U.S. patent application number 12/471249 was filed with the patent office on 2010-11-25 for auto-adjusting harness connector for shoulder straps of golf bag.
Invention is credited to Kun-Lin SHIAO.
Application Number | 20100293758 12/471249 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43123566 |
Filed Date | 2010-11-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100293758 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SHIAO; Kun-Lin |
November 25, 2010 |
AUTO-ADJUSTING HARNESS CONNECTOR FOR SHOULDER STRAPS OF GOLF
BAG
Abstract
An auto-adjusting harness connector for shoulder straps of a
golf bag has a base and multiple buckles mounted slidably and
pivotally on the base. The golf bag has four strap mounts and four
straps. Each strap has two ends respectively connected to a
corresponding strap mount and a corresponding buckle. The straps
and buckles slide and pivot independently to automatically adjust a
distance therebetween according to shoulder breadth of a person
carrying the golf bag and strap breadths of the golf bag.
Therefore, the straps of the golf bag are suitable for people with
different shoulder breadths for improved comfort while carrying and
convenience while removing and with reduced cost of manufacture and
storage.
Inventors: |
SHIAO; Kun-Lin; (Taoyuan
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Hershkovitz & Associates, LLC
2845 Duke Street
Alexandria
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
43123566 |
Appl. No.: |
12/471249 |
Filed: |
May 22, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
24/182 ;
24/164 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 24/4047 20150115;
Y10T 24/4002 20150115; A44B 11/2549 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
24/182 ;
24/164 |
International
Class: |
A44B 11/25 20060101
A44B011/25; A44B 11/26 20060101 A44B011/26 |
Claims
1. An auto-adjusting harness connector comprising: a base having a
perimeter wall; multiple slots formed in the perimeter wall of the
base; an inner surface defined in the slots; and multiple guiding
grooves formed in the inner surface of the base and respectively
corresponding to the slots; and multiple buckles, and each buckle
having an inner end mounted in one of the slots of the base; and an
outer end; and a guiding protrusion attached to the inner end of
the buckle and slidably and pivotally engaging a corresponding one
of the guiding grooves of the base.
2. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the guiding grooves of the base are formed through the
inner surface of the base.
3. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the guiding protrusion of each buckle is a resilient
button.
4. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 2,
wherein the guiding protrusion of each buckle is a resilient
button.
5. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 3,
wherein the guiding protrusion of each buckle further has a tapered
stop protruding from the inner edge of the buckle, mounted in the
through hole of the buckle, tapering toward the inner end of the
buckle and engaging the corresponding guiding groove.
6. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 4,
wherein the guiding protrusion of each buckle further has a tapered
stop protruding from the inner edge of the buckle, mounted in the
through hole of the buckle, tapering toward the inner end of the
buckle and engaging the corresponding guiding groove.
7. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 5,
wherein the guiding protrusion of each buckle further has a boss
formed on and protruding from the tapered stop corresponding to the
outer end of the buckle and abutting the inner surface of the
base.
8. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 6,
wherein the guiding protrusion of each buckle further has a boss
formed on and protruding from the tapered stop corresponding to the
outer end of the buckle and abutting the inner surface of the
base.
9. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 8,
wherein each slot and each guiding groove is an arc.
10. The auto-adjusting harness connector as claimed in claim 8,
wherein each buckle further has a strap hole formed through the
outer end of the buckle.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an auto-adjusting harness
connector for shoulder straps of a golf bag, especially to an
auto-adjusting harness connector for easy adjustment to people with
different shoulder breadths and to golf bags with different strap
breadths.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] A golf bag has two strap mounts and a single shoulder strap
assembly to allow carrying the golf bag on one shoulder or a dual
shoulder strap assembly to allow carrying the golf bag on both
shoulders. The dual shoulder strap assembly has a connector and
four straps. Each strap is connected to a corresponding strap mount
of the golf bag and has two ends connected respectively to the
strap mount and the connector. With reference to FIG. 9, a
conventional connector (40) for a golf bag comprises a base (41)
and multiple buckles (42). Each buckle (42) has a pivoting end
(421) mounted pivotally on the base (41) and a connecting end (422)
connecting with an end of a corresponding shoulder strap (50) of a
golf bag.
[0005] However, since the buckles (42) are fixed in specific
positions of the base (41) and only pivot relative to the base
(41), the shoulder straps (50) of the golf bag that are connected
to each other through the conventional connector (40) are not
suitable for people with different shoulder breadths and may pinch
broad shouldered people and not rest on narrow shouldered people.
The golf bags with the conventional connector (40) are not only
uncomfortable while carrying, but also inconvenient while removing
from the people. Furthermore, while different types of golf bags
have different strap breadths, positions of the buckles (42) on the
base (41) should be designed for individual types of golf bags to
allow comfortable carrying of the golf bags. Especially when bags
are sold to men and women, different connectors (40) must be
manufactured and sold, so raising distribution, storage and sales
costs.
