Patent Publication Number: US-9415278-B2

Title: Reconfigurable golf ball container

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to a disposable golf ball container that is reconfigurable to operate as a golf tool. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Golf is a recreational game that involves repeatedly striking a ball with a club that is swung along an arcuate path. When the ball is struck by the club, the ball will typically become airborne to traverse a particular flight path/trajectory, and may have a particular spin rate. The game of golf is made up of generally 18 distinct holes, where a ball is initially struck within a tee-area for each respective hole, with the objective of locating the ball within an in-ground cup in the fewest ball-strikes (shots) possible. 
     During an initial shot for each hole, the golf ball may be raised upon a stand, called a “golf tee” to promote greater contact by a club. A typical golf tee may be made from wood or plastic, and may have a first end configured to be inserted within a soil media (i.e., the ground) and a second end configured to support a ball above the surface of the ground. Golf tees are generally consumable items that may be either broken or lost throughout the course of normal play. Because of their consumable nature, a golfer must be attentive to his or her supply of golf tees to avoid running out. 
     For an average golfer, a golf ball is also regarded as a consumable item that may be occasionally lost throughout normal play. It is customary for golf balls to be sold/packaged individually, in packages of 3 balls, and/or in packages of 12 balls. Typically 3 balls are boxed together in a paperboard “sleeve,” and often 4 sleeves may be further packaged to form a larger box of 12 balls. 
     SUMMARY 
     A reconfigurable golf ball container includes a cuboid box configured to hold at least two golf balls. A golf tee blank is integrated within a portion of the box and is selectively removable from the box via a perforation partially disposed around the golf tee blank. The golf tee blank includes a first end configured to be inserted into a soil media, and includes a second end that is capable of supporting a golf ball more than 2.0 cm away from a surface of the soil media. 
     The golf tee blank may include a first face, a second face, and an edge disposed between the first face and the second face. The edge may extend between the first end and the second end, and may define an angle between the first face and the second face. The edge between the first face and the second face may be an edge of the cuboid box. The golf tee blank may include a point at the first end. 
     In one configuration, the second face may include a score line that is parallel to the edge. The score line may separate a proximal portion of the second face from a distal portion of the second face, where the proximal portion of the second face is disposed between the edge and the score line. The distal portion of the second face may be configured to be folded toward the first face to form a golf tee. In this configuration, the first face, the proximal portion of the second face, and the distal portion of the second face may form a substantially triangular cross section of the golf tee, and may cooperate to support the golf ball. 
     The cuboid box may be formed from a single sheet of paperboard material that is secured to itself to define a perimeter of the cuboid box. The single sheet of the paperboard material includes an edge of the sheet that may be disposed within the golf tee blank and parallel to the edge of the cuboid box. 
     In a similar manner, a reconfigurable golf ball container may include a sleeve that is formed from a paperboard material and that defines an interior volume configured to hold a plurality of golf balls. The sleeve includes a perforated line disposed between a tool portion of the sleeve and a remainder of the sleeve. The tool portion of the sleeve is configured to be separated from the remainder of the sleeve along the perforated line to form a golf tool. The golf tool includes a first end configured to be inserted into a soil media, and includes a second end that is capable of supporting a golf ball more than 2.0 cm away from a surface of the soil media. 
     Finally, a method of reconfiguring a golf ball sleeve as a golf tee may include separating a tool portion of a golf ball sleeve from a remainder of the sleeve to form a golf tee blank. The golf tee blank may have a first face, a second face, and an edge disposed between the first face and the second face. Once separated, the method may include folding a portion of the second face of the golf tee blank along a score line toward the first face to form a golf tee, where the score line is generally parallel to the edge. A first end of the golf tee may be inserted into a soil media, and a golf ball may be positioned on the second end of the golf tee. 
     In one configuration, separating a tool portion of a golf ball sleeve from a remainder of the sleeve includes tearing the sleeve along a perforated line that separates the tool portion from the remainder of the sleeve. Additionally, positioning a golf ball on the second end of the golf tee may include placing the golf ball in contact with the first face and with the second face on both sides of the fold line. 
