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 Head cover for golf clubUSPTO Application #: 20070012388Title: Head cover for golf club Abstract: A shaft protecting portion of a head cover is formed of a knit fabric, having a head inlet/outlet opening at a lower portion thereof. An opening/closing portion, which is open at the head inlet/outlet opening, is formed in a lower portion of the shaft protecting portion. A diameter of the head inlet/outlet opening is increased owing to expansion of the knit fabric when the opening/closing portion is opened by hand, and the diameter of the head inlet/outlet opening is automatically reduced (i.e., restored to the former diameter) when the opening/closing portion is released so that the head cover can be easily put on the head. After the head cover has been put on the head, there is no fear of the head cover being detached from the head even if the opening/closing portion is not locked by a stopper such as a fastener or a planar fastener. (end of abstract)
Agent: C. Irvin Mcclelland Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C. - Alexandria, VA, US Inventor: Takao Nishikawa USPTO Applicaton #: 20070012388 - Class: 150160000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Purses, Wallets, And Protective Covers, Protective Cover Made Of Flaccid Material, For A Golf Club (e.g., Head Cover) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070012388. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a head cover for a golf club (hereinafter referred to as "head cover"). [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Golfclubs (hereinafter referred to as "clubs") are categorized into three types: a wood club, an iron club, and a putter. A head cover protects a club head (hereinafter referred to as "head") and a shaft to which the head is attached. [0005] Wood clubs, in particular, drivers have been improved in various aspects such as carry and directivity. In recent years, there is a tendency for the head to increase in size (a volume of approximately 400 cc) and for the shaft to be elongated (a length of approximately 45 inches). As a result, head covers for wood clubs have been increased in size. [0006] In a head cover for a wood club, a head protecting portion to be put on the head to protect the head is made relatively large in conformity with the head, and a shaft protecting portion to be put on the shaft to protect the shaft is made relatively thin in conformity with the shaft, with a diameter of a head inlet/outlet opening formed at the lower end of the shaft protecting portion being small. When attaching the head cover, the shaft protecting portion is first put on the head and pulled down to the shaft side, so it is rather difficult for the head inlet/outlet opening with a small diameter to be put over the head. [0007] To solve the above-mentioned problem, there have been proposed the following head covers: a head cover in which a slit is provided in the shaft protecting portion so as to extend to a position near the head protecting portion, making it possible for the shaft protecting portion to be opened and closed to enable the shaft protecting portion to be easily put on the head, with the slit being closed by a stopper for detachment prevention (U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,805 B1); a head cover in which the portion thereof from the shaft protecting portion to a position near the head protecting portion is divided into two portions so that the shaft protecting portion can be easily put on the head, with the two portions being joined together by a planar fastener for detachment prevention (JP 2002-95779 A); a head cover in which a slit is provided in the shaft protecting portion so as to extend to a position near the head protecting portion to enable the head cover to be easily put on the head, with the slit being closed by a magnet or a fastener (zipper) for detachment prevention (JP 2003-225335 A); a head cover in which a shaft insertion slit is provided so as to extend over the entire length of the shaft protecting portion to enable the head cover to be easily put on the head, with the shaft insertion slit being closed by a planar fastener over the entire length of the slit for detachment prevention (JP 9-84910 A); and a head cover in which a slit is provided so as to extend over the entire length of the shaft protecting portion to enable the head cover to be easily put on the head, with the slit being closed by a planar fastener for detachment prevention (Japanese Utility Model No. 3082362). [0008] In all of these head covers, when putting the shaft protecting portion on the head, it is necessary to unlock the stopper, such as the cooperating elements, the planar fastener, the zipper, or the magnet, and to lock the stopper after putting the head cover on the head, which makes the use of the head cover a bother. Further, if the stopper is left unlocked, the head cover may be inadvertently detached. [0009] When used by a player having a pace maker on his or her body, the head cover using a magnet may adversely affect the pace maker and, by extension, the body of the person having the pace maker on his or her body. In view of this, nowadays, in some cases, manufacturers of the club head cover caution users against the danger in the instruction manual. [0010] In the case of the head cover using a