Locking molded golf club headcover

Abstract

A one-piece molded flexible plastic material golf club headcover for use with a golf club, including a golf club head and shank, is disclosed. The golf club headcover includes a golf club headcover section for substantially surrounding the golf club head. A flexible and resilient restricted throat is formed in the golf club headcover section which has an internal dimension smaller than the golf club head such that upon insertion of the golf club head, the flexible and resilient restricted throat deforms and expands to allow passage of the golf club head into the golf club headcover section and subsequent return to its initial configuration. Locking elements are formed in the golf club headcover section independent of the flexible and resilient restricted throat for underlying the golf club head while releasably holding the golf club headcover section on the golf club head. The locking elements include complementary interengaging male and female elements formed in opposing flexible and resilient wall sections of the golf club headcover section.

We claim: 
     
       1. A one-piece molded flexible plastic material golf club headcover for use with a golf club having a golf club head and shank, comprising: a golf club headcover section for substantially surrounding the golf club head, and flexible and resilient complementary male and female locking elements formed in a restricted throat area of said headcover section .[.biased.]. .Iadd.biased .Iaddend.for resilient deformation to a non-engaged position upon the insertion and removal of a golf club head and for resilient return to an engaged position below the golf club head after passage of the golf club head through said restricted throat area and into said golf club headcover section for releasably holding the golf club headcover to the golf club head.Iadd., said complementary male and female locking elements occupying a limited part of the restricted throat area and being at least partially spaced a small predetermined distance from each other when in engaged position in order to facilitate resilient deformation of the male and female locking elements upon the insertion and removal of a golf club head.Iaddend..   
     
     
       2. The golf club headcover as defined in claim 1 wherein the flexible and resilient complementary interengaging male and female locking elements are in a flexible and resilient restricted throat in the opposing wall sections of the golf club headcover section. 
     
     
       3. The golf club headcover as defined in claim 2 wherein the male element extends inwardly within the golf club headcover section and underlies the golf club head. 
     
     
       4. The golf club headcover as defined in claim 3 wherein the flexible and resilient restricted throat has a generally collapsed oval configuration substantially larger than the male and female locking elements, and the male locking element has a generally oval exterior shape which is substantially smaller than a modified pyramidal shape of the female locking element. 
     
     
       5. A one-piece molded flexible plastic material golf dub headcover for use with a golf club having a golf club head and shank, comprising: a golf club headcover section for substantially surrounding the golf club head;   a flexible and resilient restricted throat .[.foraged.]. .Iadd.formed .Iaddend.in the golf club headcover section which has an internal dimension smaller than the golf club head such that upon insertion of the golf club head, the flexible and resilient restricted throat deforms and expands to allow the passage of the golf club head into the golf club headcover section and subsequent return to its initial configuration; and   flexible and resilient complementary interengaged male and female elements formed in the golf club headcover section in the vicinity of the flexible and resilient restricted throat, said complementary interengaged male and female elements being flexibly and resiliently separated from one another to non-engaged position as the flexible and resilient restricted throat deforms and expands to allow passage of the golf club head, and said complementary interengaged male and female elements being flexibly and resiliently returned to engaged position after passage of the golf club head for underlying the golf club head and releasably holding the golf club headcover section on the golf club head.Iadd., and said complementary interengaged male and female elements occupying a limited part of the restricted throat area and being at least partially spaced a small predetermined distance from each other when in engaged position in order to facilitate resilient deformation of the male and female elements upon the insertion and removal of a golf club head.Iaddend..   
     
     
       6. The golf club headcover as defined in claim 5 wherein the complementary interengaged male and female elements are formed in opposing flexible and resilient wall sections of said golf club headcover section. 
     
     
       7. The golf club headcover as defined in claim 6 wherein the male element is adapted to be positioned below the golf club head while being complementary engaged with the female element for releasably holding the golf club headcover section to the golf club head. 
     
     
       8. The golf club headcover as defined in claim 7 wherein the male element extends inwardly within the golf club headcover section and is of substantially smaller size than the female element. 
     
     
       9. The golf club headcover as defined in claim 5 wherein the male element has a general oval configuration and the female element has a modified pyramidal shape. 
     
     
       10. The golf club headcover as defined in claim 9 wherein the flexible and resilient restricted throat has a generally collapsed oval configuration. .Iadd. 
     
