should be located, the user can remove the golf club 2 from the head cover 1 by holding the lower cover 11 with one hand and lifting the shaft 4 upward with the other hand.
[0046] In the closed position, the lower cover 11 and the upper cover 12 are connected to each other at three points, the hinge portion 13, the first closed position maintaining structure 14, and the second closed position maintaining structure 15, so that their relative positions are stable. In addition, since the first closed position maintaining structure 14 and the second closed position maintaining structure 15 are disposed closer to the shaft 4 than the hinge portion 13 when viewed from above, the closed position can be maintained with a smaller magnetic force than when disposed on the shaft 4 side. In addition, since the first closed position maintaining structure 14 and the second closed position maintaining structure 15 are disposed on opposite sides in the second direction across the line connecting the shaft 4 and the hinge portion 13, when the lower cover 11 is held with one hand and the shaft 4 is lifted upward with the other hand to remove the golf club 2 from the head cover 1, a force is applied to the head 3 from both the left and right sides in the closing direction. As a result, the moment around the first axis is reduced, and the force of the user lifting the shaft 4 is efficiently transmitted in the opening direction.
[0047] The first closed position maintaining structure 14 can be provided relatively inexpensively because it is mainly composed of the lower magnet 21 and upper magnet 23, whose magnetic force acts in the closing direction. Since the first closed position maintaining structure 14 has the recess 22a and the protrusion 24a that protrudes into the recess 22a in the closed position, relative displacement of the lower cover 11 and the upper cover 12 in the direction perpendicular to the opening direction is suppressed in the closed position.
[0048] In the first closed position maintaining structure 14, in which a large magnetic force acts in the closing direction, if an external force is applied to the lower cover 11 and the upper cover 12 in the closed position to displace them in a lateral direction (perpendicular to the closing direction), the magnetic force may weaken and the head cover 1 may open unintentionally. On the other hand, in the second closed position maintaining structure 15, when the upper cover 12 displaces from the closed position to the open position relative to the lower cover 11, the outer engaging member 27 in which the outer magnet 38 is embedded slides relative to the inner engaging member 25 in which the inner magnet 31 is embedded. The magnetic force acting in the inward and outward directions between the inner magnet 31 and the outer magnet 38 is larger than the external force that the user must apply to cause such a displacement. Therefore, if the magnitude of the magnetic force acting in the closing direction in the second closed position maintaining structure 15 is set to be approximately the same as the magnitude of the magnetic force acting in the closing direction of the first closed position maintaining structure 14, the magnetic force acting in the inward and outward directions of the second closed position maintaining structure 15 will be larger than the magnetic force acting in the closing direction. Furthermore, in the engaged state of the closed position, the protrusion 37 of the outer engaging member 27 is engaged with the wall portion 32, and the displacement in the lateral direction along the outer surface of the lower cover 11 is restricted. In this manner, because of the existence of the second closed position maintaining structure 15, even if an external force is applied in the inward / outward direction or in the lateral direction along the outer surface of the lower cover 11 due to a collision with another golf club, the lower cover 11 and the upper cover 12 are unlikely to be relatively displaced in that direction in the engaged state of the closed position. Therefore, in the engaged state of the closed position, the relative positions of the inner magnet 31 and the outer magnet 38 of the second closed position maintaining structure 15 are unlikely to shift, the magnetic force in the closing direction is maintained, and the head cover 1 is prevented from being opened unintentionally.
[0049] Since the band 26 attached to the upper cover 12 hangs down toward the lower cover 11 due to the weight of the outer engaging member 27, the second closed position maintaining structure 15 in which a large magnetic force acts in the inward and outward directions can be formed without overlapping the side of the upper cover 12 with the side of the lower cover 11. Furthermore, since the band 26 has a predetermined width, tilting of the band 26 along the side of the upper cover 12 is suppressed, and when the upper cover 12 is displaced from the open position to the closed position relative to the lower cover 11, a magnetic force easily acts between the inner engaging member 25 and the outer engaging member 27. Since the band 26 is attached so as to be wrapped around the portion between the pair of long holes 34 in the upper cover 12, the band 26 can be easily attached to the upper cover 12 and replaced.
[0050] Because of the tab member 28, the head cover 1 can be easily opened even when the head cover 1 is in the closed position without the head 3 of the golf club 2 being accommodated therein.
[0051] In the closed position, the upper edge of the lower cover 11 and the lower edge of the upper cover 12 abut against each other, so less material is required for the lower cover 11 and the upper cover 12 than in a structure in which the lower cover 11 and the upper cover 12 partially overlap each other in the inward and outward directions. In addition, in the closed position, the protrusions 11b of the lower cover 11 and the protrusions 12b of the upper cover 12 abut or face each other, thereby preventing moisture such as rainwater from penetrating into the inside of the head cover 1 through the gap between the lower cover 11 and the upper cover 12.
