초록 ▼

The sports bag assembly, which can accommodate the transportation and storage of sports equipment, entails a fully and permanently assembled integral transportation system comprising two or more wheels. The wheels can be deployed and retracted with a single mechanical movement, and may be stowed wit

The sports bag assembly, which can accommodate the transportation and storage of sports equipment, entails a fully and permanently assembled integral transportation system comprising two or more wheels. The wheels can be deployed and retracted with a single mechanical movement, and may be stowed within the geometry of a traditional golf bag. The golf bag assembly will fit within the recessed areas of platforms attached to the rear of motorized carts; within conventional storage racks, lockers, and auto trunks typically found around golf courses and in residences; and within traditional golf travel cover containers or systems. The golf bag assembly also includes a ventilated club storage compartment, to facilitate the drying of grips, and drainage in the event of inclement weather. The golf bag assembly includes a support and suspension system that restrains the grip ends of clubs, thereby stabilizing and enhancing the protection of clubs during transport and play.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A sports equipment bag assembly, comprising: a bag; a structural system to provide support and structural integrity for the bag; and an integral transportation system coupled to the structural system, the integral transportation system including a wheel system that is complet

What is claimed is: 1. A sports equipment bag assembly, comprising: a bag; a structural system to provide support and structural integrity for the bag; and an integral transportation system coupled to the structural system, the integral transportation system including a wheel system that is completely contained within the geometry of the bag when the wheel system is in a retracted state, further comprising a deployment mechanism to deploy the wheel system from a retracted state to a deployed state, and to retract the wheel system from a deployed state to a retracted state. 2. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 1, wherein the deployment mechanism includes a steering handle. 3. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 2, wherein the structural system includes a latitudinal band about the circumference of the bag to provide rigidity and support to the bag. 4. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 3, wherein the structural system includes a vertical member extending in the longitudinal direction of the bag, and intersecting the latitudinal band, and connecting at an upper terminus to a top ring of the bag and connecting at a lower terminus to a base of the bag. 5. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 4, wherein the base is perforated to facilitate ventilation of a storage compartment of the bag assembly and the drying of contents in the storage compartment. 6. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 4, wherein the sports equipment bag is a golf bag for at least one of transport, protection, and storage of golf clubs. 7. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 4, wherein the top ring includes a divider with a retainer for the placement of the shafts of golf clubs to limit movement of the golf club heads and golf club shafts to prevent the golf clubs from contacting one another. 8. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 4, wherein the base of the bag includes a bottom panel with a scalloped opening to provide a recessed stowage area to accommodate multiple wheels when the wheels are in a retracted position. 9. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 8, wherein an upper side of the bottom panel of the base of the bag is sloped with a substantially similar profile to the scalloped opening to elevate the heads of shorter elongated devices to a height that is substantially similar to the height of the heads of longer elongated devices. 10. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 9, wherein the upper side of the bottom panel of the bag includes shaped compartments to accept and restrain the end of an elongated device. 11. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 10, wherein the elongated device is a golf club. 12. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 10, wherein the shaped compartments include a perforated floor to facilitate the ventilation of the bag, the drying of elongated devices, and drainage of the bag in the event of inclement weather. 13. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 6, wherein the bag includes a storage compartment for golf clubs or other elongated devices in which a golf club or other elongated device is inserted for storage and removed for use. 14. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 13, wherein the elongated device is a golf club that is inserted for storage and removed for use. 15. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 13, wherein the storage compartment includes a top opening with a diameter of at least eight inches. 16. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 2, further comprising a positioning device to provide accurate distance and location measurements, or to acquire or store data. 17. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 16, further comprising an energy storage system to produce and store an electric charge to power the positioning device. 18. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 1, further comprising a motor drive mechanism coupled to the integral transportation system to assist in moving the sports equipment bag assembly. 19. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 6, further comprising a motor drive mechanism coupled to the integral transportation system to assist in moving the sports equipment bag assembly. 20. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 18, further comprising a generator and an energy storage system to produce and store an electric charge to power the motor drive mechanism. 21. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 20, wherein the generator is a solar cell. 22. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 19, further comprising a generator and an energy storage system to produce and store an electric charge to power the motor drive mechanism. 23. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 22, wherein the generator is a solar cell. 24. A sports equipment bag assembly, comprising: a bag; a structural system to provide support and structural integrity for the bag; and an integral transportation system coupled to the structural system, the integral transportation system including a wheel system, wherein the integral transportation system includes a deployment mechanism to deploy the wheel system from a retracted state to a deployed state, and to retract the wheel system from a deployed state to a retracted state, wherein the deployment system is operatively connected to the wheel system by a gear system. 25. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 24, wherein the deployment mechanism includes a steering handle. 26. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 25, wherein the steering handle moves in a first direction to activate a force transfer device to deploy the wheel system and moves in a second direction opposite to the first direction to retract the wheel system. 27. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 25, wherein the steering handle includes an adjustable handle portion to adjust the height of the steering handle when the integral transportation system is deployed. 28. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 27, wherein the adjustable handle portion includes an articulating mechanism. 29. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 27, wherein the adjustable handle portion includes a locking mechanism. 30. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 24, wherein the deployment mechanism further comprises a first outside transient rod, a center transient rod, and a second outside transient rod to deploy and retract the wheel system. 31. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 30, wherein the first outside transient rod, the center transient rod, and the second outside transient rod are supported by a latitudinal band. 32. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 30, wherein the gear system engages serrations along the center transient rod and along an interior side of the first outside transient rod and along an interior side of the second transient rod. 33. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 32, wherein the proximal end of the first outside transient rod and the proximal end of the second outside transient rod are connected to the steering handle. 34. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 33, wherein as the steering handle is caused to move in a first direction, the gear system transfers forces and causes the center transient rod to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction. 35. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 34, wherein the forward wheel is connected via a forward leg to the distal end of the center transient rod, and wherein a load resistant mechanism engages the center transient rod and is compressed against a latitudinal band when the integral transportation system is in a retracted position and releases to facilitate the deployment of the integral transportation system to a deployed position. 36. A sports equipment bag assembly, comprising: a bag; a structural system to provide support and structural integrity for the bag; and an integral transportation system coupled to the structural system, the integral transportation system including a wheel system, the wheel system having at least one forward wheel and a plurality of rear wheels and a deployment mechanism to deploy the at least one forward wheel and plurality of rear wheels of the wheel system from a retracted state to a deployed state, and to retract the at least one forward wheel and plurality of rear wheels of the wheel system from a deployed state to a retracted state. 37. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 36, wherein the deployment mechanism is operatively connected to the wheel system by a gear system and the deployment system includes a steering handle and, as the steering handle is caused to ascend, the gear system transfers forces and causes the forward wheel and the rear wheels to deploy from recessed stowage compartments beneath the base of the bag. 38. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 36, wherein the deployment mechanism is operatively connected to the wheel system by a gear system and the deployment system includes a steering handle and, as the steering handle is caused to descend, the gear system transfers forces and causes the forward wheel and the rear wheels to retract to recessed stowage compartments beneath the base of the bag. 39. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 36, wherein the deployment mechanism further comprises a first outside transient rod and a second outside transient rod to deploy and retract the wheel system, wherein the rear wheels are connected via rear legs and articulating support braces to the first outside transient rod and the second outside transient rod, and wherein the proximal ends of the rear legs are attached to a latitudinal band of the structural system that allows the articulation of the legs in a vertical plane. 40. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 36, wherein the rear wheels are connected via rear legs, each rear wheel having a first angular position relative to its respective rear leg when in a retracted state and a second angular position relative to its respective rear wheel when in an extended state, the second angular position being a different angle than the first angular position. 41. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 40, wherein the deployment mechanism further comprises a first outside transient rod and a second outside transient rod to deploy and retract the wheel system, wherein the rear wheels are connected via rear legs and articulating support braces to the first outside transient rod and the second outside transient rod and the articulating support braces articulate in an outward direction when the deployment mechanism is deployed and an inward direction when the deployment mechanism is retracted. 42. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 36, wherein the deployment mechanism further comprises a first outside transient rod, a center transient rod, and a second outside transient rod to deploy and retract the wheel system, wherein the forward wheel is connected via a forward leg to the distal end of the center transient, and wherein the forward wheel is connected to the distal end of the center transient rod using a sheath that is intersected by an axle on which the forward wheel rotates. 43. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 36, wherein the deployment mechanism further comprises a first outside transient rod and a second outside transient rod to deploy and retract the wheel system, wherein the rear wheels are connected via rear legs and articulating support braces to the first outside transient rod and the second outside transient rod, and wherein the rear wheels are connected to the distal ends of their respective rear legs using a sheath that is intersected by an axle on which the rear wheel rotates. 44. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 43, wherein the sheath for each rear wheel is attached to the distal end of each rear leg with a hinge that allows for limited movement of each sheath and each wheel in a horizontal plane. 45. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 36, further comprising a wheel alignment system including a tether attached to a flange to which the proximal end of each rear leg is connected, the tether terminating at each rear wheel, the tether becoming taut when the rear wheels are deployed to align the rear wheels in a position parallel to the side of the bag, and the tether becoming slack when the rear wheels are retracted, to allow each rear wheel to pivot inward to access a stowage compartment beneath the base of the bag. 46. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 36, further comprising a locking mechanism to secure the integral transportation system in a fully deployed position and a fully retracted position. 47. The sports equipment bag assembly of claim 36, further comprising a frictional device adjacent to each wheel stowage compartment, the frictional device contacting the wheel to remove debris from the wheel through physical agitation.