Patent Publication Number: US-9889356-B2

Title: Device and method for displaying and selling golf ball markers

Description:
The present invention relates to display stands, and in particular, to display stands for golf accessories. This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 13/589,476, filed Aug. 20, 2012 (soon to issue as U.S. Pat. No. 9,226,602 on Jan. 5, 2016), the specification of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Golfers of all levels of play are very interested in acquiring the necessary equipment for the game. There are many accessories needed to properly play the game of golf. In addition to a set of clubs and golf balls, a golfer will need other items such as tees, a divot repair tool and at least one golf ball marker. 
     Throughout the years golfers have used various types of golf ball markers. Some golfers have used a plastic marker with a pin that helps hold the marker in place on the putting green. Other golfers have merely used a penny or dime to mark their ball&#39;s position. In recent years it has become more popular for a golfer to use a more attractive and decorative ball marker. For example,  FIG. 1  shows prior art ball marker  21 . Ball marker  21  is typically about the size of a quarter, it contains magnetic material such as iron, nickel or cobalt and it is decorated with the emblem of a popular professional sports team. Its magnetic properties allow it to be attached to a magnet contained in a golf ball marker hat clip of the golfer. 
     Due to the visual appeal of golf ball markers, golfers have become more interested in their purchase. Some golfers even collect multiple golf ball markers of their favorite sports teams or the favorite golf courses. This means that there is good potential for strong sales of golf ball markers. However, the prior art method of displaying golf ball markers has been inadequate and has actually hampered sales of the markers. For example, in the prior art, golf ball markers have been kept in a closed case or behind the cash register operator and away from the consumer&#39;s hands in an effort to curtail theft. 
     Unfortunately, this method of display has also hurt sales because the consumer is not given easy access to the markers to properly evaluate them for purchase. 
     What is needed is a better display device for displaying golf ball markers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a golf ball marker display device. At least one display face includes a plurality of reclined cavities that are cut into the display face. Each of the reclined cavities includes a finger access area. Each reclined cavity holds a plurality of golf ball markers in a fashion such that as the front most golf ball marker is removed the remaining golf ball markers remain stacked in an orderly presentation. A golf ball marker is removed by fingers reaching into the finger access area, grabbing the golf ball marker and then removing the golf ball marker from the reclined cavity. In a preferred embodiment there are four display faces arranged in the general shape of a pyramid to form a pyramid display face. The pyramid display face is preferably rigidly connected to a rotating base. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a prior art golf ball marker. 
         FIG. 2  shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows a top view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows a top view of a preferred base. 
         FIG. 5  shows a bottom view of a preferred base. 
         FIG. 6  shows a preferred pyramid. 
         FIG. 7  shows preferred ball marker holders. 
         FIG. 8  shows a side view of a preferred ball marker holder. 
         FIGS. 9-11  show another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 12-15  show another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       FIG. 2  shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Rotatable ball marker display stand  2  includes upper pyramid  3  and base  4 . Pyramid  3  includes display faces  3 A- 3 D (see also  FIG. 3 ). Pyramid  3  includes multiple golf ball marker holders  5 . Each golf ball marker holder  5  preferably holds up to 10 golf ball markers. Pyramid  3  preferably includes 40 golf ball marker holders  5 . Therefore, preferably rotatable golf ball marker display stand  2  holds 400 golf ball markers. 
     Base  4  includes multiple golf accessory holders  8  and  9  that are preferably utilized for holding other golf accessory items such as golf tees, golf divot repair tools, and magnetic golf ball marker hat clips. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, display stand  2  is purchased by a retailer sporting goods store or golf pro shop that sells golf related items. Display stand  2  is preferably positioned near the cash register. A consumer preferably will pass by display stand  2  on his way to the cash register. Golf ball markers  21  are stacked inside golf ball marker holders  5 . The consumer is preferably free to touch and handle display stand  2  and the multiple ball markers  21 . He may then pick the ball marker(s) that he prefers for purchase. He may also pick other golf accessories, such as golf tees, divot repair tools or magnetic golf ball marker hat clips if he wishes. 
     Display Stand 
       FIG. 3  shows a top view of display stand  2 . Pyramid  3  has 40 golf ball marker holders  5  and is rigidly connected to rotatable base  4 . 
     Rotatable Base 
       FIG. 4  shows a top view of base  4 . Preferably, base  4  is fabricated from plastic utilizing a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) routing process. Base  4  has a thickness of approximately 1 inch. Golf accessory holders  8  and  9  are preferably shaped as shown and have a depth of approximately ¾ inch. Screw holes  13  extend through base  4  as shown. 
       FIG. 5  shows a bottom view of base  4 . Rotation platform  20  is rigidly connected to base  4  via screws  22 . Base  4  rotates freely on ball bearings  24  of rotation platform  20 . Screws  26  are utilized to connect base  4  to pyramid top  3  via predrilled screw holes  28  ( FIG. 6 ). 
