Golf Bag Liner

Abstract

An insertable liner for golf bags consisting of a rectangular sheet of material which is flexible but self-supporting, and which is rolled to form a tube of predetermined diameter. The liner is adjustable in size to permit it to define an annular space within the golf bag into which golf clubs can be placed. The liner has specific application with golf bags in which each golf club has its own placement tube, the liner serving to peripherally space the individual tubes and maintain them in a desired relative position.

Description

The invention is directed to a liner tube which is removably insertable into golf bags.

The placing and retaining of golf clubs in desired relative positions within conventional golf bags has long posed a problem which, although not of considerable magnitude, is continually bothersome to the golfer who must play without the assistance of a caddy.

The problem has been alleviated in part through the use of an individual tube for each golf club, but even when the bag is subdivided by partitions or the like there is no assurance that the individual tubes will remain in the desired relative positions.

Another solution has been through provision of a golf bag having individual club receptacles built into the golf bag itself; but, unfortunately, this offers a solution only to the golfer who has reached the decision that a new golf bag is a necessity to his full enjoyment of the game.

My invention offers an inexpensive solution to the problem of club placement in a conventional golf bag through provision of an insertable liner which takes the form of a tube, and is adjusted to define an annular space between the bag and itself. The space is sized to receive and retain the golf clubs in a space-saving ring, and is equally adaptable to receive individual club tubes in the same manner. The center space within the liner tube may be used for a golfer's umbrella, ball retriever or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an inventive golf bag liner in combination with a conventional golf bag, individual golf club tubes and a representative assortment of golf clubs;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the golf club liner in a flat, open position; and

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an adjustable fastener in combination with two fragmentary portions of the golf bag liner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 2 discloses a golf bag liner 11 which is formed from a rectangular sheet of flexible material capable of self support. Preferably, the liner is made of polyethylene having a thickness of approximately 0.060 inches. As shown, liner 11 is rectangular in shape, having a height h which generally conforms to the height of a conventional golf bag, and a width w which permits it to be rolled into a tube of predetermined diameter, as discussed in further detail below. In the preferred embodiment, the height h is approximately 33 inches and the width w is about 24 inches.

Also as shown in FIG. 2, liner 11 has formed therein a plurality of apertures 12 aligned in a plurality of rows which extend widthwise or circumferentially of the liner. The apertures 12 are also aligned vertically, which permits overlapped alignment thereof when liner 11 is rolled in the form of a tube. Due to the liner thickness, it will be appreciated that the outer liner portion has a slightly greater diameter or circumference than the overlapped inner liner portion; and it follows that the circumferential spacing of openings 12 must be slightly greater in the outer liner portion to effect accurate opening alignment. For the 0.060 inch material mentioned above, I have found that a one inch circumferential spacing of openings 12 in the inner liner portion requires a corresponding spacing of approximately 1 1/16 inches of the openings in the outer liner portion.

FIG. 3 discloses a fastener 13 which projects through aligned openings 12 in a securing relationship to maintain liner 11 in a desired tube size. Fastener 13 comprises a base or flange portion 14 from which three equiangularly spaced members 15 project. The members 15 together terminate in a head portion 16, which, upon insertion through overlapped and aligned apertures 12, expands radially outward and thereby fastens the overlapped portions.

FIG. 1 discloses a conventional golf bag 17 and a plurality of individual golf club tubes 18 and golf clubs 20 with which liner 11 is intended to cooperate. Initially, liner 11 is rolled widthwise into the form of a tube with the several rows of apertures 12 disposed in circumferential alignment. The diameter of the tube is chosen so that a gap or annular space of approximately 1 1/4 inches is defined between liner 11 and golf bag 17. Fasteners 13 are then inserted, from the outer side, through the apertures 12 which lie adjacent each of the vertical tube edges and the aligned apertures 12 in the overlapping portions. After liner 11 has been inserted into golf bag 17 in a centered position, individual golf tubes 18 are inserted, in ring-fashion, into the annular space defined between liner 11 and golf bag 17. For optimum results, the entire annular space is filled with individual golf tubes 18, notwithstanding the number of golf clubs to be used. Preferably, the diameter of liner 11 is such that resistance is encountered in inserting the last few individual tubes 18. Thus, individual tubes 18 are always held in place, even when a golf club 20 is removed from bag 17.

It will be evident from the foregoing that, by reason of its flexibility, the liner 11 is capable of conforming to the shape of any golf bag. The plurality of horizontally and vertically aligned apertures 12 permit adjustment of liner 11 to any size golf bag; and when inserted, the liner 11 also defines a central space which is particularly suitable to receive other golfing equipment, such as a golfer's umbrella, a ball retainer or the like. The disposal of individual golf tubes 18 in ring-fashion enables the golfer to place his clubs in a sequentially numbered manner, thus enabling him to quickly and simply find the club for removal as well as determine its proper position for replacement.

Claims

I claim:

1. In combination:

a. a golf bag having a longitudinal receptacle adapted to receive a plurality of golf clubs;

b. a plurality of longitudinal tube members each of which is adapted to receive an individual golf club, said plurality of tube members being removably disposed within a peripheral annular space in said longitudinal receptacle;

c. and liner means being positioned inside said longitudinal receptacle for holding said plurality of golf tubes in said peripheral annular space, the liner means comprising

i. a sheet of flexible, self-supporting material of predetermined size, the sheet being rolled into a tube of predetermined diameter;

ii. a plurality of apertures formed through the flexible sheet, the apertures being arranged in at least one circumferential line, at least two of said apertures being in overlapped registration one with the other;

iii. and a plurality of fasteners removably inserted through said aligned apertures for holding the flexible sheet in said predetermined tube form.

d. The outside of said liner and the inside of said receptable forming said annular space.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the sheet of material is rectangular in shape, the height thereof conforming generally to the golf bag height.

3. The combination defined by claim 2, wherein said plurality of apertures are arranged in a plurality of circumferential rows extending over the width of the flexible sheet, each aperture being disposed in vertical alignment with apertures of the other circumferential rows.

4. The combination defined by claim 1, wherein each fastener comprises:

a. a base of greater size than the apertures;

b. and a plurality of spaced members projecting from the base, together terminating in a head portion of slightly greater size than the apertures, the spaced members constructed and arranged to be resiliently compressed together for insertion through said aligned apertures.

5. The golf bag liner as defined by claim 1, wherein said material is polyethylene.

6. The combination defined by claim 1, wherein said plurality of longitudinal tube members entirely fill said peripheral annular space.