U.S. patent application number 11/262983 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-03 for hand held golf ball pick-up apparatus.
Invention is credited to J. Randall Beckers, Jeff McLaurin.
Application Number | 20070099718 11/262983 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37997149 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070099718 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McLaurin; Jeff ; et
al. |
May 3, 2007 |
Hand held golf ball pick-up apparatus
Abstract
A hand held golf ball pick-up device allowing a golfer in a golf
cart to pick up a golf ball from a golf cart. The device has a
handle long enough for a golfer sitting in the cart to reach the
ball on the ground next to the cart. The device also has a
receptacle that receives the ball while the ball is sitting on the
ground. The receptacle has a lip from which projections project
toward an interior of the receptacle. The receptacle can have the
shape of the bottom of a golf club. The projections are of a
flexible material, such as rubber. The tips of the projections form
an opening space through which the ball is pushed into the
receptacle. Opposing projections have a distance there between,
across the opening, of less than a diameter of the golf ball. The
projections hold the golf ball in the receptacle but allow one or
more fingers to reach into the receptacle to remove the ball.
Inventors: |
McLaurin; Jeff; (Gulf
Shores, AL) ; Beckers; J. Randall; (Rockville,
MD) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
SUITE 700
1201 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Family ID: |
37997149 |
Appl. No.: |
11/262983 |
Filed: |
November 1, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/286 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 60/00 20151001;
A63B 47/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/286 |
International
Class: |
A63B 53/00 20060101
A63B053/00 |
Claims
1. A golf ball pick-up apparatus, comprising: a handle; and a
pick-up mechanism attached to the handle, comprising: a receptacle
having an interior within which a golf ball is movable and having
an opening and a lip with an interior; and projections positioned
on the lip and projecting toward the interior of the receptacle and
creating an opening space with a size to capture the golf ball in
the receptacle.
2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the opening space is
circular and has a diameter less than a diameter of the golf
ball.
3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the opening space is
non-circular and a distance between ends of substantially opposing
projections is less than a diameter of the golf ball.
4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the projections
comprise fingers.
5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the projections
comprise bristles.
6. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the projections
comprise flaps.
7. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the handle has a
length allowing a sitting golf cart rider to push the golf ball
through the opening space into the receptacle.
8. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the handle has an
inside diameter to allow the all to roll through the handle and out
an end away from the pick-up mechanism.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention is directed to hand held golf ball
pick-up device allowing a golfer to pick up a golf ball from a golf
cart and, more particularly, to a pick up apparatus including a
flexible opening through which a ball is pushed by the user into a
receptacle.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Golf ball pick-up devices typically are of two types, a cart
pilled mechanical device used by golf ranges to pick up a large
number of golf balls, and hand held devices suitable for picking up
single balls. The hand held devices include rubber attachments that
can be fit onto a golf club handle, such as a putter, and pole like
devices that can be part of a pick-up bag or an umbrella. In these
handhold devices the opening for picking up the ball has a diameter
that is typically slightly smaller than the ball. When the pick-up
device is pressed onto the ball the ball essentially "pops into"
the holder. Because the size of the opening for receiving the ball
is essentially the same size as the golf ball, the user needs to
accurately place the opening onto the ball. This is not a big
problem when the user is walking about and can walk up to the ball,
stand relatively still and place the opening onto the ball.
However, when the user is riding in a golf where the user needs to
lean out of the golf cart to pick up the golf ball, the use of
these hand held devices is much more of a problem and typically are
so difficult to use that these conventional devices are not used in
this situation. The need to pick up a golf ball while moving about
in a golf cart typically arises in certain types of golf
game/tournament formats, such as a scramble format. In these types
of formats the players need to pick up their golf balls quickly to
keep the pace of play at an acceptable speed. Rather than use one
of the conventional hand held pick-up devices, players using carts
typically lean out of the carts or stop the cart and get out of the
cart to pick up the ball with their hand. Leaning out of the cart
is dangerous and getting out of the cart slows down the pace of
play.
