EP0250347A1 - Golf ball teeing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The ball ejector is an apparatus which permits golf balls to be teed by means of a simple and brief manoeuvre. It enables the balls to be struck at intervals of a few seconds, without substantial changes in posture. It consists of a store of balls, a ball ejector which operates with the aid of a lever actuated by the club (golf club), and a ball guide consisting of 2 different arms enabling the ball to be struck with all types of club. Because of its general structure, this apparatus requires no special work in order to be installed. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to an apparatus for placing the golf ball ready to strike in front of the player, actuated by means of the club (golf club), used for the training of golf players.

Ball positioning devices are already known, but which require installation work and the effectiveness of which remains limited, within the framework of quality training.

Indeed, these devices are used to put the ball on a TEE, or at ground level, but cannot be used to strike the ball directly on the lawn or on the exercise mat. In addition, their use is not suitable for all types of club.

Under these conditions, the most frequent and most usual way of placing the ball has, until now, been to take the ball by hand, or to move it using the head of the club, to position it at the chosen place.

This action requiring a change of posture, resulted in a loss of concentration and the forgetting of the previous sensation: useless action, obstacle to rapid progress!

Golf is a sport that requires players to be very focused. It is essential that the player's body register the correct sensation of the stroke to make real progress, without being distracted by the loss of concentration caused by the change in posture.

And since there are many opportunities to hit the ball directly on the ground on an actual course, it can be said that this type of training is very important for golfers.

The main purpose of the present invention is to achieve maximum concentration in the player, effective, since it eliminates a long and unnecessary manipulation to land the ball, each time we want to hit it.

On the other hand, this invention makes it possible to strike the balls with a shorter interval between each stroke (of a few seconds), without appreciably changing posture. It thus makes it possible to strike the ball while keeping the feeling of the blow struck previously. This invention also gives the player the possibility of having a good feeling of his strike, since the movement of the body to be engaged is weak.

For these various reasons, the player's concentration being little disturbed, it will be possible for him to make faster progress in training.

Another object of the invention lies in the adaptation to all types of club, thanks to the two different arms of the ball guide.

Another object of the invention is to avoid land development work on the practices.

• La figure 1 : Plan général
• La figure 2 : Vue de dessus de l'appareil
• La figure 3 : Vue de face de l'appareil
• La figure 4 : Profil gauche de l'appareil, structure interne apparente.
• La figure 5 : Vue de face de l'appareil, structure interne apparente.
• La figure 6 : Guide-balle vu de dessus.
• La figure 6a: Vue en coupe du bras A, selon la ligne A-A'de la figure 6.
• La figure 6b: Vue en coupe du bras B, selon la ligne B-B'de la figure 6.
• La figure 6c: Vue en coupe, selon la ligne C-C' de la figure 6.
• La figure 7 : Ejecteur de balles, vu de face.
• La figure 7a: Structure interne de la figure 7.
• La figure 8 : Vue en coupe de l'éjecteur de balle,selon la ligne D-D' de la figure 7a.
• Les figures 7b et 7c : Descriptifs du fonctionnement interne,vu de face
• La figure 9 : Détail du profil gauche de l'appareil.
• La figure 9a : Vue en coupe de l'appareil, selon la ligne H-H' de la figure 8.
• La figure 10 : Vue en coupe de l'éjecteur de balle, selon la ligne E-E' de la figure 9a.
• La figure 10a: Vue en coupe de l'éjecteur de balle, selon la ligne F-F' de la figure 10.
• La figure 10b: Vue en coupe de l'éjecteur de balle selon la ligne G-G' de la figure 10.
• Les figures 9b et 9c : Descriptifs du fonctionnement interne vu du profil gauche.
• Les figures 9d,9e,et 9f : Descriptifs du fonctionnement l'appareil positionné sur le bras A.
• Les figures 9g, 9h et 9 : Descriptifs du fonctionnement, l'appareil positionné sur le bras B.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below, without limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• Figure 1: General plan
• Figure 2: Top view of the device
• Figure 3: Front view of the device
• Figure 4: Left profile of the device, apparent internal structure.
• Figure 5: Front view of the device, apparent internal structure.
• Figure 6: Bullet guide seen from above.
• Figure 6a: Sectional view of arm A, along line A-A 'of Figure 6.
• Figure 6b: Sectional view of arm B, along line B-B 'of Figure 6.
• Figure 6c: Sectional view along line CC 'in Figure 6.
• Figure 7: Bale ejector, seen from the front.
• Figure 7a: Internal structure of Figure 7.
• Figure 8: Sectional view of the ball ejector, along line DD 'of Figure 7a.
• Figures 7b and 7c: Descriptions of internal operation, seen from the front
• Figure 9: Detail of the left profile of the device.
• Figure 9a: Sectional view of the device, along line HH 'of Figure 8.
• Figure 10: Sectional view of the ball ejector, along the line EE 'of Figure 9a.
• Figure 10a: Sectional view of the ball ejector, along line FF 'of Figure 10.
• Figure 10b: Sectional view of the bale ejector along line GG 'in Figure 10.
• Figures 9b and 9c: Descriptions of internal operation seen from the left profile.
• Figures 9d, 9e, and 9f: Description of operation of the device positioned on arm A.
• Figures 9g, 9h and 9: Description of operation, the device positioned on arm B.

