U.S. patent application number 10/837456 was filed with the patent office on 2005-11-03 for transport and display case for a golf set.
Invention is credited to Chiang, Charles L.P., Zou, Frank.
Application Number | 20050241971 10/837456 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35185981 |
Filed Date | 2005-11-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050241971 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Zou, Frank ; et al. |
November 3, 2005 |
Transport and display case for a golf set
Abstract
A transport and display case for a golf set. The case has a
front panel, a pair of side walls, a rear panel, a top and a
bottom. The top is transparent so that it allows maximum amount of
light into the case to showcase the golf set within. The front
panel has two portions: the upper portion is transparent to allow
light into the case and allow consumers to view the golf set, while
the lower portion is opaque. Both side walls are opaque. The bottom
is locked, but can provide easy access by consumers after they
purchase the golf set from store. The case is constructed using a
cardboard blank with predefined fold lines and cut-out lines. The
cut-lines define portions of the case for attaching the transparent
covers such as the lid and upper portion. The case can be "sealed"
after the golf set is placed in the case. However, to ensure that
the golf set, i.e. the golf bag and golf clubs, is secured during
transport from the supplier to the store, the golf clubs are
secured to a stabilizer structure through wire ties, prior to the
case is "sealed". The stabilizer, which may be a piece of
cardboard, is engaged to the golf bag at its dividers. By securing
the clubs to the stabilizer, consumers are not prevented from
viewing the club heads from close distance, through the transparent
part of the display case.
Inventors: |
Zou, Frank; (Baldwin Park,
CA) ; Chiang, Charles L.P.; (Baldwin Park,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PHILIP K. YU
20955 PATHFINDER ROAD
SUITE 100
DIAMOND BAR
CA
91765
US
|
Family ID: |
35185981 |
Appl. No.: |
10/837456 |
Filed: |
April 29, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/315.2 ;
206/769; 206/771; 229/162.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F 5/112 20130101;
A63B 55/406 20151001; A63B 60/62 20151001; A63B 2210/50 20130101;
A63B 53/005 20200801; A63B 55/10 20130101; A63B 2209/00
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/315.2 ;
206/769; 206/771; 229/162.1 |
International
Class: |
A63B 053/00; A63B
055/00; B65D 025/54 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A transport and display case for a golf bag with a plurality of
golf clubs, said golf clubs being placed inside said golf bag
through at least one divider, the case comprising: an elongated box
for housing the golf bag and golf clubs, said box comprising: a
transparent top lid; a transparent front upper portion; an opaque
front lower portion, said front upper portion and front lower
portion defining a front panel; an opaque side panels; an opaque
back panel; at least one club stabilizer, said stabilizer securing
a golf club thereto, said stabilizer having a clamping opening to
releasably engage said divider.
2. The transport and display case of claim 1, wherein said front
lower portion has a curved cut-out at its top.
3. A transport and display case for a golf bag with a plurality of
golf clubs, said golf clubs being placed inside said golf bag
through at least one divider, the case comprising: a cardboard
blank with pre-defined fold lines and cut-out lines, defining: a
bottom; a pair of side panels; a rear panel; a opaque front lower
panel; a transparent front cover, extending from the top of said
front lower panel, said front lower panel and said transparent
front cover defining a front face of said case; a top lid, said top
lid being transparent, said top lid closing a space formed by said
bottom, said pair of side panels, said rear panel, and said front
face, and a stabilizer adapted to secure each of said clubs and to
engage said divider, such that said clubs are protected from
movement during transport.
4. The transport and display case of claim 3, wherein said
transparent front upper cover is a U-shaped cover with a pair of
end tabs at its side for affixing to the inside surface of said
side panels, the bottom of said front upper cover is overlapped by
the top edge of said front lower panel, said top edge defining a
curved edge from side to side.
5. A method of making a transport and display case for a golf bag
with a plurality of golf clubs, said golf clubs being placed inside
said golf bag through at least one divider, the method comprising:
providing a cardboard blank with pre-defined fold lines and cut-out
lines, said cardboard blank defining a bottom, a pair of side
panels, a rear panel, a opaque partial front panel; folding said
cardboard blank according to said fold lines; cutting said
cardboard blank according to said cut-outlines; applying a
transparent front cover, said transparent front cover extending
from the top of said partial front panel, said partial front panel
and said transparent front cover defining a front face of said
case; securing said golf clubs to a stabilizer unit; releasably
engaging said stabilizer unit to said divider; placing said golf
bag with golf clubs into said case; applying a top lid to said
case, said top lid being transparent, said top lid closing a space
formed by said bottom, said pair of side panels, said rear panel,
and said front face.
