Abstract:
A golf practice system including a containment structure and a mechanically driven golf ball-return unit coupled to the containment structure, with a sloped portion or channel directing a struck golf ball to the return unit such that the golf ball is mechanically projected back to the golfer. A berm device for chipping practice and other uses also is disclosed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention generally relates to a recreational system that includes a containment member and golf ball-return unit that is especially useful for providing a portable practice area for golfers. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Driving ranges exist to provide an area in which participants may practice hitting a golf ball without the use of actual golf coarse space. Such driving ranges typically consist of a space that is bounded by nets to safely stop a struck golf ball and may include targets or other features designed to provide feedback to a golfer. While useful for their intended purpose, driving ranges are large, fixed facilities that a user must be transported to and share with other users. 
   Hitting actual golf balls in a practice session is essential for learning to develop a sound golf swing and playing the game of golf well. Most importantly, it is highly desirable that a golfer develop a good swing by simulating play and practicing a variety of shots, including driving, chipping, putting, and the like. 
   There is simply no substitute for hitting real golf balls. A primary reason that a golfer goes to an outdoor driving range is to practice his or her swing mechanics and follow through. However, in addition to the time consumed and cost expended to get to and use a driving range, often the range only facilitates a tee drive. In other words, chipping, putting, or other shots are either not permitted or not practical to practice because the driving range provides only yardage markers or distant and fixed targets. Thus, the golfer could greatly benefit from a device that provides the benefit of hitting real golf balls in a timely manner by having a practice system located at his/her residence, that allows one to practice a variety of golf swings/shots, that realizes significant cost savings by requiring only one or a few golf balls (versus paying for a bucket of golf balls over and over), and that obviates the need to retrieve the balls by providing an automatic ball return coupled to the practice system containment area. 
   Many inventors have created golf practice nets. None of these devices are known to both provide the golfer sufficient flexibility in the type of swing or shot practiced (e.g., putting, driving, chipping) and to provide an automated ball return function, among other features. Moreover, electronic devices such as lighted sticks, projecting beam clubs, and floor mounted sensors can predict the path of the ball by sensing the club head speed and orientation at impact but usually are expensive or require a relatively large range located indoors. Of course, electronic practice methods also can be very unnatural and may not offer the benefits of striking a real golf ball. 
   The related art does teach various golf ball driving practice and training devices comprised of a frame structure and receiving netting to serve as a means whereby golfers may conveniently and easily practice driving golf balls in a small area. For example, the following U.S. patents disclose various types of devices which utilize a containment area for safely arresting golf balls. 
   Tillery, U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,219, discloses a typical cage-type driving range that offers the ability to practice a diving swing but not putting or chipping from variable distances. Moreover, Tillery&#39;s device relies on gravity to return the ball to a user at a fixed location. The invention of this patent also appears to be not easily relocated. 
   Steen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,931, is typical of many practice nets. While not solely intended for golf, it embodies basic principles of netting and rigid frame. Again, only driving and perhaps some chip shots can be practiced, with no mechanical ball-return means provided. 
   Hence, it continues to be desirable to have a golf practice system that improves upon the foregoing and related art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates in general to a recreational system that includes a containment member and mechanized ball-return unit. The containment member may include a net or flexible material that acts to dissipate the kinetic energy of a ball that comes into contact therewith. Moreover, the invention can include a variety of unique and useful features, such as a berm “obstacle” and a ball-return unit that projects a ball a variable distance back to a user. Preferably, the embodiments of the invention are portable and easily assembled/disassembled. 
   In one embodiment of the invention, a golf practice apparatus is provided that includes a containment member adapted to contain an incoming golf ball within a defined area and a mechanically driven golf ball-return unit coupled to the containment member. The containment member includes a sloped portion (such as a ramp or a channel) that directs a golf ball hit into the containment area to the return unit so that the golf ball is mechanically projected back to a user. Thus, the golfer does not have to purchase a large plurality of balls and avoids the need to retrieve each ball after it is struck. 
   In some embodiments, the containment member is made to cause a golf ball to drop substantially vertically upon striking an interior surface of the containment member. For example, heavy canvass and other materials are know to provide such an effect. Thus, a channel disposed about a periphery of the containment area can receive a vertically falling golf ball and direct it to the ball-return unit. 
   In another embodiment of the invention, the golf practice apparatus includes a berm disposed in front of a golf ball-return unit. In this embodiment, the golf ball-return unit preferably is adapted to eject a golf ball over the berm. 
   In yet another embodiment of the invention, a portable containment member is provided that is connected to a mechanically driven golf ball-return unit via a sloped ramp located at the bottom of the containment member. 