• (A) Réservoir de balles
• (B) Mécanisme de l'éjecteur de balles

This device has three main parts:

• (A) Bale tank
• (B) Bale ejector mechanism

It is composed of: (1) cylinder, (2) piston, (3) spring, (4) lever for operating the ball ejector mechanism, (5) protective sheath for the club head.

(C) Ball guide.

The other parts: (6) bolt and (7) nut are used to fix the Ball guide to the apparatus, (8) height adjusters of the apparatus (9) control lever for fixing the Ball guide, (10 ) ball guide fixing rod, (11) support of the control lever, (12) fixed hooking of the spring.

The bale container (A) is located above the bale ejector (B) and the Bale guide (C) below the bale ejector (B). (see figures 4 and 5)

(A) Bale tank.

The bottom of the tank is gently sloping (see Figures 2,4 and 5), its lowest part is at the entrance to the bale ejector which is welded to the tank (see Figure 10).

Each time the mechanism ejects the bale, thanks to this slope, all the bales, one by one, until the last can enter the mechanism of the bale ejector (see Figures 7b and 9b).

(B) Bale ejector.

The ball ejection system is based on the principle of the cylinder and the piston (see Figures 7a and 8), this system is installed in the horizontal direction inclined about 6 ° to the right, the device seen from the front ( see Figures 5 and 7a).

The side of the cylinder which is located at the top is welded to the bale reservoir so as to let pass a single bale (see Figures 7b and 9b).

The cylinder is always open, because the piston is kept pulled by a spring (3) (see Figure 7a), so if there is a ball in the tank (A), it enters the cylinder (1) (see Figure 7b). The ball remains in the cylinder (1), because it is blocked on one side by the piston (2), and on the other side by the upward slope (see Figure 7b). The cylinder-piston system has the capacity of a single ball, which prevents other balls from entering the system (see Figures 7a, 7b, 8 and 9b)

To operate the piston (2), a handle (4) comes out of the device through a hole in the shape of an elongated rectangle, whose ends are rounded, located on the front of the device seen from face (see figures 1,3 and 7) .This rectangular hole has the same direction as the movement of the piston (2) (see figures 5 and 7).

The part of the lever which projects outside is surrounded by rubber (5) to protect the club, because, in general, this lever is operated with the head of the club, in order to eject the ball.

This lever (4) is used at the same time to maintain the piston (2) in a correct position, to prevent the spring from driving it.

When this lever (4) is pushed on the left side in the direction of the rectangular hole, the ball which is in the cylinder (1) is pushed by the piston (2) up the slope, and it is ejected from the cylinder (see Figures 7b, 7c, 8, 9b and 9c)

During this movement, the upper face of the piston (2) prevents the next ball from entering the cylinder (1) (see Figure 7c)

When the lever (4) is released, the piston (2) automatically returns to the starting position, thanks to the force of the spring, which allows the next ball to enter the cylinder (see Figure 7b).

These two parts (the bale reservoir and the bale ejector mechanism) are welded, so they make up a unique structure: this increases the mechanical resistance of the device (see Figures 8 and 10).

(C) BALL GUIDE

The bale that has come out of the cylinder (1) falls on the Bale Guide (C) which is located at the bottom of the bale ejector (B) (see Figures 7c and 9c).

The ball guide which constitutes the third part of the device is made of synthetic material, flexible and resistant, produced in a single molding operation.

The ball guide consists of two arms open at approximately 45 °, and a circular common part pierced with a hole in its center in which a bolt (6) and a nut (7) are placed to fix the Guide- bullet to the apparatus (see Figures 6, 6a, 6b, 6c, 8 and 9a).

This center constitutes an axis around which the Ball Guide can be pivoted with the hand in order to choose to use one of the two arms (see Figures 6, 7, 8, 9d and 9g).

• Quand on manipule la manette (9) commandant le système de fixation des bras sur le côté gauche de l'appareil (voir les figures 1, 4 et 5) une tige (10) entre dans le trou correspondant au bras choisi, et le bloque dans cette position. Ce système de fixation fonctionne comme un levier (voir les figures 4, 5, 8 et 9a).

Two equidistant holes from the fixing center, located on the circular common part, each in opposition to the arm that it controls, allow to fix the position of the Ball guide:

• When manipulating the lever (9) controlling the arm fixing system on the left side of the device (see Figures 1, 4 and 5) a rod (10) enters the hole corresponding to the chosen arm, and blocks it in this position. This fastening system works like a lever (see Figures 4, 5, 8 and 9a).

