Abstract:
Multiple molded polymeric panels of various configurations are mechanically fastened together along a side surface having alternating upright and downward facing steps containing fastening elements to provide putting greens of different dimensions and shape. Each panel has a planar top surface and a bottom integral grid supporting structure. A simulated grass overlies the joined panels. Raised pads are optionally placed between the top surface of the panels and the simulated grass to provide a contoured green.

Description:
PRIOR APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part from application Ser. No. 10/115,168, filed on Apr. 3, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,572. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to practice golf putting and chipping greens. More particularly, it refers to a multi-sectional polymeric putting and chipping green wherein sectional polymeric panels are held together by tongue and groove or other mechanical locking features. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The expanding interest in golf has created a demand for golf practice tools, particularly putting and chipping greens. The ability to put and chip accurately distinguishes the ordinary golfer from the skilled golfer. With an interest in improving golf putting skills, the portable golf putting green of U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,803 was developed. Although the portable golf putting green described in this patent has been commercially accepted and serves its intended purpose, a need exists for variations that suit particular markets. In particular, a need exists for an inexpensive indoor/outdoor putting and chipping green. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention of this application is a multiplicity of one piece sectional polymeric panels attachable by locking features to adjacent panels in various directions to create a synthetic indoor/outdoor green. The fastened together panels are covered by a simulated grass layer to create a putting surface simulating a putting green or a green to which one can chip. The multiple polymeric panels are prepared by compression, blow, injection or other molding process to prepare a smooth, planar top surface integral with a bottom grid structure. Locking features are mounted at an end of each panel juxtaposed to an adjacent polymeric panel. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a putting green layout of this invention showing edge contours. 
     FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a putting green layout of this invention showing the putting surface feathered into adjacent soil. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of multiple polymeric panels of different shapes fastened together to form the layout shown in FIG.  1 A. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one shape of an interior polymeric panel used in the layout of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a top exploded view of the polymeric panel of FIG. 3 showing its component parts. 
     FIG. 5A is a bottom exploded view of the polymeric panel of FIG. 3 showing its component parts. 
     FIG. 5B is a bottom view of the polymeric panel of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5C is a side sectional elevation along line  5 C— 5 C in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5D is an exploded view of the cup configuration components in a polymeric panel. 
     FIG. 5E is an exploded view of a plug and cup. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a first polymeric edge panel from FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second polymeric edge panel from FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a third polymeric edge panel from FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fourth polymeric edge panel from FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a first step of locking polymeric panels together with a tongue and groove mechanical locking system. 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the panels according to FIG. 10 showing a further locking step. 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the panels according to FIG. 10 showing four panels locked together. 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view of multiple polymeric panels being locked together employing a first alternate mechanical locking mechanism. 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of multiple polymeric panels locked together employing a second alternate mechanical locking mechanism. 
     FIG. 15 is a perspective view of multiple polymeric panels locking together employing a third alternate mechanical locking mechanism. 
     FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a putting practice stand. 
     FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an alternate putting green layout according to this invention. 
     FIG. 18 is a top perspective view of a first auxiliary thin panel to adjust the slant of the putting surface. 
     FIG. 19 is a sectional view in elevation of the thin panel of FIG. 18 along line  19 — 19 . 
     FIG. 20 is a sectional view in elevation of the thin panel of FIG. 18 along line  20 — 20 . 
     FIG. 21 is a bottom perspective view of the thin panel of FIG.  18 . 
     FIG. 22 is a top perspective view of a second auxiliary thin panel to adjust the slant of the putting surface. 
     FIG. 23 is a sectional view in elevation of the thin panel of FIG. 22 along line  23 — 23 . 
     FIG. 24 is a sectional view in elevation of the thin panel of FIG. 22 along line  24 — 24 . 
     FIG. 25 is a top perspective view of a third auxiliary thin panel to adjust the slant of the putting surface. 
     FIG. 26 is a sectional view in elevation of the thin panel of FIG. 25 along line  26 — 26 . 
     FIG. 27 is a sectional view in elevation of the thin panel of FIG. 25 along line  27 — 27 . 
     FIG. 28 is a top perspective view of a fourth auxiliary thin panel to adjust the slant of the putting surface. 
     FIG. 29 is a sectional view in elevation of the thin panel of FIG. 28 along line  29 — 29 . 
     FIG. 30 is a sectional view in elevation of the thin panel of FIG. 28 along line  30 — 30 . 
     FIG. 31 is a perspective view of alternative panels with their locking mechanism. 
     FIG. 32 is a side sectional view in elevation showing adjacent polymeric edge panels of FIG. 3 ready to be locked together. 
     FIG. 33 is a side sectional view in elevation showing the adjacent polymeric edge panels of FIG. 31 locked together. 
     FIG. 34 is a perspective view of the panels of FIG. 31 with pry bars inserted in slots in the side of the panel. 
     FIG. 35 is a perspective view of a putting green employing a panel with the locking mechanism of FIG.  31 . 
     FIG. 35A is a perspective view of two rubber mats. 
     FIG. 36 is a perspective view of the alternative panels according to FIG. 31 with additional bores for screws to facilitate bonding of adjacent panels. 
     FIG. 37 is a side sectional view in elevation showing the use of screws for locking adjacent panels of FIG. 36 together. 
     FIG. 38 is a side sectional view in elevation showing two adjacent panels of FIG. 36 locked together and firmly joined with a screw. 
     FIG. 39 is a side sectional view in elevation showing the use of a screw and threaded insert for locking adjacent panels of FIG. 36 together. 
     FIG. 40 is a side sectional view in elevation showing two adjacent panels of FIG. 36 locked together and firmly joined with the screw and threaded insert. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. 
     Referring first to FIGS. 1A,  1 B and  2 , the practice green  10  is a curved unit having multiple panels mechanically locked together. Each panel  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  and  24  is a polymeric unit having a first planar top surface portion  25  and an integral grid bottom portion  40 . Each panel has a cup  20  for receipt of putted golf balls and a ball remover stand  22  or a plug  27 . 
     The inside panel  24 , as well as panels  12 ,  14 ,  16 , and  18  have a tongue and groove locking mechanism as seen in FIG.  3 . Each panel has tongues  26  on each side  52  opposite an adjacent panel. A slot  28  is formed by attaching a filler plate  30  to a flange  32  on a bottom surface  34  of the panel. See FIGS. 4,  5 A and  5 B. 
     Each panel has a cup  20  as seen in FIGS. 5C-E. A collar  42  sits on a flange  43  inside the cup  20 . The bottom portion  41  of flag stick  22  sits in the cup  20  inside of collar  42 . If a cup is not needed for a particular panel, then a plug  27  is inserted on flange  43  so that the top surface  47  of the plug  27  is contiguous with planar surface  25  of the panel. 
     Any of the side panels can have an optional raised edge or bump rail  36  molded into the panel as seen in FIGS. 6-9. Alternatively, if the putting green  10  is set on a sand bed outside over soil  39  as seen in FIG. 1B, it can be feathered in at its non-raised edges with the adjacent grass so that the practice green can be used to direct chips towards the flags  22 . 
     The putting green  10  can take various shapes depending on the number of panels employed and the configuration of the panels employed. The square panels  12  or  24  are approximately 34 inches square. The 34 inch square panels have about a 2.25 inch deck height and larger 44 inch square panels have about a 3.0 inch deck height. By using these panels a complete series of eighteen holes can be configured with different outside shapes. 
     As seen in FIG. 1A, the simulated grass  38  fits into the bottom edge of the bump rail  36  to give a clean putting surface. Alternatively, as seen in FIG. 1B, the simulated grass  38  outer edge is covered with soil  39 . A series of contiguous raised pads  37  can be placed intermediate surface  25  on the panel and the simulated grass  38 . 
     The grid structure  40  integral with the flat top  25  of panel  24  supports the panel as seen in FIGS. 5A and 5B. 
     As seen in FIGS. 10 and 11, the panels with the tongue  26  and groove  28  configuration are attached to adjacent panels by first sliding the panel  24  in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG.  10  and thereafter in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG.  11 . As shown in FIG. 12, screws  44  can be threaded through bores  46  in top surface  42  and through complimentary bores  48  in tongue  26  to prevent the panels from disengaging. Pegs  45  can be driven through holes  46  into the turf or sand below the panel. 