zipper, the zipper may be engaged in an inner cloth (get caught by the inner cloth) at the time of opening and closing the zipper, thereby making it impossible to open and close the head cover smoothly, which results in a rather poor usability. [0011] In the case of the head cover using a planar tape, noise is involved when separating the planar tape to extract the club, which may be a nuisance to other players. Further, when the head cover is dropped on a lawn, grass will adhere to the planar tape, which may impair the locking function of the planar tape. [0012] Apart from the above-mentioned club head covers, there conventionally exists a head cover in which the shaft protecting portion is formed of a cylindrical knit fabric, the lower end of which is provided with a head inlet/outlet opening. While the shaft protecting portion expands and contracts to some extent due to the characteristics of a knit fabric, there is a limitation to the maximum diameter of the head inlet/outlet opening at the time of expansion, so the head cover cannot be put on a head increased very much in size as mentioned above without forcing open the head cover inlet/outlet opening. When forced open, the head cover inlet/outlet opening will remain expanded, with the result that the head cover gets out of shape. To solve this problem, it will be necessary to enlarge the diameter of the inlet/outlet opening of the head cover, which will lead to a rather poor-looking design. Further, when the head cover is accommodated in a caddiebag, the head cover inlet/outlet opening may be put over or get entangled with the heads of other iron clubs in the caddie bag, which means, when pulling out the club from the caddie bag, other iron clubs may be pulled out at the same time, resulting in a rather poor usability. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0013] A head cover developed by the inventor of the present invention is easily put on a head, and is not inadvertently detached from the head without a stopper. In the head cover according to the present invention, there is provided under a head protecting portion a shaft protecting portion to be put on a shaft attachment portion side, and the shaft protecting portion is formed of a thin and long cylindrical knit fabric, at the lower end of which a head inlet/outlet opening is provided, and at a position near the lower end of the shaft protecting portion, there is formed an opening/closing portion of a slit-like or of some other configuration which is provided at the head inlet/outlet opening. When the opening/closing portion is opened by hand, the diameter of the head inlet/outlet opening is enlarged due to an expanding characteristic of the knit fabric, and when the opening/closing portion is released, the diameter of the shaft protecting portion is automatically diminished (restored to the former size) due to a contracting characteristic of the knit fabric. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] In the accompanying drawings: [0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a head cover according to the present invention; [0016] FIG. 2 is a detailed view showing an opening/closing portion of the head cover; [0017] FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are explanatory views showing various examples of the opening/closing portion of the head cover according to the present invention; and [0018] FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing how the head cover according to the present invention is put on a head by opening the opening/closing portion thereof. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0019] As shown in FIG. 4, the head cover according to the present invention is equipped with a head protecting portion 2 (FIG. 1) to be put on a head 1 to protect the head 1, and a shaft protecting portion 4 (FIG. 1) to be put on an attachment portion side of a shaft 3 (FIG. 4) attached to the head 1, to protect the portion around the attachment portion, with an opening/closing portion 5 being formed in the lower portion of the shaft protecting portion 4. [0020] An upper portion 6 and both side surface portions 7 of the head protecting portion 2 are formed of a material which has little elasticity and does not easily get out of shape, such as cloth or synthetic leather, and a head inner side portion (the portion which comes on the upper surface side of the head when put on the head) 8 is formed of a knit fabric. The head inner side portion 8 is sewn onto the upper portion 6 and the both side surface portions 7. It is also possible for the head inner side portion 8 to be bonded to the upper portion 6 and the both side surface portions 7 by an adhesive. The upper portion 6, the both side surface portions 7, and the inner side portion 8 may be all formed of the same material, such as a material which does not easily get out of shape, a knit fabric which is superior in elasticity, or some other material. The configuration, size, etc. of the head protecting portion 2 may be changed in conformity with the configuration and size of the head 1 on which the head cover is to be put. Continue reading... Full patent description for Head cover for golf club Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Head cover for golf club patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. 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