Golf Club Head Cover

Abstract

Implementations of a golf club head cover may include an outer shell having a closed first end and a second end, the second end may have an opening therein; a liner may be coupled within the outer shell, the liner may have an off-center opening extending from a first end of the liner to a second end of the liner, the liner may be configured to receive a golf club head.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This document claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63692043, entitled “Golf Club Head Cover” to J. Travis Gaffney which was filed on Sep. 7, 2024, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated entirely herein by reference.BACKGROUND1. Technical Field

[0002] Aspects of this document relate generally to sporting equipment, particularly golf clubs.2. Background

[0003] Golf club head covers are used while the various clubs required to play golf are carried in a bag or cart. Various golf club head cover types and designs are disclosed in U.S. Patent App. No. 63692043 to Gaffney entitled “Gold Club Head Cover”, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.SUMMARY

[0004] Implementations of a golf club head cover may include an outer shell having a closed first end and a second end, the second end may have an opening therein; a liner may be coupled within the outer shell, the liner may have an off-center opening extending from a first end of the liner to a second end of the liner, the liner may be configured to receive a golf club head.

[0005] Implementations of golf club head covers may include one, all, or any of the following:

[0006] The outer shell may be substantially cylindrical.

[0007] The liner may include a neck, a width of the off-center opening through the neck may be less than a width of the off-center opening at the first end of the liner.

[0008] The liner may be configured to orient the golf club head in a substantially non-rotatable position when the golf club head is fully inserted into the golf club head cover.

[0009] The opening in the liner may be a reentrant opening.

[0010] The reentrant opening of the liner may be configured to receive a golf club head at an angle when the golf club head is partially inserted into the golf club head cover and the reentrant opening of the liner may be configured to receive a golf club shaft when the golf club head is fully inserted into the golf club head cover.

[0011] The golf club head cover may not include an elastic constricting the liner.

[0012] The longest length of the golf club head may be greater than the longest width of the off-center opening through the neck.

[0013] Implementations of golf club head covers may include a liner coupled within an outer shell having a volume including a first portion and a second portion coupled together through a neck; the first portion may be configured to receive a golf club head when fully inserted into the golf club head cover; a width of the first portion and the second portion may narrow towards the neck; the neck may be asymmetrically positioned within the outer shell.

[0014] Implementations of golf club head covers may include one, all, or any of the following:

[0015] The liner may be configured to prevent the golf club head from rotating when the golf club head is fully inserted into the golf club head cover.

[0016] The opening in the liner may be a reentrant opening.

[0017] The closed end of the liner may be fixedly coupled to an interior of the first end of the outer shell.

[0018] The golf club head cover may not include an elastic constricting the neck.

[0019] Implementations of golf club head covers may include an outer shell and a liner coupled within the outer shell; the liner having a closed first end including a pocket, a second end including a reentrant opening therein, an anterior side of a sidewall, a posterior side of the sidewall, and a neck portion between the closed first end and the second end; an entire length of the posterior side may be closer to the outer shell than an entire length of the anterior side.

[0020] Implementations of golf club head covers may include one, all, or any of the following:

[0021] The entire length of the posterior side may be substantially linear and the entire length of the anterior side may be curved.

[0022] The liner may be configured to secure the golf club head in a substantially non-rotatable orientation.

[0023] The golf club head cover may not include an elastic constricting the liner.

[0024] The closed first end of the liner may be fixedly coupled to the interior of a closed end of the outer shell.

[0025] The golf club head cover may be a barrel head cover.

[0026] The intermediate circular piece may be coupled between the outer shell and the liner, the intermediate circular piece may be configured to directly couple to the inside of the first end of the outer shell.

