Golf Bag with Pivoting Platform Assembly

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/651,173, filed May 23, 2024, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/711,942, filed Oct. 25, 2024, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.

The present disclosure relates generally to golf equipment, and particularly, to golf bag and methods of manufacturing golf bags.

Golf bags hold and transport golf clubs and related equipment. Carry bags are designed to be manually carried as the player traverses the course on foot and include straps and a deployable leg assembly which allows the bag to stand in an upright, self-supporting position. This allows easy access to the golf clubs within and ensures the bag remains upright when not being carried. In many carry bags, when the legs are deployed, the body of the carry bag bends so that the support base remains stationary on the ground while the top of the bag tilts. The distance between the top of the carry bag is shortened only on the side nearest the legs, causing the contents, including golf clubs, to shift toward the leg assembly side of the bag. This shift reduces cross-sectional area and, as a result, available volume for the club grips to reside. This leads to uneven heights of the club heads because the distance from the grip to the top is varied, and further encourages all of the grips to slide to the side nearest the legs, leading to club tangle.

Other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. The same reference numerals in different figures denote the same elements.

The golf bag described herein comprises features that alleviate club tangle by retaining available volume, particularly in the region where the grips are housed. The golf bag includes a pivoting support base and full-length divider sleeves. The pivoting support base comprises a dual-angled platform that hinges to rotate relative to a pivot axis extending through the bag.

Described herein is a golf bag with a deployable stand assembly, platform, and full-length divider sleeve that reduces interaction between grips and completely mitigates golf club grips from with one another, making it difficult to pull out a particular club. Because multiple golf clubs are often placed in a head-up position together in a single golf bag, the golf clubs can get in each other's way. Club tangle is typically caused by movement of the club grips and reduction of available volume, forcing the golf clubs to be closer together. When clubs are tangled, it becomes hard to remove a single golf club without either facing resistance or pulling a second club out.

Deployment and retraction of the stand assembly can be a major cause of club tangle in golf bags lacking features for alleviating club tangle. Without said features, a golf bag with a ground-flush support base design can partially collapse inward when the legs are deployed. Furthermore, the angle at which the flat is tilted causes the divider sleeve, and the clubs within, to shift toward one side of the bag interior. The features described herein for alleviating club tangle can prevent the divider sleeve from shifting towards the leg assembly side of the bag in the manner described above.

The pivoting platform and full-length divider sleeve described herein can be used in combination with the anti-tangle features described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/502,014, which is incorporated by reference herein. The anti-tangle features includes crush zone fabric configurations that prevent inward collapse, raised support base ring, support base dividing ribs, reinforced divider sleeve, and rain hood pocket panel.

The term “golf bag,” as used herein, refers to a storage container for transporting golf clubs. The golf bag can comprise at least a flat, a divider top, and a support base

The term “carry bag,” as used herein, refers to a type of golf bag that is designed to be carried throughout a golf round. Carry bags can comprise straps and a stand assembly, defined below. The stand assembly allows the carry bag to stand in an upright, self-supporting position.

The term “cart bag,” as used herein, refers to a type of golf bag that is designed to be placed on a golf cart during a golf round. Cart bags are typically heavier than carry bags and are configured to remain strapped to a golf cart during a round of golf. Cart bags do not include stand assemblies.

The term “upright configuration,” as used herein, refers to a position of the golf bag where the majority of the golf bag is sitting vertically above the support base, and the stand assembly of the golf bag is retracted. The golf bag upright configuration can also be called a legs-retracted, undeployed, or unsupported configuration or position. In the upright configuration, the two legs of the stand assembly can be retracted and flush with the flat.

The term “deployed configuration,” as used herein, refers to a position of the golf bag where the golf bag is angled and supported by the stand assembly. In the deployed configuration, the majority of the golf bag does not sit vertically above the support base. The golf bag deployed configuration can also be called a stabilized, inclined, self-supporting, or legs-extended configuration or position. In the deployed configuration, the two legs of the stand assembly can be extended away from the flat.

The term “tubular body,” as used herein, refers to a general assembly of the golf bag, including at least a flat, a divider sleeve, a stay, a divider top, and a support base, but not including the stand assembly, defined below. The tubular body can be capped or enclosed at a bottom end by the support base.

The term “stay,” as used herein, refers to a structural rod, rigid or semi-rigid, that serves as a backbone for the golf bag. The stay connects to the support base and the divider top via hinges. The stay can be an internal component, hidden by the flat in an assembled bag.

The term “flat,” as used herein, refers to a fabric outer, shell, or skin that is configured to form a body of the golf bag. The flat can comprise a crush zone.

The term “crush zone,” as used herein, refers to the portion of the flat configured to collapse when the golf bag moves into the deployed configuration.

The term “pocket,” as used herein in relation to the flat, can refer to an apparel pocket, a side accessory pocket, ball pocket, a magnetic pocket, a glove pocket, a shoe pocket, and/or other pockets for holding items. A pocket of the flat can be formed from the same material as the flat, and can optionally comprise one or more panels for structural rigidity.

