Golf bag divider accessory and method of making same

Abstract

Golf bag divider accessory and method of manufacturing same. One exemplary embodiment of the golf bag divider accessory comprises a shell mountable on an upper rim portion of a conventional golf bag. The shell defines a plurality of spaced-apart openings therethrough for receiving respective ones of a plurality of golf clubs. The golf clubs are maintained in a spaced-apart relationship while the golf clubs are received in the respective ones of the plurality of openings. This arrangement of the golf clubs provided by the shell prevents the golf clubs from impacting each other and becoming damaged. This arrangement of the golf clubs also minimizes the likelihood that the golf club shafts will become entangled while in the golf bag.

1 . A golf bag system for receiving and carrying a plurality of golf clubs, the golf bag comprising:
 a elongated outer shell;   an elongated insert for receiving and holding a plurality of golf clubs, said insert being positioned within said outer shell; and   connector means for interconnecting said insert with said outer shell in a manner which permits said insert to rotate about its longitudinal axis relative to said outer shell, whereby the user of the golf bag can selectively rotate the insert so that he can easily withdraw a club from or place a club into said insert, said connector means including an annular support member included on said outer shell and an annular mounting flange included on said insert, said mounting flange cooperating with and being rotatably supported on said support member.   
     
     
         2 . A golf bag system for receiving and carrying a plurality of golf clubs, the golf bag comprising:
 an elongated outer shell with a golf club access opening and a base positioned opposite said access opening:   an elongated insert for receiving and holding a plurality of golf clubs, said insert having a bottom and being positioned within said outer shell; and   connector means for interconnecting said insert with said outer shell in a manner which permits said insert to rotate about its longitudinal axis relative to said outer shell, whereby the user of the golf bag can selectively rotate the insert so that he can easily withdraw a club from or place a club into said insert, said connector means including means for rotatably fixing the bottom of said insert to said base and means for restraining said insert from moving laterally relative to said outer shell and from moving in a longitudinal direction into or out of said outer shell.   
     
     
         3 . The golf club bag of  claim 1  wherein said connector means includes means for restraining said insert from moving laterally relative to said outer shell. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club bag of  claim 1  wherein said connector means includes means for restraining said insert from moving in a longitudinal direction into or out of said outer shell. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club bag of  claim 1  wherein said connector means includes means for restraining said insert from moving laterally relative to said outer shell and means for restraining said insert from moving in a longitudinal direction into or out of said outer shell. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club bag of  claim 1  or  2  wherein said insert and said outer shell are both substantially cylindrical in shape and wherein the longitudinal axis of said insert and said outer shell substantially coincide. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club bag of  claim 1  or  2  wherein said insert further includes divider means forming a plurality of golf club compartments within said insert. 
     
     
         8 . The golf bag of  claim 1  wherein said connector means further includes a retaining collar for retaining said mounting flange of said insert on said support member of said outer shell and for cooperating with said mounting flange and said support member to restrain said insert from moving in a longitudinal direction into or out of said outer shell. 
     
     
         9 . The golf bag of  claim 8  wherein said annular support member further includes an annular shoulder for restraining said insert from moving laterally relative to said outer shell. 
     
     
         10 . The golf bag of  claim 1  wherein said outer shell includes a base for supporting said golf bag on a ground surface, said base having locating means for positioning the bottom of said insert and for restraining the bottom of said insert from moving laterally relative to said base. 
     
     
         11 . The golf bag of  claim 10  wherein said base locating means is a well which receives the bottom of said insert. 
     
     
         12 . The golf bag of  claim 10  wherein said base locating means includes a pin formed in one of said base and insert and a cooperating socket formed in the other of said base and insert. 
     
     
         13 . The golf bag of  claim 10  wherein said insert includes a downwardly projecting flange and wherein said base locating means includes an upright annular flange which cooperates with said downwardly projecting flange. 
     
     
         14 . The golf bag of  claim 8  where said support member and said retaining collar cooperate to form a slot which receives said mounting flange on said insert. 
     
     
         15 . The golf bag of  claim 1  or  2  wherein said insert includes a plurality of divider means extending longitudinally from the upper portion of said insert to the lower portion of said insert. 
     
     
         16 . An insert system for converting an elongated golf club bag with a golf club access opening into a bag which can rotatably carry a plurality of golf clubs, the insert system comprising:
 an elongated insert for receiving and holding a plurality of golf clubs, said insert being sized to fit within the access opening of the golf club bag; and   connector means for attachment to the golf bag and for interconnecting said insert with the golf bag in a manner which permits said insert to rotate about its longitudinal axis relative to the golf bag, whereby the user of the converted golf bag can selectively rotate the insert so that he can easily withdraw a club from or place a club into said insert, said connector means including an annular support member for attachment to the golf bag and an annular mounting flange included on said insert, said mounting flange cooperating with and being rotatably supported on said support member.   
     
     
         17 . An insert system for converting an elongated golf club bag with a golf club access opening, an outer shell and a base positioned opposite said access opening into a bag which can rotatably carry a plurality of golf clubs, the insert system comprising:
 an elongated inset for receiving and holding a plurality of golf clubs, said insert having a bottom and being sized to fit within the access opening of the golf club bag; and   connector means for attachment to the golf bag and for interconnecting said insert with the golf bag in a manner which permits said insert to rotate about its longitudinal axis relative to the golf bag, whereby the user of the converted golf bag can selectively rotate the insert so that he can easily withdraw a club from or place a club into said insert, said connector means including means for rotatably fixing the bottom of said insert to said base and means for restraining said insert from moving laterally relative to said outer shell and from moving in a longitudinal direction into or out of said outer shell.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16  or  17  wherein said insert and said outer shell are both substantially cylindrical in shape and wherein the longitudinal axes of said insert and said outer shell substantially coincide. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16  or  17  further comprising divider means dividing said insert into a series of compartments to accommodate the plurality of golf clubs. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 ,  2 ,  16  or  17  further comprising means for restraining said insert from unwanted rotation relative to said outer shell. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 ,  2 ,  16  or  17  further comprising means for selectively varying the force necessary to rotate said insert relative to said outer shell. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 2  or  17  further comprising an annular support means attached to said outer shell proximate the golf club access opening for cooperating with said insert and restraining said insert from moving laterally relative to said outer shell. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 2  or  17  wherein said connector means includes a mounting plate rotatably fixed to the bottom of said insert and means for fixing said mounting plate to said base. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein a bolt extends through the center of said mounting plate and the bottom of said insert and rotatably fixes said plate and said bottom together. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23  further comprising bearing means positioned between said mounting plate and the bottom of said insert. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 16  wherein said connector means includes means for restraining said insert from moving laterally relative to said outer shell. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 16  wherein said connector means includes means for restraining said insert from moving in a longitudinal direction into or out of said outer shell. 
     
     
         28 . A golf bag system substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
     
         29 . An insert system for a golf bag substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.