Abstract:
A cylindrical golf tee carrier and dispenser which permits carrying a quantity of tees without accidental loss, while providing for easy removal of tees, one at a time, through an elastomeric dispensing end, and an attaching member mounted thereto for attaching the golf accessory to a golf bag.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the art of dispensing, and more particularly to a container and dispenser for golf tees. 
     (2) Description of Related Art 
     A golf tee is a wooden or plastic peg used by a golfer to elevate a golf ball above the ground before striking the golf ball. Generally, a golf tee comprises an elongated body that is symmetrical about a longitudinal axis. A tee has a point on one end and an enlarged circular head with a recess at the other end. The point and head are separated by a cylindrical shaft. The pointed end of the golf tee is pushed into the ground, and a golf ball is placed on top of the golf tee head. Golf tees are about two inches long. The shaft has a diameter of about three-sixteenths of an inch, and the head has a diameter of about one-half of an inch. 
     A golfer must carry a supply of tees because tees are often damaged when the golf ball is hit. Traditionally, golfers have carried tees within garment pockets or within a golf bag. Most methods of carrying tees are condusive to accidental loss whenever the carrier permits ease of dispensing. Carrying tees in a pocket can be unsafe or damaging to the garment due to the pointed ends of the tees. Carrying tees in the golf bag is often inconvenient and results in delay of the game, a condition discouraged by golf etiquette. 
     A variety of devices have been developed to overcome these shortcomings. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,697, Sheffield describes a golf tee holder which stores the tees in a longitudinal channel having one closed end and a raised frictional surface at the other end which prevents accidental removal of the tees from the holder. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,579, Tak describes a golf accessory carrier that includes a tee dispenser. The tees are stacked on top of each other and are held in place by &#34;fingers&#34; on the collar cap. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,610, Hurner describes a golf tee dispenser for housing a plurality of golf tees. The tees are stacked one atop the other, and are dispensed through an elastomeric nipple on the bottom end of the dispenser. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Progressive contribution to the art 
     I have invented a container for carrying and dispensing golf tees that is compact and convenient. The container comprises a tube with an upper partition covering the top of the tube, and a lower partition covering the bottom of the tube. The partitions are made of elastomeric material. The golf tees are stored between the two partitions. The diameter of the tube is less than the length of a golf tee. The tube length is greater than the length of a golf tee but does not have to be much greater than the length of a golf tee. 
     The upper partition has a single circular aperture. The aperture diameter is slightly bigger than the diameter of the shaft of a golf tee; yet the aperture diameter is less than the diameter of the head of a golf tee. The size of the aperture allows a golf tee to be easily inserted pointed end first into the aperture. After the pointed end of a tee is inserted into the upper aperture, the tee can be forced through the partition of elastomeric material into the storage area. The size of the aperture prevents a stored golf tee from coming out of the upper aperture. 
     The lower partition has several apertures, usually of the same dimension. The diameter of any one of the apertures is slightly bigger than the diameter of the shaft of a golf tee; yet the diameter is less than the diameter of the head of a golf tee. The size of the aperture allows the pointed end of a golf tee to pass through an aperture, yet the tee will not immediately fall out of the container. 
     To remove a golf tee from the container, the golfer shakes the golf tee shaker until a tee shaft is exposed beneath the lower partition. Then the golfer grabs the shaft of the golf tee and pulls downwards until the tee is removed from the shaker. 
     The golf shaker has a cord and a cord clamp so that the golf tee shaker can be attached to a golf bag. Also, an advertising indicia can be put on the tube. 
     (2) Objects of this invention 
     An object of this invention is to provide a compact and convenient dispenser for golf tees. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide a space for advertising indicia on a golf tee dispenser. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide a carrier for golf tees which prohibits accidental loss of tees. 
     A further object is to provide a way to attach the golf tee shaker to a golf bag. 
     Further objects are to achieve the above with a device which is sturdy, durable, light-weight, simple, safe, efficient, versatile, ecologically compatible, energy conserving and reliable; yet is inexpensive and easy to manufacture, install, and maintain. 
     The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, the different views of which are not necessarily scale drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the golf tee shaker with a golf tee in the upper aperture and with two tees in the lower apertures. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded of the golf tee shaker. 
     FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of a golf bag with a tee shaker attached. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a golf tee. 
