Golf club head covers

Abstract

A golf club head cover has an outer shell with a shell front section releasably secured to a shell rear section by a coupler. The shell front section moves between a closed position, in which the shell front section overlies the shell rear section, and an open position. In the open position, the shell front section is rotated away from a remainder of the cover to allow it to be placed into a sewing machine to sew a custom design, patch, or embroidery onto the headcover. The head cover comprising a coupler can be manufactured, assembled, and held in inventory prior to receiving a custom order, thereby reducing lead times and improving customer satisfaction.

1 . A cover for a golf club head, comprising:
 a shell having:
 a shell shaft end, comprising a contiguous loop of cover material that defines a shell opening sized to receive the golf club head; 
 a shell head end opposite the shell shaft end and sized to enclose the golf club head, including:
 a shell rear section having a rear section perimeter; and 
 a shell front section having a front section perimeter, wherein the shell front section is movable between a closed position, in which the front section perimeter overlies the rear section perimeter, and an open position, in which the front section perimeter is spaced from the rear section perimeter; and 
 
 a coupler for releasably securing the shell front section in the closed position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the coupler comprises a zipper having a rear tooth thread extending around the rear section perimeter and a front tooth thread extending around the front section perimeter. 
     
     
         3 . The cover of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the shell front section includes a front lip defining the front section perimeter and the shell rear section includes a rear lip defining the rear section perimeter;   the front lip obscures the front tooth thread; and   the rear lip obscures the rear tooth thread.   
     
     
         4 . The cover of  claim 3 , wherein the cover comprises:
 a front panel forming the shell front section and a front region of the shell shaft end; and   a rear panel forming the shell rear section and a front region of the shell shaft end.   
     
     
         5 . The cover of  claim 4 , further comprising a liner having:
 a liner shaft end coupled to an interior surface of the shell shaft end, the liner shaft end comprising a contiguous loop of liner material defining a liner opening sized to receive the golf club head; and   a liner head end opposite the liner shaft end and sized to enclose the golf club head, wherein the liner head end is disposed within but detached from the shell head end.   
     
     
         6 . The cover of  claim 3 , wherein the rear tooth thread and front tooth thread have a length of about 1.5 to 5 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The cover of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a liner comprising a liner front panel and a liner rear panel that are coupled together via stitching;   wherein the cover comprises an open configuration such that the front panel is folded relative to the liner and rear panel such that a front panel interior surface is exposed   wherein the cover comprises a closed configuration such that the front tooth thread engages the rear tooth thread and the zipper is devoid of a zipper pull.   
     
     
         8 . The cover of  claim 7 , wherein the shell front section further defines a customizable region located at the shell head end configured to receive a custom indicia when in the open configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The cover of  claim 8 , wherein the customizable region has an area ranging from 2 in 2  to 9 in 2 . 
     
     
         10 . A cover for a golf club head, comprising:
 a shell having:
 a shell shaft end, comprising a contiguous loop of cover material that defines a shell opening sized to receive the golf club head; 
 a shell head end opposite the shell shaft end and sized to enclose the golf club head, including:
 a shell rear section having a rear section perimeter; and 
 a shell front section having a front section perimeter, wherein the shell front section is movable between a closed position, in which the front section perimeter overlies the rear section perimeter, and an open position, in which the front section perimeter is spaced from the rear section perimeter; 
 
 a coupler for releasably securing the shell front section in the closed position; 
 a front panel and an intermediate panel forming the shell front section; and 
 a rear panel forming the shell rear section. 
   
     
     
         11 . The cover of  claim 10 , wherein the coupler comprises a zipper having a rear tooth thread extending around the rear section perimeter and a front tooth thread extending around the front section perimeter. 
     
     
         12 . The cover of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the shell front section includes a front lip defining the front section perimeter and the shell rear section includes a rear lip defining the rear section perimeter;   the front lip obscures the front tooth thread; and   the rear lip obscures the rear tooth thread.   
     
     
         13 . The cover of  claim 11 , further comprising a liner having:
 a liner shaft end coupled to an interior surface of the shell shaft end, the liner shaft end comprising a contiguous loop of liner material defining a liner opening sized to receive the golf club head; and   a liner head end opposite the liner shaft end and sized to enclose the golf club head, wherein the liner head end is disposed within but detached from the shell head end.   
     
     
         14 . The cover of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the front panel is directly coupled to the rear panel at the shell rear section to form the shell shaft end;   the front panel is indirectly coupled to the rear panel via the intermediate panel to form the shell head end; and   the intermediate panel defines the front section perimeter and the rear panel defines the rear section perimeter.   
     
     
         15 . The cover of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a liner comprising a liner front panel and a liner rear panel that are coupled together via stitching;   wherein the cover comprises an open configuration such that the front panel and the intermediate panel are folded relative to the liner and the rear panel such that a front panel interior surface is exposed;   wherein the head cover comprises a closed configuration such that the front tooth thread engages the rear tooth thread and the zipper is devoid of a zipper pull.   
     
     
         16 . The cover of  claim 15 , wherein the shell front section further defines a customizable region located at the shell head end configured to receive a custom indicia when in the open configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The cover of  claim 15 , wherein the customizable region has an area ranging from 2 in 2  to 9 in 2 .