RETRACTABLE PUTTING GREEN

A golf putting device includes a flexible, elongate putting substrate. A distal target portion has a ramped portion attached to a distal end of the flexible, elongate putting substrate and contains a raised deck containing a golf hole. A substrate reel is proximally attached to the flexible, elongate putting substrate to retractably receive and to roll up the flexible, elongate putting substrate. A retraction mechanism selectably rotates the substrate reel to retractably roll up the flexible, elongate putting substrate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The field of art disclosed herein pertains to indoor golf putting surfaces, and more particularly for home-use golf putting surfaces.

2. Description of the Related Art

The current marketplace has a variety of putting greens from large outdoor/indoor permanent greens to smaller home/office versions. The problem with all of these is that these generally known putting greens either have to be out at all times taking up space or they have to be manually rolled/folded up after each use. Most every golfer has had one of the standard putting greens at one time or another and nearly all of them end up placed on a shelf or in a closet because the golfer finds it to be inconvenient to open/close the product each time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a golf putting device that includes a flexible, elongate putting substrate. A distal target portion has a ramped portion attached to a distal end of the flexible, elongate putting substrate and contains a raised deck containing a golf hole. A substrate reel is proximally attached to the flexible, elongate putting substrate to retractably receive and to roll up the flexible, elongate putting substrate. A retraction mechanism selectably rotates the substrate reel to retractably roll up the flexible, elongate putting substrate.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of practicing putting of a golf ball. In one or more embodiments, the method includes pulling a ramped target device that contains a golf hole out distally to uncoil and expose for putting practice a proximally attached, flexible, elongate putting substrate from a reel. The method includes triggering a retraction mechanism to recoil the flexible, elongate putting substrate onto the reel.

These and other features are explained more fully in the embodiments illustrated below. It should be understood that in general the features of one embodiment also may be used in combination with features of another embodiment and that the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A retractable putting green device provides for a readily retractable putting surface that enables use in a consumer environment with a minimum of setup and takedown. The putting surface can be retractable into a variety of base including a smaller travel version, large indoor/outdoor version, and a primary version. The latter can be housed in an attractive piece of furniture for the home or office. In one or more embodiments, a retraction force can be provided at least in part by a torsion spring mechanism that is similar to a window shade or some other version of retraction such as a power motor into a wooden piece of display furniture. Fixtures can be provided for storing putters and for displaying golf balls on the display furniture. This allows the golfer to store/display his putter and golf balls when not using the device.

Turning to the Drawings,FIG. 1illustrates a perspective view of a golf putting device100in a closed position, according to one or more embodiments. A flexible, elongate putting substrate102is housed within a furniture cabinet104when not in use, hidden by a face plate106that fits in a lower rectangular opening108on a front side110of the furniture cabinet104. A putter fixture112can be attached to the furniture cabinet104to store golf putters114. Golf ball fixtures116such as recesses formed into a surface of the furniture cabinet104receive golf balls118respectively. A distal target portion120(shown in phantom in an extended position) is attached behind the face plate106′ and proximally attached to the flexible, elongate putting substrate102.

To provide a convenient golf fixture112, a base portion121of the furniture cabinet104is attached to, but has a wider dimension than, an upper portion123of the furniture cabinet104. In one or more embodiments consistent with aspects of the present innovation, a golf putting device100can include no cabinet, a furniture cabinet that is more rectoid, a more rounded shape, other aesthetic or functional configurations, etc. In addition, the golf putting device100can occupy a portion of a clothes dresser with functional drawers toward the top.

FIG. 2illustrates that the distal target portion120can have a ramped portion122that is attached to a distal end of the flexible, elongate putting substrate102and containing a raised deck124containing a vertical golf hole126for receiving a golf ball that has been putted up the ramped portion122. A lateral conduit128communicates with the vertical golf hole126to eject a received golf ball118. In one or more embodiments, the flexible, elongate putting substrate102passes under and behind a tension pulley130mounted transversely across a back lower portion within a stowage compartment132for the distal target portion120in the furniture cabinet104. The flexible, elongate putting substrate102is taken up on a substrate reel134that is mounted transversely within the furniture cabinet104above the stowage compartment132.