    
    
     As an aid correlating the terms of the claims to the exemplary drawings the following catalogue of elements is provided: 
     10 golf tee shaker 
     12 golf tee 
     14 head 
     16 shaft 
     18 pointed end 
     20 tube 
     22 upper partition 
     24 lower partition 
     26 upper aperture 
     28 lower apertures 
     30 knot 
     32 cord 
     34 hole 
     36 cord clamp 
     38 top section 
     40 middle section 
     42 bottom section 
     44 upper ledge 
     46 lower ledge 
     48 upper ring 
     50 lower ring 
     52 ring end 
     54 ring end 
     55 indicia 
     56 golf bag 
     58 cord loop 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings, and FIG. 1 in particular, there is illustrated golf tee shaker 10. The golf tee shaker provides a compact and convenient means for a golfer to carry and dispense golf tees 12. A typical golf tee has head 14, shaft 16, and pointed end 18 as is shown in FIG. 4. The shaker comprises tube 20 which is covered at the top by upper partition 22. The tube is covered at the bottom by lower partition 24. The upper and lower partitions are made of an elastomeric material. The tube is preferably made of a rigid polymeric material. The tube has a diameter which is less than the length of a golf tee. The tube length should be greater than the length of a golf tee. For two and one-eighth inch long golf tees, a tube with a diameter of one and seven-eighth inches and a tube length of three inches is recommended. 
     FIG. 2 shows how the golf shaker is assembled. Initially, knot 30 is tied in one end of the cord 32. Then the cord is threaded through hole 34 in the tube 20. The cord is then attached to the cord clamp 36. 
     The upper partition 22 has upper aperture 26. The aperture diameter is slightly greater than the diameter of the golf tee shaft 16, but less than the diameter of the golf tee head 14. The lower partition 24 has lower apertures 28. The diameters of these apertures are slightly greater than the golf tee shaft diameter, but less than the golf tee head diameter. The size of the apertures prevent golf tees that are between the two partitions from unintentionally falling out of the golf tee shaker. 
     The tube 20 has top section 38, middle section 40, and bottom section 42. The outside diameter of the top section is less than the outside diameter of the middle section and forms upper ledge 44. The outside diameter of the bottom section is less than the outside diameter of the middle section and forms lower ledge 48. 
     Upper ring 48 and lower ring 50 have the same outside diameter as does the middle section 40. The inside diameter of the upper ring is slightly larger than the outside diameter of the top section 38 of the tube 20. The inside diameter of the lower ring is slightly larger than the outside diameter of the bottom section 42 of the tube. 
     To assemble the golf tee shaker 10, the upper partition 22 is placed on top of the top section 38 of the tube 20. Then, the upper ring 48 is connected to the tube until ring end 52 touches the upper ledge 44. The diameter of the upper partition is greater than the outside diameter of the tube so that a frictional seal is made between the upper ring, the partition, and the top section of the tube. 
     Next, the golf shaker 10 is turned over and the lower partition 24 is placed on top of the bottom section 42. Then, the lower ring 50 is connected to the tube until ring end 54 touches the lower ledge 46. The diameter of the lower partition is greater than the outside diameter of the tube 20 so that a frictional seal is made between the lower ring, the partition, and the bottom section of the tube. 
     To load the golf tee shaker 10, pointed end 18 of a golf tee 12 is inserted into the upper aperture 26 in the upper partition 22. The golf tee is then forced through the partition. This is repeated until the desired number of tees are in the shaker. 
     To dispense a tee, the golfer shakes the golf tee shaker 10 until a golf tee 12 falls through one of the lower apertures 28 in the lower partition 24. Then the golfer can grasp the golf tee shaft 16 and pull downwards until the golf tee 12 is removed from the shaker. 
     Business is often conducted on golf courses. It is desirable to have space for unobtrusive advertising. As shown in FIG. 1, indicia 55 can be placed on the middle section 40 of the tube 20. 
     As is shown in FIG. 3, the golf tee shaker 10 can be attached to golf bag 56 by the cord 32. To attach the golf tee shaker to the golf bag, one end of the cord is removed from the cord clamp 36. Then the cord is threaded through any convenient loop located on the golf bag. Then the cord is secured back in the cord clamp forming cord loop 58. The size of the cord loop can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the cord clamp. The cord can also be looped around anything that sticks up out of the golf bag, such as a golf club (not shown), and the golf tee shaker can hang over the side of the golf bag. 
     The embodiments shown and described above are only exemplary. I do not claim to have invented all the parts, elements, or steps described. Various modifications can be made in the construction, material, arrangement, and operation, and still be within the scope of my invention. 
     The restrictive description and drawings of the specific examples above do not point out what an infringement of this patent would be but are to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The limits of the invention and the bounds of the patent protection are measured by and defined by the following claims.