Package and article carriers – Carrier for golf tee or marker
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-27
2003-06-17
Kavanaugh, Ted (Department: 3728)
Package and article carriers
Carrier for golf tee or marker
C036S132000, C036S127000, C473S406000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06578746
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to golfing equipment and is particularly directed to a golf ball marker holder of the type which mounts on top of a person's shoe. The invention is specifically disclosed as holding apparatus that mounts to a person's shoe by sliding the shoe lace through a slot in the holding apparatus, and into a receiving area that has a contoured area that retains the shoe lace therein; a receptacle is provided on a top surface of the holding apparatus to receive a ball marker.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are a number of patents that disclose holders or carriers to contain ball markers, and several of these devices are to be used with a golfer's shoe. In some cases, a clip is used to fasten the holder/carrier to the side of a shoe. On the other hand, some of these devices have holes through which shoelaces are to be inserted, thereby holding the holder/carrier in place onto the golfer's shoe. Three examples of this type of design are patents by Suzuki, Walbeck, Perry, and Maretka, which are discussed below in more detail.
In many of these holder/carriers that contain ball markers, the marker itself is to be made of some type of metallic material that can be magnetized by a permanent magnet, and thereby held in place against the permanent magnet that is located in the holder/carrier. In most of these situations, the ball marker is simply a flat disc that is circular in shape. However, ball markers are also disclosed in patents that have a stud protruding from the center of the disc at a perpendicular angle. In some of these patents, the stud is to be engaged in a “snap relationship” to a recess or orifice in the holder/carrier. Examples of this arrangement are the Maretka and Grinder patents, which are discussed below in greater detail.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,215 (by Suzuki) discloses a golf ball position marker assembly which is mainly circular in shape. The “assembly” includes a golf ball marker that is in the form of a circular disc having a projection that will stick into the ground on a green, and includes a holder that has a circular recess. This recess also includes a permanent magnet to hold the marker disc in place, which also comprises a magnetizable material. The holding assembly includes a “hole” through which a shoelace can be placed. This hole in the first embodiment is generally rectangular in shape, and a groove is placed in one of the walls of this rectangular-shaped structure so that the shoelace or shoe “thread” can be passed through the groove and into the hole. This groove is not to be very large, so that the holding assembly will not easily fall off the shoelace once it has been attached thereto. This Suzuki holder assembly uses a ball marker that comprises some type of magnetizable material, which may retain a small magnetic field that potentially could affect a golf ball having an iron core. This could be a disadvantage with respect to the trajectory of a golf ball being putted on the green.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,189 (by Walbeck) discloses a golf accessories holder that can be worn on clothing or shoes, and can hold golf tees, a ball marker, and a green repair tool in various pockets. In one embodiment, a detachable and re-attachable strap is used to hold the accessories holder to a belt, or more precisely to strap it around the belt. In a second embodiment, a pair of holes in the accessories holder are provided through which a shoestring of the golfer's shoe is inserted, thereby holding the accessories holder in place. A center pocket that is V-shaped is used to hold a ball marker. In the illustrated embodiment of
FIG. 1
, the ball marker is depicted as comprising a small plastic or metal disc having a central stem portion that is pushed into the ground on the green surface. The accessories holder is more or less permanently attached to the shoestrings of the golfer's shoe, since the shoestrings must be run through holes in the accessories holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,662,677 (by Perry) discloses a golf tee holder that is attached to the laces of a golfer's shoe. This tee holder has three pockets, each having the capacity to hold a single golf tee. It is designed to be placed along the side of the golfer's shoe, and is disclosed as having three small holes near its top portion that are spaced so as to correspond exactly with eyelets or grommets of the golfer's shoe. The golf tee holder disclosed in Perry is made of a flexible material so that it will lay along the side of the golfer's shoe. It is designed so as to not interfere with normal walking so that it need not be removed from the shoe when the golfer is changing shoes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,364 (by Maretka) discloses a golf accessory that is to be fastened to the outside of a golfer's shoe. The accessory is placed along the side of the shoe in which there are two holes near the top portion of the accessory that match up to the eyelets of the shoe. The golfer's shoelaces are to be inserted through these holes, thereby permanently affixing the golf accessory along the side of the shoe. This golf accessory can hold a pair of tees, and also a ball marker. The ball marker is essentially to be plugged into a recess near the bottom portion of the golf accessory. The ball marker is a circular disc, which has a male stud that protrudes at a perpendicular angle from the center of the circular disc. This male stud fits into a “snap retainer socket” that has a recess.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,237 (by Grinder) discloses a “golfer's aid” that holds golf tees, a divot repair tool, and a ball marker. This golfer's aid includes a spring clip that attaches the holder to a shoe, belt, waistband, or pocket, or potentially even the golfer's bag. This combination holder looks like a pouch-like piece of material having two elongated vertical pockets on its sides which hold two tees, a center vertical portion to hold a divot tool, and a “snap fastener” in the very middle of the holder that is designed to receive a male stud portion that is constructed as part of the ball marker. In this case, the ball marker comprises a circular disc having a center stud protruding at a perpendicular angle from the center of the disc. The spring clip portion of the combination holder allows this ball marker to clip over a pocket, a belt, or the side of a shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,950 (by Bazzle) discloses a golfer's shoe that contains a permanent magnet. This permanent magnet is illustrated as being located along the side of the shoe, below the eyelets that hold the shoestrings in place. A thin metal disc ball marker is placed on the permanent magnet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,436 (by Hoyt) discloses a golf accessory that holds tees and a ball marker, and also acts as a divot repair tool. This accessory device is to be clipped onto the side of the shoe of the golfer. The main portion of the accessory's clip that slides over the upper edge of a shoe is arranged essentially the same as any type of money clip or belt clip. The portion of the golf accessory that holds a ball marker is located above the portion of the clip that slides over the side of the shoe. This top portion or “handle” of the golf accessory has an orifice that receives a protruding pin or stud of a ball marker. There is no magnetic material involved in this ball marker holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,802 (by Ludwick) discloses a combination golf ball position marker and carrier, which is formed in the shape of a belt clip and includes a permanent magnet to hold two small magnetic discs. The general structure of the carrier is U-shaped, although one arm of the “U” extends further than the other. Within the U-shape is a channel or slot that is designed to receive a portion of the belt, or to be slid over the edge of a pocket. There are two little buttons formed within the interior wall structure of one side of this U-clip, which are designed to apply a small amount of pressure against the belt, thereby preventing the carrier from sliding off of the belt. The extende
Ceza, LLC
Gribbell Frederick H.
Kavanaugh Ted
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