Patent Application
20110302730
The present invention generally relates to a golf ball cleaning device, and more particularly, to a battery powered motorized golf ball cleaning device.
Stand-alone golf ball washers are available at virtually every golf course. It is commonplace to find at least one golf ball washer before each hole on a golf course, in close proximity to the tee box. In fact, from exclusive country clubs to public par-three courses, golfers expect to find a golf ball washer on every hole.
Common single golf ball washers for use on golf courses are manually operated, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,082, which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety.
An exemplary battery-powered golf ball cleaning device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,509 which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety.
Disclosed is a motorized golf ball cleaning device (herein referred to as the device), which is configured to automatically clean a single golf ball. The device is enclosed within a housing. The housing may comprises an upper and a lower housing, which are openably connected to one another. The lower housing comprises a cavity for holding a cleaning fluid. The device may be opened for replenishing or replacing the cleaning fluid, e.g. by separating the upper housing from the lower housing or pivoting the upper housing against the lower housing. Two brushes are provided which partially or completely immerse into the cleaning fluid. The brushes are operatively connected to electric motors which cause the brushes to rotate during cleaning operation. A feeder feeds the golf ball from an entry guide on the outside of the upper housing through a feeder channel to a cleaning position between the brushes. During cleaning operation the feeder holds the golf ball in the cleaning position between the rotating brushes, allowing the ball to spin and be cleaned from all sides. The presence of a golf ball in the cleaning position is detected by a sensor, which is operatively connected to a control unit that controls power to the electric motors. If a golf ball is detected in the cleaning position the control unit activates the electric motors for a predetermined amount of time that is sufficiently long to clean a spoiled golf ball.
In an exemplary embodiment the cavity of the lower housing may be configured to accept a removable reservoir which contains the cleaning fluid. The reservoir may comprise handles, allowing the reservoir to be removed from the cavity, so that old cleaning fluid and dirt which has collected in the reservoir can be easily poured out. The reservoir holds about 3.5 to 4.0 liter of cleaning fluid.
Each brush may be operatively connected to the motor by a gear set, allowing the electric motor to rotate faster than the brush. The gear sets, motors and brushes may form a cleaning mechanism assembly, which is mounted to the upper housing.
The device may be powered by a battery, which is operatively connected to the control unit, and which provides energy to power the electric motors during a cleaning operation. Preferably, the battery is rechargeable. The device may further comprise a solar cell array capable of generating enough power to charge the rechargeable battery between cleaning operations, thus eliminating the need for an external power source for the device. The rechargeable battery may have a capacity of about 3.2 Ah, which has proven to be sufficient for approximately 1500 cleaning operations.
A sensor capable of detecting the presence of a golf ball in the cleaning fluid may be operatively connected to the control unit. The sensor may comprise a reed contact, which switches when the feeder is in its fully inserted position. It may further comprise a light guide which is interrupted by the presence of a golf ball in the cleaning device. The control unit may be an electronic circuit comprising a timer for activating the electric motors for a predetermined time after a golf ball has been detected in the cleaning position, i.e. when the feeder is fully inserted. The control unit may also comprise a charge control circuit for controlling the charging of the rechargeable battery through the solar cell array.
The cleaning brushes may be mounted on the upper housing so that they are partially immersed in the cleaning fluid when the device is closed and operational. The cleaning brushes may be easily accessible, so that they can be replaced when worn. Scrubbing cleaning brushes having an essentially horizontal rotational axis may be used.
Alternatively, scrubbing brushes having a vertical axis may be used. In vertical embodiments both scrubbing brushes may be powered by one electric motor, and a shaft may be used between both brushes. In such an embodiment only the lower brush may be in contact with cleaning fluid.
The upper housing may be connected to the lower housing by one or more hinges combined with a gas spring. The hinge or hinges enable opening and closing of the device. The gas spring keeps the device open during maintenance functions. Positive force must be used to overcome the resistance of the gas spring and close the device. A lock may be provided to secure the upper housing in its closed position and prevent unauthorized access to the inside of the device.
The feeder is capable of holding a golf ball and feeding it into the cleaning fluid. The feeder comprises a receptacle hole for the golf ball at its lower end, the diameter of which is slightly larger than 1.68 inches, the diameter of a golf ball. This allows the golf ball to spin within the receptacle hole during cleaning, so that it is cleaned from all sides. The cross section of the feeder at the receptacle hole may be oval. The larger diameter of the cross section is being referred to as the feeder's height, the smaller diameter of the cross section perpendicular to the larger diameter is being referred to as the feeder's width. The feeder is configured such that its receptacle hole its width is shorter than 1.68 inches and its height is longer than 1.68 inches.
In order to clean a golf ball a golfer manually inserts the golf ball into the feeder mechanism, which extends through the housing to the cleaning mechanism inside the device. Then, the golfer manually pushes the feeder into its cleaning position, where the golf ball is automatically cleaned by brushes of the cleaning mechanism, which at least partially immerse in the cleaning fluid. After the cleaning brushes have stopped or earlier, if the golfer expects his ball to be sufficiently clean, the golfer removes the golf ball from the device by pulling the feeder.
The device may be mounted on top of a stand, which may be a pre-existing stand used to hold a previously existing manual golf ball washer or a pipe stand designed specifically for the device.
The scope of the invention is defined by the claims, which are incorporated into this section by reference. A more complete understanding of embodiments on the present disclosure will be afforded to those skilled in the art, as well as the realization of additional advantages thereof, by consideration of the following detailed description of one or more embodiments. Reference will be made to the appended sheets of drawings that will first be described briefly. The following detailed description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background of the invention or the following detailed description of the invention.
Golf ball washers serve a relatively basic function; namely to remove dirt and other debris from the surface of a golf ball which might otherwise affect the trajectory, distance, etc. of the golf ball after being struck. To accomplish this purpose, stand-alone golf ball washers come in many different forms.
In addition to the basic golf ball washing device, a towel is often attached to the exterior of the device and is used by the golfer to dry the golf ball after being washed. Other useful devices, such as golf shoe spike cleaners, garbage cans, score card holders, hole descriptions, advertisements, etc., can also be affixed to the device.
The elements of a basic golf ball washer are a tank to retain cleaning fluid, brushes located in the tank and capable of cleaning a golf ball, and an agitator mechanism which holds the golf ball while a golfer maneuvers the golf ball to enable the brushes and cleaning fluid to clean the golf ball. With a basic golf ball washer, the golfer generates all of the mechanical action. This can result in incomplete cleaning of the golf ball since the golfer may not have the patience or experience to clean the golf ball properly. Hence, a need exists for golf ball washer which provides all of the mechanical action necessary to properly clean the golf ball. The present disclosure describes a motorized golf ball cleaning device (herein referred to as the device) which overcomes the limitations of a manual golf ball cleaning device.
Referring to
An exemplary feeder 301 is illustrated in
Referring back to
In an alternative embodiment removable reservoir 206 may be omitted, and cleaning fluid may be held directly in lower housing 202. To remove cleaning fluid and dirt a drain including a valve of stopper is connected to the bottom of lower housing 202.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the disclosed or illustrated embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover numerous other modifications, substitutions, variations and broad equivalent arrangements that are included within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
