Golf Tee and Methods to Manufacture Golf Tees

• US 20090181806A1
• Filed: 01/15/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Wood, Paul D., Swartz, Gregory J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,780,551 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/397
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/0012 Devices for forming the tees
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/10 Golf tees
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/13 foldable or separable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/15 height-adjustable

Abstract

In one embodiment, a golf tee to support a golf ball comprises a first portion and a second portion coupled to the first portion. The second portion comprises a support section to support the golf ball. A perimeter of an end of the support section of the second portion defines a plane. The plane remains substantially perpendicular to an axis while the second portion moves relative to the first portion. Other embodiments of golf tees are disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A golf tee to support a golf ball, comprising:

a first portion; and

a second portion coupled to the first portion;

wherein;

the second portion comprises;

a support section to support the golf ball; and

a perimeter of an end of the support section defining a plane;

and

the plane remains substantially perpendicular to an axis while the second portion moves relative to the first portion.

2. The golf tee of claim 1, wherein:

the first portion further comprises;

abase section to support the golf tee; and

first section opposite the base section;

and

the second portion further comprises;

a second section, opposite the support section, coupled to the first section.

3. The golf tee of claim 1, wherein:

the golf tee moves between a compressed configuration and a relaxed configuration as the second portion moves relative to the first portion.

4. The golf tee of claim 1, wherein:

when the golf tee does not support the golf ball, the golf tee has a first height;

when the golf tee supports the golf ball, the golf tee has a second height; and

the first height is greater than the second height.

5. The golf tee of claim 1, wherein;

the second portion moves up to a maximum distance of approximately 0.15 cm to 0.35 cm relative to the first portion.

6. The golf tee of claim 1, wherein:

the first portion or the second portion comprises at least one of;

a metallic material;

a wooden material;

a nylon material; and

a polypropylene material.

7. The golf tee of claim 15 further comprising:

a compressible material located between the first portion and the second portion.

8. The golf tee of claim 7, wherein:

the compressible material comprises at least one of;

a spring;

a foam cushion;

a urethane cushion;

a sponge;

a soft plastic;

a magnetic mechanism;

a body of air; and

a gaseous cushion.

9. The golf tee of claim 7, wherein:

the compressible material maintains the golf tee at a first height when the golf tee is under no load;

the compressible material is compressed when the golf tee supports the golf ball such that the golf tee is at a second height; and

the first height is greater than the second height.

10. The golf tee of claim 7, wherein:

the compressible material prevents the golf tee from reaching a fully compressed configuration while the golf tee supports a weight of the golf ball.

11. The golf tee of claim 7, wherein:

the compressible material comprises a first degree of compressibility;

a second compressible material comprises a second degree of compressibility; and

the compressible material is interchangeable in the golf tee with the second compressible material.

12. The golf tee of claim 2, wherein:

the first section of the first portion further comprises;

a first tab; and

a bracket;

and

the second section of the second portion further comprises;

a first prong with a first wall;

a second prong with a second wall; and

a stub at the first prong;

wherein;

the first prong and the second prong extend substantially parallel to the axis;

the first wall of the first prong and the second wall of the second prong straddle the first tab and guide the second portion along the axis; and

the stub of the first prong couples to the bracket of the first portion to inhibit the support section from moving further away from the base section.

13. The golf tee of claim 2, wherein:

the first section of the first portion further comprises;

a shaft with an outer perimeter; and

a first stub at the outer perimeter of the shall;

and

the second section of the second portion further comprises;

a wall with an inner perimeter;

a slide slot located at the inner perimeter of the wall; and

a locking mechanism coupled to the slide slot;

wherein;

the inner perimeter of the wall of the second portion is complementary to the outer perimeter of the shaft of the first portion to guide movement of the second portion along the axis;

the first stub is engaged within the slide slot; and

the locking mechanism of the second portion latches the first stub of the first portion to inhibit the support section from moving further away from the base section.

14. The golf tee of claim 13, wherein:

the locking mechanism comprises at least one of;

a tab forming part of the inner perimeter of the wall; and

a retainer slot leading to the end of the slide slot.

15. The golf tee of claim 2, wherein:

the first section of the first portion further comprises;

a bore extending along the axis, with an inner perimeter; and

a stub at the inner perimeter of the first section;

and

the second section of the second portion further comprises;

a shaft extending along the axis, with an outer perimeter;

a slide slot at the outer perimeter of the shaft; and

a locking mechanism coupled to the slide slot;

wherein;

the inner perimeter of the bore of the first portion is complementary to the outer perimeter of the shaft of the second portion to guide the second portion along the axis;

the stub of the first portion is coupled to the slide slot of the second portion;

and

the locking mechanism of the second portion latches the stub of the first portion to inhibit the support section from moving further away from the base section.

16. The golf tee of claim 2, wherein:

the first section of the first portion further comprises;

a bore extending along the axis, with a bore inner perimeter; and

a lip narrowing the bore inner perimeter to a lip inner perimeter;

and

the second section of the second portion further comprises;

a shaft extending along the axis, with a shaft outer perimeter; and

a tip, with a tip outer perimeter, at an end of the shaft;

wherein;

the tip outer perimeter is greater than the shaft outer perimeter;

the bore inner perimeter of the first portion is complementary to the tip outer perimeter of the second portion; and

the lip inner perimeter of the first portion is complementary to the shaft outer perimeter of the second portion.

17. The golf tee of claim 2, wherein:

the first section of the first portion further comprises;

a rod extending along the axis, with a rod outer perimeter; and

a tip, with a tip outer perimeter, at an end of the rod;

and

the second section of the second portion further comprises;

a bore extending along the axis, with a bore inner perimeter; and

a lip narrowing the bore inner perimeter to a lip inner perimeter;

wherein;

the tip outer perimeter is greater than the rod outer perimeter;

the bore inner perimeter of the second portion is complementary to the tip outer perimeter of the first portion; and

the lip inner perimeter is complementary to the rod outer perimeter of the first portion.

18. The golf tee of claim 2, wherein:

the first section of the first portion further comprises;

a first section outer perimeter;

a rod extending along the axis, with a rod outer perimeter; and

a tip, with a tip outer perimeter, at an end of the rod;

and

the second section of the second portion further comprises;

a bore extending along the axis, with a bore inner perimeter; and

a lip narrowing the bore inner perimeter to a lip inner perimeter;

wherein;

the tip outer perimeter is greater than the rod outer perimeter;

the first section outer perimeter is greater than the rod outer perimeter;

the bore inner perimeter is complementary to the first section outer perimeter; and

the lip inner perimeter is complementary to the rod outer perimeter of the first portion.

19. The golf tee of claim 2, wherein:

the first section further comprises a first magnet;

the second section further comprises a second magnet; and

the first magnet and the second magnet are oriented to repel each other.

20. A method of manufacture for a golf tee, the method comprising:

providing a first portion;

providing a second portion complementary to the first portion; and

coupling together the first portion and the second portion;

wherein;

the second portion comprises a support section to support a golf ball;

a perimeter of an end of the support section defines a plane; and

the plane remains substantially perpendicular to an axis while the second portion moves relative to the first portion.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

providing the first portion comprises;

providing the first portion to comprise a base section and a first section opposite the base section;

and

providing the second portion comprises;

providing the second portion to comprise a second section opposite the support section and complementary to the first section.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

providing a compressible medium capable of being inserted between the first portion and the second portion.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

selecting the compressible medium to maintain the golf tee at a first height when the golf tee is under no load, and to maintain the golf tee at a second height when the golf tee supports the golf ball, where the first height is greater than the second height.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

selecting the compressible medium to prevent the golf tee from reaching a fully compressed configuration while supporting a weight of the golf ball on the second portion.

25. A method of operating a golf tee, the method comprising:

supporting a golf ball on a portion of the golf tee, wherein a perimeter of the portion defines a plane substantially perpendicular to an axis;

striking the golf ball with a golf club; and

moving the portion towards a golf-playing surface while maintaining the plane substantially perpendicular to the axis.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

moving the portion away from the golf-playing surface after the golf ball is no longer supported by the portion of the golf tee.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

automatically moving the portion away from the golf-playing surface after the golf ball is no longer supported by the portion of the golf tee.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein:

striking the golf ball with the golf club further comprises moving the portion towards the golf-playing surface as the golf ball is supported by the portion of the golf tee.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein:

striking the golf ball with the golf club further comprises automatically moving the portion towards the golf-playing surface as the golf ball is supported by the portion of the golf tee.

30. A golf tee to support a golf ball, composing:

a base portion, further comprising;

a base section to support the golf tee; and

a first coupling section, opposite the base section;

and

a support portion, further comprising;

a support section to support the golf ball, the support section comprising a center section; and

a second coupling section, opposite the support section, to couple the first coupling section;

wherein;

the support portion moves between a retracted position and an extended position along an axis collinear with a longest dimension of the golf tee; and

the center section remains along the axis while the support portion moves between the retracted position and the extended position.

31. The golf tee of claim 30, wherein:

when the golf ball pushes against the support portion, the support portion refracts along the axis relative to the base portion.

32. The golf tee of claim 30, wherein:

the golf tee complies with the United States Golf Association rules for golf tees.

33. The golf tee of claim 30, wherein:

the golf tee has a total length not longer than 10.16 centimeters;

the golf tee is devoid of an indication of a line of play; and

the golf tee is devoid of influencing a movement of the golf ball as the golf ball is struck by a golf club.

34. The golf tee of claim 30, wherein:

the first coupling section further comprises a first magnet;

the second coupling section further comprises a second magnet; and

the first magnet and the second magnet are oriented to repel each other.