In an exemplary embodiment, the golf putting device100includes a reel and retraction mechanism135includes a primary motor-actuated retraction mechanism136that is assisted by a spring-actuated retraction mechanism138. Embodiments consistent with aspects of the present innovation can have only one of the two. In one embodiment, the spring-actuated mechanism138can operate like a window blind. The primary motor-actuated retraction mechanism136can include an electric motor140that is geared or drive belt engagement to the substrate reel134and powered by a retraction motor drive142that is in turn supplied electrical power from a power supply144enabled by a user control146. Alternatively, a manual actuator such as a side crank148or a wheel149can extend out of the furniture cabinet104to provide for manual turning of the substrate reel134.

In one or more embodiments, the flexible, elongate putting substrate102has sufficient longitudinal stiffness to extend out of the furniture cabinet104solely by rotating the substrate reel134. In other embodiments, the face plate106is extended to pull the substrate102and to thereby passively turn the substrate reel134. The flexible, elongate putting substrate102′ (phantom) is in the extended position with most or all of its longitudinal length removed from the substrate reel134.

FIG. 3illustrates a top, rear isometric view of the reel and retraction mechanism135of the golf putting device100, according to one or more embodiments.FIG. 4illustrates a side diagrammatic view of the golf putting device100in the extended position for putting practice, according to one or more embodiments.

In an exemplary embodiment, the base of the unit can have a handle that allows the putting green to be pulled out from the main unit. The handle will be attached to a section of the front wood, which in turn is attached to a piece of molded plastic. The putting surface can attach over top the molded plastic and stretch a minimum of 10′ feet back to the main-unit retraction mechanism. The molded plastic end of the putting surface can have an elevation sufficient to allow a regulation size putting hole where the ball can drop into it and a channel in the plastic mold that allows the ball to return out the side. The putting surface material can be a minimum 18″ wide and thick enough to allow the material to unroll flat regardless of how long it has been rolled up inside the unit. The putting surface can have markers on each side of the material in 1-foot units. This allows the user to practice specific length putts. The device can have aesthetic features. The device allows golfers of all skill levels to practice their putting anytime they want. The surface can be unrolled in seconds, the putter and balls are stored on the unit for ease of access, and when finished everything can be put back away in seconds.

FIG. 5illustrates a method200of practicing putting of a golf ball. In one or more embodiments, the method200includes pulling a ramped target device that contains a golf hole out distally to uncoil and expose for putting practice a proximally attached, flexible, elongate putting substrate from a reel. Pulling the ramped target device can actuate a ratcheting spring mechanism to store energy (block202). The method200includes triggering a retraction mechanism to recoil the flexible, elongate putting substrate onto the reel. In one or more embodiments, triggering the retraction mechanism includes at least in part an additional retraction of the ramped target device to release a ratchet lock to enable the ratcheting spring mechanism to actuate by turning the reel to recoil the flexible, elongate putting substrate (block204). Alternatively or in addition, triggering the retraction mechanism includes actuating a motor to turn the reel to recoil the flexible, elongate putting substrate (block206).

In the above described flow chart ofFIG. 5, the method may be embodied in an automated manufacturing system that performs a series of functional processes. In some implementations, certain steps of the methods are combined, performed simultaneously or in a different order, or perhaps omitted, without deviating from the scope of the disclosure. Thus, while the method blocks are described and illustrated in a particular sequence, use of a specific sequence of functional processes represented by the blocks is not meant to imply any limitations on the disclosure. Changes may be made with regards to the sequence of processes without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Use of a particular sequence is therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present disclosure is defined only by the appended claims.

As will be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art, the methods and compositions of the invention substantially reduce or eliminate the disadvantages and drawbacks associated with prior art methods and compositions.

While it is apparent that the illustrative embodiments of the invention herein disclosed fulfill the objectives stated above, it will be appreciated that numerous modifications and other embodiments may be devised by one of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, it will be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and embodiments, which come within the spirit and scope of the present invention.