Golf bag rain cover

Abstract

Stiff golf bag rain cover (100) that consists of at least the framework (10) and to it connected opening upper part (20) and the joint (50) between them and where the mentioned upper part consists of at least two lids (20a, 20b) that have been connected to the framework (10) with their common joint (50) and where the mentioned lids have been adapted to cover completely the framework upper part opening (14) and to open by rotating them In relation to the joint (50) overlapping each other upon either closest to side lid to open the opening in the upper part (20) and where the mentioned lids have been adapted to create space upon the framework (10) for the blades and shaft down parts of the golf clubs to protect them against rain and damage.

Description

[0001] GOLF BAG RAIN COVER

[0002] The object of this invention is a golf bag rain cover that is stiff of its construction and that consists of at least a framework and an opening upper part connected to it and a joint between them.

[0003] The meaning of the invention is to get to the market an easy to use rain proof club rain cover. The usages of the invention are all golf bags. The most advantageous applications of them are in the pushcarts transported and carried golf bags but it can be used also In golf cars.

[0004] Golf is played in the world also a lot in rainy weathers and the dub space of the golf bag need to be protected against the rain water in those cases so that it and the clubs don't get wet. The modern golf bags are in great deal in itself rain proof but the upper part of the bag need to be protected against rain by an opening and closing rain proof rain cover. When it is raining the cover need to be opened and dosed be- fore each stroke and after it An average dub player (handicap about 18} performs during a round average over 90 strokes and opens and doses the bag rain cover in a rainy weather average about 145- 150 times, so before and after each stroke the successive puts not included in which case the ease of use of the rain cover comes second in importance after the protection against rain. Most of the golf bag rain covers according to the known technology are made of fab- ric and are opened and closed using zippers. So the rain cover is an elastic hood sur- rounding the club heads and the zipper has been situated In Its middle in such a way that the hood halves open to the sides. The hood can also contain two successive zippers so that it can be opened from the front to back or from the back to front. Another way to realize the zipper driven rain cover is to locate two zippers side by side so that the fabric stripe between them can be opened and closed, usually from the front to back.

[0005] A third known way to realize the rain cover Is to fix to its upper edge a stiff lid using a joint in such a way that the lid can be opened and closed turning it around the joint.

[0006] The first mentioned known technology is presented largely in the internet sites of the golf accessory suppliers. Klintrade can be mentioned as one of these suppliers.

[0007] A second one of the mentioned known technology is presented in the Korean patent publication KR 200247818.

[0008] A third one of the mentioned known technology is presented in the US patent publi- cation US 5819829.

[0009] A fourth way to realize the rain cover has been presented in the US patent publica- tion US 6283290. The publication presents a hood that has two essentially different size parts. In these parts there are with each other different size partly flexible sup- porting arches and upon them elastic fabric covers. The hood is opened by pressing the joint connected supported arches against each other and the fabric cover is fold- ed between the arches. The parts work separate of each other.

[0010] The greatest disadvantages of the known rain covers are connected with their usabil- ity. The known zipper driven hoods are made of fabric and in rainy conditions they get pressed and glued against the heads and the shafts of the clubs. The thinner the fabric the more difficult and unpleasant it is to dig the club from under the wet hood and to place it back there bewaring at the same time if possible of letting rain water into the club space while handling the hood. The rain cover is thus open in rain with an average player wel! over hundred times during the round. Concentration in game gets more difficult when handling the rain cover and the playing becomes easily a forced grind. In accordance with the known technology hood with two zippers side by side be- haves in the same way in rain as described before. Digging the clubs from the bag and placing them back again might be slightly easier in comparison to the first men- tioned solution but at the same time a larger opening gets opened to allow the rain water enter two times per stroke. Especially the clubs and the spaces that are situat- ed near the ends of the opening zippers are exposed for greater amount of rain wa- ter. With a heavy rain over a hundred lid openings means exposing the bag and the clubs for a great amount of water.

[0011] In the third mentioned US solution the rain cover consists of a stiff framework and a one part upper part fixed to it with one joint or a three part upper part whereof two have been fixed to the framework each with an own joint and the third part is fixed and between the two. In this solution, the upper part retains its posture better than in two previous because of the pneumatic stiffeners but the exposure for the rain of the bag inner part and the clubs happens similarly in the one upper part solution as in the two zippers Korean solution, especially the clubs near the upper part joint re- quire the lid to be opened completely. In the solution of two opening parts the use of the clubs in the center of the bag gets difficult because the cover must be turned aside so that the club in the middle can be lifted up.

