Patent Publication Number: US-2010130310-A1

Title: Tee-setting device

Description:
PRIORITY 
     This is a divisional of Ser. No. 12/291,824 filed Nov. 13, 2008, which was a divisional of Ser. No. 11/307,373 filed Feb. 3, 2006. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is directed to devices which position a golf tee to a predetermined height above the ground, and, more particularly, to simple mechanical devices which quickly and accurately position a golf tee to a predetermined height. 
     2. The Prior Art 
     Positioning of the tee plays a crucial role in the game of golf. Small variations in tee height can dramatically affect a player&#39;s shot. Golfers typically insert the tee into the ground with their fingers and make their best guess as to the proper height, a method which is both inaccurate and irreproducible and, at best, results in only an approximation of the proper height. Complicating matters further, many golfers prefer different height settings for different clubs. In addition, hard-packed dirt may make insertion of the tee difficult. A need has been recognized for a device which accurately and reproducibly sets the tee height. Several tee-setting devices are found in the prior art; however, prior art devices are often complex and consist of multiple moving parts and can be complicated to use. It would be beneficial to have a simple mechanical device which quickly and accurately sets a tee to a predetermined height. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a device which is used to position a golf tee to a predetermined height above the ground. The device comprises a head integraly formed with or attached in a substantially perpendicular manner to a body, with the combination forming a rigid, unitary piece. The head contains a circular recess slightly larger than the cup of a standard golf tee. The body contains a groove against which the shaft of a golf tee is designed to fit. The vertical distance from the circular recess to the bottom of the body is equal to the desired height of the tee above the ground. The cup of a golf tee is placed into the circular recess with the shaft of the tee held against the groove. With the tee so placed, a length of the tee&#39;s shaft extends past the bottom of the tee-setting device. The golfer applies pressure to the top of the tee-setting device to push the point of the tee into the ground and pushes until the bottom of the tee-setting device meets the ground. Upon removal of the tee-setting device, the tee remains positioned at exactly the desired height. 
     In the embodiment of the invention summarized above, the device is a single piece which accurately and reproducibly positions a tee to a fixed height. If a different height is desired, another tee-setting device is used which is set to a different height. A golfer can carry several such devices, each fixed to a discrete height, depending on the needs of the individual golfer. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, the head contains two circular recesses, one on each side of the body, and the body contains a groove underneath each of the two circular recesses. The circular recesses are preset to two different heights so that the golfer can use a single device to set the tee to two separate predetermined heights. 
     In another embodiment, the head of the tee-setting device contains a circular recess positioned above a groove on the body as in the first embodiment described. The head also contains a threaded shaft oriented in a manner substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the head. A member is threaded onto the threaded shaft such that rotation of the member causes the vertical displacement of the member, thereby extending or shortening the effective distance from the circular recess to the bottom of the tee-setting device. This feature allows the golfer to quickly and accurately adjust the tee-setting device to any of a range of desired heights. Unlike the previously described embodiments, the golfer is not restricted to one or two discrete heights. 
     In yet other embodiments, the head of the preferred embodiment or any of the alternative embodiments contains a golf ball recess formed on the top of the tee-setting device with a diameter sized to cooperatively receive a portion of a golf ball. This feature allows a golfer to fit a portion of a golf ball into the golf ball recess and apply pressure to the top of the golf ball, thereby easing insertion of the tee into the ground. 
     Before explaining the preferred embodiment and alternative embodiments of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The present invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     It is an object of this invention to provide a device which accurately and reproducibly allows a tee to be set to a predetermined height above the ground. 
     It is an object of this invention to provide a tee-setting device which is simple to use and is easily portable. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide a tee-setting device which allows a golfer to quickly and accurately adjust the height to any of a range of desired heights. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide a tee-setting device which eases insertion of the tee into the ground. 
     It is an advantage of this invention that the device is inexpensive to manufacture, reusable and durable. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent in view of the present specification, claims and drawings. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the invention. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the present invention in any way. 
     These together with other objects of the present invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the present invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the present invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention and alternative embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is bottom elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the invention showing a tee positioned for placement into the ground and illustrating the dimension of predetermined height. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention which comprises two discrete height settings. 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the invention which comprises two discrete height settings and showing the two dimensions of predetermined height. 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the invention which comprises two discrete height settings. 
         FIG. 9  is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the invention which allows variable height settings. 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the invention which illustrating a golf ball recess which may be incorporated into the preferred embodiment or any of the alternative embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     While this present invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described in detail herein, a preferred embodiment, with like parts designated by like reference numerals and with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the claims to the illustrated preferred embodiment. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the head  22  of the tee-setting device  20  is shown to be shaped substantially like a rectangular block with rounded edges. The body  24  of the tee-setting device  20  is substantially block-shaped with one of the faces angled at approximately 30° with respect to the opposite face. The head  22  is attached to the body  24  such that the longitudinal axes of the head  22  and body  24  are substantially perpendicular to one another. The head  22  and body  24  are integrally formed with or attached so as to form a rigid, unitary piece.  FIG. 2  gives a further illustration of the spatial relationship between the head  22  and the body  24  in the preferred embodiment. The preferred materials of construction is wood, although it should be readily understood by those skilled in the art that other materials of construction such as metals, polymers or the like will suffice. 