[0006] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides
an auto-adjusting harness connector for shoulder straps of a golf
bag to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The main objective of the present invention is to provide an
auto-adjusting harness connector for shoulder straps of a golf
bag.
[0008] The auto-adjusting harness connector has a base and multiple
buckles mounted slidably and pivotally on the base.
[0009] The golf bag has four strap mounts and four straps. Each
strap has two ends respectively connected to a corresponding strap
mount and a corresponding buckle. The straps and buckles
automatically and independently slide and pivot according to a
shoulder breadth of a person carrying the golf bag and strap
breadths of the golf bag. Therefore, the straps of the golf bag are
suitable for people with different shoulder breadths for improved
comfort while carrying and convenience while removing and with
reduced cost of manufacture and storage.
[0010] Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an auto-adjusting harness
connector for shoulder straps of a golf bag in accordance with the
present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the auto-adjusting
harness connector in FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the auto-adjusting
harness connector in FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment
of an auto-adjusting harness connector for a golf bag in accordance
with the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 5 is an operational perspective view of the
auto-adjusting harness connector in FIG. 1 connected to a golf
bag;
[0016] FIG. 6 is an enlarged operational front view of the
auto-adjusting harness connector in FIG. 4;
[0017] FIG. 7 is an operational perspective view of the
auto-adjusting harness connector in FIG. 4, shown worn by a person
with broader shoulders;
[0018] FIG. 8 is another operational perspective view of the
auto-adjusting harness connector in FIG. 4, shown worn by a person
with narrower shoulders; and
[0019] FIG. 9 is an enlarged operational front view of a
conventional harness connector for shoulder straps of a golf bag in
accordance with the prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] With reference to FIG. 1, an auto-adjusting harness
connector for shoulder straps of a golf bag in accordance with the
present invention comprises a base (10) and multiple buckles
(20).
[0021] With further reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the base (10) may
be a disc, may be metal and has a perimeter wall, multiple slots
(11), an inner surface (12) and multiple guiding grooves (13). The
slots (11) are formed in the perimeter wall of the base (10). Each
slot (11) may be an arc. The inner surface (12) of the base (10) is
defined in the slots (11). The guiding grooves (13) are formed in
the inner surface (12) of the base (10), may be formed through the
inner surface (12) of the base (10) and respectively correspond to
the slots (11). Each guiding groove (13) may be an arc.
[0022] With further reference to FIG. 2, each buckle (20) has an
inner end, an outer end, an optional through hole (21), an optional
strap hole (22), and an optional inner edge (23) and a guiding
protrusion (24).
[0023] The inner end of the buckle (20) is mounted in one of the
slots (11) of the base (10). The through hole (21) is formed
through the inner end of the buckle (20).
[0024] The strap hole (22) is formed through the outer end of the
buckle (20). The inner edge (23) is defined around the through hole
(21) of the buckle (20). The guiding protrusion (24) may be
circular, is attached to the inner end of the buckle (20), slidably
and pivotally engages a corresponding one of the guiding grooves
(13) of the base (10), may be a resilient button and may have a
tapered stop (241) and an optional boss (242). The tapered stop
(241) protrudes from the inner edge (23) of the buckle (20), is
mounted in the through hole (21) of the buckle (20), tapers toward
the inner end of the buckle (20) and engages the corresponding
guiding groove (13). The boss (242) is formed on and protrudes from
the tapered stop (241), correspond to the outer end of the buckle
(20) and abuts the inner surface of the base (10).
[0025] With further reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, a golf bag (30)
comprises four strap mounts (32) and four straps (33). Each strap
(33) has two ends. One end of the strap (33) is connected to a
corresponding strap mount (32). The other end of the strap (33) is
connected to a corresponding buckle (20), may be adjustably
disposed through the strap hole (22) of the corresponding buckle
(20).
[0026] With further reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the auto-adjusting
harness connector for shoulder straps of a golf bag as described
has the following advantages. When a broader shouldered person
carries the golf bag (30), connected straps (33) and buckles (20)
slide and pivot toward opposite directions to allow relative
positions of the straps (33) to be suitable for the broader
shouldered person. In contrast, when a narrower shouldered person
carries the golf bag (30), the connected straps (33) and buckles
(20) slide and pivot toward each other to allow relative positions
of the straps (33) to be suitable for the narrower shouldered
person. Moreover, no matter how wide the straps (33) of the golf
bag (30) are, the straps (33) as well as the buckles (20)
automatically adjust theirs positions according to whom carrying
the golf bag (30). Therefore, the straps (33) of the golf bag (30)
connected by the auto-adjusting harness connector are suitable for
people with different shoulder breadths to allow comfortable
carrying and convenient removing of the golf bag (30).
[0027] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the
present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description,
together with details of the structure and features of the
invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made
in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and
arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the
full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in
which the appended claims are expressed.
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