GB2385794A

GB2385794A - A golf tee

Info

Publication number: GB2385794A
Application number: GB0130101A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Michael John St
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-12-15
Filing date: 2001-12-15
Publication date: 2003-09-03
Anticipated expiration: 2021-12-15
Also published as: GB0130101D0; GB2385794B

Abstract

A golf tee 10 comprising a ground inserting spike 11 with a surrounding rotatable collar 14, the said collar incorporating a flexible support means 15 upstanding from the said collar 14 and adapted to support a golf ball (not shown) spaced from the collar 14, the ball support means 15 being deformable such that, when a golf ball supported thereon in use is struck by an instrument, can take place without substantial direct or tangible force being transmitted to the rotatable collar 14 or spike 11.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to golf tees. It is well known that a golf ball can be hit more effectively in play if it is raised slightly from the ground and for this purpose golf tees have long been used by players of the game of golf. Most golf tees in current production are made from wood or moulded from plastic material and comprise a tapered stem which can be inserted in the ground and a head which has an upwardly concave surface for supporting the golf ball.

In use, such golf tees are often lifted from the ground together with the golf ball when it is struck by a golf club but, because they are very light, usually fly no more than a few yards then fall to earth. They can then be retrieved on most occasions but, even if they cannot be found or are broken, are inexpensive, so that their loss seems no great matter, a golfer will tend to carry several spare golf tees to replace ones lost or broken in play.

Although as indicated above, the current golf tees are inexpensive, golfers do, nevertheless, waste a certain amount of time searching for them so that it presents a degree of irritation and expense to the golfer, in addition a golf tee concave surface for supporting a golf ball, will in most instances, when a ball is struck by a golf club, have a tendency for a ball to slide or move in a way that IS untrue to the flight of a golf ball, aided by the mismatched surface shape and the manufactured material of the golf tee and golf ball.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide golf tees which are less prone to be lifted from the ground, or broken or lost in play, and a further object is to minimise any golf ball tangential flight, when impact by a golf club against a golf ball on a tee is effected during a golf stroke.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides golf tees comprising a ground inserting spike, with a surrounding collar able to rotate, the said collar incorporating a flexible support means upstanding from the collar and adapted to support a golf ball spaced from the collar, the ball support means being deformable so that, when a golf ball supported thereon in use is struck by a golf club instrument, deformation of the ball support means, if struck by the said instrument, can take place without substantial force being transmitted to the rotatable collar, or spike. In the use of such tees, the kinetic energy at impact on a golf ball with a golf club is substantially transmitted and absorbed by the deformation and flexure of the support means. A minor part however, will still be transmitted to the said rotatable collar and golf tee spike will have less tendency of the tee to be lifted from the ground than for pnor-art tees and furthermore minimising any tangential tendency to the flight of the golf ball.

The preferred golf tees would include a tapered spike for insertion into the ground, naturally, this provision facilitates the positioning of the golf tee into the teeing or practice areas.

The collar surrounding the said spike is freely rotatable around the spike thereby enabling movement without resistance

The spike will be downwardly tapered, for ease of insertion of the said spike into the ground, however it is envisaged that a variety of shapes will be designed to facilitate the effect.

The rotatable collar has an upwardly tapered shoulder surface so as to assist deflection of any direct impact of a golf club with it.

As regards the flexible support means, this must have sufficient inherent rigidity to support the weight of a golf ball and hold it at the desired spacing from the rotatable collar while being sufficiently deformable to deflect the forces on it when a golf ball is struck by a golf club the impact forces transmit to the rotatable collar or spike, to resist the tee from lifting from the ground.

The support means could preferably comprise a crown of finger like elements of, for example, in synthetic plastic material but, in other embodiments of the invention, comprise a plurality of fibre elements upstanding from the rotatable collar. Such elements may have uniform or tapered longitudinal sections and may be formed integrally with the collar and may be provided as an insert which is releasably engageable with the spike so that it can, for example, be replaced when worn Fibre or synthetic plastic finger elements may be set in the rotatable collar in a single group or in several groups arranged in a circle or in several concentric circles. Flexible elements may comprise thin upstanding walls arranged in parallel lines, concentric circles or convoluted or corrugated arrangements.

