Abstract:
A reusable golf tee having a bidirectionally pivotal head comprises a head member, a peg member and pivot means coupling the head member and peg member. The head member includes a concave perch for nesting a golf ball thereon for tee shots. The head member further includes an elongated shaft axially projected downward from the perch and insertable into a channel formed between a pair of shoulders on the peg member. The peg member also includes a tapered tip to facilitate insertion into a tee area. Pivot means permits the head member to pivot as forces act on the head member and peg member collectively. Pivoting of the head member may be accomplished in two directions (bidirectional).

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS AND DISCLOSURES 
   The present application was first described in Disclosure Document Registration 521,782 filed on Nov. 15, 2002 under 35 U.S.C. § 122 , 37 C.F.R. § 1.14 and MPEP § 1706. There are no previous nor currently any co-pending applications anywhere in the world. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to golfing tees, and more particularly to a golfing tee having separate head and base members, wherein the head is bi-directionally pivotal about pivoting means. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Golf is a sport growing in popularity, both in viewership and participation. The golfing tees presently used are dominated by the wooden variety. Wooden golf tees are easily broken by the impact delivered by a golf club. As such, golf tees are easily consumed, but not necessarily easily replaced. The golfer frequently must replenish his/her supply of golf tees by purchasing bags or in bulk. Further, replacing wooden golf tees requires the consumption of wood sources, especially trees. 
   A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related: 
   U.S. Pat. No. 2,839,304, issued in the name of Lerick, discloses a flexible golf tee featuring a resiliently flexible head connected to a tapering base about a resilient element; 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,414,268, issued in the name of Chase, discloses a golfing tee having a pointed end for insertion into the ground and a cupped seat (opposite to the pointed end) for holding a golf ball placed therein, the cupped seat comprising a plurality of petals yieldingly flexible; 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,214, issued in the name of Collins, discloses an improved, reusable tee comprising shank and head elements connected to one another and providing limited pivotal movement of the head element in relation to the shank element; 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,916, issued in the name of Matsuura, discloses a golf tee comprising a peg member for insertion into the ground and a head member for placement of a golf ball thereon, and an elastic member (spring) provided between the peg member and the head member; 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,747, issued in the name of Young, discloses a golf tee assembly with at least one reusable tee attached from a retaining member anchored to a teeing ground; 
   U.S. Pat. No. Des. 301,046, issued in the name of Morabeto, discloses an ornamental design for a golfing tee comprising a head portion for holding a golf ball, a tail portion for insertion into the ground, and an intermediate portion capable of collapse upon impact by a golf club; 
   U.S. Pat. No. Des. 360,006, issued in the name of Sample, discloses an ornamental design for a golfing tee comprising a screw driven through a hexagonal base, with a resilient spring attached on the opposite end of the base and supporting a dowel and a cupped top; and 
   U.S. Pat. No. Des. 370,041, issued in the name of Thomas, discloses an ornamental design for an adjustable height golfing tee comprising an elongated tee portion having a cupped head and a pointed tail and notches intermediate thereto, wherein a disc is impinged by the notches and permits vertical adjustment of the disc to act as a height guide for setting the tee into the ground. 
   Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an improved golfing tee that provides a bi-directionally displaceable head member upon impact of a golf club, and allows for repositioning and repeated use of the same golfing tee. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved golfing tee. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved golfing tee having a bi-directionally displaceable head member coupled to a peg member via pivot means. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved golfing tee having pivot means forcibly impinging the head member in a substantially vertical position. 
   Briefly described according to one embodiment of the present invention, a reusable golfing tee with a bi-directional pivoting head member comprises a head member coupled to a peg member about pivot means. The head member includes perch, allowing a golf ball to nest thereon, and a linearly elongated and downwardly projecting shaft. The shaft is inserted into a channel formed between a pair of shoulders on the peg member. The peg member is linearly elongated and includes a tapered tip at the end opposite the shoulders for facilitating insertion of the golfing tee into the ground. Pivot means may include a pivotal pin, ball-and-socket joints, flexible elastomers elements and other similar means for allowing pivoting movement of the head member. 
