Promotional golf tee including a flat, flexible upper portion, alignement means and anchoring mechanism
A flexible golf tee includes a concaved head supported by an integrated upper portion comprising a flat, flexible area. An anchoring lower portion includes a pointed tip and a ledge formed where it is integrated with the upper portion. The anchoring lower portion stabilizes the golf tee and helps keep it in the ground upon golf club impact. The flat, flexible area significantly increase the tee's flexibility and can also serve as a footprint for promotional advertising space on the upper portion's front and back sides. The concaved head can include alignment means formed thereon for enabling golfers to achieve alignment using the alignment means and flat, flexible portion to achieve a desired direction of travel along the fairway by the golf ball to a target area. Depth indicators when used can enable golfer to track the depth to which the tee is being inserted into the ground.
APPLICATION PRIORITY
The present patent applications claims priority to Provisional Patent Application No. 60/505,027 filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Sep. 23, 2003, entitled “Promotional golf tee including a flexible upper portion, alignment means and an anchoring mechanism.”
FIELD OF INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a new and improved golf tee, specifically to new and improved features for a golf tee that include a flat, flexible area on its upper portion and an anchoring mechanism formed on the tee's lower portion to help retain the tee in the ground upon golf club impact. The present invention is also related to systems and methods of achieving proper golfer alignment with a golf tee/ball. The present invention is also related to use of as promotional items golf tees. The present invention is also related an injection molded, one piece, plastic golf tee that can support promotional advertising and function in accordance with the features of the present invention.
BACKGROUNDGolf tees were originally very simple structures, designed only to raise the golf ball off of the ground before striking the ball with a golf club from the teeing area. Golf tees, however, lack flexibility upon impact with a club. Conventional tees do one of two things upon impact. They either fracture along the spine, or “pop” out of the ground and travel haphazardly to be lost or so far out of line that the golfer does not attempt to recover the tee. Golf tees, because of their limited historical purpose, also offer little as a tool in the overall strategy of a golf game. Golf tees are generally viewed as nothing more than a stand or prop for the golf ball during initial driving in a tee box at golf courses.
A number of patents that propose ways to resolve some of the above mentioned problems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,055 discloses a golf tee having an integrated circular non-adjustable base that limits the depth to which a tee can be inserted into the ground and anchoring prongs to provide stability to tees upon impact with a club head and to keep the tees from popping out of the ground and traveling haphazardly. The disadvantage of the '055 device is that it lacks flexibility along the area of the tees stem (spine 14) to allow a club head to easily swing through the tee without disrupting the clubs trajectory. One reason traditional tees are designed to break or dislodge from the earth upon impact by a golf club or driver is so that the golfer's swing and club/driver travel is not significantly impacted. Another limitation with the design of the '055 tee is that it does not provide much “billboard” or advertising space along its surface because of placement of the integrated base (20).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,869 discloses a golf tee including a flexible upper half designed to withstand impact and a rigid lower half including retractable metal spikes that operate to further embed the tee into the ground during use. The disadvantage of the '869 device is that several mechanical parts must operate to deploy the metal spikes. The tee operates in a similar fashion to a retractable ball point pen, wherein physical manipulation of the tees head will cause deployment and retraction of the spikes, thereby taking away any benefit that the flexible upper portion could offer. Impact along the flexible upper portion will surely result in mechanical failure of the device. Furthermore, as with the '055 patent, the '869 patent does not provide adequate advertising space along its surface.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,976,431, 2,839,304, 5,242,170, and Des. 430,913 all provide some form of flexibility but lack any means of anchoring the tee to the earth. The listed patents require complicated manufacture and expense, having more than one part. Furthermore, the traditional golf tee, upon which the forgoing references are modeled, does not provide much “billboard” or advertising space along its surface.