The term “divider top,” as used herein, refers to a rigid or semi-rigid structural component that forms a top and a mouth of the golf bag. The divider top can be configured to receive golf clubs. The divider top can also be configured to secure or be riveted to a top edge of the flat.

The term “divider top outer ring,” as used herein, refers to an outermost or peripheral portion of the divider top that surrounds a frame, defined below.

The term “frame,” as used herein in relation to the divider top, refers to a central structure of the divider top. The frame defines club pockets, as defined below.

The term “club pocket,” as used herein, refers to divider top structural openings, apertures, or holes defined by the construction of the divider top frame. Club pockets can facilitate entry of the clubs into the golf bag, while also separating, or partially separating, the clubs from one another.

The term “leg connection bracket,” as used herein, refers to a component that is integral or attached to the divider top and configured to rotationally secure a pair of legs, defined below. The bracket can receive a pair of leg end caps that hold the pair of legs. The term “leg connection bracket” can be shortened to “bracket.”

The term “handle,” as used herein, refers to a component that can be grasped and used to lift the golf bag.

The term “support base,” as used herein, refers to a rigid or semi-rigid structural component that forms an enclosed bottom of the golf bag. The support base can be configured to support the grips of the stored golf clubs when the golf bag is in an upright position. The support base can also be configured to secure or be riveted to a bottom edge of the flat.

The term “main panel,” as used herein with reference to the support base, refers to a portion of the support base that lies flush against the ground when the golf bag is in the upright configuration.

The term “support base ring,” as used herein, refers to a component in connection with the support base, extending perpendicularly from the support base main panel.

The term “ring wall,” as used herein with reference to the support base, refers to an outermost or peripheral portion of the support base that surrounds or connects to the edge of the main panel.

The term “support base inner surface” as used herein, refers to the surface of the support base facing the hollow interior of the bag.

The term “support base outer surface” as used herein, refers to the surface of the support base facing the exterior of the bag.

The term “regions,” as used herein, refers to allotted areas of the support base main panel. In some embodiments, the regions may correspond with the divisions of the divider top.

The term “dividing ribs,” as used herein in reference to the support base, refers to the components protruding from the support base main panel that define the regions along the support base main panel.

The term “stand assembly,” as used herein, refers to a deployable apparatus for supporting the golf bag. The stand assembly can comprise a pair of legs, a spring, a pair of leg end caps, and a pair of spring attachment joints.

The term “leg,” as used herein, refers to a rod, shaft, or tube that acts as a support element for the golf bag. A pair of legs can prop up the carry bag when it is in the deployed configuration.

The term “spring,” as used herein, refers to one or more thin rods with a tendency to retain its original shape. In some embodiments, the spring can comprise two thin rods that are bonded or bound together at one end. In other embodiments, the spring can be one unitary element at a first end that splits into two rods at a second end (i.e. taking on a Y-shape).

The term “leg end cap,” as used herein, refers to components that can connect a leg to a bracket of the top divider. Each leg end cap can fit over a top end of a leg.

The term “spring attachment joint,” as used herein, refers to a component that can connect the spring to the pair of legs.

The term “straps,” as used herein, refers to fabric or mesh components that allow a golfer to lift the golf bag. The straps can be configured to be placed over a golfer's shoulders.

The term “divider sleeve,” as used herein, refers to fabric sheets or a fabric tube that extends inside the flat from the divider top towards the support base. The divider sleeve can be configured to assist in separating the golf clubs. In embodiments with a tubular divider sleeve, the divider sleeve can correspond to one or more club pockets of the divider top.

The term “hollow interior,” as used herein, refers to a region enclosed by the tubular body.

The term “front,” when used herein with respect to the golf bag, refers to a belly side of the golf bag. The front of the golf bag is the side of the golf bag towards which the golf bag leans when placed in the deployed configuration.

The term “rear,” when used herein with respect to the golf bag, refers to a back side of the golf bag, opposite the front side. The rear of the golf bag is the side supporting the ball pocket. A handle is often attached to the rear of the golf bag.

The term “first side,” when used herein with respect to the golf bag, refers to a side of the golf bag between the front and the rear.

The term “second side,” when used herein with respect to the golf bag, refers to a side of the golf bag opposite the first side.

The term “outwards,” as used herein with respect to the golf bag, refers to a direction away from a center of the golf bag body. In other words, the term “outwards” refers to a direction away from the hollow interior of the golf bag.

The term “inwards,” as used herein with respect to the golf bag, refers to a direction, opposite “outwards.”

The term “support base useful area,” as used herein, refers to an area measurement that corresponds to a region of the support base interior surface that is largely free of fabric obstruction.

The term “mid-useful area,” as used herein, refers to an area measurement that corresponds to a middle region of the tubular body, the middle region being roughly halfway between the support base and the divider top. The mid-useful area can be measured parallel to the ground plane when the golf bag is in the upright configuration. The mid-useful area is largely free of fabric obstruction. The mid-useful area illustrates the space available for storage of golf club shafts.

The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments described herein are, for example, capable of operation in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Furthermore, the terms “include,” and “have,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus.