Special receptacle or package – For a sport implement – exercise device – or game – For a golf club
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-28
2001-11-06
Shoap, Allan N. (Department: 3727)
Special receptacle or package
For a sport implement, exercise device, or game
For a golf club
C248S096000, C248S166000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311836
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to golf bags with stands. More particularly, it relates to a golf carry bag with a stand having a reduced gap between the bag body and the actuating lever.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In typical golf carry bags with stands, an actuating lever for the legs of the stand is spaced apart from the sidewall of the bag body, protruding beyond the stand legs from the sidewall. Due to such construction, the typical golf bag often cannot be stably held on a golf cart. The conventional actuating lever also enlarges the volume of the golf bag and stand structure. Consequently, it is more difficult for a golfer to carry the bag. Another problem of such typical golf bag stand structures is that dirt may easily become lodged between the actuating lever and the bag body and/or the stand legs, thus preventing the actuating lever from operating smoothly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the invention is to provide a golf bag with a stand that effectively reduces the gap between the bag body and the actuating lever for the stand. This reduces the volume of the golf bag and reduces lodging of dirt in the gap so as to allow the lever to be smoothly operated. The present invention has a simple construction, thereby reducing the production cost of the golf bag. It also allows the golf bag to be stably held on a golf cart during use on a golf course.
This invention has several features, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of this invention as expressed by the claims that follow, its more prominent features will now be discussed briefly. Features of this invention include lower total volume, elimination or reduction of the gap between the bag body and actuating lever, and ease of control of the tension applied to causing the legs to retract.
A first feature of the golf bag and stand of this invention is a bag body having an upper portion, a bottom, and a side. A pair of legs, each leg each having a top end with a hinge hole therein, are hinged at the top ends to the upper portion of the bag body. The legs are moved manually between retracted and extended positions by an actuating lever upon tilting of the bag while its bottom rests on a support surface.
A second feature is the actuating lever that controls the operation of the legs. This lever has a pair of upper ends and a lower end. Each upper end is hinged to the hinge holes in the legs. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the actuating lever includes a U-shaped spring with its center section encased in a tensioning member and its upper ends having a pair of diverging upper arms. The upper arms terminate in terminal ends, each being inserted into one of the hinge holes. Each diverging arm diagonally passes behind one of the top ends of each leg and is fitted into the hinge holes of the legs from the outside to the inside.
A third feature is that the U-shaped spring of the actuating lever is made of wire. It is formed by bending a wire into a U-shaped configuration, with opposite ends of the wire forming the diverging arms and a bent portion forming a holding loop at a lower end. The central section forms an intermediate stem portion between the two arms and the holding loop, encased in a sleeve, tube, or rings to tension the spring part. The tube, etc., may be fixed or moveable along the central section. If moveable, the tube, etc., may be moved manually in opposite directions to control selectively the tension on the legs. In one embodiment, the longitudinally moveable member is a binding ring, and in another it is a tubular member. Preferably, in the one embodiment, there are a plurality of the binding rings, the uppermost one being longitudinally movable along the center section of the U-shaped spring in opposite directions, thus selectively controlling the tension on the legs.
A fourth feature is that a base at the bottom of the bag body has a vertical cutout section that cooperates with the lower end of the actuating lever through a loop holding lever that moves within the cutout section. This cutout enables a substantial portion of the actuating lever to be kept in contact with, or close to, the side of the bag body for operation of the lever. The cutout section of the base has a height of larger dimension than its depth, and the depth ranges preferably from about 0.17 to about 0.25 times a major axis (or length) of the base, and the height ranges from about 1.1 to about 1.5 times the depth of the cutout.
A fifth feature is that, in one embodiment, the actuating lever passes into the bag body through an insert hole in the side of the bag body, passing through the bag body and, through a guide hole in the base, into the cutout section of the base. The guide hole is formed in the base, thus maintaining the position of the actuating lever relative to the bag body. When passing into and through the bag body, the stem portion is in contact with, or close to. the inside surface of the side of the bag.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4798357 (1989-01-01), Cho
patent: 5147089 (1992-09-01), Anderson
patent: 5507384 (1996-04-01), Maeng
patent: 5678791 (1997-10-01), Maeng
patent: 5762189 (1998-06-01), Reimers
patent: 5799786 (1998-09-01), Beck et al.
patent: 5816399 (1998-10-01), Rhee
patent: 5857567 (1999-01-01), Cheng
patent: 6010101 (2000-01-01), Stein et al.
Chapman and Cutler
Mai Tri M.
Shoap Allan N.
LandOfFree
Golf bag with stand does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Golf bag with stand, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Golf bag with stand will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2606269