Golf bag having base made of composite sheet material

Abstract

A golf bag with an improved base. The golf bag is durable, lightweight, comfortable to carry, and easy to use. The base is made of a composite sheet material, preferably a self-reinforced polymer composite sheet material that has been thermoformed. Materials including thermoplastic polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyoxymethylene, and polyester can be processed under precise temperature and pressure conditions to form the self-reinforced polymer composite sheet material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf bag, comprising:
 an elongated body with a top opening;   a base secured to a bottom portion of the elongated body, the base comprising a front base section with a front bottom surface and a front sidewall and a rear base section with a rear bottom surface and a rear sidewall, wherein the front base section and the rear base section are pivotally connected to form a hinged connection for moving the golf bag between an upright position and a tilted position,   wherein the rear base section includes an angled tab that extends across the hinged connection when the golf bag is in the upright position, wherein the angled tab is configured to (i) move downwardly towards the front bottom surface when the golf bag is tilted and (ii) contact the front bottom surface of the front base section to stop the rear base section from pivoting beyond a predetermined angle relative to the front bottom surface,   wherein the front base section includes an anti-rotation plate extending from the front bottom surface of the front base section and overlapping the rear bottom surface of the rear base section, wherein the anti-rotation plate is decoupled from the rear bottom surface of the rear base section so that the plate functions independently of the hinged connection to catch and stop the rear base section from rotating beyond the predetermined angle;   one or more legs pivotally attached to a top cuff arranged along the top opening of the elongated body; and   one or more actuator rods with a first end coupled to the one or more legs and a second end coupled to the front base section, wherein the one or more actuator rods are configured to move the one or more legs between an extended position and a retracted position as the rear base section and the front base section pivot relative to each other.   
     
     
         2 . The golf bag of  claim 1 , wherein the anti-rotation plate is configured as a primary stopper for preventing the rear base section from over-rotating, and wherein the angled tab is configured to help stop the pivoting of the rear base section so that the rear base section does not pivot upwardly by an excessive amount. 
     
     
         3 . The golf bag of  claim 1 , wherein a lower edge of the angled tab is configured to extend across and over the front bottom surface of the front base section at a first angle when the bag is in the upright position, and wherein the anti-rotation plate is configured to overlap the rear bottom surface of the rear base section at a second angle corresponding to the first angle when the bag is in the upright position. 
     
     
         4 . The golf bag of  claim 3 , wherein the first angle and the second angle correspond to the predetermined angle. 
     
     
         5 . The golf bag of  claim 4 , wherein the predetermined angle ranges from about 20 degrees to about 60 degrees. 
     
     
         6 . The golf bag of  claim 1 , wherein the angled tab is configured to extend across the hinged connection in a first direction from the rear base section to the front base section, and wherein the anti-rotation plate is configured to extend across the hinged connection in a second direction from the front base section to the rear base section. 
     
     
         7 . The golf bag of  claim 1 , wherein the angled tab is configured to extend along an inner surface portion of the front sidewall. 
     
     
         8 . The golf bag of  claim 7 , wherein the inner surface portion of the front sidewall surrounds an outer surface portion of the angled tab. 
     
     
         9 . The golf bag of  claim 1 , wherein the front base section includes a first end wall extending along a front end of the front base section, and wherein the rear base section includes a second end wall extending along a rear end of the rear base section, wherein the first end wall and the second end wall have a uniform height. 
     
     
         10 . The golf bag of  claim 1 , wherein the angled tab is configured to extend past both sides of the hinged connection when the bag is in the upright position. 
     
     
         11 . The golf bag of  claim 1 , wherein the angled tab comprises an upper edge, a lower edge opposite the upper edge, and a side edge extending between the upper edge and the lower edge, wherein the lower edge is configured to extend across and over the front bottom surface of the front base section when the bag is in the upright position. 
     
     
         12 . The golf bag of  claim 11 , wherein an entirety of the lower edge is positioned alongside and adjacent to the front bottom surface of the front base section when the bag is in the tilted position. 
     
     
         13 . The golf bag of  claim 1 , wherein the hinged connection is positioned closer towards a rear end of the rear base section than a front end of the front base section. 
     
     
         14 . The golf bag of  claim 1 , further comprising a flexible section disposed between the front base section and the rear base section, the flexible section forming the hinged connection that pivotably connects the front and rear base sections. 
     
     
         15 . The golf bag of  claim 14 , wherein the flexible section comprises an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         16 . The golf bag of  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a plurality of layers that are melted and/or compacted together. 
     
     
         17 . The golf bag of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of layers includes a top layer, a bottom layer, and an intermediate layer formed of a same type of polymeric material. 
     
     
         18 . The golf bag of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of layers includes a top layer and a bottom layer comprising a first polymer and an intermediate layer comprising a second polymer with a lower degree of molecular orientation or a lower melting temperature than the first polymer. 
     
     
         19 . The golf bag of  claim 18 , wherein the intermediate layer has a first thickness that is less than a second thickness of either the top layer or the bottom layer. 
     
     
         20 . The golf bag of  claim 18 , wherein the top layer and the bottom layer comprise a woven fabric, and wherein the intermediate layer comprises a non-woven film.