Most known tees are of a complicated construction, are expensive to manufacture, are designed to break or take flight upon impact of the club head, or are of such restrictive function that their use by golfers is substantially limited. Furthermore, golf tees do not generally provide adequate space for incorporation of promotional advertising thereon, which should be a key feature of inexpensive items, such as golf tees, which are typically used as promotional items and given away. Typical wooden golf tee printing is small and can not be read easily by its users.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONFeatures of the invention described herein include a new and improved golf tee that is flexible and anchors itself upon/during impact with a club/driver, thus keeping the tee from breaking or too easily “popping” out of the ground and traveling haphazardly. Also described are methods for using a golf tee to obtain proper alignment of a golfer with a tee/ball and therefore cause a golf ball to travel substantially towards a target area selected by the golfer.
In accordance with aspects of the present invention, a single member golf tee made with a flexible material comprising a concaved head supported by an upper portion including a flat, flexible area formed thereon and an anchoring lower portion having a pointed tip for inserting the tee into the ground is described.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the flat, flexible area can significantly increase the flexibility and resiliency of the golf tee and its ability to withstand impact.
In accordance with yet another feature of the present invention, the flat, flexible area of the upper portion can be utilized as a footprint for enhanced promotional advertising space on either or both of its front and back sides, and can also be used together with a alignment means formed on/within the concaved head of the golf tee to achieve better golfer alignment with the ball/tee and the golfer's intended target down range along a fairway.
In accordance with yet another feature of the present invention, the golf tee can also incorporate at least one depth indicator that enables golfer to track the depth to which the tee is being inserted into the ground, thereby allowing a golfer to control the elevation of the concaved head above ground, and furthermore providing a means to ensure that a golf ball is being set at a proper/desired elevation to meet the needs of a particular golfer.
In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the golf tee device can include ground anchoring fins to help stabilize the golf tee upon impact with a club head and keep the tee from too easily “popping” out of the ground and traveling haphazardly.
The present invention provides additional benefits and advantages, such as:
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- An improved golf tee that allows golfers to obtain a consistent tee height each and every time the ball is teed up.
- A golf tee made with flexible material that provides the tee with features of strength and resiliency.
- A golf tee that helps increase the speed and accuracy of play.
- A new and improved golf tee that retains a strong resemblance to conventional golf tee devices that have come to be accepted by the majority of golfers.
- A golf tee formed by a single piece of material (commonly referred to herein as a “single member” golf tee) including a flat, flexible stem integrated along the upper portion of the tee, allowing the upper portion of the tee to flex as a golf club swings through space occupied by the tee and supported ball, the flexible bridge thereby preventing interference with a golfer's swing and effective impact of the game ball.
- A single member golf tee with a flexible bridge feature integrated along the upper portion of the tee, wherein the flexible bridge provides a flat footprint that can be used for pad printing of promotion advertisements, company logos and personalized messages or names.
- A tee that can be manufactured in multiple colors and variations and can include fins for ground anchoring the tee.
- A golf tee device that conforms to the USGA rules of golf, thus enabling the tee to be utilized by players of all skill levels, amateurs and professionals alike.
- A golf tee that is simple in its one-piece configuration, economical to manufacture, convenient to carry and insert into the ground, and serves to substantially control factors that will enhance a golfer's skill and enjoyment level.
Further features and inventive aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
A golf tee in accordance with features of the present is shown in
Thus, as shown in the drawings of
The golf tee 10 can be molded using a rigid, yet somewhat flexible, shatter resistant plastic resin. The tee 10, however, can be manufactured of other materials that are equally suited to this application, such as rubber, flexible/springy metal, etc. The golf tee 10 can remain anchored in the ground during use because an anchoring means 11 in the form of a ledge can be provided between the upper portion 14 and lower portion 21 of the tee 10. The top surface of the ledge can keep the tee from popping out of the ground and traveling haphazardly.
As shown in the drawings of
As shown in
It should be apparent that there are other various possibilities with regard to the relative placement of the depth indicator 20 along the tee 10.
Referring to
Referring to
It should be appreciated that a wide selection of tees 10 can also be manufactured at various lengths to selectively accommodate the unique swing of each golfer, as well as the specific club selection required at each tee box. Also, the dimensions of the flat upper portion 14 can be varied as necessary based on desired positioning of the depth indicator 20 in relation to the head 12 and advertising space (e.g., “billboard”) considerations, thus possibly saving material and controlling manufacturing expenses.