Each arm has on its upper part, a sloping groove ending in a springboard which allows the ball to circulate with stability and acquire enough momentum to climb on the springboard (see Figures 6a, 6b, 9d and 9g ). The end of arm A (see FIG. 6a) has a small base hollowed out with a cavity where the ball is housed at the end of the race. This base placed a few millimeters (about a fifth of the diameter of the ball) higher than the end of the groove allows it to be used as a TEE (see Figures 1 and 9f). The difference in height between the end of the groove and the base is described by a curved line which matches - at most - the shape of the ball (see Figure 9e). The initial shape of each arm is not entirely flat: the end of the arm, that is to say the base, lifts a few millimeters from the ground - depending on the elasticity of the material used - in order to absorb the shock of the ball which rises on the base (see Figures 6a, 9d and 9f).

The end of arm B does not have a base, as it brings the ball directly to the ground (on the lawn or the exercise mat). It is about ten centimeters shorter than the A arm. With the exception of these two characteristics, the B arm has the same shape as the A arm (see Figures 6b, 9g, 9h and 9i).

To exactly adjust the inclination the ball needs to cross the springboard, you must adjust the height of the device with three adjustable feet (8), located at the base of the device (see Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5).

When a ball leaves the ejector mechanism, it falls on the arm - A or B according to the choice of the player - (see Figures 7c and 9c) and rolls on the arm increasing its speed according to the own inclination of the arm, increased faster tilt caused by changing the height of the device (see Figures 9d and 9g).

Arm A: the inclination of the springboard placed just before the base absorbs the kinetic energy of the ball and leaves it only that necessary to climb onto the base and stop there (see Figures 9e and 9f).

Arm B: as there is no base, the ball jumps along the springboard and falls, describing a parabolic trajectory and stops after having rolled a few centimeters, well apart from the end of the arm so that the player can strike it without being bothered by the end of the arm (see Figures 9h and 9i).

The Ball Guide is a changeable part, depending on its wear.

Claims (10)

1. Apparatus for positioning golf balls by a simple and short maneuver, comprising: - a bale tank - a bale ejector - at least one ball guide characterized in that it has 2 arms: each arm has a sloping groove ending in a springboard which allows the ball to circulate with stability and to acquire enough momentum to climb on the springboard (see figs. 6a, 6b, 9d, and 9g) and in that the arm A has a base, the difference in height with the end of the groove being described by a curved line which follows -at most- the shape of the ball (see fig. 9e) and in that the base lifts a few millimeters from the ground, depending on the elasticity of the material used, this in order to absorb the impact of the ball when it rises on the base, the inclination of the springboard, placed just before absorbing the kinetic energy of the ball and leaving it only that necessary to climb on the base and stop there and in that the ball guide is made of flexible and resistant material at the same time. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the base is hollowed out of a cavity where the ball is housed at the end of the race, this base being placed higher than the end of the groove, which allows the 'use as a "TEE". 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by a bale ejector based on a "cylinder-piston" principle, the assembly being gently sloping (towards the piston) so that, when a ball enters the cylinder it remains pressed against the piston and prevents the entry of a second ball. 4. Apparatus according to claims 1 and 3 characterized by a bale ejector with an opening between the reservoir and the bale ejector allowing the passage of a single ball, the piston being held in the position withdrawn by the spring, this opening remains opened. 5. Apparatus according to claims 1,3 and 4, characterized in that a control handle, appearing on the front of the device is attached to the piston to actuate it, this handle being pushed, the ball is ejected from the cylinder up the gentle slope. 6. Apparatus according to claims 1,3,4 and 5 characterized in that the bottom of the tank is gently sloping (see fig.2,4,5) the lowest part located at the entrance of the 'bale ejector which is welded to the tank so that every time the mechanism ejects a bale, thanks to this slope, all the bales one by one until the last can enter the mechanism of the bale ejector. 7. Apparatus according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the ball guide has a second arm (arm B) whose end does not have a base, since it brings the ball directly onto the ground. It is about 10 centimeters shorter than arm A Except for these 2 characteristics, arm B has the same shape as arm A. 8. Apparatus according to claims 1,2, and 7 characterized in that the ball guide is composed of 2 arms open at about 45 ° and a common circular part pierced with a hole in its center which allows to fix the ball guide to the apparatus, this center constituting an axis around which the ball guide is pivoted in order to choose to use one of the 2 arms, the circular common part having 2 holes equidistant from the fixing center, each in opposition to the hole he controls, allowing him to fix the position of the ball guide. 9. Apparatus according to claims 1,2,7 and 8 characterized in that the ball guide is produced in a single molding operation. 10. Apparatus according to claims 1,3,5 and 6 characterized in that its height is adjustable according to the inclination required by the ball, either to mount on the base of the arm A or to cross the springboard of the arm B and roll on the ground.

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