     
       11.  A one-piece molded flexible plastic material golf club headcover for use with a golf club having a golf club head and shank, comprising: a golf club headcover section for substantially surrounding the golf club head, and flexible and resilient locking elements provided in a restricted throat area of said headcover section biased for resilient deformation to a non-engaged position upon the insertion and removal of a golf club head and for resilient return to an engaged position below the golf club head after passage of the golf club head through said restricted throat area and into said golf club headcover section for releasably holding the golf club headcover to the golf club head, at least one of the flexible and resilient locking elements extending at least partially across the restricted throat area to provide underlying positive structural interference within the restricted throat area of at least one of the flexible and resilient locking elements with a golf club head when the flexible and resilient locking elements are in engaged position said flexible and resilient locking elements being in structurally cooperating relationship with said restricted throat area to resist inadvertent opening of the restricted throat area and accidental dislodgment of the golf club headcover from the golf club head, and said flexible and resilient locking elements occupying a limited part of the restricted throat area while also being at least partially spaced a small predetermined distance from each other when in engaged position in order to facilitate resilient deformation of the flexible and resilient locking elements upon the insertion and removal of a golf club head..Iaddend..Iadd.12. A molded flexible plastic material golf club headcover for use with a golf club having a golf club head and shank, comprising:   a golf club headcover section for substantially surrounding the golf club head, and flexible and resilient locking elements provided in a restricted throat area of said headcover section biased for resilient deformation to a non-engaged position upon the insertion and removal of a golf club head and for resilient return to an engaged position below the golf club head after passage of the golf club head through said restricted throat area and into said golf club headcover section for releasably holding the golf club headcover to the golf club head, at least one of the flexible and resilient locking elements extending at least partially across the restricted throat area to provide underlying positive structural interference within the restricted throat area of at least one of the flexible and resilient locking elements with a golf club head when the flexible and resilient locking elements are in engaged position, said flexible and resilient locking elements being in structurally cooperating relationship with said restricted throat area to resist inadvertent opening of the restricted throat area and accidental dislodgment of the golf club headcover from the golf club head, and said flexible and resilient locking elements occupying a limited part of the restricted throat area while also being at least partially spaced a small predetermined distance from each other when in engaged position in order to facilitate resilient deformation of the flexible and resilient locking elements upon the insertion and removal of a golf club head..Iaddend..Iadd.13. The golf club headcover as defined in claim 11 wherein the flexible and resilient locking elements are in a flexible and resilient throat in opposing wall sections of the golf club headcover   
     
     
        section..Iaddend..Iadd.14.  A molded flexible plastic material golf club headcover for use with a golf club having a golf club head and shank, comprising: a golf club headcover section for substantially surrounding the golf club head;   a flexible and resilient restricted throat formed in the golf club headcover section which has an internal dimension smaller than the golf club head such that upon insertion of the golf club head, the flexible and resilient restricted throat deforms and expands to allow the passage of the golf club head into the golf club headcover section and subsequent return to its initial configuration; and   flexible and resilient locking elements formed in the golf club headcover section in the vicinity of the flexible and resilient throat, said flexible and resilient locking elements being flexibly and resiliently separated from one another to non-engaged position as the flexible and resilient restricted throat deforms and expands to allow passage of the golf club head, and said flexible and resilient locking elements being flexibly and resiliently returned to engaged position after passage of the golf club head for underlying the golf club head and releasably holding the golf club headcover section on the golf club head, at least one of the flexible and resilient locking elements extending at least partially across the restricted throat area to provide underlying positive structural interference within the restricted throat area of at least one of the flexible and resilient locking elements with a golf club head when the flexible and resilient locking elements are in engaged position, said flexible and resilient locking elements being in structurally cooperating relationship with said restricted throat area to resist inadvertent opening of the restricted throat area and accidental dislodgment of the golf club headcover from the golf club head, and said flexible and resilient locking elements occupying a limited part of the restricted throat area while also being at least partially spaced a small predetermined distance from each other when in engaged position in order to facilitate resilient deformation of the flexible and resilient locking elements upon the insertion and removal of a golf club head..Iaddend..Iadd.15. A molded flexible plastic material golf club headcover for use with a golf club having a golf club head and shank, comprising:   a golf club headcover section for substantially surrounding the golf club head; and   a locking element extending at least partially across a restricted throat area of said golf club headcover biased for resilient deformation to a non-engaged position upon the insertion and removal of a golf club head and for resilient return to an engaged position below at least a portion of the golf club head after passage of the golf club head through said restricted throat area and into said golf club headcover section for releasably holding the golf club headcover to the golf club head, said locking element extending at least partially across and being in structurally cooperating relationship with said restricted throat area when said locking element is in engaged position to provide positive underlying structural interference within the restricted throat area in order to resist inadvertent opening of the restricted throat area and accidental dislodgment of the golf club headcover from the golf club head, and said locking element occupying a limited part of the restricted throat area and being at least partially spaced from the restricted throat by a small predetermined distance when in engaged position in order to facilitate resilient deformation to a non-engaged position upon the   
     
