GB2130102A

GB2130102A - Golf bag

Info

Publication number: GB2130102A
Application number: GB08225064A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philip John Iline
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-09-02
Filing date: 1982-09-02
Publication date: 1984-05-31
Also published as: GB2130102B

Abstract

A golf bag divider (1) comprises a plurality of members (3), each having a plurality of relatively short through passages or compartments, the members being held with the passages or compartments in alignment so as to define a plurality of relatively long passages or compartments, each for receiving the shaft of a respective golf club. The members are preferably mounted on a shaft (12). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Golf bags The present invention relates to golf bags, and in particular to a divider for a golf bag.

It is generally considered undesirable by golf players that golf clubs be loosely held unseparated in a golf bag. For example, golf clubs loosely held unseparated in a golf bag tend to move around and jostle against each other when the bag is carried or wheeled. The clubs may thereby become damaged and the clubs present an untidy appearance. Also the shafts of the clubs become non-parallel and hence hinder withdrawal of a selected club from the bag due to friction between the shaft of the club being withdrawn and the shafts of the other clubs and make insertion of a club into the bag difficult due to the shafts of the clubs already in the bag obstructing the shaft of the club being inserted. Furthermore, it is considered more aestheticaliy satisfying to have the clubs held neatly within the bag.

With a view to overcoming the abovementioned disadvantages, it is known to provide within a golf bag, at or adjacent the opening or the top of the bag, a honeycomb or grid-like divider to hold the portions of the club shafts adjacent the club heads (the clubs being of course inverted when in the bag) spaced apart. However, this does not prevent the lower ends of the club shafts, which are not restrained against horizontal movement, moving around and the club shafts becoming non-parallel, with consequent difficulty in inserting the clubs into the bag and withdrawing them from the bag.

It is also known to provide a plurality of tubes in a golf bag, each tube being for receiving the shaft of a respective golf club, so as to keep the club shafts separated from each other. However, the tubes which are made of plastic, are liable to break or split especially if, as is usually the case, the golf bag is not fully rigid and its top and bottom can twist somewhat relative to each other.

The present invention aims to provide improved means for holding golf clubs in a bag separated from each other.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a divider for a golf bag, comprising a plurality of members, each having a plurality of relatively short through passages, the members being held with the passages of all members in alignment so as to define a plurality of relatively long passages or compartments each for receiving the shaft of a respective golf club.

Preferably said members are formed of plastics material by injection moulding.

The members may be provided with locating means so that each member is locked against angular rotation relative to the adjacent member or members.

The members are conveniently positioned on a common shaft which extends through them.

The number of passages in each member (and hence the number of compartments in the assembled divider) is preferably at least equal to the number of clubs a golf player would normally require. E.g. at least six passages, more preferably at least eight passages, are provided in each member.

The divider according to the invention preferably is a rigid structure. A golf bag incorporating the divider may comprise an outer covering held in the desired shape by means of the divider. The outer covering may be of lightweight material and the strength and rigidity of the bag may be derived wholly or to a large extent from the strength and rigidity of the divider.

The invention is further described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of a member for a divider according to the invention, a golf club also being indicated; Figure 2 is a side view of the member shown in Figure 1, part of a shaft and a washer also being shown; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the divider; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of a golf bag incorporating the divider.

Referring to the drawings, a divider 1 for a golf bag 2 comprises a plurality of like members 3 (Figure 3 and 4).

Each member 3 is made by injection moulding of plastics material and comprises an outer circular wall 4, an inner circular wall 5, a central hub portion 6 and radial walls 8 interconnecting the inner circular wall 5 and the hub portion 6.

These walls 4, 5, 7 and 8 and the hub portion 6 define a plurality of through passages 9. Pairs of locating pins 10 are moulded on the underside of the member 3. A bore 11 extends through the hub portion 6.

To assemble the divider 1, the members 3 are stacked one on top of another as shown in Figure 3, with the passages 9 of the members in alignment. The pairs of locating pins of each member 3, except the lowermost member, engage on opposite sides of one of the walls 7 or 8 of the next adjacent iower member, to hold the members against relative rotation.

A metal rod 12 is inserted through the aligned bores 11 of the hub portions 6 and "Starlok" washers 13 or the like are fitted onto each end of the rod 11 and slid along the rod to press tightly against the top and bottom members 3 and hold all the members 3 stacked together. Each washer 12 has radially inwardly directed resilient tongues which engage on the rod 11 and cause the washer to grip the rod making it possible to slide the washer onto the rod but difficult to slide the washer off the rod. Such washers are well known in the mechanical engineering art.

The passages 9 of the individual members are held in alignment as described above and thus longer passages, hereinafter referred to as "compartments" are formed extending the length of the divider 1. Each such compartment is of a cross sectional size and shape such as to be able to loosely accommodate the shaft, including the grip, of a golf club. Figure 1 shows the shaft of a golf club at its widest point, i.e. at the grip 14, in one such compartment.

The divider 1 may be slid into an already made golf bag. Alternatively the divider may be covered with a suitable fabric or other sheet material to form a golf bag, such as shown in Figure 4. The divider makes the golf bag strong, rigid and robust.

Each compartment in the divider 1 can accommodate the shaft of a golf club and the shaft is prevented from jostling against the shaft of other clubs in the divider. A selected club can easily be withdrawn from the divider or reinserted into an empty compartment in the divider without any friction with or obstruction by other clubs in the divider.

It will be appreciated that it would be impractical, if only for reasons of cost, to make the divider as a one-piece extrusion or as a single injection moulding.

The divider 1 as shown comprises ten members 3 and fourteen compartments are defined along its length, enabling up to fourteen clubs to be accommodated therein.

Claims

1. A divider for a golf bag comprising a plurality of members, each having a plurality of relatively short through passages or compartments, the members being held with the passages or compartments of all members in alignment so as to define a plurality of relatively long passages or compartments, each for receiving the shaft of a respective golf club.

2. A divider according to claim 1, wherein said members are formed of plastics material by injection moulding.

3. A divider according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each said member is locked against angular rotation relative to the adjacent member or members.

4. A divider according to any preceding claim, wherein means acting on opposite ends of the divider holds the members held together.

5. A divider according to any preceding claim, having at least six of said relatively long passages or compartments.

6. A divider according to claim 5, having at least eight of said relatively long passages or compartments.

7. A divider according to any preceding claim, wherein the members are positioned on a common shaft which extends through them.

8. A divider for a golf bag substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A golf bag comprising an outer covering and, within the covering, a divider according to any preceding claim.

10. A golf bag comprising an outer covering and, within the covering, a plurality of members, each having a plurality of relatively short through passages or compartments, the members being held with the passages or compartments of all members in alignment so as to define a plurality of relatively long passages or compartments, each for receiving the shaft of a respective golf club, and including means acting on opposite ends of the divider to hold the members together.

10. A golf bag comprising an outer covering and, within the covering, each having a plurality of relatively short through passages or compartments, the members being held with the passages or compartments of all members in alignment so as to define a plurality of relatively long passages or compartments, each for receiving means acting on opposite ends of the divider to hold the members together.

11. A golf bag substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 30 Nov. 1983.

Superseded claims: 10.

New or amended claims