Golf Cup Guard |
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申请号 | US13783254 | 申请日 | 2013-03-02 | 公开(公告)号 | US20140128170A1 | 公开(公告)日 | 2014-05-08 |
申请人 | Robert Treat Grant, JR.; | 发明人 | Robert Treat Grant, JR.; | ||||
摘要 | A golf cup guard for placement on a golf cup. The body portion is conical and shaped to prevent material from entering a golf cup. There is a handle to assist in placement and removal of the golf cup guard. The golf cup guard may prevent excess paint, fertilizer, sand, or other materials from falling into the golf cup. | ||||||
权利要求 | I claim: |
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说明书全文 | This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. 61/796,211 entitled “Cup Cone”, filed 5 Nov. 2012. Golf is a sport enjoyed worldwide. It is played on golf courses with various terrain features. In general, the object of golf is to use golf clubs to strike a golf ball into a golf hole in as few strokes as possible. The golf hole is typically on a golf green and is defined by the placement of a hole in the ground. Within this hole is a golf cup, often made of metal, which helps the golf hole maintain shape and integrity. At the bottom of the hole may rest a putting cup having a ferrule socket which may fit a complimentary ferrule at the bottom of a flag stick. In accordance with the rules of golf, the golf cup sits a fixed distance below the surface of the golf green. Thus, there is a portion of soil between the upper surface of the golf cup and the surface of the green. Since soil is dark, the golf hole may be difficult to see from a distance. A common solution to this problem is to paint the soil, typically using white paint. In addition, many materials may be applied to the golf green's surface, for example sand, fertilizer. A common problem in the art occurs when unwanted materials such as paint, sand, or fertilizer fall into the cup. A golf cup guard is described. The golf cup guard is configured to prevent materials from entering the golf cup. The golf cup guard may rest on the golf cup and has a handle for easy placement and removal. Golf is a sport enjoyed worldwide. It is played on golf courses with various terrain features. In general, the object of golf is to use golf clubs to strike a golf ball into a golf hole in as few strokes as possible. The golf hole is typically on a golf green and is defined by the placement of a hole in the ground. Within this hole is a golf cup, often made of metal, which helps the golf hole maintain shape and integrity. In accordance with the rules of golf published by the United States Golf Association (USGA), the golf hole must be 4.25 inches (108 mm) in diameter and at least 4 inches (101.6 mm) deep. If a golf cup (or lining) is used, it must be at least one inch (25.4 mm) below the putting green surface. This requirement that the golf cup sit at least one inch below the putting surface can make the hole difficult to visualize from a distance. A common solution to this problem is to paint the soil between the putting surface and the golf cup white. This gives the appearance that the golf cup extends up towards the surface. This is especially helpful when trying to visualize the hole on television, for example during the broadcasting of a golf tournament. A variety of painting methods may be utilized, including but not limited to spray painting, brush painting, roller painting, etc. A common problem in the art occurs when the paint used to paint the golf cup ends up in the cup itself. This is possible, for example, if paint drips into the cup or if there is over-spray from a spray paint can. If this paint does not dry prior to the hole being used, the excess paint may adhere to other surfaces that contact the paint, for example a golfer's hand or golf ball. Other unwanted materials may fall into the cup. Examples of these materials include materials applied to the golf green's surface or surrounding surfaces. Common examples include, but are not limited to, paint, spray-paint, sand, dirt, topdressing, fertilizer, pesticide, dye, or chemicals applied to grass. The golf cup guard prevents unwanted materials from entering the cup. Referring now to the drawings in detail, The screw-thread attachment mechanism is one embodiment of the golf cup guard 1. Other possible attachments include a snap-in assembly, magnetic attachment, or adhesive attachment. Additionally, the golf cup guard 1, including the handle, 30 may comprise one contiguous unit. The handle 30 may be offset. The handle 30 may comprise a ring structure attached to the conical body 10 or attached to the upper rim 16. The handle 30 may comprise an O-ring structure with an outer diameter not exceeding the outer diameter of the upper rim 16 and an inner diameter such that the O-ring provides an overhang structure to the top of the golf cup guard 1. The one-time locking mechanism may rely on the lower rim inner surface 20 having a circular cross-section with fixed diameter. Thus, if the snap-in tip 44 having a slightly larger maximum diameter is pressed through the fixed diameter of the lower rim inner surface 20, both pieces may deform slightly. If pressed far enough, the snap-in tip 44 will be fully through the circular cross-section of the inner surface 20. In this configuration, the cylindrical spacer 46 may rest within the fixed diameter of the lower rim inner surface 20. Further insertion is prevented by the larger diameter of the handle body 34. A golf cup guard 1 may from any suitable material or materials. For example, the golf cup guard 1 made of plastic, metal, wood, or any other suitable material or combination of materials. Suitable plastic materials include nylon and polypropylene. Suitable metal materials include aluminum, steel, stainless steel, and titanium. If the user desires a magnetic connection, ferrous materials such as iron. The golf cup guard 1 may be manufactured via molding process. Examples include plastic molding processes, metallic molding processes, or additive manufacturing (3D-printing). In one embodiment, the guard may have an axial length of 2.5 inches, an outer diameter of the upper rim 16 of 4.16 inches, an outer diameter of the lower rim 18 of 0.72 inches, and an inner diameter of the lower rim 18 of 0.52 inches. The handle 30 may be 2.6 inches in total length. The top surface of the handle 32 may have a 1 inch diameter. The handle 30 may attach to the conical body 10 at the inner surface 20 of the lower rim 18. The handle 30 may attach via a screw-thread mechanism. Specifically, threads 22 on the inner surface 20 of the lower rim 18 engage with complimentary threads 38 on the lower portion 36 of the handle. In an alternative embodiment, a snap-in mechanism 42 on the on the lower portion 36 of the handle engages with a complimentary snap-in mechanism on the inner surface 20 of the lower rim 18. The inner diameter of the lower rim of the conical body may be 0.52 inches. The snap-in tip 44 may be conical, having a lower rim diameter of 0.33 inches and an upper rim diameter of 0.64 inches. The snap-in mechanism 42 may also include a cylindrical spacer 46 having a diameter similar to the lower rim of conical body, for example 0.52 inches. Above the snap-in mechanism 42, the handle body 34 may taper outward and have a minimum diameter of 0.64 inches. In an alternative embodiment, the handle may be configured to invert, such that it sits upside down on the cup surface. This may be useful for guarding the cup from fertilizer or other materials. User has to bend over less. In such a configuration, the handle may be removable (for example if magnetic) or may be placed underneath the conical body 10. A user may grasp the golf cup guard and place it inside a golf hold on top of the golf cup. The user may then apply materials nearby. Example applications include painting the soil above the golf cup and applying materials to the green or surrounding surfaces. Common example materials include, but are not limited to, paint, spray-paint, sand, dirt, topdressing, fertilizer, pesticide, dye, or chemicals applied to grass. The golf cup guard prevents unwanted materials from entering the cup. The user may then grasp the golf cup guard and remove it from the hole. The golf cup guard may contain excess material that it prevented from entering the cup. The user may discard these excess materials in an appropriate receptacle or space. |