Abstract:
A collapsible support assembly is provided, which is adapted for use with a golf flag pin in order to easily maneuver between a collapsed vertical position and an uncollapsed extended position. The collapsible support assembly includes an actuating sheath member, which, in combination with biasing means, is capable of extending or retracting a first leg and a second leg, so as to support the golf flag pin above the ground when in the extended position. The collapsible support assembly also includes a movable leg ring and a fixed leg ring, which is adaptable for attachment to the golf flag pin.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to golf flag pins, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a collapsible support assembly, with extendable and retractable legs, which is adaptable for use on a golf flag pin. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     For the past decade or so, golf has made a reemergence, particularly in the United States, as an extremely popular sport. The concept of the game is fairly simple. A player begins the game by teeing up his golf ball and driving it down the fairway toward the green. The intent is to hit the ball into a recessed hole, which is strategically located on the green. Ultimately, the player&#39;s objective is to hit the ball into the hole in the least amount of shots possible, so ideally, the player would like to hit the ball into the hole on the first try, but this rarely occurs. 
     Because the distance from the tee to the hole is usually quite long, the golf course places a golf flag pin in the hole, so that the player will be able to aim at a visible target. Typically, when the ball finally reaches the green the player removes the golf flag pin, places it onto the green and attempts to putt the ball into the hole. As stated before, the goal is to hit the ball into the hole in the fewest possible strokes. Because a typical eighteen-hole golf course has a par rating of seventy-two (a player can only hit the ball seventy-two times during the game to stay at par), putting is an essential part of the game due to the accuracy and precision it takes to hit the ball into the hole. 
     Many factors make putting a more difficult task than it appears to be at first glance. For instance, the player must consider the slope of the green, the speed at which the ball will travel on the green and the intended line of travel of the ball, to name a few. With these already built-in obstacles to the green, the player typically wants to avoid any other additional hazards during his putting. Thus, a player desires a smooth and uniformed green to putt on. However, this is not always the case because, as mentioned before, a player will remove the golf flag pin and place it onto the green prior to putting. Many times the player is not considerate and will throw the golf flag pin onto the green instead of gently placing the pin onto the green. This inconsiderate act usually causes many gouges on the green, creating a bumpy and difficult green to putt on for the next player by disturbing the line of travel of the ball to the hole. 
     Therefore, it is desirable to have a golf flag pin, which is capable of being self-supported above the surface of the green so as to eliminate the amount of damage to the green due to inconsiderate players dropping the golf flag pin onto the green and causing gouges. 
     A prior art search directed to the subject matter of this application in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office revealed the following Letters Patent:
         U.S. Pat. Nos. 663,761, 6,029,599 5,482,247, 6,955,609 5,492,430, 7,004,104 5,884,881       

     In addition to the above issued prior art utility patents, there was also found U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2003/0102414 dated Jun. 5, 2003 to Smart and 2004/0198527 dated Oct. 7, 2004 to Hsieh. 
     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,955,609 to Harry F. Hiltner, Jr. et al. discloses a golf club and golf pin stand which includes a main body support bracket and a pair of leg members ( FIG. 1 ) which, when attached to a golf pin, supports the golf pin above the ground in a tripod configuration. The main body support bracket is adapted to be connected to the shaft of the golf pin. The leg members are pivotally attached to the main body support bracket and move freely relative thereto between a retracted position when the golf pin is in a vertical position and an extended position when the golf pin is in a horizontal position. 
     Further, the patent to Hiltner, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,599 teaches a golf pin stand device having a connector and a pair of leg members which, when attached to a golf pin, supports the golf pin above the ground in a tripod configuration. The connector is adapted to be connected to the shaft of the golf pin. The leg members are pivotally attached to the connector between a retracted position when the pin is in a vertical position and an extended position when the pin is in a horizontal position. 