   Additional features and advantages of the invention will be forthcoming from the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is partial front view of a second embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the ball-return unit illustrated in  FIG. 2  as taken along dotted line  3 - 3  and viewed in the direction of the arrows. 
       FIG. 4  is a simplified schematic side-view of the ball return mechanism shown in  FIG. 3 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , the numeral  2  generally identifies a golf practice apparatus of the invention. The apparatus  2  includes a containment member  4  adapted to contain an incoming golf ball  6  within a defined area (in this case, the area defined by A, B, C). A mechanically driven golf ball-return unit  10  is coupled to containment member  4  via sloped floor or ramp  12  that directs a golf ball  6  to return unit  10  so that the golf ball can be mechanically projected back to the apparatus user. 
   Preferably, the golf ball-return unit  10  is adapted to project the golf ball  6  a variable distance (as symbolized by dotted lines X, Y). Accordingly, a user may strike a golf ball from a variety of distances and/or on a variety of playing surfaces. 
   Returning to  FIG. 1 , the containment member  4  in this embodiment further includes a material  14  adapted to cause a golf ball  6  to drop substantially vertically (as symbolized by dotted arrow V). Thus, golf ball  6  can descend into a ball channel  16  disposed about a bottom periphery of the containment member  4 . Alternatively, the ball  6  may fall to the ramp  12 . In either case, the ball  6  is directed to ball-return unit  10  due to the slope of the channel  16  or ramp  12  (with the direction of the ball to the return unit being symbolized by arrows R). 
   The apparatus  2  may further include a berm  20  disposed in front of the golf ball-return unit  10 . The function of the berm is mainly two-fold. First, it provides a protective barrier that prevents a low “line drive” from damaging the ball return unit  10  or “ricocheting” off the ramp  12  or channel  16  of the containment unit  4 . Second, the berm simulates a golfing situation in which a ball must be shot with a trajectory that “clears” a certain obstacle. Thus, it forces the golfer to “chip” over the berm so as to simulate, for example, clearing a hazard or shooting out of a bunker or trap. In this regard, the berm  20  may be of a variety of lengths, shapes and heights depending on the desired effect. 
   In addition to practicing driving and chipping, a user can also practice putting. To simulate putting on an upslope, a “hole” may be disposed on ramp  12  of the containment member such as flag  24 . Preferably, when flag  24  is struck by the putted ball, the flag moves or falls over so that a user can easily discern an accurate shot. The flag  24  also may be disposed on adjacent to or inside the portion of the channel  16  the feeds directly into return unit  10  so that putting on a flat surface may be practiced (i.e., the ball simply enters the channel  16  and hits the flag, which stops its momentum so that the ball can feed into return unit  10 ). 
   When a golfer practices with a berm  20 , preferably the ball-return unit  10  is adapted to eject a golf ball  6  over the berm. In one embodiment of the invention, the “adaptation” includes varying the speed of a pair of roller members  28  disposed inside the return unit  10  such that the ball is projected upwardly along a desired trajectory (described in more detail in below and show in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). 
   Turning to  FIG. 2 , a second embodiment of the invention is illustrated. This embodiment includes a planer containment member  30  that is adapted to cause a golf ball  32  to drop substantially vertically (arrow D) upon striking the interior surface (i.e., the surface facing the golfer) of planer containment member. Preferably, member  30  is made from a shock-absorbing material that is capable of absorbing the kinetic energy of the ball  32  such that it drops substantially vertically upon string member  30 . Disposed about the bottom periphery of the containment member  30  is a sloped ball channel  34 , which directs ball  32  to ball-return unit  36  so that it may be projected back to the golfer. 
   As illustrated in cross-sectional view in  FIG. 3 , one preferred embodiment of the ball-return unit  36  includes a pair of roller members  40  adapted to eject a golf ball in a curved trajectory. Each roller  40  is mounted on an axle  42  the is either coupled to a bearing  44  or a motor M. In this embodiment, the motor M rotates one roller  40  while the other roller is free spinning. Hence, a ball  32  that is directed into return unit  36  via channel  34  falls through opening  50  into hopper  54 , which then feed the ball to the pair of rollers  40 . As the ball passes through the rollers, it is projected upwardly out of the return unit. 
     FIG. 4  depicts in a simplified schematic view that a preferred feature of the roller members  40  is their being disposed with a deformably resilient material  58  (such as pliable rubber) on a ball-contact surface  60 . Thus, the deformably resilient material  58  “grabs” a ball  32 , conforms to the ball&#39;s shape, and assumes its original roller conformation upon release of the ball. 
   Various modifications are possible within the meaning and range of equivalence of the appended claims.