Patent Abstract:
The present invention relates to a powerless automatic tee up machine, which repeats the transporting of the golf balls onto a golf tee through potential energy, a cam curve, a principle of balancer and a link system without using power, and which has a maximally simplified structure to significantly reduce manufacturing costs as compared to conventional machines. For this purpose, the powerless automatic tee up machine of the present invention comprises a main body unit which receives a golf ball and feeds the gold ball through an outlet, an outlet block unit for opening/shutting the outlet, a rotating unit which determines the opening/shutting operation of the outlet block unit, and which rotates in accordance with the presence or absence of the golf ball, and a rotation control unit which controls the motion of the rotating unit in accordance with whether or not the golf ball has been transferred to a golf tee by the rotating unit, thereby enabling the repeated tee up of golf balls without using power and also increasing effectiveness in terms of manufacturing costs due to the simplified structure.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a powerless automatic tee up machine, and more particularly, to a powerless automatic tee up machine which repeats the transporting of golf balls onto a golf tee through potential energy, a cam curve, and a link system without using power, and which has a maximally simplified transporting structure to significantly reduce manufacturing costs. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In general, tee up machines automatically place golf balls on a tee to allow users to repeatedly practice a golf swing. Most conventional tee up machines that use a sensing device such as a sensor with power suffer from space restrictions due to use of power. They may also have high manufacturing cost and maintenance problems in case the sensor fails. 
     To solve these problems, an example of a conventional powerless tee up machine has been designed to carry a golf ball to a tee through an arm which rotates due to the weight of the golf ball. The conventional tee up machine has to manually position a golf ball on an arm using a pedal or has a complicated structure for controlling the direction in which the arm rotates, thereby resulting in high manufacturing cost. The conventional tee up machine may also generate noise due to rotation of the arm or have difficulties in correctly putting a golf ball on a golf tee. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     The present invention provides a powerless automatic tee up machine for repeatedly teeing up golf balls through a simple structure, thereby having low maintenance and manufacturing costs. 
     The present invention also provides a powerless automatic tee up machine designed to absorb kinetic energy produced while teeing up a ball or use the kinetic energy for sequential arrangement of golf balls. 
     Technical Solution 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a powerless automatic tee up machine including: a main body unit including a golf ball receptacle that receives a golf ball and sequentially feeds the golf ball through an outlet, a support for supporting the golf ball receptacle, and a plate extending from the support; an outlet block unit that is disposed on the support so as to rotate upward and open or shut an outlet of the golf ball receptacle; a rotating unit including an arm which has a lower portion rotatably fixed to the support and which rotates by the golf ball received from the golf ball receptacle so as to transport the golf ball to a golf tee, a weight disposed on the inside of a distal end of the arm so that the arm rotates toward the outlet without using power, an elevating member disposed on a central portion of the arm so as to rotate the outlet block unit upward, a seating member for seating the golf ball ejected as the outlet block unit rotates upward, and a hinge disposed at the distal end of the arm  310  so that its end rotates only inward; and a rotation control unit including a balancer that moves up or down in equilibrium depending on whether the rotating unit has transported the golf ball to the golf tee, a connection member that keeps the balancer raised and rotates downward when the golf ball sits on the golf tee, a rotary shaft that is coupled to the connection member and rotates in a direction in which the connection member moves, and a support member that is disposed at a distal end of the rotary shaft, is positioned behind the hinge as it rotates by the golf ball placed on the golf tee in such a way as to prevent the rotating unit from rotating, and returns to its original position when the golf ball falls off the golf tee so that the rotating unit having the golf ball laid thereon rotates toward the golf tee. 
     The golf ball receptacle may include a first guide including an inclined panel having an inlet at one side thereof and a guide rail tapering down so as to guide the incoming golf ball toward the inlet one at a time, and a second guide that makes contact with only the bottom and left and right sides of the golf ball dropping down into the inlet and is sloped downwardly so as to guide the golf ball to the outlet. 
     The powerless automatic tee up machine may further include a shock transmitter that limits a radius of rotation of the rotating unit for transporting the golf ball to the golf tee and delivers kinetic energy of the rotating unit to the guide rail. 
     The shock transmitter delivers shocks produced according to the direction in which the rotating unit moves to the golf ball or the guide rail by contacting a top portion of the arm or the weight. 
     The shock transmitter passes through a side of the golf ball receptacle. The powerless automatic tee up machine may further include a shock absorber that absorbs a shock by contacting the weight of the rotating unit that rotates toward the golf tee and allows the golf ball to rest on the golf tee at a constant height without bouncing. The position of a portion of the shock absorber in contact with the weight is adjustable. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     As described above, a powerless automatic tee up machine according to the present invention enables repeated tee up of golf balls without using power through potential energy of a rotating unit produced by weight of a golf ball and a link system between an outlet block unit that opens or shuts an outlet according to a cam curve of an elevating member and a rotation control unit which controls the motion of the rotating unit in accordance with whether a golf ball has been transferred to a golf tee. The powerless automatic tee up machine also has a simple structure and low manufacturing cost, thereby providing high cost effectiveness. 
