Moving practice green and ball pickup apparatus

• US 6,398,662 B1
• Filed: 07/09/1999
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alvin Emison Cox
• Original Assignee: Alvin Emison Cox
• Inventors: Cox, Alvin Emison
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Application Number:
  US09/346,128
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 473/166, 473/168-170, 473/173, 473/190-192, 473/195, 473/196, 473/197, 473/409, 473/150, 473/151, 134/115, 414/440, 563/28
• US Class Current: 473/192
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/004 Multiple detectors or sensors each defining a different zone
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2047/022 Autonomous machines which find their own way around the playing surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 47/021 for picking-up automatically, e.g. by apparatus moving over the playing surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/00 Targets or goals for ball games golf cups A63B57/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/007 Target zones without opening defined on a substantially horizontal surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3694 for driving only

Abstract

A simulated golf green for practicing variably positioned long distance approach shots on a golf driving practice range; in the form of a mobile golf practice green, ball pickup and return apparatus, having a golf ball impact mat and sensor with a display therefor, having a stray ball gathering and collecting pickup, and having a stationary golf ball return conveyor for reuse of said balls at a golfer'"'"'s tee. Mobility for positioning the green and for ball collection and for ball return being manual by remote control or by computer programming for routing and positioning the golf practice green, and maneuverability embodied either in a steerable ground supported wheeled vehicle, or in a movable and positionable floating vehicle supported on a water pond golf range trap.

Claims

1. A moving golf practice green, golf ball pickup and ball return apparatus for use in a golf practice park, the apparatus including;

a vehicle having a propulsion means, a steering means and a mat support structure, the vehicle being movable across a surface of the golf practice park,

a golf ball impact mat positioned over the mat structure, and held in place by the mat support structure so as to present an upwardly facing ball contact surface of the impact mat for visually simulating a golf green, the impact mat providing a golf ball impact sensing means,

a golf ball pickup means adapted for picking up golf balls on the surface of the golf practice park as the vehicle moves over the golf balls,

a golf ball storage means adapted for moving with the vehicle and positioned for receiving the golf balls from the golf ball pickup means,

an electrical circuit including energy storage means and lamp means, the electrical circuit being interconnected with the golf ball impact sensing means such that the impact of a golf ball landing on the impact mat enables the electrical cicuit for momentarily illuminating the lamp means,

a stationary golf ball return means open at a designated position on the golf practice park for the reception of golf balls from said ball storage means of the apparatus and for conveying them to a ball supply for reuse by practicing golfers,

whereby the apparatus may be moved to a position for practicing green approach golf shots, may be routed and moved continuously for picking up and collecting golf balls from the golf practice park surface, and may be stopped at said designated position on the golf practice park for dropping collected golf balls into said return means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the golf ball return means is comprised of a ball reception box at a level of the golf practice park for receiving balls from said ball storage means of the apparatus, and conveyor means from the ball reception box to said ball supply for reuse at a golfer'"'"'s tee.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the golf ball return means is comprised of a ball reception box at ground level for receiving balls from said storage means of the apparatus, and conveyor means including a ball elevator means for lifting the balls from the ball reception box to above ground level and to said ball supply for reuse at a golfer'"'"'s tee.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the golf ball return means is comprised of a ball reception box at a level of the golf practice park for receiving balls from said ball storage means of the apparatus, and conveyor means including a ball conveyor tube for delivering balls to a receiver box and a ball elevator means for lifting the balls from the receiver box to above ground level and to said ball supply for reuse at a golfer'"'"'s tee.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the golf ball return means is comprised of a ball reception box at a level of the golf practice park for receiving balls from said ball storage means of the apparatus, and conveyor means including a ball conveyor tube for delivering balls to a receiver box and a ball elevator means for lifting the balls from the receiver box to a ball supply tray above said level for reuse at a golfer'"'"'s tee.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the golf ball return means is comprised of a ball reception box at a level of the golf practice park for receiving balls from said ball storage means of the apparatus, and conveyor means including a declined ball conveyor tube for delivering balls by gravity to a receiver box and a ball elevator means having a motor driven screw for lifting the balls from the receiver box to a ball supply tray above said level for reuse at a golfer'"'"'s tee.

