Patent Application
20100048329
In the game of golf, ball markers are routinely used to mark the position of a golf ball after landing on the green. Following proper etiquette and the rules of golf, players must mark and remove their golf ball when on the putting surface. At this point, the player is allowed to clean and wipe away grass, mud, and water that may have accumulated on the ball during play. Further, marking the golf ball allows other players, who are further away from the hole, to continue play without the possibility of their ball hitting other balls on the green. While another golfer may still hit the marker with the ball, the marker, because markers are typically small and relatively flat, causes substantially less deflection than would occur in a collision with another ball.
Many golfers use ball markers that are small disc-shaped structures composed of a durable material, such as metal or plastic. Ball markers can be found as independent entities and as an example, coins have long been used to serve this purpose. However, this system has its drawbacks. Ball markers not affixed to something else are easily lost, dropped, or misplaced on the golf course. Players can have difficulty finding their ball marker in pant pockets or golf bags filled with golf balls, tees, car keys, and loose change.
In response to this situation, ball markers affixed or that can be affixed to something else, such as a golf glove, shoe, or article of clothing, were developed. For instance, markers are commonly found on golf gloves, typically including a prong or pin that mates with a socket on the tab or elsewhere on the glove. However, such markers require a tight fit of the prong within the socket so that the marker is not dislodged during play. As a result, a fair amount of force needs to be applied to pry the marker from the socket for use. When returning the marker to the socket, care must be taken to properly align the prong or pin with the socket to avoid damage to either the prong or the socket. In addition, the prong and socket arrangement is prone to corrosion or jamming with foreign material, making it more difficult to remove and/or replace the marker.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a ball marker system which addresses the shortcomings in the art. Specifically, such a ball marker system must have a relatively simple and straightforward design. Also, it must allow the golfer to be able to retrieve easily the marker and return the marker to its proper position. Thus, the positioning of the marker system must be in a natural-appearing and readily accessible place.
Disclosed is an improved golf ball marker and holder. In certain embodiments, the ball marker is made of a magnetizable material. In certain embodiments, the holder is non-circular in shape, composed of a rubber material, and contains a permanent magnet. In certain embodiments, the holder acts as a magnetic base to which the ball marker is magnetically drawn. In certain embodiments, a recessed area, located on a bottom surface of the base, contains the magnet. In certain embodiments, the magnet is secured in the recessed area within the base with a backing material. In certain embodiments, on a top surface of the base, a graphic exists and is visually exposed when the player removes the ball marker away from the base. In certain embodiments, the graphic can be painted, stitched, embroidered, or otherwise molded onto the rubber base. In certain embodiments, there is also an outer border to the base. In some embodiments, the outer border is used as a thread channel through which a threading sewing needle stitches directly through the border or base material in order to permanently stitch the base onto the brim of a baseball-style cap or other base fabric.
In certain embodiments, the ball marker is circular in shape, but it may be non-circular in other embodiments. In certain embodiments, the ball marker comprises a magnetizable material, and in one embodiment contains iron. In certain embodiments, the marker is secured in place by a magnetic field, generated from the magnet. In certain embodiments, the ball marker is positioned directly on the top surface of the base. In certain embodiments, the raised orientation of the ball marker atop the rubber base, as well as the ball marker overhanging the edge of the holder, allows for easy and simple removal by sliding or lifting the marker off the base. In certain embodiments, the magnetic field strength is strong and large enough to prevent the ball marker from coming loose or falling off the base during playing conditions. In certain embodiments, the ball marker is put back into place on the holder after use. In certain embodiments, the user can easily feel the holder without visual aid and place the marker thereon. Though described herein in relation to a baseball-style cap, the base can be fabricated on a visor, golf glove, shirt, pants, other clothing, golf bag, putter cover, or golf paraphernalia.