[0027] The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent to those artisans of ordinary skill in the art from the DESCRIPTION and DRAWINGS, and from the CLAIMS.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Implementations will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, where like designations denote like elements, and:

[0029] FIG. 1 is a front view of the exterior of a golf club head cover;

[0030] FIG. 2 is a top view of the exterior of a golf club head cover;

[0031] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the exterior of a golf club head cover;

[0032] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the exterior of a golf club head cover;

[0033] FIG. 5 is a side view of the interior liner of a golf club head cover;

[0034] FIG. 6 is a top view of the interior liner of a golf club head cover;

[0035] FIG. 7 is a side view of an everted golf club head cover;

[0036] FIG. 8 is a view of the full interior liner before being sewn together;

[0037] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view of a golf club fully inserted in the golf club head cover;

[0038] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of a golf club partially inserted in the golf club head cover.DESCRIPTION

[0039] This disclosure, its aspects and implementations, are not limited to the specific components, assembly procedures or method elements disclosed herein. Many additional components, assembly procedures and / or method elements known in the art consistent with the intended golf club head cover (hereinafter “head cover”) will become apparent for use with particular implementations from this disclosure. Accordingly, for example, although particular implementations are disclosed, such implementations and implementing components may comprise any shape, size, style, type, model, version, measurement, concentration, material, quantity, method element, step, and / or the like as is known in the art for such head covers, and implementing components and methods, consistent with the intended operation and methods.

[0040] Implementations of the head covers disclosed herein do not include an elastic member constricting the liner. In other words, the head covers disclosed herein do not utilize an elastic band to constrict the inner diameter of the head covers. As a result, the head of the golf club does not become lodged against an elastic member when trying to slide through the elastic member. Consequentially, the liner and the exterior shell of the head cover are not prone to bunching up, which would prevent the head from passing by the elastic member.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 1, a front view of the exterior of a head cover is illustrated. The head cover 2 may be a barrel head cover. The exterior or outer shell 4 of the head cover 2 may have a texture woven material thereon, though in various implementations the outer shell 4 material may be any of a wide variety of other materials, including, by non-limiting example, leather, suede, ultra-suede, canvas, fabric, corduroy, a polymer based product, or any other textile, synthetic textile, synthetic leather, or animal skin.

[0042] The outer shell 4 may have a closed first end 6. The outer shell 4 may have a second end 8 having an opening therein. The outer shell 4 may be substantially cylindrical. In other implementations, the outer shell 4 may be a variety of shapes such as, by non-limiting example, an elliptical cylinder, a rectangular prism, a triangular prism, a hexagonal prism, or a cone.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 2, a top view of the exterior of the head cover of FIG. 1 is illustrated. As illustrated by FIG. 2, the top surface 10 of the first end 6 of the head cover 2 may be circular. In such implementations, the head cover may be substantially cylindrical.

[0044] Referring to FIG. 3, a bottom view of the head cover 2 is illustrated. The view of FIG. 2 shows a second end 8 of the outer shell 4 of the head cover 2 and a liner 12. The liner 12 of FIG. 3 includes a closed portion and an opening. Referring to FIG. 4, a bottom view of the head cover 2 is illustrated exaggerating the closed portion and the opening. While FIG. 3 also illustrates the opening 16, it appears closed as the liner can move, obfuscating the opening. As illustrated by FIGS. 3-4, the bottom of the head cover 2 has an exterior perimeter 14 at the second end 8 of the outer shell 4 and a corresponding opening in the second end 8 of the outer shell 4. The liner 12 also includes a second end that corresponds to the second end of the head cover. FIGS. 3-4 illustrate a corresponding opening 16 in the second end of the liner 12. The opening 16 in the liner 12 is a reentrant opening, or an angled opening within which a golf club head may be repeatedly inserted and removed. The liner 12 material may be any type of fabric designed to cushion and protect the golf club head.