     The head  22  contains a circular recess  26  formed on its underside with a diameter slightly larger than that of the cup of a standard tee. The body  24  contains a groove  28  along the angled face  25  of the body  24 . The groove  28  is positioned under the circular recess  26 .  FIGS. 3 and 4  further illustrate the positioning of the circular recess  26  and groove  28  with respect to the head  22  and body  24 . 
     The golfer fits the cup of a tee into the circular recess  26  and holds the shaft of the tee against the groove  28 . When so positioned, the pointed end of the tee extends past the bottom  32  of the tee-setting device  20  as shown in  FIG. 5 . With the tee held in place in this manner, the golfer inserts the pointed end of the tee into the ground and applies pressure to the top  33  of the tee-setting device  20  until the bottom  32  meets the ground. Upon removal of the tee-setting device  20 , the tee remains in the ground at precisely the desired height. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the tee-setting device  20  is simple to use and accurately and reproducibly sets the tee to the desired height above the ground. The height setting is fixed and is determined by the vertical distance D, shown in  FIG. 5 , defined as the distance from where the cup of the tee makes contact with the tee-setting device  20  within the circular recess  26  to the bottom  32  of the tee-setting device  20 . The golfer can carry several such devices, each fixed to a different height, as deemed necessary by the golfer. Suitable dimensions for the preferred embodiment are 4 cm×1.5 cm×1.5 cm, body  24  being approximately 1.5 cm deep, 0.5 cm wide at the point of attachment to the head  22 , 1.5 cm wide at the bottom, and of sufficient length to generate a distance from the circular recess  26  to the bottom of the body  24  equal to the desired tee height. 
     Another embodiment is illustrated in  FIGS. 6-8 , wherein the tee-setting device  20  has two discrete height settings. In this embodiment, the head  22  of the tee-setting device  20  contains two circular recesses  26  set at two different distances D, D′ from the bottom  32  of the body  24 . The body  24  comprises two angled faces  25 , each containing a groove  28  positioned under a circular recess  26 . The two-height embodiment works in the same manner as the first described embodiment. The golfer selects the desired tee height, places the cup of a tee into the circular recess  26  and holds the shaft of the tee along the groove  28 . The pointed end of the tee is inserted into the ground and pressure is applied to the top  33  of the tee-setting device  20  until the bottom  32  meets the ground. Upon removal of the tee-setting device  20 , the tee remains in the ground at precisely the desired height. An advantage of this embodiment is that the golfer may use one device to accurately and reproducibly set a tee to either of two discrete heights. 
     Another embodiment of the tee-setting device  20  is illustrated in  FIG. 9 . As in the previously described embodiments, the head  22  of the tee-setting device  20  contains a circular recess  26  positioned above a groove  28  in the body  24 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 9 , a threaded shaft  40  is attached to the head  22  in a manner substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body  24 . A cylindrical member  42  is threaded onto the threaded shaft  40  such that rotation of the cylindrical member  42  causes the vertical displacement of the cylindrical member  42 , thereby extending or shortening the effective distance from the circular recess  26  to the bottom  32  of the tee-setting device  20 . This feature allows the golfer to quickly and accurately adjust the tee-setting device  20  to any of a range of desired heights. Unlike the previously described embodiments, the golfer is not restricted to one or two discrete heights. 
     Yet another embodiment of the tee-setting device  20  is illustrated in  FIG. 10 . The head  22  of the preferred embodiment or any of the alternative embodiments contains a golf ball recess  34  formed on the top  33  of the tee-setting device  20  with a diameter sized to cooperatively receive a portion of a golf ball. 
     In operation, the golfer fits a portion of a golf ball into the golf ball recess  34  and holds the shaft of the tee against the groove  28 . When so positioned, the pointed end of the tee extends past the bottom  32  of the tee-setting device  20  as shown in  FIG. 5 . With the tee held in place in this manner, the golfer inserts the pointed end of the tee into the ground and applies pressure to the top of the golf ball until the bottom  32  meets the ground. Upon removal of the tee-setting device  20  and the ball, the tee remains in the ground at precisely the desired height. The ball may then be placed on the tee. 
     Hence, while the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment and an alternative embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended that the invention be limited to those embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed. 
     As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention, same should be apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly no further discussion relevant to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention shall be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum proportions for the elements of the invention, and variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered illustrative of only the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact method, construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.