Abstract:
A device that is a retractable golf divot repair tool, a tool for attaching and removing soft spikes from the soles of golf shoes, and a holder for a ball marker. The present invention is provided with a case into which the pointed ends of the tool retract, and the case has an indentation provided in it to removably receive a ball marker that attaches magnetically to the indentation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a device that serves as a multi-functional tool. It is a retractable golf divot repair tool, it is a tool for attaching and removing soft spikes from the soles of golf shoes, and it is a holder for markers used in marking the position of golf balls on the golf course. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     When a golfer heads for the golf course, he needs several items. First, he needs a golf divot repair tool so that he can repair the sod when he disturbs it during play. Divot repair tools are provided with pointed ends to stick down into the sod in order to lift the sod. Because these pointed ends can stick the golfer, it is desirable that the tool be retractable into a cover to prevent the golfer from being poked by the pointed ends when he is carrying the tool in his pocket. 
     Second, since most of today&#39;s golfers wear golf shoes with replaceable soft spikes, a golfer needs to carry a tool to remove and replace soft spikes from the soles of his shoes. 
     Finally, a golfer needs a ball marker when he goes to play golf. 
     The present invention addresses all of these needs by providing a golf divot repair tool that is also a tool for engaging soft spikes. The present invention is provided with a case into which the pointed ends of the tool retract, and the case has an indentation provided in it to removably receive a ball marker that attaches magnetically to the indentation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a tool with a retractable portion that can be placed into three separate positions relative to the outside case of the tool: a first extended position where two pointed arms provided on the retractable portion protrude complete out of the case for use in repairing divots, as second partially extended position where the two pointed arms protrude only part way out of the case for use in attaching soft spikes to the sole of a golfer&#39;s shoes, and a third fully retracted position where the two pointed arms are fully retracted within the case for when the tool is not in use. 
     The retractable portion is movably sandwiched between an upper plate and a lower plate. A decorative top outside cover is attached to the upper plate and a decorative bottom outside cover is attached to the lower plate. 
     The upper plate and the top outside cover are each provided with a slot that extends along a longitudinal axis of the tool and communicates completely through its respective plate or cover. Each slot is sufficiently wide so that a neck portion of a latching mechanism extends through the slot and travels along the length of the slot between opposite ends of the slot. 
     An upper end of the neck portion is provided with male threads that removably engage female threads provided in a shank portion of a button knob. The button knob extends outward beyond the case. The neck portion is secured on its opposite end to a cylindrical shoulder so that the cylindrical shoulder is located between the neck portion and a lower cylindrical end of the latching mechanism. The latching mechanism is hollow and has an opening at the lower cylindrical end that communicates with the hollow interior compartment. The interior compartment consists of a larger diameter portion located adjacent to the opening and a smaller diameter portion located inward of the larger diameter portion that forms the terminus for the interior compartment. A compartment shoulder is formed in the hollow interior compartment at the intersection of the two portions. 
     A detent inserts in the hollow interior compartment along with a spring so that the spring enters the smaller diameter portion of the compartment and biases the detent outward. The detent has a rounded end that extends out of the opening and an opposite smaller end that inserts into the center of the spring so that a detent shoulder is formed at the intersection of the rounded end and the smaller end. When the detent is forced upward into the hollow interior compartment, the detent shoulder engages the compartment shoulder, thus limiting the upward movement of the detent within the compartment. 
     The lower cylindrical end of the latching mechanism inserts through a cylindrical opening that communicates through an end of the retractable portion located opposite the two pointed arms. When the latching mechanism is thus positioned, the shoulder lies above the plane of the retractable portion and the lower cylindrical end extends through the cylindrical opening and terminates below the plane of the retractable portion. 
     The upper plate is provided with a first upper channel of a sufficient depth to movably accommodate approximately half the thickness of the retractable portion. This first upper channel is closed at a first end and is open at a second end so that the retractable portion can be moved out of the case to its fully extended position at the second end of the first upper channel. Above this first upper channel, the upper plate is provided with a second upper channel for movably accommodating the shoulder of the latching mechanism. 
