US20080234072A1

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Info

Publication number: US20080234072A1
Application number: US11/688,586
Authority: US
Inventors: Anthony E. Seaman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-03-20
Filing date: 2007-03-20
Publication date: 2008-09-25

Abstract

An apparatus for supporting a ball. In one aspect, the apparatus is a golf tee that facilitates the control of one or more of a liftoff angle, spin and direction.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a golfing apparatus and more particularly, to a tee to be used as a stand for a golf ball.

In the sport of golf, a player is allowed to place the ball on a tee for the first shot on each of the eighteen holes. The purpose of the tee is to elevate the ball above the ground so the golfer can strike it with the proper club and at the proper point in his swing. The standard golf tee, in use today, is an inverted cone shape (monopode) with a small circular pad for the ball to rest on and slender peg on the other end to place into the ground. These tees are approximately two to four inches long and are made from wood, plastic or a biodegradable material. Numerous variations of the standard golf tee have been designed and patented. These tees fall into five general categories with respect to their benefits: 1. To reduce the friction between the tee and the golf ball so the energy imparted from the golf club to ball is not wasted overcoming friction. This allows the ball to travel farther. 2. To set the height or adjust the height of the tee to an exact distance above the ground so the golfer can achieve consistent results (ball distance and placement accuracy) to match his swing and the club he is using. 3. To retain the tee so the golfer can reuse it. 4. To manufacture the tees out of a biodegradable material so they will break down into elemental components that benefit the turf. Once the tee dissolves, they will not be a nuisance to other golfers and ground keepers. 5. To reduce the cost of manufacturing tees by introducing a new shape, material or manufacturing process.

The modern game of golf traces its roots to Scotland in the year 1502. The first three of the thirteen original rules of golf (1744) pertain to the use of a tee. They are 1. You must tee your ball within a club's length of the hole. 2. Your tee must be on the ground. 3. You are not to change the ball which you strike off the tee. In the 19th century separate areas were created at St. Andrews from which a golfer would tee the ball. Sand, water and a towel were provided at each tee. The water and towel provide a hint that the sand was not casually placed above the ground but it was shaped by hand to provide the desired lift and direction for the drive. A ramp to control loft and a groove to control direction were easily shaped in wet sand. When finished, the golfer would clean his hands with the water, dry them off with the towel and then drive the ball off of the shaped sand mound. The word “tee” referred to the area where sand was placed. It did not refer to the pile of sand.

From physics (ignoring the lift on the ball as a result of air flowing over the dimples and ball spin), the maximum distance the ball can travel is determined by its initial velocity and its liftoff angle. The maximum distance is obtained when the liftoff angle is 45 degrees. The initial velocity is controlled by the energy transferred from the club to the ball (club head speed). With the standard tee in use today, the liftoff angle is controlled by the loft on the club and the relative position of the player to and the height of the ball on the tee. By moving closer to the ball, the club head hits the ball as the shaft is close to perpendicular to the ground. The result is a drive that has a shallow liftoff angle (which is closer to the loft on the club) and a slower velocity because the player has less time to accelerate the club. As the player moves back and away from the ball, the club head strikes the ball at a higher point along the arc of the swing and with a faster moving club head. The result is a greater liftoff angle, a higher initial velocity and a longer drive.

It is desirable to develop a golf tee that, like the wet sand, controls the liftoff angle and the direction of travel for the ball. Such a tee will allow the golfer to set the liftoff angle while teeing the ball up and allow him to concentrate on accurately striking the ball with the proper velocity. By guiding the ball as it leaves the tee and pre-selecting the liftoff angle, the golfer will have a better opportunity to drive the ball to its desired location. The tee should be simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use.

The present invention satisfies these and other needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly and in general terms, the present invention is directed toward an apparatus for receiving a projectile. In one aspect, the apparatus is a tee configured to hold a stationary golf ball. In a further aspect, the apparatus is designed to control one or more of a liftoff angle and direction of travel of the ball.

