U.S. patent application number 12/126987 was filed with the patent office on 2009-07-02 for golf tee and method for making the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to SHENG-HSIANG SU.
Application Number | 20090170638 12/126987 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40799188 |
Filed Date | 2009-07-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090170638 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SU; SHENG-HSIANG |
July 2, 2009 |
GOLF TEE AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME
Abstract
An exemplary golf tee (100) includes a substrate (100a) and a
coating film (100b). The substrate is made of metal or metal alloy.
The coating film is formed on an outside surface of the substrate.
The present invention also provides a method for making the
exemplary golf tee. The method includes providing a roughcast made
of metallic or metallic alloy material; forming the substrate by a
method of die-casting with the roughcast; and forming the coating
film on an outside surface of the substrate by a method of surface
treating.
Inventors: |
SU; SHENG-HSIANG; (Tu-Cheng,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PCE INDUSTRY, INC.;ATT. Steven Reiss
458 E. LAMBERT ROAD
FULLERTON
CA
92835
US
|
Assignee: |
HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO.,
LTD.
Tu-Cheng
TW
|
Family ID: |
40799188 |
Appl. No.: |
12/126987 |
Filed: |
May 26, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/401 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2209/00 20130101;
A63B 57/10 20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/401 |
International
Class: |
A63B 57/00 20060101
A63B057/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 26, 2007 |
CN |
200710203413.X |
Claims
1. A golf tee, comprising: a substrate made of metal or metal
alloy; and a coating film formed on an outside surface of the
substrate.
2. The golf tee as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate is
formed by die-casting.
3. The golf tee as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coating film is
formed by a method of surface treating.
4. The golf tee as claimed in claim 3, wherein the surfacing
treating is one of a group of galvanization, microarc oxidation,
physical vapor deposition, and anode oxidation technology.
5. The golf tee as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate of the
golf tee is made of magnesium alloy.
6. The golf tee as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate of the
golf tee is made of zincum alloy or aluminium alloy.
7. The golf tee as claimed in claim 1, wherein the golf tee
comprises at least one figure formed on a surface of the golf
tee.
8. The golf tee as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coating film is
made of chrome, gold, nickel, copper, or silver.
9. A method for making golf tees, comprising: providing a roughcast
made of metallic or metallic alloy material; forming a substrate by
a method of die-casting with the roughcast; and forming a coating
film on an outside surface of the substrate by a method of surface
treating.
10. The method of making golf tees as claimed in claim 9, wherein
melted liquid of the roughcast is poured into a mold cavity,
compressed under pressure and cooled, thus forming the
substrate.
11. The method of making golf tees as claimed in claim 9, wherein
the coating film with material of chrome, gold, nickel, copper, or
silver is plated on the outside surface of the substrate by
galvanization.
12. The method of making golf tees as claimed in claim 9, wherein
the coating film is formed by microarc oxidation, physical vapor
deposition, or anode oxidation technology.
13. The method of making golf tees as claimed in claim 9, wherein
the substrate of the golf tee is made of magnesium alloy.
14. The method of making golf tees as claimed in claim 9, wherein
the substrate of the golf tee is made of zincum alloy or aluminium
alloy.
15. The method of making golf tees as claimed in claim 14, wherein
at least one figure is formed on the golf tee during forming the
substrate by die-casting.
16. The method of making golf tees as claimed in claim 9, wherein
the coating film is made of chrome, gold, nickel, copper, or
silver.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to golf tees and methods for
making the same.
[0003] 2. Discussion of the Related Art
[0004] Golf tees are commonly used at driving ranges and golf
courses to position the golf ball above the ground. Recently, more
and more golf tees are required with golf game being more and more
popular.
[0005] Typical golf tees are generally wooden tees, plastic tees,
or bamboo tees. Such golf tees have many shortcomings. For example,
for wooden tees and bamboo tees, the following shortcomings exist.
(1) Wooden tees and bamboo tees are weak in strength and toughness.
Such golf tees, particularly connecting portions of heads and
bodies of golf tees, are easily worn out by hitting with golf club.
Thus, wooden tees and bamboo tees have short service lives. In
addition, wooden tees and bamboo tees can be only inserted into the
ground with a small length because of the low strength thereof. (2)
Wooden tees and bamboo tees are affected by moisture and expand on
rainy days or when the ground is damp. As such, the strength of the
golf tees reduces. In addition, damped, wooden, or bamboo golf tees
with rough surfaces are difficult to clean. (3) Wooden tees and
bamboo tees are manufactured one by one, thus a manufacturing
efficiency is very low. Furthermore, each golf tee is generally
different from others. That is, it is quite difficult to make golf
tees with the same size and shape. (4) It is difficult to form
patterns such as letterings, inscriptions, pictorial images on
wooden tees and bamboo tees. Even if figures are formed on such
golf tees, the figures are easily worn off. (5) Wooden tees and
bamboo tees have low hardness. Thus, the golf tees usually have
rough surfaces after being abraded because of the low hardness. The
golf tees have awful property in aesthetics.