[0045] The bottom view of the liner 12 illustrated in FIGS. 3-4 shows how on one side of the liner 12, there may be a closed portion, or a stitched or sewn seam 18. The opening 16 in the liner 12 may be on the side opposing the seam 18. There may be a space in the opening 16 for the golf club head to extend into the liner 12 and past the opening 16 in the liner 12. As illustrated, one side of the liner 12 is closed at the seam 18 and the other side of the liner 12 is open at the opening 16, directing the golf club head over to one side (the open side) of the head cover 2 during insertion. The closed portion of the liner 12, illustrated on the bottom of FIGS. 3-4, is the result of the liner 12 being sewn together along the closed portion or seam 18 to form a reentrant opening 16 on the open portion side of the liner 12. The partial closure of the liner 12 at the closed portion of the second side of the liner 12 is the result of the liner 12 being sewn along the seam 18 to form a reentrant opening 16 on the open portion of the second side of the liner 12. Therefore, the liner 12 includes an off-center opening 16 extending from the second end of the liner 12 to the first end of the liner corresponding to the first end of the head cover. This off-center opening, as illustrated by FIGS. 3-4, is asymmetrical inasmuch as it is not centered through the liner and the head cover. Likewise, the off-centered opening extending through the liner is non-concentric within the opening of the first end of the head cover.

[0046] As illustrated in FIGS. 3-4 and 9-10, the liner 12 may be coupled within the outer shell 4. The entire outer perimeter 20 of the second end of the liner 12 may be fixedly coupled to the interior of the entire perimeter 14 of the opening in the second end 8 of the outer shell 4. The reentrant opening 16 of the liner 12 may be configured to receive a golf club head at an angle when the golf club head is partially inserted into the head cover 2. The reentrant opening 16 of the liner 12 is be configured to receive a golf club shaft when the golf club head is fully inserted into the head cover 2.

[0047] Referring to FIG. 5, a right-side view of an implementation of a sewn liner 12 is illustrated before the liner 12 is coupled into the exterior or outer shell 4 of the head cover 2. As illustrated, the liner 12 includes a reentrant opening 16 at a second end 22 of the liner that constricts the diameter of the liner 12 and assists with holding the head cover 2 over the golf club head. This liner 12 design also works to positively orient the head cover 2 over the golf club head in a fixed or substantially fixed position after insertion. The advantage of this ability to maintain a desired orientation of the head cover 2 over the golf club head allows logos and / or numbering to be maintained in a fixed position relative to the golf club shaft. This can be helpful just for cosmetic reasons, but also where the outer shell 4 of the head cover 2 includes numbering that corresponds to the particular golf club inserted into the head cover 2 (like a number 9 for a 9 iron), this can aid the player in being able to repeatedly and rapidly select a desired golf club from their golf bag. In this implementation, the design of the liner 12 is substantially symmetric about a vertical axis passing through a top of the head cover 2 so that the left-side view of the liner 12 is substantially similar to the right-side view of the liner 12.

[0048] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the liner 12 may has a first end 24 and a second end 22. The liner 12 includes a neck 26 in the middle of the liner 12 between the first end 24 of the liner 12 and the second end 22 of the liner 12. The neck 26 may be off-center from the middle of the head cover 2. A width of the off-center opening 16 through the neck 26 is less than a width of the off-center opening 16 at a first end 24 of the liner 12.

[0049] In various implementations, the liner 12 may have a first portion 28 and a second portion 30 coupled to the first portion through the neck 26 of the liner. The first portion 28 of the liner 12 may be configured to receive a golf club head when the golf club head is fully inserted into the head cover 2. The width of the first portion 28 of the liner 12 narrows towards the neck 26 of the liner 12 and the width of the second portion 30 of the liner 12 narrows towards the neck 26 of the liner 12. As illustrated, in various implementations the neck 26 of the liner 12 is asymmetrically positioned within the outer shell 4.

[0050] The liner 12 is configured to receive a golf club head. The liner 12 may be configured to orient and secure the golf club head in a substantially non-rotatable position and orientation when the golf club head is fully inserted into the liner 12. In other words, the liner 12 may be configured to prevent a golf club head from substantially rotating relative to the head cover when the golf club head is fully inserted into the head cover 2.

[0051] The liner 12 may include a closed first end 24 that partially forms a pocket 32 and may include a second end 22 having a reentrant opening 16 therein. The liner 12 may include a sidewall having an anterior side 34 (illustrated on the left side of FIGS. 5, 9 and 10), a posterior side 36 (illustrated on the right side of FIGS. 5, 9 and 10), and a neck 26 portion positioned between the closed first end 24 and the second end 22. As described herein, the anterior side 34 of the liner 12 may be the line along the length of the liner 12 where the liner 12 is coupled to itself. As described herein, the posterior side 36 of the liner 12 may run the length of the liner 12 that is directly opposite the anterior side 34. An entire length of the posterior side 36 of the sidewall of the liner 12 may be closer to the outer shell 4 than an entire length of the anterior side 34 of the sidewall of the liner 12 inasmuch as the anterior side of the liner includes the cutout that results in the off-center opening through the liner.