     Another advantage of the powerless automatic tee up machine is to include a shock absorber that absorbs kinetic energy of the rotating unit while teeing up a golf ball so that the golf ball is stably transported onto a golf tee and a shock transmitter which delivers the kinetic energy directly or indirectly to the golf ball and prevents bottlenecks in sequential alignment of golf balls. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a powerless automatic tee up machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the powerless automatic tee up machine of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the powerless automatic tee up machine having a shock transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the powerless automatic tee up machine having a shock absorber and a shock transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate examples of a first guide and a shock transmitter in the powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a second guide in the powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an outlet block unit in the powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a rotating unit in the powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 9A and 9B  illustrate a balancer in the powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a connection structure for connecting a connection member, a rotary shaft, and a support member in the powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an operation between a hinge and a support member in a powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  illustrates the operating principle of a shock transmitter in the powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a shock absorber in the powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 14A through 14C  illustrate operation states of the powerless automatic tee up machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE 
     Hereinafter, a powerless automatic tee up machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a powerless automatic tee up machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a front view of the powerless automatic tee up machine of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is a side view of the powerless automatic tee up machine having a shock transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 4  is a side view of the powerless automatic tee up machine having a shock absorber and a shock transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIGS. 14A through 14C  illustrate operation states of the powerless automatic tee up machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 4  and  14 A through  14 C, the powerless automatic tee up machine according to the present embodiment includes a main body unit  100  which basically accommodates golf balls up to a predetermined height, an outlet block unit  200  that is disposed on the main body unit  100  and determines the state in which a golf ball  1  is ejected, a rotating unit  300  disposed in the main body unit  100  so as to rotate up or down depending on the presence or absence of the golf ball  1 , and a rotation control unit  400  that controls the rotating unit  300  to remain adjacent to the main body unit  100  and stationary in the absence of the golf ball  1 . 
     The main body unit  100  includes a golf ball receptacle  110  that receives the golf ball  1  and sequentially feeds the golf ball through an outlet  111 , a support  120  provided such that the golf ball receptacle  110  is separated a predetermined height above the ground, and a plate  130  extending from the support  120 . 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate examples of a first guide  112  and a shock transmitter  500  in the powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 6  illustrates a second guide  113  in the powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     The golf ball receptacle  110  includes the first guide  112  and the second guide  113 . The first guide  112  includes an inclined panel  112   a  having a sloped surface to cause the golf ball  1  to roll (toward the outlet  111 ) and an inlet into which the golf ball  1  rolls down its way and drops, and a guide rail  112   b  tapering down so as to guide the golf ball  1  on the inclined panel  112   a  toward the inlet one at a time. The second guide  113  makes three linear contacts with only the bottom and left and right sides of the golf ball  1  in order to reduce a frictional force and provides a downwardly sloping path so as to sequentially guide the golf ball  1  one at a time before reaching the outlet  111 . The golf ball receptacle  110  may further include the shock transmitter  500  that prevents the golf ball  1  from being stuck on the first guide  11 , which will be described in more detail below. 
     The support  120  is provided such that the golf ball receptacle  110  is separated a predetermined distance above the ground. The support  120  also provides a space or coupling surface for installing the outlet block unit  200  and the rotating unit  300 . The support  120  is sufficiently high so as to eject the golf ball  1  from the golf ball receptacle  110  through the outlet  111  and convey the golf ball  1  to a golf tee  2 . 