     The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic isometric view of a golf ball container that is reconfigurable as a golf tool. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic side view of a golf ball supported by a golf tee that was formed from a portion of a golf ball container. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic plan view of a golf tee blank. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the golf tee of  FIG. 2 , taken along line  4 - 4 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic top view of a paperboard sheet that may be formed into a reconfigurable golf ball container. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic flow diagram of a method of reconfiguring a golf ball sleeve as a golf tee. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to identify like or identical components in the various views,  FIG. 1  schematically illustrates a reconfigurable golf ball container  10 . This golf ball container  10  may be used in a traditional manner as a golf ball packaging sleeve  12  (i.e., a “sleeve  12 ”), and may define an interior volume  14  capable of holding a plurality of golf balls  16 . In other embodiments, the present technology may relate to a box-like container that may hold a plurality of sleeves. With specific reference to  FIG. 1 , a sleeve  12  may generally have a cuboid shape that may be dimensioned to hold between 2 and 4 golf balls  16  in a stacked arrangement. As use herein, a cuboid is an elongated three-dimensional rectangular object that has a minimum of four edges of the same length (although in a more specific embodiment, the sleeve  12  may have eight edges of the same length). In one configuration, the sleeve  12  may be a box  18  formed, for example, from a paperboard material. 
     The sleeve  12  may be selectively reconfigurable by a user to form one or more golf tools, which may assist the user while he or she is playing a game of golf. In some embodiments, the golf tool may include a divot repair tool, a groove cleaner tool for a golf club, or a ball marker tool for marking a user&#39;s ball on a putting green. In another embodiment, the golf tool may be a golf tee  20 , such as shown in  FIG. 2 , which may be capable of supporting a golf ball  16  more than 2.0 cm above a surface  22  of a soil media  24  (i.e., the ground). 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the sleeve  12  may include an integrated golf tee blank  26  that is partially defined by a perforated line  28  disposed about the blank  26 . The perforated line  28  may be a weakened portion of the box  18  that may promote separation of the blank  26  from the box  18  via tearing along the line  28 . The perforated line  28  may be formed in any manner that is customary within the art, and may include, for example, a plurality of individual perforations that each extend partially or completely through the thickness of the box  18 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an enlarged, flattened side view  30  of the golf tee blank  26 , after it is separated from the box  18 . The golf tee blank  26  generally includes a first end portion  32  that is configured to be inserted into the soil media  24 , and a second end portion  34  that is capable of supporting a golf ball  16 . In one configuration, the first end portion  32  may generally form a point  36  that may aid the first end portion  32  in piercing and extending into the soil media  24 . While  FIG. 3  illustrates the point  36  as being a sharp point resembling an acute angle, in other configurations, the point may be rounded, bull nosed, trapezoidal, or may be formed from an angle that is a right angle or an obtuse angle. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the golf tee blank  26  may include a first face  40  and a second face  42  that are separated by an edge  44 . As shown, the first face  40  may be a portion of a first side  46  of the cuboid box  18  and the second face  42  may be a portion of a second side  48  of the cuboid box  18 . In this manner, the edge  44  of the golf tee blank  26  may also be a portion of an edge  50  of the cuboid box  18 , and the first face  40  of the blank  26  may generally be maintained at a right angle to the second face  42  of the blank  26  when the blank  26  is integrated with the box  18 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the edge  44  may generally extend between the first end portion  32  and the second end portion  34 , and more specifically between the point  36  and the second end portion  34 . In this manner, the edge  44  may add rigidity to the point  36 , as compared with a point that may be on a planar surface. 
