Rigid support member for packs, bags and other articles

Abstract

A support member for packs, bags and other articles adapted to be supported from the shoulders of a wearer of the article including a pair of spaced-apart rigid arms adapted to engage the waist and/or hips of the wearer of the pack, bag or article. A sleeve or shoulder associated with either the arms or the article secures the arms to the article. In one of the embodiments, the arms, shoulders and sleeve combine to define a generally U-shape frame adapted to be mounted to the article. In another embodiment, the shoulders and/or sleeve are adjustable to allow the adjustment of the width between the arms. In other of the embodiments, the arms are rotatable about the article between disengaged and engaged positions.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A member for supporting an article, the member comprising a pair of spaced-apart rigid arms adapted to cooperate with the article and engage the waist and/or hips of a wearer of the article.  
     
     
         2 . The member of  claim 1  wherein the article is a back pack including opposed side panels and an open sleeve extending along a lower edge of each of the side panels, the arms being adapted to be slid and extended into the sleeves respectively.  
     
     
         3 . The member of  claim 1  wherein the article is a back pack including a back panel and a sleeve associated therewith, the arms being adapted to extend through the sleeve and secure the arms to the article.  
     
     
         4 . The member of  claim 1  wherein the article is a back pack including a front panel having a sleeve associated therewith and opposed side panels therebetween, the arms being adapted to extend through the sleeve and around the side panels of the back pack.  
     
     
         5 . The member of  claim 1  wherein the arms are adapted for rotation about the article between a disengaged position and an engaged position with the waist and/or hips of the wearer.  
     
     
         6 . The member of  claim 1  wherein a sleeve extends between and is unitary with the arms and defines a generally U-shaped frame adapted to be secured to the article.  
     
     
         7 . The member of  claim 6  wherein the sleeve comprises a pair of cooperating elements adapted to allow the distance between the arms to be adjusted.  
     
     
         8 . The member of  claim 1  wherein each of the arms includes an extended shoulder and the shoulders cooperate to secure the arms together.  
     
     
         9 . The member of  claim 1  wherein the article is a golf bag.  
     
     
         10 . A back pack including rigid spaced-apart arms adapted to engage the hips and/or waist of a wearer of the back pack.  
     
     
         11 . The back pack of  claim 10  wherein the back pack includes opposed side panels and a pair of hollow sleeves extending along a lower edge of the side panels respectively, the arms extending through the sleeves respectively.  
     
     
         12 . The back pack of  claim 10  wherein the distance between the arms is adjustable.  
     
     
         13 . The back pack of  claim 10  wherein each of the arms includes a hollow shoulder portion and the shoulder portion of one of the arms extends into the shoulder portion of the other of the arms.  
     
     
         14 . The back pack of  claim 10  wherein the arms extend around a front panel and opposed side panels of the back pack.  
     
     
         15 . The back pack of  claim 10  including a front panel and a back panel and incorporating a hollow sleeve on one of the front and back panels, the arms extending through and being rotatable about the sleeve on one of the front or back panels of the back pack.  
     
     
         16 . The back pack of  claim 10  wherein the arms are rotatable about the back pack between a first disengaged position and a second engaged position against the hips and/or waist of the user.  
     
     
         17 . The back pack of  claim 10  wherein a sleeve connects the arms together and the sleeve secures the arms to the back pack.  
     
     
         18 . The back pack of  claim 17  wherein the arms and the sleeve together define a generally U-shaped unitary frame and the sleeve is adapted to secure the arms to the back pack in a relationship where the arms extend generally normally outwardly from the back pack.  
     
     
         19 . The back pack of  claim 10  including a back panel and an interior, the arms being slid over the ends of a flexible rod extending and protruding through respective apertures defined in the back panel of the back pack.  
     
     
         20 . The back pack of  claim 10  including a bottom panel, the arms cooperating and extending from the bottom panel.  
     
     
         21 . A member for supporting a golf bag comprising rigid spaced-apart arms adapted to engage the waist and/or hips of a user when said golf bag is carried by the user.  
     
     
         22 . The member of  claim 21  wherein the golf bag has a spine and the arms depend from a sleeve associated therewith and adapted to be positioned against the bag in a generally co-planar relationship with the spine of the golf bag.  
     
     
         23 . The member of  claim 21  wherein the arms are rotatable about the spine of the bag between a first disengaged position where the arms are disposed generally adjacent the bag and a second engaged position where the arms are positioned away from the bag and engage the waist and/or hips of the user.  
     
     
         24 . The member of  claim 22  wherein the sleeve includes first and second telescoping plates.  
     
     
         25 . The member of  claim 24  wherein a shaft extends longitudinally outwardly from a distal end of each of the first and second plates respectively, the arms extending into the shafts respectively and being adapted for rotation about the shafts.  
     
     
         26 . The member of  claim 22  wherein the sleeve is covered by a jacket integral with the golf bag, the jacket defining a pair of openings through which the arms protrude.  
     
     
         27 . The member of  claim 26  wherein the jacket includes a flap allowing access to the sleeve.  
     
     
         28 . The member of  claim 21  wherein the arms are secured directly to the spine of the golf bag and are slidable and rotatable thereon.  
     
     
         29 . The member of  claim 21  wherein the arms are connected to a bracket adapted to be secured to the handle of the golf bag.  
     
     
         30 . The member of  claim 29  wherein the bracket includes a pair of interconnectable plates adapted to be brought together from opposite sides of the handle into a relationship surrounding the handle, the member further comprising a hollow sleeve mounted to one of the plates and the arms extending into the ends of the sleeve respectively.  
     
     
         31 . The member of  claim 29  wherein the bracket includes a plate having a plurality of apertures defined therein and adapted for extension through an opening defined between the golf bag and the handle, the member further including straps adapted to surround the handle and extend through the apertures defined in the plate for removably securing the bracket to the handle.  
     
     
         32 . The member of  claim 31  wherein the straps are comprised of hook and loop type material.  
     
     
         33 . The member of  claim 21  further including a bracket associated with the golf bag, the bracket including a hollow tube secured thereto and the member incorporating a sleeve into which the arms extend and are removably secured, the sleeve including a rod extending outwardly therefrom and adapted to extend through the tube on the bracket for removably securing the arms to the bracket.  
     
     
         34 . The member of  claim 29  wherein the bracket comprises a collar adapted to surround the handle of the golf bag.