Golf Bag Stand System

Abstract

A golf bag stand system is described wherein the legs of the stand system deploy in an arcuate path. The arcuate path permits the legs of the golf bag stand system to be widely deployed to support the golf bag while minimizing entanglement issues during deployment and retraction. The arcuate deployment keeps the legs closer to the center line of the bag during a greater period of the deployment/retraction, with the sideward/outward movement of the legs occurring at the end of leg deployment and at the beginning of leg retraction. This may be achieved by hingedly connecting the legs to the golf bag with an axis of rotation that is inclined toward the center of the golf bag. The legs of the golf bag include a bend or jog that permits the inclined axis of rotation while keeping the legs close to the golf bag when in the retracted position.

1 . A bag stand system comprising:
 a bag;   a pair of leg attachment points attached to the bag; and   a pair of legs hingedly attached to the bag by hinged attachments at the pair of leg attachment points, wherein each hinged attachment has an axis of rotation having an angle of inclination whereby a portion of the axis of rotation more proximate a vertical plane of symmetry of the bag stand system is inclined above a portion of the axis of rotation more distal the vertical plane of symmetry, when the bag is in a substantially upright and vertical position.   
   
   
       2 . A bag stand system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of the legs comprises an upper portion, a lower portion, and a jog connecting and transitioning the upper portion to the lower portion. 
   
   
       3 . A bag stand system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the jog permits the lower portion of each leg to rest substantially parallel a long axis of the bag when the legs are in a retracted position. 
   
   
       4 . A bag stand system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the angle of inclination comprises an angle from horizontal of between five and seventy-five degrees. 
   
   
       5 . A bag stand system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the angle of inclination comprises an angle from horizontal of between ten and sixty degrees. 
   
   
       6 . A bag stand system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the angle of inclination comprises an angle from horizontal of between fifteen and sixty degrees. 
   
   
       7 . A bag stand system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the angle of inclination comprises an angle from horizontal of between thirty and sixty degrees. 
   
   
       8 . A bag stand system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the configuration of the bag stand system causes the legs to deploy in an arced motion. 
   
   
       9 . A bag stand system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising means for automatically securing the legs to the bag in a fully-retracted position, comprising:
 one or more first magnetically-interacting portions on at least one of:
 the bag; 
 a bracket attached to a portion of the bag; and 
 a bracket attached to a push rod of the bag stand system; and 
   a second magnetically-interacting portion on each of the legs.   
   
   
       10 . A bag stand system as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the one or more first magnetically-interacting portions are magnetically-interacting portions of the bracket attached to the push rod of the bag stand system, and wherein the push rod is attached to a push-up plate disposed near a bottom of the bag and is further attached to the legs, whereby a vertical displacement applied to the push-up plate simultaneously vertically displaces the bracket attached to the push rod and applies a deployment force to the legs, whereby the first and second magnetically-interacting portions are disengaged from one another. 
   
   
       11 . A bag stand system as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the second magnetically-interacting portions are integrally formed with the legs. 
   
   
       12 . A bag stand system as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the second magnetically-interacting portions are attached to the legs. 
   
   
       13 . A golf bag stand system comprising:
 a golf bag; and   a golf bag stand having a vertical plane of symmetry when the golf bag is viewed in an upright vertical position, the golf bag stand being attached to the golf bag and comprising:
 a pair of legs with upper ends; and 
 means for hingedly attaching the upper ends to the golf bag, wherein the means for hingedly attaching have axes of rotation upwardly inclined toward the vertical plane of symmetry by an angle of inclination. 
   
   
   
       14 . A golf bag stand system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the angle of inclination comprises an angle of between fifteen and seventy-five degrees from horizontal, when the golf bag is viewed in a substantially-upright and vertical position. 
   
   
       15 . A golf bag stand system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the angle of inclination comprises an angle of between thirty and sixty degrees from horizontal, when the golf bag is viewed in a substantially-upright and vertical position. 
   
   
       16 . A golf bag stand system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the angle of inclination comprises an angle of between forty and fifty degrees from horizontal, when the golf bag is viewed in a substantially-upright and vertical position. 
   
   
       17 . A golf bag stand system as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising means for automatically securing the legs to the golf bag in a fully-retracted position, comprising:
 one or more first magnetically-interacting portions on at least one of:
 the golf bag; 
 a bracket attached to a portion of the golf bag; and 
 a bracket attached to a push rod of the golf bag stand system; and 
   a second magnetically-interacting portion on each of the legs.   
   
   
       18 . A golf bag stand system comprising:
 a golf bag;   a pair of legs having upper ends hingedly attached to the golf bag; and   means for automatically securing the legs to the golf bag in a fully-retracted position, comprising:
 one or more first magnetically-interacting portions on at least one of:
 the golf bag; 
 a bracket attached to a portion of the golf bag; and 
 a bracket attached to a push rod of the golf bag stand system; and 
 
 a second magnetically-interacting portion on each of the legs. 
   
   
   
       19 . A golf bag stand system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the one or more first magnetically-interacting portions are magnetically-interacting portions of the bracket attached to the push rod of the golf bag stand system, and wherein the push rod is attached to a push-up plate disposed near a bottom of the golf bag and is further attached to the legs, whereby a vertical displacement applied to the push-up plate simultaneously vertically displaces the bracket attached to the push rod and applies a deployment force to the legs, whereby the first and second magnetically-interacting portions are disengaged from one another. 
   
   
       20 . A golf bag stand system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the upper ends are hingedly attached to the golf bag by hinged attachments having axes of rotation upwardly inclined by an angle of inclination toward a vertical plane of symmetry of the golf bag stand system.