Portable Golf Bag Stand

Abstract

A portable golf bag stand wherein a cross member extends freely through and beneath a golf bag handle, and a pair of legs depend from opposite ends of the cross member for swinging movement of the legs between an inoperative condition alongside the bag and an operative condition suspending the bag in an inclined relation.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As is well known to those versed in the art, a wide variety of golf bag stands have been proposed, the function of an easily portable device for holding a golf bag in upstanding condition for removal and replacement of clubs and other contents being extremely desirable to a large number of golfers. However, prior golf bag stands have not found wide acceptance for a number of reasons, including the complexity of construction, the difficulty in standing up and taking down, awkwardness in carrying, unreliability in operation, expense, and for other reasons.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a golf bag stand which overcomes the above-mentioned difficulties, being capable of extreme lightness in weight while affording a staunch durability in use, for ease of portability and a reliable and long lasting useful life.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a golf bag stand having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph which is extremely easy to use, being portable together with a golf bag upon mere picking up and carrying of the golf bag, and being operative upon merely lowering the golf bag while suitably disposing the stand on the ground.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a golf bag stand having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraphs which is extremely simple in construction for economic manufacture and sale at a reasonable price, and which simply and effectively maintains a user's golf bag in an upstanding condition for convenient removal and replacement of articles with respect to the bag.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a golf bag stand constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a golf bag stand of the instant invention in an operative condition of use associated with a golf bag.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a golf bag stand of the present invention in an inoperative condition of use associated with a golf bag.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view showing a golf bag stand of the present invention associated with a golf bag, and illustrating in phantom an alternate condition of the stand.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIG. 1 thereof, a golf bag stand of the present invention is there generally designated 10, and may include an upper, bridging or cross member 11, from the opposite ends of which depend a pair of legs 12. Suitable feet 13 may be provided on the lower ends of the legs 12.

The cross member or bridging part 11 may advantageously be integrally fabricated of flexible material, such as polyethylene plastic, or other suitable material, and may include a generally straight intermediate portion 15, from the opposite ends of which extend angulate end portions 16. That is, a pair of end portions 16 extend in parallelism with each other from opposite ends of the intermediate portion 15, generally normal thereto, and may each be generally tubular having its outer end open for connective reception of a respective leg 12.

The angulate end portions 16 may be other than tubular, and may be otherwise suitably connected to respective legs 12.

The legs 12 are advantageously of a hollow, tubular construction, say of aluminum or other lightweight material, each having its upper end frictionally engaged in or otherwise suitably connected to a respective end portion 16 of the cross member 11. Thus, in the undistended condition of the cross member 11 and assembled legs 12, the legs are disposed in general parallelism with each other, being spaced laterally approximately the length of the intermediate portion 15.

On the lower ends of the legs 12 may be provided the feet 13. The feet may be of any suitable ground engageable construction, such as plugs engageable into respective lower ends of legs 12, or cups for receiving respective lower leg end portions, as shown.

A golf bag is generally designated 20, see FIGS. 2-4, and may include an elongated bag proper 21, having on one side adjacent to the upper end thereof a loop-type handle 22 for manual grasping and engagement therethrough. Additionally, the bag proper 21 may be provided adjacent to and overlying the loop or handle 22, with a shoulder strap 23, and also adjacent thereto may be provided a receptacle or enclosure 24, as for golf balls, and other accoutrements and supplies. As illustrated and described, the bag 20 may be conventional, and the assembled stand 10 may be of a height approximating the vertical height of the bag proper 20 to the elevation of the handle 22, or slightly less. In practice it has been found that the vertical height of the stand 10 may range between 24 inches and 50 inches, being preferably between 30 inches and 44 inches, and 34 inches having been found optimum.

The intermediate portion 15 of cross member 11 is round or other suitably smooth cross-sectional configuration and extends freely or loosely through the loop-type handle 22 for free rotation within the latter. The lateral spacing between the legs 12 in their generally parallel or longitudinal condition may range between 1/2 inch and 12 inches, as determined by the length of the intermediate portion 15. In practice, the length of the intermediate portion 15 between the end portions 16 may advantageously be between 11/2 inches and 3 inches. Of course, different sizes of the stand 10 may be produced, as desired, without departing from the invention hereof.

A normal non-use condition of the stand 10 is shown in FIG. 3, the intermediate portion 15 of cross member 11 extending laterally or transversely, freely through and beneath the loop-type handle 22, and the legs 12 depending therefrom in substantial parallelism with each other closely, longitudinally alongside of the bag proper 21. In this condition, the stand 10 occupies a minimum of space; and, the user may pass his arm through shoulder strap 23 and carry the bag 20 without interference by the stand.

