Golf tee

Details Golf tee Golf tee

1997-05-16

2001-05-01

Wong, Steven (Department: 3711)

Games using tangible projectile

Golf

Tee

Reexamination Certificate

active

06224501

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a sporting apparatus. In particular, this invention relates to apparatus which is useful in connection with the game of golf.
BACKGROUND ART
During golf play, it is permissible to use a golf tee—usually a small wooden or plastic peg—to hold a golf ball in an elevated position before striking it with a golf club. The rules of golf normally provide for the use of a golf tee in this manner for the first stroke of each hole.
The appearance and manufacture of conventional golf tees is well known. The conventional tee has a (usually concave) head, on which a golf ball may be supported, and a shaft, usually ending in a point, to enable the tee to be driven into the ground.
During play, it is customary for each player to enter the number of strokes he makes on a score card, using a score pencil. Occasionally, if a player makes an error in entering his score, it may be desirable to use an eraser to enable the error to be corrected.
Before now, during a round of golf, most golfers found it necessary to carry an assortment of golf tees, score pencils and erasers. Many players have suffered inconvenience from time to time through failure to maintain an adequate inventory of these items, or through an inability to readily locate each item when required.
It is an object of this invention to overcome or at least alleviate these problems and to provide a golf tee which combines the function of score pencil and/or eraser.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, this invention provides a golf tee which includes a writing point and an eraser.
The golf tee may be made of any appropriate material. As indicated above, it is usual to construct a tee of wood or moulded plastic. These materials are relatively inexpensive. However, golf tees are sometimes made of other material, including common metals and even silver and gold. All such materials may be used in the manufacture of the golf tee of the present invention.
The writing point may comprise any suitable writing means, including pencil lead, ball point with associated ink reservoir, crayon, or the like. If desired, the writing point may be retractable. If appropriate, a major part of the tee may be made from a material which is capable of marking paper and the like.
The eraser is conveniently rubber, felt or another natural or synthetic material suitable for erasing writing.
Ideally the eraser material is effective to erase writing made by the writing point. Thus, where the writing point comprises a pencil lead, the eraser material should be capable of erasing pencil writing. Similarly, when the writing point comprises a ball point pen, the eraser material should be capable of erasing ink writing.
The eraser may be configured to function as a shock absorber. This function may be in addition to or in substitution for the ability of the eraser to erase writing. Where the eraser is configured to act as a shock absorber, the material of the eraser should be less hard than that of a golf ball.
In its most convenient configuration, the writing point is coaxial with the shaft and is contained within or forms part of the shaft of the tee. Preferably, the writing point forms the end of the shaft for permitting the tee to be driven into the ground. In this embodiment, the writing point should be selected from materials which will have the desired degree of hardness, so that the writing point resists damage when driven into the ground. (Of course, it will be appreciated that conventional tees are often damaged when attempts are made to drive them into very compacted earth or the like; similar damage may be encountered in the case of the tee of the present invention and must be regarded as difficult to avoid. When the writing point comprises a ball point pen, the metal reinforcing normally present will help to avoid this type of damage.)
The eraser is conveniently located at or near the head of the tee. The eraser may take any appropriate form. For example, the eraser may replace the head of the tee entirely. In this form, the eraser may be integrally moulded with the shaft of the tee, even to the extent of forming the shaft, or affixed to the shaft by suitable means.
In another form, the eraser may consist of an “O” ring or a split ring received in a channel or groove around the head of the tee.
Other forms will be apparent to one skilled in the art and are within the scope of this invention.
Optionally, a plurality of golf tees of the invention may be adapted to nest together, the point of the shaft of one tee being receivable in a hollow bore extending from the head into the shaft of the next tee.
If desired, the head of the tee of the invention may be adapted to receive a disc, which can display advertising or identifying matter, or a ball marker. This is an especially convenient configuration when the tee of the invention includes an eraser located at the head of the tee, because the eraser can be made of suitably resilient material to form a ledge for holding the disc or marker. The disc may be inserted during manufacture or by the player, for example.


REFERENCES:
patent: D. 85229 (1931-09-01), Cannon
patent: 727398 (1903-05-01), Mack
patent: 1224992 (1917-05-01), Ziemer
patent: 1278147 (1918-09-01), Hess
patent: 1522544 (1925-01-01), Pryde
patent: 1573911 (1926-02-01), Budrow
patent: 1588038 (1926-06-01), Miller
patent: 1588815 (1926-06-01), Sillcocks
patent: 1616683 (1927-02-01), Eddy
patent: 1625911 (1927-04-01), Richards
patent: 1655571 (1928-01-01), Cody
patent: 1670123 (1928-05-01), Ranseen
patent: 1679579 (1928-08-01), Lundy
patent: 1730046 (1929-10-01), Stow
patent: 1959347 (1934-05-01), Czichos
patent: 2029767 (1936-02-01), Eisenhauer
patent: 2391392 (1945-12-01), Coffin
patent: 2470817 (1949-05-01), Hendricks
patent: 2747768 (1956-05-01), Raines
patent: 3273890 (1966-09-01), Williams
patent: 3633919 (1972-01-01), Liccardello
patent: 4516773 (1985-05-01), Martin
patent: 4516780 (1985-05-01), Tabet
patent: 4893818 (1990-01-01), Liccardello
patent: 5149088 (1992-09-01), O'Hara
patent: 5720677 (1998-02-01), Rudduck
patent: 238599 (1924-05-01), None
patent: 267820 (1927-03-01), None
patent: 326915 (1930-03-01), None
patent: 427478 (1935-04-01), None
patent: 525115 (1940-08-01), None
patent: 2080121 (1982-02-01), None
patent: 2227416 (1990-08-01), None
patent: 4009866 (1994-05-01), None
patent: 4011066 (1994-05-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Golf tee does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Golf tee, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Golf tee will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2486158