Golf bag and accessory support apparatus for a vehicle

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a golf caddy for a vehicle and more particularly pertains to a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus for safely and securely transporting golf bags with golf clubs.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The use of a golf caddy for a vehicle is known in the prior art. More specifically, a golf caddy for a vehicle heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.

Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,651; U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,444; U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,738; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 365,705; U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,257; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,064.

While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus. The inventive device includes a frame having a plurality of cross members and upright members; and also includes a plurality of arm members being spaced apart and extending outwardly from the frame; and further includes a plurality of padded members securely mounted about portions of the frame and the arm members to protect the golf bags with golf clubs; and also includes strap members securely attached to the frame for supporting and securing the golf bags with golf clubs; and further includes clamping members securely attached to the frame and being fastenable about a structure inside the vehicle.

In these respects, the golf bag and accessory support apparatus according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of safely and securely transporting golf bags with golf clubs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of golf caddy for a vehicle now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus construction wherein the same can be utilized for safely and securely transporting golf bags with golf clubs.

The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus which has many of the advantages of the golf caddy for a vehicle mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art golf caddy for a vehicle, either alone or in any combination thereof.

To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a frame having a plurality of cross members and upright members; and also includes a plurality of arm members being spaced apart and extending outwardly from the frame; and further includes a plurality of padded members securely mounted about portions of the frame and the arm members to protect the golf bags with golf clubs; and also includes strap members securely attached to the frame for supporting and securing the golf bags with golf clubs; and further includes clamping members securely attached to the frame and being fastenable about a structure inside the vehicle.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus which has many of the advantages of the golf caddy for a vehicle mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art golf caddy for a vehicle, either alone or in any combination thereof.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus which is of a durable and reliable construction.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such golf bag and accessory support apparatus economically available to the buying public.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus for safely and securely transporting golf bags with golf clubs.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus which includes a frame having a plurality of cross members and upright members; and also includes a plurality of arm members being spaced apart and extending outwardly from the frame; and further includes a plurality of padded members securely mounted about portions of the frame and the arm members to protect the golf bags with golf clubs; and also includes strap members securely attached to the frame for supporting and securing the golf bags with golf clubs; and further includes clamping members securely attached to the frame and being fastenable about a structure inside the vehicle.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus that protects not only the golf clubs and golf bags from being banged around during the transportation thereof but also the user's when opening the door to retrieve the golf bags and golf clubs.

Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus that prevents the interior of the vehicle from being damaged during the transporting of the golf bag with golf clubs.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1

is a perspective view of the first embodiment of a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2

is a detailed side elevational view of a clamping member of the present invention.

FIG. 3

is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4

is a detailed side elevational view of the second embodiment of the shelf member of the present invention.

FIG. 5

is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention being securely disposed inside a vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to

FIGS. 1 through 5

thereof, a new golf bag and accessory support apparatus embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral

10

will be described.

As best illustrated in

FIGS. 1 through 5

, the golf bag and accessory support apparatus

10

generally comprises a frame

11

having a plurality of elongate cross members

12

-

16

and a plurality of upright members

17

-

21

securely and conventionally attached to one or more of the elongate cross members

12

-

16

. A plurality of arm members

22

are spaced apart and securely and conventionally attached to and extend outwardly from the frame

11

. A plurality of padded members

24

are securely and conventionally mounted about portions of the frame

11

and about the arm members

22

. The golf bag and accessory support apparatus

10

also includes means for securing golf bags to the frame

11

and means for fastening the frame

11

to a structure

31

securely disposed inside a vehicle

30

including a clamping member

25

having a shaft portion

26

which is securely bolted to the frame

11

with a fastening member, and further having a U-shaped portion

27

for mounting about a portion of the structure

31

; and further includes a fastener

28

lockingly extendable through end portions of the U-shaped portion

27

for securing the clamping member

25

to the structure

31

inside the vehicle

30

.

