Patent Document

FEDERALLY SPONSERED RESEARCH  
         [0001]    Not Applicable  
         SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM  
         [0002]    Not Applicable  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0003]    1. Field of Invention  
           [0004]    This invention generally relates to golfing equipment and, more particularly, is concerned with an apparatus for golf putting practice.  
           [0005]    2. Description of Prior Art  
           [0006]    Golf putting practice devices have been described in the prior art. Many are large, bulky, and above ground level. As such, they-have a negative effect on the decor of the room in which they are installed and are removed when not in use. U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,075 to Simjian (1988) discloses an elongated mat that extends over an elevated frame to allow made and missed putts to be collected in catch basins. U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,941 to Klearman (1996) discloses a complex track which can be elevated to simulate putts of different lengths.  
           [0007]    Many devices have complex swing restriction means to aid in training but do not duplicate the feel of alignment and stroke control required on an actual course. U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,557 to Casillas (1997) discloses a mat with tube insert rails to define a putting path; U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,865 to Coombs (1990) describes a matted plate with cut off golf tees defining a putting path; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,720 to Berg (1971) has an even more elaborate putting path alignment device of flexible flaps to constrain the putter movement.  
           [0008]    The prior art devices do not replicate the sound and feel of a made putt when it drops into a regulation golf cup. The target cup or orifice is normally above floor level and consists of an orifice in a mat that is stretched over some type of retainer box as in Simjian or net as in Klearman. Some devices as in Berg and Coombs do not have a cup, but utilize a gravity return of the putted ball to the putter and U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,370 to Morris (1990) discloses a backstop that traps missed putts in a rail with latches. U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,006 to Sigunick discloses a set of shallow rings that if the ball is putted to hard it will jump out the other side.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0009]    In accordance with the present invention an apparatus for golf putting practice comprises at least one United States Golf Association (USGA) sized golf cup disposed in an insert that replaces the conventional Heating and Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC) register. The insert is sized to be removably secured internal to the HVAC outlet so that it can be easily inserted and removed therefrom and the top surface is flush with the floor covering surface.  
           [0010]    Objects and Advantages  
           [0011]    Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:  
           [0012]    (a) to provide an apparatus for golf putting practice that is small, compact, and unobtrusive when installed in an office or home;  
           [0013]    (b) to provide an apparatus for golf putting practice in which the golf cup is sized to meet United States Golf Association (USGA) regulations;  
           [0014]    (c) to provide an apparatus for golf putting practice that disposes the golf cup below floor level;  
           [0015]    (d) to provide an apparatus for golf putting practice which duplicates the unfettered nature of an actual putt;  
           [0016]    (e) to provide an apparatus for golf putting practice that replicates the sound and feel of making a putt in a USGA regulation golf cup; and  
           [0017]    (f) to provide an apparatus for golf putting practice that utilizes the existing floor covering as the putting surface with no additional mats or tracks.  
           [0018]    Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views.  
       
    
    
     DRAWINGS  
       [0019]    Drawing Figures  
         [0020]    In the drawings, alternative embodiments are shown in figures that have the same numbers but different alphabetic suffixes.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art standard HVAC register that the apparatus for golf putting practice replaces.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a single cup version of the apparatus for golf putting practice.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus for golf putting practice.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3A is a plan view of a two cup embodiment of the apparatus for golf putting practice.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3B is a plan view of a single centered cup embodiment of the apparatus for golf putting practice.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 is a front view of the apparatus for golf putting practice.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the apparatus for golf putting practice. 
     