[0012] The fourth presented solution can be seen to have the drawback that the opening between different size hood parts need to be closed with a separate part or the rain water can enter. Another drawback can be seen to be that the fabric that has been folded between the supporting arches makes the hood inner space smaller, it can al- so been said that this solution is complicated in comparison to the Invention.

[0013] The meaning of this invention is to get such a golf bag rain cover that disadvantages in the known technology are avoided. It is characteristic for the invention solution what has been defined in the characterizing part of the claim 1. The greatest advantages of the invention in comparison to the known technology is that the rain cover need not be opened completely under any conditions and that opening it and closing it is essentially more user friendly than the known solutions. The amount of water that gets into the club space of the club bag is minimized and the gluing between the ciubs and the rain cover contact doesn't happen.

[0014] The invention is described in more detail in the enclosed figures where: figure 1 presents a rain cover according to the invention in 3D, figure 2 presents the previous rain cover seen directly from side, figure 3 presents the previous rain cover seen directly from behind, figure 4 presents the cut A-A of the figure 2, figure 5 presents the cut B-B of the figure 3, figures 6a and 6b present the before mentioned rain cover opened, figures 7a-7d present parts of the rain cover, figures 8a and 8b present the principle charts of the lid rotation profiles of the rain cover according to the invention, figure 9 presents the spot figure of the figure 4 zoomed, figure 10 presents another application of the invention, figures 11a and 11b present a third application of the invention, figure 12 presents a fourth appiication of the invention, figure 13 presents a usage situation of the invention, figures 14a and 14b present a fifth application of the invention, figure 15 presents a sixth appiication of the invention. Next, the structure and the operation of a favorable appiication of the invention will be explained referring to the before mentioned figures. The invention is designed to be used in a diagonal upright position or essentially in an upright position the lids to be opened situating highest and the foliowing text word settings refer to these usage positions. in figure 1 there has been described a stiff construction goif bag rain cover 100 iso- metric that retains its shape according to the invention, in figure 2 directly from side and in figure 3 directly from behind into the direction that it is normally pushed with the golf cart. This example rain cover is symmetric in relation to middle level L shown in figure 3. The hollow rain cover 100 consists of a framework 10, the upper part 20 consisting of the first lid 20a and the second lid 20b, and an adapter 30. In figure 4 there has been described the cut A-A of the figure 2, in figure 3 the cut B-B. In figures 6a and 6b there is the rain cover of the figures 1- 5 opened of its back part angle β3 and its mentioned parts have been described separately as follows: framework in figure 7a, first lid in figure 7b, second lid in figure 7c, and adapter in figure 7d. in this example of the invention the framework 10 the shell 10.1 thickness of which is s1 contains a lower part 11 its cut shape being an ellipse and from there upwards ex- panding to the sides middle part 12 and from there upwards of w shape (in figure 8a: the halves of the circle and the line segments between them) top part 13. The framework shell thickness in this example is 3 mm. The mentioned lids of the upper part 20 have been adapted to close the opening 14 of the upper end of the frame- work and to open in the direction L of the middle level into opposing directions in re- lation to each other. The shells 21a and 21b of the mentioned lids having the thick- ness s2 is 3 mm in this example have the shape of mentioned siot half z (in figure 8) forming profile rotation pieces in relation to the axis y and their rotation circle ex- tend is in this example case total a bit larger than the framework opening 14 angle α in relation to the joint 50 that is 180° in this example and they are of different size with each other so that when their joint organs 22a, 22b center axes 23a, 23b have been adapted to the center axis A of the joint 50 and the mentioned lids middle lev- els, that is the symmetric levels L2a, 12b, to the middle level L that is also the middle level of the golf bag in that direction that that is usually moved with the golf cart so that when they close the opening 14 completely they settie in the middle of the opening overlapping in a smali area and they leave between them a space v. As the dimension of the circle 24a of the first lid 20a is β1 and the second lid 20b circle 24b dimension is 32 the scope of the overlapping is β1+β2-α. This overlapping hinders or prevents rain the rain getting inside the rain cover through the seam between the lids. In the figures 1-3 and 5 there has been described the situation where the lids 20a and 20b are in the before described position with each other and their symmetry levels 12a, L2b and the symmetry levei 11 of the framework are in the middle level L and their Joint organ 22a, 22b center axes 23a, 23b and the framework joint organ 16 center axis 16a are at the joint center axis A. The first lid 20a rotation profile z is unanimous with the frame work top part profile (slot w) half and it is smaller than the second lid 20b rotation profile the amount of its shell 21b thickness s2 and the space v between the lids and adapted to rotate in relation to the organ joint 50 un- der the mentioned second lid so big an angle β3 (figure 6b) that in its back edge 27a situated limiter 28a meets in the close position being other lid 20b front edge 26b and the second lid 20b has been adapted to rotate in relation to the joint 50 upon the first lid 20a so big angle that its front edge 26b meets in closed position being first lid limiter 28a. The second iid limiter 28b has been adapted to reach inside the shell 21b where it has been adapted to prevent the rotation of the second lid under the top edge 17 of the framework by leaning against it. This way it is possible to open of the opening 14 the front part or the back part at a time which both are in this ex- ample essentially of the same size, a little smaller than half of the angle a of the opening 14 around the joint 50. The framework 10 and the first and the second lid 20a, 20b consist each of a joint organ 16, 22a, 22b (in opposite sides) whereof each pair has a common joint axis 16a, 23a, 23 b, All the mentioned joint organs form to- gether the joint 50 of the apparatus.