   The reusable golfing tee provides an apparatus that allows for repeated use of a single golfing tee in lieu of breaking and replacing wooden tees most commonly used in playing golf. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a golfing tee having a head member bi-directionally displaceable about a peg member; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the golfing tee taken along line II—II; 
       FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the golfing tee; 
       FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of the golfing tee struck by a golf club, wherein the strike displaces the head member in the same direction as the club and ball are traveling; 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the peg member and shoulder to illustrate the pin as housed within the aperture and indicating the impingement of the pin absent forcible displacement of the head member; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the golfing tee, wherein a plurality of ball-and-sockets are used as pivot means; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the golfing tee in  FIG. 6  after forcible displacement of the head member; and 
       FIG. 8  is a front or rear view of the head member of the embodiments disclosed in FIG.  6  and  FIG. 7 , illustrating the fixed state of the top balls and the outwardly biased spring urging the lower balls into corresponding sockets. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within the  FIGS. 1 through 8 . 
   1. Detailed Description of the Figures 
   Referring now to FIG.  1  through  FIG. 4 , a golf tee  10  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The golf tee  10  comprises a head member  12  and a peg member  14  coupled together about pivot means  16 . The peg member  14  is inserted into the ground and supports the head member  12  and golf ball “B”. After the user strikes the ball “B” with a golf club “C”, the force of impact will result in the head member  12  pivoting about pivot means  16  in the direction that the club “C” and ball “B” are traveling. The head member  12  may be repositioned in vertical alignment with the peg member  14  for repeated use of the golf tee  10  on subsequent shots as required. 
   The head member  12  comprises a perch  18  for allowing the ball “B” to nest therein. The perch  18  is at an upper terminal end of the head member  12  and integrally coupled to an elongated shaft  20  axially projected downward therefrom. The perch  18  may be concave (if looking down onto the perch  18 ) or may be substantially hollow, so long as a regulation golf ball “B” is able to nest on the perch  18  without falling after placement onto the tee  10 . The shaft  20  inserts into a channel  26  formed between a pair of shoulders  22  and  24  of the peg member  14 , and is resiliently biased in a vertical orientation. The shaft  20  may have a tapered or non-tapered tip  22  for separately inserting the head member  12  into the ground as desired. It is envisioned that the head member  12  may be pivoted about the peg member  14  (in either of the two directions allowed) to lower the profile of the golf tee  10  for tee shots with driving clubs (for lower trajectory shot-making) and/or irons. Pivot means  16  penetrate the peg member  14  and the shaft  20 , providing means for bi-directional pivoting displacement of the head member  12  in response to impact forces of a golf club “C”. 
   The peg member  14  is an elongated member comprising a pair of shoulders  22  and  24  and forming a channel  26  therebetween, wherein the channel  26  receives the shaft  20  of the head member  12 . At an end of the peg member  14 , opposite to the pair of shoulders  22  and  24 , a tapered tip  28  is provided to facilitate insertion of the golf tee  10  into the ground. It is envisioned that the peg member  14  may have a substantially cylindrical configuration about the exterior surface, with a substantially conical configuration about the tip  28 . It is further envisioned that the peg member  14  may have a more flat surface about two opposing sides of the peg member  14 , especially from near the base of the channel  26  to the tip  28 . The plane of the opposing flat surfaces  30  and  32  lies substantially perpendicular to the plane of the bi-directional pivoting action of the head member  12  so that there is increased surface area about the tip  28  (as compared to a conically configured tip  28 ) to more securely impinge the golf tee  10  in place during use. 
   Pivot means  16  is envisioned as a variety of particular elements, including a pin (as depicted in FIG.  1  through  FIG. 4 ) or other returnably resilient element. As depicted in  FIG. 5 , the pin  16 ′ is a linearly elongated member that transverses the coupling of the head member  12  and the peg member  14 . The pin  16 ′ includes a pair of teeth  16   a  and  16   b , wherein each tooth  16   a  and  16   b  are aligned in the same plane along the circumference of the pin  16 ′. The pin  16 ′ is inserted within an aperture  34  that transverses the coupling of the head and peg members  12  and  14 . Within the aperture  34 , and corresponding to each respective tooth  16   a  and  16   b , a first pair of detents  36   a  and  36   b  and a second pair of detents  38   a  and  38   b  are formed at each end of the aperture  34 . The pair of detents  36   a  and  36   b  (and  38   a  and  38   b ) frictionally impinge the respective tooth  16   a  or  16   b  until such force is applied by a striking golf club “C” that the teeth  16   a  and  16   b  are forcibly displaced from the frictional impingement in either direction (bi-directional displacement). To vertically realign the head member  12  in relation to the peg member  14 , the user will forcibly displace the teeth  16   a  and  16   b  between the detents  36   a  and  36   b  (and  38   a  and  38   b ). Other pivot means  16  envisioned include the use of flexible elastomers to impinge the head member  12  within the peg member  14  and permit the bi-directional displacement discussed earlier, and further permit the realignment of the head member  12  in a vertical position. 
   Still another pivot means  16  envisioned is that of a ball-and-socket joint, wherein a plurality of balls are positioned along the shaft  20  and enervate with a plurality of ball-shaped sockets positioned along the shoulders  22  and  24 . In one embodiment of the ball-and-socket joint pivot means  16 , depicted in  FIG. 6 , FIG.  7  and  FIG. 8 , a pair of ball bearings  40   a  and  40   b  are positioned along one side (with corresponding pair of sockets  42   a  and  42   b ) and a second pair of ball bearings  44   a  and  44   b  are positioned along the opposite side (also with corresponding pair of sockets  46   a  and  46   b ). The upper ball bearings  40   a  and  44   a  are permanently affixed to the respective sockets  42   a  and  46   a , respectively, and the lower ball bearings  40   b  and  44   b  are forcibly displaced with the application of sufficient force. The application of said sufficient force permits the bi-directional displacement of the head member  12  by pivoting about the upper ball bearings  40   a  and  44   a  and release of lower ball bearings  40   b  and  44   b . To realign the head member  12  in a vertical orientation, the lower ball bearings  40   b  and  44   b  are provided with an outwardly biased spring  48  that permits the forcible internal compression of the ball bearings  40   b  and  44   b  so that the shaft  20  might be rotated back to vertical and the ball bearings  40   b  and  44   b  repositioned within the respective sockets  42   b  and  46   b . In an alternative embodiment, the lower ball bearings  40   b  and  44   b  and the corresponding spring  48  are not provided, wherein the flexible elasticity of the pivot means  16  permits the forcible repositioning of the device. 
   It is envisioned that the golfing tee  10  will be constructed from a durable material capable of withstanding repeated strikes from metal golf clubs. Metal, wood and/or plastic are envisioned as appropriate materials. It is further envisioned that the head member  12  and the peg member  14  may be of different colors, so that if the head member  12  is mechanically separated from the peg member  14 , the separated members  12  and  14  might be easier to locate. It is further envisioned that the golfing tee  10 , and the component members  12  and  14 , may be provided in varying lengths. A standard golfing tee is approximately an inch and one-half inches (1.5″ or 3.8 cm) to three inches (3″ or 7.6 cm), thus the golfing tee  10  may be manufactured to accommodate standard size tees, and may also be customized for longer tees for speciality shots. 
   2. Operation of the Preferred Embodiment 
   A golfer will ensure that the head member  12  is oriented in an appropriate position for supporting a golf ball “B” for teeing off. In most instances, the head member  12  will be aligned in a substantially vertical orientation in relation to the peg member  14 . The golfer will then swing a golf club “C” and strike the ball “B”. If the club “C” strikes the head member  12  with sufficient force, the head member  12  will be forcibly displaced in the direction the club “C” is traveling and pivot about pivot means  16 . The golfer may then retrieve the tee  10  and reposition the head member  12  in the vertical orientation. 
   Therefore, the foregoing description is included to illustrate the operation of the preferred embodiment and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. As one can envision, an individual skilled in the relevant art, in conjunction with the present teachings, would be capable of incorporating many minor modifications that are anticipated within this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be broadly limited only by the following claims.