7. A moving golf practice green, golf ball pickup and ball return apparatus for use in a golf practice park, the apparatus including;

a vehicle having a maneuvering means, and a mat support structure, the vehicle being movable across a golf practice park surface,

a golf ball impact mat positioned over the mat structure, and held in place by the mat support structure so as to present an upwardly facing ball contact surface of the impact mat for visually simulating a golf green, the impact mat providing a golf ball impact sensing means,

a golf ball gathering and collecting pickup means for retrieving golf balls at said golf practice park surface as the vehicle moves over the golf balls,

an electrical circuit including energy storage means and lamp means, the electrical circuit being interconnected with the golf ball impact sensing means such that the impact of a golf ball landing on the impact mat enables the electrical circuit for momentarily illuminating the lamp means,

whereby the apparatus may be moved to a position for practicing green approach golf shots, and may be routed and moved continuously for gathering and collecting and picking up stray golf balls at the golf practice park surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the electrical circuit further includes a latching timer means functional for enabling illumination of the lamp means for a predetermined time after each golf ball impact on the impact mat.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the impact sensing means includes a plurality of separate impact sensing circuits each positioned at a selected distance from a flagpole of the golf ball impact mat, each of the impact sensing circuits being interconnected with one of a plurality of lamps of the lamp means such that one of the lamps is illuminated by each of the golf ball impacts on the impact sensing means so as to indicate a distance from the flagpole said impact occurred.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the golf ball impact mat comprises a top layer and a bottom layer, the apparatus further providing an air blower means joined to the impact mat so as to force air between the top and bottom layers of the impact mat so as to force said layers apart, the mat further providing an electrical contact means formed on the layers and movable therewith such that with the layers forced apart the electrical contact means on the layers opens the circuit, and with the layers forced into contact by a golf ball impact on the top layer, the electrical contact means closes the circuit so as to illuminate the lamp means.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, further including a remote control means for enabling the apparatus to self maneuver within the golf practice park over a series of pre-selected positions and to delay between each of the pre-selected positions.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further including a means for detecting the distance between the vehicle and the remote control means, and means for displaying said distance.

13. A golf ball pickup and ball return apparatus for use in a golf practice park where golf balls are driven from a tee area onto a surface of the golf practice park, including

a remote control unit,

a vehicle that is maneuverable over the surface of the golf practice park under the control of the remote control unit,

said vehicle having connected thereto a golf ball retriever that collects golfs balls on said surface of the golf practice park, holds said collected balls until the vehicle is at a predetermined drop location at surface of the golf practice park, and delivers said collected balls to said drop location when the vehicle is at said drop location,

a conveyor that forwards golf balls delivered to said drop location to the tee area, and

an on-board mat simulating a golf green.

14. The golf ball pickup and ball return apparatus according to claim 13 where there is an on-board sensor that detects when a ball impacts the mat and provides a signal on such impact.

15. A golf ball pickup and ball return apparatus for use in a golf practice park where golf balls are driven from a tee area onto a surface of the golf practice park, including

a vehicle that is maneuverable over the surface of the golf practice park under the control of a computer control system that is programnmed to direct the vehicle to move along a desired course over said surface of the golf practice park according to a predetermined itinerary,

said vehicle having connected thereto a golf ball retriever that collects golfs balls on said surface of the golf practice park, holds said collected balls until the vehicle is at a predetermined drop location at surface of the golf practice park along said course, and delivers said collected balls to said drop location when the vehicle is at said drop location,

a conveyor that forwards golf balls delivered to said drop location to the tee area, and

an on-board mat simulating a golf green.

16. The golf ball pickup and ball return apparatus according to claim 15 where the conveyor includes an inclined subterranean tube extending from the drop location to the tee area.