Golf club monitor

• US 4,489,314 A
• Filed: 09/23/1982
• Issued: 12/18/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sheldon M. Miller
• Original Assignee: Sheldon M. Miller
• Inventors: Miller, Sheldon M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Application Number:
  US06/422,269
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 273/32 E, 340/64, 340/323 R, 340/568, 200/61.41, 200/61.59, 206/315.3, 206/315.6
• US Class Current: 340/568.6
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2055/402 Warning devices for indicating missing golf clubs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 55/00 Bags for golf clubs; Stands for golf clubs for use on the course; Wheeled carriers specially adapted for golf bags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

A system associated with, and attached to, a golf club bag, for monitoring the presence or absence of at least certain ones of the golf clubs carried in a golf bag. This comprises an assembly of a plurality of laterally spaced long tubular parallel receptacles each one adapted to receive the shaft of a golf club. The assembly is adapted to be inserted into and supported by the open top of the golf bag. Sensors means are associated with each of the tubular receptacles for determining when the shaft of a golf club is inserted into the receptacle. Electronic detectors are provided for monitoring the action of each of these sensors so that an immediate indication can be given, by activating an alarm of selected type when any of the clubs are not in position in their selected tubular receptacle.

Claims

1. Apparatus associated with and attached to a golf club bag for monitoring the presence or absence of at least certain ones of the golf clubs carried in said golf bag, comprising:

(a) an assembly of a plurality of laterally spaced short tubular receptacles each one adapted to receive the shaft of a golf club, said assembly adapted to be supported by the open top of said golf bag;

(b) first means associated with each of said tubular receptacles for sensing when the shaft of a golf club is inserted into the receptacle;

(c) second means for monitoring all of said first means, and activating an alarm when under selected conditions at least one of said clubs other than said putter is not positioned in a tubular receptacle; and

wherein said alarm is enabled whenever, the putter having been outside of the bag is reinserted into the bag.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1 and including means to disable the motive power of a golf cart in which said bag is carried when said alarm is activated.

3. The apparatus as in claim 1 in which said first means comprises mechanical contact means.

4. The apparatus as in claim 1 in which said first means comprises electrical switch means.

5. The apparatus as in claim 1 in which said first means comprises electromagnetic means.

6. The apparatus as in claim 5 in which said electromagnetic means is part of a resonating electronic circuit which can selectively output a high or low signal when said club is selectively inside of or outside of said tubular receptacle.

7. The apparatus as in claim 5 in which said electromagnetic means, comprises:

(a) electrical oscillator means providing a voltage of selected frequency;

(b) a plurality of inductive circuits comprising at least an inductance coil in series with a resistor, all connected in parallel across the voltage output of said oscillator means;

(c) each of said inductance coils wound around one of said turbular receptacles; and

(d) means to monitor the voltage across each of said inductance coils while the shaft of a club is inserted through one of said coils as compared to when it is outside of said receptacle.

8. The apparatus as in claim 7 and including a capacitor of selected size connected across at least one of said inductance coils.

9. The apparatus as in claim 7 in which said means to monitor comprises a multi-input of the NAND gate or AND types with each input responsive to the electrical voltage across a separate one of said inductance coils.

10. The apparatus as in claim 7 and including means responsive to the voltage across at least one of said inductance coils to enable and/or disable said means to monitor.

11. The apparatus as in claim 1 in which said alarm includes also means to enable and/or disable the motive power of the cart which carries the golf bag which contains the above apparatus.

12. The apparatus as in claim 1 in which at least one of said short tubular receptacles includes also a long tubular bag attached to its bottom end.

13. The apparatus as in claim 1 including timer means in series with said alarm.

14. Apparatus associated with and attached to a golf club bag for monitoring the presence or absence of at least certain ones of the golf clubs carried in said golf bag, comprising:

(a) an assembly of a plurality of laterally spaced short tubular receptacles each one adapted to receive the shaft of a golf club, said assembly adapted to be supported by the open top of said golf bag;

(b) first means associated with each of said tubular receptacles for sensing when the shaft of a golf club is inserted into the receptacle;

(c) second means for monitoring all of said first means, and activating an alarm when under selected conditions at least one of said clubs other than said putter is not positioned in a tubular receptacle; and

wherein said alarm is enabled whenever the putter is in its receptacle in the bag.

15. The apparatus as in claim 14 and including means to disable the motive power of a golf cart in which said bag is carried when said alarm is activated.

16. The apparatus as in claim 14 in which said first means comprises mechanical contact means.

17. The apparatus as in claim 14 in which said first means comprises electrical switch means.

18. The apparatus as in claim 14 in which said first means comprises electromagnetic means.

19. The apparatus as in claim 18 in which said electromagnetic means is part of a resonating electronic circuit which can selectively output a high or low signal when said club is selectively inside of or outside of said tubular receptacle.

20. The apparatus as in claim 18 in which said electromagnetic means, comprises:

(a) electrical oscillator means providing a voltage of selected frequency;

(b) a plurality of inductive circuits comprising at least an inductance coil in series with a resistor, all connected in parallel across the voltage output of said oscillator means;

(c) each of said inductance coils wound around one of said tubular receptacles; and

(d) means to monitor the voltage across each of said inductance coils while the shaft of a club is inserted through one of said coils as compared to when it is outside of said receptacle.

21. The apparatus as in claim 20 and including a capacitor of selected size connected across at least one of said inductance coils.

22. The apparatus as in claim 20 in which said means to monitor comprises a multi-input of the NAND gate or AND types with each input responsive to the electrical voltage across a separate one of said inductance coils.

23. The apparatus as in claim 20 and including means responsive to the voltage across at least one of said inductance coils to enable and/or disable said means to monitor.

24. The apparatus as in claim 14 in which said alarm includes also means to enable and/or disable the motive power of the cart which carries the golf bag which contains the above apparatus.

25. The apparatus as in claim 14 in which at least one of said short tubular receptacles includes also a long tubular bag attached to its bottom end.

26. The apparatus as in claim 14 including timer means in series with said alarm.