US3892334A

US3892334A - Golf tee container

Info

Publication number: US3892334A
Application number: US401254A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ii Claude E Hand; Iii Claude E Hand
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-09-27
Filing date: 1973-09-27
Publication date: 1975-07-01
Anticipated expiration: 1992-07-01

Abstract

A tubular container for carrying a supply of golf tees with the tees being confined in a stacked manner. Resilient retainer means restrict tee removal from the container to one at a time as extracted by the golfer. Clip means enable convenient attachment of the tubular tee container to a golf bag, golf car or other golf equipment.

Description

United States Patent Hand, II et al. July 1, 1975 [54] GOLF TEE CONTAINER 2,857,794 l0/l958 Red 221/307 2 .849 [76] Inventors: Claude E. Hand, ll, PO. Box 1106, 307 532 3 65;

La Grande; Claude E. Hand, ll], 1402 3rd St., Eugene, both of Greg. 97350 Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner- H. Grant Skaggs, Jr. Flled? Sepl- 1973 Attorney, Agent, or FirmBurns, Doane, Swecker and [2i] Appl. No.: 401,254 Mathis Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser, No. 183,974, Sept. 27, I971, {57] ABSTRACT abandoned,

A tubular container for carrying a supply of golf tees [52] [1.8. CI 221/281; 22l/307 with the tees being confined in a stacked manner. Re- [Sl] Int. Cl. 865g 59/00 silient retainer means restrict tee removal from the [58] Field of Search 221/307, 308, 309, 310, container to one at a time as extracted by the golfer.

22 l/64, 28l, 197; 206/315; 273/33; 24/l l CT Clip means enable convenient attachment of the tubular tee container to a golf bag, golf car or other golf [56] References Cited equipment.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 Cl 6 D i F 2,073,328 3/1937 Wasserlein 221/310 CLAUDE E. HAND ll CLAUDE E. HAND lll XNVENTORS GOLF TEE CONTAINER This is a continuation of application Scr. No. 183.974. filed Sept. 27. 197]. and now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to golfing accessories and more particularly to a tubular holder for a supply of golf tees.

It is common practice to carry a quantity of golf tees in a concealed manner within a pocket or pockets of a golf bag. Tees so carried are usually mixed with various other items of golfing paraphernalia such contributing to the difficulty in promptly locating a tee. A further disadvantage to carrying golf tees loosely within a pocket of a golf bag is that the quantity of tees on hand prior to the start of a round ofgolf is usually not known. Accordingly. replenishing of a supply of golftees is usually done on a hit or miss basis with the golfer sometimes running short of tees before completing his round of golf. Existing tee holders. such as apertured placards. do not provide for carrying an adequate quantity of tees and hence must be regularly re-loaded during a single golf match.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The instant invention is embodied within a tee holder of elongate configuration for convenient attachment of same to a golf bag. golf cart or golf car. The holder is preferably of a transparent material allowing the supply of tees to be determined at a glance. The tees are held in a stacked manner with the lowermost tee having its shank portion exposed for convenient extraction by the golfer.

Clip means are incorporated in one form of the invention to permit secure attachment of the tee holder to the edge of a golf bag or similar surface of other golfing equipment. Alternatively. another form of the invention provides attachment means adapted for engagement with a structural member of a golf car.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of a holder for golf tees. attractive in appearance. and providing convenient storage for a substantial quantity of tees.

A second important object is the provision of retainer means adjacent the upper end of the tee holder permitting insertion of the tees. one at a time. into the holder while preventing discharge from the holder in an opposite direction. Like retainer means restricts discharge of the tees one by one from the holder with a following tee being automatically positioned into place for later grasping by the golfer.