     Pyramid Top 
       FIG. 6  shows pyramid top  3 . Pyramid top  3  includes four identical sides  33 A- 33 D. Each side  33 A- 33 D is preferably fabricated utilizing a CNC routing process. The sides are then glued together as shown. Pyramid top  3  includes 40 golf ball marker holders  5 . Pyramid top  3  includes predrilled screw holes  28 , as shown. Screw holes  17  match screw holes  13  of base  4  ( FIG. 4 ). 
     Golf Ball Marker Holders 
       FIG. 7  shows a close up view of golf ball marker holders  5  holding golf ball markers  21 .  FIG. 8  shows a side view of a single golf ball maker holder  5  holding 10 golf ball markers  21 . In a preferred embodiment golf ball marker holder  5  is a reclined cavity and has a depth of approximately ¾ inch, a width of approximately 1 inch and a height of approximately 1⅜ inch. The top and bottom of golf ball marker holders  5  are rounded. The bottom of golf ball marker holders  5  conforms to the rounded shape of golf ball marker  21 , as shown. It should be noted that each golf ball marker holder  5  includes a finger access area  33  at its top. The finger access area allows for a consumer to remove the top golf ball marker  21  from golf ball marker holder  5 . It should also be noted that golf ball marker holder  5  is reclined backwards. This allows for the golf ball markers in each holder  5  to stay properly aligned and stacked, even as the front most marker  21  is removed by the consumer. 
     Other Preferred Embodiment 
       FIG. 12  shows a close up view of golf ball marker holders  5   b  holding triangular golf ball markers  21   b  and square golf ball markers  21   c .  FIGS. 13 and 14  show top views of triangular golf ball markers  21   b  and square golf ball markers  21   c .  FIG. 15  shows a side view of a single golf ball maker holder  5   b  holding 10 golf ball markers  21   b . In a preferred embodiment golf ball marker holder  5   b  is a rectangular reclined cavity and has a depth of approximately ¾ inch, a width of approximately 1 inch and a height of approximately 1⅜ inch. The top and bottom of golf ball marker holder  5   b  are flat. The bottom of golf ball marker holder  5   b  is flat so that it matches and conforms to the straight-edge shape of golf ball markers  21   b  and  21   c , as shown. As with the earlier preferred embodiments, each golf ball marker holder  5  includes a finger access area  33  at its top. The finger access area allows for a consumer to remove the top golf ball marker  21   b  or  21   c  from golf ball marker holder  5   b . It should also be noted that golf ball marker holder  5   b  is reclined backwards. This allows for the golf ball markers in each holder  5   b  to stay properly aligned and stacked, even as the front most marker  21   b  or  21   c  is removed by the consumer. 
     Utilization of a Preferred Golf Ball Marker Display Stand 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, display stand  2  ( FIG. 2 ) is purchased by a sporting goods store or golf pro shop that sells golf related items. In a preferred embodiment, the purchased display stand includes at least 400 golf ball markers. Each golf ball marker holder  5  can hold at least 10 stacked golf ball markers. The display stand is preferably positioned so that it is near the cash register and in view of the cash register operator. Display stand  2  is preferably position so that the consumer can physically touch and handle the display stand as well as the ball markers held by the display stand. As the consumer is making his purchase, or as the golfer is paying for his tee time, he will see display stand  2  and the golf ball markers held by the display stand. Because display stand  2  and the golf ball markers are easily accessible to the consumer, he will very inclined to focus on the ball markers in the display stand and inclined to make a purchase. The consumer is much more likely to purchase a ball marker if the ball marker is displayed as shown in  FIG. 2  than if the ball marker is positioned in a manner as taught by the prior art. Indeed, Applicant has sold many display stands  2  to retailers and has had very positive feedback reporting a dramatic increase in purchases of golf ball markers. 
     Another Preferred Embodiment of the Present Invention 
       FIGS. 9-11  show another preferred embodiment of the present invention. Golf ball marker display stand  62  includes twenty-four golf ball marker holders  65 . The bottom three rows include finger access area  67 . The top row holds the ball markers over the top of display stand  62 . As with the earlier described preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , ball marker holders  62  are reclined backwards so that the ball markers stay properly aligned and stacked, even as the front most marker  21  is removed by the consumer. Preferably, display stand  62  includes slidable security shield  73  fabricated from clear see through plastic. Security shield  73  is normally positioned so that it completely covers all the ball markers displayed in display stand  62 . When a consumer sees a ball marker he likes, he can easily slide the shield to expose the ball marker of interest ( FIG. 10 ). The consumer then can remove the ball marker with his fingers. Then, the consumer can slide security shield back over so that all ball markers are covered once again.  FIG. 11  shows a side view of display stand  62  and security shield  73 . 
     Although the above-preferred embodiments have been described with specificity, persons skilled in this art will recognize that many changes to the specific embodiments disclosed above could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the attached claims and their legal equivalents should determine the scope of the invention