In one contemplated embodiment, the apparatus of the present invention is in the form of a golf tee. The tee includes three sections that, from the top, resemble a “U” which sit upon a single peg to push into the ground. The circular part of the “U” is where the ball rests when it is sitting on the tee. The two legs of the “U” form a ramp that is set up at an angle from the ground. Both sides of the ramp can intersect directly with the circular part or small radii can bridge between the circular portion of the tee and both sides of the ramp to act as a transition zone. The tee is placed in the ground, as usual, and the ramp (parallel legs) is aligned with the desired direction of travel for the ball. The ball is placed on the tee and, when struck, leaves the circular portion and travels through the transition zone and then climbs the ramp. The result is a ball that is guided by the ramp rails to the proper liftoff angle and in the proper direction.

It is further contemplated that a tee of the present invention can include various configurations of pegs. That is, the peg that is pressed into the ground can be any shape, including round, but a faceted peg or a diamond shaped peg will help prevent twisting the tee in the event of an off center strike from the club.

Further, the present invention recognizes that the liftoff angle associated with the tee can be adjusted in several ways. In one approach, a simple tee, with a fixed “U” shape and a fixed ramp angle, can be placed into the ground at a slight angle to minimize or maximize the liftoff angle. In another embodiment, the peg can be pivoted from the peg by means of a clevis and a boss. The liftoff angle can be adjusted by pivoting the head on the peg to the desired angle and locking the two in place with a screw. In yet another embodiment, an adjustable ramp angle can be obtained by providing an adjustment to the width of the legs of the “U”. When the legs are parallel, the ramp angle is shallow. When the legs are closer together, the ramp angle is steeper. In yet further embodiments, markings on the tee can tell the golfer the liftoff angle or the correct setting for the distance he desires.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While the novel features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims, the invention will be better understood along with other features from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear isometric of a fixed-ramp, single-piece tee.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a fixed-ramp, single-piece tee.

FIG. 3 is a section view through the center of a fixed-ramp, single-piece tee that shows the details of the ball contact surface on the tee.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a fixed-ramp, single-piece tee.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a fixed-ramp, single-piece tee with widening legs on the ramp section.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a fixed-ramp, single-piece tee with parallel legs on the ramp section.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a fixed-ramp, single-piece tee with narrowing legs on the ramp section.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the fixed-ramp, single-piece tee that shows the path the ball travels after being struck by the club head.

FIG. 9 is a front view of the fixed-ramp, single-piece tee that shows the path the ball travels after being struck by the club head.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the fixed-ramp, single-piece tee that shows the path the ball travels after being struck by the club head.

FIG. 11 is a side view of the fixed-ramp, single-piece tee that demonstrates a shallow liftoff angle by angular placement of the peg in the ground.

FIG. 12 is a front view of a three-piece tee with a fixed-ramp and an adjustable take off angle by pivoting the tee head at the peg.

FIG. 13 is a side view of a three-piece tee with a fixed-ramp and an adjustable take off angle by pivoting the tee head at the peg.

FIG. 14 is a side view of a two-piece, adjustable-ramp tee that has achieves variable liftoff angle by adjusting the angle between the two legs on the ramp.

FIG. 15 is a top view of a two-piece, adjustable-ramp tee that achieves a variable liftoff angle by adjusting the angle between the two legs on the ramp. The legs are parallel in this view.

FIG. 16 is a top view of a two-piece, adjustable-ramp tee that achieves a variable liftoff angle by adjusting the angle between the two legs on the ramp. The legs are narrowing in this view.

FIG. 17 is a front view of a two-piece, adjustable ramp tee showing the path the ball travels after being struck by the club head when the legs are parallel.

FIG. 18 is a front view of a two-piece, adjustable-ramp tee showing the path the ball travels after being struck by the club head when the legs are adjusted to a narrow angle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in the exemplary drawings and for purposes of illustration, the invention is embodied in an apparatus designed as a stand for receiving a projectile. The stand can be in the form of a tee for a golf ball, the tee being configured to control the liftoff angle and direction of travel of the golf ball.

