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Golf tee height regulator and installation toolRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, Tee Setting DeviceGolf tee height regulator and installation tool description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070042839, Golf tee height regulator and installation tool. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS [0001] This continuation-in-part patent application claims priority based on a Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 11/179,939 filed Jul. 13, 2005. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Technical Field [0003] The present invention is directed to golf tee insertion devices and, more particularly, to a golf tee height regulator and installation tool which includes a main body having a lower tee-engaging face, an extendable measuring shaft slidably mounted in the main body, the measuring shaft having a measurement scale printed thereon to show the height of the tee inserted into the ground by use of the present invention and a golf tee securement foot mounted on the lower end of the shaft for preventing the shaft from penetrating the ground such that once the measuring shaft is extended the selected distance, a golf tee supported by the securement foot and the tee-engaging face of the device is insertable into the ground up to the point where the foot contacts the ground, at which time the device is disengaged from the golf tee and the tee is set at the desired height each time the device is used. [0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art [0005] There are many different devices proposed for inserting golf tees into the ground, including Baxter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,604 and Lee, U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,429. These prior art devices are not ideally suited to ensuring proper height insertion of the golf tee into the ground each and every time, as they include functional features which render use of the devices difficult or problematic at best. For example, in Baxter, the top of the tee is engaged by a circular flat plate which is about the same size as the tee head itself, and the plate does not include any circumferential walls or the like to prevent the plate from sliding off of the tee head when the tee is being inserted into the ground. While this will not be terribly important when the ground is relatively soft, in very hard ground it is quite likely that the plate will slip off of the tee head during insertion unless the tee is exactly vertical and there are no sideways forces applied to the Baxter device. In practice, it is clear that perfect insertion of the golf tee will occur rarely if at all, and therefore there is a need for a golf tee installation device which includes better tee securement elements. [0006] In Lee, however, the disadvantage is that the golf ball itself is used as the base for driving the tee into the ground, which introduces more variables into the equation of force application to the golf tee. Furthermore, the Lee device must be supported next to the tee and ball during insertion in order to function correctly, and this may be a task that is too difficult for some elderly and less physically gifted golfers to perform. Consequently, there is a need for an improved golf tee installation device which addresses and corrects the shortcomings of the inventions found in the prior art. [0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a golf tee height regulator and installation tool. [0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf tee height regulator and installation tool which includes improved tee securement elements to generally prevent slippage of the tee during insertion into the ground. [0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf tee height regulator and installation tool which includes an easy-to-use measurement scale to determine the height of the tee head above the ground surface post-insertion. [0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf tee height regulator and installation tool which may be used by virtually any golfer regardless of flexibility, strength or age. [0011] Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide a golf tee height regulator and installation tool which is relatively simple and durable in design and is safe, efficient and effective in use. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0012] The present invention provides a golf tee height regulator and installation tool for use with golf ball tees which includes a main body having a lower tee-engagement face and an extendable measuring shaft having a lower end and an upper section, the upper section of the extendable measuring shaft movably mounted within the main body for extension and retraction of the lower end thereof relative to the main body. An extension distance indicator means is operatively associated with the extendable measuring shaft for permitting reading of the extension distance of the lower end from the lower tee-engagement face of the main body and a releasable shaft securement device releasably secures the extendable measuring shaft in a selected extended position. A releasable golf tee securement foot is mounted on the lower end of the extendable measuring shaft, the releasable golf tee securement foot including a generally flat base plate and a semi-flexible material sheet mounted on the base plate extending generally perpendicular to the extendable measuring shaft, the material sheet including a tee slot formed therein, the tee slot operative to partially deform to receive a golf tee therein and releasably frictionally retain the golf tee within the tee slot. Finally, the golf tee height regulator and installation tool is operative to install a golf tee in a ground surface by having the golf tee fitted beneath the main body with the top golf-ball support surface of the golf tee contacting the lower tee-engagement face and the lower portion of the golf tee being releasably secured within the tee slot of the material sheet on the golf tee securement foot whereby the lower portion of the golf tee below the golf tee securement foot is insertable into the ground surface until the base plate of the golf tee securement foot contacts the ground surface so that the height of the golf tee above the ground surface is determined by the extension of the extendable measuring shaft from the main body. [0013] The golf tee height regulator and installation tool as thus described provides a substantial improvement over the various golf tee insertion devices currently available. For example, the device utilizes the main body of the device to apply downward force to the golf tee (via the lower tee-engagement face) which will greatly facilitate insertion of the golf tee into the ground surface. Also, because the height scale is printed directly on the extendable shaft in the preferred embodiment, it is a very simple and quick procedure to set the preferred height of the golf tee after insertion. Finally, because the golf tee is releasably held by frictional contact at two locations on the golf tee, the golf tee is more securely supported within the device than with other devices, yet the golf tee may be quickly and easily released from the device once implanted in the ground. The present invention thus provides a substantial improvement over those devices and methods found in the prior art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the golf tee height regulator and installation tool of the present invention. [0015] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device being used to insert a golf tee into the ground. [0016] FIG. 3 is a detail bottom plan view of the securement foot and rubber sheet holding a tee therein. [0017] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the present invention showing the extension and retraction of the measuring shaft. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0018] The invention or TeeDriver, shall contain an ergonomically designed handle for easy handling attached to a shaft with a "U" shaped slotted groove to hold the head of a golf tee. Inserted into the shaft, shall be a rod that will have a measuring system on said rod. Attached to the rod shall be a "U" shaped foot with a rubber/neoprene insert that will hold the bottom of the golf tee. [0019] Methods in the past and present involved using trial and error to establish the non precise placement of a golf tee into the ground. Continue reading about Golf tee height regulator and installation tool... Full patent description for Golf tee height regulator and installation tool Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Golf tee height regulator and installation tool 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 tee height regulator and installation tool or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Dimples comprised of two or more intersecting surfaces Next Patent Application: Method for making a golf tee Industry Class: Games using tangible projectile ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Golf tee height regulator and installation tool patent info. 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