DETACHABLE AND HINGED PUTTING GATE

Abstract

A putting gate is disclosed that allows golfers to easily adjust the width of the gate to match their desired putting distance, while also providing the ability to add detachable extensions to the gate to create infinite possibilities in terms of gate sizes. The gate is designed to hinge on magnets or hooks, providing a unique and convenient way to adjust the width of the gate without the need for multiple gates. The use of magnets or hooks also allows for detachable extensions to be added to the gate, allowing golfers to use putting gates at much longer distances than they could before, with benefits for aim, alignment, start direction, and green reading.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a putting gate that allows golfers to easily adjust the width of the gate to match their desired putting distance and level of difficulty, while also providing the ability to add detachable extensions to the gate to create infinite possibilities in terms of gate sizes, for different putting lengths.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Gates are structures used in golf to create obstacles for players on the putting green. They can be made from a variety of materials, including plastic or metal.

The purpose of gates in golf is to make the game more challenging and to force players to think critically about their shots. For example, gate-style obstacles may be placed on the putting green in such a way that players are forced to navigate their golf ball through the gate in order to get it into the hole. This requires precision and accuracy, with an optimal start direction, as the ball must pass through the gate without hitting it or going off line.

Golfers often use putting gates to help improve their aim, alignment, start direction, and green reading. However, traditional putting gates can be difficult to adjust to different widths, requiring multiple gates to be used for different putting distances. Additionally, traditional putting gates cannot be extended to much longer distances without significant modification or additional equipment.

Golf is a popular sport but it can be technically demanding to become proficient. Learning correct techniques and consistency in using those techniques can lead to significant improvements in a golfer's performance and, accordingly, reductions in scores. To develop this consistency in using correct techniques it is beneficial for a golfer to repeatedly perform the desired technique over and over. This is why practice is such an important aspect of improving one's golf game.

Putting is only one aspect of the golf game, yet it accounts for nearly half of all golf strokes during a round of golf. The ability to accurately and consistently start the golf ball on the right direction is a difficult skill to develop and maintain. It would be desirable to have a golf putting training apparatus in which a putting stroke can be practiced repeatedly with immediate feedback as to the accuracy of the starting line and the putting stroke to enable the golfer to learn and improve on their putting stroke and develop consistency in repeating that desired putting stroke.

Recreational sports and hobbies are popular all around the world. It is when a person is in the pursuit of some degree of proficiency in these types of activities that a diversion from the routine patterns of performance can be experienced. Many golfers hire teaching professionals to assist them in developing their golfing skills. Hours of time may be spent in improving the putting stroke. Various aids have been developed for the purpose of helping golfers to develop their putting skills. These include the aids described in the following patents and patent applications: U.S. Pat. No. 3,384,376 issued to Greenlee on 21 May 1968; U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,569 issued to Swanson on 29 Oct. 1974; U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,268 issued to Lorang on 11 Sep. 1979; U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,883 issued to Smart et al. on 29 Sep. 1981; U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,045 issued to Bilyeu on 3 Mar. 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,158 issued to Chiesa on 6 Dec. 1988; U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,867 issued to Rigsby on 4 Sep. 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,229 issued to Archer on 4 Aug. 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,961 issued to Eulau on 4 Oct. 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,058 issued to Honig on 8 Nov. 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,268 issued to Shier on 15 Aug. 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,270 issued to Williams on 15 Aug. 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,695 issued to Wolk on 3 Sep. 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,377 issued to Glockner on 15 Apr. 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,930 issued to Siddall on 1 Aug. 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,999 issued to Yi on 20 Apr. 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,872,149 issued to Devon on 29 Mar. 2005; US Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0157674 (Bower) published on 12 Aug. 2004; and International Application Publication No. WO 2005/079933 (Chang et al.) published on 1 Sep. 2005.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a putting gate that solves the problems of traditional putting gates by providing a unique hinged and detachable design. The gate is designed to hinge on magnets or hooks, allowing the width of the gate to be adjusted easily and conveniently to match the desired putting distance. Additionally, the use of magnets or hooks allows for detachable extensions to be added to the gate, creating infinite possibilities in terms of gate sizes and allowing golfers to use putting gates at much longer distances than they could before. We have aimed to solve these problems through a unique process, of creating both a detachable and hinged effect putting gate, using magnets or hooks. In the description of the present invention, you will see how an individual no longer requires the use of multiple gates to obtain gate sizes of between 50 and 75 mm, as the person would simply hinge the gate, rotating on the magnets to create the desired width for use. Therefore, only one putting gate is required instead of the multiple putting gates. Also, by using magnets or a hook, a person can create additional/detachable extensions, this would ultimately allow a person to create infinite possibilities in terms of gate sizes, but more importantly allows golfers to use putting gates at much longer distances than they could before, with benefits in aim, alignment, start direction, and green reading, to name but a few.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The aforesaid as well as other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a classic putting gate connected by magnets in the middle intersection, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of this invention using magnets or a hook and eyelet approach, to allow the user to apply extension beams in the middle, in between the two standard gate pieces;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment using magnets or a hook and eyelet approach that would allow the user to apply extension beams in the middle, in the between the two standard gate pieces;

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the first embodiment of the invention with handle extending 90 degrees to the vertical;

FIG. 5 illustrates an enlarged partial side elevation view of the first embodiment of the invention in alignment with the ground;

FIG. 6 illustrates the side elevation in accordance with first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates the rear view in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates the top view in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1 to FIG. 8 hereof, a detachable and hinged putting gate embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention is described.

