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Golf ball retrieving apparatus and methodRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, Club Or Club Support, And Turf Repair Tool Or Ball RetrieverGolf ball retrieving apparatus and method description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070213142, Golf ball retrieving apparatus and method. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates generally to retrieving a ball or other object. Particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method of retrieving and securing a golf ball. More particularly, the present invention relates to devices which allow a person to pick up a golf ball without requiring the person to bend over or squat down. BACKGROUND [0002] Golf is an extremely popular activity with millions of people participating in golf on a regular basis. An average golfer bends over many times during a round of golf. Bending over poses a major problem for many golfers due to an assortment of reasons and medical conditions. For example, golfers experience, or may experience, pain in their back, hips and/or knees in stooping or bending from a standing position. Thus, such golfers would have difficulty in playing golf. Further, the golfing population has an increasing number of seniors and handicapped golfers who find it difficult to stoop or bend from a standing position. Due to such varied and sundry reasons, many of these golfers have little choice but to play less golf, or to quit playing golf all together. [0003] Devices must be adaptable to golfers of all ages, of all skill levels and of all levels of physical abilities. Desirable features are particularly suited to scramble play and play by persons lacking the physical dexterity to comfortably perform all of the required activities associated with bending or squatting which must be repetitively performed during each round of golf. Additionally, features of devices should allow persons currently hesitant or even unwilling to participate in golf due to physical limitations to participate and enjoy golf by eliminating the requirement of repetitive bending over or squatting down during play. [0004] Scramble play typically involves two or four players with each player making a shot from the tee. Subsequent to these shots all of the players make each successive shot from the location of the best played golf ball in the scramble group. Therefore, each of the other golf balls must be picked up from the ground and transported to the location of the best positioned golf ball and repositioned thereat for subsequent play from that location. Typically, scramble players utilize a golf cart with two players riding during each round. Many players will drive their golf cart adjacent to each of the golf balls to be picked up and then lean out of the golf cart and pick up the golf ball from the ground with his or her hand rather than getting out of the golf cart and bending over or squatting down to retrieve the golf ball. This leaning out practice is dangerous and has been known to cause accidents where persons have fallen out of the golf cart including the occurrence of such accidents where serious injury has resulted. [0005] Often golf shots result in placement of golf balls in locations where the golf ball is visible to the player but where retrieval of the golf ball is inconvenient, dangerous or simply impossible. Examples of such locations include down steep inclines, under heavy low lying branches of trees and in bodies of water. Often golf balls in these situations may be retrieved if the player has access to a retrieval device with sufficient extension capabilities and an engagement device capable of engaging the golf ball. Typically, such retrieval devices are specifically designed to act to retrieve golf balls from a long distance and are awkward or inconvenient to use for routine retrieval tasks where the player is standing near or directly over the golf ball. [0006] Various devices are known in the art to allow for retrieval of golf balls from the ground or from a water hazard. These devices may be employed while the player stands over the golf ball in close proximity to the golf ball or where the player stands a substantial distance from the golf ball. Several of these devices are versatile in that they permit use either at close range or at a substantial distance from the golf ball. Various methods are known in the art to provide for extension of a pick up device from a transport orientation to a deployed orientation where the deployed orientation has a length sufficient to permit a standing user to utilize the pick up device at a relatively great distance from the object being picked up and several of these methods have previously been employed for golf ball retrieval devices. Generally, the devices known in the art for golf ball retrieval are complicated devices which often rely upon a surrounding jaw type engagement of the golf ball during the act of retrieval. [0007] As can be seen, various attempts have been made to provide for manipulation of golf balls and associated golf accessories during the play of golf. These attempts have been less efficient than desired. As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a golf ball pick up device which is simple in design, is simple to use and which may function in various situations. [0008] It is, therefore, a feature of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for retrieving a ball without bending or stooping. [0009] Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized by means of the combinations and steps particularly pointed out in the appended claims. SUMMARY [0010] To achieve the foregoing objects, features, and advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, an external object library to control an animation timeline such that the interactivity by the user on the animation is enhanced so as to provide better control of the animation by the user is provided. [0011] A ball retrieving apparatus is provided. The ball retrieving apparatus comprises a housing having a convexed surface, a concaved surface and an aperture. The aperture and concaved surface are for accepting the ball which has a convexed outer surface such that the concaved surface of the housing conforms to the convexed outer surface of the ball. The ball passages through the aperture. Also, provided is a pliable member secured to the housing for obstructing a portion of the aperture in the housing. The pliable member has an aperture smaller than the aperture in the housing. When the pliable member is engaged with the ball a sufficient force can be applied to the housing remote from the pliable member to cause the ball to displace the pliable member sufficient for the ball to pass through the smaller aperture in the pliable member. Thus, the ball is secured in a chamber defined by the concaved surface of the housing and the pliable member. [0012] Further ball retrieving apparatus has a mechanism for removeably engaging the ball retrieving apparatus with a golf club. Also, the mechanism for removeably engaging the ball retrieving apparatus with a golf club can be a plug engaged with the ball retrieving apparatus such that the plug can be removeably accepted in a recess in the golf club. Still further, the mechanism for removeably engaging the ball retrieving apparatus with a golf club may be a screw engaged with the ball retrieving apparatus such that the screw is removeably accepted in a recess in the golf club. It can be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various and sundry devices may be adapted to accomplish this feature of the present invention. [0013] Also, the ball retrieving apparatus may have one or more additional apertures smaller than the ball receiving aperture. The additional apertures are for pushing the ball out of the chamber through the larger aperture in the pliable member. [0014] Still further, the ball retrieving apparatus can be adapted to accept a plurality of balls. And, the ball retrieving apparatus can have a mechanism for connecting the ball retrieving apparatus to another structure like a golf bag. [0015] In yet another embodiment, a method for retrieving a golf ball using a golf club is provided. The method for retrieving a golf ball using a golf club comprises several steps. First, the golf club is engaged with a ball retrieving apparatus. By way of example, the ball retrieving apparatus may be a receptacle and an elastic diaphragm. The receptacle includes an aperture larger than the cross section of the ball to be retrieved and the elastic diaphragm includes an aperture smaller than the cross section of the ball to be retrieved. The ball is engaged with the elastic diaphragm for aligning the curvature of the ball with the aperture in the elastic diaphragm. Pressure is applied to the receiving apparatus for pushing the ball through the aperture in the elastic diaphragm. Thus, the ball is received in the receptacle. Thereby, the ball is secured in a chamber defined by the receptacle and the elastic diaphragm. And, the ball is retrieved from the chamber via the aperture in the elastic diaphragm. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. [0017] FIG. 1 is an elevation view of one embodiment of the ball retrieving apparatus of the present invention with cross-sectional aspects. [0018] FIG. 2 is an plan view of the ball retrieving apparatus of the present invention with cross-sectional aspects as illustrated in FIG. 1. [0019] FIG. 3 is an elevation view of another embodiment of the ball retrieving apparatus of the present invention with cross-sectional aspects. [0020] FIG. 4 is an elevation view of yet another embodiment of the ball retrieving apparatus of the present invention with cross-sectional aspects. Continue reading about Golf ball retrieving apparatus and method... Full patent description for Golf ball retrieving apparatus and method Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Golf ball retrieving apparatus and method patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Golf ball retrieving apparatus and method or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Golf putter head with increased perimeter weighting Next Patent Application: Exterior coatings for golf balls Industry Class: Games using tangible projectile ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Golf ball retrieving apparatus and method patent info. 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