Referring now to the figures and in particular toFIG. 1, there is illustrated an isometric view of agolf tee10 in its simplest form, the fixed-ramp, single-piece tee. The top or upper portion of the tee includes acurved section11, attached to twolegs12 that form a ramp. In one aspect, the ramp has a length and the curved section can be semi-circular. Between the legs that form the ramp and the curved section, are twosmall radii13 that form the transition zone. The transition zone radii are optional, but in a first approach it is contemplated that they should not be larger than the spherical radius of the ball. In other contemplated approaches it is to be recognized that the transition-zone can alternatively assume a radii larger than a radius of a ball.

With continued reference toFIG. 1, the ball is intended to only make contact with the uppermost edge of the tee. The center section is undercut to allow clearance for the ball.Cutout14 andcutout15 are optional and only intended to save weight and material. At the other end or lower portion of the tee is along peg16. The peg can be up to four inches long and it is tapered to apoint17 to aid insertion into the ground. The peg, as illustrated, is triangular in cross section, but it can easily be manufactured in any shape. Cross sectional shapes like triangular, rectangular, diamond, etc. are preferred over circular to reduce rotational motion of the tee. This allows the ball to leave the tee traveling in the proper direction.

Referring toFIG. 2, there is illustrated a bottom view of the fixed-ramp, single-piece tee showing thepeg16 that is triangular in cross section. Thecutout14 is also illustrated.

For purposes of illustration, a cross section is provided through the center of the fixed-ramp, single-piece tee (SeeFIG. 3). The relative angle “A” between the semi-circular section and the ramp can be seen. In the simplest model, the ramp angle “A” is fixed at manufacture at an angle from zero and ninety degrees to achieve the desired liftoff angle or distance. The line that makes up the uppermost edge of thetee18 is also illustrated. The uppermost edge is the part of the tee that comes into contact with the ball.

Turning now toFIG. 4, there is illustrated the front view of the fixed-ramp, single-piece tee that shows the exit plane of the ball. The line that makes up the uppermost edge of thetee18 can again be seen at the ends of the two legs that form the ramp. Line contact is desirable to minimize friction, but a concave surface can be used to increase the contact area with ball to increase friction and impart more spin on the ball. In reality, any shaped surface (convex, radius, elliptical, etc,) can be used to contact the ball.

Three different variations for the two legs that make up the fixed ramp for the single-piece tee are depicted inFIG. 5,FIG. 6 andFIG. 7. All three configurations will achieve the same result in terms of guiding the ball. When the ball is struck by the club head it travels up the ramp with a combined rolling and sliding motion. The amount of sliding and the amount of rolling is dependent on the amount of spin imparted on the ball by the club face, on the coefficient of friction between the ball material and the tee material and on the contact area of the ball with the tee. The dimensions “R”, “L”, and “W” will have a definite affect on the amount of spin transferred to the ball and the liftoff angle for the ball. In general, “R” can be any dimension as long as it is smaller than the radius of the ball; “L” can be any dimension within reason and “W” can be any dimension as long as it does not exceed the width of the ball. As “R” and “W” increase, the ball is engaged on the tee at a wider distance and therefore at a smaller radius with respect to the direction of travel. Friction with the tee will impart more spin on the ball because the tee contacts the ball at a smaller radius. As “L” increases, the ball is in contact with the legs of the ramp for a longer duration. This will also impart a greater spin on the ball because the ball is in contact with the tee for a longer duration. As “R”, “L” and “W” decrease, the converse is true and less spin will be imparted from the tee to the ball. InFIG. 6, the ball travels up the ramp on parallel legs. The liftoff angle with respect to the semi-circular section will be the same as angle “A” illustrated inFIG. 3. As shown inFIG. 5, as the ball travels up the ramp the legs get wider and engage the ball at smaller radius. This causes the ball to drop slightly as it climbs the ramp and it results in a shallower liftoff angle than angle “A” as illustrated inFIG. 3. As the ball travels up the ramp the legs get narrower and engage the ball at larger radius (SeeFIG. 7). This causes the ball to rise slightly as it climbs the ramp and it results in a steeper liftoff angle than angle “A” as illustrated inFIG. 3.