Reference is made to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, illustrating an embodiment 100 of putting gate comprising a main gate frame 102 that is hinged on one side, allowing the width of the gate to be adjusted to match the desired putting distance. The hinging mechanism is provided by magnets or hooks 104 embedded in the frame. The magnets or hooks 104 functions as the pivot point for the gate, allowing it to rotate around the hinge and adjust its width. The strength of the magnets or hooks determines the resistance to movement, which can be adjusted to provide the desired level of difficulty for the player. The gate frame is typically made from a lightweight yet sturdy material such as aluminum or plastic to allow for easy portability and storage.

The gate can be set up in a variety of different configurations, such as a straight line or a V shape, to provide a range of putting challenges for the player. The adjustable width of the gate allows players to practice their putting skills at different distances, improving their accuracy and precision over time. The compact size of the putting gate makes it ideal for use at home or in a small indoor area, and its portability makes it easy to transport to different locations for play.

Reference is made now to FIG. 5 to FIG. 8, illustrating an embodiment 200 of detachable extensions 206 for a putting gate that can be attached to the main gate frame 202 to create infinite possibilities in terms of gate sizes. The extensions use magnets or hooks 204 to connect securely to the main gate frame, providing a quick and easy way to adjust the length of the putting gate. The use of these extensions 206 allows golfers to use the putting gate at much longer distances than they could previously, providing benefits for aim, alignment, start direction, and green reading.

The extensions themselves are typically made from a lightweight yet durable material such as aluminum or plastic, making them easy to handle and store. They are designed to connect seamlessly to the main gate frame, ensuring a smooth and stable surface for the ball to pass through. The extensions can be added one at a time, or multiple extensions can be used together to create even longer putting distances.

The ability to adjust the length of the putting gate provides a greater range of challenges for the golfer. With the extensions, the golfer can practice their putting skills at longer distances, helping to improve their accuracy, precision, and overall putting ability. The detachable nature of the extensions also makes it easy to store the putting gate and its components, taking up minimal space when not in use.

Overall, detachable extensions for a putting gate provide a flexible and convenient way for golfers to practice their putting skills. By allowing for infinite possibilities in terms of gate sizes, the extensions provide a range of challenges for the golfer and help to improve their overall putting ability. The ease of use and storage of the extensions makes them a useful and valuable addition to any putting gate setup.

The putting gate of the present invention is easy to assemble and disassemble, and is lightweight and portable. It can be easily transported to the golf course, putting green, putting studio or used in a home or indoor setting.

While the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described and illustrated herein, it will be appreciated that they are merely illustrative. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications in form and detail may be made therein without departing from or offending the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Additionally, the invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein- and in particular embodiment specifically contemplated, is intended to be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A putting gate comprising a main gate frame hinged on one side, wherein the hinging mechanism is provided by magnets or hooks embedded in the frame, allowing the gate to rotate on its hinge and adjust its width between 50 mm to 75 mm to match the desired putting distance without the need for multiple gates.

2. The putting gate further comprising detachable extensions that can be attached to the main gate frame using magnets or hooks and added to the gate to create infinite possibilities in terms of gate sizes, enabling golfers to use putting gates at much longer distances, providing benefits for aim, alignment, start direction, and green reading.

3. A method of using a putting gate comprising the steps of:

hinging the gate on magnets or hooks embedded in the frame;

rotating the gate on the hinge to adjust the width of the gate between the widths of 50 mm to 75 mm;

adding detachable extensions to the main gate frame using magnets or hooks to provide multi-functionality between a standard gate and extending the width by using detachable or extendable pieces via the use of a magnet or hook/eyelet system.

4. The magnets or hooks according to claim 2, used for the hinging mechanism and extensions of the putting gate are securely and durably embedded in the frame and extensions, providing stability and longevity for repeated use.

5. The compact and portable design of the putting gate according to claim 1, makes it easy to transport and store, making it suitable for use both at home and on the go.

6. The combination of the hinged main gate frame and detachable extensions according to claim 2, allows for versatile and flexible use of the putting gate, providing a range of challenges for golfers of all skill levels and helping to improve their aim, alignment, start direction, and green reading abilities.

7. The detachable extensions of the putting gate can be added or removed as needed, providing versatility and flexibility in terms of gate size and difficulty level.

8. The hinging mechanism of the main gate frame is adjustable, allowing for a customizable putting distance to suit the needs of each individual golfer.