Patent ID: 8926442
Filing Date: 2015-01-06
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
1. An ergonomic and portable automatic positioner, for golf tees (ball support for a swing) and golf balls balanced on the tees at a programmable height, for golf courses, the positioner comprising: storage units for the tees; a storage unit for the golf balls; a main body comprising two prongs, that, once driven into the ground, provide retention of the main body in a vertical position and holding of the main body against rotation about a longitudinal axis of the main body; a guard, that provides a height position reference, for operation of the positioner; a shuttle topped with a knob enabling a player to perform all necessary operations to achieve a ball balanced on a tee driven into the ground at the desired height, with a single hand, standing, body not bent, the hand on the knob, from driving of the positioner into the ground, to removal of the positioner at end of the operation; a device for programming and setting of the ball height desired; a holding clamp for the tee and for the ball with automatic opening, closing and vertical return stroke, wherein the holding clamp is slidably on the shuttle which traverses the holding clamp along a longitudinal axis of the holding clamp; and a port, located at an upper end part of the positioner, in order to effect the supply of tees into the storage unit, wherein the positioner has a length sufficient so that the positioner can be handled by the player standing without the player having to bend or crouch, and all controls are accessible by the player with a single hand, the hand being placed on the upper end of the positioner, whereby the positioner provides automatic delivery of the tee and the ball from the storage units and provides the ball balanced on the tee at a given height, by mere displacements of the shuttle, upwards on a first stop, and then downwards on a second stop and upwards on a third stop in rest position.