A further important object is the provision of retainer means in the form of a ring shaped closure apertured to receive and pass tapered golf tees in one direction while restricting accidental discharge thereof in an opposite direction.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of a tee holder manufactured from low cost tubular stock and utilizing like retainer means at its opposite ends all contributing to a golf accessory of low manufacturing costs yet one of highly attractive appearance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing: FIG. I is a perspective view of a golf bag with the present golf tee container in place thereon.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the tee container sectioned for convenience of illustration,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 2 on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevational view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 showing internal details of the tee container.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the present tee container in place on a golf car structure. and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of tee retainer means at the upper end of the tubular member with a golf tee partially inserted.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With continuing reference to the accompanying drawing wherein applied reference numerals indicate parts similarly identified in the following specification the tee container is indicated generally at I0. and is shown in FIG. I in placement upon the upper end of golf bag II. Other convenient locations for attachment of the tee container will be readily apparent to users of the device.

With regard to the structure of container 10, an elongate hollow member is indicated at 12 defining a tee storage area 13 within which a quantity of golf tees is stacked. The tees. so stacked. will rest with their pointed lower ends on the head of a subjacent tee. For purposes of economical manufacture elongate tubular member I2 may be of extruded lucite or an equivalent plastic. clear or tinted. but preferably retaining a transparent quality.

The member 12 is preferably fitted adjacent its upper terminus with a clip structure I4 to the upper end of which is secured a tee retainer at IS. The clip structure I4 serves to provide means for secure attachment of the container to any suitable supporting surface.

The clip structure 14 is of open construction. as best seen in FIG. 4, having an inner wall 16 of a diameter corresponding to the outside wall diameter of the inserted end of tubular member 12. A suitable bonding agent may be applied to the cooperating \vall surfaces 16 and those of said tubular member to effect a permanent engagement therebetween. Inner wall 16 of the clip structure terminates upwardly in a shoulder I7 from whence a second inner wall at 18 extends as part of a collar 19. The latter wall 18 is of a slightly reduced inner diameter for purposes of registration with the inner diameter of tubular member 12 to prevent the tee point inserted therepast from catching the peripheral edge of member I2. The collar I9 of the clip structure is perferably of an outside daimeter approximately equal to that of tubular member 12 to permit identical tee retainers I5 to be used at the top and bottom ends of the tee container. A suitable bonding agent or glue may be applied to the cooperating wall surfaces of the retainer I5 and collar I9 for permanent engagement of same.

Integral with the above described clip structure 14 is a depending arm or clip 21 of a semi-rigid nature for biased engagement with a golf bag rim or the like. The arm includes a rib portion 21A to provide a desired degree of rigidity to the arm. The clip structure 14 lends itself to low cost production as by injection molding of high impact styrene plastic or its equivalent.

The tee retainers at 15 are formed of a suitable elastomer. such as a vinyl. and are of ring-like configuration having an internal wall surface at lSA for fitted engagement about collar 19 and oppositely for fitted engagement with the lower end of tubular member 12. The transverse end wall 20 of the tee retainers defines a tee receiving opening 23 through which tees pass in a shank first direction the shank being indicated at 22. The opening 23 is defined by an annular edge which flexes during tee passage. In one embodiment of the tee retainer, when in its normal relaxed state. the opening is of four hundred thousandths of an inch diameter to permit reception of the head portion 24 of a golf tee requiring but slight radial enlargement of the opening. The tapered configuration of the golf tee shank 22 acts upon the inner periphery of the retainer opening 23 to gradually enlarge same during finger urged passage therethrough. Once inserted into tubular member 12 the golf tee will be confined for gravitational passage through the container as the tees are pulled one at a time shank first from the containers lower end. As a tee is withdrawn from the lower end of tubular member 12 the shank of the next tee will drop through opening 23 of the bottom retainer 15. Inadvertent tee loss is prevented by the opening 23 being of a diameter to engage the enlarged shank portion of the tee subjacent the head 24 of the tee.

The retainer may be of a durable vinyl plastic suitably resilient to permit radial enlargement of opening 23 incident to a downward pull being exerted on the tee shank. Upon passage of the head portion of the tee the opening contracts to its normal state to engage and support the enlarged shank portion of the following tee.

