Patent Application
20250001268
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to golf equipment and more particularly relates to an extendable golf tee.
In general, a tee is a stand used in sport to support and elevate a stationary ball prior to striking with a foot, club or bat. For instance, a golf tee may be used to raise and support a golf ball above a teeing surface to be hit or struck with a golf club.
Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed for an extendable golf tee. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a ball support, a shaft, and extension member coupling the ball support to the shaft, wherein the ball support, the shaft, or a combination thereof are movable along the extension member to set a length of the apparatus from the ball support to an end of the shaft at a predefined length.
In one embodiment, an extendable golf tee includes a ball support, a shaft comprising a protruding member, and an extension member coupling the ball support to the shaft, the extension member comprising a groove and a plurality of slots located at different lengths along the extension member, wherein the protruding member is configured to slide along the groove and set within one of the plurality of slots to set the length of the extendable golf tee at a predefined length.
In one embodiment, an extendable golf tee includes a ball support, a shaft comprising a protruding member, and an extension member coupling the ball support to the shaft, the extension member comprising a plurality of notches located along a length of the extension member, wherein the protruding member corresponds to each of the plurality of notches along the length of the extension member and is configured to lock in a notch and set the shaft at a position along the extension member to set the length of the extendable golf tee.
A more particular description of the embodiments briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only some embodiments and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of scope, the embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:
In general, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to an extendable golf tee. In particular, the extendable golf tee is reusable and configured to extend to a desired height/length and lock in place at the desired height/length. Often, golf players carry numerous conventional (wood) golf tees in their golf bag. The golf tees may have different heights/lengths, or other characteristics, for different applications (e.g., different holes that require teeing up at different heights/lengths, etc.). The subject matter claimed herein, however, describes an extendable golf tee that can be used and reused to tee a golf ball at different heights/lengths. In this manner, a player does not have to carry numerous golf tees with them.
In one embodiment, the ball support 102 has an end with a concave shape, e.g., like a bowl, that allows a golf ball to sit on top of the tee without additional support. In certain embodiments, the end of the ball support 102 with the concave shape may be extendable such that the size (e.g., the radius, diameter) can be made larger or smaller to account for the size of the golf ball, the surface of the golf ball, the type of golf ball, and/or the like. For example, the ball support 102 may include extensions that slide out from the outer edge of the ball support 102. Further, in one embodiment, the ball support 102 has a smooth surface or a textured surface. At an opposite end, the ball support 102 includes at least a portion of an elongated member or shaft.
In one embodiment, the shaft 104 of the extendable golf tee 100 comprises an elongated body that supports the ball support 102 at a first end and has a point at a second end, which can be used to help penetrate and push the extendable golf tee 100 into the ground. In certain embodiments, the extendable golf tee 100 includes measurement markings 106 that are printed, embossed, engraved, or the like along the shaft 104 and/or the elongated portion of the ball support 102. The measurement markings 106 may be in inches, centimeters, or the like. The measurement markings 106 may show how deep the tee is inserted into the ground and/or how high the ball support 102 is above the ground. In one embodiment, a fully compressed extendable golf tee 100 is 3 inches in length, where the ball support 102 may be 1.5 inches long and the shaft 104 may be 1.5 inches long.
In such an embodiment, the extension member 108 may be fixed to the shaft 104 and/or the ball support 102 portions of the extendable golf tee 100, which allows the ball support 102 and/or the shaft 104 to slide along the extension member 108 to set the extendable golf tee 100 at a desired height/length. In such an embodiment, when the extendable golf tee 100 is in a compressed or retracted state, at least a portion of the extension member 108 is inserted or received into the ball support 102 and/or the shaft 104.
In one embodiment, the groove 110 intersects with different perpendicular secondary slots or grooves 112 that are located at predetermined locations along the extension and are configured to set the extendable golf tee 100 at a predetermined height/length.
In another embodiment, the extension member 108 may include a plurality of notches, grooves, slots, or the like located at different points along the length of the extension member 108. The protruding member 116 may be configured to be inserted in the notches and lock the extension member 108 at a predetermined height/length. In such an embodiment, the protruding member 116 may be retractable, e.g., by pushing a button on the side of the extendable golf tee 100, to release the extension member 108 and allow the extension member 108 to slide freely to a selected height/length and be secured at the selected height/length in response to the user releasing the protruding member 116 and inserting the protruding member 116 into the notch at the selected height/length.