The free edges or tips of the flexible elements may be substantially coplanar and may possibly be bent over to provide the supporting surfaces for the golf ball. Preferably, the edges of tips he on a curved surface which is concave towards the golf ball to be supported The flexible elements may be substantially parallel and vertical in the position of use of the tee or may splay outwardly from a central element. The tee and, more particularly, the flexible support means is conveniently, but not essentially, circular in plan.

The overall heights of the golf tees of the embodiment of the invention is of the same order of magnitude as that of conventional golf tees. Heights of the flexible support means from the rotatable collar in the order of 7mm to 21 mm, would for example, be general.

It is appreciated that the tees of the invention will be more expensive to produce than current golf tees. It is therefore the intention to manufacture the golf tees in preferably break resistant materials and in bright colours so as to reduce their loss and which will greatly assist the tees being found by the golfer.

The flexible support means could be vulnerable to damage if the golf tees were pressed tightly into a bag or pocket with other articles, when not in use. The present invention further provides a container for the golf tees. Such a container may comprise a hollow tube or tubes in which the golf tees are in a close, but not a tight, fit, the said tubes having end enclosures one of which is preferably removable and the other sealed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Several embodiments of the invention will now be more particularly described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an axial-sectional view of a golf tee according to the first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a golf tee according to the first embodiment of figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side-elevational view of the golf tee according to the first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 is an axial-section view of a golf tee according to the second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the golf tee according to the second embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, a golf tee 10 is shown generally in section and includes a moulded plastic co-axial spike 11 which is tapered downwardly to aid entry into the ground 18 and when so engaged, will resist turning therein.

The said c-axial spike 11 is provided at its upper end with a circular groove 12 and a circular spike head 13 each moulded appropriately and integrally with the said spike 11. The circular groove 12 provides a smooth annulus about which and within which the collar 14 may freely rotate. Additionally, the said circular groove 12 ensures the said collar 14 remains captive therein while free to rotate under any influence resulting from the impact of a golf club against a golf ball supported on the plurality of fibres 15. The collar 14 comprises a moulded plastic or other appropriate material matrix to which is fixedly bonded the upstanding plurality of fibres 15 which in the preferred embodiment are splayed slightly outwards giving a somewhat conical appearance to the completed plurality of fibres assembly.

The circular head 13 of the spike 11, while approximately dimensionally that of the inner surface of the upstanding plurality of fibres 15 at their lower distal end, does not intentionally abut against them since such abutment might retard circular movement of the said collar 14. Additionally, the weight of the golf ball resting on the plurality of fibres 15 will tend to move the said plurality of fibres 15 away from the said head of the spike 13.

As illustrated in Figure 2, it would be intended that the spike 11, when pressed into the ground 18 would avoid contact of the collar 14 therewith, to ensure its free movement about the said spike. As illustrated in Figure 3,

the collar 14 is circular In outline shape and smoothly rounded about its periphery 17.

The assembly of the plurality of fibres 15 will in practice support the weight of a golf ball and will deform slightly under its weight. When the ball (not shown) is struck by a golf club the plurality of fibres 15 will flex and the said collar 14 could rotate, depending on the angle of contact between the golf club and the golf ball. The plurality of fibres 15 therefore offer little or no resistance to the movement of the golf club, neither should they influence the direction of the flight of the golf ball resulting from such impact.

Similarly, the tendency to force the spike 11 from the ground, as occurs with conventional golf tees, is obviated. It will be appreciated that the plurality of fibres or finger-like elements may be constructed of natural fibre, of animal or vegetable origin or preferably of plastic material.

Referring once more to Figure 1 the said spike 11, the downwardly tapering shape profile enables relatively easy entry into the ground 18 and this would normally be accomplished by holding the said spike between the index finger and second finger and pressing onto the spike head 13 by the thumb.

