DEVICE FOR RESTORING THE GRASS SURFACE OF A GOLF GREEN

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for restoring the grass surface of a golf green, especially repairing said grass surface from marks of golf balls, said device being intended to be mounted in the shaft of a golf club, preferably the putter (1), and that said device comprises a fork-shaped portion (11; 11'; 11"), an intermediate portion (12; 12'; 12") and a fastening portion, which is intended to be received within the shaft (5) of said golf club. Significant for the device according to the present is that said fastening portion (13; 13'; 13") comprises a means (14) that is designed in such a way that when mounted inside the shaft (5) it contacts the inside of said shaft (5) in at least two spots or by line contact.

Description: DEVICE FOR RESTORING THE GRASS SURFACE OF A GOLF GREEN Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for restoring the grass surface of a golf green, especially repairing said grass surface from marks of golf balls, said device being intended to be mounted m the shaft of a golf club, preferably the putter, and that said device comprises a fork-shaped portion, an intermediate portion and a fastening portion, which is intended to be received within the shaft of said golf club. Prior Art From DE G 89 14 699.9 a device of the type defined above is previously known. The fastening portion constitutes a cylindrical, slotted portion that is inserted into the hollow shaft of a golf club. In connection therewith, a part of the grip of flexible material, e.g. rubber, that is attached to the shaft, must be cut away m the area of the free end of the shaft m order to allow insertion of the cylindrical portion. However, this fastening portion is relatively flexible due to the slot and furthermore the transition between the fork- shaped portion and the fastening portion has no stabilising function of the device m relation to the shaft of the golf club. From US-A-5, 511, 785 a device of the type defined above is previously known. In this case the fastening portion constitutes a cylindrical tube having a longitudinal, not through going slot. Said slot is intended to cooperate with a pm attached to the inner side of the hollow shaft of a golf club, said device may be brought to assume an inactive position when it is m principle completely pushed into the shaft and an active position when its fork-shaped portion extends beyond the end of the shaft. In both these positions the slot cooperates with the internal pm. It is immediately realised that the attachment of said pm brings about a modification of the shaft of the golf club. Objects and Features of the Invention A primary object of the present invention is to present a device of the type defined above, said device being intended to be mounted the shaft of a golf club, preferably a putter, where the mounting of the device according to the present invention may take place without any modification of the shaft of the golf club, including also the grip of flexible material. A further object of the invention is that an extremely firm fastening of the device m said shaft is achieved. The objects stated above are realised by means of a device that is characterized m that the fastening portion consists of a means having such a shape that when mounted mside a hollow shaft of a golf club it contacts the inner side of said shaft m at least two spots or by line contact. Brief Description of the Drawings Below preferred embodiments of the device according to the present invention will be described, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, where: Figure 1 shows a side view of a putter, which a device according to the present invention is mounted; Figure 2 shows m a larger scale a partly sectioned side view of the upper part of the shaft of the golf club according to figure 1; Figure 3 shows a partly sectioned side view of the corresponding part as figure 2, however, the side view being rotated 90° compared to the side view of figure 2; Figure 4 shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of a device according to the present invention; and Figure 5 shows a side view of a further alternative embodiment of a device according to the present invention. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Device According to the Present Invention The golf club, the shape of a putter, shown m figure 1 comprises a club head 3, a shaft 5 attached to the head and a grip 7 of a flexible material, e.g. rubber, said grip 7 being pushed onto the free end of the shaft 5. Normally, both the shaft 5 and the grip 7 have circular cross-section. As is evident from figures 2 and 3, said grip 7 is provided with a preferably circular hole 9 at the end adjacent to the free end of the shaft 5. Said hole 9 facilitates the mounting of the grip 7 on the shaft 5, i.e. displaced air may flow out through said hole 9 m connection with the mounting of the grip 7. In figures 1-3 it is shown how a device 10 according to the present invention is mounted m a putter 1. The device 10 according to the present invention comprises a fork-shaped portion 11, an intermediate portion 12, m the shape of a collar, and a fastening portion 13 that generally seen is threadlike m order to enable mounting of the fastening portion through the hole 9, the diameter of the hole 9 should to a reasonable degree be adapted to the diameter of the threadlike fastening portion 13. In this connection it should be pointed out that when mounting the device according to the present invention the threadlike fastening portion 13 is inserted through the hole 9 until the position shown m figures 2 and 3 has been achieved, i.e. the collar 12 abuts the free end of the grip 7. As is evident from figures 2 and 3 the threadlike fastening portion 13 is essentially linear m the view shown m figure 2 while said fastening portion 13 has a wave-like portion 14 m the view shown m figure 3. It is evident from both figures 2 and 3 that the fastening portion 13 has a straight portion 15 located closest to the collar 12, said portion 15 being provided with a bead 16 that mounted position of the device according to the present invention is located directly inside the hole 9 of the grip 7. The wavelike portion 14 joins the straight portion 15, said wave-like portion 14 being sinusoidal m the disclosed embodiment. As is evident from figure 3 the radially outmost portions of the wave-like element 14 abut the internal wall of the shaft 5, whereby a rigid mounting of the device according to the present invention is achieved m the direction parallel to the plane of the paper m figure 3. Generally seen, the fastening element 14 has a linear shape m a plane perpendicular to the paper in figure 2 and is sinusoidal in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the paper in figure 3, said planes being essentially perpendicular to each other. In this connection it should be emphasised that the diameter of the hole 9 is essentially smaller than the internal diameter of the shaft 5. However, the structural design of the fastening portion 13 enables mounting of the device 10 according to the present invention without a permanent enlargement of the diameter of the hole 9. Since the grip 7 normally is manufactured from flexible material a certain enlargement of the diameter of the hole 9 may occur, especially during mounting and dismounting of the device 10 according to the present invention. The fact that the device according to the present invention is rigid in a direction parallel to the plane of the paper in figure 3 is extremely important when considering the forces acting upon the device according to the present invention, when said device is in active position. In said active position the fork-shaped portion 11 is inserted into the ground, normally the lawn of a green, next to a mark from a golf ball and the shaft 5 is essentially vertical. Then the free end of the shaft 5 is tilted downwards in direction to the ground in order to elevate the area of the mark. In this connection the fastening portion 13 will be subjected to substantial forces, especially if the ground is hard, in the plane that is parallel to the paper in figure 3, i.e. the plane in which the device according to the present invention is rigidly mounted due to the abutment of the wave-like portion 14 against the inner wall of the shaft 5. The collar 12 of the device 10 according to the present invention contributes of course in absorbing the forces due to the fact that the collar 12 abuts the free end of the grip 7. If there is a wish to dismount the device 10 according to the present invention from the putter 1 the threadlike fastening portion 13 is drawn out through the hole 9 of the grip 7. Figures 4 and 5 show two alternative embodiments of the device 10' and 10" respectively according to the present invention to restore the grass surface of a golf green. It is common for both devices 10' and 10" that the fastening portion 13' and 13" respectively is helicoidal, and that the fork- shaped portion 11' and 11" respectively and the collar 12' and 12" respectively have principally the same design. Both devices 10' and 10" are also provided with a straight portion 15' and 15" respectively between the collar 12' and 12" respectively and the helicoidal fastening portion 13' and 13" respectively. The straight portion 15' and 15" is provided with a bead 16' and 16" respectively. In the embodiment according to figure 4 a further portion is provided between the fork-shaped portion 11' and the collar 12', said portion may for instance be used for advertising purposes. The mounting of the devices 10' and 10" is effected in principally the same way as has been described above in connection with the embodiment according to figures 1-3, i.e. the fastening portion 13' and 13" respectively is screwed/inserted through the hole in the grip. When the