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Self-righting golf ball teeSelf-righting golf ball tee description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080064517, Self-righting golf ball tee. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001]1. Field of the Invention [0002]The present invention relates to the field of golfing, and more particularly to golf ball tees. [0003]2. Description of Prior Art [0004]Golf ball tees are conventionally designed as elongated pegs having a pointed end that is inserted in the ground and an upper end formed as a cup-shaped pedestal that holds a golf ball during driving. In order to tee a golf ball, a golfer must bend over and manipulate the pointed end into the ground, being careful to ensure that the tee is substantially upright so that the ball does not roll off the pedestal prior to the drive being made. Following the drive, the tee must be picked up manually by the golfer. For some golfers, their physical condition makes it difficult to bend the back or knees in order to position the tee for a drive, and thereafter retrieve the tee for subsequent drives. Accordingly, it is to improvements in such devices that the present invention is directed. What is particularly needed is a golf ball tee that does not require the effort associated with using a conventional golf tee when driving a golf ball. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005]The foregoing problems are solved and an advance in the art is achieved by a self-righting golf ball tee. The tee may comprise plural golf ball supporting pedestals, for example, four pedestals that are evenly spaced from each other. The pedestals may extend from a central hub, such as at an angle of approximately 109.5 degrees between each pedestal. During use, a golfer tosses the tee onto the ground. The tee will orient itself with three of the pedestals contacting the ground and the remaining pedestal protruding vertically upwardly to receive a golf ball. If necessary, the tee may be tamped or otherwise adjusted by a golfer to ensure that the upright pedestal is correctly positioned, and a golf ball may be placed thereon, as by using a golf ball teeing device. Following a drive, the tee may be retrieved, as by using the teeing device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0006]The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying Drawings in which: [0007]FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing a self-righting golf tee; [0008]FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing the self-righting golf tee of FIG. 1A in a larger size; [0009]FIG. 1C is a perspective view showing the self-righting golf tee of FIG. 14A in a still larger size; [0010]FIG. 2A is a side elevational view showing the self-righting golf tee of FIG. 1A supporting a golf ball; [0011]FIG. 2B is a side elevational view showing the self-righting golf tee of FIG. 1B; [0012]FIG. 2C is a side elevational view showing the self-righting golf tee of FIG. 1C; [0013]FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a modified self-righting golf tee; [0014]FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing a first stage of deployment of the self-righting golf tee of FIG. 1A; [0015]FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing a second stage of deployment of the self-righting golf tee of FIG. 1A; [0016]FIG. 4C is a perspective view showing a third stage of deployment of the self-righting golf tee of FIG. 1A; [0017]FIG. 4D is a perspective view showing placement of a golf ball on the golf tee of FIG. 1A using a golf ball teeing device; and [0018]FIG. 4E is a perspective view showing retrieval of the golf tee of FIG. 1A using the golf ball teeing device of FIG. 4D following a golf shot. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS [0019]Turning now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate like elements in all of the several views, FIGS. 1A and 2A, an exemplary golf ball tee 10 is shown. The tee 10 may include plural golf ball supporting pedestals 12, for example, four pedestals that are equally angularly spaced from each other. The pedestals 12 may extend from a central hub 14 that is generally spherical in shape, but which could alternatively have any other desired shape. The pedestals 12 may be generally frustoconical in shape, with the narrow end 16 of the frustocone being affixed to the hub 14 and the wide end 18 of the frustocone defining a cup 20 that supports a golf ball "B" (see FIG. 2A) during a golf shot. Optional fillets 22 may be formed between the frustocone narrow ends 16 and the hub 14 in order to provide a smooth rounded transition between the hub and the pedestals 12. [0020]The respective longitudinal axes of the pedestals 12 may be angularly separated from each other by an angle of approximately 109.5 degrees. When this geometry is used, one of the pedestals 12 will always be perpendicular to the plane of contact between the three remaining pedestals and a support surface on which the other three pedestals are in contact. As a result, when three of the pedestals 12 are in contact with level ground, the remaining pedestal will point vertically upwardly. Moreover, the hub 14 will be located at the center of gravity of the tee 10. This means that each pedestal 12 should have a statistically equal chance of being the vertical pedestal when the tee is tossed on the ground. Continue reading about Self-righting golf ball tee... Full patent description for Self-righting golf ball tee Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Self-righting golf ball tee 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 Self-righting golf ball tee or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Distributor indexing device Next Patent Application: Golf marker and method of use Industry Class: Games using tangible projectile ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Self-righting golf ball tee patent info. 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