Referring toFIG. 8 there is illustrated the top view of the fixed-ramp, single-piece tee with the relative position of the ball as it sits on thetee19 and theball20 as it leaves the tee. The peg is positioned vertically.FIG. 9 illustrates the front view of the fixed-ramp, single-piece tee with the relative position of the ball as it sits on thetee19 and theball20 as it leaves the tee. The peg is positioned vertically.FIG. 10 illustrates the side view of the fixed-ramp, single-piece tee with the relative position of the ball as it sits on thetee19 and theball20 as it leaves the tee. The peg is positioned vertically. For standard operation the peg is placed into the ground vertically with the legs of the ramp aligned with the desired direction of travel for the ball. The ball is placed on the semi-circular section with the part of the ball that is facing the desired direction of travel resting on the ramp legs or the transition zone radii. Once the ball is struck with the club, it travels up the ramp legs to give both the proper direction and liftoff angle.

With reference toFIG. 11, there is illustrated side view of the fixed-ramp, single-piece tee with the relative position of the ball as it sits on thetee21 and theball22 as it leaves the tee. The peg is positioned at a slight angle forward to minimize the liftoff angle. Lines can be engraved, embossed or printed on the side of the tee to show the proper angle to place the peg into the ground to achieve a desired distance. The legs of the ramp are aligned with the desired direction of travel for the ball. The ball is placed on the semi-circular section with the part of the ball that is facing the desired direction of travel resting on the ramp legs or the transition zone radii. Once the ball is struck with the club, it travels up the ramp legs to give both the proper direction and lift angle. With the peg in the ground at a slightly forward angle, the liftoff angle is tailored to place the ball at the proper distance and location on the golf course. The fixed-ramp, single-piece tee can be economically manufactured using existing manufacturing methods from wood, plastic or any biodegradable material in use on standard tees. The wide areas on the peg and around the sides allow plenty of space for advertising. With ease manufacturing from a variety of materials, low cost, ease of placement and simplicity of adjusting the liftoff angle the fixed-ramp, single-piece tee is clearly the preferred embodiment.

Turning toFIG. 12, there is illustrated the front view of a three-piece tee with a fixed ramp that achieves an adjustable take off angle by pivoting the tee at the peg. The elements that comprise the upper most section or head of thetee23 remain the same as the fixed-ramp, single piece tee. Specifically, the top of the tee consists of asemi-circular section24, attached to twolegs25, that form a ramp. Between the legs that form the ramp and the semi-circular section, are twosmall radii26 that form the transition zone. The transition zone radii are optional, but they should not be larger than the spherical radius of the ball. The ball is intended to only make contact with the uppermost edge of the tee. The center section is undercut to allow clearance for the ball. All of the descriptions and discussions contained in the above paragraphs also pertain to the upper section or head of the three-piece tee. At the other end of the tee and separate from the upper section is along peg27. The peg can be up to four inches long and it is tapered to apoint28 to aid insertion into the ground. The peg, as illustrated, is rectangular in cross section, but it can easily be manufactured in any shape. Cross sectional shapes like triangular, rectangular, diamond, etc. are preferred over circular to reduce rotational motion of the tee. This allows the ball to leave the tee traveling in the proper direction. At the top of the peg is aclevis29 which mates with aboss30 at the bottom of the upper section or head. The two are attached by means of ascrew31 or a thumbscrew. This allows the head to pivot with respect to the peg.

