Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Target or obstacle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-01
2001-04-03
Young, Lee (Department: 3729)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Target or obstacle
C273S407000, C473S476000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06210288
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a golf practice net assembly and, more particularly, to a net assembly capable of allowing a user to easily and conveniently practice tee-shots in a limited area, with a net of the assembly being appropriately tensioned so as to effectively stop flying golf balls.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As well known to those skilled in the art, golf is played on a golf course which has an area exceedingly larger than that of other ball games. While playing golf, a golfer drives and putts a ball on a golf course. In the past, golf was regarded as a luxurious sport in many countries due to expensive golf equipment and high admission fees of the golf courses, thus being limitedly played by affluent people. However, in recent years, golf has been popularized in many countries. It is necessary for golfers to practice tee-shots. In order to practice tee-shots, golfers may practice at a golf practice range.
Such golf practice ranges are built on large areas of land allowing users to drive golf balls a long distance. Due to the large areas, the building and managing cost of the golf practice ranges is increased and this results in high admission fees of to the golf practice ranges. The golf practice ranges thus force users to pay much money in addition to consumption of time to visit, thus being inconvenient to the users. In an effort to overcome the problems experienced in the golf practice ranges, a golf practice net assembly has been proposed and used.
FIG. 1
is a view, showing a typical golf practice net assembly capable of allowing a user to practice tee-shots in a limited area. As shown in the drawing, the typical net assembly
1
comprises a net
4
held by a support pipe frame. The above pipe frame is formed by a plurality of flexible support pipes
2
. In order to pitch the net assembly
1
, the support pipes
2
are primarily coupled to each other into a pipe frame prior to being set on a support surface. In such a case, the pipe frame is bent into an arc-shaped configuration with both ends of the frame being held on the support surface. After securing the pipe frame to the support surface, the net
4
is held on the frame using a plurality of tieing bands
6
, thus being pitched on the support surface.
However, the above net assembly
1
is problematic in that the pipe frame is only set on a support surface by both ends thereof without having any separate support means, thus failing to firmly support the net assembly
1
. The net assembly
1
may thus easily fall over backward when it stops a flying ball. The net assembly
1
forms a two-dimensional stopping surface with a limited area, thus sometimes failing to stop a golf ball when the driving direction of the ball diverges from the stopping area of the assembly
1
. In such a case, the ball may strike a person around the net assembly
1
, thus causing safety hazards. Another problem of the above net assembly
1
resides in that the net
4
is not desirably tensioned, but is somewhat loosened, thus failing to appropriately stop flying balls.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a golf practice net assembly, which allows a user to easily and conveniently practice tee-shots in a limited and/or indoor area, which is easily carried, kept or installed, and of which the net is appropriately tensioned, thus effectively stopping flying balls without failure.
In an effort to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a golf practice net assembly comprising: a U-shaped base pipe unit laid on a support surface; a main support pipe mounted to an end of each side arm of the base pipe unit, the support pipe extending upwardly and being inclined outwardly relative to the side arm at an angle of 45°±10°; and first and second tension pipes coupled to each other using a joint, thus forming a tension pipe unit with a holding pin being provided at an outside end of the tension pipe unit for holding a net, the tension pipe unit being mounted to the support pipe at a lower end thereof.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1459723 (1923-06-01), Eskell
patent: 4274632 (1981-06-01), Jacobs
patent: 5816956 (1998-10-01), Ellis et al.
Chang Rick Kiltae
Harrison & Egbert
Young Lee
LandOfFree
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