The front and back areas of the flat, flexible area of upper portion 14 can be imprinted as shown in
It can now be appreciated that printing can be more easily provided on flat areas such as the flat, flexible areas (i.e., the front and back areas) of the upper portion 14 using pad printing technology, silk screening, and other printing methods and systems well known in the art. It can also be appreciated that the present golf tee 10 operates similar to a double-sided billboard as seen along roadways, although the golf tee 10 is of much smaller scale. Advertising is now maximized using the present invention, unlike limited printing space that is provided by previous tee designs. [0047]The process for using the golf tee stand to drive a golf ball is relatively simple and is essentially identical to that of conventional tees in present use. Namely, one first grasps the tee 10 by its flat, flexible upper portion 14 and inserts the pointed tip 24 into the teeing ground. Pressure is applied to the tee head 12 to facilitate insertion into the ground 40 wherein it can then support a golf ball 50, as shown in
To remove the tee 10 from the ground, the tee 10 is simply grasped by the upper portion 14 and lifted vertically. The tee 10 can be reused many more times than a standard wooden tee can be used, at the discretion of the golfer.
If additional ground anchoring prongs 22 as shown in
Referring to
A number of advantages of the invention should now be apparent to those skilled in the art given the description provided herein, including:
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- A new and improved golf tee is provided that stabilizes/anchors itself so that upon impact with a club, it is less likely to pop out of the ground and traveling haphazardly.
- An improved golf tee is provided that allows golfers to obtain a consistent tee height each and every time the ball is teed up.
- A golf tee is provided with improved strength and resiliency.
- A golf tee is provided that helps increase the speed and accuracy of play.
- A new and improved golf tee is provided that retains a strong resemblance to conventional golf tee devices that have come to be accepted by the majority of golfers.
- A single member golf tee is provided with a flat, flexible upper portion (e.g., a flexible bridge) integrated along the upper portion of the tee, allowing the upper portion of the tee to flex as a golf club swings through space occupied by the tee and supported ball, the flexible bridge thereby preventing interference with a golfer's swing and impact of the game ball.
- A single member golf tee is provided with a flat, flexible area integrated along the upper portion of the tee, wherein the flat, flexible area provides a flat footprint that can be used for pad printing of promotion advertisements, company logos and personalized messages or names.
- A golf tee is provided that can be manufactured in multiple colors and variations and can include prongs or fins for anchoring operation.
- A golf tee device is provided that conforms to the USGA rules of golf, thus enabling the tee to be utilized by players of all skill levels, amateurs and professionals alike.
- A golf tee is provided that is simple in its one-piece configuration, economical to manufacture, convenient to carry and insert into the ground, and serves to substantially control factors that will enhance a golfer's skill and enjoyment level.
Accordingly, the reader will see that the golf tee of the present invention provides a simple, economical, and convenient device that can help golfers of all skill levels to improve their mastery and enjoyment of the game of golf. While the description above contains many features, these features should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as the exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof.
Many other variations are possible. For example, the ground anchoring fins can take various shapes, the fins can be located at various points along the spine of the tee, the number of fins can be modified, the flat, flexible upper and lower portions can be resized or reshaped, the dimensions of the flat, flexible upper portion can be varied, etc. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment(s) illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
Claims
1. A plastic golf tee comprising a concaved head supported by an upper portion including a flat, flexible area formed thereon and an anchoring lower portion including a pointed tip for inserting the tee into the ground.
2. The invention of claim 1 further comprising a depth indicator, wherein the depth indicator enables golfers to obtain a consistent tee height each and every time a golf ball is teed up.
3. The invention of claim 1 further comprising an alignment means formed on or within the concaved head, wherein the alignment means enables golfers to aim the golf tee towards an area targeted by the golfer.
4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the anchoring lower portion further comprising at least one anchoring fin integrated thereon, wherein the at least one anchoring fin extends from the anchoring lower portion to serve as a mechanism to stabilize the golf tee and cause the golf tee to be retained in the ground during its use.
5. The invention of claim 2 wherein the anchoring lower portion further comprising at least one anchoring fin integrated thereon, wherein the at least one anchoring fin extends from the anchoring lower portion to serve as a mechanism to stabilize the golf tee and cause the golf tee to be retained in the ground during its use.
