Abstract:
Disclosed is a holder for removably securing a magnetizable golf ball marker. In certain embodiments, the holder is made of a durable material containing a recessed area, and acts as a magnetic base for the ball marker, to which the ball marker is attracted. In certain embodiments, a permanent magnet is secured and concealed in the recessed area of the holder. In certain embodiments, the recessed area is approximately the same size of the magnet so the magnet fits securely in the recessed area. In certain embodiments, the holder and magnet are kept together by a backing material. In certain embodiments, the ball marker holder is affixed to a cap, visor, article of clothing, or golf accessory. In certain embodiments, the holder also displays an ornamental design, revealing a graphic on the top of the holder when the ball marker is removed from the holder. In certain embodiments, the ball marker is removed by sliding or lifting the marker away from the magnet and magnetic field and off the holder. In certain embodiments, the marker is slightly raised so that may easily be removed from the holder.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    In the game of golf, ball markers are routinely used to mark the position of a golf ball after landing on the green. Following proper etiquette and the rules of golf, players must mark and remove their golf ball when on the putting surface. At this point, the player is allowed to clean and wipe away grass, mud, and water that may have accumulated on the ball during play. Further, marking the golf ball allows other players, who are further away from the hole, to continue play without the possibility of their ball hitting other balls on the green. While another golfer may still hit the marker with the ball, the marker, because markers are typically small and relatively flat, causes substantially less deflection than would occur in a collision with another ball. 
         [0002]    Many golfers use ball markers that are small disc-shaped structures composed of a durable material, such as metal or plastic. Ball markers can be found as independent entities and as an example, coins have long been used to serve this purpose. However, this system has its drawbacks. Ball markers not affixed to something else are easily lost, dropped, or misplaced on the golf course. Players can have difficulty finding their ball marker in pant pockets or golf bags filled with golf balls, tees, car keys, and loose change. 
         [0003]    In response to this situation, ball markers affixed or that can be affixed to something else, such as a golf glove, shoe, or article of clothing, were developed. For instance, markers are commonly found on golf gloves, typically including a prong or pin that mates with a socket on the tab or elsewhere on the glove. However, such markers require a tight fit of the prong within the socket so that the marker is not dislodged during play. As a result, a fair amount of force needs to be applied to pry the marker from the socket for use. When returning the marker to the socket, care must be taken to properly align the prong or pin with the socket to avoid damage to either the prong or the socket. In addition, the prong and socket arrangement is prone to corrosion or jamming with foreign material, making it more difficult to remove and/or replace the marker. 
         [0004]    Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a ball marker system which addresses the shortcomings in the art. Specifically, such a ball marker system must have a relatively simple and straightforward design. Also, it must allow the golfer to be able to retrieve easily the marker and return the marker to its proper position. Thus, the positioning of the marker system must be in a natural-appearing and readily accessible place. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Disclosed is an improved golf ball marker and holder. In certain embodiments, the ball marker is made of a magnetizable material. In certain embodiments, the holder is non-circular in shape, composed of a rubber material, and contains a permanent magnet. In certain embodiments, the holder acts as a magnetic base to which the ball marker is magnetically drawn. In certain embodiments, a recessed area, located on a bottom surface of the base, contains the magnet. In certain embodiments, the magnet is secured in the recessed area within the base with a backing material. In certain embodiments, on a top surface of the base, a graphic exists and is visually exposed when the player removes the ball marker away from the base. In certain embodiments, the graphic can be painted, stitched, embroidered, or otherwise molded onto the rubber base. In certain embodiments, there is also an outer border to the base. In some embodiments, the outer border is used as a thread channel through which a threading sewing needle stitches directly through the border or base material in order to permanently stitch the base onto the brim of a baseball-style cap or other base fabric. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a top and front view of a ball marker holder with a graphic. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a bottom and side view with magnet and recessed area within a holder. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a bottom and side view with magnet in the recessed area within a holder. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a top and bottom view of an embodiment of a holder. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a top and bottom view of another embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a top and bottom view of another embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a top view of a holder attached to a cap. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a top view of a ball marker and holder attached to a cap. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    In certain embodiments, the ball marker is circular in shape, but it may be non-circular in other embodiments. In certain embodiments, the ball marker comprises a magnetizable material, and in one embodiment contains iron. In certain embodiments, the marker is secured in place by a magnetic field, generated from the magnet. In certain embodiments, the ball marker is positioned directly on the top surface of the base. In certain embodiments, the raised orientation of the ball marker atop the rubber base, as well as the ball marker overhanging the edge of the holder, allows for easy and simple removal by sliding or lifting the marker off the base. In certain embodiments, the magnetic field strength is strong and large enough to prevent the ball marker from coming loose or falling off the base during playing conditions. In certain embodiments, the ball marker is put back into place on the holder after use. In certain embodiments, the user can easily feel the holder without visual aid and place the marker thereon. Though described herein in relation to a baseball-style cap, the base can be fabricated on a visor, golf glove, shirt, pants, other clothing, golf bag, putter cover, or golf paraphernalia. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment, a holder for a ball marker comprises of a non-circular rubber base with a top surface and a bottom surface, an outer border, a magnet for magnetically holding the ball marker, and a recessed area of the holder. In certain embodiments, the recessed area is approximately the same size as the magnet such that the magnet fits securely inside the recessed area. In certain embodiments, the magnet is contained within the recessed area of the holder with a self-adhesive backing material, double-sided plastic tape, covering the magnet and the bottom surface of the holder. In certain embodiments, the plastic tape affixes the holder on a top side of a brim of a cap. In certain embodiments, the holder is further secured by using the outer border as a thread channel so that the holder is sewn onto the brim of a cap. In certain embodiments, stitching is sewn completely through the thread channels of the outer border and through one or more fabric layers in the brim of the cap. 