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS  
       [0028]    [0028] 10  apparatus for golf putting practice  
         [0029]    [0029] 12  vent register  
         [0030]    [0030] 14  housing  
         [0031]    [0031] 16  movable vane  
         [0032]    [0032] 18  vane control means  
         [0033]    [0033] 20  flange  
         [0034]    [0034] 22  lower  
         [0035]    [0035] 24  upper surface  
         [0036]    [0036] 26  golf cup  
         [0037]    [0037] 28  lower wall  
         [0038]    [0038] 30  bottom of golf cup  
         [0039]    [0039] 32  aperture  
         [0040]    [0040] 34  cup wall  
         [0041]    [0041] 36  simulated hazard  
         [0042]    [0042] 38  plastic pin with flag  
         [0043]    [0043] 40  stationary vane  
         [0044]    [0044] 42  flag mounting boss  
         [0045]    [0045] 44  second golf cup  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0046]    In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which FIGS. 1 through 5 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein an apparatus for golf putting practice is disclosed and FIGS. 3A and 3B disclose alternate embodiments.  
         [0047]    Turning to FIG. 1, therein is shown a prior art Heating and Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC) vent register  12  having a housing  14  containing a plurality of movable vanes  16  and a vane control means  18  as would be provided in the standard manner by one skilled in the art. It should be noted that the vent register  12  has a flange  20  for contacting a floor surface of a room (not shown) along with a lower extended wall  22  of the housing  14  which connects in the standard manner to an under floor outlet (not shown) of a HVAC system of a building in which the HVAC system is installed.  
         [0048]    Turning to FIG. 2, therein is shown the apparatus for golf putting practice  10  which is complementarily sized and shaped as vent register  12  as shown in FIG. 1. The apparatus for golf putting practice  10  has an upper surface  24  which is sized to conform to or mate to the floor level of the room (not shown) in which the HVAC system is installed and is typically 290 mm long by 140 mm wide. The apparatus for golf putting practice  10  also has therein at least one golf cup  26  which is regulation sized as specified by the United States Golf Association (USGA) depending approximately 38 mm from the upper surface  24 . The apparatus for golf putting practice  10  also has a lower wall  28 , also depending from the upper surface  24  roughly 38 mm which supports the bottom of the golf cup  30 , and which connects in the standard manner to an under floor outlet (not shown) of an HVAC system. The apparatus for golf putting practice  10  also has on the upper surface  24  a simulated hazard  36  formed by an irregularly shaped opening in upper surface  24  adjacent to the golf cup  26  with a plurality of stationary vanes  40  running beneath the opening of the simulated hazard  36  transverse to the long axis of the upper surface  24  between the lower walls  28 . The apparatus for golf putting practice  10  also has on upper surface  24  a flag mounting boss  42  in which a plastic pin and flag  38  may be inserted.  
         [0049]    Turning to FIG. 3, therein is shown the apparatus for golf putting practice  10  along with the elements previously disclosed and in addition thereto, disclosing the bottom of the golf cup  30  with a plurality of apertures  32  and the simulated hazard  36  through which air from the HVAC system may flow.  
         [0050]    Turning to FIG. 4, therein is shown the apparatus for golf putting practice  10  along with the bottom of the golf cup  30  and lower wall  28  and other elements previously disclosed.  
         [0051]    Turning to FIG. 5, therein is shown the apparatus for golf putting practice  10  along with a plurality of stationary vanes  40  attached perpendicularly between the lower walls  28  transverse to the long axis of the apparatus for golf practice  10  running beneath the simulated hazard  36 . Also the cup wall  34  is shown which extends from the upper surface  24  to the bottom of the cup  30  at both ends of the cup  26  and from one side of lower wall  28  to the other side of lower wall  28  on circular arc with a radius of approximately 57 mm. The bottom of the cup  30  is shown having approximately a diameter of 114 mm with either side truncated at the cord created by the intersection of the diameter of the bottom of the cup  30  and the lower walls  28 . The lower wall  28  which slips into the HVAC outlet (not shown) is sized to fit into a standard HVAC outlet and the corners are chamfered to reduce interferences with damaged HVAC outlets corners. Also the plurality of apertures  32  in the bottom of the cup  30  which allow air to flow through the apparatus for golf putting practice  10  and other elements previously disclosed are illustrated.  
