Golf club saver

Abstract

A storage apparatus for storing a golf club comprising a spring-loaded inner tube positioned within an outer tube for holding golf clubs. In one variation, the inner tube comprises grippers or arm extensions for securing the golf club when the inner tube is pushed downward within the outer tube. A locking mechanism may be provided for maintaining the inner tube in the retracted position. In on variation, the apparatus is configured such that when a user presses the golf club downward the locking mechanism releases the inner tube and pushes the inner tube upward to a predefined position. In this variation, the golf club is maintained in the raised position until the user pushes the club downward and engages the locking mechanism to keep the inner tube in the retracted position.

1 . A golf club storage apparatus comprising: 
 an elongated tube having a top end and a bottom end;    a sleeve adapted for holding a golf club, wherein said sleeve is slidably positioned within said elongated tube;    a biasing element position between said elongated tube and said sleeve wherein said biasing element is adapted to bias the position of said sleeve relative to said elongated tube; and    a latch adapted to secure said sleeve inside said elongated tube when said biasing element is compressed.    
   
   
       2 . (canceled)  
   
   
       3 . The golf club storage apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said biasing element is a spring.  
   
   
       4 . The golf club storage apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said sleeve comprises an inner tube and a gripper connected to said inner tube.  
   
   
       5 . (canceled)  
   
   
       6 . The golf club storage apparatus of  claim 4  wherein a length of said inner tube is less than three forth of a length of said elongated tube.  
   
   
       7 . The golf club storage apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said gripper comprises a plurality of arms extending from said inner tube.  
   
   
       8 . The golf club storage apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said biasing element has a resilient restoration force that is greater than a weight of said sleeve, and less than the combined weight of said sleeve and a golf club.  
   
   
       9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . (canceled)  
   
   
       11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . The golf club storage apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a gripper adapted to secure said golf club when said sleeve is push downward into said elongated tube, wherein said gripper is integrated within a midsection of said sleeve.    
   
   
       13 . The golf club storage apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a padding attached to an inner surface of said sleeve.    
   
   
       14 . The golf club storage apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said padding comprises a polymeric pile.  
   
   
       15 . (canceled)  
   
   
       16 . (canceled)  
   
   
       17 . (canceled)  
   
   
       18 . (canceled)  
   
   
       19 . (canceled)  
   
   
       20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . A protective device for storing a golf club comprising: 
 a first elongated tube adapted for storing a golf club;    a second elongated tube having an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of said first tube, wherein said first elongated tube is slidably positioned within said second elongated tube;    a gripper adapted to hold said golf club, wherein said gripper is connected to said first elongated tube; and    a spring positioned between said first and second tube, where in said spring is adapted to bias the position of said first elongated tube within said second elongated tube.    
   
   
       22 . The protective device of  claim 21  further comprising: 
 a locking mechanism adapted to secure said first elongated tube within said second elongated tube when said spring is compressed.    
   
   
       23 . (canceled)  
   
   
       24 . The protective device of  claim 21  wherein said resilient spring having a reactive spring force greater than a weight of said first elongated tube and less than the combined weight of a average golf club and said first elongated tube.  
   
   
       25 . The protective device of  claim 21  wherein said spring is positioned between an outer bottom surface of said first elongated tube and an inner bottom surface of said second elongated tube.  
   
   
       26 . (canceled)  
   
   
       27 . (canceled)  
   
   
       28 . (canceled)  
   
   
       29 . (canceled)  
   
   
       30 . (canceled)  
   
   
       31 . (canceled)  
   
   
       32 . A protective device for storing a golf club comprising: 
 a first elongated tube adapted for storing a golf club;    a second elongated tube having an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of said first tube, wherein said first elongated tube is slidably positioned within said second elongated tube;    a spring positioned between said first and second tube, where in said spring is adapted to bias the position of said first elongated tube within said second elongated tube; and    a gripper adapted to hold said golf club when said spring is compressed, wherein said gripper is integrated within a midsection of said first elongated tube.    
   
   
       33 . (canceled)  
   
   
       34 . (canceled)  
   
   
       35 . (canceled)  
   
   
       36 . The protective device of  claim 32  wherein said spring having a reactive spring force greater than a weight of said first elongated tube and less than the combined weight of a average golf club and said first elongated tube.  
   
   
       37 . A golf club storage system comprising: 
 a golf bag;    a plurality of elongated tubes positioned within said golf bag, wherein each of said plurality of elongated tubes further comprising (a) an inner tube slidably positioned within each of said elongated tube, (b) a gripper connected to each of said inner tube, and (c) a spring positioned between each of said elongated tubes and its corresponding inner tube.    
   
   
       38 . A golf club storage system of  claim 37  further comprising: 
 a divider plate adapted to secure said plurality of elongated tubes within said golf bag.    
   
   
       39 . (canceled)  
   
   
       40 . The protective device of  claim 37  wherein each of said plurality of springs having a reactive spring force greater than a weight of said inner tube and less than a combined weight of a golf club and said inner tube.  
   
   
       41 . The golf club storage apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 an indicia located on the sleeve.    
   
   
       42 . The golf club storage apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 an indicia located on the gripper.    
   
   
       43 . The golf club storage apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said gripper is configured to compress against the golf club when the inner tube is displaced in a downward direction and said gripper is also configured to release the golf club when the inner tube is displaced in an upward direction.  
   
   
       44 . The golf club storage apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said gripper being configured to secure the golf club within said inner tube.  
   
   
       45 . The golf club storage apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said gripper being configured to expand radially away from a central axis of said inner tube when said inner tube is displaced in an upward direction relative to said elongated tube, and said gripper being configured to contract towards the central axis of said inner tube when said inner tube is displaced in a downward direction relative to said elongated tube.  
   
   
       46 . The golf club storage apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said gripper being configured to capture the golf club and prevent the golf club from sliding out of said inner tub.  
   
   
       47 . The golf club storage apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said gripper being adapted to capture a club head of said golf club.  
   
   
       48 . The golf club storage apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said gripper being configured to compress inwardly when said sleeve is pushed downward into said elongated tube, and said gripper being configured to expand outwardly when said sleeve is released and rises upwardly relative to said elongated tube.  
   
   
       49 . The protective device of  claim 21  wherein said gripper being adapted to capture a club head of said golf club.  
   
   
       50 . The protective device of  claim 32  wherein said gripper being adapted to capture a club head of said golf club.