     Likewise, the lower plate is provided with a first lower channel of a sufficient depth to movably accommodate approximately half the thickness of the retractable portion. This first lower channel is closed at a first end and is open at a second end so that the retractable portion can be moved out of the case to its fully extended position at the second end of the first lower channel. Below this first lower channel, the lower plate is provided with a second lower channel for movably accommodating the lower cylindrical end of the latching mechanism. Below the second lower channel, the lower plate is provided with three concave indentations for removably receiving the rounded end of the detent as a means of latching the retractable portion in its fully extended position, its partially extended position, and its fully retracted position. 
     Together the first upper channel and the first lower channel define a channel compartment inside the case within which the retractable portion moves between its fully extended position and its fully retracted position. The upper and lower plates are secured together by means of screws that insert through screw openings provided in the upper plate and engage threaded screw openings provided in the lower plate. 
     The decorative top outside cover attaches to an outwardly facing surface of the upper plate by glue or other suitable fastening means. Likewise, and the decorative bottom outside cover attaches to an outwardly facing surface of the lower plate by glue or other suitable fastening means. 
     The decorative bottom outside cover is provided with an indented compartment into which a magnet is permanently affixed. The indented compartment is sufficiently large to accommodate a metal ball marker that is held in the indented compartment by the magnet. The magnet does not cover the entire surface of the indented compartment. Thus, to remove the ball marker from the indented compartment, the user presses on the ball mark at a location where the magnet is not present. This pressure causes the ball marker to tilt out of the indented compartment and the ball marker can be easily grasped and removed from the tool. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf divot repair tool constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the reverse side of the tool of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the tool of FIG. 1 showing the arrangement of the various parts that comprise the tool. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the upper plate of the tool taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the latching mechanism taken along lines  5 — 5  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the lower plate of the tool taken along line  6 — 6  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the bottom outside cover taken along line  7 — 7  of FIG. 3 showing the indention and magnet that hold a ball marker within the indention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The Invention 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a golf divot repair tool  10  constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The tool  10  is provided with a retractable portion  12  that can be placed into three separate positions  14 ,  16  and  18  relative to the outside case  20  of the tool  10 . 
     As illustrated in outline in FIG. 1, the first position  14  is a fully extended position where two pointed arms  22 A and  22 B provided on the retractable portion  12  are protrude complete out of the case  20 . The tool  10  is placed in this first position  14  when the pointed arms  22 A and  22 B are employed to repair divots. 
     Also as illustrated in outline in FIG. 1, the second position  16  is a partially extended position where the two pointed arms  22 A and  22 B protrude only part way out of the case  20 . The tool is placed in this second position  16  when the pointed arms  22 A and  22 B are employed to engage indentations provided in soft spikes attaching to the sole of a golfer&#39;s shoes. 
     Finally, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the third position  18  is a fully retracted position where the two pointed arms  22 A and  22 B do not protrude out of the case  20  but are fully retracted therein. The tool  10  is placed in this third position  16  when the tool  10  is not in use, such as when it is being carried in a golfer&#39;s pocket. In this third position  18 , the two pointed arms  22 A and  22 B are fully retracted within the case  20  and do not present a poking hazard that could injure the golfer. 
     Referring now to FIG. 3, the details of construction for the tool  10  are illustrated. The retractable portion  12  is movably sandwiched between two plates, an upper plate  24  and a lower plate  26 . A decorative top outside cover  28  is attached to the upper plate  24  and a decorative bottom outside cover  30  is attached to the lower plate  26 . The decorative top outside cover  28  and bottom outside cover  30  are preferably constructed of an attractive material, such as for example wood. 
