Golf tee dispenser

A golf tee dispenser including a length of rigid cylindrical tubing adapted to receive a plurality of golf tees therein and a thin elastic member disposed and held in tension transversely through the center of longitudinal axis of the tube and through and between opposing apertures formed in the walls of the tube adjacent one end. The elastic member is adapted, when tensioned, to retain the golf tees within the tube and to manually dispense one golf tee at a time when the tube is generally upright, the elastic member and apertures are at the lower end thereof, and the golf tees are downwardly pointed. Various forms of the elastic member are also provided, along with releasable engagement means for attachment of the dispenser to golf equipment such as bags and carts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention generally relates to accessories for playing the game of 
golf, and more particularly to a golf tee dispensers adapted to contain 
and manually dispense golf tees. 
Retaining golf tees in a container for ready access within other than the 
golfer's pocket or wedged behind his ear has always been a major obstacle 
to the playing of a round of golf. However, prior art discloses devices 
which, to some extent, provide a more civilized means for dealing with 
this problem. 
Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 7 through 10 disclose two prior art 
devices which attempt to serve this need. Referring firstly to FIGS. 7 and 
8, that prior art device includes an elongated cylindrical tube E having a 
transversely cut groove F forming an inwardly extending sector line with 
respect to the circular cross section of tube E. Elastic O-ring G is 
fitted within groove F and circumferentially around tube E. By this 
arrangement, O-ring portion G' must be outwardly flexed in order to 
manually dispense a golf tee GT. 
The prior art device depicted in FIGS. 9 and 10 also includes an elongated 
tube J provided at its lower end with a tight fitting flexible cup K 
having an aperture L centrally therethrough. Cup K is intended to snuggly 
fit over the end of tube J so that, when a golf tee GT is manually 
dispensed, aperture L is flexibly expanded and enlarged to allow the golf 
tee GT to pass therethrough one at a time. 
However, both of these prior art devices pose problems in function and 
operation. The first prior art device shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 tends to 
allow the pointed lower end of each golf tee GT to pass on the wrong side 
of O-ring segment G' making manual dispensing impossible, while the 
flexible cup K of the embodiment in FIGS. 9 and 10, even when glued in 
place, tends to detach from tube J during the downward force exerted 
thereon by manual dispensing of a golf tee GT. 
The present invention provides a golf tee dispenser which clearly avoids 
both of the above-referenced problems and provides unique and simple 
structure for achieving the intended function of both storing a plurality 
of golf tees while manually dispensing one golf tee at a time 
consistently. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention is directed to a golf tee dispenser including a length of 
rigid cylindrical tubing adapted to receive a plurality of golf tees 
therein and a thin elastic member disposed and held in tension 
transversely through the center or longitudinal axis of the tube and 
through and between opposing apertures formed in the walls of the tube 
adjacent one end. The elastic member is adapted, when tensioned, to retain 
the golf tees within the tube and to manually dispense one golf tee at a 
time when the tube is generally upright, the elastic member and apertures 
are at the lower end thereof, and the golf tees are downwardly pointed. 
Various forms of the elastic member are also provided, along with 
releasable engagement means for attachment of the dispenser to golf 
equipment such as bags and carts. 
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a golf tee dispenser 
which will contain and store a plurality of conventional golf tees while 
manually and consistently dispensing one golf tee at a time. 
It is another object of this invention to provide a golf tee dispenser 
which is easily manufactured and which is conveniently serviceable when 
replacement elastic cord or rubber band members are required. 
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a golf tee dispenser 
which is easily attachable to golf equipment such as golf bags and golf 
carts. 
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a golf tee dispenser 
which conveniently displays the quantity of golf tees stored therein. 
In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent 
hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with reference to 
the accompanying drawings in which:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to the drawings, and firstly to FIGS. A to D, two prior art 
devices are there shown and have been previously described in the 
background portion of this specification and will not be rediscussed here. 
Referring, then to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the preferred embodiment of the 
invention is shown generally at 10 and includes an elongated cylindrical 
transparent tube 12 having apertures 14 and 16 transversely disposed 
generally in registry and alignment one to another and with the 
longitudinal axis of tube 12 adjacent the lower end of tube 12. The 
interior diameter of tube 12 is chosen to freely and slidably receive the 
enlarged head of a conventional golf tee GT. The length of tube 12 is 
selected to accommodate a plurality of these golf tees GT, each being 
loaded into the tube 12 in a downwardly pointed direction as shown. The 
preferred material for tube 12 is a transparent plastic. 
As may be best seen in FIG. 3, a conventional elastic band 18 serves as the 
elastic golf tee retaining member which, when the device 10 is in an 
upright position, prevents golf tees GT from falling from the otherwise 
open end of tube 12. The elastic band 18 is installed through aligned 
apertures 14 and 16 by first flatening its sides together and feeding one 
end through each aperture 14 and 16. Thereafter, one loop end 22 extending 
out from aperture 16 is wrapped around the periphery of tube 12 while end 
portion 24 outwardly extending from aperture 14 is also wrapped in the 
opposite direction transversely around the periphery of tube 12 as shown. 
By this arrangement, then, the central portion 20 comprising the two 
adjacent stretched portions of the elastic band 18 provides the golf tee 
retaining and dispensing function wherein the lowest golf tee GT extending 
beyond the lower end of tube 12 may be grasped and pulled therefrom. 
As can be readily seen now with regard to this embodiment 10 of the 
invention, as with all embodiments, generally the invention provides an 
elastic tensioned member transversely disposed through aligned apertures 
14 and 16 which positions the elastic member centrally across the open 
lower end of tube 12. Therefore, the pointed end of a conventional golf 
tee GT may pass on either side of this tensioned elastic member and be 
easily removed manually from the tube 12 for use. 
Tube 12 is also provided with recessed flat 26 having a length of hooked 
material 28 which releasably engages to a length of looped material 30. 
Hooked portion 28 is adhesively attached to recess 26 while loop portion 
30 may be adhesively attached to a piece of golf equipment such as a golf 
bag or golf cart. By this arrangement, then the dispenser 10 may be 
conveniently attached to, and disengaged from, the golf equipment for use 
and refilling, respectively. 
Referring now to FIG. 4, another embodiment of the invention is shown 
generally at 10' and includes the same elongated tube 12 having apertures 
14 and 16 disposed as previously described. However, in this embodiment, 
the elastic member shown generally at 32 is formed of a length of elastic 
cord having been passed through apertures 14 and 16 so that its midportion 
34 is disposed therebetween and across the opening of the lower end of 
tube 12. The cord 32 is then tensioned slightly and tied at knot 36 so 
that only one half of the periphery of tube 12 is surrounded by elastic 
cord 32. Otherwise, this embodiment 10' functions as previously described, 
containing golf tees GT within tube 12 in an upright configuration while 
conveniently manually dispensing one golf tee GT at a time. 
Referring lastly to FIGS. 5 and 6, another embodiment of the invention is 
shown generally at 10'' and includes the same cylindrical tube 12 having 
apertures 14 and 16 as previously described. In this embodiment, however, 
a length of elastic cord 40 is disposed having its central portion 42 
passing between apertures 14 and 16 and, after tensioning, having its end 
portions 44 and 46 adhered in place between a length of elastic tape 40 
and the tube 12. The tape 44 completely transversely surrounds the 
periphery of tube 12 and traps the ends 44 and 46 of elastic cord 40 
therebeneath. 
While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is 
conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is 
recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the 
invention, which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed 
herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to 
embrace any and all equivalent apparatus and articles.