Patent Publication Number: US-2011065521-A1

Title: Golf Ball Dispenser

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority to PCT Application No. PCT/EP2009/055950 filed 15 May 2009, which in turn claims priority to Irish Patent Application No. S2008/0387 filed 16 May 2008, said applications being incorporated in their entirety herein by reference thereto 
    
    
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
     None. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a golf ball dispenser for the automatic placement of golf balls onto a tee for practice striking of the golf balls. 
     2. Background 
     Many such golf ball dispensers and automatic teeing devices have been proposed previously for use in golf ranges and the like. 
     The invention is particularly concerned with a golf ball dispenser of the type described in EP-A-0676979 having a golf ball storage container and associated placement means for reception of a golf ball from the storage container and placement of the golf ball on an associated tee. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved golf ball dispenser of simple construction which is reliable in operation and relatively cheap to manufacture. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the invention, there is provided a golf ball dispenser including a golf ball storage container and associated placement means for reception of a golf ball from the storage container and placement of the golf ball on an associated tee, characterized in that the golf ball storage container comprises a removable golf ball magazine which is demountably engagable with the placement means. Thus advantageously, the golf ball storage container can be removed from the dispenser to facilitate loading golf balls in the golf ball storage container. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the golf ball magazine comprises a receptacle having a ball outlet with a ball retainer mounted at the outlet movable between an open position and a closed position, in the open position a golf ball being movable through the outlet and in the closed position the ball retainer preventing movement of the golf ball through the outlet. 
     Conveniently the ball retainer is biased into a closed ball-retaining position. 
     In another embodiment the ball retainer is engagable and movable into the open position by a golf ball during movement of a golf ball through the outlet into the receptacle for loading the receptacle. 
     In a further embodiment the receptacle is an elongate tube having the ball retainer mounted at a lower outlet end of the tube. 
     In another embodiment the ball retainer comprises at least one stop finger hingedly mounted at the outlet, each stop finger being hingedly movable between the open position which allows passage of a golf ball through the opening and the closed position projecting into the opening to block passage of a golf ball through the opening. 
     In a preferred embodiment, a pair of stop fingers are provided disposed at opposite sides of the opening. 
     In another embodiment, the or each stop finger is biased into a closed position by means of an elastic band which is engaged therewith. 
     In a further embodiment, the outlet of the golf ball magazine is demountably engagable with an inlet of a ball feed chute of the placement means, said inlet of the feed chute engagable within the outlet to urge the ball retainer into the open position. 
     In another embodiment an internal diameter of the container is in the range of 5% to 10% greater than an outside diameter of a golf ball. 
     In another embodiment the internal diameter of the container is 7.6% greater than the outside diameter of a golf ball. 
     In another embodiment the feed chute has a cranked ramp having an inlet end and an outlet end, said inlet end being angled upwardly of the outlet end at an angle in the range of 20° to 30°. 
     In another embodiment the inlet end is angled upwardly of the outlet end of the ramp at an angle of 25°. 
     In another embodiment the outlet end of the ramp is angled at between 7° and 15° to the horizontal. 
     In another embodiment the outlet end of the ramp is angled at 10° to the horizontal. 
     In another embodiment a leading ball retaining arm is mounted across an outlet of the chute, said retaining arm being engagable and movable from a ball engaging position into a disengaged position by the carriage when the carriage is in a raised position for releasing a leading golf ball on the chute onto a placement arm of the placement means. 
     In another embodiment the ball retaining arm is pivotally mounted on a support for movement between the ball engaging position and the disengaged position. 
     In another embodiment the ball retaining arm is pivotally mounted on the chute. 
     In another embodiment the arm is inclined downwardly from the pivoting inner end of the arm so that an outer end of the arm engages a leading golf ball below the pivot when the arm is in a lowered position. 
     In another embodiment the arm is inclined downwardly at an angle of 6° to the horizontal. 
     In another embodiment when the arm is in the lowered position the pivoting inner end of the arm is located above a centre of a golf ball engaged with the outer end of the arm. 
     In another embodiment, the placement means includes the feed chute, a placement arm having an inner end and an outer end below the inner end, said placement arm being mounted on a carriage, the carriage having rollers engagable with associated upright rails for vertical movement of the carriage on the rails by drive means between a raised loading position in which the inner end of the placement arm is aligned with an outlet of the feed chute for reception of a golf ball therefrom, through an intermediate position for placement of a golf ball supported at the outer end of the placement arm on the tee, and a lowered inoperative stored position spaced below a top of the tee. 
     In another aspect the invention provides a golf ball dispenser as previously described in combination with a mat, said mat having a slot for reception of the placement arm of the placement means when it is in a lowered position. 
     In another embodiment the mat has three composite layers  51 ,  52 ,  53  which are proportioned in height as follows  51 : 52 : 53 =7.5:1.0:5.0 and the elongation ratios are proportioned as follows  51 : 52 : 53 =3.79:1.16:1.00. 