6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said transparent front
cover is a U-shaped cover with its end tabs attaching to the inside
of the side panels.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to packaging for
transporting and displaying a merchandise in a market place, and
more particularly relates to a transport and display case for a
golf set that is suitable for both transporting and showcasing the
golf set.
ART BACKGROUND
[0002] It is quite common for general sporting goods store or mass
merchandise stores to carry a golf set in a box. The consumers at
such stores generally expect the golf sets to be of a good value
and good quality. The box in which the golf set is held generally
shows pictures of the golf bag and the golf clubs, as well as other
accessories that come with the set. However, despite the pictorial
design, consumers have been inclined to open the box to gain a
closer look, and feel, of the contents in the box. If a consumer
ended up making a purchase after the uninvited self-initiated
"try-out," the store could not have been happier. Quite often,
though, the consumer opens the box and swings the clubs around, all
without consummating a purchase. Now the store is stuck with a
tempered package, with the clubs possibly scratched or damaged due
to mishandling by the curious consumer. This kind of user
mishandling, whether intentional or unintentional, represents one
of the major causes for increased reject and return rates for the
store and its suppliers.
[0003] While the store wants to discourage consumers from opening
the golf set's packaging, it also aims to provide helpful visual
information to the consumers to entice them into making a purchase.
At the same time, in order to protect the club heads from banging
against each other during transport, the store's suppliers have
resorted to the use of bubble wraps on the club heads. Despite the
obvious utility of the bubble wraps, they make it virtually
impossible for the consumers to observe the club heads, which may
deter them from purchasing the golf set.
[0004] Therefore, it is desirable to have a display case for a golf
set that best showcases the golf set while discouraging the
consumers from tempering.
[0005] It is also desirable to have a display case for a golf set
that allows the consumers to easily view and identify the
components.
[0006] It is further desirable to have a display case for a golf
set that prevents damages to the club heads during transport and
handling, while still allowing visual inspection of the club heads
by the consumers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] A transport and display case for a golf set is disclosed.
The case has a front panel, a pair of side walls, a rear panel, a
top and a bottom. The top is transparent so that it allows maximum
amount of light into the case to showcase the golf set within. The
front panel has two portions: the upper portion is transparent to
allow light into the case and allow consumers to view the golf set,
while the lower portion is opaque. Both side walls are opaque. The
bottom is locked, but can provide easy access by consumers after
they purchase the golf set from store. The case is constructed
using a cardboard blank with predefined fold lines and cut-out
lines. The cut-lines define portions of the case for attaching the
transparent covers such as the lid and upper portion. The case can
be "sealed" after the golf set is placed in the case. However, to
ensure that the golf set, i.e. the golf bag and golf clubs, is
secured during transport from the supplier to the store, the golf
clubs are secured to a stabilizer structure through wire ties,
prior to the case is "sealed". The stabilizer, which may be a piece
of cardboard, is engaged to the golf bag at its dividers. By
securing the clubs to the stabilizer, consumers are not prevented
from viewing the club heads from close distance, through the
transparent part of the display case.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1(a) illustrates an exemplary transport and display
case 10 in accordance with the present invention. FIGS. 1(b)-(e)
illustrate the front plan view, side and rear plan view, top plan
view and bottom plan view of the transport and display case 10.
[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary lid 100 for closing the top
of the transport and display case 10 in accordance with the present
invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary top front portion 110, which
is a "U"-shaped transparent cover with end tabs 112 on both
sides.
[0011] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary cardboard blank for the
transport and display case 10 of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary locking device for keeping
the clubs in place during transport and display.
[0013] FIG. 6 illustrates a conventional golf bag.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] A transport and display case for a golf set is disclosed.
Reference is made to FIG. 1(a), which illustrates exemplary
transport and display case 10 in accordance with the present
invention. The case 10, when erected vertically, allows a golf bag
(such as the one illustrated in FIG. 6) to be attractively
displayed in its ordinary up-right position with the golf clubs
inside the bag. To allow more light into the case 10 to showcase
the golf set, the top 100 of the case is made of a clear or
transparent material. In a preferred embodiment, the top 100 is a
lid, made of durable materials such as acrylic, polyethylene
("PE"), Polyethylene Terephtalate ("PET"), or polyvinylchloride
("PVC"), with PET being the currently preferred material. The lid
100, as shown in FIG. 2, preferably provides a final closure to the
top of the case 10, after the golf set is placed and secured inside
the case 10 prior to transport.