As a first embodiment, the elongate cross members

12

-

16

include a base cross member

12

having ends and being adapted to rest upon a floor of the vehicle

30

, an intermediate cross member

13

which is spaced above the base cross member

12

and which has ends securely and conventionally attached to a plurality of the upright members

17

-

21

, and an upper cross member

14

which is spaced above the intermediate cross member

13

and which has ends securely and conventionally attached to a plurality of the upright members

17

,

18

with the upright members

17

-

21

including a pair of elongate upright members

17

,

18

securely and conventionally attached along the ends of the elongate cross members

12

-

16

, and also including a pair of brace upright members

19

,

20

securely and conventionally attached to and interconnecting the base cross member

12

and the intermediate cross member

13

. The arm members

22

have ends which are securely and conventionally attached to the upper cross member

14

with the arm members

22

being spaced along the upper cross member

14

and extending outwardly generally perpendicular to the upper cross member

14

and being adapted to receive and support golf bags therebetween. The padded members

24

are securely attached about the upper cross member

16

and about at least a portion of the intermediate cross member

13

. The means for securing golf bags to the frame

11

includes pairs of strap members

23

having ends securely and conventionally attached to the frame

11

with the pairs of strap members

23

being spaced along the upper cross member

14

. Each pair of strap members

23

is disposed between a respective pair of arm members

22

which are disposed adjacent to one another.

As a second embodiment, the elongate cross members

12

-

16

include a base cross member

12

having ends and being adapted to rest upon a floor of the vehicle

30

, an intermediate cross member

13

which is spaced above the base cross member

12

and which has ends securely and conventionally attached to a plurality of the upright members

17

,

18

, and a pair of upper cross members

15

,

16

which are spaced above the intermediate cross member

13

and which have ends securely and conventionally attached to a plurality of the upright members

17

,

18

,

21

with one of the upper cross members

15

being disposed lower than the other of the upper cross members

16

. The golf bag and accessory support apparatus

10

further includes a shelf member

29

being hingedly mounted to the lower disposed upper cross member

15

and being movably disposed horizontally for supporting accessory items thereupon. The upright members

17

-

21

include a first elongate upright member

18

securely and conventionally attached along one of the ends of the base cross member

12

, the intermediate cross member

13

, and the higher disposed upper cross member

16

; and also include a second elongate upright member

17

securely and conventionally attached to the other of the ends of the base cross member

12

and the intermediate cross member

13

and to one of the ends of the lower disposed cross member

15

; and further include a pair of brace upright members

19

,

20

securely and conventionally attached to and interconnecting the base cross member

12

and the intermediate cross member

13

; and also include an intermediate upright member

21

which is securely and conventionally attached to the intermediate cross member

13

and to the other of the ends of the upper cross members

15

,

16

. The arm members

22

have ends which are securely and conventionally attached to the higher disposed upper cross member

16

with the arm members

22

being spaced along the higher disposed upper cross member

16

and extending outwardly generally perpendicular to the higher disposed upper cross member

16

and being adapted to receive and support golf bags therebetween. The padded members

24

are securely and conventionally attached about the higher disposed upper cross member

16

and about at least a portion of the intermediate cross member

13

. The means for securing golf bags to the frame

11

includes pairs of strap members

23

having ends securely and conventionally attached to the frame

11

with the pairs of strap members

23

being spaced along the higher disposed upper cross member

16

and with each pair of strap members

23

being disposed between a respective pair of the arm members

22

which are disposed adjacent to one another.

In use, the golf bag and accessory support apparatus

10

can be conveniently and easily mounted in the cargo-hold of a van

30

, in particular, and can be securely fastened to either the back seat

31

or to a mobile bed structure

31

inside the van

30

. Instead of the user either lying the golf bags with golf clubs upon the floor of the van or leaning the golf bags with golf clubs against the side wall of the van

30

or against the back seat

31

, the user can secure the golf bag with golf clubs between two adjacently-spaced arm members

22

and can fasten the strap members

23

about the golf bag so that the golf bag with clubs do not fall and also allows other accessories and objects to be placed in the van

30

.

As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.