The side view of a three-piece tee with a fixed ramp that achieves an adjustable take off angle by pivoting the upper section or head of the tee at the peg is shown inFIG. 13. The view of a tee head rotated to minimize theliftoff angle32 is super imposed on the view of the tee head rotated to maximize theliftoff angle33. In this embodiment the peg is placed in the ground vertically and the liftoff angle is adjusted by tilting the head to achieve the desired distance and locking the screw. Serrations between the clevis and the boss can be used to incrementally position the head with respect to the peg. The head can also be held in place using a cam lock, thumbscrew, wedge lock, etc. With the three-piece tee, the liftoff angle is tailored by tilting the head to place the ball at the proper distance and location on the golf course. The fixed-ramp, three-piece tee can be economically manufactured using existing manufacturing methods from wood, plastic or any biodegradable material in use on standard tees. The wide areas on the peg and around the sides allow plenty of space for advertising. With ease manufacturing from a variety of materials, low cost, ease of placement and simplicity of adjusting the liftoff angle the fixed-ramp, three-piece tee is the second embodiment.

Further, the side view of a two-piece, split tee with a variable ramp that achieves an adjustable take off angle by moving the legs of the ramp closer together or farther apart is illustrated inFIG. 14. The elements that comprise the upper most section of the tee remain the same as the fixed-ramp, single piece tee. Specifically, the top of the tee consists of asemi-circular section34, attached to twolegs35, that form a ramp. Between the legs that form the ramp and the semi-circular section, are twosmall radii36 that form the transition zone. The transition zone radii are optional, but they should not be larger than the spherical radius of the ball. The ball is intended to only make contact with the uppermost edge of the tee. The center section is undercut to allow clearance for the ball. At the other end of the tee is along peg37. The peg can be up to four inches long and it is tapered to apoint38 to aid insertion into the ground. The peg, as illustrated, is rectangular in cross section, but it can easily be manufactured in any shape. Cross sectional shapes like triangular, rectangular, diamond, etc. are preferred over circular to reduce rotational motion of the tee. This allows the ball to leave the tee traveling in the proper direction. Theadjustment screw39 is shown.

Referring now toFIG. 15, there is illustrated the top view of a two-piece, split tee with a variable ramp that achieves an adjustable take off angle by moving the legs of the ramp closer together or farther apart.FIG. 15 depicts the tee with the ramp legs adjusted parallel to each other. Referring toFIG. 16 there is illustrated the top view of a two-piece, split tee with a variable ramp that achieves an adjustable take off angle by moving the legs of the ramp closer together or farther apart.FIG. 15 depicts the tee with the ramp legs adjusted in a narrowing configuration to each other. Both views illustrate that the two legs that comprise the ramp are tied together only at the peg. This allows the legs to move closer together or farther apart with movement of the screw. This is the main difference between the two-piece, split tee and the one-piece, fixed ramp tee. Both configurations, as shown inFIG. 15 andFIG. 16, will achieve the same result in terms of guiding the ball. When the ball is struck by the club head it travels up the ramp with a combined rolling and sliding motion. The amount of sliding and the amount of rolling is dependent on the amount of spin imparted on the ball by the club face, on the coefficient of friction between the ball material and the tee material and on the contact area of the ball with the tee. The dimensions “R1”, “L1”, and “W1” will have a definite affect on the amount of spin transferred to the ball and the liftoff angle for the ball. In general, “R1” can be any dimension as long as it is smaller than the radius of the ball; “L” can be any dimension within reason and “W1” can be any dimension as long as it does not exceed the width of the ball. As “R1” and “W1” increase, the ball is engaged on the tee at a wider distance and therefore at a smaller radius with respect to the direction of travel. Friction with the tee will impart more spin on the ball because the tee contacts the ball at a smaller radius. As “L1” increases, the ball is in contact with the legs of the ramp for a longer duration. This will also impart a greater spin on the ball because the ball is in contact with the tee for a longer duration. As “R1”, “L1” and “W1” decrease, the converse is true and less spin will be imparted from the tee to the ball. InFIG. 16, as the ball travels up the ramp the legs get narrower and engage the ball at larger radius. This causes the ball, as it climbs the ramp, to rise in a steeper liftoff angle than a ball hit off the tee as adjusted inFIG. 15. In general, the wider the legs are adjusted apart: the shallower the liftoff angle and the closer the legs are adjusted together: the steeper the liftoff angle.