[0052] The entire length of the posterior side 36 of the liner 12 may be substantially linear. A portion of the length of the anterior side 34 of the liner 12 may be curved. In other implementations, the entire length of the anterior side 34 of the liner 12 may be curved. The entire length or part of the length of the anterior side 34 of the liner 12 may be curved, linear, angled, or may depart from the inner sidewall of the outer shell 4 at various angles.

[0053] As illustrated by FIG. 5, only a middle portion of the length of the anterior side 34 of the liner 12 is curved. In this implementation, a first end 38 of the length of the anterior side 34 of the liner 12 and a second end 40 of the length of the anterior side 34 of the liner 12 may be coupled to the outer shell 4 near the first end 24 of the liner 12 and near the second end 22 of the liner 12, respectively. In other implementations, only the first end 38 of the length of the anterior side 34 of the liner 12 near the first end 24 of the liner 12 may be coupled to the outer shell 4 or only the second end 40 of the length of the anterior side 34 of the liner 12 near the second end 22 of the liner 12 may be coupled to the outer shell 4. In other implementations neither the first end 38 of the length of the anterior side 34 of the liner 12 near the first end 24 of the liner 12 may be coupled to the outer shell 4 nor the second end 40 of the length of the anterior side 34 of the liner 12 near the second end 22 of the liner 12 may be coupled to the outer shell 4.

[0054] Still referring to FIG. 5, in various implementations, a circular or substantially circular piece 42 of liner material is sewn or otherwise attached to the first end of the liner 12, forming the pocket 32 or a space inside the liner 12 that resists collapse and which retains the golf club head therein. FIG. 6 is a top view of the liner 12 illustrating the structure of the circular piece 42 of liner material.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 6, a top view of the liner 12 of FIG. 5 is illustrated in an everted position. In this view, the location where the top or first end 24 of the liner 12 is coupled to the top of the outer shell 4 is illustrated. The exterior perimeter of the first end 24 of the liner 12 may be coupled to the interior perimeter of the first side of the outer shell 4 through stitching. As a result, the exterior of the closed first end 24 of the liner 12 may be fixedly coupled to the interior of the closed first end 6 of the outer shell 4. In other implementations, the liner 12 may be coupled to the outer shell 4 through a variety of coupling mechanisms, such as, by non-limiting example, adhesive, hook and loop fasteners, snaps, or any other coupling mechanism disclosed herein. Still referring to FIG. 6, the anterior side 34 of the liner 12 is illustrated at the top of FIG. 6 and the posterior side 36 of the liner is illustrated at the bottom of FIG. 6. In addition, the perimeter of the circular piece 42 of liner 12 material is coupled to the sidewall (including the anterior side 34 and the posterior side 36) of the liner 12 through stitching.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 7, a side view of the head cover 2 of FIG. 1 is illustrated in an everted orientation showing the material of the liner 12 on the outside and the material of the outer shell 4 on the interior. Because of the constriction in the liner 12 due to the presence of the reentrant opening 16, in this everted position, the material of the outer shell 4 may be correspondingly constricted.

