U.S. patent number 3,683,155 [Application Number 05/115,006] was granted by the patent office on 1972-08-08 for golf ball heater.
Invention is credited to 97034, Donald I. Loofbourow, 1590 Fernwood Dr..
United States Patent |
3,683,155 |
|
August 8, 1972 |
GOLF BALL HEATER
Abstract
A hollow housing removably encloses a golf ball support spaced
from the top and bottom ends of a housing. The golf ball support is
provided with an annular trough for retaining golf balls, and the
center and perimeter portions of the support are perforated to
allow circulation of air within the housing relative to a heater
located below the center portion of the support.
Inventors: |
Donald I. Loofbourow, 1590 Fernwood
Dr. (Lake Oswego, OR), 97034 (N/A) |
Family
ID: |
22358770 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/115,006 |
Filed: |
February 12, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
219/521; 219/386;
219/430; 219/400; 219/439; 126/263.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05B
3/00 (20130101); A63B 47/005 (20130101); A63B
37/0003 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
47/00 (20060101); H05B 3/00 (20060101); H05b
003/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;219/430,437,439,521,524,528,535,386-387 ;206/46B ;273/62
;150/1.5R,52A |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
574097 |
|
Apr 1, 1933 |
|
DE (Pre-1945) |
|
Primary Examiner: Volodymyr Y. Mayewsky
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oliver D. Olson
Claims
Having now described my invention and the manner in which it may be
used, I
1. A golf ball heater, comprising a. a hollow housing including
relatively displaceable top and bottom sections provided with
peripheral side walls having confronting peripheral edges and end
closures at the ends opposite said confronting peripheral edges, b.
a golf ball support within the housing spaced from the end closures
of the top and bottom housing sections, c. the golf ball support
having an annular golf ball retaining trough between a central
portion and a peripheral portion of the support, and d. heater
means in the bottom section of the housing below the central
portion of the support, e. the central and peripheral portions of
the golf ball support having openings therethrough for the
circulation of air upward from the heater means through the central
openings, thence radially outward and downward through the
peripheral openings, and thence radially inward under the trough
toward the heater means and mounting means outwardly of the
openings in the perioheral portion of the golf ball support for
supporting
2. The golf ball heater of claim 1 wherein the peripheral portion
of the golf ball support has a substantially vertical peripheral
section arranged
3. The golf ball heater of claim 1 wherein the heater means
comprises an electrical resistance heater secured to the bottom
closure of the housing.
4. The golf ball heater of claim 1 wherein the heater means
comprises a
5. The golf ball heater of claim 1 wherein the peripheral edge of
the golf ball support is secured to the peripheral edge of the
bottom section of
6. The golf ball heater of claim 1 wherein the peripheral edge of
the golf ball support removably overlaps the peripheral edge of the
bottom section
7. The golf ball heater of claim 1 wherein the peripheral edge of
the golf ball support frictionally engages the inner surfaces of
the adjacent side wall portions of the top and bottom sections of
the housing.
Description
This invention relates to the heating of golf balls, and more
particularly to a heater by which to preheat golf balls preliminary
to use.
It is known that warm golf balls travel further than cold ones when
similarly struck with the same club. It is also known that golf
balls should be warmed to about 105.degree. F. for maximum effect,
and that deterioration of golf balls occurs when stored at
temperatures above about 125.degree. F. Further, it is known that
the proper warming of a golf ball uniformly through its mass
requires storage at a temperature of about 110.degree. F. for a
time of about 2 days.
Golfers heretofore have attempted to warm golf balls by storing
them in a warm place in the home, by heating them in a low
temperature oven, by soaking them in hot water, by exposing them to
sunlight, by carrying them in a pocket and by a variety of other
equally inefficient means, all of which either fail to achieve or
maintain the aforementioned temperature and time requirements, or
are too costly and inconvenient.
In its basic concept this invention provides a portable heater of
simplified construction for the storage of golf balls in an
atmosphere maintained at proper and uniform temperature for any
desired period of time.
It is by virtue of the foregoing basic concept that the principal
objection of this invention is achieved; namely, to overcome the
aforementioned disadvantages associated with prior golf ball
warming means.
Another important object of this invention is the provision of a
golf ball heater composed of a minimum number of parts of
simplified and therefore economical construction.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention
will appear from the following detailed description, taken in
connection with the accompanying drawings of preferred
embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a golf ball heater embodying the features
of this invention, a portion being broken away to disclose details
of internal construction.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view in vertical elevation taken along the
line 2--2 in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3--3 in
FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of a modified form of
golf ball heater embodying the features of this invention.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing
the peripheral interconnection of the components of the golf ball
heater shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGS. 3 and 5
showing still another modified form of peripheral interconnection
of the components of a golf ball heater embodying the features of
this invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 the golf ball heater
includes a hollow housing formed of two parts; namely, a bottom
section having a bottom wall 10 and an upstanding peripheral wall
12 terminating at its upper end in an outwardly projecting
peripheral flange 14. The top section has a top wall 16 and a
downwardly extending peripheral wall 18 proportioned to overlie the
peripheral flange of the bottom section.
Both of the housing sections may be made of the same material, or
of different materials. In the embodiment illustrated (FIG. 2) the
bottom section is made of metal and the top section is made of
synthetic thermoplastic or thermosetting resin.