[0015] In figure 8b there has been presented different shape lids 22a, 22b rotation profile zl. This shape lids are suitable for such a framework top part 13 the cut of which is a rectangle rounded in the corners.

[0016] The mentioned limiters 28a, 28b operate also as handies when turning the lids 20a, 20b.

[0017] In figure 9 there has been described detail C in figure 4, that is the other side of the joint 50 zoomed. The lid joint organs 22a, 22b therein and the framework joint organ 16 join into each other with compatible profiles. !n the figure there has been pre- sented also the hole 40 there a fixing bolt can be adapted to secure to fix the parts together. The rain cover 100 according to the invention has also an adapter 30 whereof at least the upper part is stiff construction in this invention example retaining its shape and symmetric with its symmetry level 13. its hem 31 is joined to the goif bag upper end and the down edge 13 of the framework 10 is joined to its upper end 32. In this ap- plication of the invention the joining of the adapter and the framework is made using an overlapping joint in such a way that the down edge 18 of the framework is adapted around the upper edge 32 of the adapter to a certain depth. The hem 31 of the adapter is shaped according to each bag model but the upper end can be made standard for many bag models having the same shape. The framework 10 that has been made following a certain favorable standard and the lids 20a, 20b that fit to it can be used with many different shape golf bags and the adapter 30 needs in its most favorable situation only differing hems according to the bag models.

[0018] The rain cover 100 according to the invention can be used so that the adapter 30 is attached to the golf bag, the framework 10 to the adapter using for instance a bayo- net coupling and the lids 20a; 20b using bayonet couplings into the framework joint organs 16 by their joint organs 25a, 25b and the golf bag is fixed to the golf cart. When a club is taken from the bag the lid of the side of the club is opened by rotating it over or under in relation to joint 50 closed remaining lid and after taking the club the lid is closed for the time of the stroke.

[0019] The framework 10 can be shaped in many ways. As far as the use of the invention is concerned meaningful is that its down end can be joined to the adapter 30 and the lids 20a, 20b through the joint to it and that the golf club blades fit inside the frame- work and the mentioned lids. When the lids are of their profile compatible hoods with the framework opening 14 they produce as shown in the figure 13 additional space upon the framework for the blades of the clubs and shaft down parts.

[0020] It is characteristic for the two lids composing rain cover lids 20a, 20b shape that the shell of the inner lid, in this example the shell 21a of the first lid is the rotation piece in relation to the joint 50. It is also favorable that the shell 21b of the second lid is ac- cording the previous example a rotation piece in relation to the joint 50 and it is fa- vorable to have an operational space v between the lids. in the before mentioned example the thicknesses of the shells 21a, 21b of the lids are 3 mm and the space 4 mm but they can be dimensioned differently also. The shaping of the outmost iid can be done more freely than the innermost and it can be even cornered iike presented in the figure 10 but at least the space v at the front edge is favorable to be sufficient- ly small to realize the rain hood tightness either together with a seal in the space or without it. it should be noticed that the cornered shaping of the second lid does not enlarge its back edge 27b rotation circle over the blades of the clubs. In figures 11a and 11b there have been shown the rain cover 100 according to the in- vention where there is a three lids application in which case its upper part 20 can be opened wider than in two iids application. If the two lids application gives the open- ing 14 wideness around the joint 50 180° and the wideness of the iids around the joint are essentially same with each other we can form in the upper part 20, in its front or back part, an opening of about 90" (the joint 50 as the center point) but if the upper part consists of three equally large iids 20a- 20c the maximum angle of the openings is about 120°. in figure lib there has been shown a situation where the first lid 20a and the second lid 20b have been rotated to the right and the angle β3 of the formed opening is about 120°. The iids 20a and 20b and also 20b and 20c need to be connected in this invention application using a connect organ (not in the figures) in such a way that closing the lid on the side moves also the middie lid into a closed position. The movement organs in turn push the middle lid open as the side lid is opened. For instance in the two lids application the familiar limiters can be adapted to do this task.

