Patent Publication Number: US-2007117657-A1

Title: Golf accessory

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates to the game of golf. Many items can be used by a golfer, such as for example, tees, ball markers, ball mark (divot) repair tools and items for cleaning the grooves located in the frontal surface of a golf club head. These items are typically held either in the pockets of the golfer or in a golf bag. The insertion and removal of these items can cause damage to a golfer&#39;s clothes and can be cumbersome to access.  
      Many devices have been devised in an attempt to facilitate the use and access to golf accessories. Some of these devices are golf related tools connected to a housing device by either pivotable or extending/retracting means, such as those of U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,173 to Miller et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,824 to Reimers; U.S. Pat. No. 6,620,062 to Taylor et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,800,042 to Braithwaite; U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,973 to Hsu; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,837,807 to Kerr. Other devices include a fixed divot repair tool of a forked design such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,937 to Jarosh et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,239 to Wait. Other designs are holder and tool combinations such as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,872,155 to Jacome. Devices have also been developed to enable the height adjustment of a golf tee, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,977 to Young et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,811,499 to Hsien and D492,374 to Barouh.  
      The discussion of issued patents does not mean that the inventions or features contained therein are in the general body of public knowledge.  
      The applicant believes that the present invention possesses distinctions over what is known in the art and possesses advantages over what has previously been available.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is directed to a golf accessory apparatus that can include an assortment of various golf related tools.  
      The present invention provides, in one embodiment, a golf ball or tee support height adjustment apparatus having at least one non-linear portion. The apparatus can also be a divot repair tool. The divot repair tool can also serve as a golf club groove cleaner. The apparatus can also include a ball marker. The apparatus can further include a bottle opener/tab can pry tool.  
      The invention can further include a cover that at least a portion of the apparatus can be inserted into. The cover can provide a degree of protection from any sharp end or surface of the apparatus and can facilitate the carrying of the apparatus by a golfer in a pocket or other holder. The cover can allow the golfer to insert and/or remove the apparatus from a pocket without the potential for damage from any sharp end or surface of the apparatus. Desirably the cover includes an attachment means to facilitate its carrying. The attachment means can comprise a cord or other type handle or alternatively can comprise a clip type mechanism such as for attaching to a belt or golf bag.  
      The present invention provides, in another embodiment of the present invention, the combination of a golf ball support and a divot repair tool that can also serve as a golf ball height adjustment tool. The device can include one or more ball marker(s). The golf ball support can include a non-linear portion  
      The device can further include a bottle opener/tab can pry and can include a golf club groove cleaner. The device can include a cover, the cover can include a means for attachment and its exterior surface can provide space for advertising. Means for attachment can include a cord, strap, clip apparatus or a handle apparatus. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic side view according one embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 1A  is a frontal view of an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 1B  is a side view of an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  shows views of one embodiment of the invention located within a cover.  
       FIG. 4  shows one embodiment of the invention wherein a golf tee is located within the golf tool device.  
       FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment of the invention wherein the golf tool device is located within a protective cover. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      The invention will be described by way of examples with reference to  FIGS. 1-5  which are not to be construed as a limitation upon the apparatus elements of the invention. The present invention is directed to a golf accessory device that can function as a golf ball or golf tee support. In some embodiments the invention can also function as a divot repair tool. Embodiments of the present invention can be used as a ball or tee height adjustment apparatus and can facilitate other functions such as for example, ball marking, bottle/can opening and golf club cleaning.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is provided an embodiment of a golf tool  100  consisting of a first section  102  having a ball platform  104  that can be used as a golf ball support or as a tee support. The ball platform  104  can be of a flat or curved design that would facilitate the support of a golf ball. A concave curvature that would act to somewhat cradle a golf ball can be utilized. The contact area of the ball platform  104  with a golf ball can range from the entire upper surface area of the ball platform  104  to a minimal number of contact points, such as three, that can protrude from the upper surface of the ball platform  104 . The first section  102  of the tool can also have a bottle opener/tab can pry  106  feature.  
      A second section  110  can have a non-linear design, which can be used as a tee height adjustment device  112 . The non-linear design creates an opening having an axis  114  through the tool  100  in which a golf tee can be inserted. In one embodiment the second section  110  can have one or more non-linear sections.  