Turning toFIG. 17, the front view of a two-piece, split tee with a variable ramp that achieves an adjustable take off angle by moving the legs of the ramp closer together or farther apart is shown.FIG. 17 depicts the tee with the ramp legs adjusted parallel to each other. Referring toFIG. 18 there is illustrated the front view of a two-piece, split tee with a variable ramp that achieves an adjustable take off angle by moving the legs of the ramp closer together or farther apart.FIG. 18 depicts the tee with the ramp legs adjusted in a narrowing configuration to each other. Both views illustrate that the two legs that comprise the ramp are tied together only at the peg. When manufactured, the legs are molded, cast, machined, etc. to be as wide as desired with therelief40 at the base. The screw is used to bring the legs closer together to achieve the desired liftoff angle. This view also demonstrates the difference in liftoff height, “H3” between the two configurations. Theball41, on the tee with the parallel legs, is lifted to a height, “H1” as it leaves the tee. Theball42, on the tee with the narrowing legs, is lifted to a greater height, “H2”, as it leaves the tee. The two-piece, split tee can be economically manufactured using existing manufacturing methods from wood, plastic or any suitable material in use on standard tees. The wide areas on the peg and around the sides allow plenty of space for advertising. With ease manufacturing from a variety of materials, low cost, ease of placement and simplicity of adjusting the liftoff angle, the fixed ramp three-piece tee is the third embodiment.

It is to be recognized that any of the various contemplated embodiments can easily be adapted to work on a driving range mat using existing technology. Embodiments two and three may be easier to adapt.

Thus, it will be apparent from the foregoing that, while particular forms of the invention have been illustrated and described, various modifications can be made without parting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A tee for receiving a golf ball, comprising:

an upper portion, the upper portion including a ramp having a length; and

a lower portion, the lower portion including a peg configured to be inserted into a ground surface;

wherein at least a portion of the length of the ramp provides a surface along which the ball travels.

2. The tee ofclaim 1, wherein the upper portion further includes a curved section configured between the legs.

3. The tee ofclaim 2, wherein the curved section is semi-circular.

4. The tee ofclaim 2, wherein the upper portion further includes a transition zone between the legs and the curved section.

5. The tee ofclaim 4, wherein the transition zone has a radii smaller than a spherical radius of the ball.

6. The tee ofclaim 4, wherein the upper portion further includes a center section which is under cut to allow clearance for the ball.

7. The tee ofclaim 6, wherein the upper portion further includes a pair of spaced cutouts.

8. The tee ofclaim 7, wherein the peg has a tapered point.

9. The tee ofclaim 8, wherein the peg has a triangular cross-section.

10. The tee ofclaim 8, where in the peg has one of a triangular, rectangular or a diagonal shape.

11. The tee ofclaim 1, wherein the ramp includes a pair of spaced legs with an upper surface providing a line contact with the ball.

12. The tee ofclaim 1, wherein the ramp includes a concave surface for engaging the ball traveling along the ramp.

13. The tee ofclaim 1, wherein the upper portion includes a radius, a width and a length.

14. The tee ofclaim 13, wherein the radius being less than a radius of the ball.

15. The tee ofclaim 13, wherein the width does not exceed a diameter of the ball.

16. The tee ofclaim 13, wherein the width varies from a first dimension to a second dimension.

17. The tee ofclaim 13, wherein the width is adjustable.

18. The tee ofclaim 1, wherein an angle between the upper portion and the lower portion is adjustable.

19. The tee ofclaim 1, wherein one or more of a liftoff angle, spin and direction of the ball is controlled by the upper portion.

20. The tee ofclaim 1, wherein the tee is a single piece golf tee.