Abstract:
A telescoping golf ball tee with an internal locking mechanism is provided. The internal locking mechanism permits the golf ball tee neck to adjust to a desired height while still supporting the weight of a golf ball. Upon impact, a bowl-like member at the base of the golf ball tee neck is forced into a cavity in the golf ball tee base which, in turn, applies force to the golf ball tee neck which prevents the neck from escaping the base.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/268,376, filed on Dec. 16, 2015. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates in general to golf accessories and, more specifically, to a reusable, telescoping golf tee used in concert with a driving range practice mat. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    It is common knowledge to anyone who has practiced hitting golf balls on a driving range that finding the appropriate height tee is at best difficult. Driving range tees are used when hitting virtually any club in a golfer&#39;s bag. Some, such as short irons, require a very short tee height while others, such as a fairway wood or driver, require elevated tee heights to accommodate the deeper faces of these clubs. 
         [0004]    Typically, a driving range will provide tees having multiple lengths for patrons to use during practice. The range may have to provide as many as five to six different, individual tees to accommodate their patrons. Often, however, driving ranges may provide fewer choices which will limit the golfer. Golfers will also be required to lift the range mat to manually substitute one fixed-length tee for another fixed-length tee if they desire to use a different club. This process takes time, can be a dirty process if the mat is wet or muddy, and it prevents a golfer from changing tee height for each shot, should they desire to do so, thereby limiting the way a golfer practices. 
         [0005]    A need, therefore, exists in the art to provide a golf tee that can be adjusted without needing to replace one tee for another. A further need exists in the art for an adjustable golf tee that can be used repeatedly without being damaged by successive strikes with a golf club. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    According to the present invention, the foregoing and other objects and advantages are obtained by an adjustable length golf tee assembly, comprising an annular shaft member with a longitudinal interior cavity; the shaft member having an integrally molded annular base at a first end; the shaft member having an internal annular concavity at a second end with an opening at the second end; an annular neck member telescopically coupled to the interior cavity of the shaft member through the opening at the second end of the shaft member; the neck member having a first end protruding outside the internal cavity of the shaft member; the first end of the neck member further comprising a concave appendage for receiving a golf ball thereon; the neck member having a second end disposed within the internal cavity of the shaft member; and the second end of the neck member further comprising a bowl shaped appendage adapted to fit within the annular concavity at the second end of the shaft member. 
         [0007]    According to another aspect of the invention, the neck member telescopically extends coaxially within the interior cavity of the shaft member where the maximum extended distance between the first end of the shaft member and the first end of the neck member is achieved when the bowl shaped appendage is telescopically slid into a mated configuration with the annular concavity at the second end of the shaft member. 
         [0008]    According to another aspect of the invention, the shaft member, the neck member, the bowl shaped appendage and the internal annular concavity is constructed from a material selected from a group consisting of rubber, polyurethane or a synthetic composite. 
         [0009]    According to another aspect of the invention, a plurality of raised surfaces are disposed along the surface of the neck member and frictionally mate with the interior surface of the longitudinal interior cavity. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The invention will become more readily apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof shown, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a golf tee according to one aspect of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a golf tee according to one aspect of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a partial cross section of a golf tee according to one aspect of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a cross section of a golf tee according to one aspect of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a partial cross section of a golf tee according to one aspect of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a cross section of a golf tee according to one aspect of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a cross section of a golf tee according to one aspect of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates an adjustable golf tee of the instant invention, generally identified by reference numeral  10 . The adjustable golf tee  10  is depicted in  FIG. 1  with a golf ball  20  resting on top of a concave (not depicted) surface on adjustable neck  30 . Adjustable neck  30  is capable of being adjusted to rest at variable elevations. Adjustable neck  30  is telescopically joined together with neck  30  in an interlocking relationship to form a unitary device that is not intended to be separated during use. Base  40  is attached or, in a preferred embodiment, integrally molded into the annularly shaped mounting plate  80 . Adjustable neck  30  can telescope to different elevations by applying sufficient force on the adjustable neck  30  to overcome the friction fitting that holds adjustable neck  30  in a fixed elevation relative to base  40 . In another embodiment of the invention, friction fitting or any other commonly used technique known to those having ordinary skill in the art can be employed to maintain the height of the neck  30  when it is holding the weight of golf ball  20 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  depicts golf tee  10  in another orientation with neck  30  collapsed into the internal volume of base  40 . By adjusting the elevation of adjustable neck  30  relative to base  40 , a golfer can set a tee height of his choice, at will, on any or every shot, without having to replace the golf tee  10  in an attempt to achieve a desired height for their club selection. 