screw-shaped fastening portion 13' and 13" respectively has passed beyond the hole in the grip the device 10' and 10" may be pushed to its final position, i.e. when the collar 12' and 12" respectively abuts the end of the grip. In the final mounting position of the device 10' and 10" respectively the screw-shaped fastening portion 13' and 13" respectively will come into contact with the inner wall of the shaft, whereby a firm fastening of the device 10' and 10" respectively is achieved. In this connection it should be pointed out that in contrast to the device 10 according to figures 1-3 the device 10' and 10" respectively has a uniformly firm fastening in all directions . In this connection it should be pointed out that also for these embodiments the diameter of the hole in the grip is essentially smaller than the internal diameter of the shaft, in which the fastening portion 13'; 13" is received. Dismounting of the device 10' and 10" respectively according to figures 4 and 5 is effected in the reverse way compared to the mounting, i.e. the device 10' and 10" respectively is initially pulled outwards a certain distance, and then the screw-shaped fastening portion 13' and 13" is screwed out through the hole of the grip. Generally, for all embodiments disclosed above the fastening portion 13; 13'; 13" comprises a thread-shaped portion, which is designed in such a way that it defines an external cross dimension that is larger than the cross dimension of the thread shaped-portion itself. In this case, by external cross dimension it should be understood the cross dimension that in principle corresponds to the internal diameter of the shaft 5. The cross dimension of the thread- shaped portion should generally correspond with the diameter of the hole 9. Thereby, the thread-shaped portion may be inserted through the hole 9 when the device 10; 10'; 10" according to the present invention is mounted. In this connection it should be pointed out that since the grip 7 is manufactured from a flexible material the diameter of the hole 9 may be somewhat smaller than the diameter of the thread- shaped portion, i.e. the thread shaped portion widens the hole 9 somewhat in connection with mounting and dismounting of the device 10; 10'; 10" according to the present invention. However, it should be emphasised that the grip 7 or the adherent hole 9 in no way is subjected to any damage.

Claims: Claims 1. Device for restoring the grass surface of a golf green, especially repairing said grass surface from marks of golf balls, said device being intended to be mounted in the shaft of a golf club, preferably the putter (1), and that said device comprises a fork-shaped portion (11; 11'; 11"), an intermediate portion (12; 12'; 12") and a fastening portion, which is intended to be received within the shaft (5) of said golf club, said fastening portion (13; 13'; 13") comprising a means (14) being designed in such a way that when mounted inside the shaft (5) it contacts the inside of said shaft (5) in at least two spots or by line contact, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the fastening portion (13; 13'; 13") comprises a thread-shaped portion that is designed in such a way that it defines an external cross dimension that is larger than the cross dimension of the thread-shaped portion itself, and that said external cross dimension in principle corresponds to the internal diameter of the shaft (5) . 2. Device according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the part of the fastening portion (13; 13'; 13") that is located closest to the intermediate portion (12; 12'; 12") is received in an existing hole (9) in an end portion of a grip (7) of the golf club. 3. Device according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said part of the fastening portion (13; 13'; 13") is provided with a bead (16; 16' ; 16") . 4. Device according to any of the previous claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the means (14) of the fastening portion (13) that contacts the inside of the shaft (5) constitutes a thread being wave-shaped in one plane. 5. Device according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the main plane of the fork-shaped potion (11) is in principle perpendicular to the plane, in which the thread- shaped portion (14) is wave-shaped. 6. Device according to any of the claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the means of the fastening portion (13'; 13") that contacts the inside of the shaft (5) is screw-shaped. 7. Device according to any of the previous claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it has a collar (12; 12'; 12") that in mounted position of the device is intended to abut the end portion of the grip (7) .

Inventors: OLDNE LARS, PERSSON URBAN, OLDNE, LARS, PERSSON, URBAN
Applicants: OLDNE LARS, PERSSON URBAN, PULO INNOVATION HB, OLDNE, LARS, PERSSON, URBAN
Application year: 2000
Main classification: A63B57
IPC codes: A63B57