In one embodiment, a holder for a ball marker comprises of a non-circular rubber base with a top surface and a bottom surface, an outer border, a magnet for magnetically holding the ball marker, and a recessed area of the holder. In certain embodiments, the recessed area is approximately the same size as the magnet such that the magnet fits securely inside the recessed area. In certain embodiments, the magnet is contained within the recessed area of the holder with a self-adhesive backing material, double-sided plastic tape, covering the magnet and the bottom surface of the holder. In certain embodiments, the plastic tape affixes the holder on a top side of a brim of a cap. In certain embodiments, the holder is further secured by using the outer border as a thread channel so that the holder is sewn onto the brim of a cap. In certain embodiments, stitching is sewn completely through the thread channels of the outer border and through one or more fabric layers in the brim of the cap.
In another embodiment, the magnet is inside the recessed area at the bottom surface of the rubber base. In certain embodiments, the holder is sewn, using the outer border of the rubber base as thread channels, to the brim of a cap through one or more fabric layers. In certain embodiments, both the bottom surface of the holder and the magnet are in direct contact with the fabric, securing the rubber base and magnet in place.
In another embodiment, the magnet is inside the recessed area of the rubber holder. In certain embodiments, the magnet and bottom surface are covered by a backing material, a layer of a rubber material. In certain embodiments, the magnet is completely surrounded by rubber material inside the base. In certain embodiments, the base is fabricated using the outer border as a thread channel on the brim of a cap.
The holder may be secured to an article of clothing, such as a baseball-style cap, wherein the holder is attached to the brim of the cap. In certain embodiments, the holder can be stitched and/or the double-sided plastic tape can be used to affix the holder onto a top portion of a cap brim. In certain embodiments, the holder may be placed on other locations on caps or visors. For example, the holder may be attached to a bottom portion of a brim. In certain embodiments, the magnet generates a magnetic field that penetrates through the rubber and any materials generally used to construct a cap brim. In certain embodiments, the ball marker may be positioned directly on the rubber base or on the opposite side.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. To provide an overall understanding, certain illustrative embodiments will now be described; however, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention described herein can be adapted and modified for other suitable applications and that the other additions and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the systems and methods described herein.
Unless otherwise specified, the illustrated embodiments can be understood as providing exemplary features of varying detail, and therefore, unless otherwise specified, features, components, modules, and/or aspects of the illustrations can be otherwise combined, separated, interchanged, and/or rearranged without departing from the disclosed system. Additionally, the shapes and sizes of components are also exemplary and unless otherwise specified, can be altered without affecting the disclosed systems or methods. Throughout the entirety of the present disclosure, use of the articles “a” or “an” to modify a noun can be understood to be used for convenience and to include one, or more than one of the modified noun, unless specifically stated.
A bottom surface 12 of the base 10 is shown in
The top and bottom/side views of one embodiment are shown in
It is within the scope of this invention that the location of the base 10 attached to an article of clothing can be determined by the user. The user is able to peel paper off the backing, exposing one side of the sticky plastic tape, and place the base 10 anywhere desirable. The double-sided plastic tape 14 creates a barrier between the article of clothing and the magnet 40. The magnet 40 does not come in direct contact with fabric materials. A graphic 20 is on the top surface 15 of the rubber base 10.
In the embodiments shown in
Another embodiment of the holder 10 is shown in
A non-magnetic ball marker 70 is placed on top of the holder 10 in
It is within the scope of this invention that the ball marker 70 be placed anywhere on the cap 60 within the magnetic field produced by the magnet. The ball marker 70 can be placed on the bottom side of the cap brim, directly below the rubber base 10. The magnetic field generated by the magnet penetrates the rubber base 10 and the various layers of fabric used to construct a cap brim. The ball marker 70 directly presses against the fabric of the cap brim.
Although the holder has been described relative to specific embodiments thereof, it is not so limited. Obviously many modifications and variations may become apparent in light of the above teachings. Elements, components, modules, and/or parts thereof that are described and/or otherwise portrayed through the figures to communicate with, be associated with, and/or be based on, something else, can be understood to so communicate, be associated with, and/or be based on in a direct and/or indirect manner, unless otherwise stipulated herein.
Many additional changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of parts, herein described and illustrated can be made by those skilled in the art.