One satisfactory embodiment of the tee retainer l incorporates a double beveled periphery as best shown in FIG. 4. This double bevel arrangement includes, with respect to the axis of the member 12, inner and outer beveled surfaces 23a and 231) (FIG. 6). The outer beveled surface of the upper retainer is resiliently compressed when tees are inserted, and the inner beveled surface of the lower retainer is resiliently compressed when tees are removed. The relieving of the opening periphery assures that the tee point, in instances when the tee is canted within tubular member 12, will still enter opening 23 as opposed to coming to rest against the end wall of the retainer. Additionally the beveled edge reduces the retainer mass displaced during passage of the head 24 of the tee therepast.

A modified form of the invention is shown in FIG. 5 wherein a tee container, indicated generally at 25, comprises an elongate tubular member 12' to the top and bottom ends of which are secured tee retainers at 15'. The clip structure, as earlier described, is dispensed with in favor of a bracket having cooperating, curved clamping members 26. The clamping members 26 may be shaped as at 26A to securely engage a structural member of a golf cart or golf car at 27. Obviously the clamping members 26 may take various sizes and shapes, as may a fastener at 28, to achieve firm engagement with a supporting structure.

While I have shown but two embodiments of the invention it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied still otherwise without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is desired to be secured under a Letters Patent is;

l. A golf tee container for receiving a plurality of tapered golf tees and orienting same for manual removal in a one-at'a-time fashion, said container comprising: an open-ended tubular member of transparent plastic material having a length and diameter suitable for loosely receiving a plurality of stacked golf tees, said tubular member being adapted for upright attachment to a supporting surface, and

a pair of identical tee retainers located at the upper and lower ends of the tubular member, each re tainer being of one-piece molded plastic material and including:

first annular internal wall means adhesively secured adjacent a respective end of said tubular member, and

an end wall disposed perpendicular to said first internal wall means and having second annular internal wall means arranged co-axially with said tubular member, said second internal wall means comprising inner and outer beveled surfaces which converge to produce an annular edge defining a resilient tee-receiving opening, said opening being smaller than the largest crosssection of a tee utilized in conjunction with said tubular member;

the lower tee retainer being disposed such that the inner beveled surface thereof retains and supports the lowermost tee of a stack of tees in said tubular member such that a shank portion of the lowermost tee projects outwardly beyond said tee-receiving opening in an operable orientation of said tee container,

the outer beveled surface of said upper retainer being resiliently compressible under the influence of a tee being manually pushed shank-first through the tee-receiving opening thereof to permit the tee to be inserted into said tubular member;

the inner beveled surface of said lower retainer being resiliently compressible under the influence of a tee being manually pulled shank-first through the tee-receiving opening thereof to permit the tee to be removed from said tubular member.

2. A golf tee container for receiving a plurality of tapered golf tees and orienting same for manual removal in a one-at-a-time fashion, said container comprising:

an opening-ended tubular member of transparent plastic material having a length and diameter suitable for loosely receiving a plurality of stacked golf tees, said tubular member being adapted for upright attachment to a supporting surface, and

a pair of identical tee retainers located at the upper and lower ends of the tubular member, each retainer being of one-piece molded plastic material and including:

an end wall disposed perpendicular to said first internal wall means and having a second annular internal wall means arranged co-axially with said tubular member, said second internal wall means comprising inner and outer beveled surfaces which converge to produce an annular edge defining a resilient tee-receiving opening, said opening being smaller than the largest crosssection of a tee utilized in conjunction with said tubular member;

a clip member including a cylindrical body portion having:

an internal annular surface at one end which is in surrounding relationship with, and adhesively secured to, an outer wall surface of said tubular member, a shoulder portion at the top of said internal annular surface overlying the top of said tubular member; an external annular surface at the other end thereof which is the same size as the outer wall surface of said tubular member, the second internal wall means of the upper retainer being disposed in surrounding relationship to, and adhesively secured to, said external annular surface of said cylindrical body portion, and

a resilient arm projecting from said body portion and extending along the tubular member for attachment to a supporting surface to hold said tubular member in an upright position;

the lower tee retainer being disposed such that the inner beveled surface thereof retains and supports the lowermost tee of a stack of tees in said tubular member such that a shank portion of the lowermost tee projects outwardly beyond said tee-receiving opening in an operable orientation of said tee container;

the outer beveled surface of said upper retainer being resiliently compressible under the influence of a tee being manually pushed shank-first through the tee-receiving opening thereof to permit the tee to be inserted into said tubular member',