     Furthermore, there is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0102414 to Smart a collapsible support which includes extendable and retractable arms and legs for generating an uncollapsed and collapsed state. In the uncollapsed state, the support can be placed on most types of surfaces in an upright position to support a golf club or other items by leaning the item against the arms or hanging the item from the arms. In the collapsed state, the arms and legs are substantially parallel and adjacent to the support&#39;s body and is thus easily transported or stored. Additionally, the support includes an arm attachment assembly, which is attached to the body, and a leg attachment assembly, which is attached to the body, both operable to extend and retract the respective arms and legs. There is also provided a biasing member (spring) to bias the arms and legs in a retracted position, an actuating member to extend the arms and legs, and a locking mechanism to lock the arms and legs in the extended position. 
     In particular as shown in  FIG. 3 , the leg attachment assembly includes a moving leg ring, which is attached to an inner tube, a fixed leg ring, which is attached to an outer tube, and leg links each having a leg end pivotally attached to the leg and a ring end pivotally attached to the fixed leg ring. The spring can be compressed between the moving leg ring and the fixed leg ring. 
     Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 663,761 to Johnson discloses a supporting attachment for a golf-flag which includes two corresponding arms having their outer ends bent upwardly to form feet so as to prevent the ends of the arms from being caught in the turf. The inner ends of the arms are secured to a sleeve-like swivel, which is arranged to turn freely between the collars, which are disposed on the ends of a sleeve. 
     The remaining patents, listed above but not specifically discussed, are deemed to be only of general interest and show the state of the art in golf pin stands. 
     Although the prior art discussed above attempt to support a golf flag pin, when not in the hole, above the surface of the green, many of the devices are heavy, awkward to use and present the problem of pinching fingers when engaging the device. Further, none of the prior art discussed above discloses a collapsible support assembly, adaptable for use with a golf flag pin, with an actuating sheath member, operable to extend retractable legs so as to support the pin above the surface of the green. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a collapsible support assembly, which is easily adaptable for use with a golf flag pin and is capable of supporting the pin above the surface of the ground so as to reduce the amount of gouges inflicted onto the green from careless players who drop the pin onto the green. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible support assembly, which is adaptable for use with a golf flag pin, so as to eliminate the need for a golf player to bend over and pick up the golf flag pin from the surface of the green. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a collapsible support assembly, which is adaptable for use with a golf flag pin, so as to prolong the life span of the flag. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a collapsible support assembly, which is adaptable for use with a golf flag pin, and that is easy, safe and time efficiently convenient to use during a round of golf. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a collapsible support assembly, which is adapted for use with a golf flag pin in order to easily maneuver between a collapsed vertical position and an uncollapsed extended position. The collapsible support assembly includes an actuating sheath member, a first leg, a second leg, biasing means, a movable leg ring and a fixed leg ring, which is adaptable for attachment to the golf flag pin. Biasing means, for moving the first and second legs between an extended position and a retracted position when the actuating sheath member engages the biasing means, is operably connected to the fixed leg ring. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings with like reference numerals indicating corresponding parts throughout, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the collapsible support assembly  10  of the present invention, connected to a golf flag pin  1 , illustrating the uncollapsed state with the legs in an extended position; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the collapsible support assembly  10  of the present invention, connected to a golf flag pin  1 , illustrating the uncollapsed state with the legs in a retracted position and with the actuating sheath member  20  removed to illustrate in detail the other elements of the collapsible support assembly  10 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the collapsible support assembly  10  of the present invention, connected to a golf flag pin  1 , illustrating the collapsed state with the legs in a retracted position; 
         FIG. 4  is a detailed perspective view showing in detail the collapsible support assembly  10 , with the actuating sheath member  20  removed, and in the collapsed state with the legs in a retracted position, of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a top perspective, close-up view of the fixed leg ring  18  of the collapsible support assembly  10 ; and 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom perspective, close-up view of the fixed leg ring  18  of the collapsible support assembly  10 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     It is to be distinctly understood at the outset that the present invention shown in the drawings and described in detail in association with a collapsible support assembly, with extendable and retractable legs, which is adaptable for use on a golf flag pin, is not intended to serve as a limitation upon the scope or teachings thereof, but is to be considered merely for the purpose of convenience of illustration of one example of its application. 