The golf ball heater also includes a golf ball support adapted to
be enclosed removably in the housing in spaced relation to the
bottom and top walls 10 and 16, respectively. In the embodiment
illustrated the support comprises a plate of heat conductive metal
formed with an annular trough 20 intermediate a central portion 22
and a peripheral portion 24. The central portion is provided with a
plurality of openings 26 and the peripheral portion is provided
with a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings 28.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the outer margin of the
peripheral portion 24 of the support is formed to provide a
downwardly offset peripheral section 30 adjacent the openings 28
and an outwardly directed reverse bend peripheral section 32, 32'
extending outward from the lower end of the section 30. The reverse
bend section captures the outwardly projecting flange 14 of the
bottom section of the housing, whereby to secure the golf ball
support thereto. The lower edge of the peripheral wall 18 of the
top section of the housing is received about the downwardly
extending section 30 and rests upon the upper surface of the
reverse bend section 32. The top portion of the housing thus is
centered removably over the golf ball support.
Heater means is provided in the housing for maintaining the
atmosphere within the housing at a predetermined elevated
temperature, for example 110.degree. F. In the embodiment
illustrated in FIG. 2 the heater means comprises an electrical
resistance element 34 supported under the central portion 22 of the
golf ball support by means of a bracket 36 secured to the bottom
wall 10. Electrical conductors 38 extend from the resistance
element outward through an annular electrical insulation grommet 40
mounted in an opening in the peripheral wall 12 of the bottom
section of the housing. The outer ends of the electrical conductors
are connected to an electric plug 42 which is adapted to be
connected to a source of electrical potential, such as conventional
110 volt, 60 cycle household current.
The electrical resistance heater element 34 is selected to maintain
the atmosphere within the housing at about 110.degree. F. This
temperature is maintained substantially uniform throughout the
interior of the housing by virtue of the openings 26 and 28
provided in the central and peripheral portions of the support.
Thus, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2, air heater by the
heater element rises upward through the openings 26 in the central
portion 22 and then moves radially outward through the space
between the top wall 16 and golf ball B retained in the annular
trough 20, thence downward through the peripheral openings 28 and
radially inward through the space between the bottom wall 10 and
trough, back to the heater element. This doughnut shape circulation
of air insures the maintenance of substantially uniform temperature
of the atmosphere within the housing and thus insures substantially
uniform heating of all of the golf balls contained therein.
If desired, a thermostat may be included in the electric circuit of
heater element 34, in well known manner, further to insure the
maintenance of desired temperature.
The golf ball support also is caused to be heated, both by radiant
energy from the heater element and also by the circulating air
current within the housing. The heated support thus functions to
conduct heat directly to the golf balls, further to improve the
efficiency of heating the latter. If desired, one or more of the
internal surfaces of the housing components and the golf ball
support may be blackened to enhance the absorption of heat for
conductance of the golf balls.
As previously mentioned, the golf ball heater element is maintained
in operative condition for at least about two days in order to
insure complete warming of the golf balls through their entire
mass. The golf balls then are removed from the unit in preparation
of play, and they retain the heat for a substantial period of time,
sufficient to complete a round of golf.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the electrical
heater element 34 of the previous embodiment is replaced by a
self-contained heater 44 of the hand warmer type. As is well known,
this type of heater utilizes a combustible liquid fuel which must
be replenished periodically. Accordingly the housing is provided
with one or more openings 46 to supply sufficient air to support
combustion of fuel in the heater.
In addition, it is necessary that the golf ball support be
removable from the bottom section of the housing in order to gain
access to the heater. To this end the portion 32 of the reverse
bend section underlying the flange 14 (FIG. 2) is omitted or
straightened. Thus, the golf ball support is supported in properly
centered position on the upper flange 14 of the bottom section of
the housing, but is freely removable therefrom. The downwardly
extending section 30 of the support functions to center the top
section of the housing, as in the embodiment previously described.
The top section of the housing is shown to be costructed of metal,
although it may be constructed of plastic, as in FIG. 2, or any
other material desired.
FIG. 6 illustrates still another form of interconnection between
the peripheral portions of the housing components and golf ball
support. Thus, the adjacent portions 12' and 18' of the sides 12
and 18, respectively, of the bottom and top sections of the housing
are offset outwardly, defining a peripheral shoulder 46
therebetween. The peripheral portion 48 of the golf ball support,
outward of the openings 28, extends downward in frictional
engagement with the inner surface of the offset portion 12', and
rests upon the shoulder 46. The support thus is secured
frictionally to the bottom section of the housing. The top section
of the housing is centered over the support and is secured to the
latter removably, by frictional engagement of the inner surface of
the offset portion 18' with the outer surface of the peripheral
portion 48 projecting upward from the offset portion 12'.
Other forms of heaters may be substituted for the heaters 34 or 44.
For example, an electric light bulb may be mounted removably in a
conventional light bulb socket secured to the bottom wall 10, with
the light bulb located under the central portion 22 of the golf
ball support.
From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the present
invention provides a golf ball heater of compact design and minimum
number of components of simplified and therefore economical
construction, which heater functions efficiently and economically
to preheat golf balls uniformly throughout their mass to most
effective temperature for maximum travel. The electrically heated
unit illustrated in FIG. 2 may be used wherever conventional
electric supply is available, such as in the home. The
self-contained unit illustrated in FIG. 4 is adaptable for use in
golf club lockers and other places where electric supply is not
available.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
changes in the size, shape, number, type and arrangement of parts
described hereinbefore may be made without departing from the
spirit of this invention.
* * * * *