Clip support member for golf bag

Abstract

A clip support member adapted for use with an article such as a golf bag adapted to be carried in an over-the-back relationship. The clip is defined by a neck and spaced-apart rigid but flexible arms which curve downwardly and inwardly away from the neck thus allowing the arms to follow the contour of the outer surface of the golf bag. The clip is preferably made from a shape memory or other suitable material which allows the arms to be flexed laterally away from each other by a user when the clip is engaged against the sides of the waist of the user. The clip is preferably secured to the golf bag in a relationship wherein the clip extends in the same direction as the longitudinal axis of the bag. Buckles on the golf bag secure a jacket to the golf bag which, in turn, secures the clip to the golf bag.

1 . A clip adapted for use with an article adapted to be carried in an over-the-back relationship, the clip comprising an elongate neck and a pair of arms extending away from opposed ends of the neck in a spaced-apart relationship, the arms curving inwardly towards each other as they extend downwardly away from the respective ends of the neck.  
   
   
       2 . The clip of  claim 1  wherein the article is a golf bag and the arms are adapted to follow the contour of the outer surface of the golf bag.  
   
   
       3 . The clip of  claim 1  further comprising a bracket for releasably securing the clip to the outer surface of the golf bag.  
   
   
       4 . The clip of  claim 3  wherein said bracket comprises a jacket defining upper and lower flexible flaps, the neck of the clip being adapted to be received in said jacket and said upper and lower flaps being adapted to be wrapped around said neck of said clip.  
   
   
       5 . The clip of  claim 4  further comprising at least one buckle for releasably securing said jacket to the outer surface of said golf bag, said jacket including at least one strap adapted to extend through said buckle for releasably securing said jacket to said golf bag.  
   
   
       6 . The clip of  claim 5  wherein said golf bag defines a longitudinal axis and the clip is releasably secured to the golf bag in a relationship wherein the neck thereof extends in the same direction as the longitudinal axis of the golf bag.  
   
   
       7 . The clip of  claim 6  wherein said clip is rotatable about the outer surface of the golf bag between a first position wherein said arms hang downwardly against the outer surface of the golf bag and a second position wherein said arms have been rotated counterclockwise into a position generally tangent to the outer surface of the golf bag and said arms are adapted to engage against the sides of the waist of the user of the golf bag.  
   
   
       8 . The clip of  claim 7  wherein said neck and said arms thereof are defined by a continuous elongate strip of material which has been appropriately bent and curved to define said neck and said arms and exert a force against the sides of the waist of the user in said second position of said clip and said arms.  
   
   
       9 . The clip of  claim 8  further comprising a protective sleeve surrounding said neck and said arms of said clip.  
   
   
       10 . A clip adapted for use on an article adapted to be carried by a user in an over-the-back relationship and secured thereto so as to allow engagement thereof with the waist of the user, the clip comprising a pair of opposed rigid but flexible arms adapted to be grasped by a user and flexed laterally outwardly away from each other and then subsequently released by the user into their engaged position against the respective sides of the waist of the user.  
   
   
       11 . The clip of  claim 10  wherein said arms are made of a shape memory material.  
   
   
       12 . The clip of  claim 10  further comprising an elongate neck which connects said opposed arms, the arms curving simultaneously downwardly and inwardly away from said neck and being adapted to wrap around the respective sides of the waist of the user.  
   
   
       13 . The clip of  claim 10  wherein the article is a golf bag defining a longitudinal axis and the clip is adapted to be secured to the golf bag in a relationship wherein said arms thereof extend in a direction generally opposite the direction of the longitudinal axis of the golf bag.  
   
   
       14 . A golf bag defining a longitudinal axis and incorporating a waist engaging clip defined by a neck and opposed spaced apart arms, said clip being oriented on said golf bag in a relationship wherein said clip extends in the same direction as the longitudinal axis of the golf bag.  
   
   
       15 . The golf bag of  claim 14  further comprising a bracket adapted to releasably secure said clip to the outer surface of the golf bag, said clip being rotatable about an outer surface of the golf bag between a first position wherein said arms hang down against the outer surface of the golf bag and a second position wherein said arms are disposed away from the outer surface of the golf bag in a position generally tangent to the outer surface of the golf bag.  
   
   
       16 . The golf bag of  claim 15  wherein said bracket is defined by a jacket with flaps and a slit, said neck of said clip being adapted to be wrapped in said jacket and said clip including a tongue adapted to extend through said slit in said jacket when said clip is wrapped in said jacket, said golf bag further comprising a spine extending therethrough in a relationship generally parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, said clip being secured to said golf bag in a relationship wherein said tongue cooperates with said spine to limit the rotation of said clip relative to the outer surface of the golf bag.  
   
   
       17 . The golf bag of  claim 16  further comprising at least one buckle secured to the outer surface of the golf bag, the jacket including at least one strap adapted to extend through an eye of said buckle for removably securing said jacket to the outer surface of said golf bag.  
   
   
       18 . A rigid support member adapted for use with a golf bag including a spine and defining respective open and closed ends and an open interior therebetween, said support member comprising: 
 a clip defined by an elongate central neck and a pair of spaced-apart arms extending downwardly away from opposed ends of said neck and curving inwardly towards each other, said clip further defining a tongue depending downwardly away from said neck;    at least one buckle secured to the outer surface of the golf bag;    a jacket including at least one strap adapted to extend through said buckle for releasably securing said jacket to the outer surface of the golf bag in a relationship wherein said jacket extends in the same general direction as said spine of said golf bag, said jacket defining upper and lower flaps and a slit, said neck of said clip being adapted to be wrapped in said jacket and said tongue being adapted to be slid through said slit in said jacket for releasably securing said clip in said jacket in a relationship wherein said neck of said clip extends in the same general direction as said spine of said golf bag and said arms of said clip extend in a direction generally opposite the direction of said spine of said golf bag, said clip being rotatable about the outer surface of the golf bag between a first disengaged position wherein said arms of said clip hang down against the outer surface of the golf bag and a second position wherein said arms of said clip have been rotated generally counterclockwise into a position generally tangent to the outer surface of the golf bag and the respective arms are engaged against the respective sides of the torso of the user.    
   
   
       19 . The support member of  claim 18  further comprising a pocket adapted to cover said tongue of said clip.  
   
   
       20 . The support member of  claim 18  wherein said clip is defined by an elongate strip of rigid material which has been appropriately bent to define said neck and said arms, said support member further comprising a protective sleeve surrounding said strip of rigid material.