     Referring now in detail to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6  a collapsible support assembly  10 , with extendable and retractable legs, which is adaptable for use on a golf flag pin  1 , constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , a collapsible support assembly  10  is adapted for use to a shaft  2  of a golf flag pin  1 . The collapsible support assembly  10  includes a stop ring  12 , a movable leg ring  14 , a spring  16 , a fixed leg ring  18 , an actuating sheath member  20 , a first leg member  22  and a second leg member  24 .  FIGS. 1 and 2  depict the collapsible support assembly  10  in an uncollapsed state while  FIG. 3  depicts the collapsible support assembly  10  in a collapsed state. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the actuating sheath member  20  has been removed in order to illustrate in detail the other elements of the collapsible support assembly  10 . Fixed leg ring  18  is securely attached to the shaft  2  of the golf flag pin  1  by a screw (not shown) inserted through a threaded aperture  26  centrally located on the outer periphery of fixed leg ring  18 . It is entirely conceivable that other attachment means such as nut and bolt type fasteners or glue-based adhesives, to name a few examples, may be used instead to fixedly secure the fixed leg ring  18  to the shaft  2 . 
     The fixed leg ring  18  is in a hinged association with a first arm  28  and a second arm  30 . Both first arm  28  and second arm  30  have a finger  32  and  34 , respectively. Located on the fixed leg ring  18  are slots  36  and  38  (shown in  FIG. 5 ), which hingedly receive fingers  32  and  34 , respectively, so that the arms  28 , 30  are operable to move between an extended position and a retracted position, relative to the shaft  2  of the golf flag pin  1 , when the collapsible support assembly  10  is in an uncollapsed state and a collapsed state, respectively. 
     The first arm  28  has a substantially convex-shaped side  40  and a substantially concave-shaped side  42 , which is contoured to fit closely to the shaft  2  when the collapsible support assembly  10  is in a collapsed state. Shown in more detail in  FIGS. 4-6 , located opposite finger  32  is a channeled groove  44 , which securely receives the top end  46  of first leg member  22 . The first leg member  22  is further secured to the channeled groove  44  by a set of screws (not shown), which are inserted through threaded holes  48  located on the concave-shaped side  42  of the first arm  28 . Although screws are the preferred mode of attachment, first leg member  22  may be attached to the first arm  28  by snap-fit, adhesives or other conventional means of attachment. 
     The first leg member  22  has a substantially concave-shaped side  50 , which is contoured to fit closely to the shaft  2  when the collapsible support assembly  10  is in a collapsed state. Located substantially near top end  46  of first leg member  22  is a protruding portion  52 , which engages with the actuating sheath member  20 . 
     Similarly, the second arm  30  also has a convex-shaped side  54  and a substantially concave-shaped side  56 , which is contoured to fit closely to the shaft  2  when the collapsible support assembly  10  is in a collapsed state. Shown in more detail in  FIGS. 4-6 , located opposite finger  34  is a channeled groove  58 , which securely receives the top end  60  of second leg member  24 . The second leg member  24  is further secured to the channeled groove  58  by a set of screws (not shown), which are inserted through threaded holes  62  located on the concave-shaped side  56  of second arm  30 . Although screws are the preferred mode of attachment, second leg member  24  may be attached to the second arm  30  by snap-fit, adhesives or other conventional means of attachment. 
     The second leg member  24  has a substantially concave-shaped side  64 , which is contoured to fit closely to the shaft  2  when the collapsible support assembly  10  is in a collapsed state. Located substantially near top end  60  of second leg member  24  is a protruding portion  66 , which engages with the actuating sheath member  20 . 