     In another embodiment the combination further includes a target net for reception of golf balls struck from the tee. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a golf ball dispenser according to the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged detail perspective view showing portion of the golf ball dispenser. 
         FIG. 3  is another enlarged detail perspective view of the golf ball dispenser. 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the golf ball dispenser. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the golf ball dispenser with an outer cover of the dispenser removed. 
         FIG. 6  is a detail elevational view showing portion of the golf ball dispenser. 
         FIG. 7  is a detail sectional elevational view of the golf ball dispenser portion shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a detail perspective view showing portion of the golf ball dispenser. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view of a mat of the dispenser. 
         FIG. 10  is a detail perspective partially cut-away view of the golf ball dispenser. 
         FIG. 11  is an enlarged detail view showing a golf ball feed chute of the dispenser. 
         FIG. 12  is a view similar to  FIG. 10  showing the dispenser in another position of use. 
         FIG. 13  is an enlarged detail perspective view showing portion of the dispenser. 
         FIG. 14  is an enlarged sectional elevational view of a golf ball storage container forming portion of the dispenser. 
         FIG. 15  is a side sectional elevational view of the dispenser. 
         FIG. 16  is an elevational view of a target net for use with the dispenser. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a golf ball dispenser according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral  1 . The dispenser  1  has a golf ball storage container  2  and an associated placement means  3  for reception of a golf ball  4  from the storage container  2  and placement of the golf ball  4  on an associated tee  5 . The placement means  3  comprises a housing  6  within which is mounted a placement mechanism  7  which is operable for delivery of individual golf balls  4  from the storage container  2  along a placement arm  8  which is vertically movable for placement of the golf ball  4  on the tee  5 . The golf ball storage container  2  comprises a removable golf ball magazine which is demountably engagable with the placement means  3 . 
     The storage container  2  comprises an elongate tubular container of clear plastics material having a removable cap  10  at the top and a ball retainer  11  mounted at a lower end of the storage container  2  which has a ball outlet  12 . The ball retainer  11  is best seen in  FIG. 7 . The ball retainer  11  has a generally tubular body  14  with a through bore  15  sized to allow through-passage of golf balls. An annular flange  16  is provided within the bore  15 . A top surface of the flange  16  forms a land against which a lower end of the tubular body forming the storage container  2  engages. An underside of this flange  16  is engaged by an upper end of a feed chute  17  (see  FIG. 5 ) for demountably securing the golf ball storage container  2  on the placement mechanism  7 . A pair of stop fingers  18  are hingedly mounted at a lower end of the body  14  on a steel ring  19  and project inwardly into the bore  15  through complementary openings in the side wall of the body  14  to prevent through-passage of a golf ball. An elastic band  22  biases the stop fingers  18  into the closed position shown in  FIG. 7 . Each of the stop fingers  18  can pivot outwardly about the pivots  19  against elastic band  22  bias to allow through-passage of a golf ball  4  (see  FIG. 14 ). When the ball retainer  11  is engaged with the feed chute  17 , the feed chute  17  pushes the stop fingers  18  outwardly into the open position to allow free passage of golf balls  4  from the storage container  2  through the feed chute  17  to the placement mechanism  7 . An upper end  24  of the ball retainer body  14  engages with an associated tapered opening  25  at a top of the housing  6  to hold the storage container  2  firmly in place when mounted on the placement means  3 . 
     When all the golf balls  4  have been discharged from the storage container  2 , the storage container  2  with ball retainer  11  attached at the lower end thereof is removed from the housing  6 . The stop fingers  18  are snapped inwardly into the closed position by the elastic band  22 . The storage container  2  can then be used to pick up golf balls  4  from the ground (see Hg.  14 ). The ball retainer  11  is simply pushed down over the golf ball  4  which pushes the stop fingers  18  outwardly against elastic band  22  bias and then the golf ball moves into the storage container  2 . As soon as the golf ball  4  passes the stop fingers  18  they are snapped back inwardly into the closed position by the elastic band  22  to retain golf balls  4  within the storage container  2 . It will be noted that the internal diameter D of the container  2  is 7.6% greater than the outside diameter of a golf ball. 
     The placement mechanism  7  is best seen in  FIG. 5 . This comprises a base  30 . A vibrator bar  31  extends outwardly from the base  30 . The tee  5  is mounted at an outer end of the vibrator bar  31 . A vibration sensor  32  is mounted at an inner end of the vibrator bar  31 . A support frame  35  is upstanding on the base  30 . The support frame  35  includes a pair of spaced-apart vertical rails  36 . A carriage  37  is vertically movable on the rails  36  by means of rollers  38  which engage the rails  36 . A drive mechanism is operable to move the carriage  37  vertically on the rails  36  for placement of a golf ball  4  on the tee  5 . 