[0021] According to the figure 12 the lids 20a, 20b, etc. can be adapted to open also into some other direction than the formerly presented middle level L direction that is usually the golf bag middle level. In this case the center axis A of the apparatus joint is positioned in the corresponding position. The greatest part of the golf bags upper ends have been shaped so that the length of the opening (the shoulder strap in the direction of the front pockets) is bigger than the width (in the direction from the side pocket to the side pocket) but when the down part of the framework 10 or at least its seam place to the adapter is shaped for instance as cylinder or cone the joint 50 can be rotated into any position in the circle of the cylinder not depending on the shape of the bag opening. In figure 12 there has been presented an application ac- cording to the invention where the center axis A of the joint 50 is in an angle ς of less than 90° in relation to the middle level L when it is 90° in the previous exampies.

[0022] The invention has such a special characteristic that the side lids (in a two lids applica- tion 20a, 20b, in multiple lids applications 20a, 20x) open against each other around their common joint 50 in which case all the lids can be placed upon each other upon either side lid side and so open the opening in either side.

[0023] In figure 13 there has been presented the situation where the rain cover 100 accord- ing to the invention is in such a usage position as it usually is when connected into a golf bag in a golf cart standing position connected to so-called carry bag. The longer clubs have been placed in the bag front part right and the shorter back part left.

[0024] The joint between the adapter 30 and the framework 10 can be made in many dif- ferent ways. In the same way, the hem 31 construction and fixing to the golf bag can be made in different ways. The shaping of the constructions and / or separate fixing organs can be used when fixing the framework 10 to the adapter 30. When fixing the adapter to the golf bag press studs, straps, screws, etc. can be used. The hem 31 can also be made elastic for its fixing. For instance for press stud fixing the hem can be equipped with fabric parts where the press studs are located. The hems can also be glued to the golf bag.

[0025] The space v between the lids 20a, 20b, etc. can be made suitable in the rain hood 100 according to the invention favorable among other things according to the lids dimension accuracy. The tightness between the lids can be made with a suitable space v or for example In overlaying lid pairs with a seal adapted to the edge of the outmost lid. The tightness between the closest to side lids and the framework can be made by for example us- ing a butt joint, overlapping joint, and / or separate additional seal.

[0026] The joint organs 15, 22a, 22b that come together in the joint 50 can be made in dif- ferent ways like for instance using compatible profiles, hole-bolt combinations, or bolt-nut combinations. Any known fixing procedure realizes the invention.

[0027] It is favorable from the point of view of the invention that the seams between the rain cover parts are made using the quick clamping principle but even the more per- manent solutions realize the invention.

[0028] One application of the invention can be realized by making the framework 10 of two or more easy-to assemble parts in which case the framework and the lids can be transported in the pockets of the golf bag when not needed. The adapter can even in this case be favorable to be fixed to the golf bag but even it is possible to be divided in parts.

[0029] In figures 14a and 14b, a framework 10 assembled of parts has been shown. In this example, two framework parts have been joined together using profile joints 19. These joints are easy to make by passing projections expanding towards their ends

[0030] 19.1 into corresponding hollows 19.2. The joints can also be made in some other way, in any known way and they can also be applied into convex lids 20a, 20b etc. and the adapter 30. The joints can be made as quick clamping without separate fixing organs or with using them.

[0031] The width of the angle α of the opening 14 of the framework 10 around the joint 50 can also be larger or smaller than in the previous examples of 180®. In figure 15 there has been presented a situation where the width of the opening is over 180’ and thus we achieve the advantage that the total size of the lids is larger and thus the open- ings to handle the clubs through can be wider. The separate adapter 30 can be replaced in the rain cover 100 according to the in- vention by shaping the upper end of the golf bag so that the framework 10 is fixed directly to it. In this case, the down end of the framework 10 can be adapted as to its stiffness and material such that it can be fixed to the golf bag using for instance press studs, straps, screws, self adhesives, gluing, or by joining together the profiles in the golf bag and the framework.