     Moving forward and with reference to the various views of the figures, the movable leg ring  14  is positioned around the shaft  2  a predetermined distance above fixed leg ring  18  and is operable to move along the shaft  2 , with respect to the fixed leg ring  18  and in accordance with the principles of the spring  16 . The spring  16 , for biasing the collapsible support assembly  10  to the collapsed state, is positioned around the shaft  2  and located between the movable leg ring  14  and the fixed leg ring  18 . A first end  68  of a first wire  70  is disposed onto the movable leg ring  14  at a first pin  84  while a second end  72  of the first wire  70  is attached to the substantially convex-shaped side  40  of the first arm  28 . Similarly, a first end  74  of a second wire  76  is disposed onto the moveable leg ring  14  at a second pin  86  while a second end  78  of the second wire  76  is attached to the substantially convex-shaped side  54  of the second arm  30 . Although a first wire and second wire  70 , 76  have been described to link the movable leg ring  14  to the first and second arms  28 , 30 , any suitable linking members may be used in place of the wires  70 , 76 . 
     With reference to the actuating sheath member  20  as best shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the actuating sheath member  20  is disposed concentrically around the shaft  2  and is cylindrical in shape and has a substantially circular radial cross section. When collapsible support assembly  10  is in the collapsed state protruding portion  52  and protruding portion  66  abuttingly engage one another around shaft  2  creating a measurable outer circumference, which is approximately larger than the circumference of the shaft  2  yet only a fraction slightly smaller than the inner circumference of the actuating sheath member. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the actuating sheath member  20  is in slidable engagement with the protruding portion  52  of first leg member  22  and with the protruding portion  66  of second leg member  24 , thus the substantially concave-shaped sides  50 , 64  of first and second leg members  22 , 24 , respectively, are fitted closely in a snug relationship to the shaft  2 . While in this collapsed state, a top end  80  of the actuating sheath member  20  rests on top of movable leg ring  14  to prevent the actuating sheath member  20  from moving any further down (away from the flag  3 ) the length of the golf flag pin  1 . 
     When the actuating sheath member  20  is slid upwardly (toward the flag  3 ) and as the bottom end  82  of the sheath member  20  moves above the protruding portions  52 , 66  of first and second leg members  22 , 24 , respectively, the potential energy stored in the spring  16  is released and first and second leg members  22 , 24  move to their extended, uncollapsed state (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). Because the stop ring  12  is disposed onto the shaft  2  a set distance from the movable leg ring  14 , the actuating sheath member  20  is prevented from moving any further up (toward the flag  3 ) the golf flag pin  1 , ensuring that the collapsible support assembly  10  remains in the uncollapsed state, forming a tripod configuration with the first and second leg members  22 , 24  and the bottom end of the golf flag pin  1 . 
     From this uncollapsed state, the sheath member  20  can be slid downward toward the bottom end of the golf flag pin  1  to retract the first and second leg members  22 , 24  and return the collapsible support assembly  10  to the collapsed state. As the sheath member  20  is slid downward, the bottom end  82  of the sheath member  20  engages with the protruding portions  52 , 56  of first and second leg members  22 , 24 , respectively, forcing the first and second leg members to move back to the fitted, snug relationship with the shaft  2 , while also forcing the movable leg ring  14  towards fixed leg ring  18 , via first and second wires  70 , 76 , causing the spring  16  to move back to a compressed state. 
     Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention as described above, discusses a collapsible support assembly adapted for use with a golf flag pin, in an alternative embodiment, the collapsible support assembly could be formed integrally with the golf flag pin as one unit. 
     From the foregoing detailed description, it can thus be seen that the present invention provides a collapsible support assembly, adaptable for use with a golf flag pin, with an actuating sheath member, operable to extend retractable legs so as to support the pin above the surface of the green of a golf course. 
     While there has been illustrated and described what is at present considered to be a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the central scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that this invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.