     The upper plate  24  and the top outside cover  28  are each provided with a slot,  32 A and  32 B respectively. Each of the slots  32 A and  32 B extends along a longitudinal axis  34  of the tool  10  and communicates completely through its respective plate  24  or cover  28 . The slot  32 A is sufficiently wide so that a neck portion  36  of a latching mechanism  38  extends through the slot  32 A and travels along the length of the slot  32 A between its opposite ends  40 A and  42 A. Likewise, slot  32 B is sufficiently wide so that the neck portion  36  of the latching mechanism  38  also extends through the slot  32 B and travels along the length of the slot  32 B between its opposite ends  40 B and  42 B. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, an upper end  44  of the neck portion  36  is provided with male threads  46  that removably engage female threads  48  provided in a shank portion  50  of a button knob  52 , as will be further described hereafter. The neck portion  36  is secured on its opposite end  54  to a cylindrical shoulder  56  so that the cylindrical shoulder  56  is located between the neck portion  36  and a lower cylindrical end  58  of the latching mechanism  38 . The latching mechanism  38  is hollow and has an opening  60  at the lower cylindrical end  58  that communicates with the hollow interior compartment  62 . The interior compartment  62  consists of a larger diameter portion  64  located adjacent to the opening  60  and a smaller diameter portion  66  located inward of the larger diameter portion  64  that forms the terminus for the interior compartment  62 . A compartment shoulder  68  is formed in the hollow interior compartment  62  at the intersection of the two portions  64  and  66 . 
     A detent  70  inserts in the hollow interior compartment  62  along with a spring  72  so that the spring  72  enters the smaller diameter portion  66  of the compartment  62  and biases the detent  70  outward. The detent  70  has a rounded end  74  that extends out of the opening  60  and an opposite smaller end  76  that inserts into the center of the spring  72  so that a detent shoulder  78  is formed at the intersection of the rounded end  74  and the smaller end  76 . When the detent  70  is forced upward into the hollow interior compartment  62 , the detent shoulder  78  engages the compartment shoulder  68 , thus limiting the upward movement of the detent  70  within the compartment  62 , as will become apparent hereafter. 
     The lower cylindrical end  58  of the latching mechanism  38  inserts through a cylindrical opening  80  that communicates through an end  82  of the retractable portion  12  located opposite the two pointed arms  22 A and  22 B. When the latching mechanism  38  is thus positioned, the shoulder  54  lies above the plane of the retractable portion and the lower cylindrical end  58  extends through the cylindrical opening  80  and terminates below the plane of the retractable portion  12 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 4, the upper plate  24  is provided with a first upper channel  82 A of a sufficient depth to movably accommodate approximately half the thickness of the retractable portion  12 . This first upper channel  82 A is closed at a first end  84 A and is open at a second end  86 A so that the retractable portion  12  can be moved out of the case  20  to its fully extended position  14  at the second end  86 A of the first upper channel  82 A. Above this first upper channel  82 A, the upper plate  24  is provided with a second upper channel  88  for movably accommodating the shoulder  56  of the latching mechanism  38 . 
     Likewise, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the lower plate  26  is provided with a first lower channel  82 B of a sufficient depth to movably accommodate approximately half the thickness of the retractable portion  12 . This first lower channel  82 B is closed at a first end  84 B and is open at a second end  86 B so that the retractable portion  12  can be moved out of the case  20  to its fully extended position  14  at the second end  86 B of the first lower channel  82 B. Below this first lower channel  82 B, the lower plate  26  is provided with a second lower channel  90  for movably accommodating the lower cylindrical end  58  of the latching mechanism  38 . Below the second lower channel  90 , the lower plate  26  is provided with three concave indentations  92 ,  94 , and  96  for removably receiving the rounded end  74  of the detent  70  as a means of latching the retractable portion  12 , respectively, in its fully retracted position  18 , its partially extended position  16 , and its fully extended position  14 . 
     Together the first upper channel  82 A and the first lower channel  82 B define a channel compartment  82  inside the case  20  within which the retractable portion  12  moves between its fully extended position  14  and its fully retracted position  18 . The upper and lower plates  24  and  26  are secured together by means of screws  98  that insert through screw openings  100  provided in the upper plate  24  and engage threaded screw openings  102  provided in the lower plate  26 . 