[0005] What is needed is a hand held golf ball pick-up device that
does not require the positioning accuracy of the conventional
devices and that can be used from essentially a sitting position in
a golf cart.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a hand
held golf ball pick-up device that does not require a high degree
of placement accuracy to pick up the ball.
[0007] It is another aspect of the present invention to allow a
person sitting in a golf cart to easily pick up a golf ball.
[0008] The above aspects can be attained by a hand held golf ball
pick-up device allowing a golfer to pick up a golf ball from a golf
cart. The device has a handle and a receptacle. The receptacle has
a lip from which projections project toward an interior of the
receptacle. The projections are flexible. The tips of the
projections form an opening space through which the ball is pushed
into the receptacle. Opposing projections have a distance there
between, across the opening, of less than a diameter of the golf
ball. The projections hold the golf ball in the receptacle but
allow fingers to reach into the receptacle to remove the ball.
[0009] These together with other aspects and advantages which will
be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and
operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part
hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 depicts depict major components of the hand held
pick-up device of the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a pick-up mechanism of
the present invention.
[0012] FIGS. 3-7 depict additional embodiments of the pick-up
mechanism.
[0013] FIG. 8 shows a golf club shaped embodiment of the
device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] A hand held pick-up device 10 according to the present
invention, as depicted in FIG. 1, is designed to allow picking up a
golf ball 12 by hand without the need for a high degree of
placement accuracy. The device 10 includes a handle 14 and a
capture mechanism 16 that has an inside diameter 18 larger than the
diameter 20 of the golf ball 12. As a result, the placement
accuracy for the pick-up mechanism 16 relative to the ball is lower
than that for the conventional pick-up devices.
[0015] FIG. 2 shows a more detailed bottom view 30 and a side
cutaway type view 32 of the pick-up mechanism 16 relative to the
golf ball 12. In this embodiment the pick-up mechanism 16 includes
a cup shaped receptacle 34 where the ball resides after it has been
captured (a ball is shown in the receptacle 34 in dashed lines in
the side view 32). The receptacle can be made of a number of
different materials, such as plastic, rubber, metal or a composite
material. As shown the interior of the receptacle 34 is large
enough so that the ball can move around in the receptacle 34. A
circular shaped opening 36 of the receptacle 34 includes finger
like projections 38 that project toward the center of the opening
38 parallel to the an imaginary surface formed by the opening. The
projections are positioned at the "lower" edge or lip of the
receptacle 34. These projections extend radially into the opening
such that a distance 40 between opposing tips (or virtually
opposing tips when the tips are not positioned directly opposite
each other) of the projections 38 is less than the diameter of the
ball 12. A typical golf ball has a diameter of around 1.75 inches
and the tip to tip spacing would be less than that, say around 1.65
inches. The projections 38, in this embodiment, are of a flexible
material, such as rubber or plastic, that will bend to allow the
ball to be pushed through the opening into the receptacle 34.
[0016] The receptacle 34 is of such an interior size, and the
projections 38 are sufficiently flexible and sufficient space
exists between the projections 38, so that the user can stick one
or more fingers of the users hand "through" the projections 38 and
into the receptacle 34 to remove the ball by grasping it or
levering it out. During use the receptacle opening 36 is placed
over the ball and pushed down onto the ball. The ball flexes the
projections 38 and pops into the receptacle. Because the opening 36
is large relative to the size of the ball, the placement accuracy
of the opening over and onto the ball during pick up need not be
high. For example, the ball can be offset to one side of the
interior of the opening receptacle and still be picked up. This can
even allow the user to pick up the ball from a moving golf
cart.
[0017] The receptacle 34 and projections 36 can be made of
different materials, such as metal and plastic respectively. When
the material are of different types that can be attached to each
other with in a number of different ways including using
conventional glue, screws, rivets, etc. However, the receptacle and
projections can be formed of a single material such as plastic or
rubber, which is what is depicted in FIG. 2.
