Portable automatic golf ball teeing device

• US 6,685,575 B1
• Filed: 10/17/2002
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James H. Anderson
• Original Assignee: James H. Anderson
• Inventors: Anderson, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US10/272,782
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 473/132-137
• US Class Current: 473/136
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2047/004 having means preventing bridge formation during dispensing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/0006 Automatic teeing devices devices for automatically dispensing balls in general A63B47/002

Abstract

A portable device capable of placing a golf ball on a tee repeatedly without the interaction of the user. The device consists of a base, a ball storage hopper, a ball scoop leading to an arm, a control system including a control panel, a rechargeable battery, an artificial turf mat with a rubber tee, a handle and wheels, and a housing to enclose the device. The user loads golf balls into the storage hopper where they roll down a track to the ball scoop. A sensor signals when a new ball is needed, and a motor lowers the arm which is connected to the ball scoop. When the arm is at its lowest position the ball rolls down the arm to the tee. When the ball is hit off the tee, a new ball is automatically placed on the tee.

Claims

1. A portable, self-contained automatic device for use by a user for placing a golf ball on a tee, comprising:

a housing having an opening defined therein, a base and first and second ends;

a ball storage unit disposed within said housing, said ball storage unit including means for entering balls within said ball storage unit and ball delivery means;

a mat attached to said base of said housing;

a tee disposed on said mat;

a control system including a power supply;

sensing means to sense the presence and absence of a ball on said tee, said sensing means connected to said control system;

a shaft mounted in said housing;

a ball delivery arm, said arm having a first end and a second end, said ball delivery arm pivotally mounted on said shaft and passing through said opening in said housing;

a motor attached to said shaft, said motor when operated by said control system, receiving power from said power supply to move said arm from a first upright position to a second down position, and vice versa;

a ball receipt portion defined in said second end of said arm, said ball receipt portion adapted to receive a ball from said ball delivery means when said arm is in said first upright position and said arm, when rotated by said shaft driven by said motor to its second down position, adapted to allow said ball to roll to said first end of said arm;

an opening defined in said first end of said arm, said opening being of a size to receive said ball;

said tee being disposed in said mat in a position under said opening in said arm at said first end thereof for deposit of said ball on said tee by said arm when in its second down position, said motor then driving said shaft to return said arm to its first upright position, leaving said ball on said tee where its presence is detected by said sensing means;

wherein said second end of said arm further includes a blocking portion, said blocking portion after a ball has entered said ball receipt portion while said arm is in its first upright position, blocking further balls from passing from said ball delivery means to said ball receipt portion when said arm is in its second down position;

wherein said mat has an aperture defined therein and said tee further includes a vertical portion, said vertical portion having a hollow portion defined therein and a base portion,

said vertical portion mounted upright on said base portion and positioned with said vertical portion passing through said aperture in said mat with said base portion disposed under said mat;

wherein said sensing means includes a photoelectric sensor directed upwards within said hollow portion of said vertical portion, said photoelectric sensor embedded in a clear epoxy cushion disposed within said base portion;

electrical leads connecting said photoelectric sensor to said control system, said photoelectric sensor, when sensing light, indicating to said control system the absence of a ball on said tee, and when sensing no light, indicating to said control system the presence of a ball on said tee as said ball, when in position on said tee, blocks light from passing down said hollow portion of said tee to said photoelectric sensor;

wherein said ball storage unit comprises;

a helical track, said helical track having an interior and an exterior and first and second ends;

an outer cylindrical wall disposed around the exterior of said helical track;

an inner cylindrical wall disposed on the interior of said helical track, said inner and outer cylindrical walls spaced apart a distance from one another sufficient for a ball to pass therebetween on said helical track wherein said means for entering balls within said ball storage unit includes a ball tray disposed at the first end of said helical track for the manual entry of balls therein;

wherein said ball delivery means is disposed at the second end of said helical track and positioned to direct balls one at a time into said ball receipt portion of the second end of said arm;

a storage chamber defined in said base of said housing for receipt of said mat during nonuse and transport of said device; and

at least one connector interconnecting said mat to said housing when said mat is removed from said storage chamber and disposed for use, said connector providing the positioning of said tee at the location where said arm deposits the ball when in its second down position.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said mat is detachable from said housing.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said arm is attached to said shaft by releasable engagement means such that if said arm is inadvertently struck by a golf club, said arm will break free from the device without damage and can be re-engaged to said shaft by engaging it back in place.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said housing further includes:

four support legs disposed thereunder for supporting said housing when said device is in use;

a pair of wheels disposed at said first end of said housing; and

a handle disposed at said second end of said housing, said handle disposed such that if a user lifts said handle, said legs lift off the ground and said device can be moved on said pair of wheels by pulling on said handle.

5. The device of claim 1 further including:

a control panel disposed on said housing, said control panel having means to select actuation modes of said device, said housing having an enlarged manual activation button disposed thereon that can be reached and depressed by the user including by the user using his golf club to depress said manual activation button to cause said control system to deposit a golf ball on said tee by actuation of said arm.