Purses – wallets – and protective covers – Protective cover made of flaccid material – For a golf cart or bag
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-23
2001-08-14
Shoap, Allan N. (Department: 3727)
Purses, wallets, and protective covers
Protective cover made of flaccid material
For a golf cart or bag
C206S315300, C206S315400, C224S601000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273158
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the sport of golf, and more particularly to a protective cover for a golf bag.
DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART
A typical golf bag
10
having an open top
12
to allow insertion and removal of golf clubs
13
is shown in FIG.
1
. The golf bag
10
has a shoulder strap
14
that is used by a golfer or a golfer's caddy to carry the golf bag containing the golfer's clubs during a round of golf. In typical golf bags, the shoulder strap is attached to the bag using a four point system that provides connection of the shoulder strap to the bag at two upper locations, using two upper strap segments
16
and
18
, and at two lower locations, using two lower strap segments
20
and
22
. In other golf bags that use a four point system for the shoulder strap, the strap is comprised of two straps that extend from the top of the bag to the bottom of the bag to enable a golder to carry the bag using both shoulders. The straps may be independent of each other or be connected together in some manner. In some prior art golf bags the two lower strap segments connect to a common point on the bag.
Because of the popularity of golf and the difficulty in getting tee times, it is not unusual for a golfer to continue or to begin golfing in inclement weather. The typical golf bag
10
does not have a protective cover over the open top
12
, and golf clubs and other contents of the golf bag may get wet when it rains during a round of golf. There are prior art devices that are intended to cover the open top of a golf bag. One such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,704,563 to Henrich. The device disclosed by Henrich has several drawbacks when used with the golf bag
10
. First, it is not suitable for use with a golf bag having a four point shoulder strap, and second, it does not allow removal of golf clubs from the bag without removing the entire cover.
Another prior art device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,950 to Cordasco. The device disclosed by Cordasco also has several drawbacks. First, the golf bag cover disclosed by Cordasco is intended to cover an entire golf bag, and is therefore relatively large. Because of its large size, it cannot be stowed easily in the golf bag to be readily accessible when needed. Second, the golf bag cover disclosed by Cordasco is not suitable for use with a golf bag having a four point shoulder strap.
It is desirable to provide a golf bag cover that overcomes the drawbacks of prior art devices discussed above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention overcome the drawbacks of the prior art golf bag covers described above by providing a cover for the top of a golf bag that is adapted for use with a four point shoulder strap.
A first aspect of the present invention is directed to a cover for a golf bag having a strap with strap sections that attach to the golf bag at two attachment points near a top opening of the golf bag. The cover includes a housing having a top opening and a bottom opening, the bottom opening being constructed and arranged for mating with a top portion of the golf bag. The cover further includes a top section covering the top opening of the housing, and an attaching mechanism, mounted on the housing, that is constructed and arranged to secure the cover around the strap sections of the golf bag.
In one version of the first aspect of the invention, the attaching mechanism includes a first strap having a first end coupled to the housing and having a second end that extends between the strap sections of the golf bag, and a second strap having a first attachment point to couple the second strap to the housing and a second attachment point that is constructed and arranged to couple to the second end of the first strap.
In another version of the first aspect, the second strap has a third attachment point to couple the second strap to a position on the housing different than that for the first attachment point.
In yet another version of the first aspect, the housing includes two U-shaped notches proximate the bottom opening to allow the cover to be placed over the strap sections.
In still another version, the top section is coupled to the housing to form a waterproof seam.
In yet another version, the top section includes a flap that is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the open position, an opening is formed in the top section to enable a golf club to be removed from the golf bag when the cover is placed on the golf bag, and wherein in the closed position, the flap forms a seal over the opening.
A second aspect of the present invention is directed to a cover for a golf bag having a strap with strap sections that attach to the golf bag at two attachment points near a top opening of the golf bag. The cover includes a housing having a top opening and a bottom opening, the bottom opening being constructed and arranged for mating with a top portion of the golf bag. The cover further includes a top section covering the top opening of the housing, and means for securing the cover around the strap section of the golf bag.
In one version of the second aspect, the cover further includes means for opening a portion of the cover to allow a golf club to be removed from the golf bag when the cover is installed on the golf bag.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1119508 (1914-12-01), Headley
patent: 1570510 (1926-01-01), McQuirk
patent: 1795880 (1931-03-01), Mullins
patent: 2256521 (1941-09-01), Kirkpatrick et al.
patent: 2627996 (1953-02-01), Dorner
patent: 2704563 (1955-03-01), Henrich
patent: 2718251 (1955-09-01), Barbato
patent: 2780399 (1957-02-01), Long
patent: 3059681 (1962-10-01), Lorbeski
patent: 3288189 (1966-11-01), Davis
patent: 3316951 (1967-05-01), Jacobson
patent: 3530919 (1970-09-01), May
patent: 4453632 (1984-06-01), Clower
patent: 4674787 (1987-06-01), DeVera
patent: 4796752 (1989-01-01), Reimers
patent: 4953768 (1990-09-01), Muse
patent: 5005623 (1991-04-01), Webster, Jr.
patent: 5092506 (1992-03-01), Bolduc
patent: 5131442 (1992-07-01), Bevier
patent: 5220950 (1993-06-01), Cordasco
patent: 5383505 (1995-01-01), Cordasco, Jr.
patent: 5439153 (1995-08-01), Murdoch et al.
patent: 5769219 (1998-06-01), Shimel
patent: 5904195 (1999-05-01), Doig
patent: 5904247 (1999-05-01), Voelkner, Jr.
Mai Tri M.
Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo P.C.
Shoap Allan N.
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