[0018] FIG. 3 depicts a second embodiment of the present invention
where the projections 50 are stick like. Again the projections 50
are flexible allowing the ball to be pushed past the projections 50
into the interior of the cup like receptacle 52. The projections 50
in this embodiment can be brush bristles attached to or bound to a
bristle holder 54, using, for example glue. The holder 54 is
attached to the interior surface of the receptacle 52 along its
lower edge. The holder 54 can be attached to the receptacle 52
using glue, screws, etc.
[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates a further embodiment where the
projections 60 are flap like flexible projections. In this
embodiment, a small air gap 62 exists between the flaps 60.
[0020] The opening of the receptacle need not be circular. The
opening can be of any shape, such as triangular, square
(rectangle), oval, or even irregular as depicted in FIG. 5. FIG. 5
is a bottom view of pick-up mechanism 70 where the shape 72 of the
opening and the bottom edge of receptacle 74 is shaped like the
bottom of a driver or wood type golf club. In this embodiment
bristle type projections 76 are shown, however, the projections can
be finger or flap like.
[0021] For non-circular shaped openings, a body 90 of the
receptacle 92 can extend inward, as depicted in FIG. 6, to form a
circular shaped opening 94 from which the projections 96
project.
[0022] The projections have been shown in prior figures as forming
an open space through which the ball passes shaped somewhat like a
circle. However, the open space need not be circular as depicted in
FIG. 7. In this embodiment the opening 110 is rectangular and an
open space 112 is shaped like a rectangle where the brush type
projections reflect the shape of the opening. In this embodiment,
the projections also do not surround the open space. Note FIG. 5
shows an open space shape that is not similar to the opening shape.
In versions where the open space is not circular, the open space
typically has projections arranged so that the ball will be
"captured" by the projection. This involves projections that are
substantial in opposition having a distance there between of less
than a diameter of the golf ball. For example, bristles within the
groups of bristles 114 and 116 even though they are may not be
aligned exactly opposite each other are in opposition to each other
and form virtual edges that are separated by less than the diameter
of the golf ball. This is so that a golf ball can be pushed through
the opening but will not pass through the opening of its own accord
when under the influence of typical forces such as gravity and the
force involved in picking the device off of the ground.
[0023] FIG. 8 depicts a golf club shaped pick-up device 120 where
the pick-up mechanism 122 is shaped like the head of a driver/wood
type club. This embodiment can have an opening like that shown in
FIG. 5, as shown, or one of the other types previously discussed.
The shaft or handle 124 of this embodiment is preferably around 36
inches long, the length of a typical wood, allowing a person in a
golf cart to reach a ball on the ground next to the cart. A
conventional grip 126 can also be used on the handle. By making the
pick-up mechanism the shape of a golf club head, the pick-up device
will not look out of place on a golf cart.
[0024] The device 10 of the present invention will typically be
carried during play in the passenger compartment area of the golf
cart. To make this more convenient, the handle can include a hook
or other position holding mechanism allowing the device 10 to be
conveniently within reach of the golfers riding in the cart. The
holding mechanism can be a snap-in carrier attached to an interior
front panel of the cart compartment or to a carrying basket
typically located behind the passenger seat, or some other
mechanism.
[0025] Because the top surface of the golf club "head" of the golf
club shaped embodiment has a relatively large surface area it can
be used for a logo of an entity, such as an entity sponsoring a
golf tournament, such as a scramble type tournament. The logo could
be that of a golf club/course, club maker, sponsoring company,
etc.
[0026] The projections have been described as projecting
substantially parallel with a virtual surface formed by the
opening. However, the projections can project somewhat upward with
respect to the handle or project somewhat downward with respect to
the handle.
[0027] The many features and advantages of the invention are
apparent from the detailed specification and, thus, it is intended
by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of
the invention that fall within the true spirit and scope of the
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will
readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to
limit the invention to the exact construction and operation
illustrated and described, and accordingly all suitable
modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within
the scope of the invention.
[0028] The handle 124 can be hallow and with an inside diameter
sufficient to allow the golf ball to roll through the handle 124
and the grip 126 and out of the end, so that the user can receive
the ball into their hand through the end of the shaft 124 at the
end of the grip 126, by tilting the club head 122 into the air.
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