     The decorative top outside cover  28  attaches to an outwardly facing surface  104  of the upper plate  24  by glue or other suitable fastening means. Likewise, and the decorative bottom outside cover  30  attaches to an outwardly facing surface  106  of the lower plate  26  by glue or other suitable fastening means. 
     The decorative bottom outside cover  30  is provided with an indented compartment  108  into which a magnet  110  is permanently affixed. The indented compartment  108  is sufficiently large to accommodate a metal ball marker  112  that is held in the indented compartment  108  by the magnet  110 . As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the magnet  108  does not cover the entire surface of the indented compartment  108 . Thus, to remove the ball marker  112  from the indented compartment  108 , the user presses on the ball mark  112  at a location here the magnet  110  is not present, as indicated by Arrow A in FIG.  7 . This pressure causes the ball marker  112  to tilt out of the indented compartment  108 , as shown in outline in FIG. 7, and from this position the ball marker  112  can be easily grasped and removed from the tool  10 . 
     Use of the Invention 
     The tool  10  is carried in a user&#39;s pocket in its fully retracted position  18 . In this position, the rounded end  74  of the detent  70  rests in the first concave indentation  92  and the force of the spring  72  pushing downward on the detent  70  holds the retractable portion  12  within the case  20  until a pushing force, as shown by Arrow B in FIG. 1, is exerted by the user on the button knob  52 . 
     The pushing force of Arrow B causes the detent  70  to move upward within the hollow interior compartment  62  of the latching mechanism  38  so that the rounded end  74  of the detent  70  disengages the first concave indentation  92 , allowing the retractable portion  12  to move to its partially extended position  16 . In its partially extended position  16 , the rounded end  74  of the detent  70  enters the second concave indentation  94  which holds the retractable portion  12  in this position  16  until a further pushing force Arrow B is applied to the button knob  52 . The pointed arms  22 A and  22 B can be used as a tool for engaging a soft spike for a golf shoe when the retractable portion  12  is in its partially extended position  16 . 
     When a further pushing force Arrow B is applied to the button knob  52 , the detent  70  again moves upward within the hollow interior compartment  62  of the latching mechanism  38  so that the rounded end  74  of the detent  70  disengages the second concave indentation  94 , allowing the retractable portion  12  to move to its fully extended position  18 . In its fully extended position  18 , the rounded end  74  of the detent  70  enters the third concave indentation  96  which holds the retractable portion  12  in this position  18  until a pushing force in the opposite direction from that applied by Arrow B, as shown by Arrow C, is applied to the button knob  52 . The pointed arms  22 A and  22 B can be used as a tool for repairing a divot when the retractable portion  12  is in its fully extended position  18 . 
     When a reverse pushing force Arrow C is applied to the button knob  52 , the detent  70  again moves upward within the hollow interior compartment  62  of the latching mechanism  38  so that the rounded end  74  of the detent  70  disengages the third concave indentation  96 , allowing the retractable portion  12  to move to its partially extended position  16 . In its partially extended position  16 , the rounded end  74  of the detent  70  enters the second concave indentation  94  which holds the retractable portion  12  in this position  16  until a further reverse pushing force Arrow C is applied to the button knob  52 . 
     When a further reverse pushing force Arrow C is applied to the button knob  52 , the detent  70  again moves upward within the hollow interior compartment  62  of the latching mechanism  38  so that the rounded end  74  of the detent  70  disengages the second concave indentation  94 , allowing the retractable portion  12  to move to its fully retracted position  18 . In its fully retracted position  18 , the rounded end  74  of the detent  70  enters the first concave indentation  92  which holds the retractable portion  12  in this position  18  until a pushing force Arrow B is again applied to the button knob  52 . 
     While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is manifest that many changes may be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for the purposes of exemplification, but is to be limited only by the scope of the attached claim or claims, including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled.