Automatic golf ball placement device

• US 6,375,580 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2000
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gerd Petrik
• Original Assignee: Gerd Petrik
• Inventors: Schmidt, Karl, Marshall, Ralph
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Legesse, Nini F.
• Application Number:
  US09/650,710
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 473/132, 473/134, 473/136, 473/137
• US Class Current: 473/137
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/0006 Automatic teeing devices devices for automatically dispensing balls in general A63B47/002

Abstract

An automatic golf ball dispensing device includes a base, motor, drive link, slide arm, pivot arm, control circuit, dispenser cover, and handle. The base preferably includes two pivot feet on a first end and an adjustable foot on a second end thereof. One end of a drive arm is connected to the shaft of the motor. The other end of the drive arm is pivotally attached to a first end of the drive link. A second end of the drive link is pivotally attached to a second end of the slide arm. The slide arm is slidably attached to a top of the base. A ball stop is formed on a first end of the slide arm and a notch is formed under the ball stop. A first end of the pivot arm is sized to fit under the notch such that the pivot arm is level relative to the top of the base. A ball support extends from a first end of the pivot arm. A bottom of the dispenser cover is attached to a top of the base. A dispensing cavity is formed in the dispenser cover to retain a plurality of golf balls and align the golf balls to be dropped into the ball support. The handle is pivotally attached to a top of the dispenser cover. A control circuit offers three modes of automatic operation.

Claims

1. An automatic golf ball dispensing device comprising:

a base;

a motor mounted above said base;

a drive link having one end driven by said motor and a pin notch being formed on the other end thereof;

a pivot arm having a ball support extending from one end and a knock down pin extending outward from the other end thereof;

a sliding arm being slidably attached to said base, said sliding arm having a pivotal relationship with said pivot arm near one end thereof, the other end of said sliding arm being pivotally attached to the other end of said drive link, wherein said knock down pin mating with said pin notch to lift said other end of said pivot arm to allow said ball support to be withdrawn from under a golf ball; and

a dispensing cover having the capacity to retain a plurality of golf balls and to feed a single ball into said ball support.

2. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 1, comprising:

a handle being pivotally attached to a top of said dispensing cover.

3. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 1, comprising:

a control circuit controlling the rotation of said motor.

4. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 3, further comprising:

said control circuit having a microprocessor board, a keyboard and a high current switch, said microprocessor being used to program the interval of time between the placements of a golf ball, said microprocessor enabling said high current switch to obtain rotation from said motor.

5. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 3, further comprising:

said control circuit having a microprocessor board, a keyboard and a high current switch, said microprocessor receiving an electrical signal from a piezo sensor to implement a golf ball placement, said microprocessor enabling said high current switch to obtain rotation from said motor.

6. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 3, further comprising:

said control circuit having a microprocessor board, a keyboard and a high current switch, said microprocessor receiving an electrical signal from an acoustic sensor to implement a golf ball placement, said microprocessor enabling said high current switch to obtain rotation from said motor.

7. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a drive arm, one end of said drive arm being attached to an output shaft of said motor, the other end of said drive arm being pivotally attached to one end of said drive link.

8. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising:

said output shaft of said motor moving at a speed which is slower than said motor.

9. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a pair of pivot feet being formed on one end of said base and an adjustable foot being slidably attached to the other end thereof, one of said ends of said base being raised and lowered with a friction lever.

10. An automatic golf ball dispensing device comprising:

a base;

a motor mounted above said base;

a control circuit controlling the rotation of said motor;

a drive link having one end driven by said motor and a pin notch being formed on the other end thereof;

a pivot arm having a ball support extending from one end and a knock down pin extending outward from the other end thereof;

a sliding arm being slidably attached to said base, said sliding arm having a pivotal relationship with said pivot arm near one end thereof, the other end of said sliding arm being pivotally attached to the other end of said drive link, wherein rotation of said drive link causing said sliding arm to move to an extended position, said knock down pin mating with said pin notch to lift said other end of said pivot arm to allow said ball support to be withdrawn from under a golf ball; and

a dispensing cover having the capacity to retain a plurality of golf balls and to feed a single ball into said ball support.

11. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 10, comprising:

a handle being pivotally attached to a top of said dispensing cover.

12. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 10, further comprising:

said control circuit having a microprocessor board, a keyboard and a high current switch, said microprocessor being used to program the interval of time between the placements of a golf ball, said microprocessor enabling said high current switch to obtain rotation from said motor.

13. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 10, further comprising:

said control circuit having a microprocessor board, a keyboard and a high current switch, said microprocessor receiving an electrical signal from a piezo sensor to implement a golf ball placement, said microprocessor enabling said high current switch to obtain rotation from said motor.

14. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 10, further comprising:

said control circuit having a microprocessor board, a keyboard and a high current switch, said microprocessor receiving an electrical signal from an acoustic sensor to implement a golf ball placement, said microprocessor enabling said high current switch to obtain rotation from said motor.

15. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 10, further comprising:

a drive arm, one end of said drive arm being attached to an output shaft of said motor, the other end of said drive arm being pivotally attached to one end of said drive link.

16. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 10, further comprising:

said output shaft of said motor moving at a speed which is slower than said motor.

17. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 10, further comprising:

a pair of pivot feet being formed on one end of said base and an adjustable foot being slidably attached to the other end thereof, one of said ends of said base being raised and lowered with a friction lever.

18. An automatic golf ball dispensing device comprising;

a base;

a motor mounted above said base;

a control circuit controlling the rotation of said motor;

a drive arm having one end attached to an output shaft of said motor;

a drive link having one end driven by the other end of said drive arm and a pin notch being formed on the other end of said drive link;

a pivot arm having a ball support extending from one end and a knock down pin extending outward from the other end thereof;

a sliding arm being slidably attached to said base, said sliding arm having a pivotal relationship with said pivot arm near one end thereof, the other end of said sliding arm being pivotally attached to the other end of said drive link, wherein rotation of said drive link causing said sliding arm to move an extended position, said knock down pin mating with said pin notch to lift said other end of said pivot arm to allow said ball support to be withdrawn from under a golf ball; and

a dispensing cover having the capacity to retain a plurality of golf balls and to feed a single ball into said ball support.

19. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 18, comprising:

a handle being pivotally attached to a top of said dispensing cover.

20. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 18, further comprising:

said control circuit having a microprocessor board, a keyboard and a high current switch, said microprocessor being used to program the interval of time between the placements of a golf ball, said microprocessor enabling said high current switch to obtain rotation from said motor.

21. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 18, further comprising:

said control circuit having a microprocessor board, a keyboard and a high current switch, said microprocessor receiving an electrical signal from a piezo sensor to implement a golf ball placement, said microprocessor enabling said high current switch to obtain rotation from said motor.

22. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 18, further comprising:

said control circuit having a microprocessor board, a keyboard and a high current switch, said microprocessor receiving an electrical signal from an acoustic sensor to implement a golf ball placement, said microprocessor enabling said high current switch to obtain rotation from said motor.

23. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 18, further comprising:

said output shaft of said motor moving at a speed which is slower than said motor.

24. The automatic golf ball dispensing device of claim 18, further comprising:

a pair of pivot feet being formed on one end of said base and an adjustable foot being slidably attached to the other end thereof, one of said ends of said base being raised and lowered with a friction lever.