     As further illustrated in  FIG. 3 , a score line  60  may be provided within the second face  42 . The score line  60  generally separates a proximal portion  62  of the second face  42  from a distal portion  64  of the second face (“proximal” and “distal” being relative to the edge  44 ), with the proximal portion  62  being disposed between the score line  60  and the edge  44 . The score line  60  may generally be a thinned, compressed, or pre-creased portion of the second face  42  that may promote bending along the line  60 . In one configuration, the score line  60  may be parallel to the edge  44 . In another configuration, the score line may be oriented within 30 degrees of parallel, preferably with one end of the score line  60  originating at or near the point  36 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view (not to scale) of a golf tee  20 , such as taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . As shown, the distal portion  64  of the second face  42  may be folded along the score line  60  in a direction towards the first face  40 . In this manner, the angle  70  between the first face  40  and the proximal portion  62  of the second face  42  may be approximately 90 degrees, though may be bent to an acute, or slightly obtuse angle. When the distal portion  64  of the second face  42  is folded toward the first face  40  to form the tee  20 , the distal portion  64  of the second face  42  may form an acute angle  72  with the proximal portion  62  of the second face  42 . As such, the first face  40 , the proximal portion  62  of the second face  42 , and the distal portion  64  of the second face  42  may generally form a triangle. It should be appreciated that the triangle need not be a closed triangle, as the distal portion  64  of the second face  42  need not touch the first face  40 . When a ball  16  is placed on the tee  20 , the ball  16  may contact each of the first face  40 , the distal portion  64  of the second face  42 , and the proximal portion  62  of the second face  42 . As such, the ball  16  may be supported by at least three points of contact, and may be discouraged from freely rolling off the tee  20 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a pre-assembled paperboard sheet  80  that may be formed into the box  18 . As shown, the sheet  80  may include a plurality of fold lines  82  that may be scored or pre-creased to form the various edges of the box  18 . As shown, the first side  46  of the box may be on a substantially opposite side of the sheet  80  from the second side  48 . Moreover, a securing tab  84  may be coupled with the first side  46  to aid in the construction of the box  18 . In one configuration, the edge  50  between the securing tab  84  and the first face  46  may be the edge  50  that runs the length of the golf tee blank  26 . 
     Referring again to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the second side  48  of the cuboid box  18  may be fastened to the securing tab  84  such that an edge  86  of the paperboard sheet  80  is disposed adjacent to the edge  50  of the box  18 . In one configuration, the edge  86  of the sheet  80  may be within 1.0 cm of the edge  50  of the box  18 , and may be substantially disposed within the proximal portion  62  of the second face  42  of the blank  26 .  FIG. 3  further illustrates in phantom, the outer edge  88  of the securing tab  84 . In one configuration, the second side  48  of the box  18  may be glued to the securing tab  84  to define a rectangular perimeter of the box  18 . The use of a double-thickness portion within the golf tee  20  may enhance the rigidity of the tee, and aid it in penetrating the soil media, as well as in supporting the golf ball  16 . 
     As further shown in  FIG. 5 , the perforated line  28  may include a first portion  90  and a second portion  92  that are disposed at opposite sides of the paperboard sheet  80 , with the first and second portions  90 ,  92 , not being connected, except when overlaid during construction of the box  18 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , in one configuration, the perforated line  28  may extend through a side flap  94  of the box  18 . When the tee  20  is formed, such as shown in  FIG. 2 , the flap  94  may generally extend outward from the tee  20 , and may be operative to contact the ball  16  and/or provide additional stability or support to the ball  16 . 
     Finally,  FIG. 6  provides a schematic flow diagram of a method  100  of reconfiguring a golf ball sleeve  12  as a golf tee  20 . The method  100  begins at  102  when a golfer wishes to utilize a temporary golf tee  20  that is integrated into an otherwise disposable golf sleeve  12 . At  104  a tool portion of the golf ball sleeve  12  is separated from a remainder of the sleeve  12  to form a golf tee blank  26 . In the manner described above, the golf tee blank  26  may include a first face  40 , a second face  42 , and an edge  44  disposed between the first face  40  and the second face  42 . 
     At  106 , a portion (i.e., the distal portion  64 ) of the second face  42  of the golf tee blank  26  may be folded along a score line  60  toward the first face  40  to form a golf tee  20 . In one configuration, the score line  60  may be generally parallel to the edge  44 . At  108 , a first end portion  32  of the golf tee  20  may be inserted into a soil media  24  (i.e., the ground); and at  110 , a golf ball  16  may be positioned on the second end portion  34  of the golf tee  20 . The golf tee  20  may be capable of supporting the golf ball  16  more than 2.0 cm away from a surface of the soil media  24 . 
     In one configuration, separating a tool portion of a golf ball sleeve  12  from a remainder of the sleeve  12  includes tearing the sleeve  12  along a perforated line  28  that separates the tool portion from the remainder of the sleeve  12 . Additionally, positioning a golf ball  16  on the second end  34  of the golf tee  20  includes placing the golf ball  16  in contact with the first face  40  and with the second face  42  on both sides of the fold/score line  60 . 
     While the best modes for carrying out the invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not as limiting.