[0052] Because of the support parts such as the lower band 16, even people with small hands or weak grip strength can hold the lower cover 11.
[0053] When the upper cover 12 is wholly or partially transparent or translucent, when the head cover 1 contains the head 3 of the golf club 2, the user can see the sole 7 of the head 3 through the transparent or translucent part and can identify the golf club 2.
[0054] Although the description of the specific embodiment is finished above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and modified examples, and can be widely modified. For example, the head cover of the present invention may be a head cover for a golf club other than a driver, such as a wood, iron, or putter. One of the lower magnet and the upper magnet may be replaced with a ferromagnetic material such as iron that is not a magnet. Similarly, one of the inner magnet and the outer magnet may be replaced with a ferromagnetic material such as iron that is not a magnet. The concave and convex of the upper surface of the lower cap and the lower surface of the upper cap may be reversed. [Explanation of symbols]
[0055] 1: Head cover 2:Golf clubs 3: Head 4: Shaft 11: Lower cover 12: Top cover 13: Hinge part 14: First closed position maintenance structure 15:Second closed position maintenance structure 16: Lower band (support part) 21: Lower magnet (third or fourth magnet) 23: Upper magnet (4th or 3rd magnet) 25: Inner engagement tool 26: Band 28: Tab member 31: Inner magnet (first or second magnet) 32: Wall part 37:Protrusion 38: Outer magnet (second or first magnet)
Claims
1. A head cover for a golf club including a shaft extending in a vertical direction and a head extending in a first direction from an upper end side of the shaft, A lower cover and an upper cover that cooperates with the lower cover to accommodate the head; a hinge portion that hinges the upper cover to the lower cover so that the upper cover can rotate relative to the lower cover between a closed position in which the head is accommodated and an open position in which a lower edge of the upper cover is separated from an upper edge of the lower cover to allow the head to be removed; a first closed position maintaining structure and a second closed position maintaining structure that suppress rotation of the upper cover in an opening direction relative to the lower cover by application of a magnetic force in the closed position, The second closed position maintaining structure includes: An inner engaging member attached to the lower cover; a band attached to the upper cover at a proximal end thereof; an outer engaging member attached to a free end side of the band and abutting against the inner engaging member from the outside in the closed position; A first magnet is disposed on one of the inner engaging device and the outer engaging device, and a second magnet or a ferromagnetic body that is attracted to the first magnet is disposed on the other of the inner engaging device and the outer engaging device, The band is flexible, A head cover for a golf club, wherein the hinge portion is provided on the opposite side of the position where the shaft should be positioned in the first direction, and portions of the first closed position maintenance structure and the second closed position maintenance structure on which magnetic force acts are positioned on opposite sides of a line connecting the hinge portion and the position where the shaft should be positioned when viewed from above.
2. The inner engaging member includes a base plate and a wall portion protruding outwardly from the base plate, When viewed from the outside, the wall portion has a U-shape that is open toward the upper cover in the closed position, or includes a pair of protrusions that extend in the opening direction in the closed position, 2. The golf club head cover according to claim 1, wherein the outer engaging member includes a protrusion that projects into a space surrounded or sandwiched by the wall portion.
3. In the closed position, the lower edge of the upper cover abuts the upper edge of the lower cover; 2. The golf club head cover according to claim 1, wherein the first closed position maintaining structure comprises a third magnet arranged on one of the lower cover and the upper cover, and a fourth magnet or a ferromagnetic body attracted to the third magnet arranged on the other of the lower cover and the upper cover.
4. 2. The head cover for a golf club according to claim 1, further comprising a support portion attached to the lower cover, capable of inserting a user's hand or fingers between the lower cover and the lower surface of the lower cover, and configured to support the inserted hand or fingers from below.
5. The upper cover has a pair of elongated holes extending in parallel to each other, 2. The golf club head cover according to claim 1, wherein the base end side of the band is formed into an annular shape that passes through the pair of elongated holes, thereby engaging with the upper cover.
6. 2. The golf club head cover according to claim 1, wherein the second closed position maintaining structure further includes a tab member attached to an outer surface of the free end side of the band and extending toward the base end side of the band.
7. 2. The head cover for a golf club as described in claim 1, wherein the first closed position maintaining structure includes a recess recessed downward or a protrusion protruding upward provided on the lower cover, and a protrusion protruding downward and received in the recess of the lower cover or a recess recessed upward and receiving the protrusion of the lower cover.
8. The golf club head cover of claim 1 , wherein the top cover is at least partially transparent or translucent.
Citation Information
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