         [0016]    In another embodiment, the magnet is inside the recessed area at the bottom surface of the rubber base. In certain embodiments, the holder is sewn, using the outer border of the rubber base as thread channels, to the brim of a cap through one or more fabric layers. In certain embodiments, both the bottom surface of the holder and the magnet are in direct contact with the fabric, securing the rubber base and magnet in place. 
         [0017]    In another embodiment, the magnet is inside the recessed area of the rubber holder. In certain embodiments, the magnet and bottom surface are covered by a backing material, a layer of a rubber material. In certain embodiments, the magnet is completely surrounded by rubber material inside the base. In certain embodiments, the base is fabricated using the outer border as a thread channel on the brim of a cap. 
         [0018]    The holder may be secured to an article of clothing, such as a baseball-style cap, wherein the holder is attached to the brim of the cap. In certain embodiments, the holder can be stitched and/or the double-sided plastic tape can be used to affix the holder onto a top portion of a cap brim. In certain embodiments, the holder may be placed on other locations on caps or visors. For example, the holder may be attached to a bottom portion of a brim. In certain embodiments, the magnet generates a magnetic field that penetrates through the rubber and any materials generally used to construct a cap brim. In certain embodiments, the ball marker may be positioned directly on the rubber base or on the opposite side. 
         [0019]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. To provide an overall understanding, certain illustrative embodiments will now be described; however, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention described herein can be adapted and modified for other suitable applications and that the other additions and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the systems and methods described herein. 
         [0020]    Unless otherwise specified, the illustrated embodiments can be understood as providing exemplary features of varying detail, and therefore, unless otherwise specified, features, components, modules, and/or aspects of the illustrations can be otherwise combined, separated, interchanged, and/or rearranged without departing from the disclosed system. Additionally, the shapes and sizes of components are also exemplary and unless otherwise specified, can be altered without affecting the disclosed systems or methods. Throughout the entirety of the present disclosure, use of the articles “a” or “an” to modify a noun can be understood to be used for convenience and to include one, or more than one of the modified noun, unless specifically stated. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  illustrates a top view of a golf ball marker base  10  or holder. In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the base  10  comprises molded rubber. The rubber base  10  is significantly non-circular in shape. A top surface  15  of the base  10  has a graphic  20  that is molded as part of the rubber base  10 . A permanent magnet  40  (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) is contained inside the rubber base  10  and visually concealed by the graphic  20 . There is an outer border  11 , part of the rubber base  10 , comprising semi-transparent rubber. 
         [0022]    A bottom surface  12  of the base  10  is shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  and has a recessed area  30  and a magnet  40  that fits inside the recessed area  30 . The recessed area  30  has a depth d, length l and height h and the magnet  40  has dimensions approximately equal to d, l and h so that recessed area  30  and magnet  40  have a similar shape and volume. For illustrative purposes only, the magnet  40  is removed from the recessed area  30  in  FIG. 2 . In  FIG. 3  the magnet  40  securely fits in the recessed area  30  since the shape and volume of the recessed area  30  is approximately equal to that of the magnet  40 . The recessed area  30  of the rubber base  10  surrounds all but one side of the magnet  40  that is exposed. The magnet  40  is secured in such a way the exposed side of the magnet  40  is generally flush with the bottom surface  12  of the holder  10 . The bottom surface  12  and the semi-transparent rubber outer border  11  of the base  10  are shown. 
         [0023]    The top and bottom/side views of one embodiment are shown in  FIG. 4 . The magnet  40  and bottom surface  12  of the rubber base  10  are covered with a self-adhesive backing material  14 . The backing material  14  in this embodiment is a double-sided plastic tape. The shape and size of the plastic tape  14  is similar to that of the bottom surface  12  of the rubber base  10 . One side of the tape  14  keeps the magnet  40  secured in the recessed area  30  and the other is used to attach the base  10  to an article of clothing. The tape  14  is partially peeled back in  FIG. 4  to show the magnet  40  in the recessed area  30  and is for illustrative purposes only. 