[0032] The rain cover according to the invention has been adapted to protect the ciub blades and the down parts of the shafts also against damage when transporting the bag.

[0033] The material of the rain cover 100 according to the invention can also be plastic, car- bon fiber, fiberglass, metal, glass, chemical pulp, micro chemical pulp, or any other suitable raw-material and the wall thicknesses can be adapted according to the ma- terial in use. As an example it can be mentioned that when the rain cover 100 has been made of nylon the wall thickness of for example 3 mm is pretty suitable.

[0034] It should be noted that even though this description sticks to one type for the inven- tion favorable realization example this does not in any way want to limit the use of the invention only for this type of example but instead many variations are possible as defined in the invention idea in the claims.

Claims

Claims1. Golf bag rain cover (100) that consists of at least a framework (10) and an open- ing upper part (20) connected to it and a joint (50) between them characterized thereof that: a. the mentioned upper part consists of at least two lids (20a, 20b) that have been connected to the framework (10) with their common joint (50), b. the mentioned lids have been adapted to cover the framework upper end opening (14) altogether and to open by rotating them in relation to the joint (50) upon each other favorably to the side of either closest to side lid in order to open the opening in the upper part (20).

2. The golf bag rain cover (100) according to the claim 1 characterized thereof that it consists of the adapter (30) to be adapted between the golf bag and the framework (10).

3. The golf bag rain cover (100) according to the claim 1 characterized thereof that the down end of the framework (10) has been adapted to be joined to the golf bag without separate adapter.

4. The golf bag rain cover (100) according to the ciaim 1 or 2 characterized thereof that the framework (10) can be fixed to the adapter (30) with the help of the compatible shapes of it and the adapter and / or using separate fixing organs.

5. The golf bag rain cover (100) according to some of the claims 1-4 characterized thereof that the hem (31) of the adapter (30) or the down end of the framework (10) has been adapted of its stiffness or material such that it can be fixed to the golf bag using press studs, straps, screws, self adhesives, gluing, or joining the profiles in them.

6. The golf bag rain cover (100) according to some of the claims 1-5 characterized thereof that it consists 3- 10 lids (20a- 20x).

7. The golf bag rain cover (100) according to some of the claims 1-6 characterized thereof that there is an operational space (v) between the overlapping lids (20a / 20b, 20b / 20c etc.).

8. The golf bag rain cover (100) according to some of the claims 1-7 characterized thereof that the framework (10) and the lids (20a- 20x) have been joined in thejoint (50) using their joint organ (22a- 22x, 16) compatible profile surfaces and / or fixing organs, like bolt-nut combinations or hole-bolt combinations.

9. The golf bag rain cover (100) according to some of the claims 1-6 characterized thereof that the framework (10), one or more lids (20a- 20x) and / or the adapter (30) have been composed of parts that can be joined together.

10. The golf bag rain cover (100) according to the claim 9 characterized thereof that the joints between the framework (10) the lids (20a- 20x) and / or the adapter (30) have been made using quick clamping.

11. The golf bag rain cover (100) according to some of the claims 1-10 characterized thereof that the joints between the adapter (30) and the framework (10) and / or the mentioned framework and the lids (20a- 20x) have been realized using quick clamping without separate fixing organs or using them.

12. The golf bag rain cover (100) according to some of the claims 1-11 characterized thereof that its material is plastic, carbon fiber, fiberglass, metai, wood fiber, micro chemical pulp, glass, or more than one of these.

13. The golf bag rain cover according to some of the claims 1, 2, 4-12 characterized thereof that the joining of the framework (10) to the adapter (30) has been made so that the center axis (A) of the joint (50) can be set to any angle (9) in re- lation to the middle level (L). 14, The golf bag rain cover (100) according to some of the claims 1-13 characterized thereof that lids (20a- 20x) have been adapted to create space above the framework (10) for the blades and the shaft down parts of the golf clubs to pro- tect them against rain and damage.

15. The golf bag rain cover (100) according to some of the claims 1-14 characterized thereof that the width of the framework opening (14) angle (α) around the joint(50) is 180’ or wider.

16. The golf bag rain cover (100) according to some of the claims 1-15 characterized thereof that a seal has been adapted at least between one overlapping lid pair and / or between either closest to side lid (20a, 20x) and the framework (10) there has been adapted a seal.

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