         [0052]    In FIG. 3A, therein is shown an alternative embodiment as in FIG. 3 except with the addition of a second golf cup  44  disposed adjacent to golf cup  26  in place of the simulated hazard  36  and the pin and flag  38  and the pin and flag mounting boss  42  are eliminated.  
         [0053]    In FIG. 3B, therein is shown another alternate embodiment as in FIG. 3 except the opening in upper surface  24  for golf cup  26  is centered in the upper surface and the simulated hazard  36  and the pin and flag  38  and pin and flag mounting boss  42  are eliminated.  
         [0054]    In the preferred embodiment of the apparatus for golf putting practice  10 , the upper surface  24 , the simulated hazard  36 , a plurality of stationary vanes  40 , the lower wall  28 , the flag mounting boss  42 , and the golf cup  26  are all molded in one integral shot of an injection grade thermoplastic material such as acetal. However the assembly could be molded of any plastic material that is injection grade, can withstand the fluctuating temperatures of a standard home heating and air conditioning duct, and that can be green in color to simulate a grass surface such as polypropylene, ABS (AcrylonitrileButadieneStyrene) or nylon. The upper surface  24  may also be textured to simulate putting green grass.  
         [0055]    The apparatus for golf putting practice may also be made of stamped and drawn metal as would be done in the standard manner by someone skilled in the art and the upper surface  24  may be coated in such a manner as to simulate a putting green surface.  
         [0056]    Operation  
         [0057]    The manner of using the apparatus for golf putting practice  10  is to remove one of the floor mounted vent registers  12  in an office or home and replace it with the apparatus for golf putting practice  10 , inserting the apparatus for golf putting practice  10  deep enough into the HVAC outlet opening (not shown) such that the top surface  24  is parallel with the top of the floor covering carpet (not shown). This assures a smooth transition between the carpet and the upper surface  24 , allowing a putted golf ball to roll unimpeded toward the golf cup  26 .  
         [0058]    As in a regular putting contest, golfers wanting to practice their putting may stand at varying distance from the apparatus for golf putting practice and strike regulation golf balls (not shown) with a regular golf putter (not shown) in the direction of the golf cup  26 , suspended below the upper surface  24 .  
         [0059]    The apparatus for golf putting practice may be removed and stored easily and the original vent register  12  reinstalled when the practice activity is completed. However, this is not necessary as the apparatus for golf putting practice  10  is unobtrusive and contains sufficient openings for air flow as to not disrupt the heating or cooling of the room in which it is installed.  
         [0060]    The two golf cup embodiment as shown in FIG. 3A and the single cup embodiment as shown in FIG. 3B are utilized in the same manner as the preferred embodiment just described. The second golf cup  44  shown in FIG. 3A being disposed adjacent to the first golf cup  26  can be used either by a second golfer or to give the single golfer two different golf cups to putt towards on slightly different lines.  
         [0061]    Ramification and Scope  
         [0062]    Accordingly, the reader will see that the apparatus for golf putting practice provides:  
         [0063]    (a) an apparatus for golf putting practice that is small, compact, and unobtrusive when installed in an office or home;  
         [0064]    (b) an apparatus for golf putting practice in which the golf cup is sized to meet United States Golf Association (USGA) regulations;  
         [0065]    (c) an apparatus for golf putting practice that disposes the golf cup below floor level;  
         [0066]    (d) an apparatus for golf putting practice which duplicates the unfettered nature of an actual putt;  
         [0067]    (e) an apparatus for golf putting practice that replicates the sound and feel of making a putt in a USGA regulation golf cup; and  
         [0068]    (f) an apparatus for golf putting practice that utilizes the existing floor covering as the putting surface with no additional mats or tracks.  
         [0069]    While I have explained my invention in detail with the aid of exemplary embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific constructional details shown and described by way of example, which may be departed from without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

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