6. The invention of claim 3 further comprising a depth indicator, wherein the depth indicator enables golfers to obtain a consistent tee height each and every time a golf ball is teed up.
7. The invention of claim 2 further comprising an alignment means formed on the concaved head, wherein the alignment means enables golfers to aim the golf tee towards an area targeted by the golfer.
8. The invention of claim 1 wherein the flat, flexible area formed on the upper portion provides a footprint whereon at least one of text and design can be printed.
9. The invention of claim 2 wherein the flat, flexible area formed on the upper portion provides a footprint whereon at least one of text and design can be printed.
10. The invention of claim 3 wherein the flat, flexible area formed on the upper portion provides a footprint whereon at least one of text and design can be printed.
11. The invention of claim 4 wherein the flat, flexible area formed on the upper portion provides a footprint whereon at least one of text and design can be printed.
12. The invention of claim 6 wherein the flat, flexible area formed on the upper portion provides a footprint whereon at least one of text and design can be printed.
13. A golf tee, comprising:
- a concaved head supported by an upper portion;
- an upper portion including a flat, flexible portion further comprising a flat front area and a flat back area whereon at least one of text and a design can be printed; and
- an anchoring lower portion including a pointed tip and a ledge formed where the upper portion is integrated with the anchoring lower portion, whereby said pointed tip is adapted for inserting the tee into the ground and said anchoring ledge is adapted for enabling the golf tee to remain within the ground during use.
14. The invention of claim 13 further comprising a depth indicator, wherein the depth indicator enables golfers to obtain a consistent tee height each and every time a golf ball is teed up.
15. The invention of claim 13 wherein the anchoring lower portion further comprising at least one anchoring fin integrated thereon, wherein the at least one anchoring fin extends from the anchoring lower portion to serve as a mechanism to stabilize the tee and cause the tee to be retained in the ground during its use.
16. The invention of claim 14 wherein the anchoring lower portion further comprising at least one anchoring fin integrated thereon, wherein the at least one anchoring fin extends from the anchoring lower portion to serve as a mechanism to stabilize the tee and cause the tee to be retained in the ground during its use.
17. The invention of claim 13 further comprising an alignment means formed on or within the concaved head, wherein the alignment means enables a golfer to substantially align the golf tee such that a golf ball can travel mostly in a direction selected by the golfer.
18. The invention of claim 17 further comprising a depth indicator, wherein the depth indicator enables golfers to obtain a consistent gold tee height each and every time a golf ball is teed up.
19. A single member golf tee, comprising:
- a concaved head adapted for supporting a golf ball and including an alignment means formed thereon;
- a flat, flexible upper portion integrated with and supporting the concaved head, the flat, flexible upper portion further comprising a flat front area and a flat rear area whereupon promotional advertising can be printed; and
- an anchoring lower portion including a pointed tip and a ledge formed where the upper portion is integrated with the anchoring lower portion, whereby said pointed tip is adapted for inserting the tee into the ground and said anchoring ledge is adapted for enabling the golf tee to remain within the ground during use.
20. The invention of claim 19 further comprising a depth indicator, whereby the depth indicator enables golfers to obtain a consistent tee height each and every time a golf ball is teed up.
21. The invention of claim 19 wherein the anchoring lower portion further comprises at least one anchoring fin integrated thereon, wherein the at least one anchoring fin extends from the anchoring lower portion to serve as a mechanism to stabilize the tee and cause the tee to be retained in the ground during its use.
22. The invention of claim 20 wherein the anchoring lower portion further comprising at least one anchoring fin integrated thereon, wherein the at least one anchoring fin extends from the anchoring lower portion to serve as a mechanism to stabilize the tee and cause the tee to be retained in the ground during its use.
23. The invention of claim 21 further comprising a depth indicator, wherein the depth indicator enables golfers to obtain a consistent tee height each and every time a golf ball is teed up.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 17, 2004
Publication Date: Mar 24, 2005
Inventor: Luis Ortiz (Albuquerque, NM)
Application Number: 10/943,388