| Golf tee setting device -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Golf tee setting deviceRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, Tee Setting DeviceGolf tee setting device description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070184918, Golf tee setting device. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates generally to games using a tangible projectile and, more particularly, to tee setting devices for playing golf. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] In executing some golf shots, a tee is used to elevate a golf ball above the ground for striking by the head of a club. Before the ball can be struck, however, it must be balanced atop the tee whose tapered bottom end is manually inserted a short distance into the ground. As golfers age, they frequently find themselves unable to perform this basic golfing task. Repeated stooping and crouching hurts their backs and knees too much. [0003] Noting this problem, devices for setting a tee into the ground have been proposed by some. For the most part, these devices have been cumbersome affairs with springs and catches for holding the ball on the tee making such almost as difficult to master as gripping and swinging a golf club. More importantly, these devices have tended to loosely grip tees thereby permitting tees to flip onto their sides while being pushed into the ground. In such situations, golfers must stoop to retrieve their errant tees and golf balls, thus engaging themselves in the activity that the devices were being used to prevent, and start over. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] In light of the problems associated with the known tee setting devices including the need to take "Mulligans" while using them, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a golf tee setting device that permits a golfer to insert a golf tee in a manner that minimizes the likelihood that the tee will tip over and spill a ball positioned atop the tee onto the ground. The claimed device does this by engaging the tee at two spaced-apart locations for optimum stability while setting the tee in either hard or soft soils. [0005] Still another object of the invention is to provide a golf tee setting device of the type described that features a ground-engaging shoe that assists a golfer in inserting a tee to the best depth into the ground. Thus, use of the tee setting device allows a golfer to repeat the positioning of a tee relative to the ground every time the device is used thereby allowing a golfer to strike the ball with greater precision than has heretofore been possible. [0006] It is a further object of the invention to provide a golf tee setting device of the type described that permits a golfer to see a golf ball positioned atop a tee, as the tee is being set into the ground, so that the golfer can judge for himself whether the tee has been inserted to the most favorable depth into the ground. [0007] It is another object of the invention to provide a golf tee setting device that is easy to use and can be deployed with minimal instruction and without resort to any tools. The device is particularly intuitive to use. [0008] It is still another object of the invention to provide a golf tee setting device that, after loading a tee and ball into the device, permits a golfer to readily move about with the device without fear of dropping the tee and ball while judging the best possible location to set the tee into the ground. Gravity, for the most part, holds the tee and ball in place. [0009] It is an object of the invention to provide improved features and arrangements thereof in a golf tee setting device for the purposes described that is compact in size so that it can be fitted into a conventional golf club bag, lightweight in construction for easy carrying, inexpensive to manufacture, and dependable in use. [0010] Briefly, the tee-setting device in accordance with this invention achieves the intended objects by featuring an elongated body having a tubular sleeve and a leg affixed to the tubular sleeve. The leg has a lateral member projecting rearwardly from the tubular sleeve and a longitudinal member extending downwardly from the lateral member so as to stop at a terminal end spaced rearwardly of the tubular sleeve. A retaining bracket is affixed to the terminal end of the longitudinal member. The retaining bracket includes a tee retaining foot for supporting the enlarged head at the top of a golf tee in a keyhole slot positioned beneath the tubular sleeve. The retaining bracket also includes a tee retaining shoe positioned below the foot. The shoe has a channel aligned with the keyhole slot for loosely engaging the tapered bottom end of the golf tee, preventing it from twisting or falling over when inserted into the ground. A retaining arm is slidably positioned within a bore in the tubular sleeve and extends from the top and bottom of the tubular sleeve. The arm has a cup at the bottom thereof for selectively pressing a golf ball, positioned atop a tee in the keyhole slot, into the tee retaining foot. [0011] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] The present invention may be more readily described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [0013] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a golf tee setting device in accordance with the present invention shown grasping a golf tee and golf ball. [0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bottom end of the golf tee setting device of FIG. 1 showing details of the retaining bracket. [0015] FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the bottom end of the golf tee setting device with portions being broken away to reveal details thereof. [0016] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0017] Referring now to the FIGS., a golf tee setting device in accordance with the present invention is shown at 10. Device 10 includes an elongated body 12 to the bottom of which a retaining bracket 14 is affixed for releasably holding a golf tee 16. A retaining arm 18 is slidably held by body 12 above bracket 14. Arm 18 has a cup 20 at its bottom for pressing a golf ball 22, positioned atop tee 16, toward bracket 14. By grasping the top of arm 18, that extends from the top of body 12, and moving such down and up, golf ball 22 and tee 16 can be selectively grasped, moved about, set, and released as a unit by device 10. No stooping on the part of a golfer using device 10 is, therefore, required to tee-up golf ball 22 and make a tee shot. [0018] Elongated body 12 includes a tubular sleeve 24, having a bore 26 extending from the top to the bottom thereof, and a leg 28 affixed to the rear of sleeve 24. Leg 28 is L-shaped and has a lateral member 30 that projects rearwardly from sleeve 24 and a longitudinal member 32 that extends downwardly from lateral member 30. Longitudinal member 32 stops at a terminal end 34 spaced rearwardly of the longitudinal axis A of bore 26. [0019] Retaining bracket 14 has a tee retaining foot 36 that is affixed to terminal end 34 of longitudinal member 32. Foot 36 projects forwardly from longitudinal member 32 and stops at a forward end 38 positioned beneath sleeve 24. Forward end 38 is provided with a keyhole slot 40 having a circular hole 42, whose center is positioned on longitudinal axis A of bore 26, and a notch 44 that extends forwardly from hole 42 so as to open to the front of device 10. As shown, hole 42 has a diameter sufficient to partially receive the enlarged, ball-retaining head 46, comprising the top of tee 16, and center such on axis A. Notch 44, however, has a width sufficient to permit the tapered bottom end of 48 of tee 16 to slide freely therein. Continue reading about Golf tee setting device... Full patent description for Golf tee setting device Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Golf tee setting device 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 setting device or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Aerodynamic surface geometry for a golf ball Next Patent Application: The perfect golf tee Industry Class: Games using tangible projectile ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Golf tee setting device patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.40392 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Qualcomm , Schering-Plough , Schlumberger , Seagate , Siemens , Texas Instruments , 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