     A first alternate locking mechanism is seen in FIG. 13 wherein rods  50  project from a side surface  52  of panel  24 . A dowel  50  is inserted into a side slot  54  in an adjacent panel and a peg  44  is inserted through bore  46  on a top surface of the panel and through a bore  56  in rod  50  to lock the panels together and prevent disengagement. 
     A second alternate locking mechanism is seen in FIG. 14 wherein each panel has a top lip  58  and a bottom lip  60  that interlock with a complementary bottom and top lip, respectively. The panels are held together by a star tongue  62  that fits into triangular slots  64  at the meeting point of four panel corners. 
     FIG. 15 shows a third alternate locking mechanism. A cammed S-hook  66  is mounted in a side slot  68  of a polymeric panel side  52 . By turning an allen wrench, after sides  52  are brought together, the S-hook engages a back edge in opposite slot  68 . Each side  52  has one S-hook and one slot  68 . 
     A platform panel  70  can be joined to an end of a practice green  10  to provide a stand for putting as seen in FIGS. 16-17. 
     Each polymeric panel unit  12 ,  14 ,  16   18 , and  24  is compression molded, blow molded or injection molded with a grid structure  40  on a bottom portion integral with a planar top surface  25 . Other types of molding of the polymeric panels that can be used include low pressure flow molding, rotational molding, structural foam injection molding vacuum forming and reaction injection molding. Synthetic turf or carpet made of wool fibers or polymer fibers can be used for the simulated grass surface  38  of the putting training green  10  and is laid point to point at the base of the raised edges  36 . 
     The polymer employed in the molding and creation of the polymeric panels  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  and  24  can be any of the high strength polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene and copolymers thereof and structural foams such as made from polyurethane. Fiberglass filled reinforcement strands are added to the polymer to increase strength. 
     The contiguous raised pads  37  are joined together from raised pads  72 ,  74 ,  76  or  78  as seen in FIGS. 18-30. These raised pads have bottom pegs  80  which can be inserted into bore  82  in any of the panel surfaces  25  to provide contour instead of the usual planar surface  25  on the panels. These pads  72 ,  74 ,  76  or  78  are placed under the simulated grass  38  over the panels to provide an additional putting challenge to the golfer and more realistically simulate an actual putting surface. The pads have a bottom shallow grid surface  84  and downwardly descending pins  80  to engage holes  82  on the panels. Cut outs  86  on the pads can be used to accommodate cups  20 . The raised pads are molded in the same manner as the panels and from the same materials. 
     A fourth alternative polymeric edge panel  90  is shown in FIGS. 31-40. Panels  90  have an irregular multiple side surface configuration, each side surface having alternating upright facing side step  92  and downward facing side step  94 . Steps  94  contain a downwardly pointing convex projection  100  on lower surface  102 . Steps  92  contain a concave dimple  96  on upper surface  98  as shown in FIGS. 32 and 33. The adjacent panels  90  are slid together to engage a convex projection  100  in concave dimple  96 . A pry bar  97  is inserted in side slot  99  in order to disengage adjacent panels  90  as shown in FIG.  34 . 
     The locking mechanism employed as described for panels  90  can be also employed as shown in FIG. 35 to lock a back section  122  of a putting green to lengthening panel sections  124 . Bumper rails  116  are attached to the sides of panels  122  and  124 . A thin rubber mat  130  about one eighth inch thick can be inserted under the grass layer  38  to provide a contour to the putting green. A higher contour can be achieved by a second rubber mat  132  on top of  130 . 
     An alternative locking mechanism for panels  90  are shown in FIGS. 36-40. Bores  104  are drilled in the top surface of panels  90  above each downwardly facing step  94  and bores  110  are drilled in the top surface of each upwardly facing step  92 . A screw  108  as shown in FIGS. 36-38 is threaded through bores  104  and  110  to join panels  90  together. Nipple projection  112  is guided into indentation  114  to join the corners of panels  90  together as shown in FIG.  36 . An alternative screw  120  and insert  118  as shown in FIGS. 39 and 40 can be substituted for screw  108  shown in FIGS. 37-38 to join panels  90  together. 
     The above description has described specific structural details employing the invention. However, it will be within one having skill in the art to make modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept of this portable golf putting and chipping training green. The invention is not limited to the structure described but includes such modifications as are substantially equivalent to the elements of the golf putting training green.