      A third section  120  can be of a linear design to facilitate insertion of at least a portion of the third section  120  into the golf turf, sand or other ground surface. The third section  120  can have threads or other protrusions  122  that can be used for divot repair and can have a tapered, sloped or pointed end  124  that can be used as a golf club groove cleaner.  
      The bottle opener/tab can pry  106  feature can be of any design having the ability to facilitate the removal of a bottle cap from a bottle or to engage the tab or other opening feature of a container, such as those used for beverages typically made of aluminum. In one embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1  this feature can include a protrusion that can be utilized along with another surface of the tool, such as the underside of the ball platform  104  such that the protrusion can be engaged and leveraged in a prying type action to remove the bottle cap. The protrusion can also be engaged with the tab opening of a container to facilitate its movement which leads to opening of the container.  
      The non-linear section  110  can serve to dissipate the force imparted by the golf club impacting the golf ball and transmitted to the golf tool during its swing. The non-linear portion can have various designs that can be spiral, coiled, triangular or other circuitous shapes, all referred to herein as spiral. The number of spirals can vary depending of the materials of construction and the particular characteristics that are desired. In one embodiment the number of spirals can vary from one to ten. In one embodiment the desirable number of spirals can range from three to seven. In another embodiment the number of spirals can range from five to seven. In some embodiments the spirals can be concentric and in other embodiments the spirals can be non-concentric. Non-concentric embodiments can include, but are not limited to, embodiments having tapered spirals that are smaller in diameter the further away from the first section  102 . The tapered spirals can facilitate the insertion of the golf tool  100  into the ground and assist with the adjustment of the height of the ball platform  104 .  
      The golf tool  100  can be constructed of a variety of materials. Embodiments can be made of wood, plastic, metal or other materials or composites of more than one material. A desirable embodiment can be constructed of a plastic material that can have toughness to withstand the forces imposed by contact with the golf club and which can also impart a degree of flexibility to the tool. Plastics such as, but not limited to, various grades of polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene and polystyrene can be used. Embodiments can also be constructed from certain metals or metal alloys, the embodiments made from metals can be coated by a second material such as plastics or rubber materials, for example, neoprene.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a top view of the first section  102  shows the ball platform  104  and the bottle opener  106  along with a contact base  108 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 3 , in one embodiment of the invention, the golf tool  100  is housed in a protective cover  200 , which can comprise one or more ball marking rings  202 , and if desired an opening  204  that a groove cleaner can extend through. The opening  204  can also function as a means to drain any moisture that may collect within the protective cover. The protective cover  200  can be made of rigid or elastic material and can include a threaded interior surface which can facilitate the insertion of the spiral form of the golf tool second section  110 . The ball marking rings  202  can be removed from the cover  200  and utilized by the golfer to mark a golf ball location. The tapered end of the golf tool  124  can protrude through the opening  204  at the bottom of the cover to facilitate the cleaning of the grooves of a golf club. The cover  200  can also comprise an attachment means (not shown) such as a cord attached to the cover, a handle or a clip device or other attachment means to facilitate the attachment to a belt or a golf bag or other article.  
       FIG. 4  illustrates how a golf tee  210  can be inserted into the vertical axis  114  within the spirals of the golf tool second section  110 . The golf tool  100  can be used as a height adjustment device to vary the height of the golf tee  210  and thereby the height of the golf ball located on the tee to a desirable level for the golfer.  
       FIG. 5  illustrates one embodiment of the invention wherein the golf tool  100  is inserted within a storage container  300  having a container  302  and a lid  304 . The container  302  can be made of any material such as plastic, wood or metal. The container exterior surface can be painted, have labels applied or utilized for advertising space. The container  302  can be of any shape and size to facilitate the storage of the golf tool  100 . The container is desirably a tubular or cylindrical shape that can be sealed on one end and accessible for insertion and removal of the golf tool  100  at the opposing end. Attachment means can also be used with the container  300  for attachment to a person or article such as a golf bag.  
      Within the present application the terms “comprise”, “comprising” and “comprises” shall have a non-exclusive meaning and that if an embodiment is said to comprise a certain feature the embodiment will have that feature but is not restricted in any way as to other features the embodiment may have.  
      The preceding description of specific embodiments of the present invention is not intended to be a complete list of every possible embodiment of the invention. Persons skilled in this field will recognize that modifications can be made to the specific embodiments described herein that would still be within the scope if the present invention.