[0057] As illustrated by FIG. 7, the head cover 2 may include an intermediate piece 44 coupled between the liner 12 and the outer shell 4. The seam between the intermediate piece 44, the liner 12, and the material of the outer shell 4 is illustrated. Still referring to FIG. 7, the use of an intermediate 44 piece of fabric to couple the first end 24 of the liner 12 to the material of the outer shell 4 is illustrated. The intermediate piece 44 may be coupled between the outer shell 4 and the liner 12. As illustrated, the intermediate piece 44 is circular. In other implementations, the head cover 2 may include an intermediate piece 44 that is triangular, square, rectangular, hexagonal, or an intermediate piece 44 that otherwise matches the shape of the top piece or the first end 6 of the outer shell 4. The intermediate piece 44 may be configured to directly couple to the inside of the first end 6 of the outer shell 4. The fabric material of the intermediate piece 44 may be the same as the material of the liner 12 or the material of the intermediate piece 44 may not be the same as the material of the liner. In some implementations, an intermediate piece 44 may not be used, and the liner 12 may be directly coupled to the material of the outer shell 4. In implementations having the intermediate piece 44, the intermediate piece may increase the rigidity of the circular shape at the top of the head cover, thereby more effectively retaining the cylindrical shape of the barrel head cover.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 8, an implementation of a liner 12 is illustrated prior to being sewn that shows the full outline of the liner 12. As illustrated, the liner 12 is cut from a single piece of fabric and is thus folded over itself along a central axis of symmetry 46 before being sewn at the first end 24 of the liner 12 to a circular piece of liner material and sewn together along each edge of the anterior side 34 leaving the bottom open, forming the structure illustrated in FIG. 5. While the use of sewing to attach the material of the liner 12 together has been disclosed in this document, other methods of holding the material together may be utilized, including, by non-limiting example, gluing, bonding, melting, taping, or any combination thereof. Once coupled to itself through any of the attachment methods disclosed herein, the leftmost side of the liner 12 (as illustrated in FIG. 8) and the rightmost side of the liner 12 (as illustrated in FIG. 8) are coupled together, form the anterior side 34 of the liner 12 as illustrated in FIG. 5. Likewise, when the liner 12 is coupled to itself, the central axis of symmetry 46 (as illustrated by the centered, dashed line in FIG. 8) becomes the posterior side 36 of the liner 12 as illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0059] Referring to FIG. 9, a cross-sectional side view of a golf club 48 fully inserted into the head cover 2 is illustrated. As illustrated, the pocket 32 in the first portion 28 of the liner 12 receives the golf club head 50 when fully inserted. A longest length 52 of the golf club head 50 may be greater than a longest width of the neck portion 54 of the liner 12. As a result, the golf club 48 may not be pulled straight out (or directly down as illustrated in FIG. 9) of the head cover 2 and is secured in the head cover 2 when fully inserted. In addition, the anterior side 56 of the pocket 32 in the first portion 28 of the liner 12 receives the tip 58 of the golf club head 50 and keeps the golf club head 50 oriented in a fixed direction when fully inserted.

[0060] Referring to FIG. 10, a cross-sectional side view of a golf club 48 partially inserted into the head cover 2 is illustrated. A longest length 52 of a golf club head 50 may be greater than a longest width of the neck portion 54 of the off-center opening through the neck 26 of the liner 12. As a result, the shaft 60 of the golf club 48 must be positioned at an angle to the length of the head cover 2 or at an angle to the posterior side 36 of the liner 12 for the head 50 of the golf club 48 to fit through the neck 26 of the liner 12. This allows the head cover 2 to easily be placed on or removed from the golf club 48 by a user without the head cover 2 falling off the golf club 48 during transportation, storage, or a game of golf.

[0061] While the head cover implementations disclosed herein have been illustrated as being cylindrical or substantially cylindrical in cross section, in other implementations, the head cover implementations could have other cross-sectional shapes including, by non-limiting example, square, triangular, or polygonal depending on the same of the top portion. The particular design of the top portion of the liner would be adjusted correspondingly to allow it to be attached to the top of the outer shell for differently shaped head cover designs.

[0062] In some implementations, the use of the reentrant openings may be not be used and instead the liner may be restricted by sewing seams into the interior of the liner so as to create a restriction in the liner similar to that illustrated in this document. In such implementations, while additional liner material may be wasted, the effect of orienting the head cover and allowing it to be retained over the golf club may still be achieved. Also, in other implementations, while the liner is illustrated as being sewn all the way around the reentrant openings, only a portion, portions, or one or more tabbed portions of the reentrant openings may be sewn / coupled in various implementations to create a similar effect of retaining the head cover over the golf club head.

