Patent ID: 6685575
Filing Date: 2004-02-03
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
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.