Illuminated golf

• US 9,416,959 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donald Spinner
• Original Assignee: Donald Spinner
• Inventors: Spinner, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): HINES, ANNE M
• Application Number:
  US13/838,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20130314906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/093 Height
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/06 with illuminating devices ; with reflective surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/00 Golfing accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/357 for golf cups or holes, e.g. flags
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/40 Golf cups or holes
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3632 Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence; clubs for swinging exercises in general A63B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/008 Leisure, hobby or sport articles, e.g. toys, games or first-aid kits; Hand tools; Toolboxes

Abstract

There is set forth herein one or more feature for providing illuminated golf. The one or more feature can comprise e.g., a golf cup apparatus having a light source bank, a golf flag apparatus having a light source bank, a wearable apparatus having a light source bank, an illumination providing golf ball and an apparatus for charging a golf ball having a light source bank.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising;

a shield; and

a light source bank disposed to emit light from the shield;

wherein the shield is adapted to be mounted on a golf flag pole;

wherein the apparatus is characterized by one or more of the following selected from the group consisting of;

(a) the shield is adapted so that the shield can be manually adjusted to various positions on a golf flag pole;

(b) the shield includes a height less than a radius of the shield, and (c) the light source bank is disposed to emit light upward from the shield.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shield has a flattened top on which there is disposed a solar panel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the shield is configured to limit an amount of precipitation entering an interior of the shield.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shield includes a display that displays a range of a golfer from the shield.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shield is adapted so that the shield can be manually adjusted to various positions on a golf flag pole.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shield is adapted so that an interior of the shield is light reflective.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shield includes a height less than a radius of the shield.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source bank is supported on the shield, and wherein the light source bank is disposed to emit light upward from the shield for illumination of a golf flag.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source bank is supported on the shield and is disposed to emit light upward and downward from the shield.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes the golf flag pole, and wherein the shield is positioned on the golf flag pole at an elevation on the golf flag pole closer to an elevation of a golf flag than a bottom of the golf flag pole.

11. A method for illuminating an area about a golf cup, the method comprising;

providing an apparatus having an assembly that supports a light source bank; and

disposing the assembly in the golf cup in a manner that a central emission vector of light emitted from the light source bank is directed toward a vertically extending cylindrical interior wall of the golf cup.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the providing includes providing the assembly to include an outer peripheral wall that corresponds to a shape of the golf cup, and wherein the disposing includes locating the outer peripheral wall on the interior wall of the golf cup.

13. A method for illuminating an area about a golfer, the method comprising;

providing an apparatus having a first set of opposing walls defining a first downward facing opening and an adjacently formed second set of opposing walls that define an upward facing opening and a light source bank for illuminating an area external to the apparatus; and

disposing the first downward facing opening onto a golf shoe wall of a golfer, wherein the disposing further includes disposing the apparatus so that a pant leg of the golfer is retained by the second set of opposing walls.

14. A kit for use in providing illuminated golf, the kit comprising:

(a) a golf cup apparatus supporting a light source bank in a manner that light from a light source of the light source bank is directed to an interior wall of a golf cup;

(b) a golf flag apparatus attachable to a golf flag pole supporting a light source bank having a shield defining an interior wherein the golf flag apparatus is adapted so that light from the light source bank is directed from the shield; and

(c) a golfer wearable apparatus having a light source bank and being adapted to be wearable on a foot area of a golfer.

15. The kit of claim 14, wherein the golf cup apparatus is adapted to be removeably installable in a golf cup.

16. The kit of claim 14, wherein the shield is adapted to be manually moveable between various elevations of a golf flag pole with use of a crimping lock.

17. The kit of claim 14, wherein the golfer wearable apparatus is adapted to be attached to a shoe wall.

18. The kit of claim 14, wherein the kit comprises a golf ball charger having an interior sized to receive one or more luminescent golf ball and having a light source bank for illuminating the one or more luminescent golf ball, and wherein the charger includes a light transmissive member supporting the one or more luminescent golf ball in an interior of the charger.

19. The kit of claim 14, wherein the shield is adapted to be manually moveable between various elevations of a golf flag pole:

wherein the shield has a solar panel; and

wherein the shield includes a height less than a radius of the shield.

20. The kit of claim 14, wherein the kit comprises a golf ball charger and wherein the golf ball charger includes:

a container for containing a golf ball, the container having one or more interior wall delimiting an interior;

a light source bank for illuminating the interior of the container;

wherein the container is adapted to hold one or more golf ball in the interior a manner that the one or more golf ball is illuminated by the light source bank while being held by the container;

wherein the one or more interior wall includes a reflective surface; and

wherein the golf ball charger is adapted to be wearable.

21. The kit of claim 14, wherein the kit comprises a golf flag pole stand adapted for standing a golf flag pole.

22. The kit of claim 21, wherein the stand includes a detent disposed internal to a golf flag pole.

23. A golf club attachable apparatus adapted so that a central emission vector of a light source of the golf club attachable apparatus is parallel to a shaft of a golf club when the golf club attachable apparatus is attached to the golf club, the golf club attachable apparatus being attachable to a golf club shaft and having a structural body supporting the light source that is configured so that when the golf club attachable apparatus is attached to the golf club shaft the structural body extends a distance from the golf club shaft that is substantially equal to a diameter of the golf club shaft or less.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a ring shaped assembly defining an outer peripheral wall, the outer peripheral wall including a shape corresponding to a vertically extending cylindrical inner peripheral wall of a golf cup, wherein the ring shaped assembly defines a center void adapted to accommodate movement of a golf flag pole within the center void; and

a light source bank supported on the ring shaped assembly for illuminating the inner peripheral wall.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the apparatus is shaped to facilitate installation and removal of the apparatus without removal of a golf flag pole from the golf cup.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the ring shaped assembly is an open perimeter ring shaped assembly.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the light source bank is supported so that a central emission vector of light emitted by the light source bank is directed toward the vertically extending cylindrical inner peripheral wall.

28. A golf flag apparatus comprising:

a plurality of legs, wherein the golf flag apparatus is adapted to be mounted on a golf flag pole;

wherein the golf flag apparatus has a first position in which the plurality of legs are adapted to stand a golf flag pole on a golf green; and

wherein the golf flag apparatus has a second position in which distal ends of the plurality of legs are adapted to be located closer to a golf flag pole than in the first position.

29. A golfer wearable apparatus comprising:

a clip section having opposing interior walls delimiting a downward facing opening for receiving a golf shoe wall;

an adjacently disposed pant leg retainer section having interior walls delimiting an upward facing opening; and

a light source bank for directing light generally forwardly when the apparatus is disposed on a golf shoe.