Patent ID: 7780539

Claim:
A ball trap that simulates a hole in a generally horizontal surface along which a ball of known diameter may travel, the ball trap comprising: a carrier and a support for supporting the carrier above the generally horizontal surface; a plurality of retaining flaps held by the carrier and circumferentially spaced about the carrier in a generally circular array arranged to capture the ball between at least one flap and the horizontal surface, the flaps being T-shaped with the center piece of the T joined to a hinge and the cross piece of the T having a curved edge with a relatively large radius of curvature in top plan view in a center region and a smaller radius of curvature in each end portion of the cross piece of the T, thereby reducing the likelihood a ball will strike an end of the cross piece of the T and be outwardly deflected; and a plurality of hinges for connecting the retaining flaps to the carrier allowing the retaining flaps to be pushed inwards and upward by contact with the ball, from a position of rest to a raised position and then returning to the rest position after the ball has passed, thereby capturing the ball; wherein each retaining flap, when viewed in radial side elevation, defines a ball-engaging surface having an arcuately curved lower edge, such that a height between the ball-engaging surface and the horizontal surface is smallest adjacent the ends of the flap when the flap is in its rest position and which is shaped so as to approximate the edge of a simulated circular hole when the flap is in its raised position.