To render the stand 10 operational, it is only necessary to lower the bag 20 and swing the pair of legs 12 forwardly on opposite sides of and past the bag 21, to the position shown in FIG. 2, with the legs having their lower ends or feet 13 placed in frictional engagement with the supporting ground. That is, the cross member 11 is rotated relative to the bag 20 within the loop-type handle 22, to swing the legs 12 together relative to the bag proper 21, such that the lower end of the bag, and the lower ends of the legs 12 combine to define a three-point or tripod structure. Viewed otherwise, the stand 10 may be considered as an inverted generally U-shaped frame, gantry or gallows from which the bag 20 has its upper region suspended while its lower end is supported on the nether ground. By this suspended support the bag 20 is maintained in an upright or upwardly inclined disposition for convenient access both to the interior of the bag proper 21, and to the exterior bag pocket 24.

For enhanced stability, the pair of legs 12 are advantageously swung relative to each other apart, say to the phantom position shown in FIG. 4, as by flexure of the intermediate portion of cross member 11. This relative outward swinging of the legs 12 enhances spacing between the lower ends of the legs for increased stability of the three-point or tripod support. Further, the intermediate portion 15 of the cross member 11 is flexed so as to have its upper surface concave, which concavity receives the handle 22 to assure that the handle rests in the mid-region of the cross member, and prevent inadvertent disassembly and collapse of the associated stand and bag.

From the foregoing, it will now be understood that a golf bag stand is provided by the instant invention which fully accomplishes its intended objects, and further permits a golfer to effectively conserve his strength and energy, as may be necessary by older golfers and those having physical impairment. It will be further appreciated that the instant invention provides a golf stand whereby a golfer may carry his bag of clubs in the usual way, and which stand permits him to quickly and easily place his bag on the ground in an upright position for ready access thereto without the need for bending and lifting. For periods of relatively long storage, the stand 10 of the instant invention may be inserted into the bag, either in its assembled relation or disassembled for economy of space, if desired.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A portable stand for a golf bag having a loop-type handle, said stand comprising a cross member for extension freely through the handle, said cross member being fabricated of relatively flexible material, and a pair of legs depending from opposite ends of said cross member, said legs being fabricated of a relatively rigid material, said cross member and legs being swingable relative to said bag upon rotation of said cross member between a non-use position alongside said bag and an operative position astride and suspending said bag with the legs and bag extending into ground engagement, said legs being swingable relative to each other upon flexure of said cross member and movement between said non-use position and said operative position with said legs diverging downwardly for stable three-point ground engagement, said cross member being generally straight in its non-use position and being arcuate with its concave side upwardly and receiving said handle in its flexed operative position.

2. A portable stand for a golf bag according to claim 1, said cross member having a length in its non-use position sufficiently short so that upon swinging leg movement toward each other said cross member and legs are insertable together into a golf bag, for convenient storage therein.

3. A portable stand for a golf bag having loop-type handle, said stand comprising a cross member for extension freely through the handle, said cross member being fabricated of relatively flexible material, and a pair of legs depending from opposite ends of said cross member, said legs being fabricated of a relatively rigid material, said cross member and legs being swingable relative to said bag, upon rotation of said cross member between a non-use position alongside said bag and an operative position astride and suspending said bag with the legs and bag extending into ground engagement, said legs being swingable relative to each other upon flexure of said cross member between said non-use position and said operative position diverging downwardly for stable three-point ground engagement, said cross member having a length in its unflexed condition sufficiently short so that upon swinging leg movement toward each other said cross member and legs are insertable together into a golf bag for convenient storage therein, said cross member being generally straight in its non-use position and being arcuate with its concave side upwardly and receiving said handle in its flexed operative position.

4. A portable stand for a golf bag having a loop-type handle, said stand comprising a cross member for extension freely through the handle, said cross member being fabricated of relatively flexible material, and a pair of legs depending from opposite ends of said cross member, said legs being fabricated of a relatively rigid material, said cross member and legs being swingable relative to said bag upon rotation of said cross member between a non-use position alongside said bag and an operative position astride and suspending said bag with the legs and bag extending into ground engagement, said legs being swingable relative to each other upon flexure of said cross member and rotation thereof between said non-use position longitudinally of said bag and said operative position with said legs diverging downwardly for stable three-point ground engagement, and said cross member being concave upwardly with said legs diverging downwardly for receiving said handle in the upper concavity of said cross member.

5. A portable stand according to claim 4, said cross member having a length in its non-use position sufficiently short so that said cross member and legs are insertable together into a golf bag, for convenient storage therein.

6. A portable stand according to claim 4, said cross member comprising a unitary intermediate portion and a pair of angulate end portions all integrally fabricated of flexible material, said end portions being respectively connected to said legs.

7. A portable stand according to claim 6, said legs comprising a pair of relatively rigid tubes each having one end connected to a respective angulate end portion.