Abstract:
A clip-on golf tool for selective attachment to an article of a golfer&#39;s clothing or a golf bag includes a body portion having front and rear sides. A ball marker is removably coupled to the front side of the body portion. A pair of generally parallel tines is attached to a lower end of the body portion and extending outwardly. A cleaning pad is removably coupled to a mounting member and a saddle extends between the body portion and the mounting member, the saddle being configured to be selectively attached to an article of the golfer&#39;s clothing.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present invention claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/270,944, filed on Jul. 16, 2009 titled Clip-On Golf Ball Tool. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to golf accessories and, more particularly, to a golf accessory having a golf ball cleaning pad, a golf ball marker, and a divot repair tool that clips on to the user&#39;s clothing or golf bag. 
         [0003]    The game of golf has become one of the most technologically advanced sports in the world today. Experts in science and physics have combined state of the art materials with ergonomic and aerodynamic principles in order to produce golf clubs and golf balls that produce more accurate and consistently longer shots. In fact, 1997 saw the first golfer in the Professional Golfers&#39; Association (PGA) history to average more than three hundred (300) yards per drive. The most technically advanced equipment in the hands of the most experienced golfer will not produce satisfactory results when hitting a dirty golf ball. It is because of this reason that golf ball washers are a common sight at golf courses. However, should the golfer be a distance away from the washers or should the washers be non-operational such as during the off-season, the golfer is out of luck. Accordingly there exists a need for a means by which golfers can be provided with clean golf balls no matter where or when they golf. The development of the present invention fulfills this need. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    A clip-on golf ball tool according to the present invention is a personal golf accessory that includes a cleaning pad, a ball marker, and a divot repair tool with an integral belt clip. The belt clip comprises a plastic or metal clip that can slip on a belt, pocket, or on the edge of a golf bag. The golf tool presents a round circular area that is covered with one half of a hook and loop fastening system. The other half of the fastening system is provided on the rear of a disposable pad. The pad is made from a disposable paper/cloth product that may be moistened with water before applying it to the clip, and that would retain water for a period of time equal to a typical round of golf. When on the golf course, the player can simply rub a dirty ball against the pad to clean it off. It is also envisioned that the face of the pad could be provided with an advertising area comprising of product logos, company logos, sport team logos, telephone numbers, web site addresses or the like. The use of the present invention produces golfers with a clean ball no matter where they are at in a manner which is quick, easy and effective. 
         [0005]    Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a golf ball tool that may be removably clipped onto a golfer&#39;s clothing or golf bag. 
         [0006]    Another object of this invention is to provide a golf ball tool, as aforesaid, for holding a golf ball cleaning pad and golf ball marker. 
         [0007]    Still another object of this invention is to provide a golf ball tool, as aforesaid, in which the ball marker is magnetically secured to the tool but easily removable when desired. 
         [0008]    Yet another object of this invention is to provide a golf ball tool, as aforesaid, in which the ball cleaning pad is releasably secured to the tool but easily removable when desired. 
         [0009]    A further object of this invention is to provide a golf ball tool, as aforesaid, having locations configured to include indicia such as advertisements, company logos, and the like. 
         [0010]    A still further object of this invention is to provide a golf ball tool, as aforesaid, that is easy to use and economical to manufacture. 
         [0011]    Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a clip-on golf tool according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the golf tool as in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the golf tool as in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the golf tool as in  FIG. 1  with the ball marker removed and the saddle in an extended configuration; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the golf tool as in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the golf tool as in  FIG. 1  with the ball marker removed; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a rear perspective view of the golf tool as in  FIG. 5  in use with a mounting fastener. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0019]    A clip-on golf ball tool according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 7  of the accompanying drawings. 
         [0020]    The present invention describes a device and method for a clip-on golf ball cleaner (herein described as the “device” or “tool”)  10 , which provides a means for a personal golf accessory and interchangeability thereof. Said device  10  includes a golf ball cleaner rid a golf ball of dirt and debris brought about by a game of golf, a divot repair tool to repair a damaged golfing green from the impact of golf balls, and golf marker  50  to mark the position of the golf ball. Each is located thereon in the form of an integral belt clip. Said device  10  is preferably attached to a belt, pocket, pants waistband, or to a golf bag. The materials required to produce the device  10  are all readily available and well known to manufacturers of goods of this type. A body  20  portion of the device  10  is preferably made of plastic or of metal in an injection molding or stamping process. The remaining components of the device  10  would best be procured from wholesalers and manufacturers that deal in goods of that nature and assembled at a final location. 
         [0021]    The golf tool  10  includes a generally disk-shaped circular body portion  20 , thereby providing an attachment means for a ball marker  50  and a cleaning pad  40 . The body  20  includes a pair of integrated parallel tines  22 ,  24  (also referred to as a divot tool) extending downwardly (also referred to as “outwardly”) from a lower end of the body portion  20 . The tines  22 ,  24  form a generally V-shaped lower portion, thereby providing a conventional divot repair tool. It is understood that the tines may be integrally constructed with the body portion  20 . The first tine  22  and second tine  24  are inserted into a damaged golfing green at an appropriate angle to pry the damaged golfing green upwardly and repair the ball marks caused by impacting golf balls. 
