Special receptacle or package – Miscellaneous
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-28
2001-03-20
Weaver, Sue A. (Department: 3727)
Special receptacle or package
Miscellaneous
C206S315400, C150S159000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202850
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for use in playing the game of golf, and more particularly, a cover device mounted on and about the open end of a golf bag to protect the clubs from inclement weather and the like.
2. Prior Art
The prior art describes various devices for mounting on a golf bag to protect the clubs stored in the bag. However, for a cover device to be useful to a golfer, the cover must protect the clubs regardless of the weather while enabling the golfer to readily access the clubs many times during a game. The cover must be easy to mount on and remove from the golf bag, and must provide ready access to the clubs for making a shot and then allow the golfer to replace the club back in the bag.
Representative golf bag covers that serve this purpose are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,648 to Sessler, U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,259 to Treadway and U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,642 to Tuntland, which show various flexible covers that are secured about the opening leading into a golf bag to protect the clubs. The flexible covers have an open flap portion which is not secured to the golf bag and provides for access to the clubs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,133 to Whitlow, U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,164 to Pilney et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,548 to Howard, III et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,623 to Webster, Jr. all relate to golf bag covers having a tubular sleeve secured to the perimeter of the open end of a golf bag. The sleeve is allowed to drape over the side of the golf bag with the opposite open end providing access to the clubs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,442 to Bevier relates to a golf bag cover of flexible material having a flap edge spaced from the open end of the golf bag. In use, the edge is raised to remove a club from the bag. U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,937 to Delauder and U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,730 to Suberbielle relate to rigid golf bag covers pivotally secured to the golf bag. The covers are pivoted from a closed position into an open position to access the clubs.
The drawback with the various prior art golf bag covers is that none of them enable a golfer to reach into the golf bag without touching the palm of his hand to the cover device. During rainy weather this can cause a golfer to get water on his hand which is detrimental to a firm grip on the golf club. In that respect, the present cover device is an improvement over the prior art. With the present cover device, the golfer reaches under an open edge of the cover, up and into the bag to grab a club without touching the cover device with the palm of the golf glove. This prevents the palm of the golf glove from getting wet during inclement weather. A cover that does not provide access to the clubs without getting the golfer's palm wet defeats the purpose of the cover to begin with, which is to keep club grips dry. A dry palm gripping a dry club grip insures that the club will not slip in the golfer's hand during a shot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a golf bag cover device which is secured over and about the upper opening leading into a golf bag. The cover device comprises three ribs that support a canvas or plastic cover. One of the ribs is pivotably connected to a base mounted on a rim of the bag surrounding the upper opening and extends beyond the perimeter of the upper opening. To access the clubs, the golfer reaches under this rib, which pivots upwardly as the golfer continues to extend his hand into the bag to grab a club. As the golfer reaches into the bag, only the back of his hand contacts the pivoting rib which moves up toward a second rib that in turn pivots up toward a stationary third rib. The golfer is now able to easily grab a club and remove the club from the golf bag to make a shot. When it is raining, the present golf bag cover device enables the golfer to reach and select a golf club without getting the palm of his hand wet.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following description and to the appended drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 8222 (1851-07-01), Hibbard
patent: 208564 (1878-10-01), Bowers
patent: 2509195 (1950-05-01), Barron
patent: 2907364 (1959-10-01), Trenery
patent: 3059681 (1962-10-01), Lorbeski
patent: 3460597 (1969-08-01), Day
patent: 3913648 (1975-10-01), Sessler
patent: 4200133 (1980-04-01), Whitlow
patent: 4442937 (1984-04-01), Delauder
patent: 4453632 (1984-06-01), Clower
patent: 4699164 (1987-10-01), Pilney et al.
patent: 4788996 (1988-12-01), Forshee
patent: 4979548 (1990-12-01), Howard, III et al.
patent: 5005623 (1991-04-01), Webster, Jr.
patent: 5024259 (1991-06-01), Treadway
patent: 5050730 (1991-09-01), Suberbielle
patent: 5058642 (1991-10-01), Tuntland
patent: 5131442 (1992-07-01), Bevier
patent: 5819829 (1998-10-01), Matthews
patent: 2452 (1911-09-01), None
patent: 2103938 (1983-03-01), None
Hodgson Russ Andrews Woods & Goodyear LLP
Mini Club Protector, Inc.
Weaver Sue A.
LandOfFree
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