[0006] For plastic tees, the following shortcomings exist. (1)
Plastic tees have low hardness. Thus, depressions and projections
are formed on the golf tees when hit by golf club. The golf tees
have awful property in aesthetics. (2) Plastic tees are easily
deformed in use. (3) Plastic tees are difficult to be decomposed.
Disused plastic tees would become pollutions.
[0007] Therefore, a golf tee and a method for making the same which
overcomes the above-described shortcomings is desired.
SUMMARY
[0008] An exemplary golf tee includes a substrate and a coating
film. The substrate is made of metal or metal alloy. The coating
film is formed on an outside surface of the substrate.
[0009] An exemplary method for making a golf tee includes:
providing a roughcast made of metallic or metallic alloy material;
forming a substrate by a method of die-casting with the roughcast;
and forming a coating film on an outside surface of the substrate
by a method of surface treating.
[0010] Other advantages and novel features will become more
apparent from the following detailed description when taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to
scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating
the principles of the golf tee and the method for making the same.
Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate
corresponding parts throughout the several views.
[0012] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a golf tee in accordance with
a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the golf tee of FIG. 1 viewed
from another aspect.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the golf tee of FIG.
1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0015] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a golf tee 100 in accordance
with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a
head 10, a body 20, and a neck 40 for connecting the head 10 and
the body 20. A tip 30 is formed at an end of the body 20 and is
opposite to the head 10. The head 10, the body 20, the neck 40 and
the tip 30 are integrally formed.
[0016] The head 10 is a cylinder having a depression 101 defined at
a top of the head 10. The depression 101 is configured for
positioning golf balls. Four stiffening ribs 201 are formed at an
outer surface of the golf tee 100. The stiffening ribs 201 extend
from a bottom of the head 10 to a middle portion of the body 20.
The stiffening ribs 201 are configured for enhancing strength of
the golf tee 100. The tip 30 is substantially conical and
configured for inserting into the ground. Further, a FIG. 203 is
defined in the golf tee 100.
[0017] Referring to FIG. 3, the golf tee 100 includes a substrate
100a and a coating film 100b coated on an outside surface of the
substrate 100a. The substrate 100a is made of metal or metallic
alloy such as iron, magnesium alloy, and zincum alloy. The material
of the substrate 100a is preferred to magnesium alloy and aluminium
alloy that have small density. Thus, the golf tee 100 may be light
and handy. The coating film 100b is formed on the substrate 100a by
a method of surface treating. The coating film 100b is preferably
made of chrome, gold, nickel, copper, or silver.
[0018] A method for making the golf tee 100 includes the following
steps: (1) providing a roughcast made of metallic or metallic alloy
material; (2) forming the substrate 100a by a method of die-casting
with the roughcast; and (3) forming the coating film 100b on an
outside surface of the substrate 100a by a method of surface
treating.
[0019] In the first step, the material is metal or metallic alloy
such as iron, magnesium alloy, zincum alloy and aluminium alloy. In
this preferred embodiment, the material is magnesium alloy.
[0020] In the second step, melted liquid of the roughcast is poured
into a mold cavity, compressed under pressure and cooled, thus
forming the substrate 100a. A mold may define a plurality of mold
cavities, thereby improving a manufacturing efficiency. In
addition, patterns with various shapes are formed on the substrate
100a by die-casting. The patterns can be customized and also can
make the golf tees 100 more aesthetically pleasing.
[0021] In the third step, the substrate 100a is machined, for
example sheared to remove burr of the substrate 100a formed in
die-casting, before surface treating. The coating film 100b with a
material of chrome, gold, nickel, copper, or silver is plated on
the outside surface of the substrate 100a by galvanization, thereby
forming the golf tee 100. Alternatively, the coating film 100b may
be formed by micro-arc oxidation, PVD (physical vapor deposition),
or anode oxidation technology to make the surface of the golf tee
100 smooth, hard and steady in chemistry.
[0022] It should be pointed out that, figures may also be formed on
the golf tee 100 by laser carving after surface treating.
[0023] The golf tee 100 at least has the following advantages: (1)
The golf tee 100 made of metal or metal alloy has high strength and
toughness. Therefore, the golf tee 100 is difficult to be broken or
deformed, thus having a long service life. In addition, the golf
tee 100 can be inserted into the ground with a long length because
of the high strength thereof. Therefore, an exposed length of the
golf tee 100 can be adjusted when the golf tee 100 is inserted in
the ground. (2) The golf tee 100 has high surface hardness, so the
surface of the golf tee 100 is difficult to be damaged. Further,
the surface of the golf tee 100 is smooth and glossy, thus having a
relatively beautiful appearance. (3) Golf tees 100 made of metal or
metal alloy can be recycled. Therefore, worn out golf tees 100
could be recycled and would not contribute to the pollution of the
environment. (4) The golf tees 100 manufactured by die-casting have
a high manufacturing efficiency. Also, all golf tees 100 have the
same shapes and sizes. (5) Figures can be formed on the golf tees
100 easily and conveniently. (6) Particles, water vapor and other
impurities cannot penetrate the golf tees 100. Furthermore, mud and
other contaminants on the surface of the golf tees 100 can be
easily cleaned.
[0024] It is believed that the present embodiments and their
advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and
it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or
sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples
hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary
embodiments of the invention.
* * * * *