         [0022]    The golf tool  10  includes a saddle  30  that may be constructed of a semi-resilient material to join the body portion  20  to a mounting member  35 . Preferably, the saddle  30  includes a generally inverted U-shaped configuration ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ). The saddle  30  also provides the tool  10  with a slight gap  60  between the circular body portion  20  and the mounting member  35  ( FIG. 2 ) so as to grip a pocket, belt, or the like. The saddle  30  is envisioned to be fabricated from a resilient and translucent plastic, although other materials and colors may be provided without limiting the functions of the tool  10 . 
         [0023]    More particularly, the mounting member  35  provides a generally circular disk-shaped stabilizing surface and an attachment means to the pad  40 . The mounting member  35  is attached downwardly to a distal end portion of the saddle  30  and is located parallel to the body  20  at a distance predetermined by the gap  60 . An interior portion of said mounting member  35  includes a circular mount fastener  37  which preferably comprises a pair of hook-and-loop fasteners although other fastening means may be provided such as, but not limited to: adhesive, latches, snaps, buttons, magnets, or the like without limiting the functions of the device  10 . The mount fastener  37  attaches to a rear portion  44  of a pad  40 . Specifically, each of the hook and loop fasteners  37  may include adhesive surfaces for attachment to the rear portion  44  of the pad  40  and to the mounting member  35 , respectively, and also have complementary hook and loop surfaces, respectively, that selectively engage one another ( FIG. 3 ). The mounting member  35  is envisioned to be fabricated from a similar material as the body  20 . 
         [0024]    The above mentioned pad  40  provides a user with a circular cleaning surface to wipe an unclean golf ball. The pad  40  may include a user replaceable disposable water absorbent cleaning surface which is preferably pre-moistened with water or other cleaning liquid prior to installation on the mounting member  35 . The pad  40  includes a front surface area  42 , preferably constructed of felt or the like, that may include indicia such as script or logos based on a user&#39;s preference and may include images such as, but not limited to, sports names/logos, personal names, symbols, pictures, and the like to further customize and personalize the device  10 , for instances with a variety of colors and patterns. The rear portion  44  of the pad  40  may be constructed of a rigid or semi-rigid backing connected to the mount fastener  37 , as described above. The pad fastening mount fastener  37  is preferably a pair of hook-and loop fasteners, although other attachment means may be provided. It is also envisioned for the tool  10  would be supplied with up to ten (10) replacement pads  40  and/or to have replacement pads  40  readily available to the consumer after purchase of the device  10 . The pad  40  is envisioned to measure approximately two (2) inches in diameter and the structure would be made of a porous material such as, but not limited to: wood fibers, foamed plastic polymers, or the like. 
         [0025]    The body portion  20  includes a front side  21   a  and a rear side  21   b . The front side  21   a  of the body portion  20 , opposing the mounting member  35 , provides a circular recessed portion  28 , thereby providing a compartment to maintain a circular ball marker  50  for marking the resting location of a golf ball in play. The recessed portion  28  allows marker  50  to be positioned flush against the body  20 . The recessed portion  28  includes a body magnet  26 , thereby providing the attachment means for the marker  50 . The body magnet  26  engages with the marker, thereby securing the marker  50  to the recessed portion  28  on the body  20 . It is understood that the marker  50  may be constructed of metal and thus be normally attracted to the body magnet  26 . If, however, the marker is made of plastic, an additional magnet may be attached to the marker so as to provide the attraction. The body magnet  26  may include a truncated configuration ( FIGS. 3 and 6 ) that includes a surface area less than that of the marker  50  such that the marker  50  may be more easily removed from attraction to the body magnet  26  along the point here adjacent surfaces are not magnetically attracted. The marker  50  may include an outer surface  54  ( FIG. 3 ) for marker indicia thereby providing script or logos based upon a user&#39;s preference and may include images such as, but not limited to, sports names/logos, personal names, symbols, pictures, and the like to further customize and personalize the device  10  further comprising a variety of colors and patterns. 
         [0026]    It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
         [0027]    The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the device  10 , it would be installed as indicated in  FIGS. 1 through 4 . 
         [0028]    In use, the method of utilizing the device  10  may be achieved by performing the following steps: acquiring the device  10 ; moistening a pad  40 ; securing said pad  40  to the mounting member  35  via engaging the pad rear portion with the mount fastener  37 ; inserting the marker  50  into the recessed portion  28  via engaging the marker  50  (or marker  50  with an attached magnet if the marker is made of plastic) with the body magnet  26 ; inserting a belt, pocket, edge of golf bag into the gap  60  so as to rest the saddle  30  on top of said belt, pocket, or the like; removing the marker  50 , thereby disengaging the marker from the body magnet  26  to indicate the position of a golf ball on a golfing green; replacing the marker  50  as necessary; cleaning an unclean golf ball, thereby wiping said golf ball on the pad  40  or removing said pad  40 , thereby unfastening the pad from the mount fastener  37  as described above and wiping the unclean golf ball; reattaching the pad  40  as necessary; replacing the pad  40  and moistening as necessary; utilizing the tines  22 ,  24  thereto repair divots on the golfing green; utilizing the marker  50 , tines  22 ,  24 , and pad  40  as necessary; and, enjoying the game of golf with the device  10 . 
         [0029]    The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modification and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.