Claims

1. A golf tee container for receiving a plurality of tapered golf tees and orienting same for manual removal in a one-at-atime fashion, said container comprising: an open-ended tubular member of transparent plastic material having a length and diameter suitable for loosely receiving a plurality of stacked golf tees, said tubular member being adapted for upright attachment to a supporting surface, and a pair of identical tee retainers located at the upper and lower ends of the tubular member, each retainer being of one-piece molded plastic material and including: first annular internal wall means adhesively secured adjacent a respective end of said tubular member, and an end wall disposed perpendicular to said first internal wall means and having second annular internal wall means arranged co-axially with said tubular member, said second internal wall means comprising inner and outer beveled surfaces which converge to produce an annular edge defining a resilient teereceiving opening, said opening being smaller than the largest cross-section of a tee utilized in conjunction with said tubular member; the lower tee retainer being disposed such that the inner beveled surface thereOf retains and supports the lowermost tee of a stack of tees in said tubular member such that a shank portion of the lowermost tee projects outwardly beyond said tee-receiving opening in an operable orientation of said tee container; the outer beveled surface of said upper retainer being resiliently compressible under the influence of a tee being manually pushed shank-first through the tee-receiving opening thereof to permit the tee to be inserted into said tubular member; the inner beveled surface of said lower retainer being resiliently compressible under the influence of a tee being manually pulled shank-first through the tee-receiving opening thereof to permit the tee to be removed from said tubular member.

2. A golf tee container for receiving a plurality of tapered golf tees and orienting same for manual removal in a one-at-a-time fashion, said container comprising: an opening-ended tubular member of transparent plastic material having a length and diameter suitable for loosely receiving a plurality of stacked golf tees, said tubular member being adapted for upright attachment to a supporting surface, and a pair of identical tee retainers located at the upper and lower ends of the tubular member, each retainer being of one-piece molded plastic material and including: first annular internal wall means adhesively secured adjacent a respective end of said tubular member, and an end wall disposed perpendicular to said first internal wall means and having a second annular internal wall means arranged co-axially with said tubular member, said second internal wall means comprising inner and outer beveled surfaces which converge to produce an annular edge defining a resilient tee-receiving opening, said opening being smaller than the largest cross-section of a tee utilized in conjunction with said tubular member; a clip member including a cylindrical body portion having: an internal annular surface at one end which is in surrounding relationship with, and adhesively secured to, an outer wall surface of said tubular member, a shoulder portion at the top of said internal annular surface overlying the top of said tubular member; an external annular surface at the other end thereof which is the same size as the outer wall surface of said tubular member, the second internal wall means of the upper retainer being disposed in surrounding relationship to, and adhesively secured to, said external annular surface of said cylindrical body portion, and a resilient arm projecting from said body portion and extending along the tubular member for attachment to a supporting surface to hold said tubular member in an upright position; the lower tee retainer being disposed such that the inner beveled surface thereof retains and supports the lowermost tee of a stack of tees in said tubular member such that a shank portion of the lowermost tee projects outwardly beyond said tee-receiving opening in an operable orientation of said tee container; the outer beveled surface of said upper retainer being resiliently compressible under the influence of a tee being manually pushed shank-first through the tee-receiving opening thereof to permit the tee to be inserted into said tubular member; the inner beveled surface of said lower retainer being resiliently compressible under the influence of a tee being manually pulled shank-first through the tee-receiving opening thereof to permit the tee to be removed from said tubular member.