     
        insertion and removal of a golf club head..Iaddend..Iadd.16.  The golf club headcover of claim 15 wherein said locking element further comprises a first locking member on one side of said restricted throat area and a second locking member on an opposite side of said restricted throat area, said respective locking members being resiliently biased toward each other..Iaddend..Iadd.17. A flexible golf club headcover for use with a golf club having a golf club head and shank, comprising: a golf club headcover section for substantially surrounding the golf club head;   an integral skirt section extending below the headcover section, said skirt section having a flexible resilient throat with a collapsed oval cross-section including a substantially circular-shaped opening at one end thereof to accommodate the shank of the golf club; and   locking elements on at least one of said skirt skirt section or headcover section adjacent said substantially circular-shaped opening, said locking elements being arranged to close said throat when in engagement position with a golf club head for securing the substantially circular-shaped opening of said skirt section around the shank of the golf club, said locking elements extending at least partially across and being in structurally cooperating relationship with said throat when said locking elements are in engagement position with a golf club head to resist inadvertent opening of the throat and accidental dislodgment of the golf club headcover from the golf club head, and said locking elements occupying a limited part of the flexible resilient throat while also being at least partially spaced a small predetermined distance from each other when in engagement position with a golf club head in order to facilitate resilient deformation of the locking elements upon the insertion and removal of a golf club head..Iaddend..Iadd.18. The golf club headcover of claim 17 wherein said locking elements further comprise a first locking element on a first side of at least one of said skirt section or headcover section and a second locking element on a second side of at least one of said skirt section or headcover section said first and second locking elements being in normally biased closed relationship when said golf club   
     
     
        headcover section surrounds the golf club head..Iaddend..Iadd.19.  A molded flexible plastic material golf club headcover for use with a golf club having a golf club head and shank, comprising: a golf club headcover section for substantially surrounding the golf club head; and   a locking element extending at least partially across a restricted throat area of said golf club headcover biased for resilient deformation to a non-engaged position upon the insertion and removal of a golf club head and for resilient return to an engaged position below at least a portion of the golf club head after passage of the golf club head through said restricted throat area and into said golf club headcover section for releasably holding the golf club headcover to the golf club head, said locking element being in structurally cooperating relationship with said restricted throat area to resist inadvertent opening of the restricted throat area and accidental dislodgment of the golf club headcover from the golf club head, said locking element further comprising a male locking member on one side of said restricted throat area and a complementary female locking member on an opposite side of said restricted throat area, said respective male or female locking members occupying a limited part of the restricted throat area and being at least partially spaced a small predetermined distance from each other when in engaged position while being resiliently biased toward each other in order to facilitate resilient deformation of the respective male and female locking members upon the insertion and removal of a golf club head..Iaddend..Iadd.20. A flexible golf club headcover for use with a golf club having a golf club head and shank, comprising:   a golf club headcover section for substantially surrounding the golf club head;   an integral skirt section extending below the headcover section, said skirt section having a flexible resilient throat with a collapsed oval cross-section including a substantially circular-shaped opening at one end thereof to accommodate the shank of the golf club; and locking elements on at least one of said skirt section or headcover section adjacent said substantially circular-shaped opening, said locking elements being arranged to close said throat and secure the substantially circular-shaped opening of said skirt section around the shank of the golf club, said locking elements being in structurally cooperating relationship with said throat to resist inadvertent opening of the throat and accidental dislodgment of the golf club headcover from the golf club head, said locking elements further comprising a male locking element on a first side of at least one of said skirt section or headcover section and a complementary female locking element on a second side of at least one of said skirt section or headcover section, said first and second locking elements being in normally biased closed relationship when said golf club headcover section surrounds the golf club head, and said respective male and female locking elements occupying a limited part of the flexible resilient throat and being at least partially spaced a small predetermined distance from each other when in engaged position while being resiliently biased toward each other in order to facilitate resilient deformation of the respective male and female locking elements upon the insertion and removal of a golf club head..Iaddend..Iadd.21. A flexible golf club headcover for use with a golf club having a golf club head and shank, comprising:   a golf club headcover section for substantially surrounding the golf club head;   an integral skirt section extending below the headcover section, said skirt section having a flexible resilient throat with a collapsed oval cross-section including a substantially circular-shaped opening at one end thereof to accommodate the shank of the golf club; and   locking elements on at least one of said skirt section or headcover section adjacent said substantially circular-shaped opening, said locking elements being arranged to close said throat when in engagement position with a golf club head in order to secure the substantially circular-shaped opening of said skirt section around the shank of the golf club, said locking elements being in structurally cooperating relationship with said throat to resist inadvertent opening of the restricted throat section and accidental dislodgment of the golf club headcover from the golf club head, said locking elements further comprising a first locking element on a first side of at least one of said skirt section or headcover section and a complementary second locking element on a second side of at least one of said skirt section or headcover section, said complementary first and second locking elements being normally resiliently biased toward each other with a least one locking element extending at least partially across the throat when the locking elements are in engagement position with a golf club head for securing the substantially circular-shaped opening of said skirt section around the shank of the golf club, and said complementary first and second locking elements occupying a limited part of the flexible resilient throat and being at least partially spaced from each other when in engagement position with a golf club head to facilitate resilient deformation of said complementary first and second locking elements upon the insertion and removal of a golf club head..Iaddend..Iadd.22. The golf club headcover as defined in claim 21 wherein the complementary first and second locking elements are in substantially confronting relationship when in engagement position with a golf club head..Iaddend.