         [0020]    In the preferred embodiment, golf tee  10  is made from flexible rubber compound, polyurethane or a synthetic composite that is tolerant to a range of temperatures without a loss in rigidity to support a golf ball and maintain its structure, yet not so rigid as to impede the flexibility of the compounds for the purposes herein further described. Advantageously, the choice of such a compound provides the golfer with a desirable auditory feedback upon striking a golf ball with a golf club that cannot be achieved when harder, more brittle materials are used. Furthermore, harder, more brittle materials are subject to breakage whereas the preferred use of a rubber compound can maintain its structure after one or more uses. 
         [0021]    Adjustable neck  30  is designed to remain attached to base  40  during use as a result of a novel locking design.  FIG. 3  depicts a partial cross-section of base  40 . Adjustable neck  30  has a cup  50  at the internal end of adjustable neck  30 . Cup  50  is depicted in  FIG. 3  as a bowl-like structure. In other embodiments (not depicted), this bowl-like structure could take the form of a cube, pyramid or other structure known to those having ordinary skill in the art that would permit mating with a corresponding channel in the manner herein described. As depicted in  FIG. 3 , adjustable neck  30  is in a lower elevation relative to the maximum possible elevation. Channel  60  is depicted near the top of base  40 .  FIG. 4  also depicts a partial cross-section of base  40 . Adjustable neck  30  has a cup  50  at the internal end of adjustable neck  30 . As depicted in  FIG. 4 , adjustable neck  30  is in a lower elevation relative to the maximum possible elevation. Channel  60  is depicted near the top of base  40 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 5  depicts a partial cross-section of base  40 . In this orientation, adjustable neck  30  is raised to its maximum elevation. Cup  50  is mated with the contours of channel  60 , thereby causing adjustable neck  30  to be locked into base  40 .  FIG. 6  also depicts a partial cross-section of base  40 . In this orientation, adjustable neck  30  is raised to its maximum elevation. Cup  50  is mated with the contours of channel  60 , thereby causing adjustable neck  30  to be locked into base  40 . 
         [0023]    In use, the force of a golf club (not depicted) striking golf ball  20  will ordinarily cause the adjustable neck  30  to extend to its maximum elevation, but by mating cup  50  with channel  60 , the adjustable neck  30  remains at all times within the internal volume of base  40 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , during a golf club impact, the inner volume of the channel  60  is filled with a corresponding portion of mating cup  50 . It is believed that during impact, the mating cup  50  causes force to be exerted generally on the areas identified as point  90  and point  100 . This force is believed to pinch the portion of neck  30  that makes contact with the areas surrounding point  90  and point  100 . It is believed that this effectively closes down the only point of egress for adjustable neck  30  from base  40 . This process is believed to occur during the point of maximum stress from an impact, and at the most critical and only point of possible separation, effectively shutting down the escape point and preventing separation. In this manner, neck  30  remains attached to base  40  and a user may simply re-adjust the telescoping adjustable neck  30  to a desired elevation in-between golf shots. 
         [0024]    In a preferred embodiment, raised bumps  70  are depicted on adjustable neck  30  in  FIG. 6 . Bumps  70  are used to facilitate a users&#39; ability to maintain the desired pre-determined height while supporting the weight of golf ball  20  (as depicted in  FIG. 1 ). In a preferred embodiment, a golf mat (not depicted) having a hole with a diameter wide enough to accommodate the insertion of adjustable neck  30  and base  40  is rested on top of mounting plate  80  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). Mounting plate  80  has a larger diameter than the golf mat hole, so the force of a club strike will not separate the golf tee  10  from the golf mat. As a result, when the tee of the instant invention is used with a telescoping adjustable neck  30 , it is unnecessary to remove the golf tee from the golf mat after it is installed.