[0063] Since the liners herein are formed from a single piece of liner material and no elastic band is needed, the head covers disclosed herein utilize fewer parts. This correspondingly can reduce cost and complexity of manufacture. In various implementations, the material of the liner can be made of a stretch fabric that may include about 8% of the stretchable material known as spandex. In other implementations, the material of the liner can be made of a textile material that has a mechanical stretching capability due to how it is woven like a knitted material. In yet other implementations, the liner may not made of a material that is not substantially mechanically stretchable.

[0064] The materials used for the components of the golf club head covers disclosed herein may be made of conventional materials used to make goods similar to these in the art, such as, by non-limiting example, fabrics, leathers, rubbers, and the like. Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily be able to select appropriate materials and manufacture these products from the disclosures provided herein.

[0065] The implementations listed here, and many others, will become readily apparent from this disclosure. From this, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily understand the versatility with which this disclosure may be applied.

Claims

1. A golf club head cover comprising:an outer shell comprising a closed first end and a second end, the second end comprising an opening therein; anda liner coupled within the outer shell, the liner comprising an off-center opening extending from a first end of the liner to a second end of the liner;wherein the liner is configured to receive a golf club head.

2. The golf club head cover of claim 1, wherein the outer shell is substantially cylindrical.

3. The golf club head cover of claim 1, wherein the liner comprises a neck, wherein a width of the off-center opening through the neck is less than a width of the off-center opening at the first end of the liner.

4. The golf club head cover of claim 1, wherein the liner is configured to orient the golf club head in a substantially non-rotatable position when the golf club head is fully inserted into the golf club head cover.

5. The golf club head cover of claim 1, wherein the opening in the liner is a reentrant opening.

6. The golf club head cover of claim 5, wherein the reentrant opening of the liner is configured to receive a golf club head at an angle when the golf club head is partially inserted into the golf club head cover and the reentrant opening of the liner is configured to receive a golf club shaft when the golf club head is fully inserted into the golf club head cover.

7. The golf club head cover of claim 1, wherein the golf club head cover does not include an elastic constricting the liner.

8. The golf club head cover of claim 3, wherein a longest length of the golf club head is greater than a longest width of the off-center opening through the neck.

9. A golf club head cover comprising:a liner coupled within an outer shell, the liner comprising:a volume comprising a first portion and a second portion coupled together through a neck;wherein the first portion is configured to receive a golf club head when fully inserted into the golf club head cover;wherein a width of the first portion and a width of the second portion narrows towards the neck;wherein the neck is asymmetrically positioned within the outer shell.

10. The golf club head cover of claim 9, wherein the liner is configured to prevent the golf club head from rotating when the golf club head is fully inserted into the golf club head cover.

11. The golf club head cover of claim 9, wherein an opening in the liner is a reentrant opening.

12. The golf club head cover of claim 9, wherein a closed end of the liner is fixedly coupled to an interior of the first end of the outer shell.

13. The golf club head cover of claim 9, wherein the golf club head cover does not include an elastic constricting the neck.

14. A golf club head cover comprising:an outer shell; anda liner coupled within the outer shell, the liner comprising:a closed first end comprising a pocket;a second end comprising a reentrant opening therein;an anterior side of a sidewall;a posterior side of the sidewall;anda neck portion between the closed first end and the second end;wherein an entire length of the posterior side is closer to the outer shell than an entire length of the anterior side.

15. The golf club head cover of claim 14, wherein the entire length of the posterior side is substantially linear while the entire length of the anterior side is curved.

16. The golf club head cover of claim 14, wherein the liner is configured to secure a golf club head in a substantially non-rotatable orientation.

17. The golf club head cover of claim 14, wherein the golf club head cover does not include an elastic constricting the liner.

18. The golf club head cover of claim 14, wherein the closed first end of the liner is fixedly coupled to the interior of a closed end of the outer shell.

19. The golf club head cover of claim 14, wherein the golf club head cover is a barrel head cover.

20. The golf club head cover of claim 14, wherein an intermediate circular piece is coupled between the outer shell and the liner, the intermediate circular piece configured to directly couple to the inside of the first end of the outer shell.

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