GOLF TEE AND MARKER BOX

Abstract

A golf tee holder includes a thin box having a top, a bottom and lateral open sides and a thickness based on a diameter of a golf tee. Laterally overlapping filaments (LOF) line the plurality of open sides and provide a friction retention of multiple golf tees inserted through the LOF into the thin box. Furthermore, a clip disposed on the thin box attaches it to a ball cap bill. A golf ball marker comprises a component of the thin box in some embodiments. A spring element within the thin box returns a golf tee pressed into it back out through the lateral overlapping filaments to a user of the thin box. The lateral overlapping filaments comprise one of bristles, fibers, cord, string, fuzz and tuft.

Description

BACKGROUND

Golf is a major pastime for persons throughout the United States. However, carrying a tee holder while golfing is a tedious task and difficult to remember. Although tee holders are necessary equipment for golfers, they may be forgotten and results in delay or game forfeit.

Various devices have been constructed for holding golf tees and include key chain tee holders, pocket organizers, backpack strap crenelations, discrete hand held stock and others. Construction includes braided cord, molded plastic, leather and other materials having a one-for-one slot to tee ratio.

However, all of these devices fall short as a ubiquitous, universal and hands free device for collecting, gathering, storing and handling of multiple golf tees. For instance, though it works well in one's pocket, keychain holders require reaching into one's pocket and sorting out keys and other personal items before getting a needed tee.

More sophisticated construction and clever design are needed in the marketplace to provide golfers with a hands free, easy to use and higher capacity tee holder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A golf tee holder and marker includes a thin box having a top, a bottom and lateral open sides and a thickness based on a diameter of a golf tee. Laterally overlapping filaments (LOF) line the plurality of open sides and provide a friction retention of multiple golf tees inserted through the LOF into the thin box. Furthermore, a clip disposed on the thin box attaches it to a ball cap bill. A golf ball marker comprises a component of the thin box in some embodiments. A spring element within the thin box returns a golf tee pressed into it back out through the lateral overlapping filaments to a user of the thin box. The lateral overlapping filaments comprise one of bristles, fibers, cord, string, fuzz and tuft.

A method of holding golf tees is disclosed. The method includes defining a plurality of open sides in a thin box having a top, a bottom and lateral sides and a thickness based on a diameter of a golf tee. The method also includes retaining multiple golf tees in the thin box via friction between a plurality of laterally overlapping filaments lining the open sides and the golf tees. The method additionally includes returning a golf tee inserted more than a predefined portion into the thin box back out through the laterally overlapping filaments via a spring element within the thin box. Embodiments of the method include clipping the thin box onto a bill of a sports cap via a clip attached to the thin box and marking a golf ball via a marker component of the thin box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top right perspective view of the golf tee and marker box with centrally converging side filaments in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a top left perspective view of the golf tee and marker box with centrally converging side filaments in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a top right perspective view of the golf tee and marker box with overlapping filaments in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a top left end perspective view of a golf tee insertion through the filaments and against the inner spring of the thin box in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a top cut away elevational view of the golf tee and marker box in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a top cut away elevational view of the golf tee and marker box and an inserted golf tee in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a left top view of the golf tee and marker box and concave clip in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of overlapping filaments in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart diagram of a method for holding golf tees in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Throughout the description, similar reference numbers may be used to identify similar elements depicted in multiple embodiments. Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, the invention is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts so described and illustrated. The scope of the invention is to be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. Alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein and additional applications of the principles of the inventions as illustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention.

Throughout the present disclosure the term ‘laterally overlapping’ is used to refer to geometries bristles, filaments, cords, etc which are side to side adjacent and touching at more than one tangential point.

The present disclosure clips directly on the front of a golfer's hat and/or any hard billed ball cap. This makes it easy to remember and keep throughout the duration of a golf game. The bristles of the disclosed tee holder allow multiple tees to easily be inserted and removed several times during any game of golf. The tee holder box is light weight and relatively small so as to not obscure a golfer's vision.

FIG. 1 is a top right perspective view of the golf tee and marker box with centrally converging side filaments in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. The depiction includes the top A of the thin box, the golf ball marker component B, the laterally overlapping bristle filaments C, the centrally converging filaments L on each end of the thin box, the sports hat bill clip D and the bottom H of the thin box.

FIG. 2 is a top left perspective view of the golf tee and marker box with centrally converging side filaments in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Similar reference letters and reference lines are used for similar and same limitations as those of FIG. 1 with the addition of the left side F of the thin box. The laterally overlapping bristles C are not visible due to the perspective angle and details of the clip D are seen in broken lines.

FIG. 3 is a top right perspective view of the golf tee and marker box with overlapping filaments in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Similar reference letters and reference lines are used for similar and same limitations as those of FIG. 1. All lateral sides, including the smaller ends and the longer sides are lined with the laterally overlapping bristles filaments. The golf ball marker component B includes an ink or a sharp point for marking and identifying indicia on the golf ball.

FIG. 4 is a top left end perspective view of a golf tee insertion through the filaments and against the inner spring of the thin box in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this depiction, which includes similar reference letters and reference lines used for similar and same limitations found in other figures herein, the spring E is shown partially depressed by the insertion of a golf tee T. Similarly, the laterally overlapping bristle filaments C are also shown pushed aside by the golf tee T which hold it in friction until either the spring pushes it back through the bristle filaments C or until a user pulls it out of the thin box.

