Land vehicles – Wheeled – Extensible
Reexamination Certificate
1997-02-21
2001-02-13
Mar, Michael (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Extensible
C280S646000, C280S047260, C280SDIG006
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186522
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to carriers for golf clubs. More particularly, this invention pertains to a combination golf club carrier/cart transportable by plane, car, common carrier and the like.
The conventional golf bag is formed of a flexible fabric, leather, or plastic sheet. The bag is unsuitable for the safe shipment of golf clubs by airplane, bus, truck, automobile or other carrier because the clubs are not adequately protected and the bag itself is prone to puncture, tearing or other damage. In addition, the typical golf bag has a non-orthorhombic shape, making it difficult to stack in a baggage compartment or automobile trunk.
The numbers and sizes of golf club heads are critical factors in determining the width and depth dimensions of a golf club container. Golfers prefer to have sufficient separation of club heads during play to enable a quick grasping and removal of a club from the container. For shipping golf clubs, however, a container of minimum size is desirable. Thus, there are two conflicting ends in view which have not been satisfactorily addressed in the prior art. Most golf club containers are excessively large and heavy, contain much wasted space, and have complex shapes with many projections.
In addition, the protection of golf clubs during shipment requires careful consideration. Damage to clubs (as well as the bag) may occur during shipment because of heavy or sharp objects which puncture or crush the bag. In addition, when the clubs rub against hard materials, lengthy periods of vibration result in frictional damage to the clubs, and more particularly, to the heads of the “woods”, and to club grips and shafts. Club heads and shafts formed of graphite are particularly susceptible to such visual and structural damage.
The above indicated problems encountered in travelling with golf clubs are well known. Even the nearest golf course requires automobile travel for nearly all golfers, and many people travel long distances by airplane for the purpose of golfing.
Several forms of golf club containers and bag covers are shown in the prior art having as an end the easing of problems associated with the transportation of golf clubs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,299 of Clark et al. discloses a wheeled golf bag with corrugated club separators. The wheels and a handle may be partially retracted into depressions in the sides of the bag; about one-half of each wheel projects from the bag. The bag has a complex non-orthorhombic shape.
A major problem with the known varieties of combination bag/cart/container is the lack of sufficient spacing between the wheels for convenient traversal of the hillsides, dips, bumps and uneven ground typical of golf courses. Narrowly spaced wheels result in instability and necessitate careful maneuvering to prevent the apparatus from tipping sideways. Widely-spaced wheels are required for stability. The incorporation of widely spaced wheels which completely collapse into the outline of a shippable club container is an unsolved problem to date.
In addition, some forms of combination containers have rollers, wheels or balls which may operate on hard flat surfaces but not on the fairways of golf courses.
Despite all of the golf bag/cart developments whose end is protection during transportation and improvement in use, the standard approach taken by the present day traveling golfer is the use of a fabric bag with an enclosing cover for club shipment, and subsequent use of a rental cart at the golf course and to which the bag is strapped. The clubs are often poorly protected in transit, the bag with shipping cover is large and bulky, and the cover requires separate storage during play.
The need exists for a traveling golf club carrier which combines in a single unit the features of a golf bag, a cart with a wide wheel carriage, and a highly protective, easily transported shipping container.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of this invention is to provide a golf club container with integral spaced-apart retractable wheels for convenient use in carrying a full complement of clubs for playing golf, eliminating the need for a separate golf bag and cart.
Another object of the invention is to provide a golf club container which immovably confines each club therewithin for transportation to and from the golf course or in long-distance commercial shipping.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a personal bag and cart combination which avoids the necessity for transporting a separate cart to the golf course, and also avoids the on-site rental of a golf cart.
A further object of the invention is to provide a golf club container which has uniform orthorhombic dimensions so that it may be stacked for efficient shipping by airplane, truck, train or other cartage means in a minimal space.
Another object of the invention is to provide a lightweight golf club container which may be conveniently hand carried.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a golf club container which carries a full complement of clubs in a minimum of space.
A further object of the invention is to provide a self-contained golf club container and integral cart which does not require an additional protective covering to withstand rough handling while carried in the luggage compartment of an automobile, airplane, train or other vehicle.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a combination golf club bag-cart which is quickly and easily convertible between the playing mode and transport mode.
The invention is a unitary golf club bag and cart so configured that it may travel by commercial transport or be carried in a car trunk, for example, without requiring encasement in an additional protective case. The combination club carrier/cart has an orthorhombic “envelope” in which all of the components may be enclosed for shipping. The uniform shape enables stacking of multiple units or combined stacking with other cargo. The exterior shell is formed of a tough material with a high impact strength, for protection of the golf clubs. When in the closed shipping or storage configuration, the club heads are protected against contact with hard surfaces or each other, preventing damage from vibratory or impact movements. Each club shaft is maintained in a defined location to prevent movement relative to the carrier. In the shipping/storage configuration, the unitary carrier/cart/container has no external projections beyond the orthorhombic outline of the exterior shell.
The apparatus includes a pair of wheels, each of which is mounted on a carriage which pivots about a transverse axle. Each wheel and the carriage extend forwardly and laterally to produce widely separated wheels for operating stability. The articulated wheels and carriage retract into the rigid or semi-rigid outer shell. A projecting cart handle is also retractable into the shell. A removable hinged cover with internal padding protects the club heads during shipment. In the retracted mode, the shell acts as a shipping case to protect the clubs from damage. The club handles fit into an array of elongate tubes which converge downwardly and inwardly between the retracted wheels. One or more transverse bulkheads within the shell surround portions of the tubes and retain the golf club handle tubes in the desired position. The combined bulkhead(s) and tubes form a strong interior body which resists crushing and distortion, thus reinforcing the golf club carrier. In a preferred embodiment, the case is formed of a strong molded plastic material and the bulkhead is formed of a lightweight foamed or reticulated plastic material. The case, bulkheads, wheels and carriage are joined with a minimum of fasteners to form a strong rigid or semirigid assembly which may withstand high impact forces.
Various features, embodiments and advantages of the invention will be readily understood by a reading of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying figures of the drawings wherein like reference numerals have been applied to designate like elements throughou
Mar Michael
Moore & Hansen
LandOfFree
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