When a desired height/length is selected, the extension member 108, the ball support 102, and/or the shaft 104, is twisted such that the protrusion 116 is inserted into and slid along a secondary groove 112. The protruding member 116 is then inserted into a notch, cavity, or depression 114 that locks the protruding member 116 in place and sets the extension at the desired height/length. The notch, cavity, or depression 114 may be located above or below the secondary groove 112 depending on whether the shaft 104 or the ball support 102 includes the protruding member 116 (to account for pressure being applied in one direction or the other).
To unlock the extension member 108 and set at a different height/length or to compress/retract the extension, the extension member 108 is moved, retracted, compressed, slid, or the like, such that the protruding member 116 is released from the depression 114, slid along the secondary groove 112, and back to the groove 110 that runs along the length of the extension member 108. The extendable golf tee 100 can now be set at a different height/length.
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a ball support, a shaft, and extension member coupling the ball support to the shaft, wherein the ball support, the shaft, or a combination thereof are movable along the extension member to set a length of the apparatus from the ball support to an end of the shaft at a predefined length.
In one embodiment, a size of the ball support is configurable. In one embodiment, a circumference of the ball support is extendable and retractable to configure the size of the ball support.
In one embodiment, the apparatus includes measurement markings along a length of the shaft, an elongated portion of the ball supported, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the extension member comprises a groove and a plurality of slots located at different lengths along the extension member.
In one embodiment, the shaft comprises a protruding member that is configured to slide along the groove and set within one of the plurality of slots to set the length of the apparatus at the predefined length. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of slots further comprises a notch that the protruding member sits in. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of slots corresponds to each of a plurality of measurement markings.
In one embodiment, the extension member comprises a plurality of notches located along a length of the extension member. In one embodiment, the shaft comprises a protruding member that corresponds to each of the plurality of notches along the length of the extension member and is configured to lock in a notch and set the shaft at a position along the extension member to set the length of the apparatus. In one embodiment, the protruding member is retractable to release the protruding member from the notch where it is locked.
In one embodiment, an extendable golf tee includes a ball support, a shaft comprising a protruding member, and an extension member coupling the ball support to the shaft, the extension member comprising a groove and a plurality of slots located at different lengths along the extension member, wherein the protruding member is configured to slide along the groove and set within one of the plurality of slots to set the length of the extendable golf tee at a predefined length.
In one embodiment, a size of the ball support is configurable. In one embodiment, a circumference of the ball support is extendable and retractable to configure the size of the ball support. In one embodiment, the extendable golf tee includes measurement markings along a length of the shaft, an elongated portion of the ball supported, or a combination thereof.
In one embodiment, an extendable golf tee includes a ball support, a shaft comprising a protruding member, and an extension member coupling the ball support to the shaft, the extension member comprising a plurality of notches located along a length of the extension member, wherein the protruding member corresponds to each of the plurality of notches along the length of the extension member and is configured to lock in a notch and set the shaft at a position along the extension member to set the length of the extendable golf tee.
In one embodiment, a size of the ball support is configurable. In one embodiment, a circumference of the ball support is extendable and retractable to configure the size of the ball support. In one embodiment, the extendable golf tee includes measurement markings along a length of the shaft, an elongated portion of the ball supported, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the protruding member is retractable to release the protruding member from the notch where it is locked.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, but mean “one or more but not all embodiments” unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “including,” “comprising,” “having,” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to,” unless expressly specified otherwise. An enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” also refer to “one or more” unless expressly specified otherwise.
Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the embodiments may be combined in any suitable manner. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of programming, software modules, user selections, network transactions, database queries, database structures, hardware modules, hardware circuits, hardware chips, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of an embodiment.
It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. Other steps and methods may be conceived that are equivalent in function, logic, or effect to one or more blocks, or portions thereof, of the illustrated Figures.
Although various arrow types and line types may be employed in the flowchart and/or block diagrams, they are understood not to limit the scope of the corresponding embodiments. Indeed, some arrows or other connectors may be used to indicate only the logical flow of the depicted embodiment. For instance, an arrow may indicate a waiting or monitoring period of unspecified duration between enumerated steps of the depicted embodiment. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart diagrams, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and code.
The description of elements in each figure may refer to elements of proceeding figures. Like numbers refer to like elements in all figures, including alternate embodiments of like elements.
Embodiments may be practiced in other specific forms. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/510,632 entitled “EXTENDABLE GOLF TEE” and filed on Jun. 28, 2023, for James Thompson, which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63510632 | Jun 2023 | US |