FIG. 5 is a top cut away elevational view of the golf tee and marker box in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this depiction, which includes similar reference letters and reference lines used for similar and same limitations found in other figures herein, the midpoint J is shown as a reference in a broken line to indicate a depth of insertion of a golf tee (not shown) into the thin box. The spring E is shown undepressed. The posts G hold the spring in place. A track or a ridge, etc are used to hold the spring in place in other embodiments of the present disclosure. Only the bottom bristle filaments are shown since the top bristle filaments are attached at one end to the missing top A.

FIG. 6 is a top cut away elevational view of the golf tee and marker box and an inserted golf tee in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this depiction, which includes similar reference letters and reference lines used for similar and same limitations found in other figures herein, the spring E is shown partially depressed by a golf tee T. The posts G hold the spring in place. A track or a ridge, etc are used to hold the spring in place in other embodiments of the present disclosure. The arrows indicate an insertion and a return or removal action from the thin box through the laterally overlapping bristle filaments C.

FIG. 7 is a left top view of the golf tee and marker box and concave clip in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Similar reference letters and reference lines are used for similar and same limitations as those of other figures herein with the addition of the concave/convex ball hat bill clip K shown. The concave/convex design allow a tighter attachment to the all bill without indention or depression of the ball bill for low durometer bills.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of overlapping filaments in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The bristle filaments CT are attached from the top side A of the thin box and the bristle filaments CB are attached from a bottom side H of the thin box and are shown overlapping, or touching and adjacent at more than one tangential point. This design increases a holding power of the thin box on the golf tees.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart diagram of a method for holding golf tees in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method includes defining 110 a plurality of open sides in a thin box having a top, a bottom and lateral sides and a thickness based on a diameter of a golf tee. The method also includes 120 retaining multiple golf tees in the thin box via friction between a plurality of laterally overlapping filaments lining the open sides and the golf tees. The method additionally includes returning 130 a golf tee inserted more than a predefined portion into the thin box back out through the laterally overlapping filaments via a spring element within the thin box. Embodiments of the method include clipping 140 the thin box onto a bill of a sports cap via a clip attached to the thin box and marking 150 a golf ball via a marker component of the thin box.

Although the operations of the method(s) herein are shown and described in a particular order, the order of the operations of each method may be altered so that certain operations may be performed in an inverse order or so that certain operations may be performed, at least in part, concurrently with other operations. In another embodiment, instructions or sub-operations of distinct operations may be implemented in an intermittent and/or alternating manner.

While the forgoing examples are illustrative of the principles of the present disclosure in one or more particular applications, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications in form, usage and details of implementation can be made without the exercise of inventive faculty, and without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the disclosure be limited, except as by the specification and claims set forth herein.

Claims

1. A golf tee holder, comprising:

a thin box having a top, a bottom and lateral sides and a thickness based on a diameter of a golf tee, the box configured to define a plurality of open sides; and

a plurality of laterally overlapping filaments configured to line the plurality of open sides and provide a friction retention of a plurality of golf tees.

2. The golf tee holder of claim 1, further comprising a clip disposed on the thin box, the clip configured to attach the thin box to a ball cap bill.

3. The golf tee holder of claim 1, further comprising a golf ball marker component.

4. The golf tee holder of claim 1, wherein the plurality of laterally overlapping filaments have a length equal to or greater than the thickness of the box and are attached to one or both of a top and a bottom of the thin box.

5. The golf tee holder of claim 1, wherein the plurality of laterally overlapping filaments converge centrally from two end sides of the lateral sides in a rectangle shaped thin box.

6. The golf tee holder of claim 1, wherein a length of the laterally overlapping filaments is less than or equal to a thickness of the thin box.

7. The golf tee holder of claim 1, wherein the plurality of open sides is equal to or less than three lateral sides.

8. The golf tee holder of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the thin box is a nominal 5/16th to 7/16th inches.

9. The golf tee holder of claim 1, wherein a length of the thin box is a nominal 1.5 inches to 2.0 inches.

10. The golf tee holder of claim 1, wherein the clip comprises a concave component and a complementary convex component configured to a curvature of a ball cap bill.

11. The golf tee holder of claim 1, wherein the lateral overlapping filaments comprise one of bristles, fibers, cord, string, fuzz and tuft.

12. The golf tee holder of claim 1, further comprising a spring element within the thin box configured to return a golf tee pressed into it back out through the lateral overlapping filaments.

13. A golf tee holder, comprising:

a thin box having a top, a bottom and lateral sides and a thickness based on a diameter of a golf tee, the box configured to define a plurality of open sides;

a plurality of laterally overlapping filaments configured to line the plurality of open sides for a friction retention of a plurality of golf tees; and

a spring element within the thin box configured to return a golf tee pressed into it back out through the lateral overlapping filaments.

14. The golf tee holder of claim 13, further comprising a top row and a bottom row of laterally overlapping filaments (LOF) wherein sides of the top row of LOF overlap sides of the bottom row of LOF.

15. A method of holding golf tees, the method comprising:

defining a plurality of open sides in a thin box having a top, a bottom and lateral sides and a thickness based on a diameter of a golf tee;

retaining a plurality of golf tees in the thin box via friction between a plurality of laterally overlapping filaments lining the open sides and the golf tees; and

returning a golf tee inserted more than a predefined portion into the thin box back out through the laterally overlapping filaments via a spring element within the thin box.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the predefined portion of insertion is equal to or less than one half the length of a golf tee.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the predefined portion of insertion is equal to or less than three-fourths the length of a golf tee.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising clipping the thin box onto a bill of a sports cap via a clip attached to the thin box.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising marking a golf ball via a marker component of the thin box.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising piggy-backing one thin box onto another thin box via a clip attached to each thin box.