[0015] With reference to FIG. 1(a), the case 10 is a combination of
corrugated and plastic materials. The body of the case 10 is
corrugated with much of the upper portion being "dual walled," thus
providing more strength. The front of the case 10, which has a
clear or transparent upper portion 110, allows more light and
visibility into the golf set within. The lower portion 120, is
opaque, and joins with the side panels 105(a) and (b). A
demarcation 125 between the transparent upper portion 110 and the
opaque lower portion 120 is preferably a curved or angled cut, from
side to side, in order to provide a variable lighting inside the
case 10. The side panels 105(a) and (b), back panel (not shown) and
bottom panel (not shown) are opaque and are made of durable
cardboard material. The lid 100 and the upper portion 110 are
preferably made of a transparent, impact- and shatter-resistant
material, so that they provide maximum amount of light into the
box, while protecting the case from being damaged or cracked. The
entire case 10, once shipped from the supplier, is "sealed" to
discourage the consumers from opening the case until after
purchase. The bottom panel of the case, which can be a glue flap,
would provide easy opening for the consumers after purchase.
[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary lid 100 for the top of the
transport and display case in accordance with the present
invention. It is transparent, so that it provides maximal amount of
light inside the case to allow the consumers to examine the golf
set. FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary front upper portion 110, which
is a "U"-shaped transparent cover with end tabs 112 on both sides.
The end tabs 112, after applied with adhesive or bonding material,
will be applied to the inside of the side panels 105(a) and (b).
The upper portion 110 is preferably made of the same material as
the lid 100.
[0017] Reference is now turned to FIG. 4, where an exemplary
cardboard blank for the transport and display case 10 of the
present invention is illustrated. Note that this cardboard blank,
when it is erected, represents the opaque portions. The blank has
four main panels: a rear panel 150 with a rear top flap 130, side
panels 105(a), (b) with side top flaps 140(a) and (b), and a front
panel 120, with cut-out lines 125, 126. The side panel 105(b) also
has an end tab 106, for attaching to the rear panel 150, when the
case is assembled. The cut-out lines 125, 126, when they are cut
during assembly, allow the front panel 120 to receive the top front
portion 110 (FIG. 3). In a preferred assembly process, the main
body of the case is formed when the vertical fold lines of the main
panels are folded and the end tab 106 is brought to meet the inside
of the rear panel 150. The flaps 130, 140(a) and (b) are brought
down to meet the inside of their respective panels. The bottom
flaps 160(a)-(d) are assembled to provide an interlocking bottom,
which may be glue-locked or auto-locked. The cut-lines 125, 126 are
cut, with the flaps 121(a) and (b) folded inward to meet the inside
of the side panels 105(a) and (b), respectively.
[0018] With the case 10 now fully erected and partially assembled
in the sense that it still needs to close its front and top sides,
the golf set can be placed into the inside of the case 10. Then the
transparent upper portion 110 is attached to complete the front
portion of the case, followed by placement of the lid 100, which
has its four inside faces bonded to the outside rim of the top of
the rear panel 150, side panels 105(a) and (b), and transparent
upper portion 110. The transport and display box now has the golf
set fully enclosed and ready for transport and display, where a
prospective buyer would be able to inspect the golf set and its
club heads in close proximity, while unable to open the case.
[0019] Before the case and its golf set can be displayed in store,
they must be transported from the factory to the eventual store
destination. Transporting involves handling and possible movements
of the case and its contents. Since the case is now closed from
transport to display, pre-cautionary measures should be utilized to
prevent the club heads from impacting each other. As mentioned
before, scratches to the club heads make the club heads
unattractive, thus increasing the reject rate for the store and the
supplier. On the other hand, wrapping the club heads in the
conventional bubble wraps makes it extremely difficult, if not
impossible, for the consumers to inspect the club heads. This
blockage hurts sales, since the consumers would be unlikely to
purchase a golf set which they can neither touch nor see,
especially when the design of the club heads is frequently one of
the best selling points of the golf set. Therefore, to make the
golf set and club heads safe for transport, a new security device
is introduced, as will be described with reference to FIG. 5.
[0020] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary locking device for keeping
the clubs in place during transport and display. As shown in FIG.
5, a sturdy vertical structure 200, which preferably is made of
cardboard, is used to secure the clubs to the structure through
wire ties 205, 206, 207. The structure 200 has notches 210, 220 at
its bottom to provide a clamping grip of the dividers in the golf
bag (FIG. 6, 300, 310). This way, the clubs would be secured during
transport and handling, and the chances of them scratching against
each other are virtually eliminated by the vertical structure 200.
Further, the clubs remain organized even after transport, so that
the consumers can gain a full view of each of the club heads in
close proximity, taking full advantage of the light let in by the
transparent top and front portion of the case.
[0021] Although the invention is described herein with reference to
the preferred embodiment, one skilled in the art will readily
appreciate that other applications may be substituted for those set
forth herein without departing from the scope of the present
invention. Accordingly, the invention should only be limited by the
claims included below.
* * * * *