     The plate  130  extends from a bottom of the support  120  in the same direction as the outlet  111 . The plate  130  supports the golf ball receptacle  110  and the support  120  to stably stand upright and erect and provide a space for horizontally mounting the rotation control unit  400  thereon. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates the outlet block unit  200  in the powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the outlet block unit  200  opens/shuts the outlet  111  so as to determine whether to eject the golf ball  1  and can rotate upward due to an elevating member  330  that is described in more detail below. The outlet block unit  200  may include a rotation member  210  that is rotatably pin fixed to the support  120  in front of the outlet  111  and an anti-rotation member  220  that prevents the rotation member  210  from moving downward. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the rotating unit  300  in the powerless automatic tee up machine of  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     The rotating unit  300  rotates the outlet block unit  200  upward so that the golf ball  1  is ejected from the golf ball receptacle  110 . As an upper end of the rotating unit  300  rotates toward the ground due to the weight of the golf ball, the golf ball  1  rolls down onto the golf tee  2  and the rotating unit  300  rotates back toward the outlet  111 . The rotating unit  300  continues to perform the same process without using power. To achieve this, the rotating unit  300  includes an arm  310  which has a lower portion rotatably fixed to the support  120  and which rotates due to the weight of the golf ball  1  received from the golf ball receptacle  110  so as to transport the golf ball  1  to the golf tee  2 , a weight  320  disposed on the inside of the lower portion of the arm  310  so that the arm  310  rotates toward the outlet  111  without using power, an elevating member  330  disposed on a central portion of the arm  310  so as to rotate the outlet block unit  200  upward, a seating member  340  for seating the golf ball  1  ejected as the outlet block unit  200  rotates upward, and a hinge  350  disposed on the outside of the lower portion of the arm  310  so that its end rotates inward. 
     The arm  310  has a throughhole, the diameter of which is longer than that of the golf ball  1 , at an upper end, a long hole connecting with the throughhole along a longitudinal direction so that the golf ball  1  may roll stably toward the throughhole, and a rib shaft-coupled to the support  120  at its lower portion. Thus, when the golf ball  1  is placed on the seating member  340  and the arm  310  rotates toward the ground, the golf ball  1  rolls along the long hole and drops downward through the throughhole. 
     The weight  320  allows the arm  310  to rotate back toward the golf ball receptacle  110  without using power after the arm  310  has rotated down toward the ground. The weight  320  is appropriately heavy so as to rotate the arm  310  down toward the ground when the golf ball  1  is positioned on the seating member  340 , and to rotate the arm  310  back toward the golf ball receptacle  110  when the golf ball  1  falls off the arm  310 . For example, the weight  320  may be detachably bolt-coupled to a bent L-shaped end of the arm  310 . 
     The elevating member  330  lifts the outlet block unit  200  so that the golf ball  1  is ejected from the outlet  111 . When the arm  310  rotates toward the outlet  111 , the elevating member  330  produces a cam curve to cause the outlet block unit  200  to open, so that the golf ball  1  is ejected from the outlet  111 . On the other hand, when the arm  310  rotates toward the ground, the outlet  111  is shut due to the unladen weight of the rotation member  330  so that the golf ball  1  is not ejected from the outlet  111 . In this case, the elevating member  330  may be disposed on either side of the arm  310  so as to allow the golf ball  1  to smoothly travel to the ground along the long hole of the arm  310 . 
     The seating member  340  is provided to stably position the golf ball  1  that is ejected from the outlet  111  when the outlet block unit  200  is rotated upward by the elevating member  330 . That is, the golf ball  1  makes contact with an L-shaped support surface formed by the arm  310  and the seating member  340  (as it passes through the seating member  340 ). 
     The hinge  350  cooperates with the rotation control unit  400  (to be described below) so as to prevent the rotating unit  300  from rotating toward the ground when the golf ball  1  is positioned on the seating member  340  until the golf ball  1  is removed from the golf tee  2 . 
     The rotation control unit  400  includes a balancer  410 , a connection member  420 , a rotary shaft  430 , and a support member  440 . The balancer  410  is disposed below the rotation control unit  400  and moves up or down in equilibrium depending on whether the rotating unit  300  has transported the golf ball  1  to the golf tee  2 . The connection member  420  keeps the balancer  410  raised when the golf ball  1  does not sit on the golf tee  2  and rotates downward when the golf ball  1  sits on the golf tee  2 . The rotary shaft  430  is coupled to the connection member  420  and rotates in a direction in which the connection member  420  moves. The support member  440  is disposed at a distal end of the rotary shaft  430  and is positioned behind the hinge  350  as it is rotated when the golf ball  1  placed on the golf tee  2  so as to prevent the rotating unit  300  from rotating further. When the golf ball  1  falls off the golf tee  2 , the support member  440  returns to its original position so that the rotating unit  300  having the golf ball  1  laid thereon rotates toward the golf tee  2 . 