The depth of entry into the ground 18 would depend on the player's assessment of the golf stroke to be played.

Reference is now made to Figure 4 which illustrates axial-sectionally a golf tee 27 comprising a tapered spike 28 preferably of rigid or semi-rigid plastic material, however other materials could be utilised, which is pointed at the lower distal end 29 to aid penetration into the ground 28a. The upper end of the tapering spike 28 provides a platform 30.

Integrally bonded with the tapered spike 28 is a smoothly rounded head 32 which extends above the platform 30 and forms with a rotatable collar 33 which extends above the said platform 30.

The said head 32 and the rotatable collar 33 maintain captive the golf ball support finger-like elements 31, the fit however between the said head 32 and the rotatable collar 33 and the finger-like elements 31 is not tight,

enabling the finger-like elements 31 to rotate. The upper distal end of each separate support finger-like elements 31 is slightly chamfered 34 on the inwards facing side which thereby provides a seating for the circumference of a golf ball (not shown).

It will be appreciated from Figure 4 that the smoothly rounded head 32 provides a means whereby the golf tee 27 may be pressed into the ground The thumb would be placed on the top surface of the said collar 32 with the index and second finger below the platform 30 base, while the spike 28 IS pressed into the ground 28a. In axial-section (Figure 4) each finger-like element 31 is shown to be somewhat tapering from the upper chamfered end 34 to the means of engagement within the rotatable collar 33. this thickening in sectional dimension provides stability for the said finger-like elements to support the weight of a golf ball without deforming and splaying outwards. While the preferred material for the finger-like elements 31 is semi-rigid plastic material any other appropriate material may be used.

Figure 5 show the golf tee 27 in plan view. From Figure 5 it can be seen that the support finger-like elements 31 are circular in outline shape and that each finger-like element 31 is placed equidistantly.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A golf tee comprising a ground inserting spike, with a surrounding collar able to rotate around the spike and the said collar incorporating a flexible support means upstanding from the collar and adapted to support a golf ball spaced from the collar, the ball support means being deformable so that, when a golf ball supported thereon in use is struck by a golf club instrument, deformation of the golf ball support means, if struck by the said instrument can take place without substantial force being transmitted to the rotatable collar or spike.
2. A golf tee as claimed in Claim 1, in which the spike will preferably be downwardly tapered for ease of insertion of the said spike into the ground however other suitable shapes and designs to facilitate the effect, could be used.
3. A golf tee as claimed in Claim 1, in which the rotatable collar upper surface is preferably upward and inwardly tapering, however other shapes and designs could be used.
4. A golf tee as claimed in Claim 1, in which the rotatable collar has incorporated a flexible, golf ball, support means, being a plurality of fibres, the said fibres being set in a single group, or in several groups arranged in preferably a circle or several concentric circles and adopted to support a golf ball spaced from the rotatable collar.

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5. A golf tee as claimed in Claim 1, in which the rotatable collar has incorporated a flexible golf ball support means, being a plurality of synthetic plastic finger elements, the said finger elements being arranged in preferably a circle or several concentric circles and adapted to support a golf ball spaced from the rotatable collar.
6. A golf tee as claimed in Claims 1,4 and 5, in which the flexible support means are substantially parallel and vertical in the position of use of the golf tee.
7. A golf tee as claimed in Claims 1,4 and 5, in which the flexible support means may splay upwardly from the rotatable collar.
8. A golf tee as claimed in Claims 1 and 5, in which the synthetic plastic finger elements may have uniform or tapered longitudinal sections and may be formed integrally, with the rotatable collar.
9. A golf tee as claimed in Claim 1, in which the rotatable collar may be provided with an insert which is releasably engagable with the spike so that it can be replaced when worn.
10. A golf tee as claimed in Claims 1 and 4, in which the edges or tips of the individual fibres lie on a curved surface which is concave towards the golf ball to be supported.

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11. A golf tee substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.