GOLF TEE WITH SHAPE MEMORY METAL AND METHOD TO PRODUCE THE SAME
The present invention discloses a golf tee comprised of two sections, a shape memory metal that connects the said two sections and a resilient protective outer shell for a golf tee that lessens impact and improves performance.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a golf tee having a flexible midsection made of a superelastic shape memory metal such as Nitinol, a nikel-titanium alloy. This metal can acquire a predetermined shape through thermal conditioning. The ability for this special class of metal to return to its original shape after being bent out of shape made it possible for it to be successfully used in many applications. In this case, when an impact is applied to the golf tee, the force is deflected away from the tee. The golf tee returns to its original position after the impact.
2. Description of the Related Art
Golf tee is an important accessory of a golf game. Golf tee positions the golf ball in an elevated position for the golf club to hit. When the golf club hits the tee, the tee is often lost or broken. Many patents were disclosed to overcome these shortcomings. U.S. Pat. No. 6,783,470 disclosed a spring loaded golf tee. U.S. Pat. No. 2,839,304 disclosed a deflectable tee. U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,313 disclosed a vented tee. U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,170 disclosed a flexible tee with a sliding tee top. U.S. Pat. No. 2,531,470 disclosed a tee with a flexible body. This invention improves deflection characteristic of the prior patents by utilizing a shape memory metal as a mean to relieve impact energy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention has been accomplished to provide a golf tee to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks.
It is one object of this invention to provide a golf tee that is flexible to deflect impact energy and be able to return to its original shape.
It is another object of this invention to provide a golf tee having a pre programmed shape.
It is another object of this invention to provide a golf tee that is not easily lost or break.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method for its construction.
The present invention will be explained by the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Although the preferred embodiment has been described herein in detail, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various embodiments may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A multi-section golf tee comprising: a cylindrical shape lower section with a pointed end for ground penetration, a flexible connection mean, an upper section for capturing said flexible connection mean, a protective outer shell; said lower section is connected to a one end of said flexible connection mean through a retaining feature, the second end of said flexible connection mean is connected to said upper section through a retaining feature, said outer protective shell partially encapsulates side surfaces of said upper section such that said upper section is shielded from a golf club strike, said outer protective shell having a unitary structure wherein said outer protective shell partially encapsulates said upper section forming a binding structure between the inner surface of said protective shell and outer surface of said upper section such that no relative movement between said protective outer shell and said upper section is possible.
2. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1, said protective outer shell interlocks with said upper section via a through hole within said upper section to form an interlocking cross member which has the shape defined by the inside surface of said through hole in said upper section, wherein said cross member is perpendicular to the axial direction defined by the centerline of said flexible connection mean, wherein said outer protective shell is prevented from moving in the axial direction defined by the centerline of said flexible connection mean, said protective shell partially encapsulates said flexible connection mean which is encapsulated by said upper section.
3. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said flexible connection mean is constructed from a superelastic shape memory metal.
4. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lower and upper sections are constructed from a rigid polymer by injection molding.
5. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1, wherein said protective outer shell is constructed from a soft resilient polymer by injection molding over said upper section and said flexible connection mean.
6. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flexible connection mean can be set to any suitable shape through a shape memory setting process.
7. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lower section has a plurality of indication for ground depth penetration.
8. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper section further comprises of a recess surface for positioning a golf ball.
9. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer protective shell fully encapsulates said upper section.
10. A golf tee as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer protective shell having a unitary structure further comprising a cylindrical section and a taper section.
11. A golf tee as claimed in claim 3, wherein said flexible connection mean consists of one single straight wire made of a superelastic shape memory metal.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 19, 2006
Publication Date: May 22, 2008
Inventor: Tony L. Wong (Modesto, CA)
Application Number: 11/561,413
International Classification: A63B 57/00 (20060101);