       FIGS. 9A and 9B  illustrate the balancer  410  in the powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     The balancer  410  includes a horizontal panel  411  on which the golf tee  2  is positioned, a pair of opposing first clamping ribs  412  disposed on a bottom surface of the horizontal panel  411 , a balancing member  413  that is detachably coupled to the pair of first clamping ribs  412  in a diagonal direction and allows the horizontal panel  411  to move up and down, and a pair of second clamping ribs  414  that are disposed on the plate  130  and fix the balancing member  413 . The balancer  410  having the above-described structure moves up or down in equilibrium within a range of movement of the balancing member  413  and is combined with the connection member  420  so as to limit the movement of the rotating unit  300  under control of the support member  440 . In this case, the connection member  420  may be simply welded to the balancer  410  or be detachably secured to pass through one or more clamping ribs  415  on the bottom surface of the horizontal panel  411 . 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a connection structure for connecting the connection member  420 , the rotary shaft  430 , and the support member  440  in the powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     When the golf ball  1  is not placed on the golf tee  2 , the connection member  420  keeps the balancer  410  raised according to the connection structure for connecting the rotary shaft  430  and the support member  440 . Conversely, when the golf ball  1  is placed on the golf tee  2 , the balancer  410  is lowered, and simultaneously the connection member  420  rotates in one direction and is coupled to the rotary shaft  430  so as to control the movement of the rotating unit  300 . 
     The rotary shaft  430  has one end coupled to the connection member  420 , the other end fixed to the support member  440 , and the remaining portion rotatably fixed to the plate  130  and robustly supported. Thus, the rotary shaft  420  rotates in the same direction that the connection member  420  rotates. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates the relationship between the operation of the hinge  350  and the support member  440  in the powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     When the golf ball  1  is not placed on the golf tee  2 , the support member  440  cooperates with the rotary shaft  430  and the connection member  420  so as to keep the balancer  410  in an elevated position due to greater weight on the outside. When the golf ball  1  is placed on the golf tee  2 , the support member  440  rotates toward the hinge  350  so as to prevent the rotating unit  300  from rotating toward the golf tee  2 . Because a portion of the hinge  350  rotates only inward, the rotating unit  300  maintains the state in which the golf ball  1  is ejected using the arrangement between the hinge  350  and the support member  440  when the golf ball  1  is placed on the golf tee  2 . When the golf ball  1  is removed from the golf tee  2 , the support member  440  returns to its original position so that the rotating unit  300  transports the golf ball  1  to the golf tee  2 . 
     Because a distance between opposing guide rails  112   b  of the first guide  112  decreases downward, the golf ball  1  may not be smoothly delivered to the second guide  113  due to bottlenecks. Thus, to solve this problem, the powerless automatic tee up machine according to the present embodiment further includes the shock transmitter  500  that limits a radius of rotation of the rotating unit  300  for transporting the golf ball  1  to the golf tee  2  and delivers kinetic energy of the rotating unit  300  to the guide rail  112   b . The first guide  112  may be shaft fixed or bolted to the golf ball receptacle  110  so as to be agitated by shocks delivered by the shock transmitter  500 . 
       FIG. 12  illustrates the operating principle of the shock transmitter  500  in the powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 13  illustrates a shock absorber  600  in the powerless automatic tee up machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     The shock transmitter  500  may have two structures to deliver shocks produced according to the direction in which the rotating unit  300  moves to the golf ball  1  by contacting a top portion of the arm  310  or the weight  320 . As shown in the drawings, when the top portion of the arm  310  is directed toward the inlet  111 , a portion of the shock transmitter  500  may pass through a side of the golf ball receptacle  110  and apply a shock to the guide rail  112   b  or directly to the golf ball  1  that is stuck due to bottlenecks. In this case, the shock transmitter  500  may have a spring at a distal end or may be shaft-coupled (to the golf ball receptacle  110 ) so that it moves back to its original position due to the weight after the golf ball  1  is hit off the golf tee  2 . In another structure, in order to limit the movement of the weight  320  when the arm  310  rotates toward the golf tee  2 , one end of the shock transmitter  500  passes through a bottom surface of the golf ball receptacle  110  and is coupled to the guide rail  112   b  while the other end thereof contacts the weight  320 . 
     When the shock transmitter  500  is used, the powerless automatic tee up machine according to the present embodiment may further include the shock absorber  600  that absorbs a shock by contacting the weight  320  of the rotating unit  300  that rotates toward the golf tee  2  and allows the golf ball  1  to rest on the golf tee  2  at a constant height without bouncing. The shock absorber  600  may also adjust the position of its portion in contact with the weight  320 , thereby allowing precise placement of the golf ball  1  on golf tees having different heights. Referring to  FIG. 13 , the shock absorber  600  for adjusting its position includes a contact portion  610  which contacts the weight  320  and rotates within a predetermined range in order to absorb shocks, a fastening member  620  fixed to the inside of the support  120 , and a shaft bolt  630 . In order to adjust the position, the contact portion  610  may be shaft fixed to the fastening member  620  at different positions by inserting the shaft bolt  630 . That is, the position of the contact portion  610  may be adjusted depending on the position at which the shaft bolt  630  is engaged with a nut. Alternatively, the contact portion  610  may be raised or lowered by varying the length of an adjustment bolt passing through the support  120 .

Technology Classification (CPC): 0