     The grass mat  41  is a composite construction of rubber, polyurethane, yarn and nylon proportioned in a particular elongation and thickness ratio ( FIG. 9 ) which provides damping for the vibration arm  31  and therefore helps with the sensitivity adjustment  50  of the ball placement mechanism  3 . The mat  41  has three composite layers  51 ,  52 ,  53  which are proportioned in height as follows  51 : 52 : 53 =7.5:1.0:5.0 and the elongation ratios are proportioned as follows  51 : 52 : 53 =3.79:1.16:1.00. This ‘soft’ composite construction also gives the user a ‘real’ grass feel when striking from the surface of the mat  41  as well as reducing the reaction force when the club strikes the surface therefore reducing joint strain for the user. 
     It will be noted also that an internal diameter of an inlet  59  of the chute  17  is also 7.6% greater than the outside diameter of a golf ball. The feed chute  17  has a cranked ramp  60  having an inlet end  61  and an outlet end  62 . The inlet end  61  is angled upwardly of the outlet end  62  at an angle of 25° as shown in  FIG. 11 . Also, it will be noted from  FIG. 12  that the outlet end  62  of the ramp  60  is angled at 10° to the horizontal. This arrangement stops the golf balls from binding or sticking together and ensures a smooth flow of golf balls through the chute  17 . 
     A retaining arm  65  is engagable with a leading golf ball  69 . This retaining arm  65  is generally C-shaped having an inner end  67  which is pivotally mounted on the chute  17  and an outer end  68  which extends across the outlet  66  to retain a leading golf ball  69  at the outlet  66  ready for release. The outer end  68  engages the leading golf ball just below the equator as shown in  FIG. 15 . As the carriage  37  is moved upwardly a release finger  70  engages and lifts the arm  65  against spring  73  bias as shown in  FIG. 13  to release the leading golf ball  69  onto the arm  8 . The spring  73  extends between the arm  65  and a lug  74  on the frame  35 . It will be noted also that a secondary ball retainer  72  mounted on the carriage  37  has a pair of upstanding arms which position between the leading golf ball  69  and the next golf ball to retain the remaining golf balls on the chute  17  when the carriage  37  is moved into the raised position so only the leading ball is released onto the arm  8 . A motor  76  is operable to raise and lower the carriage  37 . Power for the motor  76  is provided by a battery  77 . A micro switch  55  senses movement of the golf balls along the chute  17 . A control board  57  is housed within the base  30 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 15  it will be noted that the ball retaining arm  65  is inclined downwardly between the inner end  67 , which forms a pivot, and the outer end  68  which engages the leading golf ball  69  when the arm  65  in the lowered ball retaining position. The inclination is about 6° to the horizontal. It will also be noted that in this position, the inner end  67  (i.e. the pivot) is located above a centre  80  of the leading golf ball  69  at the outlet end of the chute  17  by a distance of about 12.5 mm. 
       FIG. 16  shows a target net  90  for use with the dispenser comprising a collapsible frame  91  supporting netting  92 . In use a golfer hits golf balls from the tee  5  into the target net  90 . 
     In use, the storage container  2  forms a magazine of golf balls  4  which is mounted on the feed chute  17  of the placement mechanism  7 . The placement mechanism  7  is operable to roll a first golf ball along the placement arm  8  to an outer end of the placement arm  8  for placement on the tee  5 . The placement arm  8  is movable downwardly by moving the carriage  37  downwardly on the rails  36  to position the golf ball  4  on the tee  5  and move the arm  8  downwardly out of the way into a lowered position. In the lowered position the arm  8  is housed within a complementary slot  40  in a mat  41  (see  FIG. 1 ), the tee  5  projecting upwardly of the mat  41 . The golfer strikes the golf ball  4  on the tee  5 . This causes the tee  5  and the vibrator bar  31  to vibrate, this vibration being detected by the vibration sensor  32 . This activates the placement mechanism  7  to raise the placement arm  8  for reception of another golf ball  4  from the storage container  2 , delivered along the chute  17  for placement on the tee  5 . This cycle can be repeated until all the golf balls  4  are discharged from the storage container  2 . Then the storage container  2  can be removed from the placement mechanism  7  and used to pick up all the golf balls  4 . After reengaging the storage container  2  with the placement mechanism  7 , the recovered golf balls  4  can then be individually placed on the tee  5  again by the dispenser for further practice. 
     The sensitivity of the vibration sensor is adjustable via a control switch  50  on the housing  6  to accommodate the different surfaces on which the golf ball dispenser  1  is mounted in use. 
     In this specification, the terms “comprise”, “comprises”, “comprised” and “comprising” and the terms “include”, “includes”, “included” and “including” are deemed totally interchangeable and should be afforded the widest possible interpretation. 
     The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the appended claims.