         [0024]    It is within the scope of this invention that the location of the base  10  attached to an article of clothing can be determined by the user. The user is able to peel paper off the backing, exposing one side of the sticky plastic tape, and place the base  10  anywhere desirable. The double-sided plastic tape  14  creates a barrier between the article of clothing and the magnet  40 . The magnet  40  does not come in direct contact with fabric materials. A graphic  20  is on the top surface  15  of the rubber base  10 . 
         [0025]    In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 5-8 , an outer border  11  contains thread channels  13  that are used for sewing the ball marker holder  10  onto an article of clothing. The thread channels  13  are merely an extended outer border of the rubber base  10  that extend from the top surface  15  to the bottom surface  12  of the rubber holder  10 . A threaded sewing needle stitches directly through the border  11  or base material of the thread channel  13  in order to permanently stitch the base  10  onto the brim of a baseball-style cap  60  or other base fabric. The rubber base  10  can be fabricated to golf accessories, such as a putter cover, and/or other sports apparel. At least one layer of fabric is used to attach the base to the article of clothing. 
         [0026]    Another embodiment of the holder  10  is shown in  FIG. 5 . The golf ball holder  10  in  FIG. 5  contains a rubber backing material  50  to secure the magnet  40  inside the recessed area  30 . The backing material  50  is a layer of rubber that covers the bottom surface  12  of the holder  10  and magnet  40 . Similar to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the magnet  40  is not physically against the attached article of clothing. Thread channels  13  in the outer border  11  of the rubber base  10  are used to sew the holder  10  to an article of clothing. A graphic  20  appears on the top surface  15  of the base  10 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  illustrates another embodiment of the invention. The magnet  40  is in the recessed area  30  of the rubber base  10 . However, in this embodiment, the bottom surface  12  and the magnet  40  are not covered by a backing material  50 . The base  10  is sewn directly to an article of clothing which permanently secures the ball marker holder  10  in place by using the thread channels  13  along the outer border  11 . The thread used for sewing passes through at least one layer of fabric. The bottom surface  12  of the rubber holder  10  in this embodiment may be in direct contact with the fabric of the article of clothing being used, however, the bottom surface of the magnet  40  is still covered with a layer of double sided tape  14  so that it does not come in direct contact with the fabric layer. This tape  14  is meant to hold the rubber or magnet  40  item in place during the sewing process. 
         [0028]      FIGS. 7 and 8  show an embodiment where the ball marker holder  10  is attached to a baseball-style cap  60 . The term “cap” used herein is defined as the headwear seen most commonly used by baseball players, having a crown portion, covering the wearer&#39;s head, and a brim portion attached to the crown portion. There may be any number of possible adjustments, straps, buckles, snaps, or attachments located on a back side of the crown portion that regulates the size of the cap to fit on the wearer&#39;s head. The ball marker holder  10  in  FIGS. 7 and 8  show the holder  10  attached to a top surface on the brim. The holder  10  is attached to the brim by double-sided plastic tape  14  (not seen in  FIG. 7  or  8 ), and by stitching using the thread channels  13  in the outer border  11  of the base  10 . The stitching thread penetrates at least one layer of fabric in the cap brim. The top surface of the holder, in  FIG. 7 , reveals a graphic  20  when the ball marker  70  is not present. 
         [0029]    A non-magnetic ball marker  70  is placed on top of the holder  10  in  FIG. 8 , covering the graphic  20 , directly against the rubber holder  10 . The ball marker  70  is thin and circular in shape. It is composed of a ferrous, magnetizable material, which is attracted to the magnet  40 . A graphic design is displayed on a top side of the ball marker  70 . Those of ordinary skill in the art appreciate that ball markers may have a graphic or indicia displayed thereon. 
         [0030]    It is within the scope of this invention that the ball marker  70  be placed anywhere on the cap  60  within the magnetic field produced by the magnet. The ball marker  70  can be placed on the bottom side of the cap brim, directly below the rubber base  10 . The magnetic field generated by the magnet penetrates the rubber base  10  and the various layers of fabric used to construct a cap brim. The ball marker  70  directly presses against the fabric of the cap brim. 
         [0031]    Although the holder has been described relative to specific embodiments thereof, it is not so limited. Obviously many modifications and variations may become apparent in light of the above teachings. Elements, components, modules, and/or parts thereof that are described and/or otherwise portrayed through the figures to communicate with, be associated with, and/or be based on, something else, can be understood to so communicate, be associated with, and/or be based on in a direct and/or indirect manner, unless otherwise stipulated herein. 
         [0032]    Many additional changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of parts, herein described and illustrated can be made by those skilled in the art.